Title:
Title
(Pass for Publication) Ordinances Amending Title 17 Relating to West Broadway Specific Plan and Central City Special Planning District
End
FileID
File ID: 2020-00690
Location
Location: District 4
End
Recommendation:
Recommendation
1) Review a) a Resolution certifying the Environmental Impact Report and adopting the mitigation monitoring plan, findings of fact, and statement of overriding considerations for the West Broadway Specific Plan; b) a Resolution approving the water supply assessment report for the West Broadway Specific Plan; c) a Resolution adopting the West Broadway Specific Plan, which establishes policies, guidelines and standards for the location, intensity, character of uses, circulation pattern, and necessary infrastructure improvements to support development for the West Broadway Specific Plan area; and the Public Facilities Funding Strategy, which identifies a funding strategy for public facilities improvements to support new growth; d) an Ordinance amending Title 17 of the Sacramento City Code to rezone various parcels of real property from the Sacramento River on the West, U.S. Highway 50 and Broadway on the North, Muir Way and 5th Street on the East, and 4th Avenue on the south; e) a Resolution amending the General Plan Land Use Map for various parcels located within the West Broadway Specific plan area; f) a Resolution changing the geographic boundary of the Central City Specific Plan; g) an Ordinance rezoning certain properties out of the Central City Special Planning District and amending Section 17.444.150 of the Sacramento City Code relating to the Central City Special Planning District; h) a Resolution amending the Bicycle Master Plan; and 2) pass for publication the ordinance titles as required by Sacramento City Charter section 32(c) to be adopted on August 25, 2020.
FileName
Contact: Helen Selph, Associate Planner, (916)-808-7852; Elizabeth Boyd, Senior Planner (916) 808-3540, Community Development Department
Body
Presenter: None
Attachments:
01-Description/Analysis
02-Benefits of the West Broadway Specific Plan and Key Components
03-Key Goals and Policies
04-Specific Plan Concept with Scenarios A and B for Marina/Miller Regional Park
05-Circulation Plan
06-Outreach Summary
07-Implementing Actions
08- Public Comment Themes on Draft Specific Plan and City Staff Responses
09-Correspondence Received Outside of the Public Comment Period
10-Response to Preservation Community Comments
11-Responses to May 14, 2020, Planning and Design Commission Comments
12-Responses to June 17, 2020, Preservation Commission Comments
13-Resolution Certifying the Environmental Impact Report
14-Exhibit A: Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations
15-Exhibit B: Mitigation Monitoring Plan
16-Resolution Approving Water Supply Assessment
17-Exhibit A: West Broadway Specific Plan Water Supply Assessment and Certification Form
18-Resolution Adopting WBSP and Public Facilities Funding Strategy
19-Exhibit A: West Broadway Specific Plan, July 2020 Draft
20-Exhibit B: Public Facilities Funding Strategy
21-Ordinance Amending Title 17 to Rezone Parcels
22-Exhibit A: Existing Zoning
23-Exhibit B: Proposed Zoning
24-Exhibit C: List of Rezone Properties
25-Resolution Amending General Plan Land Use Map
26-Exhibit A: Existing Land Use
27-Exhibit B: Proposed Land Use
28-Resolution Changing the CCSP Boundary
29-Exhibit A: Map of Existing CCSP Boundary
30-Exhibit B: Map of Proposed CCSP Boundary
31-Ordinance Relating to CCSPD
32-Exhibit A: Map of Existing CCSPD Boundary
33-Exhibit B: Map of Proposed CCSPD Boundary
34-Exhibit C: Existing Open Space Districts
35-Exhibit D: Proposed Open Space Districts
36-Exhibit E: List of Parcels Rezoned out of CCSPD
37-Changes to the WBSP in Response to Commission and Public Comment
38-Resolution Amending the Bicycle Master Plan
39-Exhibit A: Revised Bicycle Network
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The West Broadway Specific Plan (WBSP) area is 292-acres and is generally bounded by the Sacramento River on the west; U.S. Highway 50 and Broadway on the north; Muir Way and 5th Street on the east; and 4th Avenue on the south.
The WBSP area is characterized by a patchwork of large parcels with poorly connected, disparate land uses such as industrial sites and public housing complexes. The WBSP provides a framework (goals, policies, guidelines, and development standards) for integrating new development with existing uses and integrating the various disparate subareas together into a more livable neighborhood. The WBSP also streamlines the housing development process and provides a vision for future riverfront planning and a destination for community events and new recreational opportunities.
The WBSP will help create a more walkable neighborhood, improve multimodal connectivity, and disperse and slow traffic. By increasing housing opportunities near the urban core, it will help reduce long commutes and dependence on cars, reduce the per capita use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions to help meet air quality standards.
The Public Facilities Funding Strategy provides improved infrastructure predictability without adding new development impact fees.
The Final Draft WBSP is now available on the project website and as Attachment 19 to this report:
<https://www.cityofsacramento.org/Community-Development/Planning/Major-Projects/West-Broadway-Specific-Plan>
The WBSP is consistent with the goals and policies of the 2035 General Plan which anticipates a mix of traditional and urban scale housing with neighborhood commercial uses.
Policy Considerations: The proposed WBSP is consistent with the City’s goals and policies as established in the 2035 General Plan. These policies include:
LU 1.1.4 Leading Infill Growth. The City shall facilitate infill development through active leadership and the strategic provision of infrastructure and services and supporting land uses.
LU 1.1.5 Infill Development. The City shall promote and provide incentives (e.g., focused infill planning, zoning/rezoning, revised regulations, provision of infrastructure) for infill development, reuse, and growth in existing urbanized areas to enhance community character, optimize City investments in infrastructure and community facilities, support increased transit use, promote pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly neighborhoods, increase housing diversity, ensure integrity of historic districts, and enhance retail viability.
LU 2.1.8 Neighborhood Enhancement. The City shall promote infill development, reuse, rehabilitation, and reuse efforts that contribute positively (e.g., architectural design) to existing neighborhoods and surrounding areas.
ERC 2.2.6 Urban Park Facility Improvements. In urban areas where land dedication is not reasonably feasible (e.g., the Central City), the City shall explore creative solutions to provide neighborhood park and recreation facilities (e.g., provision of community-serving recreational facilities in regional parks) that reflect the unique character of the area.
H-1.2.2 Compatibility with Single Family Neighborhoods. The City shall encourage a variety of housing types and sizes to diversify, yet maintain compatibility with, single-family neighborhoods.
H-1.2.5 Neighborhood Input on Development. The City shall continue to work with neighborhood associations and residents through the planning and delivery of residential development to ensure that neighborhoods are safe, decent, and pleasant places to live and work.
Goal LU 2.2 City of Rivers. Preserve and enhance Sacramento’s riverfronts as signature features and destinations within the city and maximize riverfront access from adjoining neighborhoods to facilitate public enjoyment of this unique open space resource.
Policy LU 2.2.1 World-Class Rivers. The City shall encourage development throughout the city to feature (e.g., access, building orientation, design) the Sacramento and American Rivers and shall develop a world-class system of riverfront parks and open spaces that provide a destination for visitors and respite from the urban setting for residents.
HCR 2.1.6 Planning. The City shall take historical and cultural resources into consideration in the development of planning studies and documents.
HCR 2.1.14 Adaptive Reuse. The City shall encourage adaptive reuse of historic resources when the original use of the resource is no longer feasible.
HCR 2.1.15 Demolition. The City shall consider demolition of historic resources as a last resort, to be permitted only if rehabilitation of the resource is not feasible, demolition is necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of its residents, or the public benefits outweigh the loss of the historic resource.
M 1.2.1 Multimodal Choices. The City shall develop an integrated, multimodal transportation system that improves the attractiveness of walking, bicycling, and riding transit over time to increase travel choices and aid in achieving a more balanced transportation system and reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
M 1.3.1 Grid Network. To promote efficient travel for all modes, the City shall require all new residential, commercial, or mixed-use development that proposes or is required to construct or extend streets to develop a transportation network that is well-connected, both internally and to off-site networks preferably with a grid or modified grid form. The City shall require private developments to provide internal complete streets that connect to the existing roadway system.
M 1.3.2 Eliminate Gaps. The City shall eliminate “gaps” in roadways, bikeways, and pedestrian networks. To this end: a. The City shall construct new multi-modal crossings of the Sacramento and American Rivers. b. The City shall plan and pursue funding to construct grade-separated crossings of freeways, rail lines, canals, creeks, and other barriers to improve connectivity. c. The City shall construct new bikeways and pedestrian paths in existing neighborhoods to improve connectivity.
Economic Impacts: It is anticipated that the economic impacts of the WBSP will be an increase in housing production and economic activity in and around the project area which will support more small and medium sized businesses and job growth over the next 20 or more years.
Environmental Considerations: Adoption of a specific plan is considered a project and requires review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). A Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR) was released on December 23, 2019. The public comment period ended on February 20, 2020. The Final Environmental Impact Report, which contains all written comments received during the public review period, and responses by the City, as well as any revisions to the Draft EIR, is posted at the Community Development Department EIR web site at:
<http://www.cityofsacramento.org/Community-Development/Planning/Environmental/Impact-Reports>.
The Preservation Commission held a meeting on June 17, 2020 to review and comment on the West Broadway Specific Plan. The Preservation Commission focused largely on the significant impacts to historic resources that were identified and addressed in the EIR. Because the agenda item was for review and comment, no recommendation regarding the project was made. Responses to Preservation Commission Comments are included in Attachment 12.
In correspondence addressed to the Preservation Commission and the City’s Preservation Office, dated June 17, 2020, the Nathaniel S. Colley Sr. Civil Rights Coalition (Colley Coalition) commented on the specific plan provisions for the New Helvetia Historic District. The Coalition provided a conceptual alternative for development within the Alder Grove site (which includes the New Helvetia Historic District) and asked that the City analyze their concept as an additional alternative within the EIR, recirculate the EIR, and use their concept as part of the preferred plan within the WBSP.
The Environmental Planning Services Manager reviewed the CEQA materials, including the EIR and other comments, including those of the Colley Coalition, that have been received. Staff has determined that the EIR complies with the CEQA statute and regulations, and that recirculation of the EIR is not required.
Attachment 10 to this report includes an extended discussion of the CEQA concerns expressed by the Colley Coalition and other members of the public, and concludes that the Colley Coalition’s approach does not need to be considered in the EIR as an additional alternative and recirculation of the EIR is not required.
As discussed in Attachment 37 “How the Plan Has Changed” and in Attachment 10, Response to Preservation Commission Comments, revisions have been made to the Specific Plan, however, these do not constitute significant new information for the purposes of CEQA Guidelines section 15088.5 and therefore recirculation is not required.
Sustainability: The West Broadway Specific Plan facilitates infill development, reuse, and reinvestment in an existing urbanized area. Increased housing opportunities near the urban core will reduce long commutes and dependence on cars, reduce the per capita use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions, and help meet air quality standards.
Commission/Committee Action: On July 23, the Planning and Design Commission voted unanimously to forward a recommendation to City Council with direction to staff to revise the July 2020 Draft WBSP to provide more nuanced language in the plan regarding what possible outcomes could occur at the Alder Grove site other than, and including, demolition and under what specific conditions would demolition be the preferred option. Proposed language amendments are included in Attachment 37.
On June 18, 2020, the Active Transportation Commission passed a motion forwarding to City Council the recommendation to amend the Bicycle Master Plan to reflect the proposed West Broadway Specific Plan bikeway network.
A report to the Preservation Commission was presented on June 17, 2020. In response to comments by the Preservation Commission and the public, staff have revised Public Draft WBSP to clarify that:
• that the Specific Plan does not require demolition of the New Helvetia Historic District; and
• that the Specific Plan policies, guidelines, and standards apply to a range of potential outcomes for the Alder Grove subarea from preservation and refurbishment of historic structures (and preservation of the New Helvetia Historic District) to complete demolition of the existing site and development of a mixed-income community (including the potential demolition of the New Helvetia Historic District).
Rationale for Recommendation: The WBSP provides a framework for integrating new development with existing uses and integrating the various disparate subareas together into a more cohesive community. The WBSP also streamlines the housing development process and provides a vision for future riverfront planning. The WBSP is consistent with the policies of the 2035 General Plan which anticipates a mix of traditional and urban scale housing with neighborhood commercial uses.
Financial Considerations: The West Broadway Specific Plan Public Facilities Funding Strategy outlines potential sources for construction of facilities and provisions for ongoing maintenance and services but does not commit any General Funds for either construction or maintenance. Table 5-1 of the Funding Strategy reflects a summary of current service providers as well as current and potential sources of funding for maintenance.
Local Business Enterprise: Not applicable.
Public Outreach: The planning process involved the neighborhood/community in creating a vision for the development and redevelopment of the area. An outreach summary is provided as Attachment 6.
Public Comments: Few comments were received during the public comment period on the Draft WBSP. Prior to the Planning and Design Commission hearing on July 23, 2020, and the Preservation Commission meeting on June 17, 2020, the City received a significant quantity of correspondence related to the New Helvetia Historic District. The majority of these comments were opposed to any changes which would negatively impact the New Helvetia Historic District. City staff made changes to the WBSP to address preservation community concerns. A summary of the concerns and the City’s response is included in Attachment 10.
The City received a letter from the Latino Center of Art and Culture, which currently occupies a city-owned structure at 2700 Front Street within the WBSP area. After talking to the center’s staff and board, city staff amended the WBSP to include a new policy and implementing action to address their concerns. The policy can be found in Attachment 37.
The correspondence received and a summary of the correspondence are included as Attachment 09.
Background: The existing West Broadway Specific Plan area is characterized by a patchwork of large parcels with disparate land uses such as industrial sites and public housing complexes. The street network was not created on a residential scale typical to other neighborhoods and connectivity is poor. Various public and private sector initiatives have examined the subareas of the project area, but a comprehensive plan for the area has never been adopted by the City.
The over-arching goals of the West Broadway Specific Plan are to integrate the various disparate subareas together into a well-connected neighborhood, significantly improve housing quality and opportunity for current neighborhood residents, dramatically enhance visual quality, enhance current Riverfront planning efforts, and create more housing opportunities for city residents as a whole.
The buildout assumptions for the WBSP include 2,969 additional dwelling units, for a total buildout of 4,900 dwelling units, 380,220 to 429,220 square feet of commercial/industrial, 147,800 to 162,800 square feet of public park/recreation building, and 79.5 acres of parks and open space, as shown on Table 4-1 of the WBSP.
Transportation Impacts and Tradeoffs
The passage of SB 743 changes the focus of CEQA transportation impact analysis from measuring impacts to drivers to measuring the impact of driving. Level of service (LOS) has been replaced by vehicle miles of travel (VMT) to provide streamlined review of land use and transportation projects that will help reduce future VMT growth. This shift in transportation impact focus is expected to better align transportation impact analysis and mitigation outcomes with the State’s goals to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, encourage infill development, and improve public health through more active transportation. Technically due to SB743, LOS is no longer an “impact”. However, in the interest of clarifying the WBSP EIR analysis (which analyzed both LOS and VMT) the following explanation is provided.
The existing level of service (LOS) on Broadway is mostly A and B with LOS C at one intersection. Improvements for bicyclists and pedestrians can increase motor vehicle congestion, as is the case with the Broadway Complete Streets Project. Many of the transportation impacts described in the WBSP EIR (called “cumulative impacts”) are due to the project’s interaction with other planned projects such as the Broadway Complete Streets Project and the Broadway Bridge. The cumulative “no project” LOS (i.e. without WBSP but including the planned Broadway Bridge and the Broadway Complete Streets Project), ranges from C to F.
The following summarizes the transportation impacts and tradeoffs:
1. Cumulative Impacts: The combined impacts from the Broadway Bridge, the Broadway Complete Streets Project and WBSP assumed growth, would result in additional 120- to 180-second delays for motor vehicles on Broadway, changing the level of service from C to F.
2. Impacts and benefits of the Broadway Complete Streets Project:
• "Complete Street" projects, such as the Broadway Complete Street project aim to design streets to benefit ALL users, including bicyclists and pedestrians.
• Reducing the number of lanes on Broadway increases the desirability of bicycling as a mode of travel but the tradeoff is that it also contributes to increased congestion for motor vehicles.
3. Impacts from Broadway Bridge:
• The Broadway Bridge provides a new connection to West Sacramento for all modes of travel.
• The tradeoff is that increasing connectivity will provide more opportunities for local traffic resulting in traffic delays and congestion.
4. Impacts from assumed WBSP growth: As shown in Table 4.12-7 from the DEIR, due to the increase in dwelling units, internal daily trips within the WBSP area are projected to increase from 362 daily trips to 4,832 daily trips for a net change of +4,470 daily (from Existing Conditions to Existing Plus WBSP), and external trips are shown to increase from 10,785 to 39,840 for a total increase of +29,055 total daily trips.
5. How the WBSP self-mitigates traffic impacts:
• The modified grid disperses traffic and reduces impacts to streets such as Vallejo.
• The WBSP proposes new traffic controls at the following locations:
• a new signal at 8th Street and Broadway and
• a new signal at Front Street and Broadway.
• The WBSP is consistent with plans for the Broadway Bridge Complete Streets Project, which balances benefits for all users.
• The WBSP proposes the realignment of Muir Way to connect directly into 8th Street at Broadway as shown on Attachment 05, the Circulation Plan.
The realignment of Muir Way would improve connectivity and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians. By itself, the realignment of Muir Way would reduce congestion by eliminating the T intersection at Muir Way to the west of 9th Street. However, the combined effect of the Broadway Complete Streets Project, Broadway Bridge, and increased intensity from buildout under the WBSP is that the overall congestion would increase.
Future Development in Alder Grove or Marina Vista
The West Broadway Specific Plan is not a development proposal for Alder Grove or Marina Vista. The Alder Grove and Marina Vista subareas constitute nearly one-quarter of the Specific Plan area and represent key opportunities to create mixed-income communities and facilitate the development of more housing near the main job center in the Sacramento Region. The WBSP does not mandate demolition of the Alder Grove and/or Marina Vista communities. In the event that a proposal is submitted to the City to demolish and develop either site, the West Broadway Specific Plan would provide policies, design guidelines, and development standards for the review of the proposed project.
Due to disinvestment by the Federal Government, there is a significant shortfall in funding needed to maintain existing public housing properties. Federal and SHRA housing policies seek to promote the conversion of public housing complexes into mixed-income communities without the significant displacement of existing residents.
There are two currently known options for addressing the funding shortfall with respect to public housing properties:
1. SHRA’s Rental Assistance Demonstration & Asset Repositioning Strategy (RAD) <https://www.shra.org/rad/> provides an option for moving public housing properties to a private ownership model while rehabilitating the existing housing complexes.
2. SHRA could reposition the housing to a private ownership model which could include demolition and new development, similar to what was done for Marisol Village (formerly Twin Rivers Public Housing Community).
The WBSP provides flexibility for either option, or for an option not yet known. It is important to note that the potential demolition and development of Alder Grove and Marina Vista is only one of several options. White the EIR analyzes the potential demolition of Alder Grove and destruction of the New Helvetia Historic District (which is a listed National Register and California Register-listed historic district), an infill development proposal for the Alder Grove site would also be considered by the City.
Future development proposals for the Alder Grove site would be subject to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which has its own review process for impacts to historic structures (Section 106 review).
Public Facilities Funding Strategy
The Public Facilities Funding Strategy (Attachment 20) for the West Broadway Specific Plan is provided as a separate document to the WBSP. The Funding Strategy provides background for and will advise on approaches to funding facility improvements and municipal services that are necessary to serve future development in the WBSP area, according to the plans and objectives of the WBSP. Because many of the private development sites in the WBSP Area are large, the Funding Strategy identifies known, but not all, costs for in-tract and other related public improvements. It is anticipated that most improvements in the area are “in-tract” or site specific and thus, the funding responsibility of the developer or future applicant that is moving forward with the development project. Other funding may also be available from City or other public sources, such as grants that can be planned to defray in-tract improvement costs. The Funding Strategy also provides information related to potential funding sources to pay for public improvements.
Why Geographic Boundary Changes were needed for the CCSP and CCSPD
The Resolution Changing the Geographic Boundary of the Central City Specific Plan (CCSP) is needed to prevent the CCSP boundary from over-lapping the WBSP boundary (see Attachment 28).
An Ordinance rezoning certain properties out of the Central City Special Planning District and amending Section 17.444.150 of the Sacramento City Code relating to the Central City Special Planning District is needed to prevent the CCSPD from over-lapping with the WBSP boundary (see Attachment 30) .