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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-7-14 Report to RDA Item no. 4 CITY OF �.. LAI(E o LSINOR REDEVELOPMENT 1" AGENCY REPORT TO REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO: HONORABLE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY FROM: ROBERT A. BRADY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DATE: JULY 14, 2009 SUBJECT: DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN Background Based on public input received in association with both the Civic Center Competition and the General Plan Update process, it became evident that a comprehensive study and plan were needed for the overall Downtown Lake Elsinore area. The City's Redevelopment Agency subsequently authorized City Planning Division staff to team with a qualified private consulting firm to prepare a land use plan and associated development standards for a defined downtown study area. The area is generally located south of Interstate 15 and north of the lakefront between Riley Street and Chestnut Street. The national architecture and planning firm Cooper Carry was selected along with their various sub - consultants and commenced working on the Downtown Master Plan project in November 2008. The consultant's initial task was to become familiar with the myriad of issues associated with the downtown area and tour the area in order to experience the existing conditions and identify the various types of constraints and opportunities. The team then obtained input from City residents and downtown merchants and property owners. Thursday December 4 and Friday December 5, 2008 — Representatives from the economic sub - consultant firm of Economic & Planning Systems conducted a series of interviews at the City Cultural Center with various downtown stakeholder groups including merchants, local developers and realtors to ascertain existing economic conditions within the downtown area and the City as a whole. Saturday Morning December 6, 2008 — The first interactive public workshop was conducted at the City Cultural Center. The purpose of the workshop was to identify the various needs and perceptions associated with the downtown master plan study area. Moreover, clear goals needed to be formulated. RDA July 14, 2009 Item No. 4 Page 1 of 6 Downtown Master Plan July 14, 2009 Page 2 of 6 Some of the main points garnered from the workshop participant's responses included the following: • Need for large public area at the lake front. • Need for a strong downtown connection to the lake. • Need to improve actual or perceived safety issues downtown. • Need to create a civic center in the downtown area. • Need to "reuse" old buildings downtown. Workshop participants were also asked to identify the top five investments which should be made in the downtown area which included the following: • Pier • Downtown Street Improvements • City to Publicly Purchase Land • Lake Boardwalk • City Hall The design team then compiled all the information gathered from their document review and field research along with the various interviews and workshop input and commenced drafting a conceptual land use plan for the downtown study area. Once the land use plan began to take shape, the team's economic sub - consultants commenced drafting a market study for the downtown area so as to ensure that the envisioned land use plan was economically viable based on future anticipated market conditions. Thursday Evening January 29, 2009 — The second interactive public workshop was conducted at the City Cultural Center. The main purpose of the workshop was to unveil the conceptual land use plan to the workshop participants and to receive additional input on topics that needed further clarification after the first workshop. Conceptual Land Use Plan The main concept of the conceptual land use plan is to reconnect the existing downtown area with the lakefront to the south. The concept would be achieved by realigning and extending Main Street directly to the water. Moreover, Lakeshore Drive would be extended west across the existing drainage channel. Given the length of Main Street between the 1 -15 freeway and the lake, and the public's propensity to walk a limited distance, the design team has created five distinct districts that can be walked in five minutes time. The districts include the following: RDA July 14, 2009 Item No. 4 Page 2 of 6 Downtown Master Plan July 14, 2009 Page 3 of 6 Gateway District — This area is composed of the block between Flint Street and I- 15. The district would consist primarily of office buildings up to six stories tall. Limited retail space would also be provided to serve the offices. Garden District — Just south of the Gateway District, the Garden District envisions primarily residential uses allowing residents to live and shop downtown. The Main Street frontage is planned to consist of multi - family housing which appear to be large historic single - family residences with gardens abutting the roadway. Small retail or office uses could be established on the ground floor of the residential buildings. Cultural District — Just north of the Historic District, the conceptual land use plan recommends diverting Main Street around a circle containing a new public library and museum, and the historic Armory building creating a unique environment. The Cultural District also anticipates a performing arts center, which would be supplemented by mixed -use retail and residential uses. Historic District — The heart of downtown Lake Elsinore comprises the three block stretch of Main Street spanning from Heald Avenue to Prospect Street. The primary intent of the Historic District is to preserve the architectural facades of the buildings while allowing for the upgrading of the buildings with a mixture of uses enabling the area to serve as the City's downtown commercial core long into the future. Waterfront District — The conceptual land use plan saves the best for last with significant new investment by the waterfront. Improvements include a City Hall and Civic Center, other governmental offices, a town square, retail space, restaurants, and mixed use development with residential above retail. In addition, the plan envisions an upscale resort hotel adjacent to a new pier on the lake side of Lakeshore Drive. A large waterfront park is also anticipated which will feature a variety of active uses and programmed space. Main Street would terminate on a new pier which would feature a large ferris wheel ride, shops and a restaurant, as well as stands for temporary uses such as a farmers market and other ongoing events. Each of the five proposed districts would have its own specific theme and feel regarding architectural styles, signage and streetscapes. A series of public open spaces with public art would be established throughout the various districts. In addition, several shared public parking structures would be constructed throughout the downtown area so as to serve the parking needs of the general public. The land use plan and the various issues associated with its implementation have been integrated into a comprehensive Downtown Master Plan document (See Attachment No. 1). The document serves as a bold methodology for the long term renewal and revitalization of the City's historic downtown area. An RDA July 14, 2009 Item No. 4 Page 3of6 Downtown Master Plan July 14, 2009 Page 4 of 6 integrated process has been utilized to plan and design the land use, urban form, circulation and infrastructure (both grey and green) to create both a high- density pedestrian oriented downtown and a robust world class waterfront park and pier. The plan has the potential to transform the downtown area into a regional destination with landmarks, land uses and amenities that will create a viable, livable and memorable place that the citizens of Lake Elsinore will be proud of for generations to come. Downtown Master Plan Market Study Subsequent to the drafting of the Conceptual Land Use Plan, the economic sub - consultants completed the "Revised Draft Lake Elsinore Downtown Market Study" (See Attachment No. 3). The study examined the market potential for residential, retail, office and hotel development within the downtown study area. The study estimates the following potential real estate absorption rates: Land Use Demand Through 2013 Demand Through 2035 Residential 120 -200 Units 790 -1,470 Units Retail 9,000- 13,000 Square Feet 63,000- 95,000 Square Feet Office 12,000 Square Feet 80,000 Square Feet Hotel 40 -80 Rooms 150 -300 Rooms Downtown Code Upon completion of the Conceptual Land Use Plan, the planning sub - consultant firm Downtown Solutions also commenced drafting a Downtown Code (See Attachment No. 2). The code is a hybrid type of regulatory control which blends conventional zoning, form -based zoning, and municipal (non- zoning) ordinances to create the customized development standards needed to implement the Downtown Master Plan. The code serves to address new development on private property, describes how it will relate to the public realm, regulates permitted uses, and will include standards for ensuring compatibility of the differing uses in what is planned to be an urban environment. Upon adoption, the code will be the single regulatory document for development within the master plan area. The code will supersede the existing zoning code, and other development standards and guidelines currently applicable to the downtown area, although it will make reference to the zoning code wherever appropriate. Topics addressed in the code include, but are not limited to the following: • Provision for appropriate building forms and frontages based on the specific building typology. • Provision for reduced parking requirements. RDA July 14, 2009 Item No. 4 Page 4 of 6 Downtown Master Plan July 14, 2009 Page 5 of 6 • Provision for specific storefront design parameters dealing with solid to void ratios, design basics and sign locations. • Specification of maximum allowable square footages for some ground floor retail uses. • Regulation of outdoor dining and how it impacts the pedestrian environment. The Downtown Code will also include special provisions designed to ensure that the goals of the master plan are implemented. The provisions will include the following: 1. Protection for Non - Conforming Uses and Structures — The code will provide that existing uses within the master plan boundary may continue indefinitely and owners will be allowed to make limited additions, remodel and fully maintain their property during the interim. It will only be when an owner proposes to put a new development on their property that the code requirements will apply. 2. Minimum Development Site — In order to ensure that new development occurs at a scale that will produce the urban environment envisioned in the master plan, the code will require a minimum of one half acre in order to provide for development of sufficient scale to support the intensity of use specified by the FAR's or residential densities of the plan. This requirement will not be a minimum lot size; it only affects the size of a single development project, which will usually be achieved by combining several smaller lots into a building site. This may occur when a single entity purchases adjacent lots or when adjacent neighboring owners enter into a partnering agreement. Improvement Projects and Potential Funding Mechanisms The Downtown Master Plan serves as a long -term vision document for the downtown area which could take twenty to thirty years to fully develop based on future local and national economic conditions. However, there are a few development projects in the downtown area which are either planned or being considered that can serve as catalysts to ensure that the momentum of the master plan does not wane within a short period of time. These projects include the Pottery Court affordable housing complex to be developed at the southeast corner of Langstaff and Pottery Streets, and the Business Incubator facility to be sited across from the existing Cultural Center. In addition, staff continues to receive inquires about potential private developments on an ongoing basis. In order to achieve the vision outlined in the master plan document, a variety of public improvement projects will be required over time including several street RDA July 14, 2009 Item No. 4 Page 5 of 6 Downtown Master Plan July 14, 2009 Page 6 of 6 and infrastructure improvement projects which should be considered for future inclusion in the City's Capital Improvement Program. These projects vary in complexity and cost. The project consultants have drafted an Improvement Projects & Potential Funding Mechanism List (See Attachment 4) which outlines the necessary projects along with potential funding mechanisms. It should be noted that this list of funding mechanisms is not exhaustive. As each specific project moves forward, staff will seek additional applicable funding sources available at that time. Next Steps in the Process Staff requests that the Redevelopment Agency identify necessary modifications to the attached documents or, if comfortable with the approach and documents, direct staff to incorporate them into the General Plan EIR. Staff will then bring the entire Downtown Master Plan package before the Planning Commission, Redevelopment Agency and City Council for final consideration and adoption at the end of the year along with the General Plan Update, and Housing Element which will all be integrated into a single Environmental Impact Report. G Prepared By: Matthew C. Harris, 14` Senior Planner Reviewed By: Tom Weiner, Acting Director of Com ► nity Development Approved By: Robert A. Brady, t ' Executive Directo � 1 Attachments 1. Lake Elsinore Downtown Master Plan Document 2. Downtown Code Document 3. Lake Elsinore Downtown Master Plan Revised Draft Market Study Document 4. Improvement Projects & Potential Funding Mechanisms List RDA July 14, 2009 Item No. 4 Page 6 of 6