2012 2:00:00 PM

Monday, April 9, 2012 2:00 PM
745 4th Street, Sparks, NV 89431

Planning and Zoning Public Hearings and Action Items: 8.1

Title: PCN11029- Consideration of and possible tentative approval of an amendment to the planned development handbook for Crestgate Pyramid to revise the land uses removing the senior housing and adding personal and RV storage as uses, also including but not limited to landscaping, parking, signage and other matters relating thereto located south of North McCarran Boulevard, west of Pyramid Way, east of 11th Street and located on the north and south sides of Roberta Lane.

Petitioner/Presenter: Sycamore Gardens/Karen Melby

Recommendation: Planning Commission and Community Services Department recommends City Council approve the Planned Development Handbook; see suggested motion below.

Financial Impact: N/A

Business Impact (Per NRS 237):
A Business Impact Statement is not required because this is not a rule.

Agenda Item Brief: The applicant is requesting to amend the Planned Development Handbook for Crestgate Pyramid. The applicant is requesting to remove the option of senior housing while proposing personal storage in Area 3 and RV storage in Area 4.

Background: The City Council on May 8, 1995 approved a Master Plan Amendment, zone change and tentative subdivision map. The tentative subdivision map was for development of a 52 single family residential lots and created two office parcels. The tentative map expired. On December 8, 1997, the City Council approved a Master Amendment, zone change to Planned Development (PD) which tentatively adopted the Planned Development Design Standards Handbook and a tentative subdivision map for 11 parcels. The planned development, called Crestgate Pyramid Planned Development, included a 150-unit independent living facility for senior citizens, 100-unit assisted care living facility, seven office parcels and two restaurants with low-volume retail/office uses on the 2nd floor. The Planned Development Handbook was reviewed and approved under the old process prior to the recording of Handbooks therefore on December 9, 2002, the Sparks City Council approved the final handbook for Crestgate Pyramid Planned Development that included 250 senior housing units, seven office parcels and 2 low volume commercial pads. On September 13, 2004, the City Council approved the final handbook for another amendment to the Crestgate Pyramid Planned Development. The amendment was to allow the options on Parcels D and E (now Parcels 3 and 4) of either senior apartments or a maximum of 8 office buildings. The amendment also included some minor corrections throughout the handbook. The architecture section included the proposed architectural elevations for the possible offices on Parcels D and E. Constructed in Area 1 is an auto parts store. In Area 2, there are nine office buildings constructed. Both Area 1 and Area 2 are built out. The nine office buildings are one story designed to have a residential character. Approximately 60% of the Crestgate Pyramid Planned Development is developed. On February 2, 2012, the Planning Commission approved the Master Plan Amendment to change the land use designation from Office Professional (OP) to General Commercial (GC) and forwarded a recommendation, to City Council, approving only Options 1 and 3 in the Crestgate Pyramid Planned Development Handbook based on the Findings in the Planning Commission Staff Report. The Planning Commission reviewed a master plan amendment and proposed amendments to the planned development handbook on February 2, 2012. The Planning Commission approved the master plan amendment from OP (Office Professional) to GC (General Commercial) and recommended to the City Council approval of the planned development handbook with only Options 1 and 3. On February 27, 2012, the City Council held a public hearing where they certified the master plan amendment. During the City Council hearing for the Handbook amendments, the applicant presented a new option for the development of the balance of Crestgate Pyramid Planned Development. Since the Planning Commission had not had the opportunity to review this new option, the City Council remanded the amendment to the planned development handbook back to Planning Commission with direction to the applicant that the handbook presents only the desired plans and not options. On March 15, 2012, the Planning Commission reviewed the revised Planned Development Handbook with the site plan to develop an office building along public Roberta Lane and the personal and RV storage. Planning Commission recommends approval for the revised Crestgate Pyramid Planned Development Handbook.

Analysis: This request is for tentative approval of amendments to the Crestgate Pyramid Planned Development Handbook. With Areas 1 and 2 built out, the amendments only affect Areas 3 and 4. The applicant is requesting to remove the option of senior housing while proposing personal storage with an office building along Roberta Lane in Area 3 and RV storage in Area 4. The other amendments to the Handbook include changes to signs, landscaping and architecture standards. The applicant is also proposing to install two freestanding signs with sign area for tenants. One sign, along McCarran Boulevard, would be 30 feet tall with six tenant panels. The second sign would be located on the corner of Roberta Lane and Pyramid Highway. The proposed height is 25 feet and would have six tenant spaces. The other changes to the handbook reflect the proposed new uses and establish standards for landscaping and architecture of the personal and RV Storage development. The applicant does not propose any changes to the standards for the office buildings. Planned Development Findings: PD1 The plan is consistent with the objective of furthering the public health, safety, morals and general welfare by providing for housing of all types and design. This Planned Development Amendment is removing the senior housing as an option. The amendment makes this planned development entirely office or commercial uses. PD2 The plan is consistent with the objective of furthering the public health, safety, morals and general welfare by providing for necessary commercial and industrial facilities conveniently located to the housing. The combination of an additional office building and personal storage will provide a transition between the intense activity of the adjacent shopping center and the surrounding neighborhood. Maintaining the office buildings along Roberta Lane and the personal storage in the rear will help to maintain the character of Crestgate Pyramid Planned Development. PD3 The plan is consistent with the objective of furthering the public health, safety, morals and general welfare by providing for the more efficient use of land and public or private services. The personal and RV storage will require minimal need for public services and less need than more offices or the senior housing would have required. PD4 The plan is consistent with the objective of furthering the public health, safety, morals and general welfare by providing for changes in technology of land development so that resulting economies may be available to those in need of homes. The proposed removal of the option to build senior housing makes this planned development entirely office and commercial uses. PD5 The plan is consistent with the objective of furthering the public health, safety, morals and general welfare by providing for flexibility of substantive regulations over land development so that proposals for land development are disposed of without undue delay. The applicant is seeking approval of the personal and RV storage because they desire to develop their remaining land now and do not want to wait for recovery of the market. The office building site along Roberta Lane will be developed when there are needs for leasable office space. PD6 The plan does not depart from zoning and subdivision regulations otherwise applicable to the property, and these departures are in the public interest for density. The amendment to the Development Standards for Crestgate Pyramid does change the density, in that eliminating the senior housing option substantially reduces the proposed density of the site. The development of personal and RV storage is a low intensity land use which has low traffic generation and will only be single story in height. PD7 The plan does not depart from zoning and subdivision regulations otherwise applicable to the property, and these departures are in the public interest for bulk. Currently, the development within Crestgate Pyramid consists of single story structures. By eliminating the senior housing, which was to be multi-story buildings, the building heights will generally be one story throughout the property as the personal storage, excepting the caretaker residence, will be one story buildings. PD8 The plan does depart from zoning and subdivision regulations otherwise applicable to the property and these departures are in the public interest for use. The development standards establish increased setbacks, height and lighting restrictions for the buildings placed adjacent to the single family homes. Placing an office building on Roberta Lane keeps the office – residential character along Roberta Lane. It also puts the personal storage adjacent to the shopping center, buffering the existing residences to the south and west with offices. PD9 The ratio of residential to nonresidential use in the planned development is: The proposed amendment does not include any residential so there is no ratio of residential to nonresidential use. PD10 Common open space in the planned development exists for what purpose, is located where within the project, and comprises how many acres (or what percentage of the development site taken as a whole). The only common open space within Crestgate Pyramid is the landscaped areas. The standards within the Planned Development Handbook maintain the streetscape and propose an enhanced landscape area with a water feature along Roberta Lane. PD11 The plan does provide for the maintenance and conservation of the common open space by what method. The Crestgate Pyramid Development Standards Handbook does address the maintenance and conservation of the common open space through private ownership. PD12 Given the plan’s proposed density and type of residential development, the amount and/or purpose of the common open space is determined to be adequate. The planned development handbook requires a percentage for landscaping consistent with Title 20. The streetscape and the proposed landscape / water feature will provide sufficient landscaping to meet the intent of the common space for commercial and office uses. PD13 The plan does provide for public services. If the plan provides for public services, then these provisions are adequate. The planned development provides for public services to serve the existing office buildings, proposed offices and personal storage as part of this planned development. PD14 The plan does provide control over vehicular traffic. The amendment does not change the pedestrian or vehicular circulation. The street design conforms to City of Sparks street standards. Roberta Lane was designed to accommodate fire trucks so RVs should be able maneuver it. Based on the traffic generation numbers provided in the Handbook (7th Edition of the ITE Trip Generation Manual), the estimated average daily trips will be 1,330 average weekday trips. The trip generation estimated in the recorded handbook was 2,035 ADT. This is a substantial reduction in the number of average daily trips. PD15 The plan does provide for the furtherance of access to light, air, recreation and visual enjoyment. Crestgate Pyramid is characterized by tree lined streets. The amendment will maintain the streetscape along Roberta Lane. Both the personal storage and RV area will have perimeter landscaping, maintaining the streetscape on the private section of Roberta Lane. PD16 The relationship of the proposed planned development to the neighborhood in which it is proposed to be established is beneficial. Crestgate Pyramid has been developing as an office complex with a residential type appearance, providing office space for smaller businesses. The amendments maintain the character of Roberta Lane with the office on the last parcel along the public portion of Roberta Lane. The proposed plan situates the personal storage between the adjacent shopping center and the surrounding neighborhood, providing a good transition between the uses. The RV storage is below the grade of McCarran Boulevard. There are no changes proposed to the access to the surrounding neighborhood. PD17 To the extent the plan proposed development over a number of years, the terms and conditions intended to protect the interests of the public, residents and owners of the planned development in the integrity of the plan are sufficient. Approvals for development plans of Crestgate Pyramid started in 1995. The original plan was to develop a single family subdivision. Later the plans were changed to a mix of senior housing and offices. The latest amendment is to eliminate any housing component and replace it with personal and RV storage. The standards in the Handbook are written to minimize the impacts on the surrounding area. In past plans, this property has been viewed as a transitional use between the shopping center at the southwest corner of the intersection of Pyramid Highway / McCarran Boulevard and single family residential to the west and south. Maintaining offices along the public portion of Roberta Lane, placing the personal storage behind the office buildings and placing the RV storage below the grade of McCarran Boulevard will sustain the transitional function of the Crestgate Pyramid development. PD18 The project, as submitted and conditioned, is consistent with the City of Sparks Master Plan. The project is consistent with the Sparks Master Plan as discussed below. The Land Use Plan Goals and Policies in the 1991 Master Plan update that are relevant to this proposal include: GOAL LU1: To create a growth pattern which assures flexible, feasible and efficient developments and which includes natural and cultural amenities. POLICY LU1a. The City will support a preferred growth pattern which applies consistent and uniform standards to areas planned for similar uses. ACTION STRATEGY B. Allow only developments which meet the proper land use designation of the Citys Master Plan and the Regional Master Plan. The Master Plan Amendment to GC allows a wide variety of land uses which promotes flexibility in development. The GC is a logical extension of the existing GC for the shopping center on the corner of Pyramid Way and McCarran Boulevard. PD19 The project is consistent with the surrounding existing land uses. The Crestgate Pyramid Planned Development is designed to be a transitional land use between the shopping center and traffic on Pyramid Highway and the single family homes to the south and west. Maintaining offices along the public portion of Roberta Lane and placing the personal storage between the office buildings, will help sustain the transitional role of the area. At the corner of Pyramid Highway and McCarran Boulevard are commercial land uses. Crestgate Pyramid Planned Development is situated between the commercial shopping center at the intersection of Pyramid and McCarran and the residential land uses to the south and west. PD20 Public notice was given and a public hearing held per the requirements of the Sparks Municipal Code. Public notice was given. The Planning Commission and City Council meetings function as the public hearing per the requirements of SMC and NRS. PD21 Modification of Crestgate Pyramid Planned Development furthers the interest for the City and the residents and preserves the integrity of the plan. When considering rezoning a Planned Development, the City must be able to identify that the “modification” is to “further the mutual interest of the residents and owners of the planned unit development and of the public in the preservation of the integrity of the plan as finally approved,” NRS 278A.380 (2). The revised plan in the planned development handbook maintains the integrity of the plan by sustaining the office residential character along Roberta Lane. Installing the streetscape in front of the future office pad, the enhanced landscape feature at the roundabout, seeding the future office site and screening the personal storage wall as required by the handbook will soften the appearance of the personal storage from Roberta Lane. The proposed uses will generate less daily traffic than either the all office plan or the senior housing would have generated. The vehicular and pedestrian circulation is maintained with the amendment. Crestgate Pyramid Planned Development will still function as a transitional land use between the shopping center on the corner of Pyramid Way / McCarran Boulevard and the residential to the west and south.

Alternatives: 1. The City Council can deny the request to amend the Crestgate Pyramid Planned Development Handbook. 2. The City Council can remand the request back to Planning Commission with direction, if the applicant consents in writing to an extension of the time which the public hearings shall be concluded as permitted in Nevada Revised Statues (NRS) 278A.480(2). 3. The City Council can tentatively approve the Crestgate Planned Development Handbook as submitted by the applicant.

Recommended Motion: I move to tentatively approve the Planned Development Handbook for Crestgate Pyramid associated with PCN11029 as recommended by Planning Commission and staff, adopting Findings PD1 through PD21 and the facts supporting these Findings as set forth in the staff report. The tentative approval includes that the applicant shall file the application for the final approval of the planned development within one (1) year from the date of the City Council granting tentative approval of the planned development handbook. Due to the nature of the tentative planned development, the Planning Commission does not recommend that the City Council require a bond at this point in time as stated in NRS 278A.490.

Attached Files:

PCN11029 Crestgate Pyramid-Report of Action 3-15-2012.pdf

Crestgate Pyramid PD Handbook 03_08_2012.pdf

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