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DISCUSSION OF DENSITY INCREASES IN THE GREATER DOWNTOWN STOCKTON AREA TO ENCOURAGE INFILL, MIXED USE, AND TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
This is an informational and discussion item. The City Manager requests Council input and direction as to whether it is appropriate, given our staffing levels and resources, to allocate time to analyze downtown infill projects requesting higher densities than currently allowed.
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Summary
The maximum density allowed in the City is 87 units per acre, and this standard is lower than the standard applied in other downtowns experiencing infill and redevelopment. While the current land use policies outlined in the General Plan Text will be revisited in the next two years during the planning process, the current standard prevents consideration of projects that are more in line with other urban areas. Because development will not sit idle during the two-year General Plan process, the City Manager requests input regarding density issues to determine the level of staff resources that should be invested in evaluating applications from developers requesting densities above current standards. Increased density, allowing more units per acre, in the Greater Downtown Stockton Area (GDSA) would encourage infill, mixed use, and transit-oriented development projects.
As the economy recovers, it is helpful to know if Council is open to considering projects that include densities that are above the current standard and more in line with other urban areas experiencing infill and redevelopment. If not, minimal staff resources will be invested in analyzing such projects. On the other hand, if there is a willingness to consider future General Plan policies that allow for higher densities staff resources would be invested and if projects have merit the necessary policy changes would be evaluated and put forth during the General Plan update process.
DISCUSSION
Background
On December 11, 2007, the City of Stockton adopted a comprehensive update to the 1990 General Plan (GPU). This GPU included the adoption of a land use map and a guiding land use policy document. The land use map highlights the land use designations and the City’s anticipated growth boundaries. This general plan reflects a growth period through 2035 (Attachment A). The land use policy document specifies the applicable land use policies and corresponds to those particular land use designations. This policy portion of the GPU is known as the General Plan text and is the guiding policy document for development and growth of the City. The City’s development title as currently adopted, reflects the General Plan designations and policies as the principal tool for implementing the General Plan.
General Plan policy Section 3.1, Land Use Element; Table 3-1 (Attachment B) identifies the maximum development standards or densities allowed in the City. As noted in the table, the maximum density allowed outside of the GDSA is 29 dwelling units per acre of development. Within the GDSA, the maximum density allowed is 87 units per acre of development.
Throughout the GPU, policy statements are listed in the land use element that support infill development (Page B-2; LU 3.2, page 3-12), and mixed use development (LU 3.5, page 3-13; HE 1.3, page 4-1; HE 1.5, Page 4-1). In staff’s view, the current General Plan reflects a number of policies that are supportive of higher density and mixed use developments.
LU 1.15 indicates that the City shall conduct a major review of the GPU, including the General Plan Policy Document and Background Report, every five years from the date of the final approval of GPU and revise it as necessary. The current GPU was adopted in December 11, 2007. Since that time, a number of actions were taken to demonstrate support for infill projects through the streamlining of those types of development projects.
• The current General Plan was subjected to litigation and a settlement agreement was reached. Amongst the provisions of the settlement was the requirement that policies or programs in its general plan require 4,400 units of new housing growth to be located in the GDSA. As a result, a General Plan Update will incorporate such policies and programs for Council review and adoption.
• Senate Bill 375 (Sustainable Communities Act) was adopted in 2008 to support the State's climate action goals and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through coordinated transportation and land use planning with the goal of more sustainable communities.
• Senate Bill 226 was adopted in 2011 and streamlined California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review for infill projects.
• Senate Bill 743 was adopted in 2013 and highlighted transit-oriented infill projects, and streamlined judicial review for environmental leadership development projects.
• The San Joaquin Council of Governments adopted Scenario C Plus in 2014. Scenario C Plus addresses the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS). The SCS will integrate land use and transportation strategies that will achieve California Air Resources Board emissions reduction targets. The 2014-2040 Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy represents a new chapter in the development of the San Joaquin region's transportation system.
Downtown development will have different site constraints than open space development. A market driven proposal may require the assemblage of parcels owned by multiple different parties, the reuse of existing buildings, intensifying under-utilized sites with existing buildings, and some development of vacant sites. The characteristics of a market driven proposal is more varied than development in a suburban setting and may include either some or all of the characteristics to create a privately driven development proposal. As a result, flexibility in development standards and density has been requested. This flexibility would be helpful as the City is trying to attract more infill development within its older urban corridors or core.
It should be noted that the highest density allowance in the entire city of 87 units per acre is not considered dense for a modern metropolitan urban core. Other cities have evolved to standards that offer a variety of higher density options. The City of Sacramento’s residential density standards (Attachment C) include higher density options depending on the types of land use setting. The densities are allowed to reach much higher levels, in some cases with a maximum density of 450 units per acre of development. Sacramento is currently experiencing an increased market of mixed use housing products that are built at 6 stories and typically exceeding 130 units per acre.
Stockton’s limit of 87 units per acre, which would allow a housing product of 4 stories, is more restrictive than standards applied in areas experiencing infill and redevelopment. This standard may be too restrictive for urban infill projects, and it could discourage interested developers from even pursuing concepts. More flexibility to at least consider higher densities would be helpful in attracting more development to revitalize the GDSA and fulfill the Settlement targets for infill.
Ultimately, Stockton will need to find the appropriate mix and density to fit the community through the General Plan update process. This approach should take into account the needs of downtown and be flexible enough to balance market realities. Because development will not sit idle during the General Plan update process, the City Manager requests input regarding density issues to determine whether staff resources should be invested in evaluating projects with higher densities concurrent with the General Plan update process.
Attachment A - Land Use and Circulation Diagram
Attachment B - Table 3-1 Development Intensity Standards
Attachment C - City of Sacramento Land Use and Urban Design