Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-08-04 City Council (10)TO: FROM: City of Palo Alto C ty Manager’s Report HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL 15 CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: Planning and Community Environment AGENDA DATE: SUBJECT: August 4, 1997 CMR:349:97 COORDINATED AREA PLAN FOR THE PAMF/SOFA AREA REQUEST This report outlines the proposed work program and schedule for the preparation of the Coordinated Area Plan for the area surrounding the current site of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) and including a portion of the South of Forest Area (SOFA). It includes a recommendation for appointment of the Working Group to assist staff, the Planning Commission and City Council in preparation of the plan, and includes a Budget Amendment Ordinance to provide funds for preparation of the plan. RECOMMENDATIONS Staff recommends that the Council: Approve the attached tentative schedule and tasks for the PAMF/SOFA Coordinated Area Plan; o Authorize the Mayor to appoint a 12-member Working Group; Approve the attached Budget Amendment Ordinance in the amount of $300,000 for funding of the plan ($200,000 of which will be reimbursed to the City by the Palo Alto Medical Foundation); and o Approve staff’s recommendation to negotiate an employment agreement with Alison Kendall, AICPI POLICY IMPLICATIO__N_~ This report does not make any changes to existing City Council policy. The preparation of a PAMF/SOFA Coordinated Area Plan was included in the amendment of the PAMF CMR:349:97 Page 1 of 5 Development Agreement approved as part of approval of the new Medical Foundation site on E1 Camino Real. The plan preparation proposed is consistent with an, Ordinance authorizing the preparation and outlining the framework for development of Coordinated Area Plans that is to be considered by the Council on the August 4, 1997 agenda (CMR:352:97). BACKGROUND On January 29, 1996, the City Council approved the new plans for the Medical Foundation facilities on E1 Camino Real. As part of that approval, the Development Agreement for the previously approved PAMF project in the South of Forest Area was amended to include provisions for the preparation of a Coordinated Area Plan for the reuse of the existing medical facility parcels, as well as a portion of the South of Forest Area. The Medical Foundation is to provide payment for two-thirds of the cost of the plan up to a maximum payment of $200,000. Initiation of the plan was to begin upon notice from the Medical Foundation and be completed in approximately 12 months. The Medical Foundation gave notice to the City on May 23, 1997. During the Council discussion of the PAMF project on E1 Camino Real, the Council also included in the PAMF/SOFA plan area the area between the existing Medical Foundation site and Alma Street, as well as a further study of the proposed pedestrian/bicycle underpass between SOFA and the new Medical Foundation site; however, study of the proposed underpass was added after preparation of the preliminary cost estimates to develop thePAMF/SOFA Coordinated Area Plan. Costs related to study of the underpass and engineering are not included in the $300,000 budgeted for Plan preparation. It should be noted that the Medical Foundation is committed to providing 15 percent of the cost of an under or overcrossing, not to exceed $300,000. DISCUSSION Staff proposes to conduct the PAMF/SOFA area plan consistent with the proposed Coordinated Area Plan Ordinance. The initial goal is to enhance the character of the South of Forest Area as a mixed use area and to provide a framework for the redevelopment of the existing Palo Alto Medical Foundation properties in the designated area. The proposed Coordinated Area Plan Ordinance includes (Section 19.10.030(a)) the requirement that the City Council establish goals and objectives for the Plan. Staff will prepare and return to the Council in September with the specific goals and objectives and policy framework for land uses and development guidelines associated with the Plan. Staff recommends that coordination and oversight of the plan be done by Alison Kendall, AICP. Ms Kendall is currently under contract to the City as a contract planner to prepare the Work Program and initial preparation for the PAMF/SOFA plan. She was specifically brought under contract because of her expertise in oversight and preparation of large scale CMR:349:97 Page 2 of 5 area plans, including the Presidio General Management Plan and Treasure Island Reuse Plan for the City and County of San Francisco and redevelopment plans and design guidelines for several other California cities as an associate at ROMA Design Group of San..Francisco. Because of her specialized expertise, Ms Kendall is highly qualified for this work. Moreover, the time involved in undertaking a competitive bidding process would be prohibitive. Staff would like to begin negotiating an employment agreement with Ms Kendall and will return to Council to obtain approval of the Agreement. Ms Kendall is subject to the conflict of interest laws of the Political Reform Act as a consultant. Ms Kendall will report to the Assistant Planning Official, with the active involvement of the Director of Planning and Community Environment. Together, they will oversee the work of various consultants selected to perform tasks required to complete the plan, including traffic, economics, environmental, public meeting facilitation and urban design. These consultants will be selected through the City’s consultant selection procedures. To date a specific budget estimate for the services of each of these consultants has not been prepared. This will be part of the information that returns to Council in September. The plan boundaries have been preliminarily established as Alma Street, Addison Avenue, Kipling Street and Forest Avenue (see attached map). Minor changes in the boundaries may be made by the Working Group. It is anticipated that preparation of the plan will take approximately one year to complete once the Working Group, area of study and methodology for preparation of the plan have been established. The tentative schedule with work tasks, proposing completion by October 1998, is attached. Staff,is recommending that the Working Group, which shall be advisory to staff, Planning Commission and City Council, should include 12 members. It is anticipated that the Working Group would be appointed by the Mayor in August with a first meeting to take place in September. Staff recommends the Working Group include the following: Stakeholders (one each): , University South Neighborhoods Group renter University South Neighborhoods Group owner SOFA business owner from automotive or service sector. SOFA business owner from neighborhood serving or office uses Palo Alto Medical Foundation Citywide interests (one each): Business community Historic Preservation Housing CMR:349:97 Page 3 of 5 Community facilities/child care Urban Design!architecture/art Subregional/regional interests (one each) Housing Open space/environment Staff recommends that the Council request the Architectural Review Board, Historic Resources Board, Planning Commission and the Public Art Commission to appoint non° voting liaisons to the area planning process. In addition, it is recommended that the Council request the Palo Alto Unified School District to designate a non-voting liaison to the process. It should be noted that the liaisons are not members of the Working Group, but would be available to provide information and guidance to the Working Group, as well as inform their respective bodies on the progress of the area planning program. The Working Group consultants and planners would coordinate with a Technical Advisory Committee composed of representatives from the appropriate City Departments and Divisions to be established through the City staff’s Project Review Committee. ALTERNATIVES Current City staff could be assigned to the project; however, this would delay the start of the project until a staff person could complete current tasks and would result in other assignments being delayed anywhere from six to eight months. oversight and conduct of the plan could be done by utilizing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the services of a consulting firm to do all parts of the plan instead of a contract planner. This would add a minimum of 3 months to the plan preparation time to allow for preparation and processing of the RFP’s and completion of contract negotiations. In addition, within the constraints of a fixed $300,000 budget, the city would receive less detail information, guidelines and plans due to the consulting firm overhead. FISCAL IMPACT The estimated cost of the plan is $300,000. The Palo Alto Medical Foundation will provide two-thirds of the cost to a maximum obligation of $200,000. The remaining $100,000 would come from the City’s Budget Stabilization Reserve as identified in the attached Budget Amendment Ordinance. In addition, approximately $35,000 to $50,000 will be needed to cover the cost of preliminary engineering work on the feasibility and cost of constructing a bicycle and pedestrian path between SOFA and the new location of the Medical Foundation. Staff will remm to Council with a budget amendment at the time the engineering consultant contract is to be approved. CMR:349:97 Page 4 of 5 A.portion of the costs of the plan may be recovered in the future as projects are approved under the guidelines of the plan, if this is included in the implementation conditions. It is anticipated that the plan will allow for a reduced processing time for future applications that are consistent with the plan. For example, projects may be subject to only ARB review for consistency with the PAMF/SOFA plan. In addition, the environmental documentation will have been prepared, thus reducing application fees and costs. It is not anticipated, however, that full recovery of the City’s costs will occur. ’ ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Feasibility and Planning Studies are statutorily exempt under Chapter 15262 of CEQA. Preparation of the Coordinated Area Plan will result in the preparation of environmental documentation on the plan. ATTACHMENTS Plan Boundary map Tentative Schedule for PAMF/SOFA Coordinated Area Plan Budget Amendment Ordinance Letter from Palo Alto Medical Foundation dated May 23, 1997 Letters from interested parties CC:Palo Alto Medical Foundation (David Jury) University South Neighborhoods Group (Pat Butt, Don Fitton) Palo Alto Housing Corporation (Marlene Prendergast) Alison Kendall Chamber of Commerce (Susan Frank) Monty Anderson, Cody, Anderson & Wasney Geraldine Steinberg, Enshallah PREPARED BY: James E. Gilliland DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW: KENNETH R. SCHREIBER CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:~Ml~G irector of P1iaa]r~.ing and n’~ent r ~ CMR:349:97 Page ~ of 5 Legend PAMF/SOFA Plan Boundary CC The City of Palo A1 to PC ’-2830 PAMF/SOFA Coordinated Area Plan Boundaries This map is a product of the City of Palo Alto GIS ~00’ TENTATIVE SCH:EDULE FOR PAMF/SOFA COORDINATED AREA PLAN August 1997 September 1997 October 1997 November 1997 December 1997 January1998 February 1998 March 1998 April1998 May1998 June 1998 July1998 August 1998 September 1998 Council initiates PAMF/SOFA Coordinated Area Plan Working Group: Mayor appoints Working Group TAG: Technical Advisory Group formed Staff: Prepare and finalize contract for contract planner services Plan: Begin existing conditions analysis Council: Approve Contract Planner contract Council: Adopt Goals and Objectives and policy framework Plan: Issue Requests for proposals for consultant services TAG: Finalize data base and existing conditions Working Group: Initial meeting and orientation TAG & staff: Review RFP responses, interview & select consultants Working Group: Existing conditions, opportunities & constraints Staff & Plan: Consultant contract completion and begin work Working Group: Alternatives exploration Working Group: Alternatives development TAG: Technical Analysis of alternatives EIR: Notice of Preparation and scoping Working Group: Alternatives Evaluation re Goals & Objectives TAG: comparative analysis of alternatives EIR: Describe baseline conditions, affected environment Community Update Forum: Comments on alternatives EIR: Alternatives description Review and comment from ARB, HRB, PAC and Planning Commission on preferred alternative. Working Group: Refine preferred alternative Plan: Begin conceptual plan preparation EIR: Begin impact analysis TAG: Review Administrative Draft Concept Plan and 60% EIR EIR: Complete impact analysis Working Group: Preliminary Draft Plan review Draft Coordinated Area Plan for Public Review Working Group: Draft Plan review EIR: Administrative Draft review Plan: Revisions to Draft Plan Working Group: Implementation, capital improvements plan, ’ guidelines & developnfent standards review EIR: Produce Draft EIR Plan: Production of Final Draft Coordinated Area Plan EIR: Production of Draft EIR for Public Review Public Review of Final Coordinated Area Plan Public Review of Comprehensive Plan Amendments and Zoning Amendments Public Review of Draft EIR Review/Approval: ARB, HRB/PAC, Planning Commission EIR: Certification of EIR Council Adoption of Coordinated Area Plan, Zoning Amendments and Comprehensive Plan JG11997 [ A:LMMPSCAP ORDINANCE NO. ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AMENDING THE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1997-98 TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION TO FUND A COORDINATED AREA PLAN FOR THE PALO ALTO MEDICAL FOUNDATION (PAMF) SITES AND PORTIONS OF THE SOUTH OF FOREST AREA (SOFA) WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of Section 12 of Article III of the Charter of the City of Palo Alto, the Council on June 23, 1997 did adopt a budget for fiscal year 1997-98; and WHEREAS, the preparation of a PAMF/SOFA Coordinated Area Plan was included in the Amended Development Agreement for the new Medical Foundation site on E1 Camino Real which was entered into on March 14, 1996; and WHEREAS, the estimated cost of the plan is $300,000 and PAMF will provide for two-thirds of the plan cost up to $200,000; and WHEREAS, approval’ of the planning process will require the Planning Department’s non-salary budget to be increased by $300,000 and revenues by $200,000 for PAMF’s estimated share of the cost; and WHEREAS, City Council authorization is needed to amend the 1997-98 budget as hereinafter set forth. NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto does ORDAIN as follows: SECTION i. The sum of Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000) is hereby appropriated to non-salary expenses in the Development Review Functional Areas in the Planning & Community Environment Department. SECTION 2. $200,000. Planni~g Department revenue is increased by SECTION 3. This transaction will reduce the Stabilization Reserve from $25,846,446 to $25,746,446. Budget SECTION 4.k As specified in Section 2.28.080(a) of the Palo Alto Municipal Code, a two-thirds vote of the City Council is required to adopt this ordinance. SECTION 5. The Council of the City of Palo Alto hereby finds that the enactment of this ordinance is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act and, therefore, no environmental impact assessment is necessary. SECTION 6. As provided in Section 2.04.350 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code~ this ordinance shall become effective upon adoption. INTRODUCED AND PASSED: AYES: NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENT: ATTEST:APPROVED: City Clerk Mayor APPROVED AS TO FORM:City Manager Senior Asst. City Attorney Acting, Administrative Services Department Director Director of Planning Community Environment .4 Sutter Health Affiliate May23, 1997 June Fleming City Manager City of Palo Alto 250 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 Coco ,’ "~! F ,. Dear Ms. Fleming As required in paragraph 10(b) of the "’First Amendment to Development Agreement" between Palo Alto Medical FOundation and the City of Palo Alto dated March 14, 1997, this is our "Notice of Commencement". We acknowledge tl~at payment of $75,000 is due ~vithin 30 days of this notice. If you have any questions regarding this issue please contact me directly at 324-5311. Sincerely, ALO Real Estate Ariel Calonne City Attorney City of Palo A/to 250 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 Ken Schre. iber -i ............uno and C.mmu._.~ ....... City of Pa/o Alto 250 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 330 Town & Country Vilhtge P’,do Alto CA 94301 (415) 324-5300 FAX (415) 324-5325 ’PALO ALTO HOUSING 540 Cowper Street ¯ Suite 201 ¯ Palo Alto, CA 94301 ¯(415) 321-9709 ° Fax (415) 321-4341 July 2, 1997 Kenneth Schreibe~i Directory of Planning and Community Environment City of Palo Alto P. O. Box 1O250 Palo Alto, CA 94303 Re: Coordinated Plan for Palo Alto Medical Foundation Site Re-Use JUL 0 71997 Dopartmen! of Fq~=nnin -.Community Envir~nn~.., Dear Ken: We are aware that a working group of community members or "stakeholders" is being formed to assist in the preparation of a Consolidated Plan for the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) site and surrounding South of Forest Avenue (SOFA) area. The Palo Alto Housing Corporation (PAHC) expresses interest in participating in that working group. PAHC Board and staff members closely followed the environmental review and project approval for the redevelopment of the PAMF campus, when it was proposed for the current SOFA site. The housing mitigation issues were important then. They are even more important now, given the PAMF’s move to the Urban Lane area and the resulting availability land and buildings for discussion of re-use options within a residential neighborhood. It is critical that there be a voice for affordable housing in the process. High quality compatible design and sensitivity to neighborhood issues are very important for all housing development. PAHC has long experience in developing attractive and compatible housing solutions for every neighborhood in town. I submit my name, as Executive Director of PAHC. If the process allows, several PAHC Board members would also be interested in participating as alternates or expert testimony. Let me know if there is further information you need. Sincerely, PALO ALTO HOUSING CORPORATION Marlene H. Prendergast Executive Director HERBERT R. FIELDED; REAL ESTATE CONSULTANT !997 (408) 733.5400 FIELDEN & ASSOCIATES 333 COBALT WAY, SUITE 106 SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA 94086 Mr. Ken Schreiber Director of Planning and Community Environment City of Palo Alto 250 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 July 8, 1997 RE:Proposed Specific Plan Palo Alto Medical Clinic 400 Channing Avenue City of Palo Alto Dear Mr. Schreiber: As we had discussed in our telephone conversation of this after- noon, our office is representing a major health care firm that is inter- ested in establishing an assisted care facility for seniors at the Palo Alto Medical foundation’s soon-to-be-vacated complex at 400 Channing Avenue, Our client is desirous of exploring with the city, and the respective neighbors of this property, the compatibility and desirabil- ity of such a proposed use, so that they may decide if or how they should proceed in their anticipated negotiations with the-current prop- erty owner. As you had indicated, your department will be initiating a Specific Plan procedure in order to’establish the guidelines for the ultimate development of this site and, as such, will be initiating a serious of I neighborhood meetings and work. sessions to accomplish this process, \ Acco.rdingly, we are confirming our request that we be notified of these )various meetings and work sessions so that we may attend and benefit from this important community input. Very truly yours, Herbert R, Fielden HRF/vz _.-.---j 1036 Bryant Street Palo Alto, 94301 Mayor Joseph Huber City Hall Palo Alto, CA 94301 9 June 1997 Dear Mayor Huber: My wife, Anneke, and I recently attended a neighborhood meeting at which you spoke regarding the changes coming to the area currently occupied by the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. I would like to offer our views for you to share with other members of the government to gain some insight into at least one family’s opinions. First, we felt that the tenor of the meeting was both thoughtful and considerate of the sensitivities of both the residents and the businesses. If ongoing negotiations and acts continue with awareness of the needs of the community, includ-. ing the city of Palo Alto, it may end up being a win-win-win situation. Since the area is located in a transitional zone between true residential and business areas, It lends itself well to vari- ous kinds of development. There are existing buildings, both residential and business, that have sound architectural features that cry out for refurbishing and offer wonderful opportunities for people to work with lenders and apply ’sweat equity’ and return these buildings to places of charm and beauty. If new buildings are erected to replace razed buildings or in current open space, a combination of all kinds of residen- tial development would be in order from small condominiums similar to existing units at Homer and Ramona, both the Spanish and Victorian styles. Other housing could reflect both upper income and more moderate income develop- ment. Mixed-use buildings with retail bus.iness at street level, offices above that, and perhaps even apartment housing on the top level would contribute vitality to the area. And off-street or underground parking would contribute immea- surably to the quality of living and working there. In light of the quality of life, Bryant Street itself is designated a bike boulevard and is certainly used as such, but reality is that bikers (and rollerbladers and joggers) share the street with normal automobile traffic in the PAMF area. We would propose another barrier, perhaps between Homer and Channing, similar to those elsewhere on Bryant to limit car traffic to the local traffic. Finally, the area lacks a serious open space such as the little gem of a park at the end of Scott Street. We would enjoy seeing either the Scott park incorporated into a larger space or being replaced by a larger area with the current park then being incorporated into the building plan. No one gets everything they want, but a variety of opportunities are being offered, as well as challenges, by the move from the area of PAMF. We hope that the community focuses on the opportunities. Ra~dd J. Defnpsey /," /