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ITEM 8 |
City Council Memorandum Development Services Memo No. 24-008FA
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Date: |
February 22, 2024 |
To: |
Mayor and Council |
Thru: |
Joshua H. Wright, City Manager Andy Bass, Deputy City Manager and Acting Development Services Director |
From: |
Lauren Schumann, Planning Senior Program Manager |
Subject: |
PLH23-0053 Cambridge Medical Facility Final Adoption of Ordinance No. 5079 |
Request: |
Rezoning to increase Mid-Rise Overlay allowing building heights up to 75 feet |
Location: |
North of the northwest corner of Gilbert Road and Insight Way, generally located ΒΌ mile south of the southwest corner Gilbert and Germann roads |
Applicant: |
Anthony Pings; Pings & Associates |
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Proposed Motion: |
Rezoning Move City Council adopt Ordinance No. 5079 approving PLH23-0053 Cambridge Medical Facility, Rezoning to increase Mid-Rise Overlay allowing building heights up to 75 feet, subject to the conditions as recommended by Planning and Zoning Commission. |
Background Data: |
- 2006- Zoned Planned Area Development (PAD) for mixed-use development including commercial, an indoor self-storage facility, and office within a 42-acre site; Mid-Rise Overlay allowing two 75-foot tall offices along the western boundary
- 2007- Phase 1 of Watermark was constructed
- 2015- Lincoln Preparatory Academy, a state-chartered public school, was constructed over the northern 400 feet, making the 2006 conceptual site plan obsolete on the remaining parcel
- 2020- Subject site received Mid-Rise Overlay approval for building heights up to 65 feet for a indoor climbing gym (never constructed)
- Subject site is approximately 8.1 acres and the last vacant property of the original 42-acre site
- Subject site is zoned PAD for Regional Commercial (C-3) uses; the proposed use of a hospital and medical office is a permitted use
- Request is to increase Mid-Rise Overlay over the remaining parcel allowing for building heights up to 75 feet and Preliminary Development Plan for site layout and building architecture
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Surrounding Land Use Data: |
North |
Lincoln Preparatory Academy (grades 6-12) |
South |
Commercial retail and indoor self-storage facility (45 feet tall) |
East |
Gilbert Road, then single-family subdivision |
West |
The Forum (co-working space) and a day care |
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General Plan and Area Plan Designations: |
Plan |
Existing |
Proposed |
General Plan |
Employment, Chandler Airpark Growth Area |
No Change |
Chandler Airpark Area Plan (CAAP) |
Commercial |
No Change |
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Proposed Development |
Proposed Buildings |
Two buildings within three towers: South & Central Towers: Specialty hospital with 99 beds and surgery area totaling approximately 156,000 square feet North Tower: Medical office building; three-stories; totaling approximately 50,200 square feet; automated parking garage with four subterranean floors |
Provided Building Setbacks |
Required building setback from Gilbert Road: 50 feet Provided for North Tower: Approximately 174 feet |
Proposed Building Height |
South & Central Towers: 4 stories with a proposed maximum height of 75 feet; majority of building heights are 45 to 62 feet with tower features extending up to 73 feet and 4 inches North Tower: 3 stories with a proposed maximum height of 56 feet and 6 inches; majority of building heights are 45 to 50 feet |
Proposed Building Material |
- Flagstone/Sandstone in three earth tone colors
- Cement plaster stucco in white
- Non-reflective glazing
- Metal reveals and trim caps with brushed stainless steel
- Corrugated Metal Panel with no perforations used on the building and to screen roof mounted equipment
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Parking Spaces Required |
1 space per 3 beds for hospital at South & Central Tower 1 space per 150 square feet medical office at North Tower |
Parking Spaces Provided |
649 parking spaces Due to the site's size, the medical user is proposing the city's first subterranean automated parking garage containing four floors with 283 parking bays available to employees and visitors; during business hours, a parking attendant will be on-site to assist. Since persons will not occupy vehicles during use of the automated parking garage, parking spaces can be reduced in width to allow for more capacity. |
Access to Site |
-Subject site will be accessed from an existing curb cut to be developed along Gilbert Road, from a private collector street within the Watermark development to the south, and from existing access to the north. -The proposed development will utilize all existing access to the property and no new ingress or egress is proposed. -An existing drive connecting to the school to the north is required to be maintained as cross access between properties. - Pedestrian pathways are provided throughout the site, connecting to the existing commercial to the south. |
Hours of Operation |
South & Central Towers contain the specialty hospital, which provides limited services and will have overnight patients for extended times after recovery, 24 hours per day and 7 days per week; hospital does not receive emergency ambulances or offer a helicopter landing pad North Tower contains medical offices typically open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
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Review and Recommendation |
The subject site has been zoned commercial since 2006 under a large, 42-acre master planned mixed-use development called Watermark at Chandler Airpark. Uses permitted under the mixed-use zoning included an indoor self-storage facility, office, a day care, and all commercial uses. The southeast corner of the plan developed as depicted within the the 2006 Watermark case. However, in 2015 a publicly funded school developed on the northern quarter portion, making the master plan obsolete for the subject site. The 2006 conceptual plan included two 2-story offices, two free-standing pads, and three inline shops. The subject site is approximately 8.12 acres and includes the last remaining properties within the master plan. The use of a medical facility and hospital is a permitted use under the current zoning. The request is to increase the permitted building heights through a Mid-Rise Overlay allowing heights up to 75 feet. Historically, the Watermark development has entitled Mid-Rise Overlay approvals over two portions of the overall development; the first approval occurred in 2006, permitting two office buildings at 75 feet along the western border. The second occurred on a portion of the subject site along Gilbert Road in 2020 for a climbing gym permitting heights up to 65 feet, which was never constructed. Planning staff supports the request to increase the Mid-Rise Overlay over the entire remaining parcel as height within the development has been envisioned since 2006. Furthermore, the developer has been cognizant of location of building heights and location of window placement on higher level floors facing to the east towards the single-family residential. A majority of building heights range from 45 to 62 feet, with enhanced tower features increased to approximately 74 feet. Medical uses often require higher ceilings for equipment installation. This request also includes a PDP for site layout and building architecture. The development will utilize all existing access points to the site and has not opted to create new access points to avoid overflow parking from adjacent users. Due to proposed square footage and required parking, the developer has decided to provide a four-story, automated, subterranean parking garage below the north medical office tower, which is the first of its type in the city. The site contains three towers within two buildings connected with an enclosed skybridge at the third floor; an outdoor healing garden is located between the buildings. The developer has included lushly landscaped seating areas with obelisk marker at the south entrance to the property and used a generous number of date palms at the entrances to the buildings. A drop-off area has been provided at the main entrances to both buildings using shaded metal canopies with stone bases. The applicant has asked for a waiver to eliminate required landscape planters within the surface parking lot and, in lieu, is proposing to provide enhanced landscaping planters in front of spaces to provide shade for all spaces versus one shade tree for every 12 spaces. The subject site is located between the existing Watermark mixed-use development and the school to the north; the proposed property becomes the bridge between the two developments. The applicant and staff have worked together to incorporate architectural features and colors back to the Watermark development. The applicant is proposing to use flagstone as the main material in three earth-tone colors with a white cement plaster stucco as a secondary material and metal panel and non-reflective glazing used as accent materials. The applicant proposes a high quality of material and design regarding massing of building features. Planning staff has reviewed and supports the request for mid-rise overlay and preliminary development for site layout and building architecture. The proposal meets the goals of design within the Chandler Airpark Area Plan and the General Plan. Planning and Zoning Commission recommends approval. |
Public / Neighborhood Notification |
- This request was noticed in accordance with the requirements of the Chandler Zoning Code.
- A neighborhood meeting sign was posted on the site and on social media via NextDoor.
- Due to the Mid-Rise Overlay request, two neighborhood meetings and an extended notification were required. Both meetings were held in-person. The first neighborhood meeting was held on November 15, 2023, and five households attended. Attendees had concerns regarding the type of hospital and level of service offered. The applicant clarified it was not a standard hospital that accepted walk-ins or was set up as a trauma center, but rather it specializes in elective surgery. Residents had concerns about the proposed height adjacent to their homes across Gilbert Road. The applicant provided an exhibit showing the towers set back from 372 feet to 637 feet from homes and explained special attention was used regarding placement of windows in areas where overnight stays could occur.
- The second neighborhood meeting was held on November 16, 2023, and five property owners attended. All concerns focused on traffic: traffic within the area and from the school, as well as a signal requested by residents at the entrance of the Watermark development along Gilbert Road. Staff were in attendance and stated per the City's Traffic standards, signals shall be separated at least a quarter mile. The residents also asked the developer to create another access point at the northwest corner of the property through The Forum's retention basin to get access to Stearman Drive. The applicant and staff stated this request was not possible and best practice is to minimize access points to avoid potential traffic conflicts with adjacent users.
- As of the writing of this memo, Planning staff is not aware of any opposition to the request to increase building heights. Staff received a phone call with concerns related to accessible parking and an email about building heights obstructing television signals.
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Airport Commission Conflict Evaluation |
Airport Commission meeting December 13, 2023 Motion to find no conflict with existing or planned airport uses. In Favor: 6 Opposed: 0 Absent: 1 (Wakefield) The Airport Commission reviewed the request in accordance with the Airport Conflicts Evaluation Process. The Airport Manager has issued an Airport Conflicts Evaluation (ACE) report indicating that the Airport Commission determined that the proposed development does not constitute a conflict with existing or planned airport uses since the proposed development is a safe distance from the aircraft approach path. Airport Commissioners discussed the possibility to reduce the enhanced towers. However, Airport staff stated the school to the north recently received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to install 75-foot ball field poles, north of the subject site. The Airport Commission unanimously voted "no conflict" regarding current and future operations of the proposed increase in building height. |
Planning and Zoning Commission Vote Report |
Planning and Zoning Commission meeting January 17, 2024 Motion to Approve In Favor: 6 Opposed: 0 Absent: 1 (Heumann) |
Recommended Conditions of Approval |
Ordinance was introduced and tentatively adopted on February 8, 2024. Rezoning Planning and Zoning Commission recommends the City Council approve the Rezoning to increase Mid-Rise Overlay allowing building heights up to 75 feet, subject to the following conditions:
- Development shall be in substantial conformance with the Development Booklet, entitled "Cambridge Medical Facility" and kept on file in the City of Chandler Planning Division, in File No. PLH23-0053, modified by such conditions included at the time the Booklet was approved by the Chandler City Council and/or as thereafter amended, modified or supplemented by the Chandler City Council.
- Building heights shall be limited to a maximum height of seventy-five (75) feet.
- Uses shall be consistent with uses permitted in C-3 Regional Commercial District.
- No television, communication towers or stand-alone antennas shall be constructed on the property. All structures on the property shall remain below the protective surfaces as defined in Federal Aviation Regulation part 77 and/or in relation to limits established in FAA determined Terminal Procedures (TERPS). All construction cranes shall be installed and operated in accordance with FAA rules and regulations including notification through the filing of FAA Form 7460-1, Notice of Proposed Construction or Alteration.
- Prior to building permit issuance for any structures the developer shall provide a DETERMINATION OF NO HAZARD TO AVIATION approval as issued by the FAA after filing an FAA Form 7460, Notice of Proposed Construction or Alteration.
- Right-of-way dedications to achieve full half-widths, including turn lanes and deceleration lanes, per the standards of the Chandler Transportation Plan.
- Completion of the construction of all required off-site street improvements including but not limited to paving, landscaping, curb, gutter and sidewalks, median improvements and street lighting to achieve conformance with City codes, standard details, and design manuals.
- The developer shall be required to install landscaping in the arterial street median(s) adjoining this project. In the event that the landscaping already exists within such median(s), the developer shall be required to upgrade such landscaping to meet current City standards.
- The landscaping in all rights-of-way shall be maintained by the adjacent property owner or property owners' association.
- The landscaping in all open-spaces shall be maintained by the adjacent property owner or property owners' association, and shall be maintained at a level consistent with or better than at the time of planting.
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