AgdaPkt 2015-09-28 Joint SA PFA - Laserfiche WebLink

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however, does not provide strict mandatory rules for determining which building disposition type applies to a certain project, or to a certain location. The Planning Manager determined that the Project should be treated as a “tower” for the purposes of applying the standards and guidelines of the DTPP; the Planning Commission agreed. This is a reasonable conclusion, including because the subject Project is taller than the eight-story recommended guideline height limit for rearyard and courtyard building disposition types, whereas the tower disposition type does not have a recommended guideline height limit. Note further that the Project is located in a 12- story height zone. Thus, the City may apply the tower disposition type regulations. (The City Council could reasonably conclude that the Project is another building disposition type and that those regulations should instead be applied.) The tower disposition type includes no mandatory standards, and seven recommended guidelines. The Applicant sought City approval to deviate from two of these seven recommended guidelines: (a) the setbacks for the office levels along two of the three interior side and rear lot lines, and (b) the gross floor area of the building levels above the parking levels. As the Planning Commission staff report explains, the Project varies from tower guideline 2.7.4.C.2.b—which recommends that side and rear lot line setbacks should be no less than 20 feet—because it has 10-foot side and rear yard setbacks on two of the three interior lot lines. In addition, the Project varies from tower guideline 2.7.4.C.2.c— which recommends that gross floor areas should be no greater than 7,000 square feet—because it has floors of 22,350 through 26,000 square feet. Staff and the Planning Commission agreed that the Project warranted approval despite deviation from these two guidelines for towers. The Architectural Advisory Committee unanimously agreed that the two deviations for the tower disposition were appropriate for the style and proposed office use of the Project, and that the Project was better with the deviations than it would be if it strictly adhered to the guidelines. Reasons include that the Project meets all other standards and guidelines, approval of the 9-story building rather than the previously proposed 11-story building reduces the massing and places two levels of parking underground, the deviations do not create additional impacts (e.g., a significant adverse change to any of the adjacent historic resources), the siting of the building at a corner along with the L-shape of the building reduces the perception of its size, and the Project as proposed creates a cohesive neoclassical design. Accordingly, staff continues to recommend that the City Council find that the Project satisfies the DTPP with respect to height, setback and floor area, including with respect to the two deviations from the aforementioned guideline recommendations for the tower disposition type. The City Council has ample bases to find that deviations 7.A. - Page 7