3B Public Hearing 2012 0221 - Laserfiche WebLink

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DA -3 and DA -4 Districts. The DA -5 District did not include Assembly Uses as a conditionally permitted use. Staff now recommends the NA -2, SA -2 and DA -5 districts, which specifically contemplate residential uses, have Assembly Uses added as a conditionally permitted use. This change would improve the overall land use compatibility within the residential and commercial districts identified. The North Area 2 District is located on East 14 Street from Georgia Way to the northern City border. The South Area 2 District is located on East 14 Street from Sybil Avenue to 136 Avenue. The Downtown Area 5 District is located on Alvarado and Martinez Streets between West Estudillo and West Juana Avenues. Please see the attached map to see these various zoning districts. The 1999 -2002 General Plan Update represented another extensive community engagement process with a 52 member General Plan Advisory Committee advising the Planning Commission and City Council on the General Plan Update. As part of this process, the core values of the industrial districts as a major industrial, technology and office employment center were established. One example in the General Plan is Goal 7: Industrial and Office Districts. Goal 7 states: Continue to develop a strong and healthy industrial and office employment base in the community. Policy 7.03 of the General Plan states the following: TECH - SECTOR RECRUITMENT. Attract and retain technology ( "high tech') companies by improving technology infrastructure, targeting such companies through marketing, supporting incubator and start up firms, and maintaining development regulations which facilitate the adaptive reuse of older industrial buildings. Also, Policy 10.04 states the following: INDUSTRIAL SANCTUARY: Protect the City's major industrial areas from encroachment by uses that are potentially incompatible with existing viable industrial activities, or which may inhibit the ability of industry to operate effectively. These General Plan goals and policies speak to the importance of the industrial area as a sanctuary for high quality employment. The Board of Zoning Adjustments raised some very valid issues in their discussion on November 3, 2011 as to how best to approach land uses in industrial districts. We note that from a planning perspective various communities have taken different approaches and in this regard the planning experts have varying approaches to job retention and job generation, depending on the size of the city and values in that community. In the Fremont example, presented during the Board of Zoning Adjustments discussion, it is worth noting that Fremont is a city of some 91 square miles. The extensive commercial and industrial zoning districts within the City of Fremont offer opportunities of much greater proportions than those in San Leandro, with an area of 15 square miles. Fremont has 4,136 acres designated for industrial uses while San Leandro has 1,800 acres of land designated for industrial uses. Therefore, different cities do legitimately pursue different approaches. The identification in the San Leandro General Plan of the industrial area as a major employment center of the City and the region is still a valued goal of the City of San Leandro. Maintaining industrial areas for this type of industrial employment can help achieve this important San Leandro goal. San Leandro continues to pursue attraction and retention of new economy businesses, including high tech industrial uses. Staff is recommending that Commercial Recreation and Entertainment Activities be removed as a Conditionally Permitted Use from the Commercial Districts to retain the industrial and employment base that the industrial districts represent. The short term gains of employment with commercial recreation or entertainment activities conflict with the long term goals of stable Planning Commission Staff Report December 15, 2011 Proposed Zoning Code Changes Page 3 of 5