DEPARTMENT: Development Services
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: 1
SUBJECT:
Plan Amendment 16034
(Associated Zoning Case Z2016127)
SUMMARY:
Comprehensive Plan Component: Near Northwest Community Plan
Plan Adoption Date: February 14, 2002
Current Land Use Category: Neighborhood Commercial
Proposed Land Use Category: Community Commercial
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Planning Commission Hearing Date: April 13, 2016
Case Manager: Shepard Beamon, Planner
Property Owner: The Estate of Mary Joseph Abdo
Applicant: Solomon Abdo
Representative: David Triplett
Location: 1611 - 1615 West Avenue and 110 Frost Street
Legal Description: Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, Block 13, NCB 8448
Total Acreage: 0.4132
Notices Mailed
Owners of Property within 200 feet: 41
Registered Neighborhood Associations within 200 feet: Los Angeles Heights
Applicable Agencies: None
Transportation
Thoroughfare: West Avenue
Existing Character: Secondary Arterial Type B
Proposed Changes: None.
Thoroughfare: Frost Street
Existing Character: Local Street
Proposed Changes: None.
Public Transit: VIA Bus Routes 97 and 296 are located near the subject property.
ISSUE:
Comprehensive Plan
Comprehensive Plan Component: Near Northwest Community Plan
Plan Adoption Date: February 14, 2002
Plan Goals: Goal 2 - Economic Development Ensure the Near NW Community’s business corridors are filled with a mix of uses including professional offices, residences and busy shops, providing neighbors an attractive place to walk for shopping, playing, working and relaxing both day and night.
Comprehensive Land Use Categories
Land Use Category: Neighborhood Commercial
Description of Land Use Category: Neighborhood Commercial provides for offices, professional services, and shopfront retail uses that are pedestrian oriented. Neighborhood Commercial uses should be located at the intersection of a collector and local street or where an existing commercial area has been established. Structures should have a maximum size of 5,000 square feet or the square footage of an existing building. A majority of the ground floor façade should be composed of windows. Parking areas should be located behind the building, with the exception of one row of angled or head-in parking along the street. Additionally, all off-street parking and vehicle use areas adjacent to residential uses should have buffer landscaping, lighting and signage controls. Service entrances and/or yards located in the rear or side yard of the business use should be screened from adjacent residential areas and refuse enclosures should be located at the rear of the site and screened. Buffer yards should provide a landscaped separation between residential and commercial uses. Examples of Neighborhood Commercial uses include gift shops, delis, offices, restaurants, beauty parlors, small neighborhood groceries or markets, coffee shops, shoe repair shops and medical clinics. No drive-through establishments are permissible. Live/work units, allowing for residential use above commercial space, as well as a limited number of apartments are permitted.
Permitted Zoning Districts: NC, C1
Comprehensive Land Use Categories
Land Use Category: Community Commercial
Description of Land Use Category: Development includes a medium and high density land use that draws its customer base from a larger community. This classification can include a mix of uses in the same building or in the same development. Community Commercial uses are typically located on arterials at major intersections (nodes) or in established commercial areas along arterials. Examples of Community Commercial uses include all Neighborhood Commercial uses, convenience stores with gas stations, grocery stores, plant nurseries, paint/carpet stores, offices, apartments and community shopping centers. Drive-through establishments are permissible. Community commercial uses should incorporate well-defined and accessible entrances, shared internal circulation, limited curb cuts to arterial streets, ample sidewalks and shade trees in parking lots, landscaping on planter strips between the parking lot and street and well-designed, monument signage. Commercial centers should be designed to create safe, attractive and convenient vehicular and pedestrian linkages with adjoining land uses.
Permitted Zoning Districts: NC, C1, C2P, C2, O1, *It is recommended that Fredericksburg Road be limited to C2P to maintain and encourage a pedestrian oriented environment.
Land Use Overview
Subject Property
Future Land Use Classification
Neighborhood Commercial
Current Use
Commercial Strip
North
Future Land Use Classification
Urban Low Density Residential, Neighborhood Commercial
Current Use
Single-Family Residences, Used Auto Sales, Shop Building, Parking Lot, Office Building, Auto Repair
East
Future Land Use Classification
Urban Low Density Residential, Neighborhood Commercial
Current Use
Auto Repair, Single-Family Residences, Child Daycare
South
Future Land Use Classification
Urban Low Density Residential, Neighborhood Commercial
Current Use
Single-family Residences, Tire Shop, Vacant
West
Future Land Use Classification
Urban Low Density Residential
Current Use
Single-family Residences
Land Use Analysis
The current land use designation, under the Near Northwest Community Plan, is Neighborhood Commercial, which is suitable for the subject property. However, this plan amendment and associated rezoning are being requested to rezone an existing non-conforming structure to a zoning district the permits the allowed square footage for future improvements. The requested Community Commercial land use designation is appropriate as the property is located along West Avenue, which primarily consists of commercial uses. The Near Northwest Community Plan encourages improving the quality of commercial corridors and attracting investors for buildings available for development.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Recommend denial of the proposed amendment to the Near Northwest Community Plan, as presented above.
2. Make an alternate recommendation.
3. Continue to a future date.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends Approval. The requested land use change will allow for future improvements with conforming commercial uses and will not have significant impact on surrounding properties.
ZONING COMMISSION SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Z2016127
Current Zoning: "NC AHOD" Neighborhood Commercial Airport Hazard Overlay District and "C-1 AHOD" Light Commercial Airport Hazard Overlay District
Proposed Zoning: "C-2 AHOD" Commercial Airport Hazard Overlay District
Zoning Commission Hearing Date: April 19, 2016