REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
March 17, 2016
FROM: JENNIFER K. CLARK, Director
Development and Resource Management Department
THROUGH: MIKE SANCHEZ, Assistant Director
Development Services Division
BY: MCKENCIE CONTRERAS, Supervising Planner
Development Services Division
SUBJECT
Title
HEARING to consider Rezone Application No. R-15-010 and related Environmental Assessment No. R-15-010 filed by Brandon Broussard of Yamabe & Horn Engineering, on behalf of Leland Parnagian of G3 Development Company, for approximately 95.02 acres of property located on the northwest corner of S. East and E. Central Avenues (Council District 3)
a. Adopt a Finding of Conformity to the Fresno General Plan Master Environmental Impact Report as Environmental Assessment No. R-15-010 dated December 18, 2015.
b. BILL (For introduction and adoption) - Approving Rezone Application No. R-15-010 requesting authorization to prezone the entirety of the subject property from the AL-20 (Agricultural Limited, 20 Acres - Fresno County) and AE-20 (Agricultural Exclusive, 20 Acres - Fresno County) zone districts to the IL/UGM (Light Industrial/Urban Growth Management) and IH/UGM (Heavy Industrial/Urban Growth Management) zone districts.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council take the following actions:
a. ADOPT a Finding of Conformity to the Fresno General Plan Master Environmental Impact Report as Environmental Assessment No. R-15-010 dated December 18, 2015.
b. ADOPT BILL approving Rezone Application No. R-15-010 requesting authorization to prezone the entirety of the subject property from the AL-20 (Agricultural Limited, 20 Acres - Fresno County) and AE-20 (Agricultural Exclusive, 20 Acres - Fresno County) zone districts to the IL/UGM (Light Industrial/Urban Growth Management) and IH/UGM (Heavy Industrial/Urban Growth Management) zone districts.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Brandon Broussard of Yamabe & Horn Engineering, on behalf of Leland Parnagian of G3 Development Company, has filed Rezone Application No. R-15-010 pertaining to approximately 95.02 acres of property. The subject property is located on the northwest corner of South East and East Central Avenues. The rezone application was filed by the applicant to prezone the subject property. Rezone Application No. R-15-010 proposes to prezone the entirety of the subject property from the AL-20 (Agricultural Limited, 20 Acres - Fresno County) and AE-20 (Agricultural Exclusive, 20 Acres - Fresno County) zone districts to the IL/UGM (Light Industrial/Urban Growth Management) and IH/UGM (Heavy Industrial/Urban Growth Management) zone districts.
The subject property is located within the Fresno General Plan and the Edison Community Plan and a portion is located within the North Avenue Industrial Triangle Specific Plan; the plans designate the subject property for Light and Heavy Industrial planned land uses. Therefore, the subject application is consistent with the Fresno General Plan, the Edison Community Plan, and the North Avenue Industrial Triangle Specific Plan. The subject property is also located within the County and Fresno; therefore, the subject property will be required to go through the annexation process with the Fresno Local Agency Formation Commission.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS
Land Use Plans and Policies
Fresno General Plan
The Fresno General Plan designates the subject property for Light and Heavy Industrial planned land uses. The City of Fresno supports goals that provide for ample industrial and employment land ready for job creation. Therefore, the following objectives and policies promote light and heavy industrial development:
§ Objective ED-1: Support economic development by maintaining a strong working relationship with the business community and improving the business climate for current and future businesses.
§ Objective ED-3: Attract and recruit businesses and offer incentives for economic development.
§ Objective LU-7: Plan and support industrial development to promote job growth.
§ Policy LU-7-c: Efficiency of Industrial Uses. Promote industrial land use clusters to maximize the operational efficiency of similar activities.
In conclusion, the proposed rezone is consistent with the goals and policies of the Fresno General Plan. The rezone request promotes consistency with the planned land uses designated by the Fresno General Plan. Future development of the property will preserve and protect the industrial character of area and will expand the city’s industrial capacity. The proposed project is located near state routes, which will allow access for industrial development.
Edison Community Plan
The subject property is designated for Light and Heavy Industrial planned land uses by the Edison Community Plan. Upon reviewing the policies contained in the Plan, staff has determined that there are no policies that are applicable or are more restrictive than those contained in the Fresno Municipal Code.
North Avenue Industrial Triangle Specific Plan
Parcel 329-110-12 is located within the North Avenue Industrial Triangle Specific Plan. The Industrial Triangle benefits private industry by offering an investment opportunity in an industrial area. The plan also promotes the creation of more jobs in Fresno.
Circulation Element Plan Policies and Major Street System Traffic Capacity
The subject property is located on the northwest corner of South East and East Central Avenues. In the Fresno General Plan Circulation Element, South East Avenue is designated as a collector street, which has the primary function of connecting local streets and arterials and neighborhood traffic generators and providing access to abutting properties. East Central Avenue is designated as an arterial street, which has a primary purpose of moving traffic within and between neighborhoods and to and from freeways and expressways. Future development of the subject property will be required to construct all necessary street frontage improvements to City Standards.
The Public Works Department/Traffic Engineering Division staff has reviewed the proposed traffic yield from the proposed project and the expected traffic generation will not adversely impact the existing and projected circulation system as analyzed in the MEIR. Applying the factors outlined in the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Manual, the proposed project is projected to generate 610 vehicle trips during the morning peak hour travel period (7 to 9 a.m.) and 595 vehicle trips during the evening peak hour travel period (4 to 6 p.m.) on a weekday. The project is also projected to generate 4,075 average daily trips (ADT). A traffic impact study (TIS) was not required for the proposed rezone; however, a TIS may be required for future development.
Public Notice and Input
Notice of Hearing
The Development and Resource Management Department mailed notices of this City Council hearing to surrounding property owners within 1,000 feet of the subject property (Exhibit 2), pursuant to Section 15-5007-B-2 of the Fresno Municipal Code.
District Committee
The District 3 Plan Implementation Committee did not have a quorum for their October 12, 2015 meeting. The District 3 Plan Implementation Committee staff liaison was supportive of the proposed rezone.
Fresno City Planning Commission Action
Rezone Application No. R-15-010 was considered by the Fresno City Planning Commission at its meeting on February 3, 2016. At the hearing no one spoke in support or opposition to the proposed rezone. After a complete hearing, the Commission voted and recommended the City Council approve the rezone application by a 4-1 vote.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
The City of Fresno has conducted an initial study of the above-described project and it has been determined to be a subsequent project that is fully within the scope of the Master Environmental Impact Report (MEIR) SCH No. 2012111015 prepared for the Fresno General Plan adopted by the Fresno City Council on December 18, 2014. The environmental assessment for the proposed rezone is tiered off of the MEIR. Therefore, the Development and Resource Management Department proposes to adopt a Finding of Conformity for this project.
The proposed rezone will not facilitate an additional intensification of uses beyond that which would be allowed by the proposed zoning and planned land use designations. Moreover, it is not expected that the future development will adversely impact existing city service systems or the traffic circulation system that serves the subject property. It has been further determined that all applicable mitigation measures of the MEIR have been applied to the project necessary to assure that the project will not cause significant adverse cumulative impacts, growth inducing impacts, and irreversible significant effects beyond those identified by the MEIR as provided by California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15177(b)(3). A public notice of the attached Finding of Conformity for Environmental Assessment No. R-15-010 was published on December 18, 2015 with no comments or appeals received to date.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not considered because this ordinance does not include a bid or award of a construction or service contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
Affirmative action by the Council will result in timely deliverance of the review and processing of the application as is reasonably expected by the applicant. Prudent financial management is demonstrated by the expeditious completion of this land use application inasmuch as the applicant has paid to the city a fee for the processing of this application and that fee is, in turn, funding the respective operations of the Development and Resource Management Department.
Attachments:
Exhibit 1: 2015 Aerial Photograph
Exhibit 2: Public Hearing Noticing Map
Exhibit 3: Fresno General Plan Planned Land Use Map
Exhibit 4: Zoning Map
Exhibit 5: Environmental Assessment No. R-15-010 dated December 18, 2015
Exhibit 6: Planning Commission Resolution No. 13367
Exhibit 7: City Council Ordinance Bill for Rezone Application No. R-15-010
Exhibit 8: City Council PowerPoint Presentation