Planning & Community Development Department
Conditional Use Permit #6036 &
Street Vacation
1727-1787 East Walnut Street and
235 North Allen Avenue
“Allen-Walnut TOD Project”
City Council Meeting
November 18, 2013
Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
• Project Description
> Mixed-use project.
 128 Rental Apartments.
 5,000 square feet of commercial space.
 203 parking spaces.
» 134 spaces in one level of subterranean parking.
» Accessed from Walnut Street.
> Two buildings.
 West: 15 units in three stories.
 East: 113 units in four stories.
> Meridith Avenue to be vacated.
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Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
E Corson St
N Allen Ave
800 feet
Locust St
Project
Site
E Walnut St
3
Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
• Vicinity
4
Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
Locust St
Permitted
“By Right”
N Allen Ave
CG
N Meridith
Ave
RM-16
Conditional Use
Permit For Housing
ECSP-CG-3
E Walnut St
Meridith Ave.
Street Vacation
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Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
Permitted
“By Right”
N. Allen Ave.
Conditional Use
Permit For Housing
Meridith Ave.E. Walnut St.
Street Vacation
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Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
Conditional Use
Permit For Housing
• South Elevation
Permitted
“By Right”
Meridith Ave.
Street Vacation
• East Elevation
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Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
• Looking northeast across Walnut Street
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Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
• Looking northwest across Allen Avenue
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Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
• Entitlements:
> Conditional Use Permit to construct housing on the CGzoned portion of the site;
> Street Vacation of Meridith Avenue; and
> Design Review.
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Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
• Review Authorities:
> Planning Commission made recommendation on Street
Vacation, Conditional Use Permit, and environmental
review to City Council.
> City Council makes final decision.
> Design Commission will conduct design review.
 Tentatively scheduled for December 10.
> Arts & Culture Commission will conduct public art
component review.
 Preliminary review occurred on October 9.
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Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
• Public Art Ordinance.
> 1% of the building permit valuation shall be allocated by
a developer for a public art component.
 Design Commission cannot approve Concept Design Review
for the project until submittal of a Public Art Application.
 Concept Art Plan must be submitted within 45 days of Concept
Design Review.
 Final Design Review cannot occur until the Concept Art Plan is
approved.
 Final Art Plan must be submitted within 45 days of Final Design
Review.
> 20% of 1% is due upon submittal for building permit
plan check.
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Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
• Review Authorities:
> Arts & Culture Commission reviewed Preliminary
Concept Art Plan on October 9, 2013.
 Commission directed applicant to return for Concept Art Plan
review prior to submittal of Final Art Plan:
» More fully develop art concept to, “…provide complexity and
layered meanings beyond aesthetic design…”
 Staff is recommending a revised condition of approval #20:
» “The project shall meet all requirements of the Public Art Process.
The applicant shall submit a formal application for Concept Art
Plan for review and approval by the Pasadena Arts and Culture
Commission within 90 days of the effective date of this approval.”
 Cultural Affairs staff will continue to work with applicant, art
consultant, and artist to evolve public art component.
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Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
• Planning Commission.
> Public Hearing held October 23, 2013.
> Voted 8-0 to recommend approval of project and
environmental documents.
> An addendum was prepared in response to questions
about traffic study methodology.
> Two speakers voiced opposition to project:
 Increased traffic congestion; and
 Inadequate on-site parking.
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Conditional Use Permit #6036
Planning & Community Development Department
• Density Bonus
> State Law
 Senate Bill 1818
> Section 17.43 of Zoning Code
 Multi-family or mixed-use project with five or more units (before
the bonus).
 Affordable categories:
» Very Low Income;
» Low Income; and
» Moderate Income.
 Permitted “by-right”.
 Comply with all applicable codes and requirements.
 Environmental review required.
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Conditional Use Permit #6036
Planning & Community Development Department
• Density Bonus
> Maximum density bonus allowed varies:
% of housing
(before bonus)
% of bonus
(over max)
Very low
income
housing
5%
10%
11%
20%
27.5%
35%
Low income
housing
10%
15%
20%
20%
27.5%
35%
Moderate
income
housing
10%
20%
30%
40%
5%
15%
25%
35%
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Conditional Use Permit #6036
Planning & Community Development Department
• Density Bonus
> Developers may request concessions or waivers from
development standards in order to provide affordable
units.
> No deviations from any development standards
proposed as part of this project.
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Conditional Use Permit #6036
Planning & Community Development Department
• Zoning Code Compliance:
> Residential Density/Density Bonus:
 Nine ‘very low income’ units; and
 One ‘moderate income’ unit.
> Permitted density bonus:
 30 percent, or 33 more units.
 16 percent, or 18 unit proposed.
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Conditional Use Permit #6036
Planning & Community Development Department
• Zoning Code Compliance:
> The project is in compliance with other applicable
development standards of the Zoning Code including:
 Setbacks; Encroachment plane; Height; and Floor Area Ratio.
> All applicable development standards will be verified
during review of plans submitted for building permit.
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Conditional Use Permit #6036
Planning & Community Development Department
• Zoning Code Compliance: (continued)
> Parking for TOD projects:
Land Use
Residential
Guests
Commercial (restaurant)
Commercial (retail) or
Commercial (office)
Zoning Code Requirement (TOD)
1.0-1.25 / unit < 650 s.f.
1.5-1.75 / unit ≥ 650 s.f.
1.0 per every 10 units
9.0 per 1,000 s.f.
2.7 per 1,000 s.f.
2.25 per 1,000 s.f.
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64 units
64 units
128 units
2,500 s.f.
2,500 s.f.
2,500 s.f.
Total
Minimum
Spaces
Required
64 (80 max.)
96 (112 max.)
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23
7
6
202 or 203
Spaces
Proposed
64
96
13
23
7
6
202 or 203
Street Vacation
Planning & Community Development Department
• Portion of Meridith Avenue to be vacated:
> Dead-end terminus.
> 80 feet wide and 120 feet from Walnut Street north.
> Located between 1727 &1757 E. Walnut St.
• Vacated area to be used for:
> Occupied by portion of new construction; and
> Private driveway to access the site.
• Letters of support from adjacent property owners.
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Street Vacation
Planning & Community Development Department
• Current Condition of Meridith Avenue:
> 17-foot wide sidewalk on both sides; and
> 46-foot wide roadway.
> Terminates at north end:
 Does not comply with Pasadena standards for cul-de-sacs.
 Not sufficient turn-around space for public and street
maintenance vehicles
> Curb ramps at corners do not comply with Pasadena
standards for ramps.
• 46-foot wide crossing will be replaced private
driveway, reducing its width by half.
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Street Vacation
Planning & Community Development Department
• Department of Public Works has determined:
> No need, present or future, to retain this area for its
intended public purpose.
> Relinquishing all rights to vacated area will relieve the
City from future maintenance responsibilities and any
liability associated with the vacated area.
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Street Vacation
Planning & Community Development Department
• Department & Agency Comments:
> Notice (March 2013) sent to various utilities, other City
departments, and County agencies.
> Comments received:




Pasadena Water and Power;
Pasadena Public Works;
AT&T; and
Charter Communications.
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General Plan & Specific Plan Consistency
Planning & Community Development Department
• General Plan Land Use Element:
> Project is consistent with following Objectives and
Policies:
 Targeted Development (1.1 and 10.1: Targeted Development
Areas, 1.2: Specific Plans, 1.3 and 10.2: Transit-Oriented and
Pedestrian-Oriented Development, 1.4: Mixed-use);
 Affordable Housing (3.1: Exemption for Affordable Housing, 3.2
Density);
 Character and Scale of Pasadena (5.7: Enhanced Environment
and 5.10 Spatial Attributes);
 Job Opportunities (11.2: Employment Diversity and 11.7:
Increase Jobs).
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General Plan & Specific Plan Consistency
Planning & Community Development Department
• General Plan Land Use Element: (continued)
> Project is consistent with following Objectives and
Policies:
 Housing Conditions (15.1: Sizes and Types, 15.2 Increase
Supply, 15.3: Equitable Distribution);
 Transit/Pedestrian Coordination (22.1: Urban Design, 22.3:
Pedestrian Access); and
 Participation (27.4: Consultation)
» Neighborhood Meetings hosted at site:
» March 23, 2013
» October 12, 2013
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General Plan & Specific Plan Consistency
Planning & Community Development Department
• East Colorado Specific Plan:
> Specific Plan supports:




Beautifying streetscape;
Increasing supply of multi-family and affordable housing;
Improving multi-modal mobility;
Creating focus areas, or “nodes”, to help establish a sense of
place.
> Gold Line Sub-area:
 Higher density residential projects along Allen Avenue.
 Mix of uses, including ground-floor retail/commercial and
residential and/or office uses above.
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Environmental Review
Planning & Community Development Department
• Initial Environmental Study:
> Topic areas with less than significant impacts include:






Aesthetics;
Air Quality;
Geology and Soils;
Greenhouse Gas Emissions;
Noise; and
Transportation/Traffic.
> Topic areas with potentially significant impacts:
 Cultural Resources; and
 Hazards and Hazardous Materials.
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Environmental Review
Planning & Community Development Department
• Cultural Resources:
 Excavation may reveal archeological / paleontological resources.
 Mitigation Measures:
» Qualified archaeologist and/or paleontologist retained in order to
investigate the resources.
• Hazards and Hazardous Materials:
 Soils have contamination from previous uses.
 Mitigation Measures:
» Remediation and disposal of any contaminated soil, asbestos, and
lead-based paint on the site, as well as the disposal of the hydraulic
hoists from former auto repair use.
• Impacts Mitigated to Less Than Significant Level.
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Environmental Review
Planning & Community Development Department
• Transportation and Traffic:
> Traffic Study.
 7 street intersections:
» No intersections would be impacted.
 4 street segments:
» Threshold of impact:
» 5.0%.
» Street segment impacts:
» 0.5% to 2.2%.
• Less than Significant Impact.
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Environmental Review
Planning & Community Development Department
• Transportation and Traffic:
> Addendum prepared at Planning Commission’s
request:
 Methodology used in selecting intersections and street
segments to be analyzed;
 Explanation of trip generation adjustments (e.g., internal
capture of trips between land uses in a mixed-use
development, proximity to transit, etc.); and
 Increase in street segment impacts to not account for trip
adjustments:
» Range with adjustments: 0.5% to 2.2%
» Range without adjustments: 0.6% to 2.4%
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Conclusion
Planning & Community Development Department
• Compatibility Analysis:
> Project is compatible with surrounding mix of commercial
and residential uses.
 Greatest mass of project is located along Walnut Street and at
the corner of Allen Avenue and Walnut Street, a prominent
intersection in the city.
 Lowest mass of project is located adjacent to the existing
residences to the northwest of the site:
» 40 foot separation.
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Conclusion
Planning & Community Development Department
• Compatibility Analysis:
> Surrounding area is one in transition:
 Away from commercial/industrial uses
 Towards a vibrant mix of commercial, retail, and residential uses,
as envisioned by the East Colorado Specific Plan.
> Project is a part of this transition
 Will set high standard to positively influence future development
in the years to come.
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Recommendation
Planning & Community Development Department
• Staff recommends that the City Council:
1) Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation
Monitoring and Reporting Program;
2) Adopt Findings in Attachment A and Conditions of
Approval in Attachment B to:
 Approve Conditional Use Permit: to construct housing on a CGzoned site as part of a TOD project.
» Revised condition of approval #20:
» “The project shall meet all requirements of the Public Art
Process. The applicant shall submit a formal application for
Concept Art Plan for review and approval by the Pasadena
Arts and Culture Commission within 90 days of the effective
date of this approval.”
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Recommendation
Planning & Community Development Department
• Staff recommends that the City Council:
3) Find that the vacation is consistent with the General
Plan Mobility Element and is unnecessary for public
use for street purposes;
4) Declare that the City's interest in the vacation is in
easement only for public street purposes; and that the
land is not owned by the City as fee title;
5) Adopt a resolution vacating the subject portion of land,
in accordance with conditions and recommendations;
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Recommendation
Planning & Community Development Department
• Staff recommends that the City Council:
6) Authorize the City Manager to execute a Condition
Satisfaction Contract between the City and the
applicants.
7) Direct staff to file a Notice of Determination within five
days.
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Planning & Community Development Department
Conditional Use Permit #6036 &
Street Vacation
1727-1787 East Walnut Street and
235 North Allen Avenue
“Allen-Walnut TOD Project”
City Council Meeting
November 18, 2013
Environmental Review
Planning & Community Development Department
• Transportation and Traffic:
> Addendum:
 Identification of intersections and segments in Traffic Impact
Study Area:
A. Immediately adjacent or in close proximity to the project site;
B. In the vicinity of the project site that are documented to have
current or projected future adverse operational issues; and
C. In the vicinity of the project site that are forecast to experience a
relatively greater percentage of project-related vehicular turning
movements.
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General Plan & Specific Plan Consistency
Planning & Community Development Department
• Draft Land Use Element Map:
N Allen Ave
Locust St
E Walnut St
 CG portion: 19,166 s.f.
 ECSP portion = 64,469 s.f.
» 1.0 FAR = 19,166 s.f.
» Project = 15,100 s.f.
» 2.25 FAR = 145,055 s.f.
» Project = 114,940 s.f.
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Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
• City’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance
> Multi-family or mixed-use project with 10 or more units.
> Minimum 15% of total units shall be affordable
(low or moderate income units):
 % can be reduced for very low income units.
 Certain City fees reduced for on-site affordable units.
 Option of an in-lieu fee.
> 1994-2012 – a total of 993 affordable units were built
Citywide:
 15% of all units constructed.
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Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
• Density Bonus Law (SB 1818)
> Multi-family or mixed-use project with 5 or more units
(before the bonus).
> Affordable categories (based on total housing cost):
 Very Low – total housing cost is 30% of 50% of the Los
Angeles County median income.
 Low Income – 30% of 80%.
 Moderate Income for sale – 40% of 110%.
 Moderate Income for rent – 30% of 120%.
> Permitted “by-right”.
> Comply with all applicable codes and requirements.
> Environmental review required.
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Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
• Density Bonus Law (SB 1818)
> Maximum density bonus allowed varies:
% of housing
(before bonus)
% of bonus
(over max)
Very low
income
housing
5%
10%
11%
20%
27.5%
35%
Low income
housing
10%
15%
20%
20%
27.5%
35%
Moderate
income
housing
10%
20%
30%
40%
5%
15%
25%
35%
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Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
• Concessions & incentives (SB1818)
> Multi-family or mixed-use project with a density bonus.
> Includes a reduction in a development standard or
modification of another Zoning Code requirement:
 Results in an identifiable, financially sufficient & actual cost
reduction.
 Does not include additional density beyond the density bonus.
> Number of concessions or incentives vary:
Very Low
Low
Moderate (sale)
One
5%
10%
10%
Two
10%
20%
20%
Three
15%
30%
30%
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Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
• Concessions & incentives (SB1818)
> Affordable Housing Concession Permit:
 Public Hearing before the Hearing Officer; appealable to BZA.
 Processed like a Minor Variance.
 Design review required; environmental review completed.
> Specific Findings:
 Required in order for the units to be affordable.
» Staff hires a consultant to complete a fiscal study to verify
concessions are necessary.
 Will not have a negative impact on public health, safety, the
environment or a historic resource.
> Waivers to Development Standards
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Allen-Walnut TOD Project
Planning & Community Development Department
• Density Bonus Law (SB1818)
> Concessions approved:
 Five total:
» Floor area (2), floor area & height (1), commercial depth (1)
and street setbacks (1)
 Locations:
» Central District Specific Plan (4)
» Fair Oaks/Orange Specific Plan (1)
 Number of units in a project:
» Total of 25 bonus units, or 22% over density.
» Range from one bonus unit to 13 bonus units per project.
> No waivers approved
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