HomeMy WebLinkAbout2. Biomedical Overlay ZoneSTAFF REPORT
PLANNING DIVISION
DATE: APRIL 4, 2018
TO: PLANNING COMMISSION
SUBMITTED BY: ALDO E. SCHINDLER, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
REVIEWED BY: DAVID BLUMENTHAL, CITY PLANNER
PREPARED BY: DAVID BLUMENTHAL, CITY PLANNER
SUBJECT: ZONE TEXT AMENDMENT FOR CREATION OF A BIOMEDICAL
OVERLAY ZONE
BACKGROUND
The biomedical industry is one of the fastest growing job sectors in Southern California. This not
only includes medical offices and care facilities, but also includes all of the necessary support
industries (manufacturing, research and development, education, pharmaceutical, etc.). In
order to capitalize on Downey’s centralized location in the region and the three existing
hospitals, the Mayor and City Council have made it a goal to attract new biomedical businesses
to the City. As such, City staff was directed to procure the services of an outside consultant to
prepare a biomedical overlay zone that enhances the existing Zoning Code and provides a
catalyst to increasing biomedical businesses in Downey.
In April 2016, the City issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to elicit proposals from professional
planning firms for the aforementioned services. At the conclusion of the competitive process,
the City Council approved a professional service agreement with Civic Solutions to study and
prepare the necessary code amendments to achieve the Council’s goal. Civic Solutions
provided a multi-phase scope of work that includes the following: Phase 1 – project initiation and
coordination; Phase 2 – research of bio-medical land use; Phase 3 – evaluation of the Downey’s
existing Hospital-Medical Arts (H-M) zone and conducting a bio-medical assessment; and,
Phase 4 – preparation of a new biomedical overlay zone. The reports that have been generated
as a result of Phases 2, 3, and 4 are attached hereto.
On March 15, 2017, staff and Civic Solutions presented the Phase 2 - Research Summary
Report to the Planning Commission. This included a summary of the research that was
completed and how Downey could benefit from having a Biomedical Overlay zone. Attached to
this report, staff is redistributing the Phase 2 report; as well as, distributing the Phase 3 and
Phase 4 reports to the Planning Commission. Staff and Civic Solutions will provide a
presentation of the findings of these reports at the study session.
DISCUSSION
Civic Solutions has researched the key issues related to the biomedical industry, interviewed
other jurisdictions that have a cluster of biomedical businesses, Downey’s hospitals, local
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Biomedical Overlay Zone Study
March 15, 2017 - Page 2
universities, regional hospitals; identif ied Downey’s strengths and weaknesses, and interviewed
biomedical stakeholders and experts. Based on this research, they found:
1. The biomedical field is highly sought after across the nation. Many jurisdictions, large
and small, have incorporated incentives into their Zoning and/or Economic Development
portfolios to attract this industry.
2. The City has the basic attributes desired by most biomedical uses. These include
upgraded utilities and fiber optic networks, ready access to large employment and
patient bases, existing hospital facilities, including the renowned Rancho Los Amigos
National Rehabilitation Center, underdeveloped land with potential for redevelopment
and proximity to biomedical clusters in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.
3. The Greater Los Angeles area is an emerging bioscience hub and Downey is already
part of that cluster. The County of Los Angeles is actively pursuing development of
bioscience clusters around the County, with Downey’s Rancho Los Amigos identified as
one of a handful of sites critical to the Los Angeles County Biosciences Master Plan.
4. The City of Downey’s biomedical potential is limited by a lack of vacant land. Being
built-out, there is a lack of available vacant land for firms seeking to “build fresh.”
Instead, new facilities will require either the conversion of older structures or the razing
of previously developed sites.
5. Cities with significant biomedical clusters across the United States provide a broad
platform of incentives to attract biomedical uses. Zoning to facilitate and encourage
biomedical uses is one of several incentives used to attract biomedical uses, but
additional incentives are typically needed.
A biomedical business is one that is associated with medical or biological research, analysis,
testing and manufacturing of medical products and equipment. The draft text amendments are
attached as Exhibit ‘A’. They add new definitions to the Municipal Code, adjust the permitted
use tables to accommodate the new overlay zone, and add a new Section 9326 for the
Biomedical Overlay Zone (BIO) to the Municipal Code. The intent of these changes is to add
flexibility to existing properties that will encourage the development and growth of biomedical
businesses.
Staff is recommending five areas of the city to be included in the new biomedical overlay zone.
These areas are outlined on the maps contained in Exhibit ‘B’ of this report, but include areas
surrounding the Rancho Los Amigos Hospital, PIH Downey Hospital, the Woodruff/Washburn
Industrial Area, Kaiser Downey, and portions of Telegraph Road.
Staff is seeking the public and the Planning Commission’s input on the draft language and
proposed overlay areas. Based on the input, Staff will make the necessary changes to the draft
code and return to the Planning Commission in a public hearing for consideration of the Zone
Text Amendment.
EXHIBITS
A. Phase 2 Report, dated April 6, 2017
B. Phase 3 Report, dated November 8, 2017
C. Phase 4 Report, dated March 23, 2018
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D. Draft Code Changes
E. Biomedical Overlay Zone Maps
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CITY OF DOWNEY
PHASE 2: FINAL RESEARCH SUMMARY REPORT
April 6, 2017
Introduction
The City of Downey, California retained Civic Solutions, Inc. to establish new “Biomedical
Overlay Zone” regulations and development standards to work in concert with an updated
Hospital-Medical Arts (H-M) Zone. This report summarizes the issues, background, and the
market demands related to this type of land use and forms the foundation for the next project
phases.
SECTION 1 – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The following points represent the primary findings from the preliminary research:
The biomedical field is highly sought after across the nation. Many jurisdictions, large
and small, have incorporated incentives into their Zoning and/or Economic Development
portfolios to attract this industry. However, significant amounts of venture capital are
required to support biomedical clusters in metropolitan areas. Los Angeles County has
upward trending biomedical venture capital investment of $74 Million in 2016. However,
this is still significantly lower than other major U.S metropolitan areas such as San
Francisco and San Diego.
The City of Downey has the basic attributes to attract biomedical businesses. The
City has the basic attributes desired by most biomedical uses. These include upgraded
utilities and fiber optic networks, ready access to large employment and patient bases,
existing hospital facilities, including the renowned Rancho Los Amigos National
Rehabilitation Center, underdeveloped land with potential for redevelopment and
proximity to biomedical clusters in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.
Additionally, success of biomedical firms is highly dependent on availability of specially
trained professionals, especially those with graduate and professional degrees. Downey
is close to several universities and vocational training centers with respected medical
schools (e.g., USC, UCLA, and UCI) and vocational medical programs (e.g., Cerritos
College, Downey Adult School).
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The Greater Los Angeles area is an emerging bioscience hub and Downey is already
part of that cluster. The County of Los Angeles is actively pursuing development of
bioscience clusters around the County, with Downey’s Rancho Los Amigos identified as
one of a handful of sites critical to the Los Angeles County Biosciences Master Plan.
There may be opportunities for the City to expand its attractiveness as part of the County’s
Master Plan by building alliances with existing companies, medical and educational
institutions, and private ventures. Downey is likely to face potential competition due to
existing alliances in nearby cities.
The City of Downey’s biomedical potential is limited by a lack of vacant land. Being
built-out, there is a lack of available vacant land for firms seeking to “build fresh.” Instead,
new facilities will require either the conversion of older structures or the razing of
previously developed sites.
Cities with significant biomedical clusters across the United States provide a broad
platform of incentives to attract biomedical uses. Zoning to facilitate and encourage
biomedical uses is one of several incentives used to attract biomedical uses, but additional
incentives are typically needed. Zoning incentives could be used to help overcome the
County-wide shortage of laboratory space (wet and dry). Labs have high, upfront costs to
retrofit buildings and this can be a substantial barrier to biomedical startup companies.
SECTION 2 – PROJECT STATEMENT
This report summarizes the results of biomedical research (Phases 1 and 2), the initial
phases of a five-phase project to establish a Biomedical Overlay in the City and to attract and
retain more biomedical jobs. In it, we identify other jurisdictions that have developed and
implemented a “Biomedical Facilities Overlay” or similar zoning district, we report the results of
interviews with medical and academic institutions with knowledge of the biomedical industry, and
we summarize key economic data and characteristics of the biomedical industry. These results
provide the basis for a “biomedical feasibility assessment” to identify Downey’s strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats in attempting to expand biomedical investment and
employment.
SECTION 3 – METHODOLOGY
The Civic Solution’s project team conducted the following data collection and analysis:
1. Developed an in-depth understanding of the key issues related to the biomedical
industry. The team reviewed trade journals including Site Selection Magazine, Urban
Land Magazine, Practicing Planner, and Zoning News, reviewed web-based
information, analyzed the findings of current and applicable research papers, and
conducted interviews with experts knowledgeable about the biomedical field and
economic development strategies, such as Ahmed Enany, CEO of the Southern
California Biomedical Council (SoCalBio).
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2. Conducted research on other jurisdictions that have developed and
implemented biomedical zones. The team identified Biomedical Overlay Zone
examples and their effectiveness, as well as other geographically-based incentives
across the U.S. Cities studied included smaller to medium-sized cities such as
Carlsbad, Oceanside, Torrance, Irvine and Santa Monica and large cities, including
San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Seattle, Boston and many others.
The team analyzed the cities’ zoning, financial and land use tools used to attract
biomedical and health care jobs and investment, and identified patterns and anomalies
in jurisdictions with successful zoning strategies. The team then documented the
effectiveness of these jurisdictions’ methods and overall results.
3. Conducted interviews with key stakeholders and experts. The team interviewed
key management staff at selected local and regional hospitals, universities and other
medical/vocational programs, and biomedical businesses and associations in Downey
and nearby areas. These organizations included the Rancho Los Amigos National
Rehabilitation Center, Kaiser Permanente Health Center, Presbyterian
Intercommunity Hospital (PIH Health), Hoag Memorial Hospital, Cerritos College,
Downey Adult School, the Southern California Biomedical Council (SoCalBio), the
University of Irvine Medical School, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Loma Linda
University, and the Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences at Chapman
University. The interviews helped in understanding the biomedical sector and the
City's biomedical assets, needs and attributes. The interviews also provided insights
into biomedical institutions and businesses that might consider locating in Downey or
form alliances with medical facilities already in Downey.
4. Identified Downey’s key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
Combining the information gathered from the above methods, the team organized the
findings to identify effective zoning practices adopted by other jurisdictions, the
requirements of industry firms and stakeholders, and the attributes of the Greater Los
Angeles area’s emerging biomedical hub to develop a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats) assessment.
5. Conducted further analysis of issues identified and summarized analysis in the
report. Based on initial findings, the team evaluated additional data outside of the work
scope as necessary in the course of research, analyzed issues, and included
additional observations, as appropriate, throughout the report. This additional research
includes the evaluation of cities with successful biomedical clusters that do not provide
zoning incentives, as well as interviews with heads of organizations in such areas,
such as with Matthew Phillips, Director of the Sacramento Area Technology Alliance’s
MedStart program.
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SECTION 4 – RESULTS
4.1 Key Stakeholder Interviews
4.1.1 Main Findings
1. Several regional and local universities and institutions are interested in developing or
expanding relationships with organizations in the City.
2. The City has a good foundation to help establish a biomedical hub, especially one
centered on existing niche markets, such as the rehabilitative research and services
provided at the Rancho Los Amigos.
3. The recent trend to attract biomedical uses includes the development of flexible spaces
that adapt to the changing needs of growing companies. Additionally, high-quality housing
and transportation facilities help attract the biomedical industry’s typically younger
workforce.
4. More biomedical uses in the City would provide better opportunities for local schools to
help students transition into the biomedical industry, improve the local labor pool and help
maintain and attract new biomedical facilities.
5. Local jurisdictions can make a large impact by facilitating public and private coordination.
In many of the newer biomedical developments, public agency input and participation are
often critical to the projects’ success.
4.1.2 Interviews with major local hospitals and biomedical facilities
Kaiser Permanente Health Center, Downey Campus. Gregg B. Durkee, Chief Operations
Officer, spoke about Kaiser Permanente’s (KP) current plans to expand their Downey
facilities with a “Bed Tower”, now in the planning and permitting phase. He oversees
inpatient and outpatient hospital facilities and noted the center has about 4500 employees,
including physicians. KP seeks locations that are easily accessible and that have a high
community need. For these reasons, he felt Downey was a good location for their facility.
KP’s mission is to improve the overall health of a community, and that includes addressing
non-medical needs. In addition to seeking and providing local employment, KP brings
hundreds, even thousands of patients weekly into the City and many of these folks provide
secondary benefits to City through retail sales and use of local services.
Mr. Durkee felt the City of Downey has been easy to work with and added that he
understood the City has its rules. And while KP has a “really good relationship” with the
City, KP would always appreciate opportunities to improve communications and expedite
building permit processing. He expressed support for the City’s efforts to attract more
biomedical uses.
KP is significantly invested in medical research, and also looks for opportunities to partner
with and/or encourage local medical-oriented businesses, such as kidney dialysis services
or skilled nursing facilities existing in Downey. Mr. Durkee added that KP Downey has a
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strong internship program with Cerritos College in their Hospitality Services program. He
has been impressed with the City of Downey’s accomplishments in the last 10 years, and
would like to receive further information on the City’s biomedical overlay project.
PIH Health (Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital), represented by Debra Legan, Vice
President, Marketing, Business Development and Community Benefit.
PIH, a multi-campus hospital with locations in Downey and Whittier, currently partners with
the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC) Medical School
to provide interns and doctors at PIH. PIH offers offices for resident doctors and interns.
Speaking about the City of Downey, Debra Legan said the City staff is great to work with
and has been very supportive of PIH. However, PIH would be concerned about the type
of biomedical uses attracted by an overlay in Downey. Ms. Legan stated that PIH is
heavily dependent, financially, on outpatient services with a large medical patient load.
PIH’s primary program focus is on meeting medical care needs of low and moderate
income families. Consequently, PIH’s business health would not benefit from increased
competition if additional general medical services came to Downey, an outcome which
may not be in the best interests of PIH or its patients.
However, Ms. Legan stated, developing an overlay, or some other incentive program, that
attracts more professional-level jobs in a range of bio-medical fields and promotes the
construction of high quality housing would be beneficial.
Rancho Los Amigos (RLA), represented by Jorge Orozco, Chief Executive Officer of RLA
Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center (RLA) is a world-renowned public
hospital located in Downey that works with cutting edge medical technology, including
stem cell implants and robotic, artificial limbs. RLA specializes in rehabilitation/restorative
medical services (particularly for spinal/cranial injuries) that use local vendors for orthotics,
prosthetics, and prescription drugs, when possible. The campus is currently undergoing
an expansion that is expected to be completed in 2019. RLA works closely with Keck
School of Medicine at USC and also the University of California, Los Angeles and Loma
Linda University.
Jorge Orozco stated that Downey is well liked by RLA employees and considered “a good
place to work.” To help grow the area’s biomedical uses and assist RLA’s future
operations, Mr. Orozco said that the City should consider facilitating more networking
opportunities between hospitals, developers, businesses and academic sectors, such as
a local biomed “summit” meeting sponsored by City. He added that RLA would be very
open to public-private partnerships to expand medical services, biomedical research,
manufacturing and uses. He added that some of RLA’s main vendors, including
rehabilitation therapy and medical equipment, are located within the City.
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4.1.3 Interviews with universities, research institutions, non-profits and bio-
medical trade association
Cerritos College, represented by Sandy Marks, MSN, MS(HCA), RN, the Instructional Dean
of the Health Occupations Division
Located in the City of Norwalk, Cerritos College offers a number of Associate Degrees
related to medical specializations. Discussing the possibility to collaborate with the City
of Downey, Sandy Marks stated that Cerritos College would be interested in building
partnerships and programs that would benefit the community and surrounding areas. The
College would be interested in learning more about the demographic and socioeconomic
characteristics about the area’s population, and specifically about the retired, geriatric,
and uninsured components of the population.
Cerritos College would be interested in exploring opportunities to host classes off site.
Noting that classes offered in this type of scenario would typically accommodate up to 60
students. If the City of Downey would be interested in this, facilitating the development
of buildings designed to allow these types of spaces is necessary. Ms. Marks said that
having local biomedical businesses where students could work or complete internships
would be beneficial. Additionally, a competitive advantage for community college nursing
programs is the presence of another higher education facility dedicated to providing the
Associate Degree of Nursing graduates with the additional two years of education needed
to obtain their Bachelors of Science in Nursing. Another critical need for Cerritos College
students, and other students generally, is the need for child care up to the age of 12. Ms.
Marks advocated for the inclusion of child care centers, such as part of a college laboratory
center for child development classes.
Chapman University, Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, represented by
Janeen Hill, Ph.D., Dean of Crean College.
The Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences at Chapman University, located in
Orange, California, provides advanced healthcare education and conducts
interdisciplinary health sciences research.
Dr. Janeen Hill said the college does have existing affiliations with nearby hospitals and
health care facilities, but the partnership details were not discussed during the interview.
The College has attempted partnerships with Los Angeles County and is particularly
interested in establishing connections with the Ranchos Los Amigos Rehabilitation Center
in the City of Downey. She added, however, that initial College efforts in this regard have
so far, not been successful and that perhaps the City of Downey could be instrumental in
facilitating such partnerships.
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Downey Adult School, represented by Marianna Pacheco, Director of Academic Programs
at Downey Adult School.
The Downey Adult School (DAS) offers several medical and dental occupational training
programs for Licensed Vocational Nurses, Phlebotomy, EKG/ECG Technicians, Medical
Assistants, Dental Assistants, and others.
Ms. Pacheco noted that a positive step the City could take to help grow DAS’s heath career
training would be to promote “externships” to provide clinical work experience at hospitals,
labs and other medical businesses. Additional opportunities for these placements could
be provided by expanding medical uses and biomedical businesses, particularly near
Rancho Los Amigos and the Kaiser Permanente hospitals, as well as on County of Los
Angeles land in Downey. Further, she felt the City should partner with outside agencies
to promote biomedical uses.
Speaking about the positive attributes currently in the City of Downey, Ms. Pacheco stated
that generally speaking, the City has good infrastructure and Downey’s supply of land is
seen as sufficient. DAS currently offers classes at the Columbus High School campus in
Downey. Ms. Pacheco added that DAS intends to expand the school’s medical and dental
training and suitable classroom space is available at that campus to accommodate the
expansion.
Loma Linda University, represented by Dr. Garry Fitzgerald, Administration Advisor, former
Vice President of Business at the University
Loma Linda University is a Seventh-day Adventist, coeducational health-sciences
university located in Loma Linda, California. The University comprises eight schools,
including Medical, Dental and Nursing schools and the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and
has a faculty of between 800 – 1000 professors/physicians at any given time. The
University has an affiliated Medical Center, which, according to Dr. Fitzgerald, operates
the largest children’s hospital and neonatal intensive care unit, in terms of number of beds,
west of the Mississippi. The University’s mission is focused on medical instruction,
research, and health services and is committed to diversity in its faculty and student body.
It is guided by religious principles of the SDA church.
Dr. Fitzgerald said the University is interested in expansion and is “very open” to partnering
or discussions with public agencies (including cities). He added that the University has
started satellite medical facilities in the cities of Murrieta and Indio, and has also worked
closely with the City of San Bernardino.
University officials have been looking at sites in other areas, particularly for facilities
specializing in neuroscience. He is very familiar with the City of Downey and felt that the
presence of the Rancho Los Amigos Hospital could offer positive teaching and research
opportunities for the University faculty and students. He added that there is already some
exchange of medical residents with RLA.
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He felt the biomedical industry was rapidly expanding and that Loma Linda University
students benefitted from and were part of that expansion. In terms of incentives needed
to attract and retain biomedical uses, he felt public agencies typically should expect to
provide land, financial benefits or both. For example, the U.S. Federal government worked
with the City of San Bernardino and the Loma Linda University Hospital to develop a
medical center on a portion of the decommissioned Norton Air Force Base.
He said that the biggest challenge in expanding biomedical uses, particularly academic
and research facilities, are readily available investment capital and financing. He added
that public-private partnerships are one way universities are securing the necessary
capital. For example, Loma Linda University partners with Quest Diagnostics, a private-
sector laboratory specializing in sports medicine and medical testing.
University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, represented by Randolph W.
Hall, Ph.D., Vice President, Research
The Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California was established in
1885 as the region’s first medical school, and was the second professional school founded
at USC. Following a $110 million gift from the W.M. Keck Foundation in 1999, the school
began an expansion program to become one of the most highly regarded medical schools
in the nation. The School also invested in new research efforts including the Zilkha
Neurogenetic Institute which seeks to expand scientific knowledge of some of the most
debilitating diseases of the brain, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Dr. Hall indicated it would be difficult for Downey to develop a biomedical hub due to the
lack of a concentrated collection of medical schools and other institutions that can attract
research grants/investment. However, he also said that Rancho Los Amigos represents
the City’s best opportunity for expanding into the biomedical sector. USC has a
relationship with RLA in research, especially neurological research, and has residents
there as well. He mentioned Dr. Charles Liu, MD, PhD, director of the USC Center for
Neurorestoration and Chair of the Department of Neurology at RLA. He noted that Dr. Liu
regularly works with emerging biomedical firms on experimental therapies to treat
paralysis and other conditions, and there are some spin off opportunities for
entrepreneurial activities located near RLA. He said that within biomedical hubs, close
proximity is very important for doctors, staff and patients to quickly walk between hospitals,
medical offices, labs, etc.
Southern California Biomedical Council (SoCalBio), represented by Ahmed A. Enany,
President and Chief Executive Officer
The Southern California Biomedical Council (SoCalBio) is a nonprofit trade association
serving biomedical related businesses and organizations throughout the six counties
which make-up the Greater Los Angeles region (Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Santa
Barbara, Riverside and San Bernardino).
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Mr. Enany stated that Downey is part of the Greater Los Angeles area’s regional
biomedical draw and suggested that the City of Downey should aspire to be a hub of
biomedical employment.
Discussing the specifics of a successful biomedical overlay, Mr. Enany said that such
zoning could allow biomedical uses in zones where they are not typically allowed, but
where access, transportation and space is well suited for biomedical uses. Additionally,
the City may want to consider the provision of development incentives, such as increased
floor area ratio (FAR), lot coverage, and/or building height, to promote a minimum
“employees per acre” ratio.
Mr. Enany talked about the three basic types of biomedical uses: 1) research and
development, 2) medical services, and 3) medical manufacturing. Of these, he felt that
the City of Downey could be most successful in attracting medical manufacturing and
“niche” biomedical uses related to medical rehabilitation by building on the national
recognition of Rancho Los Amigos. He stated the City needs to look at geographic
competition for biomedical uses to further identify the other niche markets Downey can
best fill. He doubted that bio-tech uses such as medical research and development were
feasible in Downey, since the City is not closely affiliated with a university or research
institution. “Biotech” industries are typically associated with cell biology and chemical
research; not with mechanical or electronic research and manufacturing.
SoCalBio advocates for all new development to include universal access as it helps
support biomedical uses and development. Other development techniques that prove
beneficial for biomedical uses is “flex” or convertible office space; that is, commercial
space that is interchangeable between wet and dry laboratory space and offices. “Wet”
laboratory space refers to laboratories where chemicals, drugs, or other material or
biological matter are handled in liquid solutions or volatile phases, requiring direct
ventilation, and specialized piped utilities (typically water and various gases). Special
focus should be paid to expanding incentives for medical laboratory space development
and more business park/manufacturing-zoned areas with vacant or re-developable land.
From a municipal standpoint, Mr. Enany stated that it is important for Downey to develop
a “toolbox” of strategies to attract biomedical uses and job seekers. For example, one
primary tool is to promote higher density, high-quality apartment homes close to transit,
similar to that found in Irvine. Housing in the form of condominiums, courtyard homes,
and larger single-family residences also help to attract biomedical job seekers and
businesses seeking to locate in areas with high quality housing options. The City’s location
near the planned Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs Metrolink Station can help facilitate this
approach.
According to Mr. Enany, the City already has a few key tools. These consist of the
promotion of its centralized location between Los Angeles and Orange counties with
affordable land costs. Also of locational importance, is being surrounded by four major
freeway connections and the proximity to the Metrolink Orange County Gold Line stop in
Santa Fe Springs/Norwalk.
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The City of Downey should pay special attention to local utilities and increasing capacity
when necessary. For example, increasing water and wastewater capacity, which is
typically a critical need for biomedical uses, may be required for some businesses or
organizations. Fiber optic cable installation, such as that done by the City on Paramount
Boulevard, has proven to be a very desirable attribute for site selection. It may also be a
benefit to explore a potential collaboration with surrounding cities like Santa Fe Springs,
Pico Rivera, Norwalk, and Paramount to address some issues better suited to regional
responses.
University of California, Irvine Medical Center, represented by Paul Da Vega, Senior
Project Manager, and John Gilway, Executive of Governmental Relations
The University of California, Irvine (UCI) Medical Center is located in the City of Orange,
and is consistently ranked as one of the nation’s best hospitals. In addition, the UCI
School of Medicine is ranked as one of the nation’s top medical schools for research. The
Medical Center is currently the only university-based hospital in Orange County, and
currently does not have any formal partnerships with the City of Orange or biomedical
companies.
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian is a not-for-profit health care network based in
Newport Beach, with two hospitals, 10 urgent care centers and seven health centers
located in nine Orange County cities. The Newport Beach hospital is a 414-bed general
medical and surgical facility. According to Stephen Jones, Vice Chairman of the Board of
Hoag Hospital, a “biomedical overlay” approach was tried in the San Francisco area to
attract biomedical uses to Mission Bay, but the approach didn’t work because it couldn’t
dislodge “solidified clusters” of biomedical uses located elsewhere in the region.
He noted that biomedical companies follow where specialized physicians and medical
researchers live and work, physicians follow hospitals, and hospitals tend to follow
universities with medical schools and research. This may explain, at least in part, why a
portion of Kaiser Permanente’s planned Medical School moved to Pasadena, California.
There is a higher concentration of physicians and medical researchers already living in
that area.
He also noted that hospital expansions and new medical centers are, in his experience,
beginning to get “push back” from nearby residents who are concerned about additional
traffic, parking impacts, etc. This is why appropriate zoning and development standards
are so important to attract biomedical uses.
The medical industry is becoming more specialized and diverse. He felt that Downey
could succeed in attracting specialized biomedical uses area by building on its strengths.
The City should focus on whether there is an “unfilled biomedical services niche” that it
can fill. For example, the administrative and mail order pharmaceutical facility run by
Kaiser Permanente may be a springboard for complementary uses.
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4.2 City Zoning Survey
4.2.1 Main Findings
1. There are several zoning tools that cities utilize to attract biomedical uses. Such tools are
typically designed to meet the needs of the individual jurisdiction based on its biomedical
goals, existing development patterns and the community’s preferences on development
character.
2. The most typical land use approach to encourage biomedical uses is to create a base
zone that allows the use “by right”, that is, without requiring discretionary approvals.
However, this approach also may allow competing or non-supportive land uses that could
potentially discourage desirable biomedical uses. The most successful cities with
biomedical clusters achieve a “synergy” by attracting both primary biomedical uses and
supportive uses. It appears that this is best achieved through zoning which specifically
encourages appropriate uses, while restricting uses that detract from the purpose of the
zone. For example, all-inclusive industrial zones that also allow biomedical uses,
generally do not result in successful biomedical clusters.
3. Two planning studies currently underway, the City’s Imperial Highway Corridor Study and
the Los Angeles County’s Rancho South Campus Master Plan offer significant
opportunities for expanding and intensifying biomedical uses in Downey. Initial estimates
for the South Campus Plan alone indicate a possibility to designate about 40 acres across
Imperial Highway from the Kaiser Permanente Hospital for eventual redevelopment of
County facilities with biomedical uses.
4. A more specific approach that some cities use is a biomedical overlay that adjusts
development standards of the base zone to provide additional flexibility for or reduce
development costs of biomedical uses.
5. Overlay zones, or other zoning tools that allow biomedical uses in areas where the base
zoning would not normally allow them, such as manufacturing, Business Park or
commercial zones. The overlays may also provide incentives such as exceptions to
building height limits, maximum lot coverage or flexible floor area ratios (FAR) based on
numbers of patients or type of use.
6. The most consistent attribute of cities and counties with biomedical zoning is a focus on
the uses permitted in the zones and their relationship to supporting institutions.
7. In areas that are nearly built-out, recent focus is on the appropriate relationship between
biomedical (or light industrial) uses and existing residential development.
8. Some of the more unique zoning tools are in-zone density transfers and density increases
based on the inclusion of certain uses.
4.2.2 Jurisdictions with Biomedical Districts
There are a number of local governments and regional planning agencies that have either
investigated or acted to adopt zoning measures to promote biomedical and other related uses.
This section of the report is accompanied by two tables. The first is Figure 1 and represents a
snapshot of the main attributes of cities across the U.S. with zoning that allows, encourages or
incentivizes biomedical uses.
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The second, Attachment 1, is a zoning comparison matrix that describes these attributes in
greater detail. The matrix represents a range of options for biomedical zoning techniques to
provide a complete picture of the “zoning landscape” across the nation. These techniques range
from industrial zones that provide the basic standards to allow biomedical uses, to zones that are
designed specifically to incentivize biomedical uses. It includes a description of the zones’
standards, development intensity allowed, availability of other incentives and major institutions
that anchor the zone, if any.
Figure 1 – City Survey Zoning Attributes
A few prominent biomedical “zones” in the U.S. are not included in the list; for example, Boston’s
Bioscience Corridor. This is because these “zones” are not the result of any direct city land use
City/ County Base Zones
allow
Biomedical
Uses
Use of
Biomedical
Overlay
Types of Zoning Incentives
Provided for Biomedical Uses
Aliso Viejo, CA Nothing additional, but allows “wet”
labs.
Carlsbad, CA Nothing additional, but provides
process for medical campus
development in existing zones.
Inglewood, CA Increased lot coverage and building
height.
Irvine, CA Increased FAR and building height;
Zone discourages competing uses.
Jupiter, Florida Increased building height.
Lyndon, WA Increased lot coverage and building
height.
Mangonia Park,
FL
None, but provides expedited permit
processing.
Montgomery
Co., MD
Increased FAR and building height. In-
zone density transfers.
Oakland, CA Increased FAR.
Phoenix, AZ Zone discourages non-biomedical
uses.
Poway, CA Zone discourages non-medical uses.
Sacramento,
CA
Nothing additional.
San Diego (La
Jolla), CA
Increased height; zone discourages
non-biomedical uses. Proximity to
UCSD.
San Francisco,
CA
Increased FAR and building height.
Santa Monica,
CA
Nothing additional.
Torrance, CA Nothing additional.
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or zoning action. That is, they do not involve the application of public agency zoning or land use
regulation. Rather, they rely heavily on local academic or medical institutions, networks of
economic development incentives, or non-profit and private sector construction to create the
space most needed by biomedical start-ups. These types of incentives are discussed in greater
detail at the end of this section, as cities with successful biomedical zones tend to also provide
other non-zoning incentives, as well.
The most straightforward incentive is to adopt a base biomedical zone (comparable to Downey’s
H-M Zone) specifically to permit biomedical uses by right, plus accessory uses that are compatible
with and supportive of the primary biomedical uses. In this method, the zone will include the
entire geographic area where those uses are desired, along with the use and development
standards specific to the biomedical industry. The zone will identify all permitted, and conditionally
permitted uses allowed in the zone. Additionally, uses that are not seen as complementary can
be discouraged by prohibiting them. The cities that best demonstrate this type of zoning are the
California cities of San Diego, Irvine, Santa Monica; and Phoenix, Arizona, and Montgomery
County, Maryland. These jurisdictions created zones that identify the biomedical uses to be
encouraged and developed standards that contributed to the jurisdictions’ desired development
patterns in ways that met the needs of the biomedical industry.
Phoenix’s Biomedical Campus is an example of a successful, multi-faceted biomedical zone.
The zone is comprised of zoning standards specific to the biomedical industry, and was
augmented by financial incentives that created a comprehensive economic development
package. Included in this report is an analogue study by the Concord Group that analyzes the
City of Phoenix’s Biomedical Campus, and evaluates the economic and employment impacts of
the development on the City. Please refer to Attachment 4 for that study.
Some cities set maximum FARs for biomedical uses to 1.0, or lot coverage to 30 percent to
preserve smaller-scale compatibility, while other, more densely populated cities allow FARs up to
3.0 or lot coverage of 100 percent. Of the 16 cities with biomedical zoning surveyed, there was
no identifiable pattern that emerged that suggested that most biomedical zoning was provided a
substantial increase in the development intensity beyond similarly intensive commercial zones.
The overwhelming similarity in the biomedical zones’ mechanisms for incentivizing biomedical
uses was in streamlined permitting of such uses, and the generally broad nature of those uses.
Typically, biomedical zones allow a complete mix of bioscience-related uses, such as those
described in the City of San Diego’s Zoning Ordinance which allows manufacturing of biochemical
research and diagnostic compounds to be used primarily by universities, laboratories, hospitals,
and clinics for scientific research and “developmental testing purposes” and “biological,
biomedical, and pharmaceutical products”, and “scientific, engineering, and medical instruments.”
Additionally, cities allow compatible uses that have the effect of supporting, possibly even
attracting biomedical uses. Typical types of compatible uses would be general office, restaurants
and coffee shops, public transportation facilities, and service uses geared to biomedical
employees.
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The second method to use zoning to incentivize biomedical uses is to develop general base zones
that include standards that facilitate the development of biomedical using a more generalized
approach. This approach can be seen in the City of Aliso Viejo, which has a focused industrial
zoning geared to high-tech companies and corporate headquarters. However, within the
industrial zones, the City fosters the development of uses critical to the biomedical industry, such
as wet laboratory space.
Finally, there are cities that have adopted zoning overlays that alter certain standards for an
area’s base zones. This method would typically identify a base zone that accommodates a broad
spectrum of uses, such as commercial and industrial uses, but that on their own either do not
allow or do not incentivize the development of biomedical uses.
An overlay would then be applied to allow biomedical and other compatible uses. The overlay
may also provide special standards for the incentivized uses above what the base zone allows.
This would generally amount to an intensification of certain development standards, such as
building height or an increase in the Floor Area Ratio. The City of San Francisco is a good
example of this type of zoning incentive. That city’s Life Science and Medical Special Use
District allows certain encouraged uses, such as Medical Services, Life Science Offices, and Life
Science Laboratories are exempt from the City’s FAR and height limitations. Jupiter, Florida’s
Biomedical Research Protection Zone is another example, which allows a six foot increase in
building height for each floor of the development that will have at least 20% wet lab space.
Another type of overlay is San Francisco’s Life Science Special Use District, located to encourage
bioscience and biotech uses in proximity to the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)
campus at Mission Bay. The City is the epicenter of one of the most successful bioscience
clusters in the nation. Included in this report is an analogue study by the Concord Group that
analyzes the City of San Francisco’s Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center Master
Plan 2013-2022, and evaluates the economic and employment impacts of the development on
the City. Please refer to Attachment 5 for that study.
The City of Inglewood provides a unique example of an overlay. Its version is called the
“Biomedical Enterprise Overlay.” This overlay provides both an incentive for biomedical uses
by allowing certain uses where they otherwise would not be allowed, while dis-incentivizing
perceived competing uses by not allowing residential-only development. As discussed later in
the section regarding the biomedical industry research, the City of Inglewood’s overlay speaks to
the delicate transition that is needed in more built-out cities between medical and residential uses.
This overlay attempts to protect the residents’ quality of life while maintaining competitiveness in
attracting biomedical uses. While this is not typical in municipal zoning ordinances, the sentiment
is often expressed, as it was in an interview with an administrator from Hoag Memorial Hospital
in Newport Beach, who stated that “I do not expect there was any resistance to the hospital or its
location when it was built 60 years ago since there was nothing around it. The resistance only
comes now because neighbors do not like a hospital next to them….”
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It is difficult to predict the impact that a particular zoning incentive might have on a community
when provided to the biomedical industry. In part, this is because no comprehensive study has
been undertaken to ascertain these effects. Also, information related to a particular incentive’s
effectiveness is contained in someone’s personal experience, essentially a case study by city
staff. While this type of evaluation can be very informative, especially from an implementation
standpoint, there are problems associated with extrapolating this type of information to apply to
another jurisdiction.
However, it was identified during our research that cities with successful biomedical clusters
typically have within their boundaries, or are associated with, research universities or hospitals.
In addition to zoning mechanisms, cities wishing to attract biomedical uses can create an
“enterprise” or economic development area that is typically tied to existing universities or large
health centers. In conjunction with this, there can be financial incentives or business-support
activities. The financial incentives can be anything from direct payments made to businesses that
relocate, expand, or remain in the area, as is a signature of the City of Nashville’s economic
development portfolio, to waiving certain taxes or fees, as Oceanside, California has done. That
city recently provided millions of dollars in tax breaks to incentivize one firm to relocate to the
area.
U.S. cities where the top biomedical hubs are located focus heavily on providing support services.
These include the creation of on-demand laboratory and office space for entrepreneurial
biomedical students or start-ups, public transportation facilities and land use plans that create
entire micro-environments to attract the talented young professionals the biomedical industry
needs to grow.
In researching other jurisdictions that advertise biomedical/life-science/biotech “zones,” it is
apparent that to successfully create such zones requires a concerted focus on multiple
characteristics of a city, if not a region. Many cities and counties, such as New Orleans,
Montgomery County, Maryland, Marin County, California, and San Carlos, California, have spent
resources, sometimes considerable amounts of money, to institute an incentive scheme only to
find that the city was simply not well situated to successfully attract biomedical industries. Other
cities, like Inglewood, California and Lyndon, Washington created biomedical base zones or
overlays only to see no results. According to city staff, this outcome is a result of the complete
absence of existing biomedical industry, research universities and hospitals.
What is clear is that biomedical uses are highly sought after by many cities for their perceived
economic benefits. By investigating the areas with the most densely populated biomedical
clusters, it can be determined, generally, what attributes and characteristics are most often
prevalent, thus determining the basic characteristics and incentives that appear most attractive to
biomedical companies.
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4.3 Biomedical Industry Research
The following information represents the main findings of the biomedical industry research, which
is composed of a review of relevant trade journals such as Site Selection Magazine, Urban Land
Magazine, Practicing Planner, and Zoning News, a review web-based information, an analysis of
the findings of current and applicable research papers, and information gathered from interviews
with experts knowledgeable about the biomedical field and relevant economic development
techniques. A more descriptive explanation of these findings is provided as Attachment 13.
Main Findings
1. In 2015, Battelle Technology Partnership Practice developed the Feasibility Assessment
and Master Plan for Advancing the Bioscience Industry Cluster in Los Angeles County for
the Los Angeles County Supervisors. The group proposed, and the County Supervisors
have since begun approving, initiatives that make up the Los Angeles County Bioscience
Master Plan. In a 2011 feasibility study referenced in the Batelle Group’s analysis, one of
the potential sites for a BioHub could be Rancho Los Amigos.
2. The competition to attract bioscience/bio-tech firms has increased over the recent
decades. This competition has led to an understanding among private firms and public
agencies that quality of life plays a major role in the decisions of employees regarding
where they are willing to settle for employment in the biomedical industry. High-quality
development is a crucial need for the biomedical industry due to the attraction of the
younger generations of the workforce by cities that tend to locate in coastal areas and
seek vibrant urban environments.
3. The success of large campus-style medical centers depends, in large part, on the local
jurisdiction’s ability to provide high-quality development, public infrastructure, access, and
services. Additionally, redevelopment of existing facilities is critical to an ever-changing
healthcare and biomedical marketplace.
4. Connections between research facilities and the biomedical industry are very important.
Biomedical clusters have traditionally been centered on academic research centers. Local
governments desiring to foster the creation of new biomedical industry will need to
facilitate this collaboration with local and regional institutions.
5. For many communities, concerns are being raised about the interface between medical
uses and residential properties. Collaboration with the affected neighborhoods is critical
for success. Ideally, cities can encourage biomedical uses on the periphery or in areas
where they do not adversely affect residential neighborhoods and where they can grow
outward. Or alternatively, encouraging biomedical institutions (e.g., hospitals, major
research facilities) to disperse their operational units away from the main campus. Cities
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that are more generally built-out tend to have one option remaining, which is to provide
the path for institutions to demolish obsolete buildings and grow vertically.
6. Collaboration between public agencies and the private enterprises that make up the
contemporary life science industry will be one of the important keys to success in the years
to come, with innovation districts consisting of high-quality housing options, good public
transportation, retail opportunities, and office and research and development areas that
work together being a key component.
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SECTION 5 – S.W.O.T. EVALUATION
Based on the research conducted by the Civic Solutions team, the following evaluation represents
the City of Downey’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) related to
attracting biomedical uses. In conjunction with the information contained in this report, research
on relevant demographic, economic, and employment data was used to develop the SWOT
analysis. A description of the findings of this demographic, economic, and employment data is
provided in Attachments 6-12.
Strengths:
1. Central location in Greater Los Angeles area.
Downey’s central location provides a good opportunity for biomedical uses that require
access to multiple nodes in Southern California, from San Diego to Los Angeles.
2. Increasing venture capital spending in Los Angeles area.
Los Angeles County has upward trending bio-venture capital investment - $74 Million in
2016.
3. Highly-skilled workforce in Los Angeles County.
Success of biomedical firms is highly dependent on availability of specially trained
professionals, especially those with graduate and professional degrees. Downey is
relatively close to schools with respected graduate programs (USC, UCLA, and UCI).
4. Existing hospital and biomedical -related industry in the City and County.
An upcoming trend in the biomedical industry is the development of a signature complex
that emphasizes an interconnected network of partnerships with biomedical firms. LA
County currently has plans to expand its biomedical cluster, which would give Downey
opportunities for partnership with its existing medical facilities. Ranchos Los Amigos
Rehabilitation Center is highly regarded in physical therapy and prosthetics, which could
lead to future development of research space.
5. High tech infrastructure and utilities in place.
Downey has made some strategic investments to maintain quality infrastructure important
to the biomedical industry, such as high speed internet.
6. Three top research institutions (UCLA, USC, and UC Irvine) located in the region.
The presence of top research institutions are a positive sign for the Greater Los Angeles
area, and will help foster investments in the region that Downey can take advantage of.
The County of Los Angeles is actively pursuing development of bioscience clusters around
the County, with Downey’s Rancho Los Amigos identified as one of a handful of sites
critical to the Los Angeles County Biosciences Master Plan.
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Weaknesses:
1. Lack of research universities/ facilities in close proximity.
Relationships with high NIH-funded research institutions provide a key source of equity
for biomedical firms. Downey lacks a major research institution within its boundaries but
has the potential to partner with top NIH institutions, such as UCLA, USC and UCI.
2. Lack of vacant land for new development.
Most biomedical development will be remodeling or new construction in previously
developed sites in Downey, since there are no existing biomedical buildings. Downey is
mostly built-out, which will generally require that existing buildings be demolished before
new construction can begin, a cost that development in other cities on the periphery may
not include.
3. Lack of commercial/industrial buildings to convert to “wet laboratory” use.
Retrofitting lab space can be a high-up front cost and a big barrier for young biomedical
companies, but can be alleviated through construction of new buildings that are readily
equipped and meet strict requirements.
4. Lack of availability of venture capital funding, compared to other western U.S. metropolitan
centers.
Significant amounts of venture capital are required to support biomedical clusters in
metropolitan areas. The amount invested in Los Angeles County is still significantly lower
than other major U.S metropolitan areas such as San Francisco and San Diego.
5. Lower educated/trained workforce.
Average graduate education level of Los Angeles County (7% graduate degrees) is in line
with San Diego (8% graduate degrees) and Orange counties (8% graduate degrees).
Downey (4% graduate degrees) may need to attract additional qualified technical,
research and medical job seekers from neighboring counties and cities if is to successfully
expand its biomedical sector. This would, in turn, require that the City promote and to the
maximum degree possible, expand its services, housing and quality of life factors that will
attract highly educated and talented biomedical job seekers.
6. Few existing relationships with top research institutions.
Alliances among major medical schools, existing companies, local government, and
private ventures are needed to provide capital support and expedited entitlements for
biomedical firms. Downey could face potential competition with existing alliances in nearby
cities.
7. Distance to the region’s established biotech nodes and existing traffic congestion.
Downey’s distance to major biomedical clusters in Southern California and traffic
congestion limit the ability for synergistic, locational relationships with traditional
biomedical companies and research institutions.
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Opportunities:
1. Existing niche market for rehabilitative biomedical uses.
The City of Downey has a world-renowned facility, Rancho Los Amigos that provides
unique services that have the potential to contribute to the presence of a signature
complex for the City.
2. The absence of strategic investment in new, critical facilities and technologies in other
competitive markets.
While biomedical uses are highly sought after across the nation, in the Los Angeles area
there is a lack of an established biomedical hub, with development somewhat sporadic
and not well unified. To a degree, this increases Downey’s changes of becoming a hub.
3. The County of Los Angeles actively working to establish BioHubs around the County.
Evaluations of potential BioHub sites include the Rancho Los Amigos facility.
4. Lack of “wet lab” space in Los Angeles County.
Wet laboratory space is a critical need for a successful biomedical cluster. This type of
development is typically more expensive to construct, and difficult to convert existing
building. There are not many cities that specifically identify wet laboratories as a permitted
use, making it unclear whether a city would permit it.
Threats:
1. Competition from other jurisdictions with established biomedical cluster, such as Irvine and
Los Angeles.
Alliances with existing companies, local government, and private ventures can provide
capital support and expedited entitlements for biomedical firms. Downey could face
potential competition with existing alliances in nearby cities.
2. Unknown saturation point of the market, within the state and nation.
For decades the biomedical industry has been growing rapidly. There is very little
research to indicate at what point the market demand will be met, or how close that point
in time may be.
3. Decentralization of the Los Angeles area hubs and more movement to areas with available
greenfield development potential.
The trend in the Greater Los Angeles area tends to be construction of new facilities along
the periphery in areas with available land to develop.
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SECTION 6 – LIST OF ATTACHMENTS
1. Zoning Comparables Matrix
2. Concord Group Memorandum of Findings
3. Preliminary Biomedical Feasibility Assessment
4. Analogue Study – Phoenix Biomedical Campus
5. Analogue Study – Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center
6. Demographics
7. Employment – By Industry, Southern California
8. Annual Employment, Downey, CA
9. Employment Commute – Southern California
10. Employment Commute – Downey, CA
11. Employment –Industry Maps-Downey, CA
12. Employment – Location Quotient, U.S.
13. Biomedical Industry Research Full Report
SECTION 7 – REFERENCES CITED
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Bruns, A. May 2011. Big Science: The best biomedical hubs may be driven by, of all things, the
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Bruns, A. April 2016. Clusters & Mergers: Medical devices are a big deal in Minnesota: The
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Bruns, A. September 2015. Ready and Able: Boston’s called ‘The Hub’ for a reason, but other
markets are rising thanks to rising costs at the top. Site Selection Magazine.
Butler, Patrick, Planner Coordinator, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.
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City of Sacramento, CA Website. (October, 2016). Retrieved from:
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Agenda Page 27
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***
Agenda Page 30
CITY OF DOWNEY
PHASE 3: FINAL REPORT
November 8, 2017
Introduction
The City of Downey, California retained Civic Solutions, Inc. (CSI) to establish new “Bio-Medical
Overlay Zone” regulations and development standards to work in concert with an updated
Hospital-Medical Arts (H-M) Zone. Phases 1 and 2 of this multi-phase project consisted of initial
coordination and primary research. These phases have been completed and findings
summarized in the Phase 2 Report entitled April 2017 Bio-Medical Research Summary Report.
In Phase 3, CSI evaluated the City’s land use and development regulations and General Plan
polices based on studies of cities that have established bio-medical overlay zones, and on the
results of interviews with administrators from major bio-medical facilities, universities, and trade
organizations. Guided by this analysis, CSI has prepared a Bio-Medical Planning Assessment
for the City. The Assessment is specifically tailored to help meet Downey’s bio-medical goals and
is intended to serve as a “roadmap” for preparing detailed zoning map and ordinance
amendments in Phase 4.
SECTION 1 – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The primary findings from the four main sections of the report are:
Evaluation of the City's zoning requirements and development regulations. CSI
analyzed the City’s existing zoning districts, permitted uses and development standards
with an emphasis on analyzing bio-medical uses. Patterns and anomalies that could affect
the feasibility of expanding or attracting bio-medical uses to the City were identified. CSI
paid special attention to existing zoning regulations for potential changes that could make
Downey even more "bio-medical business-friendly" and attractive to bio-medical and
supportive uses, and attractive to well-qualified employees. Major findings include:
1. The City’s Zoning Ordinance provides a good framework to integrate a new overlay
zone and other zoning amendments to incentivize bio-medical uses.
2. New and amended definitions are needed to clearly describe the range and types
of bio-medical uses and health services as they operate today.
3. In general, the City’s development standards allow for the scale of development
that is typically associated with bio-medical uses in many small to medium-sized
cities with successful bio-medical sectors. However, additional flexibility in key
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development standards is needed to attract bio-medical uses, such as in floor area
ratios (FARs), building heights, and setbacks.
4. The permitted and conditionally-permitted uses allowed in certain commercial and
manufacturing zones should be revised to encourage bio-medical uses and related
supporting uses, and to discourage incompatible, obsolete or inappropriate uses
in service-commercial and manufacturing areas. For example, “Printing Shops,
“Taxicab Stands,” and “Motels and Hotels” may no longer make sense in the
Commercial-Manufacturing zone, or “Auto Wrecking Yards,” “Lumber Mills” and
“Junk Yards” in the M-2 Manufacturing zones.
General Plan Consistency. Anticipated zoning changes to permit and incentivize bio-
medical uses are not expected to create inconsistencies with existing General Plan
policies. Nevertheless, we recommend that the General Plan’s policies be amended to
provide the legal and procedural foundation for the City’s bio-medical land use and
economic development objectives. Recommended revisions are summarized below and
described more fully in Section 3.
1. The General Plan Land Use Element’s Balance of Uses, Livable Communities, and
Growth Management Section policies should be amended to provide policy
direction to incentivize and address the future impacts of new bio-medical uses.
2. The General Plan Economic Development Element’s Business Attraction and
Retention, and Employment sections’ policies should be amended to qualitatively
address the economic costs and benefits of incentivizing bio-medical uses and
their potential impacts, particularly on adjacent residential neighborhoods.
3. The General Plan Land Use Plan should be amended to re-designate the area
currently zoned “H-M” and designated “Office” in the General Plan to “General
Commercial” to provide more uniformity and flexibility of uses.
Evaluation of the Hospital-Medical Arts Zone. The Hospital-Medical Arts (H-M) Zone
accommodates and helps preserve a limited range of medical uses in two land areas
totaling about 46 acres. The narrow range of permitted and conditionally permitted uses
in the H-M Zone has the effect of discouraging the establishment of more diverse
commercial uses in these areas. While H-M zoning appears to continue to serve its
purpose (to protect medical services and related uses), it is too restrictive to achieve the
City’s broader bio-medical objectives of today. To overcome the H-M Zone’s limitations
and address the City’s desire to maintain and attract new bio-medical uses, CSI
recommends that:
1. A Bio-Medical Overlay Zone be applied to commercial, manufacturing, and other
zones to accommodate primary and accessory bio-medical uses.
2. A Bio-Medical Overlay Zone serve as the primary zoning tool to create the land
use “synergy” that will attract the investment capital and labor force needed for a
vibrant bio-medical sector.
3. The H-M Zone should be maintained but amended to allow a wider range of bio-
medical uses and more flexible standards that will be compatible with the Bio-
Medical Overlay Zone.
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Bio-medical Planning Assessment. The Bio-Medical Planning Assessment summarizes
the recommended strategies to enhance the City's ability to retain, expand and attract bio-
medical uses, and related accessory and supportive uses. The intent is to make the City
more attractive overall to bio-medical uses and employees. Key recommendations are to:
1. Consider providing financial and industry-supportive incentives to increase the
local concentration of bio-medical employment and business opportunities.
2. Define bio-medical sector business priorities and tailor fiscal, land use/zoning, and
outreach/marketing strategies to reach targeted businesses, institutions, and
investors.
SECTION 2 – ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS EVALUATION
As identified in the Phase 2 Report, cities can choose from several zoning tools to attract bio-
medical uses. Such tools can be designed to meet the needs of the individual jurisdiction, based
on its goals, existing development patterns, and the community’s preferences on new
development. Before the City considers adopting such tools, it is imperative to analyze current
zoning standards. A key first step is to identify the most efficient method to integrate new
regulations to achieve bio-medical goals, avoid unintended consequences, and maintain General
Plan consistency. Following is an examination of the pertinent aspects of the City’s Zoning
Ordinance and Zoning Map.
Our analysis of the Zoning Ordinance and development regulations revealed a number or sections
needing changes and/or additions. Starting with the Zoning Ordinance definitions, there is a need
to describe the types and range of bio-medical and health services-related uses as they operate
today. For example, there is no definition of “bio-medical use.” Similarly, other key medical and
healthcare uses are undefined, such as those that describe clinical services like outpatient
treatment, which differ from “medical offices” and “hospitals.”
Establishing a more robust definition section that clearly differentiates medical, research and
development, and bio-medical uses will clarify the application of zoning standards to bio-medical
uses and will prove to be critical in achieving the City’s goals. Additionally, a more comprehensive
description of uses will help identify those less desirable medical-related uses (in terms of their
ability to attract well-paid bio-medical jobs), such as group-counseling centers and manufacturing
of low-technology medical devices. These uses, although related to medical services, can
displace and discourage the types of businesses with higher-paying bio-medical jobs. For
example, other cities’ experiences suggest that uses that solely provide clinical services directly
to patients, as opposed to bio-medical research and development or high-tech bio-medical
manufacturing, produce fewer high paid jobs and secondary sales.
The commercial and manufacturing zone development standards provide a solid foundation for
promoting redevelopment to accommodate new bio-medical uses. The City’s existing zoning
development standards (i.e. setbacks, building height limits, etc.) are generally consistent with
what is typically required in many comparable jurisdictions with bio-medical sectors, and in some
cases, are more flexible or permissive. For example, Downey provides height limits for
commercial zones that are comparable to, or that allow several stories taller than, other Southern-
California commercial zones in Carlsbad, Santa Monica, and Aliso Viejo that encourage bio-
medical uses. Based on CSI’s case studies of cities with successful bio-medical zones, Downey’s
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development standards generally do not require major changes and are unlikely to restrict bio-
medical development.
Limited, strategic Zoning Ordinance amendments may be desirable, however, to incentivize
redevelopment, particularly for bio-medical uses that have potential to create high-paying jobs.
This need is underscored by the City’s limited amount of vacant or underdeveloped land suitable
for such uses. CSI does not believe wide-ranging increases in development standards to
incentivize bio-medical development are needed at this time. Such changes may be appropriate
in the future, as part of a broader economic development program that the City may consider
following an initial start-up period for its new bio-medical policies and programs. Incentives to
facilitate redevelopment for bio-medical uses should be considered on a case-by-case basis and
tailored specifically for new bio-medical development projects and their specific settings.
For example, a tailored approach would be to create a bio-medical overlay zone that expands the
base zone’s permitted uses and provides additional development predictability or reduces
development costs for bio-medical uses. Furthermore, since Downey is nearly built-out, the City
should continue to protect residential areas near existing and planned bio-medical growth areas.
To a certain degree, this has already occurred as evidenced by the reduced heights and increased
building setbacks required for development adjacent to residential uses. To further maintain the
desired character of these residential/bio-medical transitional areas, proposed amendments must
be designed to incentivize desirable land uses and avoid unintended impacts to adjacent
residential or commercial uses.
Based on our evaluation of allowed uses in the commercial and manufacturing zones, we
anticipate that zoning amendments will be required to: 1) broaden the range of permitted and
conditionally permitted uses; and 2) improve the attraction of bio-medical and related uses
generally by allowing uses that support or are accessory to bio-medical uses. For example, the
H-M Zone does not allow many supporting uses allowed in other successful bio-medical zones,
such as financial services, bakeries, and bars/taverns. Surprisingly, some uses that are closely
aligned with bio-medical, such as medical outpatient services, are not addressed; others that are
allowed may no longer be relevant to the City’s needs or bio-medical goals and may be deleted,
such as “Printing Shops” and “Taxicab Stands.” While not exclusively bio-medical in nature,
accessory uses have proven essential to attract and retain desirable bio-medical uses in other
cities.
There is a lack of research universities/ facilities near the City, and opportunities to attract satellite
university campuses, research facilities or vocational schools should also be included in any
proposed zoning amendments. The Zoning Ordinance does not promote the types of uses that
could help establish and support National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded research institutions,
which provide a key source of equity for bio-medical firms. Any opportunities for Downey to
facilitate the locating of a major research institution, or satellite campus, within its boundaries
should be encouraged.
In reviewing the City’s Zoning Map, one obvious feature that emerges is the location of medical-
oriented use areas and related Zoning Ordinance use standards. When reviewing the H-M Zone
(reviewed in greater depth elsewhere in this report), the land area zoned for such uses is quite
limited, in terms of both visibility and acreage. The areas zoned as H-M are not large enough to
attract new bio-medical uses and are more likely to simply maintain the medical-related uses that
currently exist.
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While a bio-medical overlay zone can be an effective tool, it is also recommended that the base
commercial, manufacturing and mixed-use zones be amended to accommodate bio-medical and
accessory uses, where appropriate. Moreover, an area which is appropriately zoned and large
enough to provide ample opportunity for new bio-medical uses to relocate to Downey is an
absolute necessity. As discussed in the City’s Imperial Highway Corridor Economic Development
Strategic Plan, some of that expansion area may be provided in four subareas along Imperial
Highway within the City. One of the most promising areas is the Rancho Los Amigos subarea,
including the master planned, 70-acre “South Campus.” Anticipated relocations of L.A. County
offices to the South Campus are expected to free up about 14 acres from the vacated parcels
along Imperial Highway for redevelopment within 5-10 years, plus additional acreage for bio-
medical uses in the redeveloped South Campus area.
It is necessary to look at all commercial and manufacturing zones, in addition to the H-M Zone, to
increase the opportunities for “bio-medical synergy” to occur with a Bio-Medical Overlay Zone and
to accommodate compatible bio-medical uses. In this approach, a base zones’ allowed uses or
development standards could then be modified by the application of the Bio-Medical Overlay
Zone. Specific zoning incentives would then apply to allow greater flexibility for bio-medical uses.
Additionally, a bio-medical overlay can place restrictions on non-complementary uses by
restricting their location, size, and/or operational characteristics.
In terms of ease of use, careful consideration must be paid to how a bio-medical overlay is created
in the Zoning Ordinance so that it generally maintains the established organization and overall
intent of that document. However, certain aspects of an overlay’s attributes should be prescribed
in the commercial- and manufacturing-zone use tables to ensure an understanding of how an
overlay and the base zones are applied and work together.
It will be necessary to provide additional “Intent and Purpose” sections within the commercial,
manufacturing, and overlay zone sections. Updating these descriptions will establish context for
the incentivized bio-medical zoning standards and explain how to apply the overlay zone to the
base zones. The overlay zone section should also include several non-zoning incentives, such
as expedited planning or permit processing and possible fee reductions. These incentives can be
tied to discretionary planning approvals to achieve their intent. Such incentives have proven
effective in other jurisdictions to help reduce development costs and land use barriers to bio-
medical uses.
SECTION 3 – GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY EVALUATION
As the City considers changes to the Hospital-Medical Arts (H-M) Zone and creation of a Bio-
medical Overlay Zone, it is important to note that State law requires that zoning and general plans
to maintain consistency with one another. To address this issue, CSI reviewed the City’s General
Plan to determine whether the anticipated zoning ordinance amendments could be accomplished
within the framework of the existing general plan. Overall, we found the 2005 General Plan text
to be very general in nature, with few references to bio-medical-related uses or topics. Neither
the H-M Zone nor a possible Bio-Medical Overlay Zone pose any direct inconsistencies with the
General Plan’s text, goals, policies and programs. Given the importance of bio-medical uses to
the City, CSI recommends that the City add additional policy language to support the City’s bio-
medical land use and economic development objectives. Preparing specific general plan
amendments is outside of this project’s defined scope; however, CSI recommends the following
types of amendments as part of a General Plan update or amendment:
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Land Use Element
1. Balance of Uses Section
Establish bio-medical development goals and objectives in areas such as land
uses, square feet of developed bio-medical uses, and bio-medical employment
growth, and development of supportive bio-medical uses such as education
facilities or high quality commercial services.
Describe how the overall mix of land uses is likely to change as bio-medical sector
expands (i.e., relocation of Government offices along Imperial Highway, continuing
relocation of auto-related retail sales, expansion of lab and R&D type development
along major transportation corridors).
The H-M Zoned areas are designated by the General Plan Office Commercial and
General Commercial. The General Plan narrative contains language addressing
bio-medical uses under Office Commercial but is silent regarding these uses under
General Commercial. Consider adding language regarding bio-medical uses
under the General Commercial heading.
Consider adding a paragraph on bio-medical uses and refer to the locations,
purposes and character of the H-M Zone and the Bio-medical Overlay Zone.
Add a policy and/or program to maintain and expand bio-medical uses.
2. Livable Communities Section
Consider adding a narrative about the existing major medical centers in the City
and the City’s desire to maintain and expand bio-medical uses.
Add a policy and/or program to promote bio-medical uses.
Add a policy and/or program addressing strategies to maintain compatibility
between residential and bio-medical uses.
3. Growth Projections
Update City Growth Projections for residential and non-residential growth to reflect
bio-medical growth objectives.
Economic Development Element
1. Business Attraction and Retention Section
Add Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats related to bio-medical
uses (refer to the Phase 2 Report).
Add a policy and/or program to attract and retain bio-medical uses.
Add a policy and/or program to provide incentives (e.g., financial, land use
processing, flexible development standards, leadership).
2. Employment Section
Add discussion of the value of bio-medical employment.
Add a policy and/or program to promote bio-medical jobs.
General Plan Land Use Map and the Zoning Map
As stated above, one of the City’s two H-M zoned areas (Downtown/Brookshire) is designated
Office in the General Plan Land Use Map while the other (South Lakewood) is designated General
Commercial. The City should consider whether both areas should be designated General
Commercial to provide more consistency in allowed uses.
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SECTION 4 – HOSPITAL-MEDICAL ARTS ZONE EVALUATION
Overview and Purpose of H-M Zone
The Hospital-Medical Arts Zone (H-M) is something of an anomaly among the City’s zone districts.
It covers about 46 acres, one of the City’s smallest zones in terms of land area. It is also
noteworthy for having one of the most limited list of permitted uses of City’s zones. According to
the Zoning Code, the purpose of the H-M Zone is “to provide for and encourage the orderly
development of a wide variety of bio-medical uses that facilitates the growth of businesses during
all stages of the business cycle. It also allows professional offices, personal and professional
services, and retail uses that are compatible with and supportive of uses permitted within the zone
and with uses in adjacent zones.”
The history of the H-M Zone is not well documented. From discussions with City staff, it appears
the H-M Zone was established to specifically accommodate the former Downey Regional Medical
Center (now known as PIH Downey) and a narrow range of related medical uses and assisted
living facilities. The H-M Zone does not allow the much wider range of uses allowed in the General
Commercial (C-2) Zone or Downtown Area.
Setting and H-M Zone Locations
There are two clusters of H-M zoning, generally located in the central and southern commercial
areas of the City. H-M Cluster #1, Downtown/Brookshire Avenue area, shown in Figure 1. It
covers an area of approximately 37 acres, and is close to Downtown, Downey High and the Civic
Center. The cluster also includes medical offices, parking lots, and houses. Principle uses and
businesses in this cluster are:
PIH Downey, Emergency Hospital, and Pharmacy
Brookshire Medical Building
Downey Community Health Center
Brookshire Manor (Senior Residential Community)
Family Support Center
Figure 1
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The second cluster, H-M Cluster #2 – South Lakewood Boulevard at Stewart and Gray Road, is
in the south-central portion of the City, near the Downey Landing Commercial Center. The
cluster covers approximately 9 acres, and is shown in Figure 2. Principle uses and businesses
in this cluster are:
Alzheimer Care Facility
Lakewood Park Manor (Assisted Living Facility)
Lakewood Park Healthy Center
Figure 2
Zoning Standards and Comparison with other Zones
Of the City’s six commercial zones Professional Office (C-P), Neighborhood Commercial (C-1),
General Commercial (C-2), Central Business District (C-3), Commercial Manufacturing (C-M),
and Hospital-Medical Arts (H-M), the H-M Zone stands out as the most limited, both in terms of
permitted or conditionally permitted uses and in its narrowly focused purpose. Under H-M zoning,
the following are permitted uses:
Restaurants, cafes, coffee establishments
Temporary Sales (Christmas trees and pumpkins)
Laundries (limited)
Medical and orthopedic sales
Medical Services (includes psychiatric and short term medical care and alcohol treatment
centers)
Personal services
Pharmacies
Medical schools
Emergency shelters (up to 30 occupants)
Hospitals (not including convalescent hospitals and nursing homes)
Convalescent hospitals/nursing homes/assisted living facilities (subject to standards listed
in Section 9422)
Senior citizen housing development
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Single resident occupancy (“SRO” housing)
Conditionally permitted uses are:
Restaurants, cafes, coffee establishments with alcohol sales
Hospitals/veterinary
Day care center, adult or child
Laboratories
Kiosks, permanent or temporary
Laundries (unlimited)
Utility distribution stations
Ambulance service
Colleges, public or private
Private schools
Small wind energy systems
Wireless communication facilities
Attachment 1 compares permitted and conditionally permitted uses for the City’s commercial
zones. Attachment 2 is a list of the City’s established zone districts, for reference. What is
perhaps most significant about the H-M zone is not what uses are allowed, but rather, what uses
are not allowed. Several uses that are accessory to and supportive of hospitals and medical
services are not permitted or conditionally permitted in the H-M Zone. These include:
Offices (business or professional)
Bars/Taverns/Pubs
Hotels and motels
Public parking, surface lots and structures
Passenger stations, bus and rail
Schools -- business, professional, trade, technical or vocational
Retail sales (drug stores, pharmacies, and florist shops)
Public buildings and facilities (libraries, governmental buildings, police and fire stations)
Existing Land Uses and Consistency with Zone’s Purpose
With a few, minor exceptions, the existing H-M Zone uses and businesses are consistent with the
Zoning Code’s Allowed Uses. The dominant use in H-M Cluster #1 is the PIH Downey Hospital
and related facilities, including Emergency Hospital, Pharmacy and related medical services,
located at 11500 Brookshire Avenue. Other uses/businesses are:
Brookshire Medical Offices Building, 15411 Brookshire Avenue
Brookshire Manor 55+ Senior Condominiums, 11410 Brookshire Avenue
Downey Community Health Center, 8425 Iowa Street (198-bed skilled nursing facility)
Office building, 8425 Iowa Street
Dwellings (house and duplex), 8306 and 8312 Iowa Street
Surface and structural parking lots
The exceptions, while probably not permitted under current zoning standards, are compatible with
the primary hospital and medical services uses. Brookshire Manor Condominiums, which were
built in 1991, are mostly 2-bed/2-bath floor plans of about 800-900 square feet. Townhouses and
condominiums are conditionally permitted in the H-M Zone as part of a mixed-use project,
however Brookshire Manor doesn’t appear to be part of a mixed-use development. Additionally,
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the Brookshire Medical Building provides offices for professional medical services, even though
the H-M Zone doesn’t specifically permit “professional offices” outside of a medical center. The
two older residences may have predated current zoning and are compatible with adjacent office
uses.
H-M Cluster #2, located across from Downey Landing commercial center, consists of assisted
living facilities for persons with Alzheimer’s and related conditions and senior residential
apartments offering continuum of care services. Specific uses are:
Lakewood Gardens assisted care facility, 12055 South Lakewood Boulevard
Lakewood Park Manor assisted living facility, 12045 South Lakewood Boulevard
Lakewood Healthcare Center, a 290-bed nursing home, 12023 South Lakewood
Boulevard
H-M Zone Application and Usefulness
Clearly, the H-M Zone has served a purpose by permitting a large hospital and related medical
services and facilities to continue, and to minimize potentially competing or incompatible retail-
commercial or industrial uses from encroaching into areas dedicated primarily for medical uses.
In this context, the H-M Zone appears to have been effective. However, two other major hospitals,
Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center and Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation
Center, are not located in the H-M Zone. Kaiser Permanente is located in the Downey Landing
Specific Plan Area (SP01-1), and Rancho Los Amigos is located in a single-family residential
zone (R-1).
Conversely, the H-M Zone’s narrow range of permitted uses may limit its usefulness and
transferability to other areas where a more diverse, vibrant mix of uses is desired, or where a
broader range of uses already exists. H-M Cluster #1’s location adjacent to Downtown would
support a wider range of uses, in keeping with the mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented character of
Downtown. Retaining the H-M Zone designation without amending it would indicate the City
wants to maintain the existing or similar mix of uses in these two limited areas.
Non-Conforming Bio-Medical Uses
Land uses that were legally established (that is, that conformed to then existing general plan and
zoning standards) but that no longer conform to current general plan or zoning standards are
termed “legal, non-conforming uses.” Non-conforming uses are typically subject to various zoning
constraints, such as amortization requirements or limitations on expansion or intensification of the
use. This status can discourage investment or reinvestment in the property or result in relocation
of the use. Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center is technically, a non-conforming
use due to its underlying R-1 zoning. Given RLA’s pre-eminent national and regional importance
in medical rehabilitation and on its local importance to Downey’s economy and bio-medical growth
potential, the City should ensure this other legal, non-conforming bio-medical uses are made
“conforming”, as appropriate. For Rancho Los Amigos, the City should consider rezoning the
property from R-1 to H-M and applying the Bio-Medical Overlay Zone.
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Future of H-M Zone
One of the key components in the City’s work scope was to evaluate the role, design, location
and effectiveness of the Hospital-Medical Arts Zone and to determine whether it should be
modified, expanded, or eliminated, and if so, how. Based on this consultant’s review of existing
conditions, City objectives, and effective zoning strategies used in other U.S. and California cities,
we recommend the following:
1. Keep or Modify? The H-M Zone should be retained in its current locations, but modified to
expand the range of permitted and conditionally permitted uses. Specific recommended
changes will be addressed in the Phase 4 Report.
2. Expand H-M Zone or Apply Bio-Medical Overlay? H-M zoning is not sufficient to attract
the range of bio-medical uses necessary to achieve the economic synergy the City seeks. As
described in the Phase 2 Research Report, cities that have effectively attracted bio-medical
uses have done so by focusing land use and financial incentives on a range of desired bio-
medical uses, and on a range of accessory and supportive uses to attract the investment
capital and highly skilled workers necessary for bio-medical growth. Consequently, the City
should retain H-M, and as noted above, expand it to include existing bio-medical uses as
needed, and amend H-M to allow greater flexibility in attracting supportive or accessory uses.
While H-M zoning is effective in protecting a limited range of medical uses, its applicability is
too limited to successfully compete with other Southern California communities that are also
seeking to attract well-paid bio-medical sector jobs. The City must instead take a broader,
more comprehensive approach to land use. By establishing a new Bio-Medical Overlay Zone
and applying it to Commercial and Manufacturing base zones throughout the City where due
to their location, development potential, infrastructure, existing uses, these base zones are
well suited to create new or expanded “microcenters” for major bio-medical employers. These
centers should include a vibrant mix of medical, research and development, light
manufacturing and the commercial services that support the principal uses.
Recommendations to accomplish that objective are the subject of the Phase 4 Report.
SECTION 5 – BIO-MEDICAL PLANNING ASSESSMENT
In Phase 2 of this study, the April 2017 Bio-Medical Research Summary Report identified zoning
strategies used by 16 small to large jurisdictions in the U.S. that have established bio-medical
centers, such as Carlsbad, California and Lyndon, Washington. It also discussed the City’s
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and constraints in successfully attracting and retaining bio-
medical uses. Phase 3 has focused on three tasks: 1) evaluating the City’s zoning districts,
General Plan policies and development regulations, 2) evaluating the role and effectiveness of
the Hospital-Medical Arts (H-M) Zone, and 3) conducting an overall assessment of the feasibility
of and strategy for expanding the City’s bio-medical sector. The results of that assessment are
summarized in Table 1.
The City of Downey is already a highly successful hub for health services in southeast Los
Angeles County. It continues to attract one of the highest concentration of medical professionals
and healthcare facilities in the state and intends to expand that role to encompass bio-medical
research, design and manufacturing. Table 1 summarizes the key issues, objectives and
strategies the City should actively pursue to achieve this new expanded role. In effect, this
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assessment is a “road map.” It describes where the City is in terms of its ability to attract bio-
medical uses, and what it needs to accomplish to be successful in that effort. The next work
phase, Phase 4, builds upon Phases 2 and 3 and provides specific zoning and land use
recommendations on how to reach its bio-medical goals.
Table 1 – Biomedical Planning Assessment
ISSUE OBJECTIVE STRATEGY
Bio-Medical
Employment
Raise number of persons
employed in Professional,
Scientific, and Technical
Services from 3% (in 2014) to
10% of total Downey
employment by 2027.
Raise Downey median
household income to at least
100% of LA County household
median income by 2027 (or at
least 6%).
Raise number of persons
employed in Health Care and
Social Assistance from 23% (in
2014) to 35% of total
employment in 2027.
Take leadership, along with local hospitals and
Cerritos College, Downey Adult School, USC,
UC Irvine, Loma Linda, and other bio-medical
universities, to define employment and facility
needs and to establish/expand health and bio-
medical internship programs.
Consider providing financial incentives (tax
incentives, fee reductions, or fast track permit
processing to new health or bio-medical
businesses), tiered to number of new skilled or
professional jobs created.
Sponsor 2018 bio-medical conference, in
concert with Chamber and bio-medical trade
associations (e.g. SoCalBio), to promote City as
bio-medical and health hub; promote increased
investment.
Type of Bio-
medical Uses
Attract defined range of bio-
medical uses, with the following
priorities:
Bio-medical engineering
Bio-medical research and
design
Bio-medical testing and
manufacturing
Bio-medical education and
training
Define bio-medical sector business priorities
and tailor fiscal, land use/zoning, and
outreach/marketing strategies to reach the
target businesses and institutions.
Restrict land uses that could detract from or
frustrate City efforts to expand bio-medical
uses.
Regional Setting
and Alliances
Seek expanded partnerships
with regional academic, health
and government institutions.
Establish aggressive economic
development outreach.
Exploit proximity to existing
Biotech nodes to attract talent
and start-up bio-med
businesses.
Schedule meeting with Loma Linda University
officials to discuss expansion needs and
feasibility.
Aggressively market City to academic
institutions and targeted businesses seeking to
expand into the Southern California area.
Work cooperatively with LA County to
implement the Imperial Highway Corridor
Specific Plan.
Establish ad hoc Bio-Medical Advisory
Committee to serve as business and policy
advisor and represent bio-medical interests at City Council.
Access and
Transportation
Improve regional access to and
from existing and potential bio-
medical nodes.
Improve connectivity between
rail and bus facilities and
services.
Provide improved public transit
(e.g. shelters), bicycle facilities
Review sidewalk and bike routes, transit routes
and stops; ensure connectivity among existing
and potential bio-medical nodes and corridors
with the existing Lakewood Boulevard “Green”
line Metro Rail Station linking Norwalk and
Downey with LAX.
Support the proposed West Santa Ana Branch
Corridor Metro line station in Downey linking the
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ISSUE OBJECTIVE STRATEGY
and pedestrian amenities on
major streets in existing and
potential bio-medical areas.
City (particularly the “South Campus” specific
plan/bio-medical area) with Downtown’s Union
Station.
Continue to monitor and strongly advocate
completion of I-5 corridor improvements.
Expand multi-modal facilities along major
streets, including bicycle facilities and
pedestrian-oriented improvements and landscaping.
Land Availability Increase area suitable for new
or expanded health services
and bio-medical uses to at
least 25% of City’s non-
residential land area.
Encourage redevelopment of
blighted properties and non-
conforming commercial or
manufacturing properties to
bio-medical uses.
Acquire and assemble parcels
with bio-medical potential.
Identify sites suitable for “Wet
Lab” space.
Adopt Bio-Medical Overlay Zone and apply to
appropriate areas where compatible with
adjacent uses and served by transit.
Retain Health-Medical Arts Zone; consider
enlarging Zone and amending it to allow
supportive uses.
Review and as necessary, revise Non-
Conforming use provisions of Zoning Ordinance
to encourage redevelopment of non-conforming
industrial uses and to gradually transition to
more complementary manufacturing uses in the
C-M Zone.
Consider acquiring land for assembling key
“bio-medical opportunity sites” to generate
investment interest.
Land Use
Synergy
Establish diverse, mixed-use
nodes near bio-medical nodes,
including housing, services,
restaurants, taverns and
brewpubs.
Increase restaurant, lodging
and retail sales tax receipts by
25% by 2027.
Construct at least 500
additional pedestrian- and
bicycle- transit-oriented
residential development near
transit centers by 2027.
Amend Hospital-Medical Arts Zone to allow
more diverse, supportive uses.
Support residential density bonuses for high
quality apartments and condominiums in H-M,
M-U, B-M Overlay, and Transit-Oriented
Developments (TOD).
Encourage walkable or bikeable facilities and
services close to bio-medical job nodes,
including internet cafes, restaurants, pubs and
taverns, neighborhood grocery stores and
personal and financial services.
Provide express bus connection between
Downtown Downey and bio-medical job nodes.
Infrastructure Continue to improve
telecommunications and
networking infrastructure,
including the fiber optics
network.
Prepare 2018-2027 candidate CIP projects
considering the need and suitability for
expanded bio-medical uses, particularly in
terms of fiber optic network access.
Community
Values
Identify growth in health and
bio-medical employment as
important community value.
Clearly describe how growth in
health and bio-medical sectors
will improve citizens’ quality of
life and help meet community
needs.
Achieve community consensus
for expanding health and bio-
medical sectors in Downey by
popular vote or another metric.
Prepare Community Whitepaper describing the
goals, benefits, and strategies to expanding
health and bio-medical uses in Downey.
Retain economic firm to identify specific costs
and funding tools to achieve bio-medical
objectives, particularly infrastructure and land
acquisition costs.
Hold series of town hall meetings to present
ideas and explain potential land use and zoning
changes. Emphasize strategies for protecting
and enhancing residential neighborhoods.
Educational
Factors Raise the number of persons
with graduate degrees from 4%
Hold meetings with local school board and
community college board to enlist support and
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ISSUE OBJECTIVE STRATEGY
of City’s total population to 6%
by 2027.
Attract and expand local
academic and vocational
programs in heath science and
bio-medical professions.
Through partnerships, attract
NIH funding to City.
set recruitment/enrollment/academic goals.
Include academic/research institution
representatives on the City’s Bio-Medical
Advisory Committee.
Initiate and/or assist health or bio-medical
business and institutions in Downey to secure
research or teaching funding through NIH or
other sources.
Economic
Factors Attract significant new bio-
medical investment to
Downey by 2027.
Retrofit at least 500K sf of
existing warehouse,
manufacturing or office floor
area to accommodate bio-
medical uses.
Form a partnership with LA
County to establish a
signature bio-medical
complex in the Imperial
Highway Corridor area.
Participate with SoCalBio and other key trade
associations to promote Downey as a regional
health services and bio-medical hub.
Work with private developers through
public/private partnerships and/or economic
development incentives to assist with land
acquisition, infrastructure improvements and
development incentives to attract and promote
bio-medical growth and employment.
Facilitate conversion of existing warehouse and
manufacturing space to “flex” space that can
accommodate bio-medical labs, research and
manufacturing.
Create a City Council-sponsored “quick
response” program to visit health and bio-
medical businesses, identify needs and trends,
and to improve communication and
government/business cooperation.
Zoning and
Land Use
Dedicate City goals, policies
and programs to prioritize
and incentivize retention of
health services and growth
of new bio-medical sector.
Launch outreach program to
identify the bio-medical
importance and
technological “challenge”
based on City’s historic
technology role in
aerospace.
Coordinate with bio-
medical/academic
institutions, businesses,
trade associations,
prospective investors and
others to help define City’s
needs and strategies for bio-
medical growth.
Make existing legal, non-
conforming bio-medical uses
conforming, where
appropriate.
Amend General Plan and Zoning Ordinance to
establish a new Bio-Medical Overlay Zone,
revise development standards, procedures and
definitions.
Amend the Hospital-Medical Arts Zone to
allow/encourage supportive uses.
Amend/Update Zoning Map for consistency with
General Plan Land Use Map and specify areas
of bio-medical nodes and corridors, and identify
transit-oriented development areas.
Provide Planning, Building, and Engineering
incentives for expedited project review and
permitting for qualified bio-medical
development projects.
Rezone Rancho Los Amigos from R-1 to H-M
and apply Bio-Medical Overlay to the property.
Identify other legal, non-conforming bio-medical
uses and amend the General Plan and Zoning
Map as needed to ensure appropriate,
compatible uses can continue as legal,
conforming uses.
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Conclusion
CSI has reviewed the City’s current land use planning documents to investigate the work
necessary to establish new “Bio-Medical Overlay Zone” regulations and development standards.
Based on this review, CSI provided recommendations grounded in the evaluations’ findings.
These recommendations form the starting point for the work of Phase 4, drafting a Bio-Medical
Overlay Zone and developing accompanying amendments to the General Plan and Zoning
Ordinance. This work will include utilizing new and amended definitions will provide clarity for
bio-medical uses and health services permitted in the City, as well as revising key zoning
standards in the commercial and manufacturing zones that reflect a primary focus on bio-medical
uses. These development regulations and standards will be necessary to work in concert with an
updated Hospital-Medical Arts (H-M) Zone that will become more relevant with amendments to
General Plan policies related to bio-medical land use and economic development objectives.
A new Bio-Medical Overlay Zone is recommended as the primary zoning incentive to make the
City more "bio-medical business-friendly" and more attractive to bio-medical and supportive uses.
This overlay will be applied to commercial, manufacturing, and other zones to increase the base
zones ability to accommodate primary and accessory bio-medical uses. Finally, to the extent
possible, CSI will address land use and economic development recommendations from the Bio-
Medical Planning Assessment in the recommended Zoning Ordinance amendments. By
integrating bio-medical sector business priorities and by integrating land use, physical planning
and outreach strategies into the City’s planning, the Bio-Medical Overlay Zone is more likely to
garner the attention of target businesses, institutions, and investors.
SECTION 6 – LIST OF ATTACHMENTS
1. City of Downey, Zones Established List
2. Downtown Land Use Districts
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Attachment 1 – Zones Established
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Attachment 2 – Downtown Land Use Districts and Core Uses
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Downtown Core Land Uses
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CITY OF DOWNEY
Phase 4 Report
March 23, 2018
Introduction
The City of Downey, California retained Civic Solutions, Inc. (CSI) to establish new “Bio-Medical
Overlay Zone” regulations and development standards to work in concert with an updated
Hospital-Medical Arts (H-M) Zone. Phases 1, 2, and 3 of this multi-phase project consisted of
primary research, an evaluation of the City's current planning documents, and a Bio-medical
Planning Assessment. The evaluation of the City’s current planning documents included analysis
of the existing zoning requirements and development regulations, including the Hospital-Medical
Arts Zone, and an analysis of the City’s current General Plan for consistency with the Zoning
Ordinance and Zoning Map as related to potential amendments to incentivize bio-medical uses.
These phases have been completed and findings summarized in the Phase 2 and 3 Reports. In
Phase 4, CSI prepared draft Zoning Ordinance amendments to create a Bio-Medical Overlay
Zone, consisting of necessary Zoning amendments and Zoning Map alterations. This report also
discusses General Plan consistency and CEQA compliance with the proposed amendments.
SECTION 1 – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The primary findings from the three main sections of the report are:
Bio-Medical Overlay Zone Amendments. Combining the research on the bio-medical
industry and the zoning incentives provided by cities with successful bio-medical hubs,
CSI developed amendments to the City’s existing zoning districts, permitted uses and
development standards to effectively encourage the establishment of new bio-medical
uses, and the maintenance of existing uses. The major changes necessary to develop a
successful Bio-Medical Overlay consist of the following:
New and amended Zoning Ordinance definitions to describe the contemporary
range and types of bio-medical uses and health services.
A new Bio-medical Overlay Zone section of the Zoning Ordinance.
Revised “Intent and Purpose” of the Commercial and Manufacturing Zones
sections of the Zoning Ordinance.
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Updated and amended “Use Regulations” of the Commercial and Manufacturing
Zones sections of the Zoning Ordinance.
Amended “Development Standards” of the Commercial Zones section of the
Zoning Ordinance.
Amended Zoning Map to include areas designated for the Bio-Medical Overlay
Zone.
General Plan Consistency. CSI identified inconsistencies between existing General
Plan land use designations and the Zoning Map. As recommended, the Bio-Medical
Overlay zoning amendments do not create additional inconsistencies since the Overlay
can be applied to all zones, including all Commercial and Manufacturing zones. However,
Downey’s General Plan policies should be amended to provide the legal and procedural
foundation for the City’s bio-medical land use and economic development objectives.
Accordingly, CSI recommends that:
The General Plan Land Use Element’s Balance of Uses, Livable Communities, and
Growth Management Section policies be amended to provide policy direction to
incentivize and address the future impacts of new bio-medical uses.
The General Plan Economic Development Element’s Business Attraction and
Retention, and Employment sections’ policies be amended to qualitatively address
the economic costs and benefits of incentivizing bio-medical uses and their
potential impacts, particularly on adjacent residential neighborhoods.
The General Plan Land Use Plan be amended to re-designate the area currently
zoned “H-M” and designated “Office” in the General Plan to “General Commercial”
to provide more uniformity and flexibility of uses.
CEQA Compliance. CSI prepared an Initial Study to evaluate the potential environmental
impacts of the proposed zoning amendments to establish a Bio-Medical Overlay. This
Initial Study, included herein as Attachment 2, determined that the proposed amendments
would have less than significant impacts on the environment and that a Negative
Declaration should be prepared in conjunction with the project.
SECTION 2 – BIO-MEDICAL OVERLAY ZONE/ZONING AMENDMENTS
The Biomedical Overlay uses four simple zoning tools to achieve several important objectives.
First, it incentivizes and attracts new biomedical uses in a way that avoids creating legal,
nonconforming uses. Second, it discourages less desirable land uses that could impede City
efforts to attract and maintain biomedical uses. Third, it maintains consistency between the
General Plan and Zoning Ordinance. And fourth, and arguably the most important approach, it
creates an overlay zone that is clear, easy to understand, and easy for potential investors and
developers, as well as City staff, to use.
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The first objective is to avoid creating nonconforming uses as a result of the new Bio-
Medical Overlay. This objective is achieved by maintaining most of the current zoning
regulations applicable to commercial and manufacturing zones. While some existing uses may
create nuisances for some biomedical facilities (such as vehicle impound and storage yard and
truck and trailer repair), the incentives provided in the Overlay are intended to offset the effects
of such uses. In contrast, incentivizing redevelopment can have the unintended effect of
increasing the land value of the nonconforming uses, thus discouraging the redevelopment of the
non-conforming uses. Consequently, the proposed zoning amendments include the elimination
of some uses listed as “permitted” or permitted subject to the issuance of a “Conditional Use Permit.”
However, most of these uses are obsolete or consist of nuisance-prone heavy manufacturing
uses that are incompatible with biomedical uses. An example of one of these uses is “cesspool
manufacturing and sales.”
The second objective is to incentivize desirable uses and discourage land uses that would
impede City efforts to attract and maintain biomedical uses. This objective is accomplished
through Zoning Ordinance amendments that: 1) update several important definitions, such as
“hospital”, 2) create new definitions, and 3) revise the Zoning Ordinance’s list of permitted uses
to discourage less appropriate uses in the Biomedical Overlay, such as “group counseling,” “wet
laboratories,” and “specialty hospitals.” The proposed Overlay establishes new, well-defined
uses, such as “biomedical uses” and “medical offices” that are permitted by right only in limited
base zones (e.g. “Office”, “Retail Commercial” and “Hospital-Medical Arts” zones). Biomedical
uses are further incentivized through the application of the Biomedical Overlay to any base zone.
This gives the City a new, highly flexible and effective economic development tool.
The third objective is to maintain consistency among land use and planning documents.
This involves a two-fold approach. First, the Overlay is included only in those documents where
the City’s other overlays and similar zoning objectives are discussed. This means that the
Biomedical Overlay is not discussed in the General Plan or shown on the General Plan map,
because those documents do not address overlays. The implication of this approach is that only
very limited changes to the General Plan are necessary. Second, the Biomedical Overlay is
integrated into the Zoning Ordinance in a way that maintains the organization of that document.
The fourth objective is to create a user-friendly overlay. This is accomplished in two ways.
First, most of the actual zoning standards for the Overlay are contained in the commercial- and
manufacturing-zone use tables. This is due to the necessary integration of biomedical uses in
distinct commercial and manufacturing zones, and the many compatible uses incentivized by
applying the Overlay to those zones. Within the Overlay Zone section, an additional “Intent and
Purpose” section explains why the Overlay is needed and how it’s applied. Second, the Overlay
section includes a number of non-zoning incentives affecting multiple aspects of business
development process, located in one place, to help reduce the barriers to developing new
biomedical uses.
To achieve these objectives, CSI recommends that a Bio-Medical Overlay Zone be established
by adopting the following Zoning Ordinance amendments:
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1) New and Updated Zoning Ordinance Definitions
Starting with the Zoning Ordinance’s definitions, there is a need to describe the types and range
of bio-medical and health services-related uses as they operate today. Establishing a more
current and robust definition section that clearly differentiates health services, research and
development, and bio-medical uses will help citizens, business owners and developers
understand and apply zoning standards and will be critical in achieving the City’s goals.
Additionally, more timely, detailed definitions will help identify those less desirable medically-
related uses (less desirable in terms of their ability to attract well-paid bio-medical jobs), such as
group-counseling centers and manufacturing of low-technology medical devices. These uses,
although related to medical services, can displace and discourage the types of businesses with
higher-paying bio-medical jobs. For example, other cities’ experiences suggest that uses that
solely provide clinical services directly to patients, as opposed to bio-medical research and
development or high-tech bio-medical manufacturing, produce fewer higher paying jobs and
secondary sales.
The following new definition is necessary to describe the bio-medical uses the City desires to
incentivize:
“Bio-medical Use”: A land use associated with medical or biological research, analysis,
testing, medical services (as that term is defined in this section), medical training, and
manufacturing of medical products, equipment or related items. Such uses generally
consist of the following: (1) Medical device or prosthesis prototype fabrication; (2)
Production requiring advanced technology and skills and directly related to medical
research and development activities on the premises; (3) Manufacturing of biochemical
research and diagnostic compounds to be used primarily by universities, laboratories,
hospitals, and clinics for scientific research and developmental testing purposes; (4)
Production of experimental medical or biochemical products; (5) Development of
biomedical-device related production or operating systems to be installed and operated at
another location, including manufacturing of products necessary for such development;
(6) Manufacturing of biological, biomedical, and pharmaceutical products; (7)
Manufacturing of scientific, engineering, and medical instruments. Bio-medical uses do
not include the use, handling, analysis, testing, processing, growing, distribution, research
or any other activity involving Marijuana (Cannabis sp.) or any of its derivatives.
The following new definitions are necessary to maintain the medically-related uses the City
already has and desires to retain:
“Clinical Service”: An establishment which provides physical and mental health services on
an individual, outpatient basis. The services may be of preventative, diagnostic, treatment,
therapeutic, rehabilitative or counseling nature, but do not include group counseling uses.
Typical uses would include, but not be limited to, medical and health clinics,
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chiropractic/physical therapy clinics, individual counselling services and
emergency/urgent care centers.
“Group Counseling”: A counseling or therapy service that is provided to groups of five or
more persons at a time. Examples of group-counseling uses include, but are not limited
to, nutritional and diet centers; medical, clinical, and other health-related counseling; and
career, professional, and life coaching.
“Medical Services”: Services provided by a business or facility consisting of the services
described within the definitions of “Clinical Service,” “Medical Outpatient Service,” and
“Office, Medical,” as those terms are defined in this section, which are ancillary to a
primary use consisting of medical or biological research and analysis, or the
manufacturing of medical products, equipment or related items. Excludes the use,
handling, analysis, testing, processing, growing, distribution, research or any other activity
involving Marijuana (Cannabis sp.) or any of its derivatives.
“Medical Outpatient Services”: Any business or facility providing medical or health services,
more intensive than those typically provided by a Medical Office use, without the need for
an overnight stay, such as but not limited to, kidney dialysis, medical lab services,
phlebotomists, physical therapy, prosthetics, individual wellness and health maintenance
counseling, and urgent care. Medical Outpatient Services does not include Medical Office
uses, Wet Laboratories, or Group Counseling services (as those terms are defined in this
section).
“Research and Development”: The pursuit of knowledge or creation of products in
technology-intensive fields. Examples include, but are not limited to, research and
development of computer hardware or software, information systems, industrial
processes, technical/technological systems, communications systems, transportation,
geographic information systems, multi-media and video technology. Laboratories may
also be included in this use (see also “Laboratory, Dry” and “Laboratory, Wet” in this
section). Development and construction of prototypes may be associated with this use.
“Hospital, Specialty”: Any facility, place, or building that is maintained and operated
exclusively to provide 24-hour paid in-patient services for the specialized treatment and
recovery of chronic health or mental health conditions or elective procedures or
treatments. Services provided may include, but are not limited to, food service, nutrition
counseling, acupressure, massage fitness and physical therapy, and pharmaceutical and
medical attention. This type of facility is distinct from an acute care general hospital and
from a convalescent home or assisted living facility wherein the residential use is the
primary use and medical services, when available, are limited and incidental to a primarily
residential occupancy.
For some existing definitions, updated terms and revisions to their meaning are provided. For
example, the term “Office, Medical and Dental” is proposed as “Office, Medical,” with an expanded
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definition. The term “Laboratory” has been split into two distinct uses (“Laboratory, Dry,” and
“Laboratory, Wet”) with new definitions for each. The term “Hospital” has been updated to reflect
a more robust, contemporary definition. The following updated definitions are necessary to
support bio-medical uses, and maintain existing uses related to medical and industrial uses:
“Hospital”: A State-licensed general acute care hospital, as defined by Health and Safety
Code section 1250(a), that provides a wide range of emergency, clinical, and temporary
medical services to the general public to which persons may be admitted for overnight
stay or longer for the diagnosis, care, or treatment of illness and injury or the prevention
thereof, not including convalescent homes, sanitariums, and nursing homes.
“Laboratory, Dry”: A laboratory where dry materials, electronics, or large instruments are
tested and analyzed, with limited piped services. Dry laboratories may require controlled
temperature and humidity as well as dust control. Excludes Marijuana testing or related
activities involving Marijuana or any of its derivatives.
“Laboratory, Wet”: A laboratory where chemicals, drugs or biological matter is tested and
analyzed, and which typically requires water, direct ventilation, specialized piped utilities
and protective measures. Excludes Marijuana testing or related activities involving
Marijuana or any of its derivatives.
“Office, Medical”: A facility where medical services, typically involving evaluations or non-
emergency procedures, and their associated managerial, administrative, and clerical
functions, are conducted. Medical office includes: chiropodists, chiropractors, dentists,
clinical service uses (defined in this section), optometrists, osteopaths, physicians,
psychologists, surgeons, and other uses which the decision-making body determines are
of a medical nature and similar. Medical office does not include Group Counseling uses
or Medical Outpatient Services (as those terms are defined in this section). Excludes the
overnight care of a patient.
All of the definitions described above are provided in Attachment 1, in tracked changes format to
describe the specific alterations to those existing terms proposed to be revised.
2) New Bio-Medical Overlay Section of the Zoning Ordinance
As discussed in the Phase 3 Report, the H-M zone is not sufficient to attract the range of bio-
medical uses necessary to achieve the economic synergy the City seeks. However, H-M zoning
is effective in protecting a limited range of medical uses and should be retained and expanded to
include existing bio-medical uses and to allow greater flexibility in attracting supportive or
accessory uses. In addition to the H-M zone, CSI recommends that the City utilize a Bio-Medical
Overlay Zone (BIO) to take a broader, more flexible approach to bio-medical uses. This overlay
should be applied to certain, appropriate Commercial and Manufacturing base zones throughout
the City where bio-medical uses are well suited due to their location, development potential,
infrastructure, and existing uses.
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As shown in Attachment 1, the proposed Overlay begins with the creation of a new Section 9326
- Biomedical Overlay Zone – of Article IX, Land Use, of the City’s municipal code. This section
includes an “Intent and Purpose” statement that clearly defines the Overlay’s objectives.
Next, the proposed Section 9326 includes information about the permitted land uses and
development standards. However, the majority of the overlay’s zoning regulations are held within
the Commercial and Manufacturing Zones’ Use Tables (located in Sections 9314.04 and 9318.04,
respectively). The purpose of this, as discussed in greater detail in the following section of this
report, is to maintain a user-friendly format to inform developers, potential investors, the public,
and City staff of the uses allowed on a particular property within the Bio-Medical Overlay. The
Bio-Medical Overlay is proposed to be applied to various Commercial and Manufacturing Zones
and guide development of many land uses. Combining relevant development regulations in this
manner will make the new regulations easier to find and use, and will help avoid confusion.
CSI gave careful consideration to how the Bio-Medical Overlay integrates into the Zoning
Ordinance to maintain its established organization and overall intent. With this approach, it
becomes clear how the base zones’ allowed uses or development standards are modified by the
application of the Bio-Medical Overlay Zone. Specific zoning incentives or restrictions which apply
to the base zones are easily obtained when perusing the zoning regulations for the Commercial
and Manufacturing base zones.
As discussed in the Bio-medical Planning Assessment provided in the Phase 3 Report, the City
should “Provide Planning, Building, and Engineering incentives for expedited project review and
permitting for qualified bio-medical development projects.” The proposed Section 9326 includes
specific incentives related to permit processing and approval timelines and costs for bio-medical
uses and development related to it. The proposed Section 9326 is provided on pages 28 to 30 of
Attachment 1.
As an ancillary note to the new Bio-Medical Overlay Section, discussed here, modifications to the
“Intent and Purpose” sections within the Commercial and Manufacturing Zone sections are also
provided. While not directly regulating development, updating these descriptions will establish
context for the incentivized bio-medical zoning standards and help tie the intent of the overlay
zone to the base zones.
3) Commercial and Manufacturing Zones’ Use Regulations
The Bio-medical Planning Assessment from the Phase 3 Report included strategies to encourage
appropriate, desirable bio-medical land use types that consisted of defining bio-medical sector
business priorities and tailor land use/zoning strategies to reach the target businesses and
institutions, and restrict land uses that could detract from or frustrate the City’s efforts to expand
bio-medical uses. Additionally, in order to attract a defined range of bio-medical uses, land-use
synergy should be encouraged by amending the Hospital-Medical Arts Zone to allow more
diverse, supportive uses, and promote walkable or bikeable facilities and services close to bio-
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medical job nodes. Land uses that encourage synergy include: internet cafes, restaurants, pubs
and taverns, neighborhood grocery stores and personal and financial services.
To accomplish the goals of incentivizing bio-medical uses and to incorporate the strategies
identified in the Bio-medical Planning Assessment, CSI evaluated the allowed uses in all
Commercial and Manufacturing Zones. Based on this evaluation, the proposed Bio-Medical
Overlay zoning amendments consist, generally, of the following:
1) Broaden the range of permitted and conditionally permitted uses allowed in the
Commercial and Manufacturing Zones for parcels located in the Bio-Medical Overlay, and
especially when in conjunction with a bio-medical use or development.
2) Improve the attraction of bio-medical and related uses by allowing uses that support or
are accessory to bio-medical uses within the Commercial and Manufacturing Zones where
ever they occur.
The proposed amendments discussed in this subsection of the report are provided in Attachment
1, starting on page 7 for the Commercial Zone Use Regulations, and on page 21 for the
Manufacturing Zone Use Regulations. All modifications are shown in track changes format to
illustrate the specific amendments proposed.
The first modifications consist of revising the Use Regulation tables to include and reflect the new
and updated definitions described in a previous subsection of this report. Based on their ability
to either help incentivize or detract from bio-medical uses, the new definitions for land uses were
identified as either permitted (P), conditionally-permitted (C), or not permitted (NP). For example,
the new “Laboratory, Wet” land use was included in both the Commercial and Manufacturing Zone
Use Regulations tables, and conditionally-permitted (C) in the most intense Commercial and
Manufacturing Zones, and not permitted (NP) in the rest, such as the neighborhood-serving
Commercial Zones.
As noted previously, CSI proposes the placement of a large portion of the Bio-Medical Overlay
development and use standards within the Commercial and Manufacturing Zone Sections. To
demonstrate how this is achieved, a good example is the placement of the new “Bio-medical Use”
definition in the Commercial and Manufacturing Zone Use Regulation tables. Within the most
intense Commercial and both Manufacturing Zones, the use is permitted (P). Within the less
intense Commercial Zones, the use is not permitted (NP). However, if the less intense
Commercial Zones are part of the Bio-Medical Overlay, then the “Bio-medical Use” is
conditionally-permitted (C). This is accomplished by adding a note in the “Notes and Exceptions”
column of the Commercial Zone Use Table that states, “Except for the C-M and H-M zones where
the use is permitted (P), this use cate gory is conditionally permitted (C) in all commercial zones
part of the Biomedical Overlay. See Section 9326. Biomedical Overlay Zone of this code.”
This technique is applied to many existing and proposed definitions throughout the Commercial
and Manufacturing Zones Use Regulations sections. This overcomes the limitations of some
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existing zones, such as the H-M Zone, which does not allow many of the supporting uses allowed
in other successful bio-medical zones, such as financial services, bakeries, and bars/taverns. It
also allows for additional discretionary review to be placed on certain uses that could adversely
affect existing bio-medical businesses or the attraction of future ones. For example, under
“Limited Location Uses (cont’d)”, an addition to the restrictions on the subsequent uses states,
“Businesses located in the Biomedical Overlay Zone require a Conditional Use Permit, unless
specified otherwise under the “Notes and Exceptions” section.”
Other modifications are included throughout the Commercial and Manufacturing Zone Use tables,
as necessary. These may be uses that are allowed but may no longer be relevant to the City’s
needs or bio-medical goals and may be deleted, such as “Cesspool manufacture and sales” and
“Taxicab Stands.” Or they may be an alteration to how and where the use is permitted.
4) Commercial Zone Development Standards
Modifications to the existing development standards are limited to the H-M Zone. While additional
amendments may prove useful in the future, CSI does not believe wide-ranging increases in
development standards are necessary at this time to incentivize bio-medical development. Such
changes may be considered as part of a broader economic development program that the City
may consider following an initial start-up period for its new bio-medical policies and programs.
However, as included in Attachment 1, on pages 17 and 18, it is recommended that the street-
side yard setback of the H-M Zone be reduced from 20 feet to 10 feet to improve the ability of the
zone to provide more pedestrian-friendly, vibrant districts that have become a staple of successful
bio-medical hubs. This change will not alter the allowed floor area ratio (FAR) or overall site-
development potential, but will work in concert with the amended permitted uses (i.e. restaurants
and cafes) to incentivize more vibrant work environments desired by professionals working in the
bio-medical industry.
5) Zoning Map Amendments
In reviewing the City’s Zoning Map, one obvious feature that emerges are the locations of medical-
oriented use areas and related Zoning Ordinance use standards. When reviewing the H-M Zone,
the land area zoned for such uses is quite limited, in terms of both visibility and acreage. The
areas zoned as H-M are not large enough to attract new bio-medical uses and are more likely to
simply maintain the medical-related uses that currently exist.
To provide more opportunity for bio-medical uses to locate in areas conducive to these types of
high-tech commercial and manufacturing uses, CSI recommends the following criteria be used to
determine where to apply the Bio-Medical Overlay:
1. Zoning includes Commercial Manufacturing (C-M), Light Manufacturing (M-1), General
Manufacturing (M-2), Hospital-Medical Arts (H-M), or more intense commercial
designations. In areas with more intense Commercial zoning (C-M, for example), existing
medical or medical-manufacturing uses is necessary.
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2. Existing light industrial or commercial-manufacturing uses, preferably medical or bio-
medically related.
3. Proximity to regionally- or nationally-recognized medical facilities, especially those
identified in regional or state-wide economic development programs/plans (i.e. Los
Angeles County Batelle Report).
4. Proximity to other medical services or institutions.
5. Lack of neighborhood-serving commercial uses, or high sales-tax generating regional
commercial uses (such as automobile sales lots).
6. Access to major transportation corridors (freeways, major commercial thoroughfares), or
distribution centers (shipping/receiving centers).
7. Location within identified planning areas with other economic development
benefits/programs, such as the Imperial Highway Improvement Plan.
8. Area includes vacant land, or if developed, sites have low opportunity costs to redevelop
or convert to “flex” space for bio-medical lab or research uses. Low opportunity-cost
redevelopment would occur on properties with minimally-profitable existing uses and
inexpensive buildings with few mechanical/utility connections or structures (self-storage
businesses, for example).
9. Capacity for campus-style development consisting of either an industrial/vocational
campus or commercial/residential mixed-use campus.
10. Area provides space to transition between most intense site development/land use of a
campus-style bio-medical project and adjacent low-density residential neighborhoods.
Ideally, the Overlay would be sufficiently wide enough to allow a stepping-down of building
height and use intensity when there is lower-density residential nearby that may be
negatively affected by a bio-medical campus.
11. Area provides a high level of infrastructure and utility services, such as water, electricity,
natural gas, data lines, etc.
Based on these criteria, the following maps show the areas proposed for the Bio-Medical Overlay.
With the exception of a few locations, the overlay is generally proposed over Commercial
Manufacturing (C-M), Hospital-Medical Arts (H-M), and Light Manufacturing (M-1) and General
Manufacturing (M-2) Zones. There are certain exceptions to these criteria, one example being
the proposed location of the Bio-Medical Overlay Area 3 (which includes a Neighborhood
Commercial (C-1) Zone).
The Bio-Medical Overlay Area 1 encompasses the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation
Center, a prominent fixture in the City’s bio-medical portfolio. However, the use is technically non-
conforming due to its underlying R-1 zoning. Non-conforming uses are typically subject to various
zoning constraints, such as amortization requirements or limitations on expansion or
intensification of the use. This status can discourage investment or reinvestment in the property
or result in relocation of the use.
For Rancho Los Amigos, the City should consider rezoning the property from R-1 to H-M and
applying the Bio-Medical Overlay. While the Bio-Medical Overlay doesn’t negate any residential
or specific plan regulations, it does provide additional incentives to ensure that this important
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resource is afforded any benefits afforded by the overlay in terms of permitting incentives. Given
RLA’s pre-eminent national and regional importance in medical rehabilitation and on its local
importance to Downey’s economy and bio-medical growth potential, the City should ensure this
and other legal, non-conforming bio-medical uses are made “conforming”, as appropriate. The
Bio-Medical Overlay Area 3 includes an “island” of Neighborhood Commercial 1 (C-1) in an
otherwise “sea” of manufacturing zones. To maintain consistency, this C-1 zone is included in
the Overlay and will benefit from the additional incentives provided.
In the Bio-Medical Overlay Area 4, a portion of the General Manufacturing 2 (M-2) Zone is
excluded. This is because the area is currently occupied by a City facility (Street Maintenance
Yard) and Independence Park. Neither facility is currently a suitable candidate for redevelopment.
In the future the overlay could be expanded if necessary to alter the allowable uses of these sites
to incentivize bio-medical uses.
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Zoning Map with Proposed Bio-Medical Overlay Zone Areas (Marked as 1 – 5)
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Proposed Bio-Medical Overlay Zone Area 1
R-1 5,000
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Proposed Bio-Medical Overlay Zone Area 2
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Proposed Bio-Medical Overlay Zone Area 3
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Proposed Bio-Medical Overlay Zone Area 4
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Proposed Bio-Medical Overlay Zone Area 5
SECTION 3 – GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
As the City considers the creation of a Bio-Medical Overlay Zone, it is important to note that State
law requires that zoning and general plans maintain consistency with one another. CSI identified
existing inconsistencies between existing General Plan land use designations and the Zoning
Map, and described those inconsistencies in the Phase 3 Report. The recommended Bio-Medical
Overlay zoning amendments would not result in additional inconsistencies to permit and
incentivize bio-medical uses. However, CSI recommends several General Plan text amendments
to provide the legal and procedural foundation for the City’s bio-medical land use and economic
development objectives. Accordingly, CSI maintains its recommendations for the following types
of amendments as part of a General Plan update or amendment:
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Land Use Element
1. Balance of Uses Section
Establish bio-medical development goals and objectives in areas such as land
uses, square feet of developed bio-medical uses, and bio-medical employment
growth, and development of supportive bio-medical uses such as education
facilities or high quality commercial services.
Describe how the overall mix of land uses is likely to change as bio-medical sector
expands (i.e., relocation of Government offices along Imperial Highway, continuing
relocation of auto-related retail sales, expansion of lab and R&D type development
along major transportation corridors).
The H-M Zoned areas are designated by the General Plan Office Commercial and
General Commercial. The General Plan narrative contains language addressing
bio-medical uses under Office Commercial but is silent regarding these uses under
General Commercial. Consider adding language regarding bio-medical uses
under the General Commercial heading.
Consider adding a paragraph on bio-medical uses and refer to the locations,
purposes and character of the H-M Zone and the Bio-Medical Overlay Zone.
Add a policy and/or program to maintain and expand bio-medical uses.
2. Livable Communities Section
Consider adding a narrative about the existing major medical centers in the City
and the City’s desire to maintain and expand bio-medical uses.
Add a policy and/or program to promote bio-medical uses.
Add a policy and/or program addressing strategies to maintain compatibility
between residential and bio-medical uses.
3. Growth Projections
Update City Growth Projections for residential and non-residential growth to reflect
bio-medical growth objectives.
Economic Development Element
1. Business Attraction and Retention Section
Add Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats related to bio-medical
uses (refer to the Phase 2 Report).
Add a policy and/or program to attract and retain bio-medical uses.
Add a policy and/or program to provide incentives (e.g., financial, land use
processing, flexible development standards, leadership).
2. Employment Section
Add discussion of the value of bio-medical employment.
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Add a policy and/or program to promote bio-medical jobs.
General Plan Land Use Map
The General Plan Land Use Plan should be amended to re-designate the area currently
zoned “H-M” and designated “Office” in the General Plan to “General Commercial” to
provide more flexibility of uses. Other Land Use Map amendments may be needed for
individual properties as part of rezoning.
SECTION 4 – CEQA COMPLIANCE
CSI prepared an Initial Study to evaluate the potential environmental effects of the proposed
zoning amendments. The Initial Study, provided with this report as Attachment 2, determined that
the proposed amendments would have less than significant impacts on the environment, and that
a Negative Declaration should be issued in conjunction with the project.
Fundamentally, the proposed project does not alter the development intensity of the base zones
to which the Bio-Medical Overlay Zone could be applied, only to provide incentives for bio-medical
uses to locate in those areas already zoned for a broad range and intensity of commercial and
manufacturing uses. Because development intensity is not increased in existing commercial and
manufacturing zones, the project is not expected to induce substantial population growth or
impact other environmental concerns in the area beyond that which could be accommodated by
the commercial and manufacturing zones at build-out intensity anticipated by the 2025 General
Plan.
SECTION 5 – CONCLUSION
This Phase 4 Report completes the work provided by CSI to establish a new “Bio-Medical Overlay
Zone.” These regulations and development standards work in concert with updated Commercial
and Manufacturing Zones, including the Hospital-Medical Arts (H-M) Zone. Building upon Phases
1, 2, and 3 of this multi-phase project, Phase 4 provides the proposed amendments to create a
Bio-Medical Overlay Zone, consisting of necessary Zoning amendments and Zoning Map
alterations, as well as General Plan consistency and CEQA compliance with the proposed
amendments.
CSI’s proposed Bio-Medical Overlay requires amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and Zoning
Map that include new and amended Zoning Ordinance definitions to describe the contemporary
range and types of bio-medical uses and health services, a new Bio-medical Overlay Zone section
of the Zoning Ordinance, revised “Intent and Purpose” of the Commercial and Manufacturing
Zones sections of the Zoning Ordinance, updated and amended “Use Regulations” of the
Commercial and Manufacturing Zones sections of the Zoning Ordinance, amended “Development
Standards” of the Commercial Zones section of the Zoning Ordinance, and amended Zoning Map
to include areas designated for the Bio-Medical Overlay Zone.
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With this information and proposed direction, CSI seeks City input on the recommendations made
in the Phase 4 Report to prepare for the project’s final phase, where CSI will summarize its
findings and recommendations in a final Project Report to be presented to City leadership, staff,
and business community stakeholders.
SECTION 6 – LIST OF ATTACHMENTS
1. City of Downey, Municipal Code, Article IX – Land Use – Excerpted, with
Proposed Amendments
2. Environmental Initial Study
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CITY OF DOWNEY MUNICIPAL CODE
ARTICLE IX – LAND USE (EXCERPT)
Chapter 1 – GENERAL PROVISIONS AND DEFINITIONS
SECTION 9124. “B” DEFINITIONS.
Bio-medical Use: A land use associated with medical or biological research, analysis, testing, and
manufacturing of medical products, equipment or related items. Such uses generally consist of the
following: (1) Medical device or prosthesis prototype fabrication; (2) Production requiring advanced
technology and skills and directly related to medical research and development activities on the premises;
(3) Manufacturing of biochemical research and diagnostic compounds to be used primarily by
universities, laboratories, hospitals, and clinics for scientific research and developmental testing purposes;
(4) Production of experimental medical or biochemical products; (5) Development of biomedical-device
related production or operating systems to be installed and operated at another location, including
manufacturing of products necessary for such development; (6) Manufacturing of biological, biomedical,
and pharmaceutical products; (7) Manufacturing of scientific, engineering, and medical instruments.
SECTION 9126. “C” DEFINITIONS.
Clinical Service: An establishment which provides physical and mental health services on an individual,
out-patient basis. The services may be of preventative, diagnostic, treatment, therapeutic, rehabilitative or
counseling nature, but do not include group counseling uses. Typical uses would include, but not be
limited to, medical and health clinics, chiropractic/physical therapy clinics, individual counselling
services and emergency/urgent care centers.
SECTION 9134. “G” DEFINITIONS.
Group Counseling: A counseling or therapy service that is provided to groups of five or more persons at
a time. Examples of group-counseling uses include, but are not limited to, nutritional and diet centers;
medical, clinical, and other health-related counseling; and career, professional, and life coaching.
SECTION 9136. “H” DEFINITIONS.
Hospital: A State-licensed general acute care hospital, as defined by Health and Safety Code section
1250(a), that provides a wide range of emergency, clinical, and temporary medical services to the general
public facility to which persons are may be admitted for overnight stay or longer for the diagnosis, care,
or treatment of illness and injury or the prevention thereof, not including convalescent homes,
sanitariums, and nursing homes.
Hospital, Specialty Hospital: Any facility place, or building that is maintained and operated exclusively
to provide 24-hour paid in-patient services for the specialized treatment and recovery of chronic health or
mental health conditions or elective procedures or treatments. Services provided may include, but are not
limited to, food service nutrition counseling acupressure, massage fitness and physical therapy, and
pharmaceutical and medical attention. This type of facility is distinct from an acute care general hospital
and from a residential use where these services are occasional or otherwise incidental to a primarily
residential occupancy.
SECTION 9144. “L” DEFINITIONS.
Laboratories: Establishments providing medical or dental laboratory services or establishments
providing photographic, analytical or testing services.Laboratory, Dry: A laboratory where dry materials,
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electronics, or large instruments are tested and analyzed, with limited piped services. Dry laboratories
may require controlled temperature and humidity as well as dust control.
Laboratory, Wet: A laboratory where chemicals, drugs or biological matter is tested and analyzed, and
which typically requires water, direct ventilation, specialized piped utilities and protective measures.
SECTION 9146. “M” DEFINITIONS.
Medical Services: Services provided by a business or facility consisting of the services described within
the definitions of “Clinical Service,” “Medical Outpatient Service,” and “Office, Medical,” as those terms
are defined in this section, which are ancillary to a primary use consisting of medical or biological
research and analysis, or the manufacturing of medical products, equipment or related items. Excludes
the use, handling, analysis, testing, processing, growing, distribution, research or any other activity
involving Marijuana (Cannabis sp.) or any of its derivatives.
Medical Outpatient Service: A business or facility providing medical or health services, more intensive
than those typically provided by a Medical Office use, without the need for an overnight stay, such as but
not limited to, kidney dialysis, phlebotomists, physical therapy, prosthetics, individual wellness and
health maintenance counseling, and urgent care. Medical Outpatient Services does not include Medical
Office uses, Wet Laboratories, or Group Counseling services (as those terms are defined in this section).
Microbreweries and brewpubs: Refers to small-scale, independently-owned breweries that
emphasize traditional brewing methods, flavor and quality and that produce fewer than 15,000
U.S. beer barrels (460,000 U.S. gallons) annually for on- and off-premises consumption. A
brewpub is an abbreviated term combining the ideas of a brewery and a pub or public-house. A
brewpub can be a pub or restaurant that brews beer on the premises.
SECTION 9150. “O” DEFINITIONS.
Office, Medical: A facility where medical services, typically involving evaluations or non-emergency
procedures, and their associated managerial, administrative, and clerical functions, are conducted.
Medical office includes: chiropodists, chiropractors, dentists, clinical service uses (defined in this
section), optometrists, osteopaths, physicians, psychologists, surgeons, and other uses which the decision-
making body determines are of a medical nature and similar. Medical office does not include Group
Counseling uses or Medical Outpatient Services (as those terms are defined in this section).Office,
Medical and Dental: Offices and clinics used for the practice of medicine, chiropractic, dentistry,
optometry, podiatry, and various forms of physical therapy. Excludes the overnight care of a patient.
SECTION 9156. “R” DEFINITIONS.
Research and Development: The pursuit of knowledge or creation of products in technology-intensive
fields. Examples include, but are not limited to, research and development of computer hardware or
software, information systems, industrial processes, technical/technological systems, communications
systems, transportation, geographic information systems, multi-media and video technology.
Laboratories may also be included in this use (see also “Laboratory, Dry” and “Laboratory, Wet” in this
section). Development and construction of prototypes may be associated with this use.
SECTION 9158. “S” DEFINITIONS.
Specialty Hospital: Any facility place, or building that is maintained and operated exclusively to provide
24-hour paid in-patient services for the specialized treatment and recovery of chronic health or mental
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health conditions or elective procedures or treatments. Services provided may include, but are not limited
to, food service nutrition counseling acupressure, massage fitness and physical therapy, and
pharmaceutical and medical attention. This type of facility is distinct from an acute care general hospital
and from a residential use where these services are occasional or otherwise incidental to a primarily
residential occupancy.
Chapter 3 – ZONES AND STANDARDS
SECTION 9302. ZONES ESTABLISHED.
To carry out the purposes of this chapter, as set forth in Section 9104 of this article, the City is hereby
divided into seventeen (17) zones, to be known by the zoning symbols and classifications as shown in
Table 9.3.1:
Table 9.3.1. Zones Established
Zone Symbol
Residential Zones
Single-Family Residential Zone R-1
Two-Family Residential Zone R-2
Multiple-Family Residential Zone R-3
Multiple-Family Residential Ownership Zone R-3-0
Commercial Zones
Professional Office Zone C-P
Neighborhood Commercial Zone C-1
General Commercial Zone C-2
Central Business District Zone C-3
Commercial Manufacturing Zone C-M
Hospital-Medical Arts Zone H-M
Mixed-Use Zone
Mixed-Use Zone M-U
Manufacturing Zones
Light Manufacturing Zone M-1
General Manufacturing Zone M-2
Public Zone
Public Zone P
Open Space Zone
Open Space Zone O-S
Planned Unit Development Overlay Zone
Planned Unit Development Overlay Zone PUD
Bio-Medical Overlay Zone
Bio-Medical Overlay Zone BIO
Downtown Plan Overlay Zone
Downtown Plan Overlay Zone D-P
SECTION 9314. COMMERCIAL ZONES.
SECTION 9314.02. INTENT AND PURPOSE.
(a) The intent and purpose of these Commercial Zone regulations is to:
(1) Provide appropriately located areas consistent with the General Plan for a full range of
office, retail commercial, and service commercial uses needed by residents and businesses of,
and visitors to, the City and region;
(2) Strengthen the City’s economic base, and provide employment opportunities close to
home for residents of the City and surrounding communities;
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(3) Create suitable environments for various types of commercial uses, and protect them
from the adverse effects of incompatible uses;
(4) Promote the creation of vibrant and attractive commercial districts desirable to
professionals working in the high-tech and biomedical fields, while also Mminimizinge the
impact of commercial development on adjacent, neighborhood-oriented residential districts;
(5) Ensure that the appearance and effects of commercial buildings and uses are harmonious
with the character of the area in which they are located; and
(6) Ensure the provision of adequate off-street parking and loading facilities.
(b) Purpose of the C-P Zone. The C-P Zone is intended to provide for the development of
integrated office and professional areas wherein related types of uses and facilities may also be
located. The provisions of this zone are intended to encourage the most desirable relationship of
permitted uses and to provide a transition between more intensive commercial activities and
residential areas.
(c) Purpose of the C-1 Zone. The C-1 Zone is intended to provide for the development of
limited neighborhood shopping areas situated adjacent to, or surrounded by, residential
neighborhoods. These shopping areas are intended to serve only the limited need for convenience
goods and services in their immediate locality and should fit easily into a residential environment
without detriment to the character of the area.
(d) Purpose of the C-2 Zone. The C-2 Zone is intended to provide for and encourage the
orderly development of general commercial uses, with a wide variety of goods and services, for the
residents of the entire City, with provisions designed to ensure that such commerce will be efficient,
functionally related, and compatible with adjacent noncommercial development.
(e) Purpose of the C-3 Zone. The C-3 Zone is intended to provide for the development of
intense commercial and service uses in the City in order to serve the broadest community and
regional needs. This area will provide a wide variety of goods and services in establishments whose
operating characteristics attract them to a central location in the City and which require good
exposure in a readily identifiable and accessible setting. The provisions of this zone are designed to
ensure that such activities will be compatible with abutting noncommercial development and to
minimize any effects of older development, heavy traffic, or other operating characteristics.
(f) Purpose of the C-M Zone. The C-M Zone is intended to provide a flexible range of
commercial, wholesale, and light manufacturing uses that can be operated in harmony with each
other and in a clean and orderly manner. The areas designated for the commercial and
manufacturing zone are suitable for both types of uses in combination with each other or
individually. The limitations imposed upon such uses are intended to control the intensity of use and
effect upon surrounding areas.
(g) Purpose of the H-M Zone. The H-M Zone is intended to provide for and encourage the
orderly development of a wide variety of hospital and biomedical uses that facilitate the growth of
businesses during all stages of the business cycle. It also allows professional offices, personal and
professional services, and retail uses and services that are compatible with, related and supportive
of, uses permitted within the zone and with usesdevelopment in adjacent zonessurrounding the
zone.
Agenda Page 72
SECTION 9314.04. COMMERCIAL ZONES USE REGULATIONS.
(a) Table 9.3.5 identifies the uses permitted in each Commercial Zone. If a use is not
specifically listed on the table then said use shall be deemed as Not Permitted.
(b) Uses that require a Conditional Use Permit are subject to the review requirements and
conditions contained in Section 9824.
(c) The “notes and exceptions” column of Table 9.3.5 indicates more precisely the use
regulations for specific uses or operating characteristics. The notes and exceptions must be reviewed
in conjunction with the other information for the class of use.
(d) Certain permitted uses and uses requiring a Conditional Use Permit may be subject to
special conditions regarding location, operation, or the design of the use. The sections of this article
governing these uses are identified in the “notes and exceptions” column of Table 9.3.5.
Table 9.3.5. Commercial Zones Use Regulations
(P = Permitted NP = Not Permitted C = Conditional Use Permit)
Use C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-
M H-M Notes and
Exceptions
Automobile and Other Vehicle Sales, Services, and Equipment
Automobile, light truck,
and motorcycle sales, new NP NP P P P NP Does not include
broker and/or
wholesale offices
Automobile, light truck,
and motorcycle sales,
used
NP NP C C C NP Subject to Section
9404
Automobile accessories
and parts stores NP NP P P P NP No repair facilities
allowed
Automobile paint and
body NP NP P P P NP Only when on same
site and in
conjunction with a
new automobile, light
truck, or motorcycle
dealership
Automobile rental
agencies NP NP C C C NP
Automobile repair NP NP C C P NP Permitted (P) in all
commercial zones
when on same site
and in conjunction
with a new
automobile, light
truck, or motorcycle
dealership
Automobile wholesale
and broker offices NP NP C C C NP
Carwash, full-service, self
service and coin operated NP NP C C P NP Subject to Section
9406
Mobile
homes/manufactured
home sales
NP NP C C C NP
Agenda Page 73
Use C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-
M H-M Notes and
Exceptions
Recreational vehicle sales NP NP C C C NP Includes boats,
trailers, campers, and
other recreational
vehicles
Service stations NP C C NP C NP Subject to Section
9406; one tow truck
may be permitted (P);
outdoor storage of
impounded or
damaged vehicles is
prohibited
Truck and trailer sales NP NP C C C NP Includes heavy
equipment. Subject to
Section 9404
Towing services NP NP NP NP C NP
Vehicle impound and
storage yard NP NP NP NP C NP
Eating and Drinking Establishments
Bars, taverns, pubs,
micro-breweries w/ food
and drinks
NP NP C C C NP Accessory uses such
as billiards, pool
tables, darts, and
game machines are
also allowed.
This use category is
conditionally
permitted (C) in all
commercial zones
part of the
Biomedical Overlay.
See Section 93268.
Biomedical Overlay
Zone of this code.
Bakeries NP P P P P NP Shall have retail
component
Liquor stores and other
off-sale alcohol
establishments
NP C C C C NP
Use C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-
M H-M Notes and
Exceptions
Eating and Drinking Establishments (cont’d)
Night clubs NP NP C C C NP Restaurants, cafés, coffee
establishments P P P P P P For C-P & H-M
zones, use shall not
exceed 10% of gross
floor area of building.
with alcohol sales C C C C C C
with drive-thru NP C C C C NP Subject to Section
9406 if drive-thru
facilities are
provided.
Agenda Page 74
Use C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-
M H-M Notes and
Exceptions
with live entertainment C* NP C C C NP Outdoor
seating/dining areas
are subject to Site
Plan Review in
accordance with
Section 9820
*The building
housing a restaurant
shall be a minimum
of 100 ft. from the
nearest residentially-
zoned property.
This use category
(Restaurant with live
entertainment) is
conditionally
permitted (C) in all
commercial zones
part of the
Biomedical Overlay.
See Section 93268.
Biomedical Overlay
Zone of this code.
Financial, Professional Services and Office Uses
Check cashing NP NP P P P NP
Financial services P P P P P NP Drive-thru window or
drive-thru ATM
requires a
Conditional Use
Permit (C) in any
zone.
This use category is
permitted (P) in all
commercial zones
part of the
Biomedical Overlay
if integrated into a
primary biomedical
use. See Section
93268. Biomedical
Overlay Zone of this
code.
Offices Does not include new
and/or used vehicle
brokers or wholesale
business and
professional P P P P NP NP
Agenda Page 75
Use C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-
M H-M Notes and
Exceptions
medical and dental
Medical outpatient
services
P
NP
P
NP
P
P
P
P
NP
NP
P
P
offices
Medical Office uses
and Medical
Outpatient Services
are permitted (P) in
commercial all zones
part of the
Biomedical Overlay.
See Section 93268.
Biomedical Overlay
Zone of this code.
General Commercial Uses
Adult businesses NP NP C NP C NP Subject to Section
9402
Animal sales and services
animal sales NP NP P P P NP
boarding/kennels NP NP C C P NP
feed and supplies NP P P P P NP
grooming NP P P P P NP
hospitals/veterinary NP NP C C P C
Arcades, video games NP NP C C NP NP
Auction house NP NP NP NP P NP
Audio and video
broadcasting NP NP C C P NP Includes recording
studios
Biomedical Use NP NP NP NP P P Except for the C-M
and H-M zones
where the use is
permitted (P), this
use category is
conditionally
permitted (C) in all
commercial zones
part of the
Biomedical Overlay.
See Section 93268.
Biomedical Overlay
Zone of this code.
Banquet facilities,
ballrooms, and concert
halls
NP NP C C C NP
Fax Blueprint and
photocopy services P P P P P NP
Bookbinding NP NP NP NP P NP
Building/contractor
supplies NP NP NP NP P NP Includes equipment
renting and leasing
Cabinet making and
carpenter shops NP NP C NP P NP
Use C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-
M H-M Notes and
Exceptions
General Commercial Uses (cont’d)
Caretakers’ residences NP NP NP NP P NP
Catering companies NP NP P P P NP
Commercial recreation NP NP C C C NP
Agenda Page 76
Use C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-
M H-M Notes and
Exceptions
Convention and
exhibition halls NP NP NP C C NP This use category is
conditionally
permitted (C) in all
commercial zones
part of the
Biomedical Overlay.
See Section 93268.
Biomedical Overlay
Zone of this code.
Christmas tree and
pumpkin sales P P P P P P Subject to Section
9420.14
Cyber cafés NP NP C C NP NP Day care center adult C C C C C C
child C C C C NP C
Day spa NP NP C C C NP
Firework stands NP P P P P NP Subject to Section
9518
Food product
manufacturing NP NP NP NP C NP Includes processing
and storage; excludes
lard, pickles, sausage,
sauerkraut, and
vinegar
Fortune telling NP NP C C C NP
Funeral services NP NP P P P NP
Hotels NP NP C C C NPC
Janitorial supplies and
services NP NP P P P NP
Kiosks
permanent C C C C C C
temporary or semi-
permanent C C C C C C
Laboratories, Dry
Laboratories, Wet NP
NP NP
NP NP
NP NP
NP PC
C PC
C Testing only
laboratories permitted
(P) in H-M Zone
Laundries
limited P P P P P P
unlimited NP NP NP NP C C
Machine shop and tool
repair NP NP NP NP P NP
Massage therapy
establishment NP NP C C C NP
Metal stamping NP NP NP NP P NP
Agenda Page 77
Use C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-
M H-M Notes and
Exceptions
Mail and shipping
services P P P P P NNP This use category is
conditionally
permitted (C) in all
commercial zones
part of the
Biomedical Overlay.
See Section 93268.
Biomedical Overlay
Zone of this code,
unless permitted (P)
in the base zone.
Medical equipmentand
orthopedic sales NP NP NP NP NP P Includes prostheses.
This use category is
permitted (P) in all
commercial zones
part of the
Biomedical Overlay.
See Section 93268.
Biomedical Overlay
Zone of this code.
Motels NP NP C C C NP Subject to Section
9412
Motion picture production NP NP NP NP P NP
Parking – surface and
structure NP P P C P NPC
Passenger stations, bus
and rail NP NP P P P NPC
Personal improvement
services NP NP P P NP NP
Personal services P P P P NP NP This use category is
conditionally
permitted (C) in all
commercial zones
part of the
Biomedical Overlay.
See Section 93268.
Biomedical Overlay
Zone of this code,
unless permitted (P)
in the base zone.
Pest control services NP NP NP NP P NP
Pharmacies NP P P P P P
Use C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-
M H-M Notes and
Exceptions
General Commercial Uses (cont’d)
Plastic, rubber, packing
manufacturing NP NP NP NP P NP
Plumbing, electrical,
mechanical shops and
services
NP NP P P P NP
Printing shops NP NP P P P NP Public utility offices P P P P P NP
Agenda Page 78
Use C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-
M H-M Notes and
Exceptions
Recycling collection
center NP NP C C C NP
Repair services, consumer NP NP P P P NP Repair of personal
and household items,
excluding automobile
repair or items used
primarily for business
Restaurant/hotel supply
and services NP NP P P P NP
Research and
Development
NP NP NP NP P C
Rug cleaning plants NP NP NP NP P NP
Schools, business,
professional, trade,
technical or vocational
CNPNP NP NPC C C NPC
Schools, medical CNP NP NP CNP CNP P
Silk screening NP NP NP NP P NP
Smoke, cigar, hookah
lounges NP NP C C C NP
Swap meets & flea
markets NP NP C C C NP
Tanning salons NP NP C C C NP Taxicab stands C C C C C NP Textile, clothing,
manufacturing NP NP NP NP P NP
Tutoring centers NP NP C C C NP
Upholstery, re-upholstery NP NP NP NP P NP
Utility distribution
stations C C C C C C
Wedding chapels NP NP P C P NP Does not include
churches and other
places of religious
worship
Welding shops NP NP NP NP P NP Conditional Use
Permit (C) required if
less than 200 feet
from any Residential
Zone
Wood products
manufacturing NP NP NP NP P NP
Other Uses
Ambulance service NNP NP NP NP CNP C
Auction house NP C C C C NP
Churches and other places
of religious worship C C C C C CNP Does not include
wedding chapels
Colleges, public or private NP NP C C C C
Convalescent
hospitals/nursing
homes/assisted living
facilities
NP NP C C C P Subject to Section
9422(Adam, why is
this deleted?)
Cultural institutions C C C C C CNPNP
Agenda Page 79
Use C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-
M H-M Notes and
Exceptions
Use C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-
M H-M Notes and
Exceptions
Other Uses (cont’d)
Emergency shelters, up to
30 occupants NP NP NP NP NP P Subject to Section
9430.04
Emergency shelters, more
than 30 occupants NP NP NP NP NP C Subject to Section
9430.04
Fraternal and service
organizations C C C C C C
Hospitals NP NP P P C P Does not include
convalescent
hospitals and nursing
homes
Group Counseling NP NP NP NP C C
Medical services CNP NP NP NP NP PC Includes psychiatric
centers, short-term
care facilities for the
mentally ill, alcohol
treatment centers.
(Different from
“Medical Outpatient
Services”?
Parks and recreational
facilities C C C C C NP This use category is
conditionally
permitted (C) in all
commercial zones
part of the
Biomedical Overlay.
See Section 93268.
Biomedical Overlay
Zone of this code.
Public buildings and
facilities C C C C C NP Libraries,
governmental
buildings, police and
fire stations.
This use category is
conditionally
permitted (C) in all
commercial zones
part of the
Biomedical Overlay.
See Section 93268.
Biomedical Overlay
Zone of this code.
Schools Includes elementary,
middle or junior, and
high schools only public P P P P P PC
private C C C C C C
Small wind energy
systems
C C C C C C
Specialty Hospital NP NP NP C C C
Agenda Page 80
Use C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-
M H-M Notes and
Exceptions
Universities, colleges,
professional and
vocational schools
C
NP NP C C C
Wireless communication
facilities
C C C C C C Subject to Section
9426
Residential Uses
Emergency shelters, up to
30 occupants
NP NP NP NP NP P Subject to Section
9430.04
Emergency shelters, more
than 30 occupants
NP NP NP NP NP C Subject to Section
9430.04
Residential Care
Facilities, convalescent
hospitals, assisted living
facilities
C NP NP NP NP P Subject to Section
9422
Senior citizen housing
development NP NP NP P P P Subject to Section
9418
Single resident occupancy NP NP NP NP NP P Subject to Section
9430.06
Small wind energy
systems C C C C C C
Universities, colleges,
professional and
vocational schools
C
NP NP C C P
Transitional/supportive
housing NP NP NP NP NP P Subject to Section
9430.06
Wireless communication
facilities C C C C C C Subject to Section
9426
Retail Sales
Antique and collectible
stores NP P P NP P NP Objects more than 40
years old
Florist shops NP P P P P NP This use category is
permitted (P) in all
commercial zones
part of the
Biomedical Overlay,
if integrated into a
primary biomedical
use. See Section
93268. Biomedical
Overlay Zone of this
code.
Drug stores NP NP P P P NP With or without
pharmacies
Nurseries and garden
supply stores NP NP P NP P NP
Agenda Page 81
Use C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-
M H-M Notes and
Exceptions
Retail sales, new NP P P P P NP This use category is
conditionally-
permitted (C) in all
commercial zones
part of the
Biomedical Overlay,
if integrated into a
primary biomedical
use, unless permitted
(P) in the base zone.
See Section 93268.
Biomedical Overlay
Zone of this code.
Retail sales, used NP NP C C C NP
Wholesale, Storage and Distribution Uses
Parcel delivery terminals NP NP NP NP P NP
Refrigeration plant NP NP NP NP P NP
Self-storage, mini-
storage, mini-warehouse,
and recreational vehicle
storage
NP NP NP NP C NP Subject to Section
9416
Agenda Page 82
Use C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-M H-M Notes and Exceptions
Wholesale, Storage and Distribution Uses (cont’d)
Storage yards NP NP NP NP P NP Includes building materials, fleet
storage, lumber yards, machinery
rental, trucking yards and
terminals, transit storage, road
equipment
Warehouse NP NP NP NP P NP Flammable, chemical, or other
hazardous material storage
requires Fire Department approval
Wholesale brokers, jobbers,
dealers, distributors NP NP NP NP P NP
Wholesale garment sewing NP NP NP NP P NP
SECTION 9314.06. COMMERCIAL ZONES PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.
(a) Specific Development Standards. Table 9.3.6 identifies the development standards for all of the
Commercial Zones.
Table 9.3.6. Commercial Zone Property Development Standards
Development Standard Zone
C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-M H-M
Lot area - minimum (square feet) 6,000 6,000 10,000 10,000 87,120 6,000
Lot width - minimum (feet) 60 60 100 100 290 60
Lot depth - minimum (feet) 100 100 100 100 300 100
Floor area ratio - maximum 2.0 0.25 1.4 3.0 NA 2.0
lots 87,120 square feet or greater NA NA NA NA 0.60 NA
lots under 87,120 square feet NA NA NA NA 0.50 NA
Lot coverage - maximum (percent) 50 50a 50 50 NA 50
Building height - maximum (feet or stories,
whichever is less)b 75 feet
or 5
stories
20 feet
or 1
story
45 feet
or 3
stories
105 feet
or 7
stories
150 feet
or 10
stories
75 feet or
5 stories
Yard setbacks - minimum (feet)
frontc 10 20 15 NR 20 10
rear
abutting a residential zone 46 46 46 46 46 46
abutting nonresidential zone 15 15 15 15 15 15
side
interior
abutting a residential zone 46 46 46 46 46 46
abutting a nonresidential zone 5 5 NR NR NR See note e
street (abutting major roads)c, d 10 20 15 NR 20 2010
street (abutting all other streets)c 5 5 5 5 15 2010
Building separation - minimum (feet) 20 20 20 20 20 20
Air conditioning, mechanical roof and utility
equipment Subject to Section 9504
Environmental protection standards Subject to Section 9516
Graffiti control Subject to Section 4960 of Chapter 10 of Article IV of this Code
Landscaping, lighting, and walls Subject to Section 9520
Nonconforming uses, lots, and structures Subject to Section 9410
Off-street parking and loading Subject to Chapter 7
Signs Subject to Chapter 6
Site plan review Subject to Section 9820
Trash enclosure Subject to Section 9528
Visibility Subject to Sections 9520 and 9534
Agenda Page 83
Development Standard Zone
C-P C-1 C-2 C-3 C-M H-M
Wireless communication facilities Subject to Section 9426
Notes:
a A mezzanine may be permitted in the C-1 Zone provided it does not exceed thirty (30) percent of the square
footage of the ground floor area.
b When abutting the R-1 and R-2 Residential Zones, variable height limitations shall apply in accordance with
Section 9534.24. c Parking not permitted in the front or street side setbacks. d Major streets are defined as major, primary, and/or second arterials, as identified in the General Plan.
e Side setbacks shall be five (5) feet for the first and second floors; ten (10) feet for the third and fourth floors; and
fifteen (15) feet for the fifth floor.
NA = Not Applicable
NR = No Requirement
SECTION 9318. MANUFACTURING ZONES.
SECTION 9318.02. INTENT AND PURPOSE.
(a) The intent and purpose of these Manufacturing Zone regulations is to:
(1) Provide appropriately located areas consistent with the General Plan for a broad range of
manufacturing and service uses;
(2) Strengthen the City’s economic base, and provide employment opportunities close to
home for residents of the City and surrounding communities;
(3) Promote the creation of vibrant and attractive manufacturing districts desirable to
professionals working in the high-tech and biomedical fields, while also Minimize minimizing
the impact of manufacturing uses on adjacent, commercial and neighborhood-oriented
residential and commercial districts.
(b) Purpose of the M-1 Zone. The M-1 Zone is intended to provide an orderly development
and grouping together of light manufacturing and appropriate biomedical uses that facilitate the
growth of businesses during all stages of the business cycle uses in harmony with each other and the
rest of the community. The provisions of this zone are designed to ensure that such uses will be
protected from inharmonious uses and to minimize the undesirable effects of heavy traffic or other
operating characteristics.
.
(c) Purpose of the M-2 Zone. The M-2 Zone is intended to provide for the orderly
development of general manufacturing, research and development, wholesale and distribution,
warehousing, biomedical uses that facilitate the growth of businesses during all stages of the
business cycle, and other compatible uses within the community. The provisions of this zone are
intended to ensure that industrial development will be protected from intrusion by inharmonious
uses, that it will be provided with adequate space and accessory facilities, and that abutting non-
industrial areas will be protected from potential conflicts with industrial development.
SECTION 9318.04. MANUFACTURING ZONES USE REGULATIONS.
(a) Table 9.3.9 identifies the uses permitted in each Manufacturing Zone. If a use is not
specifically listed on the table then said use shall be deemed as Not Permitted.
(b) Uses that require a Conditional Use Permit are subject to the review requirements and
conditions contained in Section 9824.
Agenda Page 84
(c) The “notes and exceptions” column of Table 9.3.9 indicates more precisely the use
regulations for specific uses or operating characteristics. The notes and exceptions must be reviewed
in conjunction with the other information for the class of use.
(d) Certain permitted uses and uses requiring a Conditional Use Permit may be subject to
special conditions regarding location, operation, or the design of the use. The sections of this article
governing these uses are identified in the “notes and exceptions” column of Table 9.3.9.
Table 9.3.9. Manufacturing Zones Use Regulations
(P = Permitted NP = Not Permitted C = Conditional Use Permit required subject to Section 9824)
Use M-1 M-2 Notes and Exceptions
Manufacturing Uses
Biomedical Use P P
Electronics P P Includes electrical and related parts, appliances,
devices, engines, motors, televisions, radios
Food products P P Includes ice; excludes lard, pickles, sausage,
sauerkraut, and vinegar
Equipment, instruments and medical/dental
products and components Instruments P P Includes electronic, medical and dental tools,
prosthetics, precision, measuring
Office and related machinery P P Includes audio and visual machinery, computers
Pharmaceuticals P P Includes cosmetics, drugs, perfumes, toiletries
Laboratories, dry P P Includes medical, dental, research
Laboratories, wet C C
Finished products P P From the following product types: canvas, clay, cloth,
cork, felt, glass, leather, paper, plaster, plastics,
stones, textiles, wood, and yarns
Heavy manufacturing NP C Includes asphalt and products; brick tile and terra
cotta (clay); babbit metal; bleaching powder; building
blocks; celluloid; concrete and products
Services
Adult businesses C C Subject to Section 9402
Appliance repairs and service P P
Use M-1 M-2 Notes and Exceptions
Services (cont’d)
Animal sales and services
animal sales P P
boarding/kennels C C
feed and supplies P P
grooming P P
hospitals/veterinary P P
Auction house C C
Automobile rental C C
Automobile, light truck, and motorcycle
repair P P
Blueprint and FaxPrinting, and photocopy
services P P
Bars, taverns, microbreweries and brewpubs C C
Carpet and rug cleaning P P
Catering establishments C C
Cold storage plants C C
Cleaning and dyeing P P
Electroplating C C
Financial services P P Drive-thru or ATM requires a Conditional Use Permit
Agenda Page 85
Use M-1 M-2 Notes and Exceptions
(C) in any zone
Freight terminals (truck terminals) C C
Fumigation contractors P P
Kiosks
permanent C C
temporary or semi-permanent C C
Laundries
limited P P
unlimited P P
Machine shops and tool repair P P
Metal fabrication P P Requires Conditional Use Permit (C) if within two
hundred (200) feet of a residential zone
Newspaper printing and publishing P P
Offices Does not include new and/or used vehicle brokers or
wholesale offices. This use category is permitted (P)
in all commercial zones part of the Biomedical
Overlay, if integrated into a primary biomedical use.
See Section 93268. Biomedical Overlay Zone of this
code.
business and professional P P
medical and dental C C
Pest control operators and services P P
Plumbing, electrical, mechanical shops and
services P P
Printing, engraving, lithographing, and
publishing P P
Public scales P P
Recycling collection center C C
Refrigeration repairs and services P P
Research and Development P P
Use M-1 M-2 Notes and Exceptions
Services (cont’d)
Restaurants, cafes, coffee establishments P P Subject to Section 9406 if drive-thru facilities are
with alcohol sales C C provided.
with drive-thru C C Outdoor seating/dining areas are subject to Site Plan
with live entertainment NP NP Review in accordance with Section 9820.
This use category (Restaurant with live entertainment)
is conditionally permitted (C) in all manufacturing
zones part of the Biomedical Overlay. See Section
93268. Biomedical Overlay Zone of this code.
Rug cleaning plants P P
Service stations C C Automobile and truck
Silk screening P P
Swap meets and flea markets P P
Technical, trade, or vocational schools P P
Tire retreading NP P
Wholesale, Storage, Distribution, and Warehouse Use (Businesses using compressors and fixed motorized
equipment require a Conditional Use Permit)
Parcel delivery terminals P P
Refrigeration plant P P
Self-storage, mini-storage, mini-warehouse
and recreational vehicle storage C C Subject to Section 9416
Storage facilities P P
Storage yards P P Includes building materials, fleet storage, lumber
yards, machinery rental, trucking yards and terminals,
Agenda Page 86
Use M-1 M-2 Notes and Exceptions
transit storage, road equipment
Warehouse P P Flammable, chemical, or other hazardous material
storage requires Fire Department approval
Wholesale offices for automobiles,
motorcycles, and trucks C C
Wholesale brokers, jobbers, dealers,
distributors, warehouses, storage P P
Limited Location Uses (cont’d) (Must be located at least two hundred (200) feet or greater from Residential Zone.
Businesses located in the Biomedical Overlay Zone require a Conditional Use Permit, unless specified otherwise under
the “Notes and Exceptions” section.)
Assembly plants P P
Automobile and truck paint and body P P
Bakeries P P No retail is permitted, unless located in a
manufacturing zone part of the Biomedical Overlay.
See Section 93268. Biomedical Overlay Zone of this
code.
Bottling plants and bottle making P P
Can manufacturing P P
Cesspool manufacture and sales NP P
Crate manufacturing and sales P P
Foundries, aluminum (electric or low
pressure) NP P
Furniture manufacturing and assembly P P
Machine shops P P
Rubber processing NP P Raw rubber melting not allowed
Soft drink manufacture and bottling NP P
Truck and trailer repair P P
Agenda Page 87
Use M-1 M-2 Notes and Exceptions
Limited Location Uses (cont’d) (Must be located at least two hundred (200) feet or greater from Residential Zone.
Businesses located in the Biomedical Overlay Zone require a Conditional Use Permit, unless specified otherwise under
the “Notes and Exceptions” section.)
Cement bulk storage silos NP P Must be located five hundred (500) feet or greater
from Residential Zone. Not permitted (NP) within a
Biomedical Overlay Zone.
Dairy product manufacturing and
warehousing NP P Manufacturing must be located five hundred (500)
feet or greater from Residential Zone. Not permitted
(NP) within a Biomedical Overlay Zone.
Other Uses
Ambulance service P
P
Audio and video recording studios P P
Automobile tow storage yards C C Includes impound yards
Auto wrecking yards NP C
Blast furnaces NP C
Boiler shops or services NP C
Commercial recreation (manufacturing zones
only) C C As defined in Section 9126.
This use category is permitted (P) in all
manufacturing zones part of the Biomedical Overlay,
if integrated into a primary biomedical use. See
Section 93268. Biomedical Overlay Zone of this code.
Drop hammers NP C
Utility distribution stations P P Includes transmission substations
Electrical generating stations NP C Includes transmission substations, energy support
facilities, fuel cells, microwave radio stations
Fabrication requiring semi-open operations NP C
Fireworks stands P P
Forges and foundries NP C
Granite and marble grinding NP C
Humane society (pounds) P P Not permitted (NP) within a Biomedical Overlay
Zone.
Junk yards NP C Not permitted (NP) within a Biomedical Overlay
Zone.
Lumber mills NP C
Materials recovery facilities NP C For waste sorting and processing. Not permitted (NP)
within a Biomedical Overlay Zone.
Motion picture production P P
Parking – surface and structure P P
Public utilities C C
Punch presses NP C
Recycling processing center NP C Not permitted (NP) within a Biomedical Overlay
Zone.
Sandblasting plants NP C
Small wind energy systems C C
Television and radio stations P P
Wireless communication facilities C C Subject to Section 9426
SECTION 9326. BIOMEDICAL OVERLAY ZONE (BIO).
SECTION 9326.02. INTENT AND PURPOSE.
The intent and purpose of the Biomedical Overlay Zone is to provide greater flexibility in the
application of land planning concepts. The Biomedical Overlay Zone provides additional
Agenda Page 88
opportunities for bio-medical related uses beyond the medical office, hospital, research and
development, and medical-device related uses allowed in the commercial and manufacturing
base zones. Additionally, ancillary uses necessary to attract biomedical firms and professionals
in the industry are provided for, such as mixed-use developments consisting of professional
office or biomedical research facilities and residential uses, and other supporting services, such
as restaurants and nightlife activities. The Biomedical Overlay Zone shall meet the objectives
of the General Plan and this article, and further encourage the development of new biomedical
uses through the relaxation of typical project review timelines, building permit issuance, and
business license issuance.
SECTION 9326.04. APPLICABILITY.
(a) The Biomedical Overlay Zone, and the standards contained in this section, shall apply to
all areas designated on the Official Zoning Map as being within the Biomedical Overlay (BIO)
Zone, except for any zones not comprised of Commercial or Manufacturing Zones.
(b) Whenever any proposed development application for a new, primarily biomedical
development encompasses more than one base zone (consisting of Commercial and Manufacturing),
the following shall apply:
(1) The permitted uses and the development standards for each base zone shall be applicable
within the boundaries of each zone;
(2) Through the Site Plan Review process, the City Planner may allow the application of
development and use standards for any zone covering a portion of the proposed development
in any other zone covering other portion of the proposed development if the entire
development’s F.A.R. and occupancy do not exceed those which would be permitted if the
land area of each zone were developed separately.
(c) Where a conflict in regulations occurs, the regulations specified in this section shall
apply.
SECTION 9326.06. USES PERMITTED.
In addition to the uses permitted, either conditionally or otherwise, in the base zones, the following uses
are specifically encouraged in the Biomedical Overlay Zone:
(a) Biomedical Uses
(b) Hospitals
(c) Office, Medical
(d) Medical Outpatient Services
All uses permitted or conditionally permitted in the Biomedical Overlay Zone are specified in the
regulations set forth in the commercial and manufacturing base zones, including additional uses permitted
that are either located within the Biomedical Overlay Zone or are integrated into a primary biomedical
use.
SECTION 9326.08. DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.
All development standards applicable to uses located in the Biomedical Overlay Zone are specified in the
regulations set forth in the commercial and manufacturing base zones. Any development standards not
listed for uses allowed in the Biomedical Overlay Zone are conditional uses required to be integrated into
a primary use with specified development standards which shall take precedence over the entire
development. In the case of residential uses allowed as part of a primarily biomedical mixed-use
development, all development standards not specified for the residential portion of the project in the
Agenda Page 89
commercial base zones shall be determined through the Site Plan Review and Conditional Use Permit
application processes.
SECTION 9326.10. APPLICATION REVIEW.
The following review processes shall be modified to expedite the permitting and licensing process for
new biomedical developments and businesses. The expedited processes listed below shall apply to all
applications for development of projects intended to be primarily occupied by biomedical businesses or
the establishment of biomedical businesses located in the Biomedical Overlay Zone. The application of
these expedited processes shall be at the discretion of the City Manager, or his or her designee. The
process expedited to encourage biomedical uses shall be as follows:
(a) Conditional Use Permits
(1) Within 60 days of a Conditional Use Permit application being deemed complete and any
necessary environmental review has been completed, the Planning Division shall place
the application on the public hearing agenda for the decision-making body.
(2) The timeframes specified for the voiding of a Conditional Use Permit due to non-
commencement of the use shall be extended by one (1) year. An applicant may still
utilize any applicable extensions when made to the appropriate decision-making body.
(b) Site Plan Review
(1) Within 60 days of a Site Plan Review application being deemed complete and any
necessary environmental review has been completed, the Planning Division shall place
the application on the public hearing agenda for the decision-making body.
(2) The timeframes specified for the voiding of a Site Plan Review shall be extended by one
(1) year automatically upon the expiration of an approved Conditional Use Permit. An
applicant may still utilize any applicable extensions when made to the appropriate
decision-making body.
(c) Business Licenses
(1) Upon application of a business license for a business which meets the definition of
“biomedical use” according to this code, an Economic Development Division staff
member shall be assigned to assist in the coordination of all necessary on-site inspections
required by the various City Departments (i.e. Building, Fire, and Planning).
(2) At the discretion of the City Planner, the City may not require an existing building to
correct nonconformities when occupancy by a new biomedical use, or expansion of an
existing biomedical use is proposed.
(d) Building Permits
(1) For all building permit applications for a biomedical use, as defined in this code, the City
shall waive the General Plan Revision fee of .2% of the building’s valuation.
(2) The initial Building Permit plan check fee shall include 4 reviews and shall not exceed
75% of the adopted Building Permit Fee Schedule.
(3) The City shall reduce the typical Building Permit plan check review timeframes by 2
days for each of the first two (2) plan check reviews.
Agenda Page 90
Zoning Map with Proposed Bio-Medical Overlay Zone Areas
Zoning
Residential
R-1 5,000
R-1 6,000
R-1 7,500
R-1 8,500
R-1 10,000
R-2
R-3
R-3-O
Commercial
C-P
C-1
C-2
C-3
H-M
C-M
Mixed-Use
M-U
Manufacturing
M-1
M-2
Open Space
O-S
O-S (PM) - Obsolete
O-S (PU) - Obsolete
SP 90-1 (Florence/I-5)
SP 91-2 (Lakewood/Firestone)
SP 01-1 (Downey Landing)
DDSP (Downtown Downey)
TLSP (Tierra Luna)
Other
P
PUD
P-B - Obsolete
SP 89-1 (Stonewood)
Specific Plan
SP 85-1 (Rancho Los Amigos)
SP 88-1 (Rancho Business Park)
Area 1
Area 5
Area 4
Area 3
Area 2
C-2
R-2
SP 85-1
SP 88-1
C-2
P-B
C-2
R-3
R-1 5,000
R-1 5,000
R-2Bio-Medical Overlay Area 1 - Rancho Los Amigos
R-1 5,000 R-1 5,000
R-1 5,000
R-1 5,000
R-3
C-2
R-3R-2
R-2
C-1
M-1
C-M M-1
R-15,000
P-B
R-3
R-3
R-3
R-1 5,000
R-2
R-3
C-M
C-2
M-2
O-S (PM)
H-M
O-S
C-P
R-3
R-3
R-3
C-1
R-2
R-3
M-1
M-2
M-2
C-3
R-3R-3-O
P-B
R-3-O
DDSP
Bio-Medical Overlay Area 2 - PIH Downey
R-1 6,000
R-1 7,500
R-1 5,000
R-1 5,000
C-2
P-B
M-1
R-3
M-1
M-2
R-3
R-3
C-2
R-3C-M
M-1
M-1
M-1
C-1
P-B
R-1 5,000
R-3
P-
B
C-2
P-
B
M-2
P-B
C-1P-B
SP 91-2
C-2
R-3
SP 89-1
R-3
R-2 P-B
C-1
M-1
M-2
Bio-Medical Overlay Area 3 - Woodruff/Washburn Industrial Area
R-1 5,000
R-1 5,000
R-3C-M
P-
B
C-2
P-B
M-2
M-1
R-3
R-2
C-2
R-3
C-2
R-1 5,000
P-
B
R-1 5,000
R-1 5,000
R-2
R-3
P-
B
M-2R-3
H-M
R-2
C-2
C-1
M-2
C-M
M-2
P-B
P-B
P-B
SP 01-1
R-2
Bio-Medical Overlay Area 4 - Kaiser Downey
R-1 5,000
P-BC-1
C-2
R-3
C-2 P-B
P-BR-1 6,000
R-1 10,000
R-3
R-1 6,000 R-2
R-3
P-B
O-S
C-2
R-1 7,500
P
-
B
R-3-O
R-3
Bio-Medical Overlay Area 5 - Telegraph Road
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