PC Resolution-16-07-26-08PC RESOLUTION NO. 16-07-26-8
GRADING PLAN MODIFICATION (GPM) 16-006
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAN JUAN
CAPISTRANO, CALIFORNIA APPROVING GRADING PLAN MODIFICATION (GPM)
16-006, INN AT THE MISSION SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO FOR A NEW HOTEL WITH
124 ROOMS, A RESTAURANT, BANQUET FACILITIES, GARDEN PLAZA,
SWIMMING POOL, KIDS CLUB AND FITNESS CENTER LOCATED AT 26891
ORTEGA HIGHWAY (ASSESSOR PARCEL NUMBERS 124-170-12, 14, 15, &
16)(APPLICANT: DAN FRIESS, MISSION COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, INC.).
Whereas, Dan Friess, Mission Commercial Properties, Inc., on behalf of
South Coast Investors II, LLC, 31866 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, CA
92675 (the "Applicant"), has requested approval of GPM 16-006, a grading modification
that proposes to create a finished pad with the same general configuration and to
accommodate underground parking for a new hotel to include 124 rooms, a restaurant,
banquet facilities, garden plaza , swimming pool, kids club and fitness center (the
"Modified Project"). The proposed project is a modification to the previously approved
Plaza Banderas Hotel (GPM 10-001) project located at 26891 Ortega Highway and is
generally located at the northeast corner of Ortega Highway and El Camino Real; and,
Whereas, on October 19, 2010, the City Council approved a General Plan
Amendment to the land use designation (GPA 10-001) and approved the Plaza
Banderas Hotel Comprehensive Development Plan (COP 10-01) within a Planned
Community (PC); and,
Whereas, on October 19, 2010, the City Council approved a Rezone to
the City's Zoning Map (RZ 10-001) and approved the Plaza Banderas Hotel
Comprehensive Development Plan (COP 10-01) within a Planned Community (PC);
and,
Whereas, South Coast Investors II, LLC, 31866 Camino Capistrano, San
Juan Capistrano, CA 92675, are the owners of real property located at Assessor's
Parcel Numbers 24-170-12, 14, 15, & 16; and,
Whereas, the GPM 16-006 has been processed pursuant to Section 9-
2.301, Development Review of the Land Use Code; and,
Whereas, pursuant to section 21067 of the Public Resources Code, and
section 15367 of the State CEQA Guidelines (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15000 et seq.),
the City of San Juan Capistrano is the lead agency for the Modified Project, including
GPM 16-006; and,
Whereas, on July 26, 2016, the Planning Commission approved an
Addendum to the Final EIR for the Plaza Banderas Hotel Project (SCH# 2010051075)
for the Modified Project, which includes this GPM 16-006. The Addendum fully
PC Resolution 16-07-26-8 2 July 26. 2016
disclosed the changes and additions that were made to the Plaza Banderas Hotel
Project EIR to make it applicable to the Modified Project, including GPM 16-006; and,
Whereas, the Design Review Committee (DRC) reviewed the plans on February
11, 2016, March 24, 2016, April 14, 2016, May 12, 2016 and June 9, 2016 and
recommended that the item move forward to the Planning Commission; and,
Whereas, the Planning Commission conducted a duly-noticed public hearing on
July 26, 2016 pursuant to Title 9, Land Use Code, Section 9-2.302 and City Council
Policy 5 to consider public testimony on the proposed project and has considered all
relevant public comments.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Planning Commission
of the City of San Juan Capistrano does hereby find that the Addendum to the Final EIR
for the Plaza Banderas Hotel Project (SCH#201 0051 075) fully and completely
addresses any and all environmental impacts associated with the Modified Project,
including GPM16-006, and that no further environmental review is required before the
Planning Commission approves GPM16-006; and,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Planning
Commission of the City of San Juan Capistrano does hereby make the following
findings as established by Section 9-2 .323 of Title 9, Land Use Code of the City of San
Juan Capistrano in support of Grading Plan Modification (GPM) 16-006:
1. The proposed grading modifications are consistent with the General Plan, Land Use
Code, Design Guidelines, and applicable specific plan or comprehensive
development, including but not limited to requirements for ridgeline protection,
natural landform grading, minimizing use and height of retaining walls, and effective
use of landscaping for erosion control and aesthetics because the provisions that
regulate grading within the General Plan, Land Use Code and Architectural Design
Guidelines are embodied in the Comprehensive Development Plan's provisions
related to grading which provides that grading shall adhere to the following
standards:
2) Grading
a. Landform preservation should shape and guide site development of
commercial proposals. Grading should not substantially alter natural
grades to increase the area of developable land.
b. Innovative grading concepts such as contour grading that incorporate use
of variable slopes and meandering tops and toes of slopes techniques
are encouraged. Smooth, gradual transitions between manufactured and
natural slopes are recommended.
c. Use of retaining walls should be minimized. Where use of retaining walls
cannot be avoided, they should be screened to the maximum extent
possible and use of plantable retaining walls systems or vine-covered
walls should be employed as part of the design solution.
PC Resolution 16-07-26-8 3 July 26. 2016
The existing grades on-site vary by roughly 8 to 10 feet across the property with
existing grades at the west end of the property generally matching the existing
grades at the west end of the property (120 to 123 feet above mean sea level) and
dropping roughly 8 to 10 feet below existing surrounding grades at the east end of
the property (113 to 116 feet above mean sea level); and as a result , a large portion
of the east side of the property is situated in an 8 to 10 foot deep "hole." The 2010
approved Grading Plan Modification proposed to fill the east end of the property both
to raise the proposed building pad above the 100 year floodplain associated with El
Horno Creek and to match the existing grade at the west end of the property,
resulting in a flat, buildable pad.
The proposed grading modification proposes to create a finished pad with the same
general configuration. The grading concept is proposed to accommodate
underground parking, eliminating the need for substantial import of fill material from
off-site. The finished first floor elevation of the proposed hotel matches the finished
grade at the corner of Ortega Highway and El Camino Real. Thus, the proposed
grading does not substantially alter natural grades to increase the area of
developable land, but rather to create the same pad configuration, as previously
approved, but without the need for significant import of fill material. More importantly,
the proposed finished pad elevation is essentially the same as that previously
approved by the City for the Plaza Banderas Hotel project.
Through the proposed grading concept of incorporating underground parking, the
proposed project not only provides sufficient parking to serve the hotel use but also
visitors to the downtown area and reduces the air emission impacts and removes
truck hauling import from the road . Furthermore, the plantable retaining walls along
the interior of the driveway and along El Horno Creek have been minimized and the
manufactured slope will be internally facing at the southeast corner of the property
and will be appropriately landscaped.
2. The proposed grading modifications are generally consistent with the approved site
plan, preliminary grading plan, landscape plan, grading standards, and design
concepts of the original project as approved by the reviewing authority because with
the exception of the grading modification to accommodate the underground parking,
the proposed grading concept for the site is substantially consistent with the
previously approved Grading Plan Modification for the Plaza Banderas Hotel project.
3. The proposed grading will remain consistent and compatible with immediately-
adjacent lots or units, including but not limited to blending of slopes with adjacent
property boundaries, rounding of slopes at both top and bottom to blend the grading
into the existing terrain, and a design which harmonizes the design with the natural
contours of the property and surrounding lots because the proposed grading
modification is limited to creating the proposed underground parking garage and
essentially conforms to the previously approved Grading Plan Modification for the
Plaza Banderas Hotel project, remains compatible with immediately-adjacent lots,
and harmonizes the grading design with the natural contours of the property and
surrounding lots. The grading concept seeks to match existing grades at both Ortega
PC Resolution 16-07-26-8 4 July 26. 2016
Highway and El Camino Real so as to create the street frontage envisioned by the
Historic Town Center Master Plan.
4. The proposed modified grading plan shows the location of any proposed building
footprints which shall meet all required minimum setbacks for building as defined in
the applicable zone district, and minimum setbacks from the tops and toes of slopes,
as defined by Section 9-4.313, Graded Slopes, because the Comprehensive
Development Plan requires that all proposed buildings situated between 0 and 30
feet from the public right-of-way (ROW) be limited to a maximum height of no greater
than 30 feet. However, the COP allows the proposed hotel building to have a
maximum height of 45 feet while providing a minimum setback of 30 feet. The
proposed restaurant building has been designed to maintain a maximum height of
30 feet, while the proposed hotel, with a maximum height of 45 feet, provides a
minimum setback at the southeast corner of the building (proposed turret element) of
30 feet. Therefore, the modified grading plan and site plan conform to all building
height and setback provisions of the Comprehensive Development Plan.
5. The proposed modified grading will not cause adverse impacts to other properties,
including but not limited to potential impacts on hydrology, water quality, views, trail
easements, or other aspects of development because the proposed grading
modification to accommodate the underground parking garage will not cause
adverse impacts to other properties. The proposed modified site plan eliminates the
previously approved one-story restaurant building and therefore reduces the building
massing along El Camino Real and adjacent to the Great Stone Church ruins . The
one-story restaurant building is replaced with an open plaza on the corner of El
Camino Real and Ortega Highway and an enclosed (fenced) garden plaza.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Planning
Commission of the City of San Juan Capistrano hereby approves Grading Plan
Modification (GPM) 16-001, subject to those applicable conditions of approval
established in the Administrative Record, specifically City Council Resolution # 10-1 0-
05-05. However, Grading Plan Modification (GPM) 16-006 shall not be effective unless
and until the Architectural Control (AC) 15-035, and Amendment to the Plaza Banderas
Hotel Comprehensive Development Plan (COP) 10-01 are approved.
CUSTODIAN OF RECORDS: The documents and materials associated
with this Resolution that constitute the record of proceedings on which these findings
are based are located at San Juan Capistrano City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, San
Juan Capistrano, California 92675. The Development Services Director is the custodian
of the record of proceedings.
PROTEST OF FEES, DEDICATIONS, RESERVATIONS OR OTHER
EXACTIONS: Pursuant to Government Code Section 66020, the applicant may protest
the imposition of fees, dedications, reservations or other exactions imposed on this
development project by taking the necessary steps and following the procedures
established by Sections 66020 through 66022 of the California Government Code.
PC Resolution 16-07-26-8 5 Ju ly 26. 2016
SIGNATURE PAGE TO PC RESOLUTION NO. 16-07-26-8
PASSED, APPROVED AND A OPTED this 26th day of July, 2016.
Mark Speros, Cha1r
~
Sergio Klotz, AICP, Assistant Development Services
Director/Secretary