Existing Conditions: Opportunities & Constraints
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Existing Conditions: Opportunities & Constraints Final Draft December 8, 2014 Downtown Specific Plan General Plan Land Use Element & Zoning Ordinance Update City of Antioch, California Managing City Staff Tina Wehrmeister, Community Development Director Mindy Gentry, Senior Planner Steve Duran, City Manager Consultant Team Loewke Planning Associates, Urban & Environmental Planners New Economics & Advisory, Urban Economists Abrams Associates, Traffic Engineering Illingworth & Rodkin, Air Quality, Noise & GHG William Self Associates, Cultural Resources Olberding Environmental, Biological Resources Bellecci & Associates, Infrastructure, Hydrology and Water Quality Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Program Objectives 1 1.5 Purpose of Zoning Update 8 1.2 Status of Antioch General Plan & Zoning Ordinance 3 1.6 Integrated Planning Approach 8 1.3 Why a Downtown Specific Plan 5 1.7 Community Outreach Process 9 1.4 Purpose of Land Use Element Update 8 1.8. Executive Summary 10 2.0 Existing Conditions, Opportunities & Constraints 2.1 City Boundaries & Downtown Specific Plan Area 15 2.10 The Housing Market 117 2.2 History & Pattern of Development in Antioch 17 2.11 Financial Feasibility of Downtown Housing 130 2.3 Opportunity Sites, Downtown & Citywide 19 2.12 The Commercial Market 132 2.4 Roadway Network, Commute Patterns & Constraints 24 2.13 Buildings at Risk Due to Earthquakes 147 2.5 Air Quality Constraints 35 2.14 Zoning Process and Standards 148 2.6 Noise Constraints 51 2.15 Stakeholder Interview Findings 149 2.7 Infrastructure Capacity 72 2.16 Festivals and Activities 157 2.8 Biological Resources 79 2.17 Case Studies Analysis 158 2.9 Market Opportunities & Constraints 92 3.0 Next Steps 3.1 Review of Community Feedback 173 3.6 Environmental Review Process 175 3.2 Information from Other Successful Downtown Plans 173 3.7 Website Updates 175 3.3 Economic Benefits of Downtown Housing 173 3.8 Overall Program Schedule 176 3.4 Development of Plan Alternatives 174 3.9 Continuing Community Involvement 177 3.5 Selection of Preferred Alternative 174 4.0 Appendices 4.1. Interview Summaries 4.5 Market Analysis Calculations 4.2. Pipeline Projects 4.6 List of Buildings at Risk Due to Earthquakes 4.3. Public Meeting Notice 4.7 2004 Rivertown/Urban Waterfront Policies 4.4. Air Quality Appendix 4.8 Festivals and Activities 1.9. Summary of Public Workshop Comments 1.0 Introduction 1.1. Program Objectives The City of Antioch has initiated a program to update its General Plan Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) as a Priority Land Use Element and Zoning Ordinance, while concurrently Development Area (PDA). preparing a specific plan for its Downtown (Rivertown) Area. Major objectives of this coordinated program are: Antioch is situated at the Gateway to the California Delta, located on 1. Strive to Balance Job Creation with New Housing: Utilize focused the banks of the San Joaquin River, at the junction of Highways 4, 160 planning, environmental and market analysis to identify and and the State Route 4 Bypass, in eastern Contra Costa County. With accommodate, through changes in the Land Use Element and a population of over 100,000 people, Antioch has become the heart Zoning Ordinance, those compatible commercial and industrial of eastern Contra Costa County, offering a variety of employment, land uses for which market demand is strongest in Antioch. shopping and vast recreational activities. Emphasis will be placed on new businesses capable of providing living wage jobs in proximity to the Downtown where higher As in many communities, development in Antioch slowed during the density housing may be considered. Great Recession and the City was forced to reduce in-house staffing levels. Coming out of the recession, the pace of development is 2. Design for Feasibility & Sustainability of Downtown Area Plan: beginning to increase; however, the housing and commercial real Develop a series of alternatives which are informed by the estate markets have changed considerably over the past several realities of current market conditions and trends, the economic years. In response to the reality of new market conditions and feasibility of higher density housing, necessary support levels for community needs, the City desires to update the Land Use Element specialty retail, food and entertainment uses, and approaches of its General Plan. The Zoning Ordinance will also be amended for which have been tested in other communities; utilize all existing consistency with the General Plan, and to help stimulate economic background information including the 2006 Rivertown Waterfront development and improve the quality of life in Antioch. Project study. In tandem with the Land Use Element and Zoning Updates, the City 3. Accommodate Compact Residential Uses: Refine existing desires to develop a detailed program focused on economic residential land use policy and development standards, as revitalization of the Downtown Area located north of Highway 4 appropriate, to better align with market needs and affordability along the San Joaquin River. The City was recently awarded a goals of the City, including accommodation of compact single- Strategic Growth Council grant to prepare a Specific Plan for the family housing products in appropriately compatible locations. Downtown Area which has already been designated by the Existing Conditions: Opportunities & Constraints Page 1 4. Streamline the Development Review Process: Streamline the Commission, Planning Commission, and City Council as well as permitting process and standards by which projects are evaluated “Partner” agencies. on a City-wide basis, including potentially greater use of administrative permit procedures, in order to reduce the burden 6. Maximize Self-Mitigation of Combined Program Impacts: on City staff and promote a “business friendly” environment. Develop an early profile of potential impacts from both program components, and shape alternatives to avoid significant impacts 5. Facilitate Informed Public Participation: Design and implement a by balancing the land use programs; utilize integrated process to share background information on market environmental review to screen out less-than-significant effects opportunities and physical constraints, in order to facilitate through use of an Initial Study, and focus EIR analysis on other informed community input; provide for follow-up on ideas from issues. residents, land owners, the City’s Economic Development Existing Conditions: Opportunities & Constraints Page 2 1.2. Status of Antioch General Plan & Zoning Ordinance A comprehensive update to the Antioch General Plan was prepared The last comprehensive update to the Housing Element, Chapter 9 of over ten years ago1. The City reviews and periodically amends the General Plan, was prepared in June 2010 with a five-year planning various elements of the General Plan. The Antioch General Plan horizon. The City is currently working on a further update to its encompasses a comprehensive strategy for managing the Housing Element in order to address current market conditions and community's future, and represents the community's policy regarding needs in light of the most recent Regional Housing Needs Allocation its ultimate physical, economic, and cultural development for the for Antioch (RHNA), as prepared by the Association of Bay Area period through 2030. The General Plan is a legally binding policy Governments, working with the State of California. The Housing document to be used by City officials, the development community, Element provides a detailed analysis of Antioch’s demographic, citizens, and others to guide decisions regarding the future economic and housing characteristics as required by State Law, and development and management of community resources, including also provides a comprehensive evaluation of the City’s progress in land, the natural environment, and public services and facilities. The implementing the past policy and action programs related to housing General Plan expresses, in the form of text, maps, and illustrations, production, preservation, conservation and rehabilitation. Based on the organization of physical, environmental protection, economic, the community’s housing needs, available resources, constraints, and social activities sought by the community in order to create and opportunities and past performance, the Housing Element identifies maintain a healthful, functional, and desirable place in which to live. goals, policies, actions and objectives that address the housing needs The General Plan is contains an overall vision statement, together of present and future Antioch residents. with 8 separate topical “elements” and an implementation strategy. The Zoning Ordinance prescribes the process and standards by which The Land Use Element, Chapter 4 of the General Plan, contains the all land uses and development are reviewed and entitled within the community’s goals and policies regarding the types, intensities and City’s boundaries. The Zoning Ordinance is a principle mechanism by distribution of land use. A total of 28 separate land use classifications which the goals and policies of the General Plan are implemented. are identified in the Land Use Element, and spatially assigned to The Zoning Ordinance is codified in Chapter 9-5 of the City Code, properties as shown in the Land Use Map, shown in Figure 1.2.1. The establishing the procedures applicable to approval and operation of Land Use Element also contains special policies to guide land uses all land uses and development