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2001of ' CAMn~ V `:- r _,1.. .~ > y ~_.~ .~ •~~CH Ati~• CITY of CAMPBELL Community Development Department -Current Planning July 13, 2001 Harry Oberhelman III 346 David Avenue Campbell, CA 95008 RE: North Central Residential Density Dear Mr. Oberhelman: Thank you for bringing an important issue to the attention of the City staff and Council members. As you are aware, the City of Campbell is very supportive of maintaining high quality neighborhoods. At the City Council meeting of July 3, 2001, the Council considered the issue of North Central Residential Density that you raised in your May 16, 2001 correspondence to the City Council. Community Development staff analyzed all of the single family residential properties located in Campbell north of Hamilton Avenue. This analysis revealed that there is a potential for three of the 361 total parcels to be subdivided. Due to the limited scope of the potential for subdivision of property, the City Council did not direct staff to prepare a moratorium, pursue a rezoning of the area or revise the City's subdivision ordinance. The Planning Division will notify you of any development applications in your neighborhood. Please do not hesitate to contact myself or Geoff I. Bradley, Senior Planner to discuss this or any other issue. Sincerely, ZlC1a~Il ~ ~~' ~i~ ,~ L Sharon Fierro Community Development Director cc: City Manager City Council 70 North First Street Campbell, California 95008-1436 ~ rep 408.866.2140 F.~a 408.866.8381 r~~ 408.866.2790 MEMORANDUM To: Sharon Fierro Community Development Director From: Ja emsley D ry City Clerk Date: J~y ~6, 2001 Subject: Response to letter from Harry Oberhelman III regarding North Central Campbell Residential Density At the regular meeting of July 3, 2001, the City Council authorized the Community Development Director to write a letter in response to the letter received by the Ciry Council from the residents in the North Central Campbell Neighborhood outlining the reasons why the requested zone change is not supported by the City. It would be appreciated if you would please furnish this office with a copy of your letter to Mr. Oberhelman for our Council meeting follow-up correspondence files. City Co~nCi rrEMNO: ~s. CATEGORY: New Business .FZe, po~''t MEETING DATE: July 3, 2001 1'I~LE Response to letter from Harry Oberhelrnan III Regarding North Central Campbell Residential Density. CITY COUNCIL ACTION: The City Council may take the following action: 1. Authorize the Community Development Director to write a letter in response to the letter received by the City Council from the residents in the North Central Campbell Neighborhood outlining the reasons why the requested zone change is not supported by the City. BACKGROUND On May 31, 2001, the City Council received a letter from six property owners in the North Central Campbell Neighborhood that requested the City Council to authorize staff to process a zone change for the parcels in this neighborhood from the current R-1-6 (single-family residential, 6,000 square foot minimum lot size) zoning designation to an R-1-7 (single-family residential, 7,000 square foot minimum lot size) zoning designation. They also requested the City Council to consider imposing a moratorium on subdivisions in this neighborhood until the zone change is approved. The residents' request is based on a concern about the potential subdivision of a property in this neighborhood that could possibly result in two parcels at least 6,000 square feet in size. They are also concerned that two-story structures that may be built on these parcels would be out of character for the predominately single-story neighborhood and that additional traffic from the possible subdivision would exacerbate the existing traffic in this neighborhood. At the City Council meeting of June 5, 2001, Harry Oberhelman III spoke under Oral Requests and expressed concerns regarding residential density in the North Central Campbell Neighborhood including impacts on traffic, aesthetics and character of the existing neighborhood. ANALYSIS The North Campbell Neighborhood, like most Campbell neighborhoods, has a mixture of lot sizes. Staff has analyzed the entire single-family neighborhood in North Central Campbell (north of Hamilton Avenue and west of Highway 17) and only three of the 361 total parcels in this area are over 12,000 square feet and meet the minimum lot width requirement to be subdividable, as shown in Table 1: North Central Campbell Lot Sizes. City Council Report -July 3, 2001 North Central Campbell Neighborhood Residential Density Page 2 Table 1: North Central Ca bell Lot Sizes Lot Size (Sg. Ft.) No. ojLots % ojTotal Lots 5,760-5,999 3 0.8% 6,000-6,999 145 40.2% 7,000-7,999 25 6.9% 8,000-9,999 122 33.8% 10,000-11,999 62 17.2% 12,000-14,000 4 1.1% Total 361 100% 1. One of these parcels does not meet the minimum lot width re uired to be subdividable. City staff does not believe that the creation of a new zoning district (R-1- 7) or a zone change to R-1-8 in this area is warranted simply to prohibit the three lots that are over 12,000 square feet from possibly being subdivided in the future. The City currently does not have an R-1-7 designation. Furthermore, 41 percent of the lots in this neighborhood are less than 7,000 square feet and would be made non- conforming if the zoning were changed to R-1-7. The City currently has six single-family residential zoning designations, as shown in Table 2: Current Zoning Designations and Con esponding General Plan Designations. All of Campbell's single-family residential parcels outside the San Tomas Area Neighborhood are zoned R-1-6. '~ •. ~ ~ CCQ ,% 1 1 ~ 1 ~ ' ~ ~~~~~ ~ ~' ..~; 5 i 1 f Z D D 0 N• . y. •:. Lot Sizes (Sq. Ft.} Subject ~ 5760 - 5999 Parcel 6000 - 6999 7000 - 7999 8000 - 9999 10000- 11999 '~"~` 12000 - 14000 City Council Report -July 3, 2001 North Central Campbell Neighborhood Residential Density Page 3 Table 2: Current Zoning Designations and Corresponding General Plan De i n tions Zoning District Minimum Net Lot Size S . Ft. General Plan Designation R-1-6 6 000 Low Densi Res. < 6 units/ . ac R-1-8 8 000 Low Densi Res. <4.5 units/ r. ac R-1-9 9 000 Low Densi Res. < 4.5 units/ r. ac R-1- ] 0 10 000 Low De si Res. < 3. units/ . ac R-1-12 12 000 Low Densi Res. <3.5 units/ . ac R-1-16 16 000 Low Densi Res. < 3. units/ . ac Neighborhood Compatibility Issue Mr. Oberhelman argues that 6,000 squaze foot lots aze not compatible with the neighborhood. In evaluating the impact of the potential subdivision on this neighborhood, staff found that 21 % of the lots in the azea aze 6,100 square feet or less. Staff used the number 6,100 because if a subdivision was requested one of the potential lots could be 6,000 and the other 6,100 squaze feet in azea. This means that the lots created in a potential subdivision would be essentially the same size as one-fifth of the existing lots in the area. Potential Two-story Residences Mr. Oberhelman expresses concern about the possibility that two-story homes would be built on the lots if a subdivision occurred. He states that the neighborhood is predominately asingle- story azea. Two-story homes are allowed in all residential districts in Campbell. The Zoning Ordinance requires a greater side-yard setback for all two-story homes that results in a stepping of the second story back from the first floor building line to reduce the appazent mass of the second story. The only area in Campbell that has design guidelines to address neighborhood compatibility is the San Tomas Area Neighborhood. However, two story homes are still per fitted as long as they meet the azea's design guidelines. The Draft General Plan Update recommends prepazation of design guidelines for all single- family neighborhoods that would be applicable throughout the City but they will not be brought forwazd for approval until after the General Plan Update is adopted, if the City Council adopts the recommendation. Traffrc The additional traffic from an additional residence in this neighborhood is considered negligible. Harrison/Central/Tubby Subdivision Case; The only recent instance of a development moratorium was in Apri12000, when the City Council City Council Report -July 3, 2001 North Central Campbell Neighborhood Residential Density Page 4 adopted an Urgency Ordinance establishing a development moratorium for the Harrison/CentraUTubby Avenue azea. This case was different from the North Central Campbell Neighborhood because: • The predominant lot size in the azea was 6,000, with some lots being lazger. The lots that would be created by the proposed project were 3,500 square feet in area, almost half the size of adjacent lots. • The General Plan density would have allowed four apartment units for this Multiple Family Residential (R-M-S) Zoned property. The developer proposed a Zone Change from (R-M-S) to Planned Development (PD) to allow two small-lot, single-family homes instead of apartments. Since apartments were a permitted use in this district, possible widespread RMS development could drastically change the chazacter of this neighborhood of predominately single-family homes on 6,000 squaze foot lots. Lot-Split Ordinance Under current provisions of the Zoning Ordinance, the findings to approve a Pazcel Map (minor subdivisions to create 5 or fewer parcels) aze minimal and do not allow discretion to deny a small subdivision for reasons of neighborhood compatibility. Also, in the R-1-6 District, the construction of asingle-family home requires only compliance with the setback and height limitations of the district. There is no discretion on the part of the Community Development Director or Planning Commission to review the azchitecture or design of the development. In a telephone conversation with staff, Mr. Oberhelman suggested that the City adopt a discretionary lot-split ordinance that requires a finding of neighborhood compatibility to approve a lot split. A finding to approve a map under such an ordinance could read that lots created in existing subdivisions must have a minimum lot azea that is not less than the average of the lots in the same block face. Staff is not familiar with this type of ordinance and would need to do further research to respond to this issue. If such a requirement were adopted, it would increase staff time to research, evaluate and process parcel map applications. Additional Considerations Staff is aware of another neighborhood that objects to a possible subdivision on the basis of neighborhood compatibility. Approval of the requested moratorium could encourage requests for rezoning in other neighborhoods. ALTERNATIVES 1. Authorize staff: a. To prepare a development moratorium that prohibits subdivisions that would result in parcels that aze less than 7,000 square feet in the North Central Campbell neighborhood; b. To prepare aCity-initiated zone change in the North Central Campbell Neighborhood properties to either R-1-7,000 or R-1-8,000, and c. To prepare an Ordinance establishing development standazds for the new zoning district City Council Report -July 3, 2001 North Central Campbell Neighborhood Residential Density Page 5 that could include design guidelines. (This is the only alternative that would preserve the status quo of the neighborhood to allow staff to provide additional information and/or to bring forth zoning amendments. Since the General Plan Update and Environmental Analysis is in progress, the amendment would need to be prepared separately and a separate environmental assessment performed.) 2. Authorize the Community Development Department staff'. a. To process aCity-initiated zone change in the North Central Campbell Neighborhood properties to either R-1-7,000 or R-1-8,000, and b. To prepaze an Ordinance establishing development standazds for the new zoning district that could include design guidelines. (This alternative does not include a development moratorium and would leave the North Central Avenue properties vulnerable to subdivision and development if such an application were processed prior to Council action on the matter.) 3. Continue the matter and direct staff to prepare additional information that the Council deems necessary to make a determination on the merits of a moratorium or zone change. (This alternative would leave the North Central Avenue properties vulnerable to subdivision and development if such an application were processed prior to Council action on the matter.) FISCAL IMPACTS The fiscal impacts from the proposed alternatives are in terms of the cost for staff to prepaze the amendments. Research and Ordinance prepazation consume a substantial amount of time. For example, the research and preparation of this report took approximately 20 hours. To prepare the requested amendments, staff estimates it would take at least 60 hours. This is at a time when the Community Development Department staff is very busy preparing the General Plan Update, Environmental Impact Report and Housing Element Update for review and adoption hearings in addition to processing current development applications. AttarhmPntc• 1. Letter to City Council Members Submitted by Harry Oberhelman III and Other Residents in the North Central Campbell Neighborhood Regarding North Central Campbell Residential Density. Prepared by: ~u~na~ Sharon Fierro, Community Development Director Approved by: Be and o~ny, City Manager Attachment #1 Harry Oberhelman III 346 David. Ave. Campbell, CA 95008 4os-37oas~2 May 16, 2001 ~ECENED City Council City of Campbell 70 North First Street Campbell, CA 95008 ' - DF ~~pg~,1.i. C~~NN~N~ pEpT. Subject: North Central Campbell Residential Density Dear City Council Members: RECEIVED MAY 31 2001 CITY OF CAMPBELL CIiY MANAGER'S OFRCE /~, , ~~~ ~~ We are Campbell residents ~a~ho reside in the North Cenn-al Campbell Area on David Ave and North Cenh•al. We are deeply concerned with maintaining the existing residential density in this area against a threatened parcel split which would result in two 6000 square foot building sites. We are requesting the City Council to take steps to increase the existing zoning in this neighborhood of Campbell to a level which would conform with the existing parcel sizes and to prohibit further subdivision of existing developed parcels. VVe are immediate neighbors of the property located at 761 North Central Ave., APN: 279-2 ~-047, which is an approximately 12,000 net square foot corner lot (David and North Central). It is improved with a single family dwelling, built in 1954. We have learned that the o~i>;ers intend to relocate out of the area and wish to split their property into two lots or to sell to a developer ~~ho will do so. All the parcels in this North Cenn-al area are all developed and exceed 7000 square feet, except h~ o, and most exceed 8000 square feet ~~~ith some ranging up to 12000 square feet. L`ndei- the cun~ent general plan (6.0 units per gross acre) and zoning (R-1-6000) the property at 761 North Central can be approved for a lot split and construction of another single family dwelling as a ministerial action without any consideration of the impact on the neighborhood. The resulting parcels will be substantially smaller than the existing neighborhood. A 2000 square foot home will most likely require two stories to fit on the 6000 square foot lot. Two stories are out of character with the neighborhood. Further, additional traffic will be created exacerbating the existing traffic volumes and patterns on the CentraUDavid/Monica streets. Cih Council Yage 2 Mai' 16, 2!101 We bear no animosity against our neighbors at 761 North Central. They are good friends who have improved and maintained their property as a flowering centerpiece in the neighborhood. However they are leaving Campbell and we will have to live with the increased density proposed for this parcel. We are requesting our city representatives to take steps to prevent further subdivision of the existing developed residential parcels in our North Central neighborhood by authorizing city staff to process a zoning amendment to denrease the density of our neighborhood to R-1-7000. Rezoning would be consistent with the existing general plan (6 or less units per gross acre) and, with two exceptions, not make the existing residences non conforming. We also ask that the City Council to consider imposing a moratorium on subdivisions in this neighborhood until the rezoning can be properly considered. Thank-you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, ; Hare-~ & Leslie Oberhelman III ___-~ 33) n~l.'[P (~u~ Gl'~+'-~lpl3h L~ GL.~I.3or Gi ~7Y ~ ~~ ~ ~`c ~ ~--/vim cc Director of Cpmmunity Development