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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-01-1983 CITY COUNCIL AGENDACITY OF SARATOGA AGENDA BILL NO. DATE: 4/1/83 DEPART=: Community Development Initial: Dept. Hd. C. Atty. C. Mgr. -------------------------------------------------- - - - - -- - SLTBJECr Appeal of Planning Commission Decision to Deny Savings &Loan Bank as a Conditional Use in the Professional Administrative Zoning District ----------------------------- - - - - -- -------- _ --------------------------- •---------- " - - - -- Issue Su many The Planning Commission reviewed the applicant's request to place "savings & loan bank" as a conditional use in the P -A district as a first step to. placing a Savings & Loan at 14395 Saratoga Ave. The Planning Commission reached consensus to not direct staff to add the use, feeling that the use was inappropriate in the P -A zoni:'ng district and that the proposed specific location would be difficult due to traffic considerations. They directed staff to.explain to the applicant that he had the option of applying for a rezoning of the district. *On April 6th, the City Council requested a staff report on the proposed addition of savings & loan /banks to the P -A zoning district. This report is attached. Recommendation Uphold the Planning Commission decision Fiscal Impacts None known Exhibits /Attachments 1. Planning Commission Minutes dated 2/23/83 2. Letters from applicant dated 2/8/83 and 3/8/83 Council Action 4/6: Staff directed to report on .request as policy issue and return to Council. *See last paragraph under Issue Summary. 5/4: Clevenger /Mallory moved to uphold Planning Commission decision and deny appeal but to refer subject to Planning Commission, asking them to : review permitted.uses in PA district. Passed 3 -2 (Callon, Fanelli opposed) . r:; 110M II�i1EMOO RANDLII�i1. 0919W O2 §&M&U00& 13777 FRUITVALE AVENUE - SARATOGA, CALIFORNIA 95070. (408) 867 -3438 TO: City Council DATE: 4/28/83 FROM: Planning Staff SUBJECT: Appeal of Planning Commission Decision to Deny Savings & Loan Bank as a Conditional Use in the Professional Administrative Zoning District This memo is written in response to the City Council request fora report on allowing financial institutions in the Professional - Administrative (P -A) zoning district. The specific request involved placement of Saratoga Savings & Loan.at the northeast corner of Saratoga - Sunnyvale Road and Saratoga Avenue (letters attached). The City's current zoning ordinance allows such uses as accountants, chiropodists, dentists, interior decorators, psychologists, and real estate offices, etc., the P -A zone. Present- ly, the City has five (5) areas that are zoned P -A located at; 1.) Big Basin Way (Cald- well condominiums; 2.) Cox Ave. across from the Qui.tp" Shopping Center (senior citizen housing units); 3.) the northwesterly corner of Saratoga Ave. and Cox Ave. (near the Medical Village); 4.) Blauer Ave. near Saratoga = Sunnyvale (medical and real estate offices); and 5.) the subject site and adjacent parcel. The latter three sites are the most likely to be involved with the proposed zoning change. The two major staff concerns with including financial institutions in the P -A district are, 1.) traffic generation and concurrent. parking and 2.) the increasing numbers of banks in the City. " Banks are high traffic generators creating 75 trips per 1,000 sq. ft. per day. General offices cause 17 trips per 1,000 sq. ft. per day and medical offices create 50 trips per 1,000 sq. ft. per day. Safe access to and from parking are of prime importance for high traffic generators as well as the burden of additional traffic on the streets. As a comparison, community and neighborhood shops generate 58 and 84 daily trips per 1,000 sq.ft. of floor area. In 1978, the City adopted an ordinance for the C -C and C -V zoning district requiring use permits for real estate offices and financial institutions due to concerns over their numbers in the Commercial Village area, and their lack of revenue production for the City's tax base. A review of similar cities shows that : Portola-Valley allows banks and financial institutions in their Administrative Professional (AP) district by use permit. The critical criteria for a use permit is that a majority of the banks' business must come from the City and urban service area. Banks are also allowed in commercial districts. Memo to City Council 4/28/83 Proposed addition of savings & loan /banks to P -A zoning dist. Page 2 Los Altos allows banks as permitted uses in two of four Office Administrative (OA) districts - those in the City Center. The other two OA districts (not in the City Center) do not allow banks. Financial institutions are also allowed in commercial districts. Cupertino allows banks in their Office District and Commercial Districts with a Use Permit as well as conformance with trip constraint overlays. The Use Permits have centered on drive -up windows and the increasing numbers of banks. Los Gatos does not allow banks in Office zones but allows them by Use Permit in commercial zones. The specific site in question will have more difficulty with parking and access con- cerns than the two other available P -A districts. The subject building has parking required at 1 space /400 sq. ft. and for the addition of this use, parking spaces would need to be leased from the adjacent site to meet the ratio required for banks of 1 space /200 sq. ft. It is staff's understanding that the City Attorney would require a lease for a minimum of 20 years. This adjacent site received building site approval (which would expire in June, 1983) for an office building expansion with a parking ratio of 1 space per 400 sq. ft. A long term parking lease would affect the ability to expand the building. Additionally, the access to the present parking lot underneath the subject building comes off of Saratoga - Sunnyvale Rd. near the intersection with Saratoga Ave. If the City Council wishes to add financial institutions as a use in the P -A zoning district, staff recommends they they do so only as a conditional use. Use Permits should specifically address traffic, parking and access concerns. Kathy Kerd Planner KK /dsc Attachments Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 2/23/83 A -8S0 (cont.) Page 10 Commissioner Hlava stated that she had voted for the application because the sign meets all of the requirements of the Sign Ordinance. She added that she feels that this is basically part of our downtown commercial area and is surrounded by buildings which also have lit signs. COMMUNICATIONS Written 1. Letter dated February 8, 1983 from Saratoga Real, Inc: Discus- sion was held on the request to add savings and loan institutions as a con- ditional use in the P -A zoning district at the corner of Saratoga Avenue. and Saratoga - Sunnyvale Road. The possible bank traffic going in and out of that location was noted., There was a consensus not to add this as a conditional use, and Staff was directed to send a letter to Saratoga Real to that effect. Oral 1. Commissioner Bolger was appointed to represent the Planning Com- mission on the Advisory Committee on Utilization of School Property. 2. Chairman Schaefer thanked the Saratoga News and Good Government Group for attending. Respectfully submitted, $ ber Shoo Secretary RSS:cd 4- SARATOGA REAL REAL PROPERTY INVESTMENTS 14375 SARATOGA AVR. SARATOGA, CA. 05070 Tel: (402) 867 -5659 February 8, 1983 Saratoga Planning Commission 13777 Tr U4 Ave S=atoga, Ca. 95070 Saratoga Real, a California partnership, as owners of the properties on 14395 Saratoga Ave and 14375/14369 Saratoga Ave has been attempting for several months to lease the office spaces on above mentioned properties and is encountering great difficu].- ties due to present restrietive zoning (Professional and Admin.) on subject premises. Saratoga Real, on February 6, 1983, has signed a five (5) year lease with the newly formed Saratoga Savings and Loan Ass. (o,.. .-ner: Jess Rodrigues) for 1,675 sq ft:' (suite #120) in the building on 14395 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga;.subject only to the City of Saratoga's approval. The present P -A zoning does not allow a Savings Institution to lccate .on the premises. Saratoga Real therefore respectfully request as per section 14.1 o-r t'.ze zoning ordnance, the addition of a Savings and Loan insti- tution on this specific 1,675 sq ft as a conditional use to the zoning on this. property. Saratoga Real- will be able to provide adequate parking ( one par - ,ing space per 200 sq ft of office space) by ernianentll adding four (4) par1k ing spaces on adjacent property, to the exclusive use off this Savings and Loan Institution::.;:: Saratoga Real further believes that the `properties in question f ail outside of the area generally considered to be "down town" so that no negative impact on the down town parking and businesses is encountered. ??e appreciate consideration by the Saratoga Planning Commission at the earliest possible date so that if conditional use is granted ;ae may pr oceec' with the "use permit" process . Te Ioo':c forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, CC. Saratoga Savings and Loan Ass . C, Martin J. Oudewaal Mana ,aing Pnrrnar r`arct S , 19 83 SARATOGA REAL REAL PROPERTY INVESTMENTS 14375 SARATOGA AVE. SARATOGA, CA. 95070 S67 -5559 Saratoga City Council 13777 Fruitvale Ave Saratoga, Ca. 95070 O We received a negative decision, without an opportunity to clarify our position, in response to a request that we made to the Saratoga Planning Commission (copies attached) reques- ting the Saratoga Savings and Loan Ass . to locate in the building on 14395 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga. In discussing this matter with t"r. Robert S. Shook we requested . the proper procedure to follow to appeal the decision. We were advised to submit a letter of appeal to the Saratoga City Council. ode therefore hereby respectfully request that a representative of the Saratoga Savings and Loan Ass. and Saratoga Peal be allowed the opportunity to address the Council in support of an appeal of the decision that was made by the Saratoga Planning Commission. he crucial aspects in this matter are the small size of the Savings Institution (1,675 se. ft and max. 2 to 3 enployees) and the benefits this institution. will bring to Saratoga residents and businesses as was explained to me by its President ..Jess Rodrriques. As time is of the essence, an early response to this request is greatly appreciated. We loot: forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience. S'ncerely, �artin Oudewaal cc. fir. Jess Rodri 'gues Saratoga Savings and Loan Ass.