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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-053 Auto Dealership Expansn AGENDA STATEMENT PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING DATE: April 27, 2004 SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING: PA 03-053 Auto Dealership Expansion - Conditional Use Permit and Site Development Review for an expansion to the existing Dublin Buick/Pontiac/GMC auto dealership at 4400 John Monego Court Prepared by: Kristi Bascom, Associate Planner~t''~ ATTACHMENTS: Resolution approving a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and Site Development Review (SDR) to construct a 23,108 square foot expansion to the Dublin Buick/Pontiac/GMC auto dealership at 4400 John Monego Court Project Plans dated March 9, 2004. Parcel Map Approved Development Plan (Exhibit A-2 to City Council Ordinance 13-00) RECOMMENDATION: 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Hear Staff presentation. Open public hearing. Take testimony from the Applicant and the public. Question Staff, Applicant and the public. Close the public heating and deliberate. Adopt the Resolution (Attachment 1) approving a Conditional Use Permit and Site Development Review (SDR) permit to construct a 23,108 square foot expansion to the Dublin Buick/Pontiac/GMC auto dealership at 4400 John Monego Court. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Parcels A and B of the General Motors Auto Mall total 6.5 gross acres on the southwest comer of Dublin Boulevard and John Monego Court. Tassajara Creek is adjacent to the property on the west, and a vacant parcel currently exists to the south. The proposed project consists of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) and Site Development Review (SDR) for the development of a 23,108 square foot addition to the existing auto dealership at 4400 John Monego Court. This expansion will add a substantial service area to the existing Dublin Pontiac/Buick/GMC sales and service facility and allow the dealership to expand from Parcel A onto Parcel B, also owned by General Motors. Background In 1998 the City Council approved a Stage I Development Plan/Planned Development Zoning District for the entire General Motors Auto Mall site, which is comprised of three (3) parcels (Parcels A, B, and C) on nearly 13.5 acres (Attachment 3). The Stage 1 Development Plan permitted the construction of three new auto dealerships (including Dublin Pontiac/Buick/GMC), body shop facilities, and an auto service facility in 120,905 square feet of building area. COPIES TO: Applicant Property Owners PA file I In 1998 the Planning Commission approved a Conditional Use Permit, Site Development Review Permit, and Tentative Parcel Map for the General Motors Auto Mall that led to the construction of the 25,645 square foot Dublin Pontiac/Buick/GMC dealership on Parcel A. No other dealerships have been built to date. In 2000, the City Council approved some slight modifications to the Planned Development Zoning District that realigned the three parcels and reassigned some building densities. There was no net change in the allowable building area for the auto mall, just some adjustments to where the building would take place. City Council Ordinance 13-00 approved the following parcel sizes and allowable building areas: Parcel A (Dublin Pontiac/Buick/GMC) Parcel B (unknown use) Parcel C (intended to be future Chevrolet/Cadillac/Oldsmobile dealership) 4.43 gross acres 2.07 gross acres 8.0 gross acres 28,775 square feet building area 19,370 square feet building area 72,757 square feet building area Total of Parcel A, B, and C 14.5 gross acres 120,902 square feet building area Project Proposal The Project Applicant, General Motors Argonaut Holdings, is proposing to expand the Dublin Pontiac/Buick/ GMC dealership onto Parcel B. The existing dealership is 25,645 square feet and the Applicant is proposing a 23,108 square foot expansion, which would lead to a total building size of 48,753 square feet on Parcels A and B (which is 603 square feet greater than the Development Plan allows). There is no dealership proposed for Parcel C at this point, but General Motors anticipates processing a Site Development Review application for the remaining parcel before the end of the year. ANALYSIS: Site Plan (Sheet Al.1 of the Project Plans) The subject site sits on the southwest comer of Dublin Boulevard and John Monego Court. The existing auto dealership building has dual frontages, with driveway entrances on both streets. The proposed expansion will add sixteen (16) new service bays to the dealership and a new service area for better customer access. Access to the new service center will be from a driveway off John Monego Court directly into the service and parts area. There will also be customer parking (both regular and disabled accessible) in the service area and customers wishing to visit the showroom can also use this parking, which has a pedestrian walkway to the sales building. Parking (Sheet Al.2 of the Project Plans) There is sufficient parking being provided onsite in accordance with the City's Parking Regulations (Section 8.76 of the Dublin Municipal Code). The parking for the project is as follows: Use Size Parking Ratio Parking Required Parking Provided Office 6,210 sf 1 space per 250 sf 25 25 Service 22,276 sf (incl. 40 service 1 space per 400 sfplus 1 96 96 bays) per bay Storage 14,576 sf 1 space per 1,000 sf 15 15 Display (Interior) 5,691 sf 1 space per 1,000 sf 6 6 Display (Exterior) 5,200 sf 1 space per 1,000 sf 6 6 Vehicle Inventory None required 255 Total employee, customer, and in-service parking 148 spaces 403 spaces* *Note: 255 spaces provided for inventory vehicle parking. No inventory parking can occur in the 148 spaces required for employee, customer; or in-service parking Condition of Approval Number 13 requires that all of the employee, customer, and in-service parking spaces on site be marked as such so that they are not inadvertently used for inventory parking. The parking space layout Page 2 has been designed to provide easy access from the customer parking areas to the showroom and to the service area. Of the 148 public parking spaces, five (5) are disabled-accessible, including one disabled van-accessible stall. The site plan provides for ample inventory parking, and numerous display spaces will be located to be visible from Dublin Boulevard and John Monego Court. Circulation within the site allows for adequate turning movements and loading. Condition of Approval Number 16 requires that all drive aisles must be kept clear at all times and that all off-loading of vehicles be done on-site in the designated areas and not on any public street. Condition of Approval Number 17 requires that all vehicle storage be done on a paved surface in an area designed for parking. No parking can be done on an unimproved Parcel C or off-site unless a separate Conditional Use Permit is approved for that purpose. Building Elevations (Sheets A3.1 and A3.2 of the Project Plans) The architecture proposed for the expansion will continue the design of the existing building, which is typical of the type of architecture used in many auto showrooms. The existing building is constructed primarily of split- faced masonry block, with canopy projections involving grid detailing which are continued onto other portions of the building. Building walls are finished at the top with a cornice band using smooth-faced block for contrast. Dealer signs are located on the main canopy elements and no new signage is proposed for this expansion. Building Materials and Colors (Last (unnumbered) sheet of the Project Plans) The color and materials palette illustrates the existing colors and materials that will continue to be used for the expansion. The masonry wall, scored block columns, and cornice roof treatment will match the existing and will be painted the same colors with the same finishes. The roll-up doors on the south and west elevations will match the existing, and the aluminum window system will match those windows already on the building. Landscaping and Fencing (Sheets L.1, L.2, and Al.1 of the Project Plans) The Applicant submitted a conceptual landscape plan that provides for a wide variety of street trees, shrubs, vines, and ground cover that is incorporated into a coordinated site plan and landscape design. The landscape scheme enhances the project's built environment and blends well with the natural elements adjacent to the site along Tassajara Creek. A 100-foot creek setback is maintained, and the plans propose a transitional landscape area adjacent to the creek corridor. To enhance water quality, the Applicant is proposing to construct a bio-swale the length of the southern property line and along a portion of the western property line as well. The bio-swale will function to purify stormwater runoff before it enters the storm drain system and also serve to let some of the stormwater recharge back into the ground before it hits the drain. The bio-swale will help reduce the amount of runoff entering the system and will also make the water that does enter the system cleaner. In addition to new landscaping to be installed for the new building area, the Applicant is also proposing to renovate and upgrade the existing landscaping that has not been well-maintained over the past few years. The landscape plan will use plant species that can tolerate recycled water and will match the existing plant palette. Condition of Approval Number 114 requires that the Applicant submit a Final Landscape Plan for review and approval by the Community Development Director. The fencing proposed for the site includes new wrought iron fencing along the new portion of the western property line to match the existing fencing, as shown on Sheet Al.1 of the project plans. The wrought iron fence will also continue along the southern elevation up to the wall and gate that serves to separate the rear inventory and service area from the front inventory and customer parking area. At this point, there will be a masonry wall with cornice cap (painted to match the existing building) with a rolling wrought iron security gate for vehicles and a wrought iron pedestrian gate for people. Page 3 Compatibility with the Eastern Dublin Comprehensive Stream Restoration Program The site design has taken into account all of the setback requirements of the Stream Restoration Program guidelines and policies for the lower reach of Tassajara Creek. The building is setback from the top of the flood control channel by more than 109 feet, which is substantially more than the 50 feet required. The site shows a minimum 20 foot landscaped area adjacent to the maintenance road inside the stream corridor, and in some places is much greater than 20 feet (which is the minimum width required). The landscaped areas of the site have been designed to be in compliance with the Program's restoration plant palette. Traffic and Circulation A traffic study was completed for the project in 1998 (and later updated in 2000) that analyzed the full buildout of Parcels A, B, and C with 120,902 square feet of auto-related uses. The traffic study identified several impacts of the General Motors Auto Mall, however the impacts and related improvements were previously addressed in the certified Eastern Dublin Specific Plan/General Plan Amendment Program EIR. Mitigation measures of the EIR required traffic improvements and fees to mitigate any significant impacts. The identified traffic study improvements, which were incorporated into the General Motors Auto Mall Development Agreement and which have since been constructed and accepted by the City, were within the scope of the mitigations identified in the Program EIR. With the improvements identified, the traffic study concluded that applicable levels of service required by the Dublin General Plan would not be exceeded by this project, and that the proposed General Motors Auto Mall is an appropriate use for this site. Since this proposed expansion to the Dublin Pontiac/Buick/GMC dealership is within the maximum development intended for the 13.5-acre auto mall site (as further explained below), the traffic study previously completed is adequate for this project analysis. Compatibility with Planned Development Zoning District The Planned Development Zoning District/Stage I Development Plan (Attachment 4) allows for a total of 48,145 square feet to be built on Parcels A and B. Since the proposed building expansion will total 48,753 square feet, the Development Plan needs amendments in two places. The first amendment will allow 608 additional square feet to be developed on Parcels A and B and reduce the development potential on Parcel C by 608 square feet. The second amendment will allow any single building to be larger than 37,000 square feet as long as steps are taken to ensure that an adequate distance is maintained between buildings (Condition of Approval Number 25). These minor amendments can be approved through a Conditional Use Permit as allowed by Section 8.32.080 of the Dublin Municipal Code. The proposed amendments include: 1. Section 5 of the Development Plan shall be revised to read: Parcel A and B: 6.5 gross acres Parcel C: 8.0 gross acres Total 14.5 gross acres Section 8 of the Development Plan shall be revised to read: Maximum Building Size: 48,753 square feet 48,753 square feet building area 72,149 square feet building area 120,902 square feet building area The Planning Commission may approve minor amendments to a Development Plan by means of a Conditional Use Permit if it can be found that the amendment substantially complies with and does not materially change the provisions or intent of the Planned Development Zoning District Ordinance for the site. Because the two proposed amendments do not change the overall density or intensity of development on the site, but simply move the density around within the greater General Motors Auto Mall project area, Staff argues that the provisions and intent of the Zoning District are unchanged and unaffected by these amendments. Page 4 Compliance with the Development Agreement A Development Agreement (DA) was approved by the City Council for this site in May 1999 and went into effect on June 29, 1999. The DA is scheduled to expire after five years, which will be on June 29, 2004. The Applicant/Developer has fulfilled the obligations of the DA in terms of infrastructure improvements, so the City Attorney has determined that there is no reason to the renew it. There are a few minor items from the DA that have been added as Conditions of Approval to this project and they will also be added to the Conditions of Approval for the future auto dealership to be built on Parcel C. Therefore, the proposed project is in compliance with the Development Agreement for this site. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Approval of the greater General Motors Auto Mall project is within the Dublin General Plan's Eastern Extended Planning Area and the Eastern Dublin Specific Plan, which was the subject of an Environmental Impact Report, certified by the City of Dublin in 1993 (Addenda to the EIR were also approved, dated May 4, 1993 and August 22, 1994; see Background Attachments). The Eastern Dublin Specific Plan/General Plan Amendment EIR is a Program EIR, which anticipated several subsequent actions related to future development in Eastern Dublin. The EIR did identify some impacts from implementation of the General Plan/Specific Plan that were not able to be mitigated. Upon certification of the EIR, the City adopted a statement of overriding considerations for several impacts, some of which relate to this project (e.g.; visual impacts). The City also adopted a Mitigation Monitoring Program, which included several measures intended to reduce impacts from the development of the Eastern Dublin area. These mitigation measures apply to project approvals and actions at various stages in the development process, and will be applied to this project as applicable. The timing of these mitigation measures is indicated in the City's EIR Mitigation Monitoring Matrix. An Initial Study, dated June 30, 1998, was prepared for the greater General Motors Auto Mall project (of which this is a part), to determine if there would be additional environmental impacts occurring as a result of this project beyond or different from those already addressed in the Program EIR. The Initial Study resulted in the conclusion that no additional significant impacts are expected and no new mitigation measures were needed for site-specific environmental effects. The main issues addressed in the Initial Study's focused evaluation of pertinent project-level environmental issues were traffic and visual impacts. Each of these issues has been the subject of supplemental environmental studies, and in each case, studies have determined that the project will not have any additional significant environmental impacts that were not evaluated in the earlier Program EIR. As a result of the review of the certified EIR and addenda, and an analysis of pertinent project-level environmental issues presented in the Initial Study, it was determined that the General Motors Auto Mall project would not have any new significant effects on the environment which have not been analyzed adequately pursuant to applicable standards. To this extent, the project is within the scope of the Program EIR and no further environmental analysis is necessary. CONCLUSION: This application has been reviewed by the applicable City departments and agencies, and their comments have been incorporated into the Conditions of Approval for the project. The proposed project is consistent with the Dublin General Plan, the Eastern Dublin Specific Plan, the Planned Development Zoning District in which it is located, and represents an appropriate project for the site. Page 5 RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Planning Commission (1) Hear Staff presentation, (2) Open Public Hearing, (3) Take testimony from the Applicant and the public, (4) Question Staff, Applicant and the public, (5) Close the public hearing and deliberate, (6) Adopt Resolution (Attachment 1) approving a Conditional Use Permit (CLIP) and Site Development Review (SDR) to construct a 23,108 square foot expansion to the Dublin Buick/ Pontiac/GMC auto dealership at 4400 John Monego Court. Page 6 GENERAL INFORMATION: APPLICANT/PROPERTY OWNER: LOCATION: ZONING: GENERAL PLAN DESIGNATIONS: SPECIFIC PLAN DESIGNATION: ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Moya Kelly, General Motors Corp., 515 Marin Street, Suite 211, Thousand Oaks, CA 913 60 4400 John Monego Court, Assessor Parcel Numbers 986-0016-002 and 986-0016-003 PD (Planned Development) General Commercial General Commercial As a result of the review of the certified EIR and addenda, and an analysis of pertinent project-level environmental issues presented in the Initial Study, it was determined that the General Motors Auto Mall project would not have any new significant effects on the environment which have not been analyzed adequately pursuant to applicable standards. To this extent, the project is within the scope of the Program EIR and further environmental analysis is unnecessary. GSPA#\2003\03-053 Dublin Pontiac~PC Staff Report.doc Page 7