Community Development Department Planning Division 1600 First Street + P.O. Box 660 Napa, CA (707)

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1 Community Development Department Planning Division 1600 First Street + P.O. Box 660 Napa, CA (707) PLANNING COMMISSION STAFFREPORT December 4, 2014 AGENDA ITEM 8.A ; ALTAMURA WINERY / EVENT CENTER PRELIMINARY REVIEW I. GENERAL INFORMATION PROJECT SUMMARY: Preliminary review of the Altamura Wine and Event Center LOCATION OF 2009 Silverado Trail PROPERTY: APN GENERAL PLAN: ZONING: APPLICANT: G-98, Greenbelt AR:FP, Agricultural Resource: Floodplain Overlay Steve Cuddy 855 Bordeaux Way, Suite 250 Napa CA STAFFPLANNER: Scott Klingbeil, Senior Planner Phone: (707) LOCATION MAP N 1

2 II. PURPOSE The purpose of this study session is to provide a preliminary review of the application for the Altamura Winery and Event Center Building located at 2009 Silverado Trail. Preliminary review is a process applied to projects which would benefit from early consultation while an application is being prepared for formal review. This process is increasingly encouraged by the Planning Commission and City Staff for large-scale projects. Comments received during this process are intended to serve as guidance only and should not be considered as preliminary support of or opposition to an application. III. PROJECT DESCRIPTION The applicant is contemplating developing the 5.57 acre property on the northeast corner of the Silverado Trail and Trancas Street intersection with a three story; 77,000 square foot building that will be used as a winery and event center. The proposed winery use would occupy a majority (20,000 square feet) of the first floor with a proposed production of 100,000 cases. The second and third floors would be developed with event spaces and meeting rooms. The proposed events center would include wine tasting, deli, gift shop, restaurant, offices, meeting rooms and event area. The proposed plan also includes extensive outdoor areas for public gathering. A 179 space parking lot is proposed to serve the facility. Vehicle access to the property is proposed with a driveway off the Silverado Trail in the northernmost portion of the property. The proposed building is set back from the street to take advantage of the creekside setting. Site Plan 2

3 The design of the facility provides a larger outdoor event area, several patios and a raised podium area/stage that can accommodate ceremonies and entertainment venues. IV. SETTING AND BACKGROUND The property consists of a vacant parcel of land located at the corner of Silverado Trail and Trancas Street, two roadways that serve as important access routes into and out of the north side of the City. This area is identified as a gateway in the City s General Plan. Although the majority of the site consists of previously graded and disturbed land, a mature and high quality riparian corridor and unnamed stream exist along the north and east border of the site. Vineyards have been developed on the unincorporated lands surrounding the property, with the exception of a veterinary office located immediately across Silverado Trail to the west of the property. The nearest incorporated urban commercial development is located to the west at the intersection of Trancas and Soscol Avenue, and the nearest incorporated residential uses occur to the south along Silverado Trail at the intersection with Hagen Road. Although the site is not contiguous to lands within the City Limit Boundary, it is an incorporated parcel and within the LAFCO-established City of Napa Sphere of Influence and the City of Napa RUL. It is the only property with a Greenbelt General Plan designation that is located within both the city limits and the RUL. The General Plan land use description for Greenbelt indicates that this designation applies to lands outside of the RUL that are to remain in agricultural or very low intensity uses; a footnote in the General Plan indicates that the property at the northeast corner of Silverado Trail and Trancas (the subject site) is an exception, having been an incorporated parcel within the RUL since 1975 with a Greenbelt designation since It should be noted that during the adoption process for the 1998 General Plan, the City recognized the desire of the property owner to modify the land use designation, but elected not to make changes without a specific development plan and accompanying application before the City. The City s General Plan FEIR (certified 12/1/98) considered the possibility for this parcel to be designated TC, Tourist Commercial. After adoption of the General Plan, in response to a request for clarification of RUL status, in February 1999 the City Council confirmed that the property had been within the City s RUL since 1975 and decided to continue the Greenbelt designation. At that time, the Council again deferred consideration of a more urban land use designation until a specific project request was proposed. In May 2003, the City Council denied an application by Mr. Altamura requesting a General Plan Amendment and development application for a 90 room hotel with restaurant, bar and meeting rooms. V. ANALYSIS A. General Plan The property is currently designated Greenbelt by the General Plan which is a designation that generally applies to lands outside of the RUL that are to remain in agricultural or very low intensity uses. A footnote in the General Plan indicates that the property at the northeast corner of Silverado Trail and Trancas is an exception. In order 3

4 to allow the proposed wine center it would be necessary for the applicant to request a General Plan amendment to change the land use designation to TC-Tourist Commercial. The General Plan definition of TC is as follows: TC Tourist Commercial: This designation provides for commercial retail and service uses oriented toward tourists and other visitors to the community. The designation includes destination-resort hotels, motels, and their recreational amenities, such as golf courses, tennis courts, and their related clubs and facilities. This designation also includes community and visitor-serving retail commercial, entertainment, restaurants, service stations, and similar compatible uses. Visitor-serving retail uses which emphasize the historic role of the Napa Valley in viticulture, such as wineries and wine centers, are also permitted. The FAR shall not exceed The proposed project would not be allowed under the existing Greenbelt designation, but would be consistent with the TC, Tourist Commercial land use designation. B. Zoning The property is located within the AR, Agricultural Resource Zoning District, which is applied to lands within the RUL designated Resource Area or Greenbelt by the Napa General Plan. These are sensitive lands within the RUL that require special standards due to viewshed, resource, habitat, geotechnical or other considerations that further the resource protection goals of the General Plan. Primary purposes of the AR District are: 1. To protect sensitive lands within the RUL that are not appropriate for urban development due to viewshed, resource, habitat, geotechnical or other considerations and are intended to remain unchanged or in very low intensity agricultural, private open space or residential use. 2. To retain large, agriculturally viable parcels and conserve the region s economically important agricultural resources. Agricultural related uses such as a winery are listed as a conditional use within the AR District, requiring the approval of a Use Permit. Additionally the AR District allows clubs, lodges and other public/quasi public uses of an administrative, educational, religious, cultural, communications or public service nature as a conditional use. The proposed building complies with the setback and yard requirements of the AR District; however, the proposed three story building at 43 5 exceeds the both the 2.5 stories limitation and the 30 foot height limitation. The proposed building height also exceeds the 40 foot building height limitation of the Tourist Commercial Zoning District in the event a future application includes a rezoning request. As the proposed use includes convention, banquet, restaurant or meeting facilities, the parking ratio shall be determined by Planning Commission, based on parking study provided by applicant and acceptable to the city. The proposed 179 space parking lot appears substandard given the range of assembly uses that may be allowed within the building. 4

5 C. Design The proposed three-story mixed use building will be 342 feet long by 80 feet wide. The building will have cut stone on the exterior of the first two floors and vertical siding on the third story. Wood doors with caststone surrounds and pilasters are proposed. The roof will be a standing metal seam. A tower element up to 54 feet is proposed within the center of the building at the main entrance. D. Flooding The property is subject to Floodplain Management Regulations contained in Chapter of the Municipal Code. These regulations establish standards to protect persons and property from the hazards of development in the floodplain and floodway of the Napa River and its tributaries, and require that a flood plain permit be obtained for all developments on lots zoned :FP. In 2003 the Public Works Department reviewed an application for a building that was similar in size and location. At that time it was determined that the proposed development was feasible as proposed. However, new/additional analysis will be required in order to determine if this application will comply with the :FP Regulations. VI. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW This preliminary review is not subject to a formal CEQA determination as the preliminary review does not constitute a project. A future development application would need to include analysis and studies to review several potential impacts that could result from development of the property which include impacts associated with; traffic, hydrologic, archaeological, biologic assessment, jurisdictional determination, wetland delineation, noise and a sewer study. VII. REQUIRED ACTION No formal action is required by the Planning Commission as this study session is for preliminary comments only. Other issues such as environmental impacts, Zoning consistency and Design Review consistency will be addressed in more detail at the time a future application is deemed complete and scheduled for a formal public hearing. VI. DOCUMENTS ATTACHED 1. Location Map & Aerial Photo 2. Applicant s Written Project Description 3. Plan Drawings and Elevations Prepared by: Scott Klingbeil Senior Planner c: Applicant 5

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