CITY OF SAN JOSÉ, CALIFORNIA

Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement

801 North First Street, Room 400

San José, California 95110-1795

Hearing Date/Agenda Number

P.C. 3-26-03     Item:. 3.f.

 

File Number

PDC 02-085

STAFF REPORT

Application Type

Planned Development Rezoning

 

Council District

2

 

Planning Area

Edenvale

 

Assessor's Parcel Number(s)

678-53-002

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Completed by:  Jeff Roche

Location: Easterly side of Monterey Highway, approximately 100 feet southerly of Blossom Hill Road (5502 Monterey Highway)

Gross Acreage:  9.15

Net Acreage:  9.15

Net Density: n/a

Existing Zoning:  A(PD) Planned Development

Existing Use: Retail Commercial

Proposed Zoning:  A(PD) Planned Development

Proposed Use:  Approximately 5,150 square foot stockroom expansion to an existing retail building.

GENERAL PLAN

Completed by:  JR

Land Use/Transportation Diagram Designation

Neighborhood/Community Commercial

Project Conformance:

[ X ] Yes      [  ] No

[  ] See Analysis and Recommendations

SURROUNDING LAND USES AND ZONING

Completed by:  JR

North:        Blossom Hill Road, Mobilehome Park                                   R-MH Mobilehome Park

East:         Residential                                                                                  R-M (PD) Planned Development

South:       Retail/Shopping Center                                                        A (PD) Planned Development

West:        Monterey Highway, Union Pacific Railroad tracks                IP – Industrial Park

ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS

Completed by: JR

[ ] Environmental Impact Report found complete on

[ ] Negative Declaration circulated

[ ] Negative Declaration adopted

[X] Exempt

[  ] Environmental Review Incomplete

FILE HISTORY

Completed by: JR

Annexation Title:  Monterey Park No. 41

Date:  12/14/1961

PLANNING DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTION

[X] Approval

[ ] Approval with Conditions

 

Date:  _________________________

Approved by:  ____________________________

[   ] Action

[X] Recommendation

OWNER                                                             DEVELOPER

Pan Pacific Realty Corp                                            Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Attn: Terri Roche, Property Manager                       2001 S. E. 10th

1631-B South Melrose Drive                                    Bentonville, AR 72712

Vista, CA 92082                                                 

PUBLIC AGENCY COMMENTS RECEIVED

Completed by: Jeff Roche

Department of Public Works

 

See attached memorandum.

 

Other Departments and Agencies

 

See attached memorandum from the Fire Department.

 

GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE

 

None received

ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

The applicant, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., is proposing to rezone the subject 9.15 acre site which is a portion of an existing shopping center, from A (PD) Planned Development to A (PD) Planned Development, to allow an approximately 5,150 square foot stockroom expansion to an existing retail building.  A new Planned Development Zoning is required for this proposal because the prior Planned Development Zoning included a total square footage allowable for the entire shopping center.  Although this request is for additional storage area only, the new total floor area would exceed the total shown in the existing zoning.

 

Surrounding land uses include a mobile home park (across Blossom Hill Road) to the north, residential to the east, retail/shopping center to the south, and Monterey Highway and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks to the west.

 

PUBLIC OUTREACH

 

Notices of the public hearings were distributed to the owners and tenants of all properties located within 1,000 feet of the subject site. Staff has been available to discuss the project with interested members of the public.  Staff has received one inquiry from an adjoining residential neighbor regarding day-to-day operations of the existing retail facility.

 

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

 

The Director of Planning has determined that this project is exempt from further environmental review under the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). CEQA Guidelines include an exemption (Section 15301(e)(2)) for projects that consist of minor additions or modifications to existing structures.

 

GENERAL PLAN CONFORMANCE

 

The proposed rezoning is consistent with the San José 2020 General Plan Land Use/Transportation Diagram designation of Neighborhood/Community Commercial.

 

 

ANALYSIS

 

The primary issue associated with this proposal is site design.

 

Site Design

 

The project developer is proposing to add a stockroom/storage area onto the westerly end of the existing retail building, adjacent to the existing truck docks/loading areas.  This portion of the site was chosen to be proximate to this loading area and to minimize potential impacts of an addition on the residences to the east.  A masonry wall currently exists along the site’s boundary with Blossom Hill Road and its associated on- and off-ramps.  As shown on the project plans, this new stockroom area would allow the consolidation of existing storage that is occurring elsewhere on the site in unscreened containers.  Truck circulation into this loading/stockroom storage area is shown on the project plans and has been designed to allow smooth circulation into and out of the new facility.  New dense landscape materials, including trees, are proposed along the northwesterly side of the site, to help screen this facility from the adjoining public streets.  Placement of the stockroom expansion in this location will also serve to screen the service area of the project from the customer parking lot of the shopping center.

 

In terms of architecture, staff has concluded that the building forms, massing and materials have been designed to blend in with the existing retail building.  A total of 472 on-site parking spaces are proposed, while only 459 parking spaces are required by the Zoning Code.  Staff has determined that the parking ratios for retail space and storage space being proposed by the project are in conformance with City Code requirements for commercial uses.  For all of these reasons, staff has concluded that as proposed, the site design is acceptable and in keeping City standards, and that the additional storage area will result in an improved visual condition across the subject site.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

Planning Staff recommends that the Planning Commission recommend approval of the proposed Planned Development Rezoning for the following reasons:

 

1.      The proposed project is consistent with the San José 2020 General Plan Land Use/Transportation Diagram designation of Neighborhood/Community Commercial.

2.      The proposed rezoning is compatible with existing and proposed uses on the adjacent and neighboring properties.

3.      The proposed stockroom expansion has been designed to blend in with the existing retail building in terms of building form, massing, and materials.

4.      The proposed rezoning will facilitate the orderly indoor storage of goods and merchandise, which are currently stored outdoors in containers.

 

c:    Janson Ting, CEI Engineering Associates, Inc., 4237 West Swift Avenue, Fresno, CA 93722

      Barry McNeill, PBA Architects, 301 West Chestnut, Rogers, AR 72756