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. 4-23-03 Item:. 3.e.
						File Number PDC 03-002
	STAFF REPORT					Application Type Planned Development Rezoning
						Council District 2
						Planning Area Edenvale
						Assessor's Parcel Number(s) 684-39-004
	PROJECT DESCRIPTION:					Completed by: Jeff Roche
	Location: Easterly side of Monterey Highway, approximately 950 feet northerly of Blossom Hill Road (5350 Monterey Road)
	Gross Acreage: 0.45	Net Acreage: 0.45				Net Density: n/a
	Existing Zoning: LI – Light Industrial		Existing Use: Abandoned Gasoline Service Station
	Proposed Zoning: A(PD) Planned Development			Proposed Use: Up to 15 attached, affordable residential units.
	GENERAL PLAN					Completed by: JR
	Land Use/Transportation Diagram Designation Medium Low Density Residential ( 8.0 DU/AC)					Project Conformance: [ X ] Yes [ ] No [ x ] See Analysis and Recommendations
	SURROUNDING LAND USES AND ZONING					Completed by: JR
	North: Attached Residential A (PD) Planned Development
	East: Attached Residential A (PD) Planned Development
	South: Attached Residential A (PD) Planned Development
	West: Monterey Highway, Union Pacific Railroad tracks R-1-8 (PD) Planned Development
	ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS					Completed by: JR
	[ ] Environmental Impact Report found complete on [ x ] Negative Declaration circulated on March 17, 2003 [ ] Negative Declaration adopted					[ ] Exempt [ ] Environmental Review Incomplete
	FILE HISTORY					Completed by: JR
	Annexation Title: Monterey Park No. 22					Date: 12/14/1956
	PLANNING DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTION
	[X] Approval [ ] Approval with Conditions	Date: _________________________				Approved by: ____________________________ [ ] Action [X] Recommendation
	OWNER DEVELOPER
	Ebrhim & Shahla Kaabipour Christine Benguiat 12600 Saratoga Avenue Eden Housing, Inc. Saratoga, CA 95070 409 Jackson Street Hayward, CA 94544
PUBLIC AGENCY COMMENTS RECEIVED					Completed by: Jeff Roche
Department of Public Works See attached memorandum.
Other Departments and Agencies See attached memoranda from the Fire Department, Environmental Services Department, and letters from the State of California, Department of Toxic Substances Control and Great Oaks Water Company.
GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE
None received
ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

BACKGROUND

The project developer, Eden Housing, Inc., is proposing to rezone the subject 0.45-acre site, from LI Light Industrial to A (PD) Planned Development, to facilitate the construction of up to 15 attached, affordable residential units (including one residential manager unit). The new facility will include one-and two-bedroom units, ranging in size from approximately 600 square feet to 830 square feet. The facility also includes a manager’s unit, a community room in the central portion of the building and offices for on-site independent living, job and employment training and services. Common open space is provided in the form of an outdoor patio located adjacent to the proposed community room. The proposed building is two stories in height with hardboard siding.

The project is designed to serve persons with developmental disabilities who are functionally able and for whom independent living is appropriate. Working in collaboration with independent living organizations such the San Andreas Regional Center (SARC) and HOPE, the project developer will provide a full range of supportive services and independent living instruction for their tenants. Some of these services will be provided off-site and others on-site. The facility is designed to provide a supportive environment that will encourage residents to overcome the isolation they might experience living with family or in a more restricted environment, thus enabling them to participate more fully in the community.

A former gasoline service station (ca 1965) and associated improvements currently existing on the project site are proposed for removal. Surrounding land uses include attached residential uses (Eden Palms Apartments) to the north, east, and 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 500 feet of the subject site. Staff has been available to discuss the project with interested members of the public.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

An Initial Study was prepared and a Draft Negative Declaration was circulated for the proposed Planned Development Rezoning. The Initial Study addressed land use, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, geology, hazardous materials, water quality, noise, services and traffic and concluded that the project would not result in a significant environmental impact. All underground gasoline tanks have been removed and the site has been cleaned up in conformance with applicable soil and water quality standards.

GENERAL PLAN CONFORMANCE

The proposed project site has a General Plan Land Use designation of Medium Low Density Residential (8 DU/AC). One of the goals of the General Plan is to encourage the development of housing units affordable to low- and moderate-income households. The Discretionary Alternate Use Policy for 100% Affordable Housing states that “…. development of housing at any density may be allowed under a Planned Development Zoning if such housing in its entirety is 1) rental or ownership housing affordable to very low-, low- or moderate-income households, and 2) proposed for a site and with a density compatible with surrounding land use designations. The proposed project density of 33 units per acre is compatible with that of the existing residential project surrounding the site which is developed at a density of approximately 25 units per acre. As proposed, staff has concluded that the project will provide affordable housing to people of very low-, low- and moderate-income households and is compatible with the surrounding neighborhood. For these reasons, staff has concluded that the proposed rezoning is consistent with the San José 2020 General Plan Land Use/Transportation Diagram designation of Medium Low Density Residential (8.0 DU/AC) and associated policies of the General Plan.

ANALYSIS

The primary issue associated with this proposal is site design. The site design considerations for this project focused on compatibility with the adjacent residential development, access, noise and parking.

Compatibility with Adjacent Development. Site design for the project was driven by the fact that this small site is surrounded on three sides by an existing multifamily residential project and by the desire to integrate the new development with the existing project. No parking lot setbacks are proposed for the interior property lines to facilitate this integration. Staff has concluded that given the articulation of the westerly building elevation (facing Monterey Highway) and that the proposed building footprint is generally between 14 and 18 feet from the property line, a 10-foot minimum setback is acceptable and will be compatible with the existing neighborhood. The proposed building forms, massing and materials have been designed to blend in with the existing residential buildings that wrap around the site.

Access. The preferred primary access to the site (as shown on the project plans) is from existing driveways within the adjacent Eden Palms Apartment project. Under this scheme, emergency vehicle only access is provided directly to Monterey Highway at the southeasterly corner of the project site (over turf block). In case the applicant is not successful in achieving shared access with the adjacent project, the proposed Zoning provides for an alternate scheme that would include primary site access directly from a new driveway onto Monterey Highway. Both access schemes have been reviewed by the Public Works and Transportation Departments and have been determined to be in conformance with City standards. Final design and selection of one of the schemes will be determined prior to issuance of a Planned Development Permit.

Parking. The parking requirement for this project reflects the fact that transportation for the residents of this project is anticipated to be provided by the VTA Paratransit Program. Staff believes that the proposed 7 spaces (0.46 spaces per unit) are adequate to serve the resident manager, service providers and visitors to the site.

Noise. The proposed U-shaped building was designed to allow the buildings themselves to shield the outdoor patio from Monterey Road traffic noise, minimizing the need for sound walls. A noise report prepared for the project recommends measures to attenuate interior noise levels that will be incorporated into the project design at the PD Permit stage.

Based on the above analysis, staff has concluded that the proposed project will be well integrated with the adjacent project and has been designed in conformance with City standards.

RECOMMENDATION

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

1. The proposed affordable housing project is consistent with the San José 2020 General Plan Land Use/Transportation Diagram designation of Medium Low Density Residential (8.0 DU/AC).

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

3. The proposed building has been designed to blend in with the existing residential buildings around it in terms of building form, massing, and materials.

4. The proposed rezoning will provide needed, affordable housing in the area and maximize the development potential of an in-fill site in the City.