Commission
Approves Industrial Lands Principles |
By Anita Varghese
Staff Writer
November 12 -- The Planning Commission approved a list
of principles last week to guide land use and transportation strategies
in the city’s industrial corridor that include maintaining
the area’s character, balancing housing and jobs and enhancing
open space.
The endorsement of conceptual ideas will be forwarded to the City Council for
consideration Tuesday night, as city officials continue with the Land Use and
Circulation Element (LUCE) update process.
The term “consider” was stressed to convey the message that principles
will be dropped if they do not meet expectations and that none of these principles
are laws or regulations.
“I don’t think there is anything in these principles to object
to,” said commissioner Hank Konig. “There are some things that may
be missing, but this is an excellent start.
“We are not mandating anything. If we don’t start somewhere, then
we don’t start anywhere. This area will see great change in the future.
We can’t stick our heads in sand and not worry about land use or transportation.”
Eileen Fogarty, director of Planning and Community Development, said the desired
objectives of residents will be advanced as the areas known as the Light Manufacturing
and Studio District, the M-1 Zone and a newly termed Traditional Industrial
District go through the planning stages.
“The approach we have taken and the Planning Commission has supported
has been to look at form, function, uses, scale and things that will work for
the community,” Fogarty said. “After we look at these, we will look
at walkability, economics and traffic.”
Industrial Lands Principles are to preserve opportunities for appropriate large
and small employers, maintain the character and scale of the M-1 Zone for small
and incubator businesses, limit housing west of Memorial Park to ensure that
land for industry use is available and capitalize on opportunities adjacent
to transit stations.
Urban Design Principles are to maintain or create an urban designed streetscape
fabric, ensure that buildings are scaled to their surroundings and the rest
of the city, ensure that buildings offer public benefits such as open space,
enhanced landscape and public art, ensure that sidewalks and streetscapes are
pedestrian scaled and provide retail along the ground floor of primary pedestrian
streets.
Open Space, Park and Recreation Principles are to provide opportunities for
new or expanded public spaces, consider bridging Interstate 10 to create new
park space, connect parks and open space to pedestrian and bike routes and create
a program to increase the amount of landscaping on public streets.
Transportation Principles are to focus on strategic locations along transit
routes, break down the Interstate 10 Barrier, provide goods and services within
walking distance to reduce vehicle trips, strive for a jobs and housing balance,
enhance Big Blue Bus connections and promote the concept of flex cars and flex
bikes.
Parking Principles are to consider shared parking facilities, create centralized
parking to eliminate on-grade parking lots, consider reducing parking requirements
near transit stations and consider the potential for lowering the cost of housing
near transit centers.
Implementation Principles are to develop an implementation plan to assure coordination
of transit systems availability with new development and prepare specific or
area plans to provide more detailed guidance.
Sustainability Principles are to meet the existing needs of residents without
compromising the needs of future generations, protect and restore natural environments
and cultural resources, provide equal opportunities for all citizens, advocate
for the development and implementation of innovative programs and approaches
and partner with all community stakeholders to achieve a sustainable community.
Some residents disagree with the list of principles that City staff said was
identified from years of recommendations from people who have participated in
the Shape the Future and Motion by the Ocean public input process.
“I have supported the LUCE process for eight months, but now I am deeply
disappointed in the principles presented here,” said Catherine Eldridge,
a resident who lives in the industrial area. “What is stated here is not
what residents want.
“They want to preserve existing housing and housing elements. They want
a hold on height and density. They want to stop manic development and traffic.
Nobody but the developers and the architects wants to divorce parking and housing.”
Commissioners said the principles were good ideas that City staff would study
as they move forward with the LUCE update.
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