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C.135

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	John Kopchik, Director, Conservation & Development Department
Date:	September 12, 2017

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Discovery Bay Multi-Family Project

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 09/12/2017

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) 674-7791

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: September 12, 2017
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

1. AUTHORIZE a General Plan Amendment (GPA) study to consider changing the General Plan land use designation from "Commercial" (CO) to "Multiple-Family Residential Medium-Density" (MM) for a portion of the 9.517-acre parcel located at 1520 Discovery Bay Boulevard in the Discovery Bay area, Assessor's Parcel Number 004-182-006.

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

FISCAL IMPACT:

None. If authorization is granted, the applicant will pay application fees to cover the cost of processing the GPA study.

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Conservation and Development is in receipt of a letter from Mr. Jim Hildenbrand of Hofmann Land Development Company (HLD) requesting a GPA study involving the parcel located at 1520 Discovery Bay Boulevard in the Discovery Bay area. (Attachment A) The subject parcel is designated CO on the General Plan Land Use Element Map and zoned Planned Unit District (P-1). The letter requests that the General Plan land use designation for the site be changed from CO to MM to allow development of a multi-family residential project. Staff understands that HLD intends to construct apartments. If the Board authorizes the GPA study, HLD will then file an application for a Final Development Plan to allow review of the design and layout of the project.

Attached for the Board's consideration under Attachments B and C is a map showing the existing and proposed General Plan land use designations and an aerial photo of the site and its surroundings. The subject site is generally rectangular, flat, and mostly vacant. The site is surrounded by commercial uses to the north, the Discovery Bay Community Center and a vacant parcel to the east, single-family residences to the south, and multiple-family residences to the west.

In staff's opinion, the GPA study request warrants consideration. The subject site has been designated CO for several decades, but has never been fully built-out. Most commercial and retail activity in Discovery Bay has been focused at Sandy Cove Shopping Center since it opened in the early 2000's. In 2009 the Board authorized a GPA study for HLD to pursue a mixed-use project on the subject site; however, representatives of HLD have indicated that the commercial component of such a project -- small, neighborhood-serving businesses -- are not economically viable. Thus it appears that a multi-family project may be the only realistic use of the property at this time. Given the relative lack of multi-family housing in Discovery Bay and the East County area in general, staff recommends that the GPA study be authorized. Staff also recommends that the authorization include direction for HLD to design the project so that the front building facades face the adjacent streets. The intersection of Discovery Bay Boulevard and Sand Point Road is one of the more prominent in the community and from a community-design perspective, it is important that the project not "turn its back" on the intersection. Preferably the project would also include a decorative and welcoming design element at the intersection, such as a fountain, sculpture, landscaped seating area, etc.

Staff emphasizes that authorization for this study does not imply the Board's support or endorsement for the application to amend the General Plan, but only that this matter is appropriate for study.

Staff notes that if authorized by the Board, the application for a GPA study will be administratively closed after one year if the associated application for a Final Development Plan has not been submitted.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If the Board declines the request to authorize a GPA study, then an application to amend the General Plan cannot be filed and the site will retain its CO land use designation. The proposed multi-family residential project could not move forward.