Planned Development #39 (Affinity Project)
2 Documents in Project
Summary
SCH Number
2021080103
Lead Agency
City of Pasadena
Document Title
Planned Development #39 (Affinity Project)
Document Type
NOP - Notice of Preparation of a Draft EIR
Received
Present Land Use
Commercial
Document Description
The Project Applicant requests approval to rezone the Project site from CD-6 (Central District Specific Plan [CDSP], Arroyo Corridor/Fair Oaks subdistrict), to a Planned Development (PD) zone, and approval of a PD Plan. The Project involves demolition of six (of the nine) existing buildings totaling 45,912 square feet (sf), located at 491, 495, 499, 503, 541, and 577 South Arroyo Parkway and construction of two new buildings: (1) a 154,000-square foot (sf), 7-story (aboveground) medical office building with ground-floor commercial uses (Building A); and (2) a 184,376-sf, 7-story (aboveground) assisted living building with 85,800 sf of assisted living uses and 98,576 sf of independent living uses including up to 95 one- and two-bedroom senior housing units (Building B). As proposed, there would be five subterranean levels providing up to 850 parking spaces. Approximately 31,605 sf of open space, including public and private (for solely resident and staff use) space would be provided across the Project site.
Alternatively, the proposed PD Plan would provide the flexibility to exchange the uses in Building A from medical office and ground floor commercial for the following:
• 3,000 sf of commercial and a sales/leasing management office on the ground floor;
• Up to 197 residential dwelling units; and
• Up to 650 parking spaces in four subterranean levels (one less than the Project as proposed).
Although the Project described is anticipated to reflect the Project to be constructed, the flexibility to exchange uses in Building A would enable the Project to respond to the economic needs and demands of the City at the time of Project implementation. The proposed site layout and the aboveground height, mass, and other parameters of the Building A design would remain the same. The PD Plan would define all aspects of site design and provide caps on the types and amounts of allowable land uses, regardless of whether Building A is developed with medical office or residential dwelling units. It is noted that based on the development cap of 87 dwelling units per acre (du/acre), a total of 289 units could be constructed. Therefore, if a total of 197 units were constructed in Building A, only 92 independent living units could be constructed in Building B. Conversely, if 95 independent living units were constructed in Building B, only 194 units could be constructed in Building A. Exhibit 2, Affinity Project Site Plan, illustrates a plan view layout of the proposed Project.
A total of approximately 79,553 sf of the existing development on site would be retained and integrated into the Project, including the Whole Foods grocery store and associated 275-space subterranean parking structure at 465 South Arroyo Parkway and the two historic structures at 501 and 523 South Arroyo Parkway. The Applicant anticipates that restaurant uses would occupy the approximately 5,882 sf of space in the existing buildings to be retained at 501 and 523 South Arroyo Parkway.
A total of five levels of subterranean parking spanning both proposed buildings would also be constructed to serve the new development as well as the existing structures at 501 and 523 Arroyo Parkway under the Project. For the Project with Building A Residential/Commercial, a total of four levels of subterranean parking spanning both proposed buildings with up to 650 parking spaces would be constructed. The Project uses south of Whole Foods Market would have three ingress/egress points–one on California Boulevard and two on South Arroyo Parkway. Whole Foods Market would retain the entrance on East Bellevue Drive and the exit onto South Arroyo Parkway.
The Project would result in the removal of 23 non-protected non-native trees on the Project site and 2 protected, non-native street trees. The Project would include a total of 25 trees in above-grade planters within the site. The 15 remaining street trees on site, which are protected by the City of Pasadena’s City Trees and Tree Protection Ordinance, would be preserved in place.
The Project site is situated within the Central District Specific Plan and zoned CD-6 (Central District Specific Plan, Arroyo Corridor/Fair Oaks subdistrict). The City of Pasadena General Plan land use designation is High Mixed Use. As mentioned, the Applicant seeks approval to rezone the site as a PD district. The Applicant is also requesting a zoning variance for historic resources related to building height. Specifically, the Applicant is requesting an increase in allowable building height to offset the reduction in developable area due to preserving the two historic structures on the Project site.
The Project is anticipated to be constructed beginning in 2023 over a period of approximately 34 months. Project construction would occur from Monday through Saturday, without activity on Sundays or holidays, between the hours defined in Section 9.36.070
(Construction Projects) of the City of Pasadena Municipal Code (PMC) (7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday through Friday and 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday). The Project is anticipated to be opened to the public in 2026.
Contact Information
Name
Jason Van Patten
Agency Name
City of Pasadena
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Pasadena
Counties
Los Angeles
Regions
Citywide
Cross Streets
South Arroyo Parkway and East California Blvd
Zip
91105
Notice of Completion
State Review Period Start
State Review Period End
State Reviewing Agencies
California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Conservation (DOC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, South Coast Region 5 (CDFW), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Natural Resources Agency, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Los Angeles Region 4 (RWQCB), Office of Historic Preservation, San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Department of Transportation, District 7 (DOT)
State Reviewing Agency Comments
California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Department of Transportation, District 7 (DOT)
Development Types
Commercial (Medical Office and Assisted Living Facility)(Sq. Ft. 338376, Acres 3.3, Employees 721)
Local Actions
Rezone
Project Issues
Aesthetics, Agriculture and Forestry Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Energy, Geology/Soils, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Hazards & Hazardous Materials, Hydrology/Water Quality, Land Use/Planning, Mandatory Findings of Significance, Mineral Resources, Noise, Population/Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Transportation, Tribal Cultural Resources, Utilities/Service Systems, Wildfire
Attachments
Draft Environmental Document [Draft IS, NOI_NOA_Public notices, OPR Summary Form, Appx,]
Notice of Completion [NOC] Transmittal form
State Comment Letters [Comments from state reviewing agencies]
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