DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE AGENDA ITEM

Transcription

1 DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE AGENDA ITEM AGENDA DATE: JANUARY 17, 2018 TO: THRU: FROM: SUBJECT: Chair Imboden and Members of the Design Review Committee Anna Pehoushek, Assistant Community Development Director Vidal F. Márquez, Assistant Planner DRC No McDonald s Restaurant SUMMARY The applicant is proposing to remodel and construct a 2,210 sq. ft. addition to an existing 3,580 sq. ft. McDonald s drive-through restaurant. RECOMMENDED ACTION RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION Staff requests that the Design Review Committee (DRC) review the revised design and make a recommendation on the proposed project to the Planning Commission (PC), subject to the conditions of approval contained in the staff report and any conditions that the DRC determines appropriate to support the required findings. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Applicant: Property Location: General Plan Designation: Zoning Classification: Existing Development: Property Size: Jessica Steiner, Bickel Group Architecture 2401 N. Tustin Street General Commercial (GC) Limited Business, Tustin Redevelopment Project Area (C-TR) The parcel is developed with a freestanding 3,580 sq. ft. building occupied by a fast food restaurant with a drive-thru with 59 parking spaces 39,045 sq. ft. Lot Associated Applications: CUP No , VAR No & MNSP No Previous DRC Review: Preliminary review on April 19, 2017 PUBLIC NOTICE No Public Notice was required for this project.

2 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW Design Review Committee Staff Report Page 2 of 7 The proposed project is categorically exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per State Guideline Section (Class 1 Existing Facilities). The project involves the external remodel of an existing standalone building and addition of 2,210 sq. ft. PROJECT DESCRIP TION The applicant is requesting to demolish the existing restaurant s children playground in order to construct a new 2,210 sq. ft. addition and reconfigure the drive-thru lane. The change is part of new corporate rebranding for McDonald s. The addition would be constructed in generally the same location as the existing play facility. The parking lot layout would generally be maintained, but modified to reconfigure the drive-thru lane and circulation patterns. The existing drive-thru entrance is accessible from a shared driveway with the northern commercial property, Big 5 Sporting Goods. The current location of the menu and ordering board abuts the shared access easement. The proposed drive-thru will enter from the southern driveway entrance of the property and will direct vehicles to the rear of the building where two new menu and ordering displays will be placed. A single drive-thru lane will continue to wrap around to the north of the building to the existing cashier and pick-up windows where they will exit to Tustin Street. The applicant is also proposing to add a return lane that parallels Tustin Street in front of the proposed addition where the existing path of travel ramp currently stands. This will alleviate the issue of patrons driving southbound in the northbound lane on Tustin Street to return to the drivethru entrance. The proposed remodel will remove the existing red tile mansard roof with white stripes from the building. The proposed design features a flat roof with a metal screen parapet surrounding the building to hide the mechanical equipment, and includes three yellow arches, one on each of the north, south, and west elevations. It also includes yellow and grey painted aluminum canopies over the windows and entrances. The building walls will be covered with Woodstock Brown Hardi Plank siding with a grey fascia band around the building. The pop out portions of the building will contain Southwest Blend stacked stones primarily on the west and south elevations. Signage Proposed wall signs include McDonald s illuminated channel letters and the M logo on the north, west and south elevations. New menu board signage is also proposed in conjunction with the drive-thru lane. No signage is proposed on the east elevation. The applicant is proposing to keep the existing freestanding plyon sign. Landscaping The project requires a total of 44 on-site trees to be distributed within setback and parking lot areas. The submitted Landscape Plan shows a total of 18 trees on site that includes Rhus Lancea African Suman, Chitalpa Pink Dawn, Lagerstromeia Crape Myrtle and Parkinsonia Desert Museum trees. The perimeter planters shrub and groundcover materials will also be changed with silverberry, Yeddo hawthorn and others with a 3 thick layer of shredded bark mulch. New planter areas surrounding the building on the east side are proposed to contain a mix of shrubs and groundcover including dwarf bottlebrush, Blue Glow agave and Yeddo hawthorn.

3 Page 3 of 7 Code Deviations The proposal also seeks exceptions from required parking and drive aisle standards. Since the project includes a Conditional Use Permit approval by the Planning Commission for the reconfigured drive-thru lane, a final determination on all discretionary permits for the project will be considered and acted on by the Commission, upon a recommendation from the DRC. 66 parking spaces required; 41 proposed. Drive aisle entry less than 30 feet in length. Drive-thru aisle less than 12 feet in width on east and north side of building. Previous DRC Review On April 19, 2017 a preliminary review by the DRC provided the Applicant with of comments and suggestions for providing additional landscaping. These comments and the applicant s responses are summarized in the Analysis/Statement of the Issues section of this staff report. The DRC minutes are provided as Attachment 3 to this report. EXISTING SITE The property contains a 3,580 sq. ft. freestanding McDonald s restaurant with 59 parking spaces that was built in the 1970s. The building is mostly stucco with a red tile mansard roof with white striping. The building walls are painted white and red. There are two main driveways to access the property and a third shared driveway entrance with the neighboring northerly property under two shared access easements. The first is a non-exclusive easement for ingress and egress purposes which extends 17 ft. south of the north property line. The second easement extends 10 ft. into property. These easements serves as the restaurant s primary drive-thru lane where patrons enter from the northbound lane on Tustin Street and exit through the north driveway of the property. Parking spaces line the perimeter of the parcel, and also surround the existing building. There are limited landscape planters with few shrubs and one tree. Also identified onsite are storm water drainage v-gutters that run from the northerly commercial and east residential properties that return on the parcel and run off to Tustin Street. Lastly, the trash enclosure is currently in the southeast corner of the property adjacent to a gate where vehicle access from the east residential condominium property. EXISTING AREA CONTEXT The area is surrounded by a variety of commercial and residential uses. The property to the north, west and south are zoned Limited Commercial Tustin Redevelopment Project Area (CTR); the property to the east are zoned and Multiple Family Residential (R-3 (A)). Adjacent buildings are of single-story, non-descript contemporary design. EVALUATION CRITERIA Orange Municipal Code (OMC) Section establishes the general criteria the DRC should use when reviewing the project. This section states the following:

4 Page 4 of 7 The project shall have an internally consistent, integrated design theme, which is reflected in the following elements: 1. Architectural Features. a. The architectural features shall reflect a similar design style or period. b. Creative building elements and identifying features should be used to create a high quality project with visual interest and an architectural style. 2. Landscape. a. The type, size and location of landscape materials shall support the project s overall design concept. b. Landscaping shall not obstruct visibility of required addressing, nor shall it obstruct the vision of motorists or pedestrians in proximity to the site. c. Landscape areas shall be provided in and around parking lots to break up the appearance of large expanses of hardscape. 3. Signage. All signage shall be compatible with the building(s) design, scale, colors, materials and lighting. 4. Secondary Functional and Accessory Features. Trash receptacles, storage and loading areas, transformers and mechanical equipment shall be screened in a manner, which is architecturally compatible with the principal building(s). ANALYSIS/STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES Issue: Architecture The project proposes a comprehensive redesign to the existing building and site improvements to ensure integration of the project architecture, landscaping and signage. Generally, building architecture, materials and colors are being updated to a modern concept but the size of the addition also increases required parking and landscape improvements. Staff believes that the design is compatible with surrounding development in the Tustin Street Corridor, and consistent with another recently updated McDonald s south of the site on Tustin Street. The DRC also noted satisfaction with the proposed building design, materials and colors during the preliminary review. Issue: Landscaping The parking lot and overall site are presently legal non-conforming with respect to number of spaces, amount of landscaping, and tree count. The proposed project causes the parking lot design to be made compliant with minimum City standards. While the proposed reconfiguration of the drive-thru provides for greater on-site vehicle queuing, staff has identified issues in regards to required dimensions or design standards for vehicle back-up area, drive-thru lane widths, parking stall lengths, drive aisle entry lengths and perimeter planter widths. The DRC commented that the proposed building size created a self-imposed hardship with deficiencies in the number of trees. The DRC recommended a reduction in the addition size and eliminating the shared easements between properties could allow for integration of additional landscaping. In response, the applicant

5 Page 5 of 7 redesigned the northern parking lot layout to include angled stalls and a one-way exit only drive aisle width, creating more space for site landscaping and trees, while maintaining vehicle back-up area. They have also increased planter widths to be within 6 feet clear inside dimension at the southerly property line for the planting of additional trees and provided tree diamonds near the building entrance and walkway. It should be noted the applicant worked extensively with the Orange Fire and Community Services Departments on the review of tree placement and landscape design. Staff believes the landscape redesign proposed for the project enhance the site and immediate surroundings and are compatible with the Tustin Street corridor. ADVISORY BOARD RECOMMENDATION City staff (SMART) has completed its review of the submitted plans and has recommended approval of the applications subject to standard conditions. REQUIRED FINDINGS The courts define a Finding as a conclusion which describes the method of analysis decision makers utilize to make the final decision. A decision making body makes a Finding, or draws a conclusion, through identifying evidence in the record (i.e., testimony, reports, environmental documents, etc.) and should not contain unsupported statements. The statements which support the Findings bridge the gap between the raw data and the ultimate decision, thereby showing the rational decision making process that took place. The Findings are, in essence, the ultimate conclusions which must be reached in order to approve (or recommend approval of) a project. The same holds true if denying a project. The decision making body must detail why it cannot make the Findings. The Findings are applied as appropriate to each project. Based on the following Findings and statements in support of such Findings, staff recommends the DRC approve the project with recommended conditions. 1. In the Old Towne Historic District, the proposed work conforms to the prescriptive standards and design criteria referenced and/or recommended by the DRC or other reviewing body for the project (OMC G.1). The proposed project is not within the Old Towne Historic District, therefore this Finding does not apply to the project. 2. In any National Register Historic District, the proposed work complies with the Secretary of the Interior s Standards and Guidelines (OMC G.2). The proposed project is not within the Old Towne Historic District, therefore this Finding does not apply to the project. 3. The project design upholds community aesthetics through the use of an internally consistent, integrated design theme and is consistent with all adopted specific plans, applicable design standards, and their required findings (OMC G.3).

6 Page 6 of 7 The project design upholds community aesthetics through the use of an internally consistent, integrated design theme and is consistent with the Tustin Street Design Standards. 4. For infill residential development, as specified in the City of Orange Infill Residential Design Guidelines, the new structure(s) or addition are compatible with the scale, massing, orientation, and articulation of the surrounding development and will preserve or enhance existing neighborhood character (OMC G.4). This project does not involve residential infill development. The City of Orange Infill Residential Design Guidelines do not apply, and this finding does not apply. RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS Staff is recommending that the DRC recommend approval to the project design, excluding signage, to the Planning Commission subject to standard conditions of approval, and additional conditions as deemed appropriate by the Committee to support the required findings: 1. All construction shall conform in substance and be maintained in general conformance with plans and exhibits labeled Attachment 4 in the staff report (date stamped January 3, 2018), including modifications required by the conditions of approval, and as recommended for approval by the Design Review Committee. 2. The applicant agrees to indemnify, hold harmless, and defend the City, its officers, agents and employees from any and all liability or claims that may be brought against the City arising out of its approval of this permit, save and except that caused by the City s active negligence. 3. Except as otherwise provided herein, this project is approved as a precise plan. After any application has been approved, if changes are proposed regarding the location or alteration of any structure, a changed plan may be submitted to the Community Development Director for approval. If the Community Development Director determines that the proposed change complies with the provisions and the spirit and intent of the approval action, and that the action would have been the same for the changed plan as for the approved plot plan, the Community Development Director may approve the changed plan without requiring a new public meeting. 4. Prior to the issuance of building permits, the applicant shall pay all applicable development fees including but not limited to: City sewer connection, Orange County Sanitation District Connection Fee, Transportation System Improvement Program, Fire Facility, Police Facility, Park Acquisition, Sanitation District, and School District, as required. 5. Construction permits shall be obtained for all construction work, as required by the City of Orange, Community Development Department s Building Division and Public Works Grading Division. Failure to obtain the required building permits will be cause for revocation of this permit. 6. All structures shall comply with the requirements of Municipal Code Chapter (Building Security Standards), which relates to hardware, doors, windows, lighting, etc. (Ord. 7-79). Approved structural drawings shall include sections of the security code that apply. Specifications, details, or security notes may be used to convey the compliance.

7 Page 7 of 7 7. Plans submitted for Building Plan Review shall comply with the California Fire Code as amended by the City and as frequently amended and in effect at the time of application for Building Permit. 8. The applicant shall provide a final Fire Master Plan for the development prior to the issuance of building permits. Refer to the Orange City Fire Department s Fire Master Plan Guidelines and the California Fire Code (CFC) Chapter 5 for requirements relative to fire apparatus access roadways and water supply. The Fire Master Plan shall be a minimum 22 x34 size sheet and drawn to scale. 9. A fire department connection will be part of the fire sprinkler system design. The following requirements are applicable to the proposed building and must be considered relative to the installation of the fire sprinkler system. Additionally, the information must be shown on the Fire Master Plan. 10. The architectural, civil and landscape drawings shall be coordinated such that information relative to fire access roadway widths, required vertical clearances and location of fire protection devices (FDC s, BFD s and fire hydrants) are shown in a similar manner. 11. All referenced codes (Building and Fire) and standards shall be the currently adopted 2016 editions as amended by Ordinance Use current adopted code references as applicable. 12. The final approved conditions of approval shall be reprinted on the first or second page of the construction documents when submitting to the Building Department for the plan check process. 13. If not utilized, project approval expires twenty-four months from the approval date. Extensions of time may be granted in accordance with OMC Section The Planning entitlements expire unless Building Permits are pulled within 2 years of the original approval. ATTACHMENTS 1. Vicinity Map 2. Existing Site Photos 3. DRC Meeting Minutes from April 19, Site Plan, Floor Plan, Details, Color Elevations (date stamped received January 3, 2018) 5. Color Board (to be presented at the meeting) cc: Bickel Group Architecture Attn: Jessica Steiner 3600 Birch Street, Suite 120 Newport Beach, CA jsteiner@bickelgrp.com N:\CDD\PLNG\Applications\Conditional Use Permits\CUP Mcdonalds 2401 N Tustin\DRC\Staff Report Docx