TO: Chair and Planning Commission
FROM: Dawn-Marie Buckland, Deputy Town Manager
Jeremy Knapp, Community Development Director
Paul Michaud, Senior Planner
DATE: May 7, 2019
CONTACT:
Staff Contact
Paul Michaud, 480-348-3574
End
AGENDA TITLE:
Title
Discussion of Major Special Use Permit Amendment (SUP-18-12)
10555 N Tatum Boulevard - Mountain View Medical Center
Request
REQUEST
Mountain View Medical Center L.L.C., the property owner of the Mountain View Medical Center, is seeking redevelopment of the existing 9.8-acre medical plaza located at 10535, 10555, 10565, 10575, 10595, and 10599 North Tatum Boulevard (Assessor Parcel No. 168-07-001C). The property owner is requesting a major amendment to the site’s existing Special Use Permit - Medical Office zoning. The request includes a phased demolition of all existing structures. The present site has 6 single-story medical buildings that will be replaced with 4 one-story and 2 two-story medical buildings in approximately the same locations as the existing buildings. Refer to Attachments C.1 through C.9 for more information. Except for Attachment C.3, Landscape, and C.7, Lighting, Attachments C.1 through C.9 are the same attachments provided in the April 16, 2019 packet. The ordinance with draft stipulations are in Attachment L. Two revised line of sight drawings are available in Attachment M.
Background
MEETING PURPOSE
The primary purpose of this work session is for the Planning Commission to continue their review of the application request focusing on revisions to the landscaping, revisions to the exterior lighting and to begin review of the draft stipulations. The matter of closing and gating the Beryl Avenue driveway was raised by a resident at the April 16th Commission meeting. The applicant’s engineer and Town Engineer both do not support closing this driveway. The documentation from the applicant’s engineer dated February 26, 2019 is available in Attachment C.9.
BACKGROUND
Update from Prior Meeting(s)
The Planning Commission discussed this application at the March 19; 2019; March 5, 2019; February 19, 2019; January 22, 2019; January 9, 2019; December 18, 2018; and December 4, 2018 work sessions. The Planning Commission requested additional time to review this application at its April 2, 2019 meeting. Council granted this time extension on April 11, 2019 until June 18, 2019. The Planning Commission on April 16, 2019 approved a continuance of the public hearing until its June 18, 2019 meeting.
Council Statement of Direction
The Town Council issued a Statement of Direction (SOD) on November 15, 2018. It is available in Attachment H.
Background
Background information on the history and conditions on the subject property, its General Plan and Zoning, and enforcement are available in Attachment F.
Body
DISCUSSION/FACTS
The attached SOD covers a variety of aspects the Council would like the Planning Commission to focus their review for this request. Please refer to the SOD for a complete list of items.
Attachment I, Compliance to SOD, describes how the redevelopment meets the SOD. This document has not been updated. It will be revised prior to Planning Commission action. Any updates will be shown in track change format.
Some possible points for the Planning Commission to consider for the upcoming work session are as follows:
Revised Landscaping.
The revisions to the landscape plan include more trees to the site. The number of new trees increase from 190 in the last proposed plan to 233 trees for the plan in Attachment C.3. The majority of these new trees are located within the landscape tract along Firebrand Ranch. The plant palette remains the same, but the revised plan adds Texas Ebony, Indian Laurel Fig and Southern Live Oak within the landscape tract adjoining Firebrand Ranch, as these provide a denser screen canopy for the adjoining residential homeowners.
There are 101 total existing trees on the site. The proposed revised plan more than doubles the tree count to 233 trees. 29 of the existing trees will remain in place. 22 of these 29 existing trees are within the landscape tract adjoining Firebrand Ranch. There are more existing trees to be removed as compared to the prior proposed plan. Mature trees are generally encouraged by the Visually Significant Corridors Plan and Town Landscape Guidelines. The removal of more existing trees is in response to two points. First, the removal of 14 mostly eucalyptus trees along Shea Boulevard in the right-of-way. These are trees identified as 55-57, 63-65, 77, 81, 82, 88, 90 and 91-93 on the existing tree plan, Sheet L-001. The applicant desires to remove the eucalyptus trees due to ongoing maintenance issues along the right-of-way. Second, there has been ongoing direction and discussion for the applicant to provide trees with more foliage density along Firebrand Ranch. The existing trees proposed to be removed and replaced with new trees along Firebrand Ranch are identified as 19-21 and 29-42 on the existing tree plan, Sheets L-001 and L-002. The trees to be removed are eucalyptus and rosewood (sissoo) trees. The proposed plans note that all new trees planted along the residential property line shall be 36” box.
As noted previously, the existing and proposed landscape setback along Tatum Boulevard, Shea Boulevard and Firebrand Ranch do not meet the Special Use Permit guidelines for a 50’ wide landscape setback along public streets and 40’ landscape setback along residential lots. As discussed at prior work sessions, the applicant is proposing to use denser landscape material in lieu of widening the landscape tract along Firebrand Ranch as wider landscape tracts would change the onsite circulation. The existing landscape material of turf and many non-desert plants also does not fully meet the original desert landscape plan or the 2018 adopted Visually Significant Corridor (VSC) plant palette of mesquite, palo verde, saguaro and ironwood. The proposed landscape plant material meets the Town’s Landscape Guidelines and Visually Significant Corridor plant palette. If desired, some turf would be consistent along Tatum Boulevard as the subject property along Tatum Boulevard lies within the Rural Elegance Zone of the Visually Significant Corridor plan.
The proposed landscape plan complies with the VSC plan. The plan provides for concrete pavers at the driveway entrances, exposed aggregate concrete for walkways and stucco finish parking lot screen walls along the street frontage. This compliance includes the following:
• A calculation of one tree every 50 to 100 lineal feet. Application of the VSC plan to both Tatum Boulevard and Shea Boulevard suggests each street frontage provide approximately 9 to 19 trees per street frontage. The proposed plan indicates 28 trees along Tatum Boulevard and 39 trees along Shea Boulevard. The minimum suggested number of shrubs averages about 50 per street frontage using the various guideline standards. The proposed number of shrubs per street frontage is in the couple hundred range or more.
• The area between the property line along the street and the front of the buildings have 55% live coverage. Live coverage is well over 55%. Except for driveways, this entire area is landscaped.
• The best option suggests the use of saguaros and ocotillo. The proposed landscape plan includes 15 saguaros and 8 ocotillos along Tatum Boulevard. The saguaros are generally back of sidewalk. Whereas, the ocotillos are nearest the buildings.
• The best option suggests incorporating wayfinding lighting. The medical plaza walkways include path lighting. No wayfinding lighting is suggested along the public streets or along Firebrand Ranch in the rear yard to meet the Statement of Direction in discouraging loitering. The street lights along Tatum Boulevard and Shea Boulevard will illuminate the sidewalk.
The revised landscape plan shows the location of the existing Town monument sign that will remain in place at the intersection of Tatum Boulevard and Shea Boulevard. The landscaping uses lantana and barrel cactus in front of the sign, with red bird of paradise behind the sign as discussed at the last work session.
As discussed previously, the proposed landscape plan meets the Statement of Direction in sufficiently discouraging loitering in strategic locations through spiny plants and/or other design elements through the replacement of turf with decomposed granite ground cover, placement of red bird of paradise in front of the parking lot screen walls and removal of the garden level on the two-story buildings.
Draft Stipulations H.1 through H.8 address landscaping and the perimeter wall with Firerand Ranch. Stipulation H.3 provides an allowance for homeowners adjoining the site to have the owner of the medical center increase the wall height to 8’ tall. Some homeowners expressed interest to raise the wall and others prefer not to raise the wall.
Exterior Lighting.
The applicant revised the exterior lighting plan from the last submittal. The changes are noted in the table below. The prior plan and Option 1 met Special Use Permit (SUP) guidelines. Except for the height of the B2 bollard in Option 2, Option 2 complies with the SUP guidelines. Light fixtures within a 60-foot setback of Firebrand Ranch are suggested in the guidelines not to exceed 3’ tall. The B2 bollard is 3’4”. The B1 bollard would be suggested if Option 2 is supported since this bollard height is 3’0”.
The illumination of the proposed fixtures is within the SUP guidelines not exceeding an average of 1.6 foot-candles for parking lots and 5.0 foot-candles for driveways/drop-off areas. The maximum average driveway area is 1.59 foot-candles. The maximum average driveway/drop-off area illumination is 4.84 foot-candles. Except for the B2 bollard height in Option 2, the proposed fixtures also comply with suggested maximum height. The maximum proposed height is 12’ tall.
Direction from the Planning Commission was for the applicant to use bollard lighting instead of the 16’ tall pole lighting in the areas between the proposed buildings and the Firebrand Ranch neighborhood. The emphasis was that any pole light fixtures may be considered in locations not perceived from the adjoining residential homeowners, such as along Tatum Boulevard and Shea Boulevard. The proposed 12’ tall pole lights in both Option 1 and Option 2 may not meet this direction. Safety is a concern of both the Town and applicant. The applicant’s use of the 12’ tall pole light is to minimize illumination hot spots.
Draft Stipulations I.1 through I.3 focus on lighting. Stipulation I.3 addresses that non-emergency exterior lights need to be turned off between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Modification of these stipulations may be discussed to best address fit for neighboring property owners and balance the safety of those persons at the medical center property.
|
Prior Plan |
Proposed Option 1 Plan |
Proposed Option 2 Plan |
|
31 total 16’ tall pole lights Fixtures SA/SB No fixtures located within the 25’ landscape tract adjoining Firebrand Ranch |
88 total 12’ tall pole lights are replaced with 12’ tall pole lights Fixtures SA1/SA2/SB 13 fixtures located within the 25’ landscape tract adjoining Firebrand Ranch. 12’ tall SA1 fixture Lowering height results in more fixtures to maintain similar lighting levels Some of the proposed 12’ tall SB fixtures are being used instead of the prior W1 building wall mounted fixture |
75 total 16’ tall pole lights are replaced with 12’ tall pole lights Fixtures SA1/SA2/SB 13 total 3’4” tall bollards Fixture B2 13 fixtures located within the 25’ landscape tract adjoining Firebrand Ranch.3’4” bollard B2 fixture |
|
19 total bollards (height not specified) located mostly near drop off areas and building entry walkways Fixture BL |
21 total 2’11” tall bollards located mostly near drop off areas and building entry walkways Fixture B1 |
21 total 2’11” tall bollards located mostly near drop off areas and building entry walkways Fixture B1 |
|
23 total building wall fixtures mounted at 12’ tall on the various buildings Fixture W1 |
21 total recessed soffit fixtures in the roof overhang Fixture SD |
21 total recessed soffit fixtures in the roof overhang Fixture SD |
|
Lighting underneath the parking canopies was noted but no detail provided |
35 total parking canopy light fixtures Fixture SS |
35 total parking canopy light fixtures Fixture SS |
|
Landscape lighting was not shown on the prior plan |
40 - 45 ground mounted landscape fixtures on select vegetation. These are primarily located in landscape areas near entry points and parking areas. Fixture L |
40 - 45 ground mounted landscape fixtures on select vegetation. These are primarily located in landscape areas near entry points and parking areas. Fixture L |
Draft Stipulations.
Draft stipulations have been prepared in Ordinance 2019-06 available in Attachment L. Staff and the applicant have reviewed these stipulations. Several stipulations include notes in brackets that indicate the applicant edits where staff finds the Planning Commission may want to discuss the draft stipulation in more detail. Stipulations the Commission may wish to focus on include the following:
• Allowable uses in Stipulation B.1;
• Pharmacy regulations; specifically, Stipulations C.1, C.2, C.4, C.9.c, C.9.d, C.9.e, C.9.g, C.9.h and C.9.i;
• Urgent care regulations; specifically, Stipulations D.4, D.5 and D.7;
• Construction phasing and assurances, Stipulation F.6;
• Solar panels and electric charging stations, Stipulations G. 3 and G.4 will need to be modified or removed. The applicant intends to provide details at the next work session for the Commission to review;
• Noise; specifically, Stipulations J.1, J.3 and J.4 and
• Signage, Stipulation L.2.
PUBLIC COMMENT & NOTICING
Notification of the required citizen review meeting of March 26, 2019 (with a voluntary neighborhood meeting also held on March 14, 2019) and the April 16, 2019 Planning Commission hearing was done in accordance with Town Code. Attachment J includes a copy of this noticing and Attachment K includes all written comments given to staff up to the week prior to the Planning Commission meeting. There have been no new comments provided since April 8, 2019.
NEXT STEPS
There will be continued discussion on this application request at the May 21st and June 4th work sessions. Planning Commission recommendation is set for June 18, 2019.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Attachment A - Application
Attachment B - Vicinity Map & Related Maps
Attachment C.1 - Narrative
Attachment C.2 - Site Plans
Attachment C.3 - Landscape (Revised)
Attachment C.4 - Elevations
Attachment C.5 - Open Space Criteria
Attachment C.6 - Signage
Attachment C.7 - Lighting (Revised)
Attachment C.8 - Drainage & Utility
Attachment C.9 - Parking & Traffic
Attachment D - SUP Guidelines & VSC
Attachment E - General Plan Policies
Attachment F - Background & SUP History
Attachment G - Existing- Proposed Comparison
Attachment H - SOD
Attachment I - Compliance to SOD
Attachment J - Noticing
Attachment K - Comments
Attachment L - Ordinance (Draft)
Attachment M - Revised Material
C: - Applicant
- Case File