1255 Eastshore Highway

Transcription

1 Z O N I N G A D J U S T M E N T S B O A R D S t a f f R e p o r t 1255 Eastshore Highway FOR BOARD ACTION MARCH 23, 2017 Use Permit #ZP to establish automobile repair services in an existing 38,000 square foot building in the West Berkeley Manufacturing District (M). The existing building would be renovated for the project, including demolition of selected slab areas, interior wall partitions, and mezzanine space within the existing building, as well as replacement of the west façade and an extension of the driveway canopy on the north end of the building. I. Background A. Land Use Designations: General Plan: Manufacturing (M) Zoning: Manufacturing District (M) B. Zoning Permits Required: Use Permit under BMC Section 23E to establish Automobile Repair and Service, including Automobile Restoration, of 20,000 to 40,000 square feet in the M District C. CEQA Determination: Categorically exempt pursuant to Section of the CEQA Guidelines ( Existing Facilities ). The project consists of interior alterations to an existing structure. D. Parties Involved: Applicant Philip Banta, Banta Design, 6050 Hollis Street, Emeryville, California Property Owner Tim Southwick, 2400 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, California Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA Tel: TDD: Fax: zab@ci.berkeley.ca.us

2 March 23, 2017 Page 2 of 15 Figure 1: Vicinity and Zoning Map SP Project Site M: Manufacturing District MU-LI: Mixed Use-Light Industrial District SP: Specific Plan District

3 March 23, 2017 Page 3 of 15 Figure 2: Existing Site Plan Figure 3: Proposed Site Plan

4 March 23, 2017 Page 4 of 15 Figure 4: Demolition Plan Ground Floor

5 March 23, 2017 Page 5 of 15 Figure 6: Demolition Plan Mezzanine

6 March 23, 2017 Page 6 of 15 Figure 7: Proposed Ground Floor Plan and Parking Note : Parking spaces 3, 6, 9, 12, and possibly 13, will be removed in the final site design in order to accommodate a five foot wide planter strip along Eastshore Highway. See Condition No. 12.

7 March 23, 2017 Page 7 of 15 Figure 8: Proposed Mezzanine Floor Plan

8 March 23, 2017 Page 8 of 15 Figure 9: Proposed West Elevation (Façade) Figure 10: Proposed North Elevation (Façade)

9 March 23, 2017 Page 9 of 15 Table 1: Land Use Information Location Existing Use Zoning District General Plan Designation Subject Property Surrounding Properties North South East Light industrial and manufacturing (traffic signs and lights) Public Storage Airgas Store (welding equipment and supplies) Berkeley Transfer Station Ecology Center West Berkeley Manufacturing District (M) Manufacturing (M) West Golden Gate Fields (stables) Specific Plan (SP) Waterfront/Marina Table 2: Special Characteristics Characteristic Creeks Green Building Score Historic Resources Housing Accountability Act (Gov t Code Section ) Seismic Hazards Soil/Groundwater Contamination Applies to Project? No Yes No No Yes Yes Explanation No open or culverted creeks exist within 40 feet of the project site. Building upgrades would include the demolition of approximately 6,600 square feet of mezzanine space and the renovation of approximately 1,340 square feet of the ground floor. Any necessary Green Building standard requirements would be enforced prior to the issuance of building permits. Project site is not listed as a Landmark or Structure of Merit on the City of Berkeley Historic Resources Map. The proposed project is not a Housing Development Project 1 as defined by Government Code. The Project parcel has the potential for Liquefaction CGS Seismic Hazard Zone Liquefaction (LQ). However, the project would involve interior changes to an existing building. No new development is proposed. The project site is located in the City s Environmental Management Area. However, the project under review is for a change of land use only. Any subsequent facility upgrades would involve interior changes to an existing building. No new development or excavating is proposed. 1 Per Government Code Section (H)(2) "Housing development project" means a use consisting of any of the following: (A) Residential units only; (B) Mixed-use developments consisting of residential and nonresidential uses in which nonresidential uses are limited to neighborhood commercial uses and to the first floor of buildings that are two or more stories. As used in this paragraph, "neighborhood commercial" means small-scale general or specialty stores that furnish goods and services primarily to residents of the neighborhood; and (C) Transitional housing or supportive housing.

10 March 23, 2017 Page 10 of 15 Table 3: Project Chronology Date Action November 9,2016 December 8, 2016 December 30, 2016 March 8, 2017 March 23, 2017 Application submitted Application deemed complete Application resubmitted (clarification of plans; removal of vehicle sales aspect) Public hearing notices mailed/posted ZAB hearing Table 4: Development Standards Standard BMC Sections 23E Existing Addition/ (Reduction) Proposed Total Permitted/ Required Lot Area (sq. ft.) 47,991 No change 47,991 20,000 Gross Floor Area (sq. ft.) 38,000 (4,880) 33,120 95,982 1 Floor Area Ratio 0.8 (0.1) max Building Height Building Setbacks (ft.) Maximum (ft.) ft. max Stories 1 + mezzanine No change 1 + mezzanine -- Front 0 No change 0 0 min Rear 0 No change 0 0 min Left Side 10 No change 10 0 min Right Side 4 No change 4 0 min Lot Coverage (%) 67 No change 67 n/a Usable Open Space (sq. ft.) n/a n/a n/a n/a Parking Automobile min 1 Maximum floor to area ratio (FAR) is 2.0 (47,991square feet x 2.0 = 95,982 square feet) II. Project Setting A. Neighborhood/Area Description: The subject property is located in West Berkeley, along the east side of Eastshore Highway, north of Gilman Street, west of Second Street, and south of Harrison Street. Immediately adjacent uses are a public storage facility to the north, light industrial and commercial use to the south (Airgas Store), Berkeley Transfer Station Ecology Center to the east and Highway 580 to the west. Farther to the west is the Golden Gate Fields. Building heights in the neighborhood are one to two stories. The area around the site is predominantly light industrial/warehouse in character. B. Site Conditions: The subject property is generally level, roughly rectangular, and contains one 38,000 square foot, single-story building with a mezzanine, most recently occupied by Hawkins Traffic Safety Supply (also known as TAPCO) for manufacturing

11 March 23, 2017 Page 11 of 15 of signs and traffic lights. The balance of the site is paved. There are 13 designated parking spaces on site. III. Project Description The project would involve a change in land use from light industrial (sign manufacturing) to other industrial uses (automobile repair service) in an existing building in the West Berkeley Manufacturing District (M). Associated facility upgrades would include the demolition of select ground floor walls and most of the upper level mezzanine space, the renovation of office spaces in the remaining mezzanine, and the reconfiguration of ground-level office and lobby areas. Approximately 3,400 square feet space would be removed and replaced in order to match the interior ground floor elevation of adjacent floor areas. The ground floor would be renovated with 2,800 square feet of offices and lobby space, a 2,600 square-foot storage area, and a 35-bay automobile repair work area (approximately 26,700 square feet). Exterior building renovations would include a replacement of the west façade fronting Eastshore Highway, such that the existing pitched roof would be covered by corrugated metal siding up to a finished height of 28 feet across the entire front façade. This would result in an overall building height increase between approximately one and 13 feet, dependent on the height of the existing pitched roofline. An approximately 78-foot canopy extension would be added to the existing canopy on the north side of the building for a total building canopy length of 169 feet. The number of off-street parking spaces would be 21 parking spaces through re-striping along the exterior of the building and there would be room for an additional 35 vehicles inside the building would access the site via any of the four driveways along Eastshore Highway and would be received in the front lobby and waiting area in the southwest corner of the building. Vehicles being serviced could circulate on-site through the two roll-up doors on the west side of the building with access from Eastshore Highway, along the driveway on the north side of the building, through the five proposed roll-up doors on the north side of the building, and/or through the three roll-up doors on the east side of the building with access from second Street. IV. Community Discussion A. Neighbor/Community Concerns: Prior to submitting this application to the city, a pre-application poster was erected on the project site by the applicant in November On March 9, 2017, the City mailed 48 public hearing notices to property owners and occupants, and to interested neighborhood organizations and the City posted notices within the neighborhood in three locations. At the time of this writing, staff has not received any public communications regarding the project. B. Committee Review: The project site is not listed as a Landmark or Structure of Merit on the City of Berkeley Historic Resources map and Landmarks Preservation Committee review was not required. The façade changes and new signage would be

12 March 23, 2017 Page 12 of 15 subject to staff level design review. The project has been conditioned to obtain design/drc approval prior to the issuance of building permits. V. Issues and Analysis A. Compatibility with Surrounding Neighborhood: The immediate surrounding neighborhood includes properties zoned for West Berkeley Manufacturing (M), to the north, east, and south, and areas under the Waterfront Master Plan to the west. Businesses in the immediate vicinity include storage facilities, retail stores for clothing and sporting goods, industrial laboratories, a recycling center and transfer station, metalwork businesses and other light to heavy industrial manufacturing plants. The project site has a General Plan designation of Manufacturing. This area of Berkeley is characterized by industrial and commercial development along Eastshore Highway, accessible for employees and customers by automobile. Appropriate uses for these areas include: the full range of manufacturers, including large scale materials processing (heavy) manufacturers; industrial businesses; and automobile-related services and sales. Staff believes that the Board can find that allowing for the change in land use from light manufacturing (sign manufacturing) to other industrial uses (automobile repair service) would meet the requirements of BMC Section 23E B for compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood. B. Parking Requirements: Pursuant to BMC Section 23E C, the new use must provide the incremental difference between the two numerical parking standards. Automobile and other vehicle oriented uses are required to provide the number of offstreet parking spaces determined by the Zoning Officer or Board based on the amount of parking demand generated by the use and comparable with specified standards for other uses. The minimum required parking for manufacturing land uses in the M District is one space per 1,500 square feet of space for buildings of 10,000 square feet or more. Under this standard, the existing 38,000 square foot building should have 25 parking spaces; however, there are currently 13 parking spaces on site, a deficit of 12 parking spaces. The project would decrease the building size to approximately 33,000 square feet, therefore requiring 22 parking spaces. The project would provide 20 onsite parking spaces, plus one ADA accessible space by the front lobby and offices, and there will be room for an additional 20 parked vehicles inside the building. The total parking capacity of 41 parking spaces would exceed code requirements. Existing parking spaces would be restriped as part of the property improvement associated with the change in land use (Figure 7). C. Noise: Pursuant to BMC Section (Exterior Noise Standards), the proposed auto repair shop must comply with the noise standards for Industrial uses (70 DBA) at all times. Staff has added conditions of approval governing noise levels during construction and operation of the proposed business. Strict adherence to these conditions would ensure the project would comply with noise levels for Industrial uses.

13 March 23, 2017 Page 13 of 15 D. Hazardous Materials: Operation of the service center would involve the use of hazardous materials, but compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards would minimize risks. Above-ground storage tanks for oils and coolant would be double steel walls per regulatory requirements to minimize the risk of leakage, and new pipelines would connect these tanks to the service bays. In addition, the service department would install a new exhaust handling system which complies with adopted Building and Mechanical Codes for auto service. Used tires would be stored indoors in a secure area and picked up multiple times per month by a local tire recycler. No car washing is proposed on-site. To prevent chemicals from entering local storm or sewer drains, they would be removed through high-pressure suction and hauled away to be disposed of consistent with regulatory requirements. Consistent with 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 112, a licensed Professional Engineer would be required to prepare a Spill Prevention, Control & Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan to prevent the discharge of oil. The City s Toxics Management Division would also require that Berkeley Honda file a Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP). E. General Plan Consistency: The 2002 General Plan contains several policies applicable to the project, including the following: 1. Policy LU-33 West Berkeley Plan: Implement the West Berkeley Plan and take actions that will achieve the three purposes of the Plan: 1. Maintain the full range of land uses and economic activities including residences, manufacturing, services, retailing, and other activities in West Berkeley. 2. Maintain the ethnic and economic diversity of West Berkeley s resident population. 3. Maintain and improve the quality of urban life, environmental quality, public and private service availability, transit and transportation, and aesthetic and physical qualities for West Berkeley residents and workers. 2. Policy UD-16 Context: The design and scale of new or remodeled buildings should respect the built environment in the area, particularly where the character of the built environment is largely defined by an aggregation of historically and architecturally significant buildings. 3. Policy UD-24 Area Character: Regulate new construction and alterations to ensure that they are truly compatible with and, where feasible, reinforce the desirable design characteristics of the particular area they are in. 4. Policy UD-25 Facades and Exterior Features: Buildings should have significant exterior features and facades that stimulate the eye and invite interested perusal. 5. Policy UD-29 Signs: Signs should contribute aesthetically to, rather than detract from, the site they are on and the general streetscape. 6. Policy EM-8 Building Reuse and Construction Waste: Encourage rehabilitation and reuse of buildings whenever appropriate and feasible in order to reduce waste, conserve resources and energy, and reduce construction costs.

14 March 23, 2017 Page 14 of 15 Staff Analysis: The project site and surrounding area have a General Plan designation of Manufacturing which is characterized by manufacturing and commercial development along Eastshore Highway. Appropriate uses for these areas include: a full range of manufacturers, including large scale materials processing (heavy) manufacturers; industrial businesses; and automobile-related services and sales. The change in land use from light industrial manufacturing (sign manufacturing) to other industrial uses (automobile repair service) would include an associated future redesign of the facility, which would help improve the Eastshore Highway Manufacturing District and encourage a neighborhood serving land use to occupy a currently vacant building. F. West Berkeley Plan Consistency: The West Berkeley Area Plan, adopted in 1993, also contains several policies applicable to the project, including the following: 1. Land Use Goal 2, Policy A: Create a Manufacturing district as a general industrial district, where the full range of existing manufacturers both heavy and light can function without interference from other types of uses. 2. Land Use Goal 4: Assure that new development in any sector is of a scale and design that is appropriate to its surroundings, while respecting the genuine economic and physical needs of the development. Staff Analysis: The project would be compatible with existing uses in the vicinity of the site. The change in land use from light industrial manufacturing (sign manufacturing) to other industrial uses (automobile repair service) would ensure that the character and purpose of the West Berkeley Manufacturing District is preserved and reinforced. 3. Physical Form Goal 3: Visually improve the University Ave. gateway and the other entry corridors into West Berkeley, so as to provide a positive image as one enters Berkeley. In addition to the University Ave. gateway, the entry corridors into West Berkeley are Ashby Ave. and Gilman St., and the northern and southern ends of San Pablo Ave Encourage new construction and renovation of existing buildings (those that contribute significantly to the streetscape) and restoration of historic structures to address in a positive manner their location along an entry corridor. New buildings should generally be placed along the front property line to strengthen the urban character of streets, and maintain or strengthen the streetwall of buildings along these corridors, while parking should be placed at the side or rear of the lot. Signage and facade design (of features such as doors and windows) should be urban instead of suburban in character, providing visual interest while remaining appropriate to the use(s) of the building Encourage landscaping and screening of existing parking along these entry corridors, adjacent to the streets (in the right of way) and on private property. 3.5 Encourage high-quality, urban style, cohesive signage along these streets. Monument signs with appropriate bases are encouraged, instead of pole

15 March 23, 2017 Page 15 of 15 signs. Remove both ground level and building-mounted billboards whenever possible. Staff Analysis: The project would include the adaptive reuse of an existing industrial building, and provide facade enhancements via the installation of corrugated metal on the front of the building with appropriate signage mounted on the front of the building. In addition, the project site would be upgraded with 25 newly striped parking spaces include new landscaping fronting Eastshore Highway. VI. Recommendation Because of the project s consistency with the Zoning Ordinance and General Plan, and minimal impact on surrounding properties, staff recommends that the Zoning Adjustments Board APPROVE Use Permit #ZP pursuant to Sections 23E and 23B , and subject to the attached Findings and Conditions (see Attachment 1). Attachments: 1. Findings and Conditions 2. Project Plans, dated December 30, Notice of Public Hearing 4. Correspondence Received Staff Planner: Sally Schifman, Contract Planner, sschifman@rinconconsultants.com, (760) , and Immanuel Bereket, IBereket@cityofberkeley.info, (510)