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STAFF REPORT PLANNING DIVISION CITY OF DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA DATE: June 1, 2011 TO: PLANNING COMMISSION FROM: BRIAN SAEKI, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MARK SELLHEIM, PRINCIPAL PLANNER
SUBJECT: Consent Calendar Item No. 1: Determining that disposing of the 16-space Cityowned public parking lot on 2nd Street, located next to the former Verizon building, conforms to
the General Plan. RECOMMENDATION That the Planning Commission adopt a Minute Action making the determination that disposing of the City-owned public parking lot (APN 6254-020-902), located
next to the former Verizon building (8314 2nd Street) conforms to the General Plan. BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION Under Section 65402(a) of the state’s Planning and Zoning Laws, “No real property
shall be disposed of until the location, purpose, and extent of such disposition has been submitted to and reported upon by the planning agency (i.e., Planning Commission) as to conformity
with the General Plan.“ Property the City is contemplating disposing of is the16-space public parking lot sandwiched between the former Verizon building on 2nd Street and properties
fronting on Downey Avenue (see attached exhibit). The City plans to sell the lot to the City’s Community Development Commission (CDC). Planning Commissioners will recall the parking
lot comprises part of the site that the 50-unit “View” apartment project will cover. The lot measures 40.15’ by 140’, totaling 5,621 square feet, and comprises about 33% of the project
site. The CDC purchased the balance of the site, the adjoining parcel that the Verizon building sits on, in June, 2008, and plans to merge the two after the sale of the parking lot property.
Both the Planning Commission and City Council approved the “View” project last year and its developer, National Community Renaissance (National CORE), is slated to begin construction
in January, 2012 (project entitlements included Site Plan Review and a Density Bonus application). National CORE representatives have also indicated that they plan to submit the project’s
project’s architectural plans to the City for review next month. To move the project forward, the City will dispose of the lot to the CDC, who will in turn, transfer title to National
CORE. National CORE will then develop the 50-unit project; which is in accordance with the terms of the Disposition and Development Agreement that the City entered
2nd Street Public Parking Lot Consent Calendar Item CC Item – Verizon Bldg. June 1, 2011 -Page 2 into with National CORE. And to assist National CORE in renting the project’s units at
affordable rates, the CDC will dispose of the site at below the market value. Municipalities, by contrast, can only dispose of property at current market prices. The parking lot is one
of seven (7) city-owned public parking lots in downtown. With the development of the “View,” people who currently park there are expected to park in the public lot located across 2nd
Street, which is less than 50 feet away. Lastly, disposing of the parking lot to make way for the “View” is consistent with several goals and policies in the Housing Element of the General
Plan. They include: Goal 2: Encourage a variety of housing types and adequate supply of housing to meet the existing and future needs of city residents. Policy 2.1: Provide adequate
sites and zoning to encourage and facilitate a range of housing to address the regional fair share allocations. Policy 2.2: Encourage infill development and recycling of land to provide
adequate residential sites. Policy 2.5: Assist private and nonprofit developers in providing affordable housing to low income residents and special needs groups. Goal 3: Expand and protect
housing opportunities for all economic segments and special housing needs of the community. Goal 3.1: Use public financial resources, as feasible, to support the provision of housing
for lower income households and special needs groups. Goal 4.4: Utilize the Redevelopment Agency (Community Development Commission) as a tool to provide sites and assist in the development
of affordable housing.