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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06222004 - C.129 .a TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, Contra FROM: DENNIS M. BARRY, AICD Costa COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR County AOL DATE: JUNE 22, 2004 L✓, SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION FOR STUDY OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE NORTH GATE SPECIFIC FLAN TO INCLUDE LIMITED WINEMAKING AND PRODUCE STAND AS ALLOWED USES SUBJECT TO A LAND USE PERMIT(SP##04-0001)(SUP. DIST. 111) SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS 1. AUTHORIZE study for an amendment to the North Gate Specific Pian to include limited winemaking and produce stands as allowed uses subject to a land use permit. 2. ACKNOWLEDGE that granting authorization for this request does not imply any support for the application to amend the Specific Plan, but only that this matter is appropriate for study. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATUREL,� '� L!11�' RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMI;ISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMIT EE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATPRE#S): ACTION OF BOARD ON Jbne 22, 2004 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND X UNANIMOUS(ABSENT 1s V } CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND AYES: NOES: ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF ABSENT: ABSTAIN: SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN Contact: P.Roche,CDD-AP(925)335-1242 ATTESTED_ Jtme 22, 2004 cc:CDD JOHN SWEETEN, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF Public Works Dept. SUPERVISORS ANIS COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CAC? County Counsel i,; 6 City of Walnut Creek North Gate Mutual Improvement Club BY �� !�°. ,DEPUTY Superintendant,Mt.Diablo State Park Save Mount Diablo N.Dyer,Loving-Campos Board of Supervisors County File#SP#04-0001, North Gate Specific Plan Amendment June 22, 2004 Page 2 FISCAL IMPACT None. If authorization is granted the applicant shall pay fees to cover the cost for a Specific Plan Amendment and associated application fees. BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION The Community Development Department has received a request from Loving&Campos on the behalf of a landowner in the North Gate Specific Plan Area to consider an amendment to the plan to allow limited winemaking and produce stand as allowed uses subject to a land use permit. See attached letter under Exhibit"A„ North Gate is presently a transition area between park/open space/agricultural lands and very low density single family residential development,constituting a community of semi-rural character. Because the North Gate area is located between the edge of suburbanized development and regional parkland/open space/agriculture uses, and because modern water and sewer services are available,the City of Walnut Creek and Contra Costa County jointly prepared the North Gate Specific Plan to create new policies and regulations for the preservation and future development of the North Gate area. See map of the North Gate Specific Plan Area under Exhibit"B". The North Gate Specific Plan was adopted by the Board of Supervisors in June 1991 following a joint planning effort with the City of Walnut Creek.The intent of the Specific Plan is to maintain the North Gate area primarily as semi-rural, which supports lower density residential,equestrian,and recreational activities.The plan identifies permitted,conditionally permitted, and prohibited uses within the plan area, which are more restrictive than the County Ordinance Code. The North Cate Specific Plan provides additional guidance and detail on the protection of the North Cate area. Although most of the land area in North Cate is set aside for single-family residential very low density development the Specific Plan provides for certain agricultural uses in order to maintain and enhance the semi-rural character of the area. Most of the agricultural is related to equestrian uses and activities, but as noted in the Loving & Campos letter, winemaking and produce stands are not specifically identified under the Specific Plan,and yet, they are uses allowed in the County's agricultural zoning districts under a land use permit. On behalf of the landowner, Loving &Campos is proposing to amend the Specific Plan to specifically allow winemaking and produce stands through a land use permit. Their proposal through issuance of a land use permit allow limited winemaking operations, producing up to 1,000 case per yearwith no wine tasting or retails sales,and allow produce stands of up to 600 square feet on parcels fronting North Gate Road, to sell locally grown produce. They state that these uses and activities would be low impact and intensity, in which dust, odors, noise, and traffic would be significantly less than several of the non- residential uses currently permitted in the North Gate Specific Plan. Board of Supervisors County File#SP#04-0041, North Gate Specific Plan Amendment June 22, 2004 Page 3 BACKGROUND/REASONIS FOR RECOMMENDATION — continued Staff believes the request for a study for an amendment to the Specific Pian to allow the uses and activities as proposed by Loving&Campos is reasonable and recommends that it be authorized. However,staff notes that the proposed allowance of a produce stand fronting North Gate Road up to 600 square feet must be closely examined to assure that it will not result in traffic conflicts near the entrance to Mount Diablo State Park Authorization of this study does not imply any support for the application to amend the Specific Plan,but only that this matter is appropriate for study. Attachments!23 Exhibit"A" Letter from Loving &Campos Exhibit"B": Map of North Gate Specific Plan Area GAAdvance PIanning\adv-plan\Board OrdersingspamendUCrequest.doc Lo"NACAMPOS 245 Ygnacio Valley Road, Suite 200 Walnut Creek, CA 94596-7029 t� R C H I T E C T S INC . 925.944.1626 •925.944.1666 FAx May 4, 2004 Mr.Patrick Roche Contra Costa County Community Development Department 651 Pine Street,2nd Floor-North Wing Martinez,CA 94553-1295 Re: forth Gate Specific Plan Dear Patrick: This letter is to request that the Board of Supervisors initiate an Amendment to the North Gate Speck Plan to include Limited Winemaking and"Produce Stands". The North Gate Specific Plan was adopted in 1991 as a joint effort between the County and City of Walnut Creek for the purpose of protecting the semi-rural, quasi-agricultural character of the area. The addition of Limited Winemaking and Produce Stands is consistent with the goals and policies of the General Plan and Specific Plan for the area. Amendment Overview The proposed amendment would allow Limited Winemaking and Produce Stands (both with the approval of a Land Use Permit) within the North Gate Specific Plan area. The Winemaking use would be limited to no more than 1,000 cases per year from f;:: }: grapes grown in the Walnut Creek area. The wine will be used for personal consumption and distributed to local restaurants, grocers a<: and others. No retail sales, events or wine tasting will be conducted. Produce Stands would be located on properties with frontage on North Gate Rd. only and would be limited to a maximum of 600 SF for the sale of locally grown or produced products. .. .... Exhibit "A" Mr.Patrick Roche LJMay 4,2004 Page 2 Centra Costa County General Plan A majority of the Specific Plan area has a General Plan (GP) Designation of "Single Family Residential -- Very Low Density". This GP designation allows "secondary uses generally considered to be compatible with very lore density homes". The Single Family residential — Very Low Density designation is consistent with R-40,R-65 and R-100 zoning districts and could be consistent with the P-1 and A-2 district, "depending upon the specific use that is proposed". The Specific Plan area already includes semi-rural, quasi-agricultural, uses such as horse boarding/training,animal kennels and a nursery. North Gate Specific Plan A majority of the property within the North Gate Specific Plan (NGSP) area has a land use designation of"Single Family Residential—Very Low Density". Allowable land uses within the NGSP area are limited to residential,agricultural,equestrian, recreational and open space. Land uses are restricted to those allowed in the R-40, R-65, R-100, P-1, or A-2 districts except where they conflict with the NGSP. The uses specifically prohibited in the NGSP area are: + Second Family Units greater than 1000 SF + Medical and Dental Offices + Churches and religious institutions • Private Schools + Commercial Nurseries • Commercial Radio-television receiving and transmitting facilities • Hospitals,eleemosynary and philanthropic institutions and convalescent homes Wineaking and Produce Stands are not specifically prohibited in the North Gate Specific Plan. Winemaking and Produce Stands are permitted in agricultural zoning in all other parts of the County with a Land Use Permit. NGSP Land Use fresh produce to the North Gate Specific Plan Land Use goals includes neighborhood. 46maintainingand enhancing the existing ;....:::...... semi-rural character of the NGSP area as a :.<:>::>::::»:': >>' transito i n from the g existin suburban residenta development 1t the north and a .....::...... :...: west, to the agricultural and open space "`' .. .. .. lands to the south and east". Thero osed P p "low-impact" Limited Winemakin and m t 7 g p »�.<> > :>. < produce Stand uses are consistent with this > goal and will enhance the semi-rural F; character by introducing a compatible agricultural use into the transitional area, as contemplated by the plan. The produce stand will capture through traffic going and coining from Mt. Diablo as well as provide Mr.Patrick Roche May 4,2004 LJ Page 3 NGSP Community Design Specific Plan Community Design goals include "preserving the historic and aesthetic resources located in the Specific 4. plan area". Agriculture, in general, and ; specifically winemaking has been a part of Walnut Creek's and Contra Costa's history for over 100 years. Produce Stands will bring back some of that agricultural character without a significant increase in ' traffic. NGSP Land Use Land Use Regulations of the NGSP state that "permitted land uses should encourage '`>.h{> > the continuance of equestrian and } agricultural activities". Winemaking and Produce Stands are an agricultural activity permitted under the County's A-2 zoning and A-2 uses are compatible with, and encouraged by, the NGSP. The County i recently adopted an Ordinance regulating wineries,which can be employed to approve Gd ,. Limited Winemaking7'S in the North Gate area. rwi Mr.Patrick Roche May 4,2004 Page 4 Project Description Winemaking, to be contained entirely within an enclosed structure, of up to 1000 cases per year and produce Stands of up to 600 SF located on parcels fronting on North Gate Rd. The Winemaking and Produce Stand uses will not have a significant environmental impact on, nor will they be inconsistent with,the character of the existing low-density residential/agricultural neighborhood. • Vehicle traffic associated with the Winemaking will be minimal and consist of approximately 4-6 pick-up trucks per day during a two-week period in September, to deliver grapes to the site. During the rest of the year approximately 2 UPS trucks per week will deliver supplies and take finished product away from the site. • During the month of September there will be 2-3 "contract" workers on-site to assist with Winemaking operations. During the rest of the year minimal activity will take place and primarily consist of tending the "aging" process. All Winemaking and storage will occur within the enclosed structure. • Produce Stands will provide a opportunity for locally grown and produced products to be sold to area residents and those going to and coming from Mt. Diablo. No significant increase in traffic is expected from this use. Dust, odors,noise and traffic will be significantly less than the existing non-residential land uses currently permitted in the area such as horse boarding/training,kennels and nursery. Requested Action That the Board of Supervisors initiate a Specific Plan Amendment Study to allow Limited Winemaking and Produce Stands in the North Gate area. Please call if you have any questions or comments. Res ctfully ySubmitted, 4 Norm Dyer,Project Architect z/wxrprojr osass/=T cc: Janice Stern,City of Walnut Creek 4. t :Ir F f u FM,•�'.�tF? ?'.a� .. spy. ��',_a as r .FF !,y � �}S, /x:F S OEi .G IF•rF lF !!• :r F•fFrr p $$ ? F F Fr? ! ��� i z �c�,y�! f5 ?fir X fR '�?ikL ilkl v� Y� dd�� Y9 y .a F F 1 4 L kc .. yd,fi'fac >T!/ < A Rliw.y. F' ?:77�C17 A` yy 9<, tw ----------------------------- h R x Cry d< A ftll!ml rr! Y• !F f. . T �.ru• / l !� F t�!