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Crossings Specific Plan

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1. What is the Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan Project?

The City has been working on drafting a Specific Plan that would change the zoning of the area of town that is south of Talbert, north of Ellis, east of Ward and west of the Santa Ana River. The goal of the zoning change is to create more flexible land use possibilities for the property owners of the area. The hope is that more flexible land use options will result in significant community improvements through real estate investments and new services and venues for residents to enjoy.

The more flexible land use possibilities that the Specific Plan would allow include commercial, office and limited residential. Currently, the zoning in this area allows for light industrial and limited commercial businesses only.
Project Area Map

2. Will the roadways around the FV Crossings Specific Plan area be impacted by additional traffic if the limited amount of new land uses such as retail and residential are eventually added to the area?

No.  The Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan area is currently built out with businesses and storefronts that generate a sizable amount of traffic today.  The Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan does allow for a limited amount of resident and additional employment centers to be created in the future.  The additional traffic that will be generated by any changes in the Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan area will be minimal though compared with the traffic that already exists.  The table below demonstrates the existing traffic the surrounding roadways experience today and the additional traffic that will be added if the Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan area is ever reused to the maximum amount allowed.  For example, this chart shows that Euclid Avenue currently sees 33,000 vehicle trips per day.  If the Crossings area was built to the maximum allowed, it would only add 790 new vehicle trips per day. 

3. Will the Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan introduce “Bella Terra style” housing density to the area?

No.  The Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan allows for up to 490 residential units to be added to an area of approximately 60-acres.  As shown in the graph below, that equals about 8.3 residential units per acre.  The Huntington Beach residential developments that have been constructed average a density of about 59-residential units per acre.

4. Why has the City embarked on the process of creating a proposed FV Crossings Specific Plan?

The proposed Specific Plan Area was a Redevelopment Project Area until 2012 when the State of California abolished redevelopment programs. The Specific Plan area is generally located south of Talbert, north of Ellis, east of Ward and west of the Santa Ana River. This area was designated as a redevelopment area due to a lack of private investment in the properties. In addition to being a Redevelopment project area, the Specific Plan area was designated as a Special Study Area that needed master planning in the City’s General Plan adopted in 1995.

Over the years, the Specific Plan area has experienced economic challenges as the demand for light industrial-type businesses declines and demand for commercial-type uses increases. While the City has worked extensively with property owners and managers to help place tenants through the City’s economic development efforts, current zoning constraints prevent staff from allowing commercial type businesses to move into the area.

The purpose of the Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan will be to provide a policy and zoning framework that will allow for additional land-use flexibility in the project area. The City’s goal is to encourage current and future property owners to invest in their property to take advantage of these new development options. This new flexibility will not only allow property owners and businesses to continue to operate as they do today, but will also provide a design framework in which a community activity center district could be created through private investment.

Another purpose of the Specific Plan is to foster the creation of a “Fountain Valley” scale main street experience for residents. This main street environment would provide a gathering place for families and all residents where they can shop and dine.

5. Doesn’t the City value the current businesses in the proposed FV Crossings Specific Plan area?

Yes. There are approximately 200 businesses located in the geographic area that encompasses the FV Crossings Specific Plan area. Many of these businesses are successful and create great value for the City and its residents. Adoption of a FV Crossings Specific Plan does not directly push these businesses out of Fountain Valley. However, the additional uses that become available to land owners in the plan area may result in business transition. While business changes due to market forces can mean some businesses transition away, we must also allow choices that enable broader options. The FV Crossings Specific Plan has been drafted with a look to the future. As businesses change, the FV Crossings Specific Plan would allow property owners and managers to lease to a wider array of tenants or to reinvest in their properties so they can be used for even better uses.

6. Is it true there will be 700 residential units allowed in the proposed Specific Plan area?

No. The maximum number of residential units that could be in the current long-range plan is 490. The limited residential land use component of the Specific Plan is intended to help make new commercial businesses and restaurants successful. Having a core of retail demand from residents in the Crossings Specific Plan will help provide customers that new businesses will need to survive.

7. Will 20% of the housing units in the proposed Specific Plan area be required to be low income units?

No. There is no requirement within the draft FV Crossings Specific Plan that calls for 20% of a housing units built to be for low income persons. Further, the Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan area is not subject to any outside agency requirements that will mandate any percent of housing units to be for persons of low income.

8. What is the impact of the proposed Specific Plan on the City’s budget?

The Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan project planning process is not being funded by the City’s General Fund budget. Funding sources for the project planning include former Redevelopment Agency unused bond revenue and a grant from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG).

It is possible that if the Specific Plan is adopted and more retail businesses move into the area and are successful, there will be addition sales tax revenues generated, a portion of which will add to the City General Fund.

9. Has the City performed any financial analysis of the impacts that the zoning changes would have on the City’s tax revenue if the Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan is approved?

Yes. In December 2010, the City took the first step in assessing the financial viability and potential of the light manufacturing district that makes up the proposed Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan area, by hiring The Concord Group to perform a Strategic Market Analysis. The Strategic Market Analysis that was delivered by The Concord Group provided findings, conclusions and recommendations as to how the Specific Plan area can be re-envisioned to provide greater tax revenue for the City though a master plan that allows for land uses that the market wants. This study was updated and the findings confirmed subsequently in 2014.

In 2015, the City received approximately $2.2 million is sales tax revenue from the businesses within the proposed Specific Plan area. Currently, property owners are limited in the retail businesses that are allowed under the light manufacturing zoning. By allowing more retail businesses to exist in the proposed Specific Plan area the sales tax revenue will be able to increase. Also important to note regarding retail businesses is that the Strategic Market Analysis performed by The Concord Group found that there is demand in the City for an additional 500,000 square feet of retail space. But the retail space is unlikely to be realized if there are not enough customers during all hours of the day and week to patronize the businesses. For this reason, the Strategic Market Analysis found and recommended that a limited amount of residential land uses are also important to include in new vision for the proposed Specific Plan area.

Also in 2015, the City saw approximately $550,000 in property tax revenue. It is important to note that the new Hyundai building, which only makes up 18-acres of the 155-acre Specific Plan area, generates approximately $200,000 in property tax revenue alone. This demonstrates the large difference in the contribution to the City’s tax revenue between properties that have received new investment and properties that have not. The Strategic Market Analysis found that in the future there will be about 350,000 square feet of new office space desired in the City.

The proposed Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan generally adds the ability for property owners to lease their property to more types of businesses than they can under the current light manufacturing zoning. The proposed new flexibility in additional businesses that are allowed would increase the value of the property for the property owner. Additionally, retail businesses payer higher rents than light manufacturing businesses do. Therefore property owners would also be able to receive higher rents if they chose to as well.

The City has also considered the costs of providing services if the proposed Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan is adopted and properties eventually start seeing new commercial, office and limited residential land uses. These services include police, fire, water, sewer, road maintenance, etc. In this assessment, it was found that the services would not need to be increased significantly and any increases in costs of services for the proposed Specific Plan area would be minimal.

10. How is the Specific Plan being funded?

The total contract cost for the Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan is $621,129. This price includes time and materials for four specialized consultant teams over a 2-year project term. Tasks include conducting community meetings and outreach, gathering extensive background research and data, developing the draft Specific Plan, preparing a Program Environmental Impact Report, presenting at public hearings and finalizing the Specific Plan.

There is no general fund spending involved in this project. Funding sources for the project include former Redevelopment Agency unused bond revenue and a grant from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). The bond revenue is money that can only be spent on projects such as this Specific Plan and cannot be used for general fund spending (i.e. police, fire, and administration operations). The grant obtained from SCAG is funding that is awarded to communities that pursue plans and projects that coordinate land use and transportation actions, demonstrate excellence in planning and design, and improve mobility, livability, and prosperity of the region.

The City of Fountain Valley is not funding any land acquisition or offering construction incentives related to the FV Crossings Specific Plan. The only funds being expended through the City are related to the above noted planning consulting teams.

11. Will parking, water supply and demand, sewer capacity, school district capacity be considered?

Yes. The Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan project includes the preparation of a draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires an EIR analysis to identify and focus on the significant environmental effects of a proposed project. Environmental issues that are covered include aesthetics, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, greenhouse gases and climate change, geology and soils, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use and planning, noise, population, housing and employment; public services (i.e. fire, police, parks, schools, libraries); transportation and circulation; and utilities (i.e. sewer, water, electricity). Each of the environmental issues will be analyzed to determine if a significant impact will occur and, if so, what mitigations will be required to lessen the impact to an acceptable level.

12. Does the City believe that the Specific Plan will cause changes to occur in the district?

Likely. The Specific Plan is a zoning tool that has a 20-year horizon. Adoption of the Specific Plan will not cause overnight changes to occur in the district, but it will likely foster future changes. The Specific Plan has been drafted to provide a more flexible and pro-business environment that will encourage property and business owners to reinvest in their properties. In addition to having more freedom to develop their property, property owners will also benefit from a shared Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report that has been drafted for the long-term horizon of the Specific Plan and aids property developers in working through this regulatory hurdle with confidence. This Environmental Impact Report will address environment regulatory compliance needs for any project that conforms with the Specific Plan. This is a great incentive to those wishing to reinvest in any of the properties in the Specific Plan area.

13. Can the City use eminent domain?

No. In the past, redevelopment agencies had the power of eminent domain to take private property (with fair market compensation paid to the owner) in order to assemble larger properties to conduct projects. This power was legislatively taken away years ago now and redevelopment agencies were dissolved by the State of California in 2012. The City does not have the powers of eminent domain as redevelopment agencies formerly did. Therefore, the City will not use eminent domain to acquire any property in the FV Crossings Specific Plan area.

14. I understand that there are advantages for property owners if the proposed Specific Plan is adopted, what are the advantages for current residents?

At the core of the Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan is the goal of providing a retail district for residents to visit with their families and gather with neighbors. The City has long heard from residents that Fountain Valley lacks a “place to go” in the community to shop and dine. Furthermore, Fountain Valley currently does not have a “Main Street” where events such as a weekly Farmers Market or Saturday morning art street fair could be held. Another amenity that Fountain Valley does not have is a great diversity of housing types. The community is largely comprised of large single-family homes and has little entry-level housing options for young adults that grew up in the community and want to stay. The limited housing allowed in the Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan will help provide for a small increase in the diversity of the housing in the community to help address affordability. Lastly, property owners in the Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan area will realize higher property values and rents if they reinvest in their properties. Having this incentive will ultimately help improve the aesthetics of the area.

15. Will the Clear Channel Outdoor Electronic Message Center Sign that was proposed on the City’s water tank property be approved as part of the proposed FV Crossings Specific Plan?

No. The Clear Channel Outdoor Electronic Message Center Sign is not part of the Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan proposal and will not be considered for approval as part of the Specific Plan. The water tank property that the Electronic Message Center Sign has been proposed for is not in the Specific Plan boundary area.

16. Height is a concern for future buildings within the proposed FV Crossings Specific Plan area. How will these concerns be accommodated?

Today, the current manufacturing zoning of the proposed Specific Plan area allows for buildings to be built 60-feet high or 4-stories, twenty feet behind the sidewalk. The Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan was drafted with resident feedback in mind and limits building height more that the current zoning does though. To ensure that impacts to surrounding neighborhoods on Talbert Avenue or Ward Street are avoided, the Specific Plan development standards call for greater height restrictions of only 2-stories for the first 65-feet from the back of the sidewalk on Talbert Avenue and Ward Street. This is the same height as the 2-story homes that are located north and west of these two streets respectively. The tallest any buildings are allowed to be without additional public hearings and Planning Commission approval is 4-stories, which is consistent with the current manufacturing zoning. Along the river and adjacent to the freeway only, a 6-stories or under building may be permitted if they receive approval from the Planning Commission in a public hearing.

17. How will open space be addressed and provided in any new development?

Open space is required for property throughout the Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan area. Within the development standards area provisions for both private (in the case of residential) and public (commercial & retail properties) open space. These requirements will provide for public gathering places, paseos, pocket parks, etc.

18. How will the City ensure the quality of future projects that may be constructed or rehabilitated?

The Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan uses form-based codes to regulate building facades and the form and mass of buildings. The regulations and standards in form-based codes are presented in both words and clearly drawn diagrams and other visuals. The regulations are very prescriptive when it comes to architectural features that are viewed by the public. Using the form-based codes tools will ensure that the district is revamped in a consistent and congruent way over time.

19. What are form-based codes?

A form-based code is an alternative to traditional zoning that regulates property development and land use. A form based code concentrates on the outside appearance of a building. The “form” of the building (architectural elements, size, mass, etc.) is the focus. This way of regulating property development allows for several properties to be developed individually, but ultimately look like they were developed together. This creates cohesion in the Specific Plan area as the buildings are all compatible with each other even though they were developed separately.

20. How many other cities have form-based codes in place?

City of Azusa - Development Code (2005)
City of Lancaster - Downtown Specific Plan (2008)
County of Los Angeles - East LA 3rd Street Specific Plan (2014)
City of Pomona - Corridors Specific Plan (2014) - prepared by FTS
City of Santa Ana - Transit Zoning Code (2010)
City of San Diego - Ramona Village Form Based Code (2013)
City of Soledad - Downtown Specific Plan (2012)
City of Tehachapi - General Plan and Zoning Code (2014)
City of Ventura - Downtown Specific Plan (2007) (FTS prepared the preceding version of this Downtown Specific Plan in 1993)
City of Ventura - Midtown Corridors Code (2012)
City of Whittier - Whittier Boulevard Specific Plan (2005) - prepared by FTS as early version of form-based code, updated by others in 2015
City of Whittier - Uptown Specific Plan (2008)
City of Livermore, CA - Downtown Specific Plan (2004) - early version of form-based code
City of Whittier, CA - Whittier Boulevard Specific Plan (2005) - early version of form-based code, updated by others in 2015
City of Bothell, WA - Downtown Subarea Plan & Code Update (2009)
City of Tracy, CA - Downtown Specific Plan (2009)
City of Redwood City, CA - Downtown Precise Plan (2011)
City of Pomona, CA - Corridors Specific Plan (2014)
City of Sunnyvale, CA - Peery Park Specific Plan (in process)
City of Montebello, CA - Whittier Boulevard Corridor Development Code (in process)