SR-03-12-2013-8A - 400-001-11City Council Meeting: March 12, 2013
Agenda Item: L
To: Mayor and City Council
From: David Martin, Director of Planning and Community Development
Subject: Draft Bergamot Area Plan
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Review and comment on the goals, policies and strategies in the Draft Bergamot
Area Plan
2. Direct staff to proceed with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review,
and return with a final draft Plan and CEQA documentation for Council approval.
Executive Summary
The Draft Bergamot Area Plan is a community -based planning document that provides
guidance on transitioning the former industrial lands into an arts- focused mixed -use
pedestrian- oriented neighborhood. The Plan is both a visionary document describing
the desired uses and activities of this new Santa Monica neighborhood called for in the
Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE), and a regulatory tool governing
development by establishing a distinct set of standards and guidelines that will apply to
projects — both private and public — wishing to develop, remodel, or adaptively reuse.
The Plan provides policies and strategies to both conserve and shape the cultural,
economic, and urban design characteristics of this emerging area. Unique standards
and district -wide requirements prescribe the envelope for new development that is less
than the adopted LUCE maximums, which assures scale and compatibility, while still
providing opportunities for open space and other community benefits. The planning
process has placed an emphasis on valuing the innovative characteristics of the
creative sector cluster that has colonized the former industrial district, providing them
with new services, better public amenities and an infrastructure that aids in the creation
of a new community space. At the same time, the Plan looks to the near future, when
transit opens up new opportunities that will inevitably lead to new demands. The transit -
oriented focus of the Plan envisions a mix of uses, including housing at all affordability
levels, and community - serving new businesses that are open in both the daytime and
evenings, and which serve all those who find themselves in the area, including residents
outside the Plan boundaries within walking and biking distance of new activities, and
services.
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This unique vision has consequently produced a distinct framework of innovative
measures that are handcrafted specifically for the Bergamot Plan area and its context.
A few of the Plan's noteworthy innovations are:
• Conservation Strategies: the Plan introduces two new land use "conservation"
districts that preserve key assets, like the Art Center, that not only represent the
history of the area, but which also serve as creative incubator spaces for
emerging businesses, non - profits and arts organizations.
• Art and Culture Linkages: policies, programs, and physical improvements that
highlight the role of creative sector uses and culturally enriching activities, and
which provide support for arts throughout the district without stifling creativity.
• Flexibility for Creative Design: development standards that are rigid enough to
ensure human -scale buildings and transitions to adjacent residential
neighborhoods, but flexible enough to allow for architectural expression so that
the Plan area builds upon the creativity for which the area is already known.
• Streets for Everyone: the Plan includes 10 new streets and 15 new pedestrian
and bicycle pathways that are designed to create a multi -modal network for cars,
bikes and pedestrians that is enhanced with landscaping and tree canopy, storm
water features, and street furnishings to ensure an active and interesting street
life.
• Context -Based Parking: a phased parking strategy that includes shared parking
and reduced parking requirements, as well as higher standards for bike parking,
carshare and carpool spaces.
• Economic Sustainability: City- sponsored events and activities to help launch
existing businesses and institutions, like Santa Monica College, into a cohesive
community, so that they can use the Plan's tools to provide complementary
programs to fund improvements, grow and nurture new jobs, provide affordable
housing choices for employees, and foster stability for the City's "creative
cluster."
The planning process has included substantial outreach to a wide variety of businesses,
arts organizations and non - profits, schools and institutions and residents. This effort
has shaped the Plan's perspective into a model of local sustainability that addresses
long- standing community concerns regarding traffic and congestion, protections for the
surrounding neighborhoods, local jobs, housing affordability, parking and access to new
uses and services that are desired by nearby residents, employees and visitors to the
area.
Following Council direction, CEQA review will be initiated, with the final Plan and CEQA
clearance to be presented to both the Planning Commission and Council in late
spring /early summer of this year.
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Background
The Bergamot Area Plan was initiated
immediately following adoption of the LUCE,
in which it is identified as a priority planning
effort (LUCE Goal D2.2) to help transition
140 acres of former industrial land into a
walkable, sustainable and innovative mixed -
use neighborhood. At the heart of the district
is the Olympic Blvd /26th Street Expo Light
Rail station and Bergamot Art Center, which
are the transportation and cultural catalysts
for the district. In 2016, the Exposition Light
Rail station and associated Regional Bike
Path will open at Bergamot Station, serving
over 3,400 transit riders and hundreds of
cyclists daily, altering the commuting
patterns of thousands of area workers and
residents. Recognizing the critical need for
transit in this area, and the potential value of
a well- integrated station in encouraging
ridership and reducing congestion, as well as economic development, on December 13,
2011, the Council invested an additional $6.7 million in Bergamot Station access
improvements in the form of enhanced platform and access areas.
Over the past two years, the planning effort has been shaped by local community
involvement, benefiting from large numbers of participants in stakeholder interviews,
focus groups, online surveys and community workshops including:
1) Bergamot Transit Village Workshop (February 17, 2011): the desired characteristics
of a vibrant urban transit village, including pedestrian- orientation, human - scale,
accessible and a center of community life.
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2) The Creative Economy Workshop (July 13, 2011): identification of desired uses and
spaces to enhance the creative and cultural arts throughout the planning area.
3) Bergamot Art Center Workshop (December 7, 2011): charting a course for the
continued vitality of the Art Center through enhancements that protect art spaces
while integrating with Expo.
4) Community Benefits Workshop (February 7, 2012): input on community benefits
elements, prioritization of community needs, and details of character and
implementation.
5) Designing the Districts Workshop (April 23, 2012): urban form concepts and street
hierarchy to incorporate desired uses, identify open space, and create a unified
district.
Throughout the discussions, the residents, business owners, artists, cyclists, pedestrian
advocates, schools, developers, and other stakeholders have advocated for a context -
based approach that recognizes the ability for density, design, transit strategies and
desired land uses to come together in a sustainable and replicable model that reduces
car trips, stimulates walking and biking, provides affordable options for housing, and
creates new jobs.
The City Council (June 14, 2011, and June 12, 2012) and Planning Commission (May
16, 2012 and December 12, 2012) have held public hearings and provided significant
input into the planning process, shaping the concepts and strategies over the last two
years. The Commission reviewed the full draft Plan on February 13 2013 and on
February 20 2013 (see Planning Commission Recommendations below). Throughout
the planning period, the project's website www.bergamotijlan.net has provided a
consistent opportunity for public information sharing.
The Bergamot Area Plan was selected by the United States Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD) to receive a highly- competitive Sustainable Communities
Community Challenge Grant in 2010, which has largely funded this planning effort. This
grant program advances the urban sustainability goals achieved by integrating land use
and transportation planning to reduce vehicle trips and greenhouse gas emissions.
HUD's "Partnership for Sustainable Communities" showcases visionary and leading
planning efforts around the country that provide replicable models for sustainable
neighborhoods.
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Discussion
Encompassing the LUCE Bergamot Transit
Village and Mixed -Use Creative land use
designations, the Bergamot Area Plan
constitutes an urban design, land use and
circulation framework for creating a
"complete neighborhood" that takes its cue
from the existing arts and creative sector
restaurant provide missing services as well as activity and gathering places.
The importance of the Bergamot Area Plan for the community is clearly stated in the
introduction to the Plan:
As Santa Monica's Land Use and Circulation Element makes clear, almost all of
the city's land area — 96 %, to be exact — should be conserved and land use
changes in the city should be directed to commercial and industrial land that
comprises only 4% of the land area, including the land within the Bergamot Plan
area. In order for Santa Monica to achieve the goals for sustainability and
prosperity contained in the LUCE, areas such as the Bergamot Plan area cannot
merely change. They must be guided and nurtured to function in a completely
different and much more sustainable way.
The Plan's intrinsically sustainable approach connects jobs and housing to transit, and
forges new walking and biking paths to reduce vehicle trips. It fills gaps in local services
and amenities, and introduces the urban forest into a former industrial area. Active
transportation fosters more enduring community health, and provides opportunities to
reduce reliance on the automobile and the associated costs to households. The
Bergamot Area Plan looks toward the future, incorporating the best thinking about
complete, secure and healthy communities. With careful implementation and
monitoring, the City can strive to achieve reductions in per capita greenhouse gas
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emissions and vehicle miles traveled, while improving quality of life at the individual and
community level.
Innovations of the draft Bergamot Area Plan
Since the initiation of the project, an overarching goal has been to create an enduring
and balanced "complete neighborhood" that builds upon the area's rich history and
character, while providing the opportunity for creativity and art to flourish amidst a
backdrop of well- designed streets and open spaces, human - scaled buildings and a
supportive community of residents, employees and local businesses. This unique vision
has consequently produced a distinct framework of innovative measures that are
handcrafted specifically for the Bergamot Plan area and its context. A few of the Plan's
noteworthy innovations are:
• Conservation Strategies: including
two new land use "conservation"
districts that preserve key assets, like
the Art Center, that not only represent
the history of the area, but which also
serve as creative incubator spaces for
emerging businesses, non - profits and
arts organizations. Specific standards
limit the height and floor area ratio
(FAR) in some areas, like the
Creative Sector Conservation District
to maintain building scale and provide
transitions to residential areas in the
Mid -City neighborhood.
• Art and Culture Linkages: policies,
programs, and physical improvements
that highlight the role of creative
sector uses and culturally enriching
activities, and which provide support
for arts throughout the district without
stifling creativity.
• Flexibility for Creative Design:
development standards that are rigid
enough to ensure human -scale
buildings and transitions to adjacent
residential neighborhoods, but flexible
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enough to allow for architectural expression so that the Plan area builds upon
creativity that the area is already known for.
• Streets for Everyone: new street types and landscaping that are designed to
respond directly to the type of activity that is planned for each block, and which
service the needs of pedestrians, bikes and cars. The Plan includes 10 new
streets and 15 new pedestrian and bicycle pathways. Existing streets will see
sidewalk improvements, including a complete and sorely needed pedestrian
network on Olympic Boulevard. Street standards and guidelines describe
precise dimensions and landscaping requirements.
• Context -Based Parking: a phased parking strategy that is entirely handcrafted for
the Bergamot Plan area that includes shared parking and reduced parking
requirements, as well as higher standards for bike parking, carshare and carpool
spaces. The Plan includes triggers that activate new standards as Expo and
other catalytic events begin to transform the area.
• Economic Sustainability: City- sponsored events and activities to help launch
existing businesses and institutions, like Santa Monica College, into a cohesive
community, so that they can use the Plan's tools to provide complementary
programs to fund improvements, grow and nurture new jobs, provide affordable
housing choices for employees, and foster stability for the City's "creative
cluster."
Addressing Community Concerns for a New Neighborhood That Benefits Everyone
Throughout the process of developing the Bergamot Area Plan, and indeed throughout
the creation of the LUCE, the community has raised key issues about neighborhood
compatibility, parking and congestion, and the potential impacts. The community that
works within the Plan area expressed concerns about continuing affordability and space
availability for businesses as the area grows and the need for local amenities to serve
their daily needs. Acknowledging the responsibility to address these concerns through
careful land use, transportation and infrastructure planning, the Plan has been designed
to balance the introduction of new uses, buildings and streets with strategies to optimize
benefits for both existing and future residents and workers within the Plan area and
adjacent neighborhoods, and for the City as a whole. For example:
• Preserving Neighborhood Scale and Avoiding Impacts on Neighbors:
Development standards and associated guidelines prescribe the envelope for
new development or adaptive reuse which is less than the adopted LUCE
maximums in order to ensure that the built environment respects the scale of
nearby residential areas and creates an urban form that provides open space,
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interesting and appropriately - scaled pedestrian streetwalls, and visually exciting
architecture.
• Parking Protections for the Neighborhoods: Residents in new housing built in the
Plan area will not receive permits to park in adjacent Residential Preferential
Permit Parking districts.
• Parking to Serve Needs but not Encourage Trips: The Plan takes a "right- sized"
parking approach that recognizes that too much parking may attract unwanted
and unnecessary trips that will further congest the area's streets. Accordingly, the
Plan balances the introduction of new housing and jobs with a parking ratio
reflective of a transit - served district and an active parking management strategy
that ensures that sufficient parking is available to meet future demand without
incentivizing additional vehicle trips. This parking approach will provide adequate
parking supply for the activities within the Bergamot Plan, as well as providing
shared parking for visitors and nearby residents.
• Cut - Through Traffic and Congestion: New streets in the Plan area are designed
to be slow and serve a variety of modes including pedestrians and bicycles. The
off - setting of the extension of Pennsylvania Avenue is designed to discourage
cut - through trips on this new street and encourage people making regional auto
trips to stay on the major corridors and freeway system. The strengthened
Transportation Demand Management program has the potential to dramatically
reduce the number of peak hour trips from infiltrating the area by encouraging
many existing and future employees to use the Expo light rail or ride on new bike
paths as a means to get to work.
• Local Jobs and Skills Training: Policies encourage stronger connections between
creative businesses and existing programs or institutions, such as Santa Monica
College Academy of Entertainment and Technology, through internship programs
and educational outreach. The addition of new creative and retail uses also
provide opportunities for the local workforce to fill.
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• Maintaining Creative Character and Affordability: Design guidelines describe the
desired look and use of materials for the Plan area, which is consistent with the
existing fabric of brick and metal buildings. Restrictions on floor plate sizes, lot
aggregation, and floor area ratios .create the conditions for smaller, more
affordable spaces for incubators and start ups in some areas of the district, while
community benefit priorities for small -scale creative spaces and artist studios will
introduce these uses in other areas like the Bergamot Transit Village.
• Access to Services that Enhance Quality of Life and Reduce Driving: A refined
retail strategy encourages neighborhood serving uses to activate key streets and
focal points within the Plan area. New streets /pathways and streetscapes on
existing streets will facilitate walking as a desired means of conducting errands,
as well as strolling for recreation.
Outline of the Plan
The Draft Bergamot Area Plan is available on -line, both as a single document and in
chapters that download more quickly. The Plan is designed to be easy to read, with
graphic illustrations, examples and highlighted strategies and policies throughout.
The following summarizes the Plan's eight chapters. The bullet points highlight the
community concerns that arose during the planning process to note chapters where
these concerns have been addressed within the Plan:
1. Introduction: An overview of the Plan document, its relationship to the LUCE and
a summary of the community process.
• Transparency of process and faithfulness to LUCE vision.
2. Setting the Stage: An overview of the area's history, background on its current
assets, and condition of the area in terms of land uses, urban form, mobility,
parking and economics.
• Understanding district history and character to build upon the existing
3. Vision & Guiding Principles: A description of the Plan area today followed by an
inspiration of the Bergamot Plan area twenty years in the future. The chapter
concludes with Guiding Principles.
• Establishing principles for the Plan that reflect creativity and innovation, scale
and conservation, and connectivity
M
4. Core Components
A. Urban Form, Open Space and I
Street Network: This section l ;
describes how the existing
conditions in the Plan area can be
transformed through street design,i�
that creates public gathering
places and pedestrian orientation
that pulls people onto the streets
to enjoy the neighborhood. Street �®
types are defined and assigned to
each street in the district. The
primary organizing concept of a
Pedestrian Priority Corridor along
Nebraska Avenue is explained.
An additional concept outlined is orientation of buildings as a frame for their
open space, with that open space oriented toward the public realm.
• Creating a variety of open spaces connected through walkable streets
• Creating opportunities for public art
• Creating a district "main street' that connects pedestrians and cyclists
between the station and Nebraska Avenue in the Mixed Use Creative
District.
• Ensuring that new activity does not negatively impact surrounding
residential neighborhoods
B. Land Use: This section describes the four land
use districts and two overlays in the Plan area
including the Conservation — Creative Sector,
and Conservation — Art Center districts. This
chapter describes the permitted uses and their
distribution throughout the area, and provides
goals and policies to implement the core values
of the community.
• Providing opportunities for creative
architecture that creates points of interest
• Ensuring that projects on the edge of the
district transition smoothly to protect and be
compatible with surrounding residential
neighborhoods
• Clarifying priorities for community benefits
that are specific to the Plan area and
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evaluating proposals based on providing these priority benefits
• Establishing the Bergamot art center as the cultural base in the Plan area
from which arts and culture are infused throughout the district
• Accommodating development without losing the district's character
• Considering whether LUCE density /intensity levels could be adjusted and
still feasibly provide community benefits
C. Circulation and Mobility: This section defines the
sustainable transportation approach to streets
and parking management, and strategies for
achieving circulation that works for pedestrians,
automobiles, bicycles, delivery vehicles and
others moving through the district.
• Providing crosswalks and sidewalks along
Olympic Boulevard to get to the Expo Station
and other key destinations.
• Providing protections for existing surrounding
residential neighborhoods from cut - through
traffic and parking spillover
• Limiting the impact of new development on
traffic congestion
• Balancing pedestrian and cyclist needs for
street space while ensuring that vehicles can
get through
• Being creative in the approach to parking so
that there are enough parking spaces, yet it
is still more attractive to take transit, bike or
walk to work
• Managing resources so parking spaces are
well utilized
• Introducing meaningful, district -based
transportation demand management that
helps people take advantage of transit
options and reduce trips.
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• Preserving and enhancing the Bergamot art center as the center of arts
and culture for the city.
• Protecting the "fragile ecosystem" of arts and creative industries that have
colonized the area
• Providing new opportunities for growth of the creative industries
• Providing live -work opportunities in the district
E. Economic Sustainabilitv: This section outlines a five - component strategy for a
locally sustainable and vibrant economy that also benefits local residents. It
builds on the strengths of the existing creative sector businesses and
harnesses the opportunities that transit and a mixed -use neighborhood will
bring.
• Making it possible to open new businesses that provide services and
goods that area workers need within walking distance
• Providing affordable housing opportunities in the new neighborhood
• Creating job opportunities for current population near the Plan area
• Finding appropriate sources of funding for improvements called for in the
Plan
F. Utility Infrastructure: This section summarizes the utility assessments that
were conducted. The chapter documents why most utilities are sufficient, with
the exception of sewers, which will likely require some expansion as
development occurs, and the fiber optics network.
• Analyzing whether the existing infrastructure can support the transition of
the area from industrial to mixed -use with residential uses
ueyelopment Stanaards and Land
Use Regulations: This chapter
outlines height limits, floor area ratios,
open space requirements, and street- 1
based frontage standards. There is,E
flexibility to address the desire for 1,1F
innovation and architectural creativity. M i
For consistency with the revised
Zoning Ordinance, the Bergamot
development standards anticipate I .. ".
utilizing the administrative provisions
relating to elements such as
definitions, measurements, and
typical review process requirements.
The chapter also includes requirements and guidelines for pedestrian
improvements such as new streets, wide sidewalks, plazas, and seating areas,
as well as standards for shared parking, ground -floor uses and design elements
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that "activate" the street, such as locating buildings adjacent to the sidewalk,
transparent storefronts, easily identifiable pedestrian entries, and stoops.
• Making it possible to open new businesses that provide services and goods
that area workers need within walking distance
• Considering whether LUCE density /intensity levels could be adjusted and still
feasibly provide community benefits
• Clarifying priorities for community benefits that are specific to the Plan area
and evaluating proposals based on providing these priority benefits
• Creating a variety of open spaces connected through walkable streets
• Creating processes for truly creative architecture and signage so that
innovation is not precluded by standards that are generally established to
avoid blocky, unarticulated building design.
6. Design Guidelines: The Design Guidelines are part of a regulatory structure
designed to create some architectural flexibility to encourage innovation. They
are intended to support design that creates visual interest and engagement, and
which is human - scaled, and respectful of adjacent neighborhood residential
uses.
• Providing examples and illustrations that help the design community
understand the community's expectations.
7. Street Guidelines and Standards: This chapter presents detailed standards and
guidelines for new streets and renovations of existing streets, including specific
cross sections and differentiation between complete, flexible and shared streets.
• Creating a variety of open spaces connected through walkable streets
• Ensuring that the City has a clear blueprint for designing and constructing the
streets that pull the area together
8. Implementation: This chapter provides a phased approach to implementation and
outlines funding strategies for different types of improvements to guide the next
steps toward achieving the vision of the Bergamot Area Plan.
• Ensuring that new development makes significant contributions toward the
items that the community has prioritized
• Setting priorities in order to target initial catalytic projects and make best use
of the City's investments and efforts
• Ensuring that there is a monitoring structure to guide oversight over the area's
transition in accordance with the Plan's goals
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The Draft Plan addresses the above concerns articulated by the community through
policies, strategies, specific standards, design guidelines and an implementation
11 roadmap" that guides the next steps following Plan adoption.
Planning Commission Recommendations
The Planning Commission held two hearings to review the full draft Plan on February
13, 2013, and on February 20, 2013. Commission discussions covered a multitude of
topics including the mix of residential and non - residential uses; open space, reduced
floor area ratios (FAR); affordability for both housing and employment spaces;
transportation demand management and parking; proposed development standards and
design flexibility; pedestrian and bicycle improvements and proposed new street types;
and implementation methods.
In general, Commissioners expressed support for the Plan's vision and direction and
acknowledged the inclusivity of the process that had been conducted to incorporate
community values into the context of a transit - oriented planning document. The
Commission agreed that the draft Plan advances the LUCE vision for the districts and
the policy to direct development pressure toward compact transit - served areas and
conserve residential zones in Santa Monica. The Commission recognized the existing
and future desirability of the area particularly with the arrival of Expo Light Rail in 2016;
as well as the challenges posed by traffic congestion and the need to vastly improve the
network of limited streets and narrow or missing sidewalks, and a built form that is
purpose -built to serve automobile access. The Commission encouraged the need for
creative policies, design strategies, programs, regulations and metrics to create more
sustainable buildings and streets, and maximize vehicle trip reduction. The following
summarizes the Commissioners' comments and recommendations:
• Mix of Uses: Commissioners strongly supported including policies and
measures to increase housing opportunities in the Bergamot Area
Plan. However, at the same time, some voiced support for reevaluating the land
use mix or clustering uses to allow more commercial uses in the Bergamot
Transit Village, possibly beyond the established (new land use) target of 60%
commercial and 40% residential, as a way to capture greater ridership numbers
from the planned Expo light rail line. The Plan's strategy to initially concentrate
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retail in designated "retail priority" areas was also supported, although some
commissions expressed interest in wanting to expand them throughout the
district immediately.
• Open Space: Commissioners supported the Plan's approach to open space
requirements in most projects to create an integrated green network, but
expressed the need for additional active recreation spaces. The Commission
asked staff to consider the possibility of establishing a requirement or designing a
program that might effectively fund the creation of a larger City -owned park, or
significant expansion and upgrading of Stewart Park.
• Housing and Affordability: Several Commissioners expressed that more work
could be done to create incentives or requirements for housing that is 1)
affordable to lower income residents, 2) affordable to the area's workforce, and
3) of a variety of sizes and types that could accommodate individuals and larger
households. Some Commissioners supported smaller units in the transit area,
but emphasized that the design should be flexible to allow for reconfigured living
spaces in the future if lifestyle demands or trends changed. The Commission
also supported a concept of first marketing new housing opportunities that arise
in the Bergamot Plan area to local employees.
• Transportation Demand Management: Commissioners concurred on the need
for a strong TDM program in the Bergamot Plan area, and requested that
implementation of the Area Plan focus on the creation of the Transportation
Management Association as quickly as possible. There was a general emphasis
that this was a very high implementation priority and that the plan should
incorporate all feasible vehicle trip reduction strategies.
• Parking: Commissioners all stated their support for the overall parking strategy
that seeks to actively manage the parking inventory and utilize pricing to
discourage driving while encouraging transit use and biking. While supporting a
minimum daily cost for parking, some felt that the proposed $5 "floor" was too
low, and that the Plan should instead describe criteria and performance
standards for parking management. There was concern about ensuring that new
parking resources do not become attractive as Park and Ride facilities for
Westside commuters, and addressing the design issues needed to make shared
parking accessible to multiple users.
• Biking and Walking: The Area Plan's emphasis on biking and walking was
strongly supported, and recognized as one of the key activating elements for the
district. Some members of the Commission felt that the Plan could prioritize
these modes even more through stronger requirements for facilities such as bike
parking, a Bike Center, and more landscaping for pedestrians.
• Street Types and other Connections: Commissioners supported the variety of
crosswalks, street types and standards, and creation of public space,
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landscaping /urban forest, and gathering spaces to foster the social life of the
district. A few Commissioners were interested in refining standards for on- street
parking, and active uses along the flexible street type.
• Building Form & Design Standards: The Plan's overall approach to building
form that steps away from adjacent or nearby residential was supported, as was
the concept of allowing flexibility in a limited number of Development Standards,
such as frontage or height modulation, to promote creativity and architectural
expression.
• Implementation: The Commission recognized that implementation of the
Bergamot Area Plan would require ongoing and active stewardship over the life
of the Plan (2030) in order to manage the area's transition. This
acknowledgement included the direction that community benefits and other
funding mechanisms, like Assessment Districts, must be combined with public
investment as a means to realize a "complete neighborhood" and that the City
should reinvest the value generated by the area's transformation back into the
many programs and infrastructure needs outlined in the Plan.
• Arts /Culture: Commissioners generally supported the Plan's approach but
provided few specific comments. Many concerns were voiced about the
importance of successfully implementing the community's concept for the
Bergamot Art Center. There was broad agreement on the importance of
integrating creativity and arts focus throughout the document.
® Conservation Districts: General support was voiced for these new subareas
and the goal of preserving their individual character. There was some support
expressed for higher intensity to be allowed in the Bergamot Art Center
Conservation District because of its proximity to the Expo station.
Next Steps
Following Council direction, staff will conduct environmental review for the Bergamot
Area Plan in accordance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA). It is anticipated that the environmental review for the Area Plan will tier off
the LUCE Final EIR as permitted under CEQA Section 15152 and 15168. The LUCE
Final EIR, which was certified in June 2010, analyzed the environmental impacts of
reasonable and foreseeable growth that would occur in the City, including the Bergamot
Plan area, through the year 2030. As part of the environmental review, staff will prepare
an Initial Study to determine whether the policies, strategies, and development
standards of the Bergamot Area Plan are within the scope of the LUCE. Staff will also
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determine whether the environmental effects of the Area Plan have been adequately
covered in the LUCE Final EIR. If it is determined that the Area Plan would have effects
that were not adequately addressed in the LUCE Final EIR, subsequent environmental
documentation will be prepared. Upon adoption of the Bergamot Area Plan, future
projects within the Bergamot Plan area will be subject to their own environmental review
on a case by case basis in accordance with CEQA. If necessary, these future projects
will prepare their own CEQA documentation to analyze project- specific environmental
effects that have not been analyzed in previous EIRs.
During the next two months, Staff will present the draft Bergamot Plan and respond to
questions at meetings of the City's Boards and Commissions, and various
neighborhood, business and community groups. Prior to returning to Council for
adoption this summer, the Plan will be presented to the Planning Commission for a
formal recommendation.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of the
recommended action.
Prepared by: Peter D. James, Senior Planner
Elizabeth Bar-El, AICP, Senior Planner
Approved:
David Martin, Director
Planning and Community Development
Department
Attachments:
Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager
A. Draft Bergamot Area Plan February 2013
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Item k,
Marc 12 0
A hard copy of this document is also
d
available at Office.
Oversized attachment
available for review in the
City Clerk's Office