Emeryville Center for Community Life (ECCL)
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EMERYVILLE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT Agenda Date: November 19, 2012 Report Date: November 13, 2012 TO: Planning Commission FROM: Planning and Building Department Miroo Desai, Senior Planner SUBJECT: Second Study Session: Emeryville Center of Community Life (ECCL) (UPDR12-001) PROJECT West Side of San Pablo Avenue between 47th and 53rd Streets LOCATION: (APN: 13-1182-5-3, -8-4, and 23-4; 49-1181-1; 49-1182-15-8) APPLICANTS/ Emery Unified School District/Roy Miller OWNERS: 4727 San Pablo Avenue Emeryville, CA 94608 City of Emeryville/Melinda Chinn 4321 Salem Street Emeryville, CA 94608 PROJECT A study session on a proposal to redevelop the Emery Secondary School DESCRIPTION: site to accommodate an approximately 115,100 square foot multi-story multi-use facility on a site of about 7.6 acres bounded by San Pablo Avenue on the east, 47th Street on the south, 53rd Street on the north, and Emery Bay Village on the west. The proposal will co-locate the elementary and secondary schools and accommodate the City’s community services and recreation programs. The campus will be built in two phases and will be operated jointly by the Emery Unified School District and the City of Emeryville. The project will require Design Review and a Conditional Use Permit for height over 30 feet GENERAL Public (P)/Neighborhood Retail Overlay (NR) PLAN DESIGNATION: ZONING Public (P)/Neighborhood Retail Overlay (NR) DISTRICT: Maximum Building Height: 30 feet (can be increased to 55 feet with a Conditional Use Permit and the provisions of public benefits) IV.A. Planning Commission Staff Report Study Session: Emeryville Center of Community Life November 19, 2012 Page 2 Building Intensity (FAR): 1.2 (can be increased to 1.6 with a Conditional Use Permit and the provision of public benefits) ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS: Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration to be prepared by Emery Unified School District as lead agency. RECOMMENDED COMMISSION 1) To hear a presentation of the proposed project. ACTION: 2) To provide direction and comment to the applicant and staff. The Planning Commission considered this project at a study session on April 26, 2012. Since then the proposal has not changed in terms of programming details but more project details have been included. The staff report first provides Commission comments at the April 26 study session and applicant response to the comments. This is followed by additional information in the plans, staff comments on the current proposal and issues to be discussed. Attached is the April Study Session staff report that provides project details and compliance with zoning regulations. PLANNING COMMISSION STUDY SESSION COMMENTS AND APPLICANT RESPONSE The Planning Commission considered this project at a study session on April 26, 2012. Outlined below are the comments followed by a discussion as to whether these have been addressed in the current plans. (1) The Commission had some concerns relating to co-location of elementary and secondary schools and adequacy of open space for different student groups. The plans show more programming of open areas for different groups but the overall area remains approximately the same. (2) Concern was expressed regarding the design of the parking on 47th Street and it was suggested that the parking be designed such that it does not pose problems for bicyclists and pedestrians. The parking design remains unchanged. (3) The Commission also had similar concern regarding parking on 53rd Street which will need to be designed as a green street. Street parking is still proposed on 53rd Street and the plans do not provide details to show that it complies as a “green street”. Planning Commission Staff Report Study Session: Emeryville Center of Community Life November 19, 2012 Page 3 (4) There was not a concern regarding a need for a parking variance as long as the project proposed an adequate Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program. TDM program has not yet been submitted. (5) The Commission desired to see San Pablo Avenue be designed as the front of the building. Staff believes that this has not occurred. (See Staff comments below). (6) The Commission opined that the amphitheater should be programmed at the entitlement stage and that the “community commons” retain flexibility so that it could be used by high school students during day time. The “community commons” has been restricted to K-8 students only during school hours. (7) The Commission suggested that there was a need to look at some kind of creative phasing whereby existing school facilities could be used in initial phases so that value engineering of the facility is minimized. No information has been provided regarding the use of existing school facilities in initial phases. (8) The Commission felt that the proposed height of the facility was appropriate and that the project could easily qualify for the height bonus. There was support for the proposal to qualify for “one public benefit is sufficiently significant and substantially beyond normal requirements” so as to warrant the granting of the entire bonus. No response necessary. REVISED PLANS The applicant has been refining their plans and the following new information has been added: (1) Floor Area: The gross building area in Phase I has increased by 10,334 square feet, from 115,100 to 125,434. In addition, more detailed floor plans have been included. (See Pages 29 to 36). (2) Program Space: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (S.T.E.A.M) center initially located adjacent to 9-12 class room building at the corner of San Pablo Avenue and 47th Street has been eliminated. A “library court” has been created between the 9-12 classroom building and the administrative building. This court will be separated from the “Community Commons” through a wall of entry gates. (See Pages 1 and 5). (3) Landscape Plan: See Page 7 for the landscape plan and Pages 17-22 for elevations that highlight landscape elements. All trees (a total of 19) along 47th Street are being removed. In Planning Commission Staff Report Study Session: Emeryville Center of Community Life November 19, 2012 Page 4 addition, six trees within the site are also being removed. See Tree Inventory Report. The existing redwood trees on site will be retained. Landscape plan shows twenty new trees (24-inch box) on 47th street; 16 new trees (36 inch - inbox) on 53rd Street; and 7 new trees on San Pablo Avenue. In addition, 17 trees (36-inbox) are provided in bio-retention zones and 8 trees in community plaza and 4 trees (54” box) with seating area. One large (84 inch box) trees is proposed at the K-8 entry and the library/café court each. Bio-filtration planting also occurs in the flexible play area and 9-12 social space. Hardscape elements include colored concrete paving various courts, plazas and entries and social space areas. A new sheet showing ECCL Landscape Program Elements has been added. (See Page 37). (4) Color and Material Palette: Pages 8 provides primary, accent and inset colors for the stucco treatments. Page 9 shows preliminary materials palette that includes painted plaster (stucco), fiber cement board, painted metal canopies and aluminum shades. Building elevations, however, do not make the locations of stucco and fiber cement board clear. The main building material appears to be painted plaster. (5) Community Wall: A north-south “community wall” is proposed along the western periphery of the “Community Commons”. (See Pages 10-11). The north end of the wall acts as a signpost for ECCL (Page 23). (6) Access and Security: New sheets entitled “School Use Security Diagram” for both phases have been included in the plans. See Pages 39 and 40. Key changes include public restriction to the “Community Commons” and the library during the school day. The Community Commons will be used only by K-8 students during the school day. (7) Parking: Two ADA parking stalls have been added near the corner of 53rd Street and San Pablo to serve disabled access for the Community Services facilities. Street parking on the north side of 47th Street has been reduced by 16 stalls due to the need to preserve the boiler room in the existing gym building. Street parking on 53rd Street has been reduced by 5 parking stalls to accommodate a new curb cut for Fire Department access and new fire hydrant locations. Bicycle parking has been added in six locations near building entrances and public spaces. (Page 5). (8) Pedestrian and Bike Path: The pedestrian and bicycle path called for by the General Plan between 53rd and 47th Streets, along the western property line, as shown in the previous study plans, has been eliminated. Planning Commission Staff Report Study Session: Emeryville Center of Community Life November 19, 2012 Page 5 STAFF COMMENTS: The plans were reviewed by Planning and Building, Community Services Fire, and Public Works staff at a Development Coordinating Committee meeting on October 31. Design Overall the design of the building does not provide interest as seen particularly from the San Pablo Avenue street elevations. There is no distinctive architectural feature that marks the presence of the building on the block. The design does not provide for identification of various functions particularly on the San Pablo elevation. The corner of 47th Street and San Pablo Avenue provides interest through use of large windows and planters with seating. However, the depth of the sunshades should be increased to provide greater articulation. The San Pablo Avenue and 53rd Street corner, however, is a blank wall and is a missed opportunity. The community plaza is surrounded by uses that will activate the space; however the library court while well designed may not get too much use during day time as the library will not be open to the public when school is in session.