DEPARTMENT: Development Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Roderick Sanchez
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Council District 1
SUBJECT:
Plan Amendment 13051
SUMMARY:
An Ordinance amending the future land use plan contained in the Near Northwest Community Plan, a component of the Comprehensive Master Plan of the City, by changing the future land use of a 2.0131 acre tract of land addressed at 244 and 250 Sherwood Drive from Urban Low Density Residential to Community Commercial.
The Department recommends Denial. The Planning Commission recommends Approval.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Applicant: Paul Fletcher
Owner: Joy Learning Center, LLC
Property Location: 244 and 250 Sherwood Drive
Acreage: 2.0131 acre
Current Land Use of site: Former church and daycare facilities
Adjacent Land Uses:
N: designated Community Commercial; occupied by office and commercial uses
E: designated Urban Low Density Residential; occupied by an office
S: designated Urban Low Density Residential; occupied by Single-Family homes
W: designated Urban Low Density Residential; occupied by a Single-Family home
ISSUE:
The proposed zoning is not consistent with the Community Plan and requires that the applicant request a plan amendment.
Comprehensive Plan Analysis:
Comprehensive Plan Component: Near Northwest Community Plan
Plan Adoption Date: February 14, 2002
Update History: N/A
Plan Goals:
Goal 2, Objective 2.2: Business Development - Create opportunities for new business development to ensure a diversity of attractive businesses in pedestrian friendly environments.
Expansion of the existing commercial node at the corner of Vance Jackson and Sherwood to the east is consistent with this objective of the Near Northwest Community Plan.
LAND USE ANALYSIS:
The subject property is located on Sherwood Drive between Vance Jackson Road and the Interstate Highway 10 Access Road, immediately east of the Post Office located at the corner of Vance Jackson Road and Sherwood Drive. The subject property is classified as Urban Low Density Residential in the Near Northwest Community Plan, as are most of the surrounding properties. However, properties across Sherwood Drive are classified as Community Commercial.
The subject property is located on a block of Sherwood Drive that is surrounded with land uses that are Community Commercial in nature to the north. The intersections at Vance Jackson Road and Sherwood Drive, and the IH-10 Access Road and Sherwood are also developed with land uses that are Community Commercial in nature. The entire northern portion of Sherwood Drive is developed with intense uses that are facing the IH-10 and they use Sherwood Drive as a secondary access corridor. Urban Low Density Residential land uses are only found mid-block on the south side of Sherwood Drive. The subject property, even though it was developed with a Low Density Residential character, was previously used as a church and a day care facility. The applicant wants to continue to use the subject property as a childcare facility in addition to associated medical care, therapy and treatment for disabled children.
The subject property is one parcel away from the post office that is located at the intersection of Vance Jackson Road and Sherwood Drive. The properties at his intersection are classified with Community Commercial land use in the Plan and are developed with uses Community Commercial in nature such as a post office, a restaurant and a hotel. The property which is located in between the subject property and the post office is also requesting plan amendment from Urban Low Density Residential to Community Commercial. In conjunction with the adjacent application, this request becomes part of a contiguous commercial node from the intersection of Vance Jackson Road and Sherwood Drive.
Given the aforementioned description of Community Commercial uses such as shopping centers, drive-through restaurants, gas stations etc., and the location criteria of major arterials and intersections for Community Commercial uses, the applicant's request for Community Commercial land use classification for this location is inappropriate. The uses that are allowed under this land use classification will be too intense for this location and it may lead to developments that would completely change the character of the neighborhood on this side of the block. In addition, Sherwood Drive, a local street, does not have sufficient capacity to accommodate traffic generated by this land use classification.
On the other hand, Neighborhood Commercial uses would be more appropriate for this location due its less intense allowable uses and the requirements related to building size and location of parking areas. The uses allowed in Neighborhood Commercial land use classification would help maintaining the character of the neighborhood. In addition, the uses that are allowed in the Neighborhood Commercial land use classification can be located on minor arterials and on local streets that have non-residential characteristics.
TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE ANALYSIS:
Vance Jackson Road, located west of the subject property, is a Secondary Arterial Type B roadway. IH-10 is an Expressway. Sherwood Drive is a local street. The intersection of Vance Jackson Road and IH-10 Expressway is less than a quarter mile from the subject property. VIA bus route 96 serves along Vance Jackson Road. The existing transportation infrastructure may not support additional traffic generated by the requested land use change to Community Commercial. However, additional traffic generated by Neighborhood Commercial land uses is less than that from Community Commercial land uses, maybe accommodated by the existing infrastructure.
COMMUNITY FACILITIES ANALYSIS:
There is no community facility located in the immediate surrounding of the subject property. Whittier Academy and Junior High School is approximately one mile south of the subject property. The requested land use change should not create any additional demand for community facilities.
ALTERNATIVES:
No action will maintain the current future land use classification of Urban Low Density Residential.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None. A Comprehensive Master Plan Amendment carries no specific financial commitment or immediate action by the City or partnering agencies.
DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION:
Denial of Community Commercial. As an alternate, staff recommends approval of Neighborhood Commercial. The uses that are allowed in Community Commercial land use classification are too intense for this part of Sherwood Drive. Community Commercial uses may lead to types of development that would alter the character of the neighborhood in the future. Additionally, the subject property does not meet the recommended location criteria for the requested classification, which is most appropriate at intersections and along arterial roadways where traffic can easily be facilitated in an efficient manner. On the other hand, Neighborhood Commercial uses would be more appropriate for this location due its less intense allowable uses and more flexible location criteria.
PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
Meeting and Public Hearing Date: October 9, 2013
Approval. Resolution Attached
Newspaper Publication Date of Public Hearing: September 20, 2013
No. Notices mailed 10 days prior to Public Hearing: 17 to property owners within 200 feet; 1 to applicant; 1 to Los Angeles Heights Neighborhood Association; 18 to planning team.
ZONING COMMISSION SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Z2013211
Current Zoning: R-5
Proposed Zoning: C-2
Zoning Commission Public Hearing Date: October 15, 2013
Approval C-2NA