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HomeMy WebLinkAbout16 TUSTIN TOWN CENTERAGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: SEPTEMBER 21, 2010 Agenda Item 16 Reviewed: City Manager Finance Director TO: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER AND RDA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FROM: REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY SUBJECT: THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF TUSTIN TOWN CENTER: A NEW BEGINNING, A STRATEGIC GUIDE FOR DEVELOPMENT SUMMARY The report "Neighborhoods of Tustin Town Center. New Beginning, a Strategic Guide to Development" for three neighborhoods in the center of Tustin has been completed. City Council endorsement of the report's priority action programs to improve the neighborhoods over the next few decades is being requested. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council and Tustin Redevelopment Agency formally endorse the Town Center New Beginning study as a strategic guide for development and instruct staff to proceed with specific programming of priority action programs, as funding is available and in conjunction with the City's and Redevelopment Agency's normal budget process. FISCAL IMPACT No direct fiscal impact at this time unless specific recommendations are brought forward for City or Agency budget approvals in the future. In anticipation of the need to prepare any environmental documentation to support General Plan amendments, Overlay District Zoning, and other zoning modifications as necessary to implement the uses recommended and permitted development thresholds contained in the Neighborhood Concept Plans, the FY 2010-11 budget has already programmed a total of $225,000 for said effort. BACKGROUND An Urban Land Institute (ULI) Advisory Panel in June 2006 evaluated infill development opportunities for the expansion of residential housing and for commercial revitalization activities within the central portions of Tustin, identified as the "Neighborhoods of Tustin Agenda Report Town Center New Beginning Report Page 2 Town Center". The neighborhoods identified in this early study were Center City, Southern Gateway, and West Village. In response to this initial study, a process necessary to implement major recommendations contained in the report was initiated. The City Council in October 2007 hired the principal firm of Field Paoli, with sub- consultant support from Keyser Marston and Austin-Foust, to complete the recommended work program which included the preparation of: • A Refined Market Study • Neighborhood Concept Plans • General Design Guidelines • An Implementation Strategy The culmination of this work program is the report entitled "The Neighborhoods of Tustin Town Center. A New Beginning, A Strategic Guide for Development". Prepared in conjunction with a community outreach program, and in collaboration with various City operating departments (including Community Development, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, the Police Department and the Redevelopment Agency), the report describes the existing conditions in the three Tustin neighborhoods; summarizes the community outreach process (several community workshops were held); presents Concept Plan Alternatives and Opportunity Sites and testing results; recommends a Preferred Concept Plan for each neighborhood, and; outlines a recommended Implementation Strategy. The report is part of an ongoing City planning effort to revitalize and improve older portions of Tustin. In preparing the report, Field Paoli has taken into consideration the following five overriding goals for the neighborhoods: • Increase the supply of housing; • Enrich the livability of neighborhoods; • Revitalize commercial uses; • Upgrade the appearance of street corridors and community gateways; and • Create employment opportunities. On August 24t", a Planning Commission Workshop was held to review and discuss the Draft Report. All interested persons were invited to attend the Planning Commission Workshop. The Draft Report was also made available on the City website at www.tustinca.orq and interested parties were invited to review the information on file in the Community Development Department and/or Redevelopment Agency. Agenda Report Town Center New Beginning Report Page 3 The Planning Commission, at its meeting, reviewed the Draft Report, solicited additional public comment on the report, and provided feedback and comments that it concurred with the report and recommended that it be embraced by the Tustin City Council. Workshop and Planning Commission feedback and comments on the report are included as Attachment 1 to this report and will be subsequently inserted in Section 3.5 of the report along with any City Council and Redevelopment Agency comments with the final publication of the report. At this point, staff is looking for City Council and Redevelopment Agency comments and direction on the subject report. In particular, we would recommend that the Council and Agency focus its review on the specific Concept Plans for each Neighborhood and immediate and short term action projects and programs recommended in Section 7 of the report under the Implementation Plan (pages 7-3 through 7-6). Based on City Council direction, staff will subsequently prepare a more defined schedule for prioritizing General Plan and major zoning modifications, including preparation of new development standards and any necessary environmental impact analysis and documentation. Future short range infrastructure projects will also be included in the City's annual budget and capital improvement program based on funding availability. Staff will continue to identify any additional financial resources necessary for other implementation actions and programs. Further, the City Council can expect to see a fourth Town Center and South Central Redevelopment Agency Five Year Implementation Plan (RDA Implementation Plan) as required by California Redevelopment Law at one of its meetings in October. The required RDA Implementation Plan will identify Agency resources over the next five years for implementation of many of the action programs and projects identified in the Town Center New Beginning report. A representative from Field Paoli, as well as City and Agency staff, will be available to respond to any questions, comments or concerns. ,i hristine Shingleton Assistant City Manager Attachment ATTACHMENT 1 The Neighborhoods of Tustin Town Center: A New Beginning Planning Commission Workshop Summary of Comments August 24, 2010 Chair: Commissioner Steve Kozak Recused: Commissioner Jeff Thompson Introduction: Christine Shingleton, Assistant City Manager Presentation: Frank Fuller, Field Paoli Architects Public Comments: Sam Myrich, Saddleback Mobile Home Park • Disposition and/or impact of study and future proposals on mobile. home parks? Jacob Zamora, resident West Village area • Are there plans for increased parking in the area? Donna McClelland, resident Tustin Village II • Traffic circulation pattern at McFadden and Tustin Village Way. Are there any changes planned to improve circulation or add new streets? Discussion was held and all questions were responded to by City/Agency staff and the consultant. Commission Comments: • Good recommendations. • Compliments staff on the good work. • Open space and park land wherever possible. • Jewelry Exchange area improvements in West Village should be a priority. • An opportunity to introduce design guidelines and also integrate traffic calming into circulation in neighborhoods via medians in major corridors. The Red Hill corridor between Walnut and the railroad tracks was cited as an example. • Develop a common palette and template for landscaping along corridors and medians, using bricks, foliages and trees to eliminate grass and conserve water. • Gateway landscaping to be consistent and provide an identity linking north, south, east and west of city. • Complete Newport Extension as soon as possible. • Stay on track with plans for incentives to homeowners and for open space. • Consider live work units like Prospect Village along major corridors and pedestrian friendly areas.