DEPARTMENT OF CITY PLANNING RECOMMENDATION REPORT North Valley Area Planning Commission Date: February 7, 2019 Case No.: APCNV-2018-0410-BL Time: After 4:30 P.M.* CEQA No.: ENV-2018-411-MND Place: 6262 Van Nuys Blvd. Incidental Cases: CPC-2004-5209-GPA-ZC- Marvin Braude Constituent Services Center ZV-ZAD First Floor Meeting Room Related Cases: VTT-61629-CN Van Nuys, CA 91401 Council No.: 6-Martinez Plan Area: Mission Hills-Panorama Public Hearing: November 6, 2018 City-North Hills Appeal Status: Building Line is appealable only by Specific Plan: N/A the applicant to City Council if Certified NC: Panorama City disapproved in whole or in part. GPLU: Low Medium I Residential Zoning: (Q)RD3-1 Expiration Date: January 17, 2019 Multiple Approval: No Applicant: Land Developers & Associates Representative: Land Developers & Associates PROJECT 14727 and 14801 West Plummer Street LOCATION: PROPOSED The construction, use, and maintenance of a 36-unit detached residential PROJECT: condominium development with 90 parking spaces (72 resident and 18 guest parking spaces). On November 16, 2018, the Advisory Agency approved a related request for a Vesting Tentative Tract map (VTT-61629-CN) for the merger and subdivision for a maximum of one ground lot for condominium purposes, and adopted the Mitigated Negative Declaration (No. ENV-2018-411-MND) and Mitigation Monitoring Program for the above referenced project. REQUESTED 1. Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15162 and 15164, in consideration of the whole ACTION: of the administrative record, that the project was assessed in Mitigated Negative Declaration, No. ENV-2018-411-MND (“Mitigated Negative Declaration”) as adopted on November 16, 2018, and no subsequent EIR, negative declaration, or addendum is required for approval of the project; and 2. Pursuant to LAMC Section 12.32-R, a Building Line Removal to remove a 24-foot Building Line along Plummer Street, established under Ordinance No. 99,739. APCNV-2018-0410-BL PAGE 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Project Analysis .................................................................................................................... A-1 Project Description Project Background Issues and Responses Conclusion Findings ................................................................................................................................. F-1 General Plan/Charter Building Line CEQA Findings Public Hearing and Communications .................................................................................. P-1 Maps: Map A – ZIMAS Map Map B – Vicinity Map Exhibits: Exhibit A – VTT-61629-CN Exhibit B – Environmental Clearance Exhibit C – Department Letters APCNV-2018-0410-BL A-1 PROJECT ANALYSIS Project Summary The project consists of 36 detached condominium units with 72 parking spaces (two covered parking spaces per unit) and an additional 18 guest parking spaces. The project will have one two-way driveway along Plummer Street, includes internal circulation in the form of a Private Street, and includes 6,400 square feet of open space. The applicant has requested the removal of an existing 24-foot building line located along Plummer Street. Project Details The site previously received approvals in 2004 for a General Plan Amendment and Zone Change to the current (Q)RD3-1 Zone. The project consists of 36 detached condominium units with 90 parking spaces (two covered parking spaces per unit) and an additional 18 guest parking spaces. The project will have one two-way driveway along Plummer Street, includes internal circulation in the form of a Private Street, and includes 6,400 square feet of open space. The subdivision request was approved on November 16, 2018. The applicant has requested the removal of an existing 24-foot building line located along Plummer Street. The building line impacts the placement of the project’s Plummer Street fronting units including units 1, and 26-31. The project has proposed that the Plummer Street fronting units would instead observe a 15-foot front yard setback, in conformance with the setback requirements of the underlying RD3 Zone. Background Project Site The project site is a triangular shaped site comprised of three parcels, consisting of approximately 119,544 square feet of net lot area and a frontage of approximately 430 feet along the northern side of Plummer Street. The project site is zoned (Q)RD3-1 and is located within the Mission Hills – Panorama City – North Hills Community Plan with a land use designation of Low Medium I Residential. The site is also subject to a 24-foot building line along the project’s Plummer Street frontage. The site is further located within an urban agriculture incentive zone, an airport hazard 300-foot height limit above elevation 790, and is within 2.7 kilometers of the nearest known fault (Northridge Fault). Surrounding Properties Surrounding properties are generally developed with single-family dwellings. The eastern adjoining properties are zoned (T)(Q)RD3-1 and will be developed with 28 small lot homes. The southern adjoining properties (across Plummer Street) are zoned RS-1 and RA-1 and are developed with single-family dwellings. The northern and western adjoining property is zoned OS-1XL and is developed with the Pacoima Wash. APCNV-2018-0410-BL A-2 Streets and Public Transit Plummer Street, adjoining the subject property to the south, is a designated Avenue II, dedicated to a width of 86 feet and is improved with asphalt roadway, concrete curb, gutter, and sidewalk. The following lines provide service to and around the project site: • Metro Local Line: 167 Related Cases On-Site: Case No. TT-61619-CN – On November 16, 2018, the Deputy Advisory Agency approved the merger and re-subdivision of three lots into one ground lot for the subdivision of 36 residential condominiums as shown on the map stamp dated June 4, 2018. Ordinance No. 177,979 – On December 3, 2006, an Ordinance amending the General Plan from Low Density Residential to Low Medium I Density Residential and enacting a zone change from RA-1 and RS-1 to (T)(Q)RD3-1 on property located at 14727 Plummer Street became effective. Case No. CPC-2004-5209-GPA-ZC-ZV-ZAD – On June 28, 2006, the City Planning Commission approved and recommended that the City Council adopt a General Plan Amendment from Low Density Residential to Low Medium I Density Residential and approved a Zone Change from RA- 1 and RS-1 to (T)(Q)RD3-1; denied variances to allow two guest parking spaces to be located in the front yard setback and to allow a portion of the required suable open space to be located in the front yard setback; denied a determination to allow a combination wrought iron and concrete 6-foot high block wall in the front yard in lieu of the maximum 42 inches in height permitted. APCNV-2018-0410-BL A-3 Ordinance No. 99,739 – Effective on April 4, 1952, established a 24-foot building line along the northern side of Plummer Street. Off-Site: Ordinance No. 184,949 – On May 13, 2017, an Ordinance repealing the 24-foot building line Building Line on that portion of Plummer Street established by Ordinance 99,739 on October 4, 1952 became effective. Ordinance No. 184,948 – On May 13, 2017, an Ordinance authorizing a General Plan Amendment, Zone Change, and Building Line Removal associated with Case No. CPC-2016- 1168-GPA-ZC-BL became effective. Case No. CPC-2016-1168-GPA-ZC-BL – On December 14, 2016, the City Planning Commission recommended that the City Council Adopt a General Plan Amendment to re-designate the site from Low Residential to Low Medium I Residential Land Uses; recommended adoption of a Zone Change from RA-1 to (T)(Q)RD3-1; recommended that the City Council adopt a Building Line Removal for a 24-foot building line along the northern side of Plummer Street established pursuant to Ordinance No. 99739, within the (T)(Q)RD3-1 Zone at 14701-14719 West Plummer Street. Case No. VTT-71232-SL – On August 30, 2016, the Advisory Agency approved Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 71232-SL for a small lot subdivision on the subject site with a maximum of 28 small lots for the purposes of constructing 28 small lot homes. Case No. CPC 1990-37-ZC and CPC 1990-61-BL – On June 27, 1990, the City Council adopted the City Planning Commission’s recommendation for a Zone Change from (T)(Q)RZ3-1 to (T)(Q)RD3-1 and the removal of a 24-foot building line along the northern side of Plummer Street for the construction of 12 apartment dwelling units for a site located at 14653-14671 West Plummer Street. Public Hearing A public hearing on this matter with the Deputy Advisory Agency/Hearing Officer was held at the Marvin Braude San Fernando Valley Constituent Services Center on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 (see Public Hearing and Communications, Page P-1). Conclusion The proposed 36 unit residential condominium project will facilitate the redevelopment of an underutilized parcel along Plummer Street in Panorama City and create additional home ownership opportunities within the plan area. Based on the information submitted to the record, the surrounding uses, input from the public hearing, the proposed project’s compliance with the Mission Hills-Panorama City-North Hills Community Plan, and good planning and zoning practices, the Department of City Planning recommends that the North Valley Area Planning Commission approve the requested entitlements subject to the conditions of approval. APCNV-2018-0410-BL F-1 FINDINGS A. General Plan Findings a. General Plan Land Use Designation. The subject property is located within the Mission Hills – Panorama City – North Hills Community Plan area which was updated by the City Council on June 9, 1999 and designates the subject property for Low Medium I Residential land uses corresponding to the R2, RD3, RD4, RD5, RD6, RZ3, RZ4, RU, and RW1 Zones. The site is zoned RD3-1, which is in conformance with the Low I Medium Residential land use designation of the Community Plan.