To: Board of Supervisors
From: Planning and Building Department
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
A Petition for a General Plan Amendment (GPA) and Zone Reclassification (ZR) Requesting to Change the General Plan Land Use Designation from Residential Low Density (RL) to Mixed Use (MU) and the Zoning from Residential One-Family (R-1) to Mixed Use Urban (MU1).
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Accept the petition and adopt the attached resolution (Attachment 1) based on the findings in the staff report; and
2. Direct the Clerk of the Board to give notice of the decision to the Planning Department and any other interested party.
Body
STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: Core Services/Other
Strategic Plan Category: 9999 - Core Services/Other
DISCUSSION:
Executive Summary:
The Board is being asked to accept an applicant-initiated General Plan Amendment (GPA) and Zone Reclassification (ZR) petition for processing. The applicant has requested that the Land Use Designation change from Residential Low Density (RL) to Mixed Use (MU), and the zoning to change from Residential One-Family (R-1) to Mixed Use Urban (MU1), on two parcels adjacent to the Jerold Phelps Community Hospital in Garberville. APN 032-134-009 is a parking lot owned by the hospital. APN 032-134-010 contains a single-family residence and garage, which if the GPA and ZR are approved, the residence will convert to commercial use, and the garage will convert to a residential unit. The purpose of Mixed Use is to provide for pedestrian-oriented development including commercial, office and higher density residential. The GPA and ZR will allow the two parcels to support mixed use development which is consistent with the existing environment.
Location:
The project site is in the Garberville area, on the east side of Cedar Street, at the intersection with Elm Street, on properties known as 747 and 757 Cedar Street.
Current Land Use and Zoning:
General Plan land use designations:
APN 032-134-009: Residential Low Density (RL), 1-8 units per acre
APN 032-134-010: Residential Low Density (RL), 1-8 units per acre
Zoning:
APN 032-134-009: Residential One-Family (R-1)
APN 032-134-010: Residential One-Family (R-1)
The decision to be made at this time is whether the Board will accept the proposed application for processing, review and consideration. If accepted for processing, further review and more in-depth analysis will be performed.
Requirements for a Petition for General Plan Amendment:
The General Plan Amendment Petition is consistent with the General Plan’s required findings and criteria for amendments. A petition for amendment of the plan may be accepted for processing upon the Board of Supervisors making one or more of the following findings:
A. Base information or physical conditions have changed; or
B. Community values and assumptions have changed; or
C. There is an error in the plan; or
D. To maintain established uses otherwise consistent with a comprehensive view of the plan; or
E. The proposed amendment has the potential for public benefit and is consistent with the Guiding Principles and applicable goals of the Plan.
The Board must also determine whether the revision is not appropriate for the next scheduled hearing update.
Finally, for approval of plan amendments, the Board must make the findings that the proposed revision is in the public interest and is consistent with the Guiding Principles in Section 1.4 and applicable goals of the plan.
Criteria for Amendment:
The following information supports the findings identified above:
B. Community values and assumptions have changed. APN 032-134-009 is currently owned by Southern Humboldt Community Healthcare District and is exclusively a parking lot across the street from the hospital. APN 032-134-010 is owned by an audiologist, is adjacent to the parking lot and contains a single-family residence and garage. The residence on APN 032-134-010 was originally built in 1972 as a single-family residence, consistent with the neighborhood’s character at the time. The community hospital was formed in 1960 and became a health care district in 1980. As the hospital and commercial business district have grown, the surrounding community’s values and land use assumptions have evolved. Surrounding and adjacent to the subject properties are both Commercial Services (CS) and Mixed Use (MU) land designations. If the proposed GPA and ZR is approved, the residence will convert to a hearing healthcare facility, and the garage will convert to a residential use. Additional commercial services, support clinics and professional offices have moved within proximity of the hospital and neighboring commercial properties. Changing the land use designation to Mixed Use allows for pedestrian-oriented development with a mix of commercial, office and residential development. The proposed change reflects the current, real-world conditions and evolving needs of the community.
E. The proposed Amendment has the potential for public benefit and is consistent with the Guiding Principles and applicable goals of the plan. With a GPA to change the land use designation from Residential Low Density to Mixed Use, commercial medical services, professional offices and higher density residential is allowable. By expanding the potential to allow both medical and residential options within proximity to the hospital and surrounding commercial uses is a public benefit. Should the GPA and ZR be allowed, the existing residence is proposed to become a specialized medical office and the garage converted to a residential unit. The Guiding Principles include a guide for creating high quality jobs and career opportunities as well as creating affordable housing options to meet current and future demands for all income levels. Allowing medical businesses to operate in proximity to a medical hub in which high quality jobs and career opportunities can be achieved is consistent with the Principles. Additionally, by changing the land use designation to Mixed Use, higher density residential housing options can be created.
Not appropriate for next scheduled update:
The expanding professional needs within the area are current and it is more appropriate for the General Plan Amendment to be processed as soon as possible to encourage medical support businesses rather than wait for the next scheduled update, which is slated to occur in 2027.
Public Interest and Guiding Principles of General Plan:
The applicant has provided evidence that the petition for the General Plan Amendment is in the public interest and consistent with the Guiding Principles of the General Plan.
The applicant has provided evidence that it is in the best interest of the public to process a General Plan Amendment to promote medical services and professional offices that are complementary and easily accessible to the nearby hospital and commercial district without losing a residential unit. Recognizing the importance of mixing commercial services with residential is in the public interest. By changing the General Plan designation from Residential Low Density (RL) to Mixed Use (MU), the subject properties will be compatible with the present uses of the surrounding area. The Mixed-Use designation is intended for lands in central areas of urban communities where the presence of public utilities and a sufficient population base allow the development of pedestrian-oriented, commercial, office and residential development. The General Plan is developed to identify community values and ideas for the future. The Guiding Principles of the General Plan include a vision for creating high quality jobs and career opportunities as well as creating affordable housing opportunities to meet current and future demands for all income levels. The properties to the north, which includes the hospital, are designated for commercial use. Properties to the southwest are already designated for Mixed Use. The Planning and Building Department supports the applicant’s evidence that the General Plan Amendment is the public interest and consistent with the Guiding Principles of the General Plan.
Requirements for a Petition for Zone Reclassification:
A petition for an amendment may be accepted for processing upon the Board of Supervisors making the following findings pursuant to Section 312-50.3:
1. The amendment is in the public interest; and
2. The amendment is consistent with the county General Plan; and
3. The proposed amendment does not reduce the residential density for any parcel below that utilized by the Department of Housing and Community Development in determining compliance with housing element law.
Public Interest:
The proposed amendment is in the public interest. The proposed Zone Reclassification is from Residential One Family zone (R-1) to Mixed Use 1 (Urban). APN 032-134-009 is currently owned by Southern Humboldt Community Healthcare District and is exclusively a parking lot across the street from the hospital. APN 032-134-009 is owned by an audiologist and is adjacent to the parking lot and contains a single-family residence and garage, which if the proposed GPA and ZR is approved, the residence will convert to a hearing healthcare facility and the garage will convert to a residential unit. Additional commercial services, support clinics and professional offices have moved within proximity of the hospital and neighboring commercial properties. Recognizing the importance of mixed use in urban areas to combine medical services and residential options is in the public interest. Additionally, changing the zoning to Mixed Use also allows multiple residential dwelling units, so the opportunity for additional housing will be available.
Consistent with the General Plan:
The proposed petition for Zone Reclassification is consistent with the General Plan. The General Plan is developed to identify community values and ideas for the future. The Guiding Principles of the General Plan include a vision for creating high quality jobs and career opportunities as well as creating affordable housing opportunities to meet current and future demands for all income levels. As community values or assumptions change throughout the years, amendments can be supported. Allowing commercial businesses and residential units to exist in close proximity to other commercial businesses has the potential to create high quality jobs and career opportunities can be achieved. Additionally, by changing the land use and zoning to Mixed Use, higher density residential is possible and allowable under the amendment. The proposed amendment is consistent with the General Plan.
Amendment does not reduce the residential density of any parcel:
The proposed amendment allows the subject parcels to combine commercial use with residential use. If the proposed GPA and ZR are approved, APN 032-134-009 will convert the single-family residence to commercial use and the garage will convert to a residential use. The amendment does not reduce the residential density of any parcel. The subject parcels were not identified within the 2019 Housing Element inventory, and will potentially add, not subtract, housing units.
The decision to be made at this time is whether the Board will accept the proposed application for processing, review, and consideration of the petition. If accepted for review and consideration, more in-depth analysis will be carried out assessing whether the proposed General Plan Amendment and Zone Reclassification is both in the public interest and consistent with the General Plan.
A petition to accept an application for a General Plan Amendment and Zone Reclassification is not a project as defined in Section 21065 of the Public Resources Code and is not subject to CEQA.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Applicant fees.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Narrative Explanation of Financial Impact:
There will be no impact on the General Fund. The applicant is responsible for paying all actual costs involved in the processing of the application.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The project was referred to responsible agencies and all responding agencies have either recommended approval or conditioned approval.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board could reject the petition if it believes the required findings cannot be made. Staff believes the necessary findings for accepting the petition may be made, therefore staff does not recommend further consideration of this alternative.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Draft Resolution
Attachment 2: Location Map
Attachment 3: Applicant Request for Petition
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: N/A