Staff ReportCITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
PUBLIC HEARING
Date: July 21, 2015
Subject: Revision "E" to the St. John Fisher Master Plan to Extend the
Planning Entitlements for Phase Two of the Master Plan for an
Additional 8 Years (Case Nos. ZON2007-00492)
Subject Property: 5448 Crest Road — Corner of Crest Rd. and Crenshaw Blvd.
1. Report of Notice Given: City Clerk Morreale
2. Declare the Hearing Open: Mayor Knight
3. Staff Report & Recommendation: Senior Planner Leza Mikhail
4. Public Testimony:
Appellants: N/A
Applicants: St. John Fisher
5. Council Questions:
6. Rebuttal:
7. Declare Hearing Closed: Mayor Knight
8. Council Deliberation:
9. Council Action:
Public Hearing
Cover Page
CITY OF k RANCHO PALOS VERDES
MEMORANDUM
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: JOEL ROJAS, COMMUNID V LOPMENT DIRECTOR
DATE: JULY 21, 2015
SUBJECT: REVISION "E" TO THE ST. JOHN FISHER MASTER PLAN TO
EXTEND THE PLANNING ENTITLEMENTS FOR PHASE TWO OF
THE MASTER PLAN FOR AN ADDITIONAL 8 YEARS (Location: 5448
Crest Road — Corner of Crest Rd. and Crenshaw Blvd. - Case No.
ZON2007-00492)
REVIEWED: DOUG WILLMORE, CITY MA R W"
Project Manager: Leza Mikhail, Senior Plann '(
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt Resolution No. 2015-_, thereby approving Addendum No. 1 to the Mitigated
Negative Declaration (MND) and Mitigation Monitoring Program (MMP), and conditionally
approving CUP 96 — Revision "E" to amend the St. John Fisher Master Plan Condition No.
45(b), to allow the planning entitlements for Phase Two to be extended an additional eight
(8) years, to August 24, 2022 (Case No. ZON2007-00492).
Quasi -Judicial Decision
This item is a quasi-judicial decision in which the City Council is being asked to affirm
whether specific findings of fact can be made in order to support approval of a
development application. The specific findings of fact are listed and discussed in the
"Discussion" portion of the Staff Report.
BACKGROUND
On October 14, 2008, the Planning Commission adopted a Mitigated Negative Declaration
(MND) and a Mitigation Monitoring Program (MMP), and conditionally approved the St.
John Fisher Master Plan. On October 29, 2008, the Planning Commission's decision was
appealed to the City Council by some adjacent neighbors raising issues related to
Neighborhood Compatibility, impacts due to the size of the sanctuary, inadequate parking,
noise impacts due to the use of a gymnasium, ringing of the proposed electronic bells, the
Revision "E" to the St. John Fisher Maser Plan — Phase Two Extension
lighting of the sanctuary tower and steeple, concerns with removal of certain mature trees
and the desire for additional setbacks around the sanctuary.
On February 17, 2009, after conducting five (5) public hearings, including a special on-site
public hearing, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2009-09 (attached), adopting the
MND/MMP, and adopting Resolution No. 2009-10, thereby conditionally approving
Conditional Use Permit No. 96 — Revision "D", Grading Permit, Minor Exception Permit and
Sign Permit to establish a Master Plan for the St. John Fisher Church and School property.
Aside from the operational conditions of the Master Plan, the approval included planning
entitlements for the construction of 32,426 square feet of new building area, the demolition
of 10,329 square feet of existing building area, a total of 30,688 cubic yards of associated
grading and a new monument sign for the property. At the time of approval, the
construction -related Master Plan improvements were divided into two separate phases as
outlined in Condition No. 45(a) and (b), Phase One and Phase Two respectively. While the
Applicant completed all portions of the project outlined in Phase One on May 14, 2014, the
Applicant was unable to submit their plans into Building and Safety Plan Check for the
portions of Phase Two prior to the expiration of their construction -related planning
entitlements, which expired on August 24, 2014.
On July 23, 2014, prior to the August 24, 2014 expiration of the construction -related
Planning Entitlements for Phase Two, the Applicant submitted a request (attached) to
modify the St. John Fisher Master Plan, in order for the planning entitlements for Phase
Two be extended to eight (8) years to allow additional time to obtain funding for the
construction of Phase Two.
On July 29, 2014, the application requesting an extension of their Phase Two planning
entitlements was deemed incomplete for processing, pending the review and approval of
an updated Traffic Analysis by the City's Public Works Department.
On April 27, 2015, the City's Public Works Staff (Melissa Countryman) presented the
Applicant's updated Traffic Analysis to the City's Traffic Safety Committee, along with
Public Works Staff's positon that the Traffic Analysis be approved. At that meeting, the
City's Traffic Safety Committee affirmed Public Works Staff's recommendation to approve
the updated Traffic Analysis. Subsequently, on June 1, 2015, Planning Staff received
confirmation from the City's Public Works Staff that the review of the updated Traffic
Analysis was completed and satisfactory.
On June 29, 2015, the application was deemed complete for processing, and at the same
time, a public notice was sent to all property owners within a 500 -foot radius of the subject
property and was published in the Peninsula News. At this time, Staff has not received any
public comments as a result of the public notice.
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The St. John Fisher property is located at 5448 Crest Road, on the southeast corner of the
intersection at Crest Road and Crenshaw Boulevard. The property is 399,804 square feet
(9.2 acres) in area and zoned Institutional. The property is currently developed with a new
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Revision "E" to the St. John Fisher Maser Plan — Phase Two Extension
sanctuary, an elementary school (K-8), administrative/parish offices, a recreational hall
(Barrett Hall), rectory (priest's residence), and parish activity center/gymnasium (converted
from the previous sanctuary). The campus is sited 15 — 20 feet above the adjacent streets
(Crest Road and Crenshaw Boulevard). The main parking lot is located along the south
property line and provides 331 parking spaces for everyday use. Additional seasonal/peak
parking is located within the classroom courtyard and provides an additional 23 parking
spaces for larger events when school is not in session.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The applicant requests that the City Council extend the planning entitlements of Phase
Two of the St. John Fisher Master Plan for an additional eight (8) years, with a proposed
expiration date of August 24, 2022. Phase Two includes the construction of a new
administration building, remodel of the existing administration building into meeting rooms,
construction of a new preschool, library, art room, and remaining site work associated with
Phase Two construction.
DISCUSSION
In considering the Applicant's request to extend the construction -related activity of Phase
Two by eight (8) years, to August 24, 2022, the City Council must be able to continue to
make all of the required findings of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). The specific CUP
findings required to be made by the City Council are listed below, followed by Staff's
assessment of the applicant's request.
1. The site is adequate in size and shape to accommodate said use
and for all of the yards, setbacks, walls or fences, landscaping
and other features required by this title [Title 17 "Zoning] or by
conditions imposed under this section [Section 17.60.050] to
adjust said use to those on abutting land and within the
neighborhood.
2. The site for the proposed use relates to streets and highways
sufficient to carry the type and quality of traffic generated by the
subject use.
3. In approving the subject use at the specific location, there will be
no significant adverse effect on adjacent property or the
permitted use thereof.
4. The proposed use is not contrary to the General Plan.
5. If the site of the proposed use is within any of the overlay control
districts established by Chapter 17.40 (Overlay Control Districts)
of this title [Title 17 "Zoning"], the proposed use complies with
all applicable requirements of that chapter.
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Revision "E" to the St. John Fisher Maser Plan - Phase Two Extension
6. Conditions regarding any of the requirements listed in this
paragraph, which the Planning Commission finds to be
necessary to protect the health, safety and general welfare, have
been imposed [including but not limited to]: setbacks and
buffers; fences or walls; lighting; vehicular ingress and egress;
noise, vibration, odors and similar emissions; landscaping;
maintenance of structures, grounds or signs; service roads or
alleys; and such other conditions as will make possible
development of the City in an orderly and efficient manner and in
conformity with the intent and purposes set for in this title [Title
17 "Zoning"].
Staff's Assessment of the Applicant's Time Extension Request
With respect to the CUP Findings listed above, Staff is of the opinion that the Applicant's
request to extend the planning entitlements by eight (8) years continues to be consistent
with the required Finding Nos. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6. As the Applicant is not proposing to alter
any of the proposed construction or development plans of Phase Two, which was
previously approved by the City Council on February 1, 2009, the previous analysis of the
project in the City's record remains the same. A review of the entire project analysis of
Finding Nos. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6, which were considered as part of the February 1, 2009 City
Council approval, can be found on the City's website, or in the attached Resolution 2009-
10.
With respect to Finding No. 2, given that the Applicant's original Traffic Study was prepared
over seven years ago, and one element of the Phase Two project includes the addition of a
new preschool and new trips to and from the project site, which might not be initiated until
2022, the City requested that the Applicant provide an updated Traffic Study (attached) to
ensure that there would be no new significant impacts resulting from buildout of Phase
Two, given today's traffic conditions.
The methodology of the updated Traffic Study was kept consistent to that used in the
original Traffic Study so that the findings of the updated Traffic Study could reasonably be
compared to the original Traffic Study. More specifically, the updated Traffic Study
compared the existing traffic conditions (now that Phase One is completed) to those
estimated traffic impacts related to the planned Phase Two improvements, most notably
the new preschool. The analysis included collecting updated traffic count data during peak
travel times on a weekday and a Sunday at the same intersection and roadway segments
as the original study, and forecasting ambient growth of traffic for the year 2022.
According to the updated Traffic Study, the study intersection (Crest Road and Crenshaw
Boulevard) and nearby roadway segments (Crenshaw Boulevard, north of Crest Road and
Crest Road, and west of Crenshaw Boulevard) are operating at acceptable levels of service
during peak hours for both weekday and Sunday conditions. Additionally, the traffic study
states that under "existing with 2022 ambient growth and project" conditions, the proposed
improvements for Phase Two are not expected to significantly impact the study locations
beyond the threshold limits required by the City for review. The City's Public Works Staff
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Revision "E" to the St. John Fisher Maser Plan — Phase Two Extension
has noted that the increase in trip generation is negligible and would not require traffic
mitigation.
Given the conclusions of the updated Traffic Study, which found that no new significant
traffic -related impacts would result from the completion of Phase Two, and the extension of
Phase Two of the St. John Fisher Master Plan to August 24, 2022, Staff recommends that
the City Council amend Condition No. 45(b) as follows (new language is indicated in
bold/underline and old language is indicated in ):
47. The proposed St. John Fisher Master Plan may be broken up into two main
phases as described below. If within one year of the final effective date of the
Notice of Decision, the applicant has not submitted an application for a
building permit for the approved project or has not commenced the approved
project as described in Phase One below, approval of the project shall expire
and be of no further effect unless, prior to expiration, a written request for
extension is filed with the Department of Planning, Building and Code
Enforcement and approved by the Director. All elements of the approved
Master Plan that are not submitted as described in Phase One and Phase
Two below, shall require additional future review and approval through the
CUP process and additional CEQA review. Phase One and Phase Two are
described as follows:
a. Phase One: Phase One includes the construction of the new
sanctuary, remodel of the existing sanctuary into a gymnasium/parish
activity center, construction of a new parking lot, demolition of the
existing rectory and youth building on the north and east sides of the
property, remodel/conversion of existing convent into rectory and site
work that will not be impacted by future phase construction. The
Planning Entitlements for all construction described under "Phase
One" shall remain in full force and effect for a maximum of one (1)
year from the final effective date of the Notice of Decision for the St.
John Fisher Master Plan unless construction plans have been
submitted to Building and Safety for plan check.
b. Phase Two: Phase Two includes the construction of the new
administration building, remodel the existing administration building
into meeting rooms, construction of a new preschool, library, and art
room and remaining site work associated with phase two construction.
The Planning Entitlements for all construction described under "Phase
Two" shall remain in full force and effect for a Fnaximunl-4af five (5) an
additional eight (8) (until August 24, 2022) years from the final
effective date of the Notise of Desisiee of the Tolling Agreement
between the City and St. John Fisher (August 24, 2009) for the St.
John Fisher Master Plan unless construction plans for the final phase
of construction have been submitted to Building and Safety for Plan
Check, by August 24, 2022, or an additional extension application
has been submitted to the Cityy that date.
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Revision "E" to the St. John Fisher Maser Plan — Phase Two Extension
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Related St. John Fisher Master Plan Applications
As noted in the Background section of this report, in addition to establishing the St. John
Fisher Master Plan through Conditional Use Permit — Revision "D," the City Council also
approved a Grading Permit, Minor Exception Permit and Sign Permit to accommodate the
various aspects of the project development through the requirements of the Development
Code. The proposed revision request to extend the planning entitlements for Phase Two of
the St. John Fisher Master Plan an additional eight (8) years will not change the findings
made for the approved Master Plan, adopted under Resolution No. 2009-10, with respect
to the Grading Permit, Minor Exception Permit or Sign Permit.
Environmental Assessment
On February 17, 2009, the City Council adopted a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND)
and Mitigation Monitoring Program (MMP) in conjunction with establishing the St. John
Fisher Master Plan (Planning Case No. ZON2007-00493). The MND/MMP and Master Plan
stipulate the mitigation measures and conditions of approval, which the City Council found
to reduce all impacts of the Master Plan to a less than significant level.
As noted in the analysis of the CUP Findings, Staff believes that the proposed Revision to
Condition No. 45(b) of the St. John Fisher Master Plan, along with the updated Traffic
Analysis, are within the scope of the project originally analyzed in the MND for the entire
Master Plan. Therefore, Staff has prepared Addendum No. 1 to the St. John Fisher Master
Plan MND/MMP to address the compliance of the proposed Revision to extend the
entitlements of Phase Two for eight (8) years with the provisions of the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Addendum No. 1 is attached to the Resolution
presented for the City Council's approval.
Future Reviews
As a result of the high quantity of input from the public throughout the public hearing
process in 2008/2009, the City Council required a number of "future reviews" of the
property as various phases are completed to ensure that all impacts are adequately
mitigated through conditions of approval. These future reviews are noted in Condition Nos.
74 - 77 of Exhibit "B" to Resolution No. 2009-10 (attached), and continue to be included in
the attached conditions of approval. The first review (Condition No. 74) occurred on
February 4, 2014. The second and third review (Condition Nos. 75 and 76) occurred on
November 18, 2014. One (1) final review (Condition No. 75 —Year 2 review) is expected to
occur in the Fall of 2015. At that time, Staff will report to the City Council any concerns
raised that relate to landscape screening of the sanctuary pursuant to Condition No. 47,
exterior sanctuary lighting, parking and the carillon bells. This final review will require a
public notice and public hearing.
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Revision "E" to the St. John Fisher Maser Plan — Phase Two Extension
CONCLUSION
Based on the discussions above, Staff believes that Revision "E" of the St. John Fisher
Master Plan can be approved to allow the planning entitlements of Phase Two to be
extended and additional eight (8) years, with an expiration date of August 24, 2022. As
such, Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 2015-_, thereby
adopting Addendum No. 1 to the MND/MMP, and adopting Resolution No. 2015-_,
thereby conditionally approving Revision "E" to the St. John Fisher Master Plan to revise
Condition No. 45(b), which stipulates the expiration of a multi -phased project, and allows
the planning entitlements to be extended to August 24, 2022.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Applicant submitted the applicable fees to request a Revision of their planning
entitlements. Regardless of the City Council's action on this item, the fees paid by the
Applicant for this request cover the fully burdened rate of City Staff for the preparation of
this report. No refunds of the fees are being requested by the Applicant.
ALTERNATIVES
In addition to Staff's recommendation, the following alternative is available for
consideration by the Planning Commission:
Deny the Project (Revision "E" of the St. John Fisher Master Plan), and direct Staff
to return to the next City Council meeting with the appropriate Resolution
memorializing a denial.
2. Identify any issues of concern related to the extension of Phase Two of the St. John
Fisher Master Plan, provide Staff and/or the property owner with direction in
modifying the project or conditions of approval related Phase Two of the Master
Plan, and continue the public hearing to a date certain for discussion of these
issues.
ATTACHMENTS
O Draft Resolution No. 2015-_ (Revision "E" of the St. John Fisher Master Plan) -
(Page 8)
• Applicants Letter Requesting Revision "E" - (Page 26)
• Updated Traffic Study (dated February 2, 2015) & Public Works Staff Report and
Recommendation - (Page 29)
• Resolution No. 2009-09 (Original MND/MMP) - (Page 74)
• Resolution No. 2009-10 (Original Planning Entitlements) - (Page 97)
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