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C. 51
To: Board of Supervisors
From: John Kopchik, Director, Conservation & Development Department
Date: August  2, 2022
The Seal of Contra Costa County, CA
Contra
Costa
County
Subject: Pacheco Apartments General Plan Amendment Authorization

APPROVE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On:   08/02/2022
APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:
John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor
Contact: Will Nelson (925) 655-2898
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED:     August  2, 2022
Monica Nino, County Administrator
 
BY: , Deputy

 

RECOMMENDATION(S):

1. AUTHORIZE initiation a General Plan amendment (GPA) process to consider changing the General Plan land use designation from Commercial (CO) to Multiple-Family Residential Very High-Special Density (MS) for a 6.84-acre grouping of parcels located at 4961 Pacheco Boulevard in the Pacheco area, Assessor's Parcel Nos. 159-210-004, 159-210-039, 159-210-042, 159-210-043. (County File #GP22-0002)   
  

2. ACKNOWLEDGE that granting this authorization does not imply any sort of endorsement for an application to amend the General Plan, but only that the matter is appropriate for consideration.

FISCAL IMPACT:

None. If the authorization is granted, the project applicant will pay application fees to cover the cost of processing the GPA and associated development applications.



BACKGROUND:

On May 3, 2022, the Department of Conservation and Development (DCD) received application materials from Newell Arnerich, AD Architects Inc., describing a proposed 305-unit housing project in the Pacheco area (Attachment A). The subject site is designated CO on the General Plan Land Use Element Map and zoned M-29 Multiple-Family Residential District (M-29), R-7 Single-Family Residential District (R-7), and Retail Business District (R-B). The applicant requests adoption of a GPA to redesignate the site from CO to MS, with an accompanying rezone to Planned Unit District (P-1). Attachment B illustrates the existing and proposed General Plan designations; Attachment C illustrates the existing and proposed zoning.   
  
The subject site is an assemblage of four parcels totaling 6.84 developable acres, occupying an area between Pacheco Boulevard and Interstate 680 in Pacheco. The site is mostly flat and developed with an expansive surface parking lot and abandoned building. The surrounding area is transitional, containing a mix of residential (primarily multi-family) and heavy commercial/light industrial uses. Attachment D is an aerial photo of the site and its surroundings.  

The requested GPA would support development of a 305-unit multi-family housing project with a density of up to approximately 47 units per net acre. The units (studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom) are proposed within two three-story and two four-story buildings located toward the site’s interior. The buildings would be U-shaped, with amenities (pool and spa, bocce court, outdoor seating, barbecues, etc.) provided in the center courtyards. The four-story buildings would also be outfitted with rooftop decks. Covered parking is proposed around the perimeter and a small private park is proposed at the site’s extreme northern end adjacent to the freeway. The primary access would be from Pacheco Boulevard, with secondary access from Blum Road.  
  
The subject site is within the Pacheco/North Concord Priority Production Area (PPA) designated by the Board of Supervisors in December 2019 and subsequently adopted by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) Executive Board. PPAs are a pilot program developed by the ABAG/Metropolitan Transportation Commission as part of Plan Bay Area 2050 aimed at supporting industrial clusters and promoting job creation close to affordable housing. Non-industrial uses are allowed within PPAs, but their development should support the overarching purpose of the PPA and not hinder industrial growth. The subject site is on the boundary of the approximately seven-square-mile PPA. The proposed project would bring affordable housing opportunities closer to jobs without intruding upon the large swaths of industrial land that are anticipated as the primary job-generating areas within the PPA.  
  
  
Staff recommends authorizing the GPA process for the following reasons:  
  • The County’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) for the upcoming 6th Housing Cycle is 7,610 units 58 percent of which must be in the moderate-, low-, or very-low-income categories. The project proposes 47 deed-restricted low-affordability units, satisfying approximately 4 percent of the County’s 1,194-unit low-income allocation.
  • The project is consistent with General Plan policies encouraging development of infill sites where urban services are already available.
  • The site is proximate to uses that support residential development. It is within walking distance of a preschool, post office, and the Pacheco Transit Hub, and a short drive (approximately two miles or less) from Hidden Valley Elementary School and adjacent parks, Kaiser Hospital Martinez, and several shopping centers in Martinez and Pleasant Hill.
  • The site has good local and regional accessibility, as it is approximately one-quarter mile from the Interstate 680/State Route 4 interchange and located along two County Connection bus routes that each connect to BART and Martinez Amtrak.
  
Staff notes that the project is extremely close to Interstate 680, with Building A proposed within feet of the freeway right-of-way. Building A’s height combined with its closeness to the freeway may be visually intrusive, but more importantly, the entire project likely would expose residents to toxic air contaminants emitted from the freeway. This is anticipated to become less significant over time as electric vehicles gain in popularity and emissions decline. To address the interim period, staff recommends that this GPA authorization include direction for the project applicant/owner to:  
  • Provide superior air filtration (MERV 13 equivalent or higher) within the buildings.
  • Notify future residents of the potential health risks associated with living adjacent to a freeway.
  • Explore options for providing additional setback for Building A.
  
Staff notes that the project proposes to line the Pacheco Boulevard frontage with parking, which is generally considered aesthetically displeasing in terms of urban design. Landscaping and other improvements depicted in Attachment A may not provide adequate mitigation. Staff recommends that this GPA authorization include direction for the project to provide a visually appealing frontage that enhances the Pacheco Boulevard streetscape.   
  
Finally, staff emphasizes that a vote by the Board of Supervisors to authorize initiation of the GPA process merely indicates that the matter is appropriate for further consideration and should not be misconstrued as an approval of the proposed project.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If the Board decides not to authorize initiation of the GPA process, then an application to amend the General Plan cannot be filed and the subject site will retain its CO land use designation. The proposed residential project would not be able to proceed.

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