The subject site is located on the west side of Valley View Street, south of Chapman Avenue.  The subject site has a General Plan Land Use designation of Civic Institution, and is zoned Planned Unit Development No. PUD-104-73 (Rev. 2018).  PUD-104-73 was adopted in 1973 to allow the construction of a 126-unit residential condominium (currently known as Stonegate), a 32 lane bowling alley (12141 Valley View Street), a 900 seat movie theater (12111 Valley View Street), a 7,500 square foot restaurant (12101 Valley View Street), a 3,600 square foot drive-thru restaurant (12051 Valley View Street), and a 41,850 square foot aged facility for 120 people (5900 Chapman Avenue). 

In 2018, the PUD was amended to allow an automatic car wash, a drive-thru pad restaurant, and a sit-down restaurant on the movie theater property located at 12101-12111 Valley View Street, along with amending the sign requirements of the PUD.  Concurrently with the PUD amendment, a Site Plan approval was granted to redevelop and revitalize the movie theater property, including remodeling the movie theater, constructing an automatic car wash (Fast 5 Express) and a pad drive-thru restaurant (Jack-in-the-Box).  The improvements were completed in 2020, and the shopping center was re-named the West Grove Center.

The applicant, who is also the property owner of the movie theater property and the operator of the Starlight Cinema, purchased the bowling alley property in March 2019.  The applicant now proposes to redevelop and revitalize the subject site in the same manner as the movie theater property, and will introduce new commercial retail and restaurant uses through the repurposing of the bowling alley building with new commercial uses, and the construction of a new pad drive-thru restaurant.  In order to facilitate the proposed development, a General Plan Amendment and an amendment to PUD-104-73 (Rev. 2018) are required.

The proposed project includes:

• Repurposing the existing bowling alley building with new commercial retail and restaurant uses.  The building will be reduced in size from 33,375 square feet to 19,296 square feet to accommodate four (4) tenants, including an anchor tenant of 12,082 square feet, and three (3) restaurants with a combined total area of 7,214 square feet, with one tenant designed with a drive-thru lane.  Three (3) communal outdoor patio areas with a combined area of 900 square feet will be proposed adjacent to the tenants. 
  
  
• Construction of a 2,000 square foot drive-thru pad restaurant with outdoor seating that will be operated by Starbucks. 

• The project is required to provide a total of 167 parking spaces to accommodate the proposed commercial uses.   Project will provide 123 parking spaces in the form of 115 parking stalls and eight (8) vehicle queuing spaces combined within the two (2) proposed drive-thru lanes, and will share 44 parking spaces with the adjacent movie theater property through a reciprocal parking agreement.  The movie theater property currently has a surplus of 66 parking spaces.

• The proposed building architecture of both the existing building and the proposed pad building will be contemporary, and will include enhanced articulation, detailing, and varied building massing. Other site improvements include redesigning the parking lot, constructing new landscape planters, and installing new parking lot lighting and new building signage.  The proposed improvements will be compatible with the recent improvements completed on the movie theater property, which will provide uniformity and integrate the subject site with the design of the West Grove Center.

On March 4, 2021, the Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider General Plan Amendment No. GPA-002-2021, Planned Unit Development No. PUD-104-73 (Rev. 2018/Rev. 2021), and Site Plan No. SP-097-2021.  At the meeting, no persons from the public spoke about the project.  By a vote of 7-0, the Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. 6019-21 recommending that the City Council adopt a Negative Declaration for the project, and approve General Plan Amendment No. GPA-002-2021 and Planned Unit Development No. PUD-104-73 (Rev. 2018/Rev. 2021).  The Planning Commission also adopted Resolution No. 6020-21 approving Site Plan No. SP-097-2021, subject to City Council approval of GPA-002-2021 and PUD-104-73 (Rev. 2018/Rev. 2021).

The applicant proposes a General Plan Amendment and a text amendment to PUD-104-73 (Rev. 2018) to facilitate the redevelopment of the subject site with the proposed project.   

GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT

The subject site has a General Plan land use designation of Civic Institution.  The land use designation of Civic Institution was implemented in 2008 with the adoption of the 2030 General Plan Update that changed the land use designation of the subject site from Light Commercial to Civic Institution.

The Civic Institution land use designation does not support commercial uses as it is intended to allow for education uses, such as elementary, middle, and high school, colleges, universities, hospitals, and governmental facilities.  In order to facilitate the redevelopment of the subject site with new commercial uses, a General Plan Amendment is required.  The proposed General Plan Amendment will change the land use designation of the subject site from Civic Institution to Light Commercial.  As previously stated, the subject site’s land use designation prior to the adoption of the 2008 General Plan Update was Light Commercial, and the proposed General Plan Amendment will re-establish the property’s previous land use designation of Light Commercial.

The Light Commercial land use designation is intended to allow for a range of commercial activities that serve local residential neighborhoods, including retail, restaurant, and similar commercial uses that are compatible with the commercial and residential uses in the area. The proposed General Plan Amendment will allow the applicant to redevelop and revitalize the project site with new commercial retail and restaurant uses. 

PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT AMENDMENT

The subject site is currently zoned Planned Unit Development (PUD) No. PUD-104-73 (Rev. 2018). A Planned Unit Development is a precise plan that provides the means for the regulation of buildings, structures, and uses of land to facilitate the implementation of the General Plan.  The regulations of the PUD are intended to provide for a diversity of uses, relationships, and open spaces in an innovative land use plan and design, while ensuring compliance with the provisions of the Municipal Code.

In 2018, PUD-104-73 was amended to allow an automatic car wash, a drive-thru pad restaurant, and a sit-down restaurant on the adjacent movie theater property (12111 and 12101 Valley View street), along with an amendment to the sign requirements of the PUD. 

The proposed amendment to the PUD will expand the commercial uses permitted to also include uses permitted in the C-1 (Neighborhood Commercial).  Attachment 4 provides a matrix of the C-1 zone uses that will be permitted in the PUD as identified in Section 9.16.020.030 (Uses Permitted) of the Municipal Code. The C-1 zone uses are intended to be neighborhood-serving.  The introduction of new commercial uses will allow the subject site to be redeveloped as proposed by the applicant, and will integrate the property into the newly renovated West Grove Center.  The proposed C-1 zone uses will be compatible with the commercial uses currently allowed by the PUD, as well as compatible with the surrounding commercial and residential uses in the area.   The proposed uses are diverse and are compatible with the proposed land use designation of Light Commercial, and will ensure that the quality of the proposed project is greater than what could be achieved through a traditional commercial zoning classification. 

The proposed amendment will also modify the sign requirements of the PUD to allow for the existing pole sign cabinet to be modified to allow for a multi-tenant display cabinet, and will also allow for the replacement of any of the existing pole signs with a monument sign that complies with the sign requirements of the Municipal Code. The 2018 PUD amendment amended the sign requirements of the PUD, including allowing for a multi-tenant display cabinet on the existing movie theater pole sign.  As currently required by the PUD, all other signage is required to comply with the total allowable signage of the C-1 zone.

The proposed General Plan Amendment and the amendment to the Planned Unit Development will assist with the revitalization and redevelopment of an underutilized commercial property, which is consistent with the goals and policies of the General Plan Land Use Element that encourages the revitalization of aging, underused or deteriorated commercial centers; that encourages a mix of retail shops and services to better meet the needs of the area’s present and potential clientele; that encourages the City to work with property owners to revitalize deteriorated centers; that encourages appropriate signage in commercial centers; and that encourages façade renovations, enhanced parking area landscaping, and improved lighting.  Additionally, the Project complies with the goals and policies of the Community Design Element that encourages the creation of unique retail spaces that are architecturally rich, pedestrian friendly, culturally sensitive, and economically viable; commercial uses near residential neighborhoods that serve local residents and create neighborhood-gathering places; new public and private parking facilities to meet aesthetic and functional standards beneficial to the urban environment; buildings with fully finished architectural detail, including finished doors, windows, and exterior surfaces identical to, or which complement the front of the building; and landscaping treatment on all parts of a building site, visible from City streets.

Environmental Review:

In conjunction with the proposed project, the City (through a consultant) has prepared an Initial Study and Negative Declaration (“IS/ND”) in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) analyzing the potential environmental impacts of the proposed Project and associated site improvements.  In accordance with CEQA Guidelines, the City made the IS/ND available for public review and comment prior to the meeting.   The IS/ND concludes that the proposed project will have no, or a less than significant, impact on all relevant environmental factors.

None.

It is recommended that the City Council:

• Conduct a Public Hearing;

• Adopt a Resolution adopting a Negative Declaration;

• Adopt a Resolution approving General Plan Amendment No. GPA-002-2021; and

• Introduce and conduct the first reading of an Ordinance approving Planned Unit Development No. PUD-104-73 (Rev. 2018/Rev. 2021).

By:    Maria Parra

         Senior Planner