4.6 LAND USE. b. Regulatory Setting. The Specific Plan area includes the following General Plan land use designations, as shown in Figure 2-3:

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1 4.6 LAND USE Environmental Setting a. Existing Land Uses. The Specific Plan area, located in the center of the City in the downtown core area, consists of about 50 square blocks radiating from the intersection of Broadway and Main Street. Historic land uses within the proposed Specific Plan area primarily include commercial and residential development off the major thoroughfares. Broadway served as the former Highway 101 route and provided various commercial, retail and lodging services through the 1950s. However, construction of the U.S. Highway 101 bypass and adjacent modern commercial centers has drawn business and travelers away from Broadway which has resulted in extended economic strain on the downtown core. Today, in addition to general commercial and residential uses, the downtown area includes public facility, open space and professional office land uses. The existing focal point of the area is the Town Center Mall, located on either side of Broadway, south of Main Street. Commercial development lines the two main arterial roadways, Main Street and Broadway. Commercial facilities in the area include auto-related stores and service centers, retail stores, restaurants, and lodging. Both City and County facilities are located in the downtown core area south of Cook Street, which includes offices and recreational amenities. Surrounding the commercial core are medium- and low-density residential areas mixed with commercial/professional office uses. The area also includes a variety of churches, clubs and historic buildings. Several vacant parcels exist within the area, though most are small and sporadically located. Residential uses are located in traditional neighborhoods in all directions from the downtown area, along classic grid pattern streets. Miller Elementary, Alvin Elementary, El Camino Jr. High, Santa Maria High School and Allan Hancock College are located just outside the Specific Plan area. St. Mary s School is located within the plan area. b. Regulatory Setting. The Specific Plan area includes the following General Plan land use designations, as shown in Figure 2-3: CC, Community Commercial CD-I, Central District I CD-II, Central District II CPO, Commercial/Professional Office HCM, Heavy Commercial/Manufacturing OS, Open Space LDR-5, Low Density Residential [5 Dwelling Units/acre] MDR-12, Medium Density Residential [12 Dwelling Units /acre] HDR-22, High Density Residential [22 Dwelling Units/acre] The majority of the proposed Specific Plan area is currently designated for commercial uses. The districts include Community Commercial, Central Districts I & II, and Commercial Professional Office. The central core of the Downtown Area, including Town Center East and Town Center West, is designated Central District I (CD-1). Corresponding zoning with CD-1 designations includes Central Business Districts (C-1) and Planned Development Overlay (PD). C-1 zoning allows for a broad array of retail shops, department stores, entertainment, 4.6-1

2 restaurants, and conditionally permitted uses such as lodging, clubs, and drive-through services. More intensive commercial uses radiate outward from the core along the main thoroughfares of Broadway and Main Street, which are oriented toward service commercial uses and have a designation of Central District II (CD-II). This designation allows everything in the CD-1, but expands the permitted uses to include medium to high density residential use, furniture sales, home improvement sales and auto related services such as muffler, brakes shops, etc. The City has recently adopted a Mixed-Use Ordinance that allows residential uses within these commercial districts subject to certain standards. Some pockets of high-density residential designations are found within the commercial core, primarily located along Lincoln Street. There are also two areas designated for open space use within the Specific Plan area: Simas Park and Rosalind Perlman Park. Public facilities are generally located along McClelland Street, between Cook and Jones Street. These facilities house the Abel Maldonado Youth Center, City Hall, City Library, Santa Barbara County Courts, and Police Department. The only industrially designated site within the Specific Plan area is the Santa Maria Railroad facility. This area is what would be known as the Railroad Loft District under the Specific Plan. It is currently zoned as commercial manufacturing, which permits lumber yards, boatworks, warehouses, building supply dealers, farm equipment sales and equipment repair. Furthermore, the Santa Maria Valley Railroad runs and operates the railroad track system that runs through the vicinity, though the railroad tracks east of Miller Street have been removed Impact Analysis and Mitigation Measures a. Methodology and Impact Criteria. The analysis of land use impacts is based on a review of the proposed project to identify areas where future development under the proposed Specific Plan may create land use compatibility conflicts. The land use analysis generally focuses on the potential for compatibility conflicts, while also analyzing any environmental issues associated with incompatibility. The following impacts were determined in the City s Initial Study to be less than significant. The project was determined not to: Conflict with applicable regulatory documents adopted for the purpose of avoiding or mitigating an environmental effect related to land use, including the General Plan, Entrada Specific Plan, and zoning ordinance; and Conflict with any applicable habitat conservation plan or natural community conservation plan (since there are no such plans applicable to the downtown area) Consistent with the criteria used in the Initial Study for this project, development pursuant to the proposed Santa Maria Downtown Specific Plan would create a significant impact if it would: Physically divide an established community 4.6-2

3 Introduce potential land use incompatibilities It should be noted the latter criterion related to land use compatibility is really a function of other issues, such as aesthetics, hazards, and noise. These issues are addressed in Sections 4.1, 4.4, and 4.7 of this EIR, respectively, and will not be further discussed here. b. Project Impacts and Mitigation Measures Impact LU-1 New supporting infrastructure and roadway modifications within the downtown area could divide established neighborhoods or communities. Discussion of Impact. Development under the Specific Plan would introduce substantial numbers of new residential dwellings, commercial, office and other uses into an intensified downtown area. The intent of the Specific Plan is to promote a cohesive, functional downtown area, oriented toward pedestrian use. It is envisioned as the commercial and social center of the City. To that end, it is intended to avoid dividing residential communities; on the contrary, it is intended to create just the opposite condition. It should be noted that the downtown area currently lacks cohesiveness, in part because it has no clear identity, and the major roadways through the area (particularly Broadway and Main Street) are sufficiently wide to impede easy pedestrian access across them, and in so doing, divide the area into non-cohesive quadrants. Safe pedestrian cross access is only available at major intersections, which are often hundreds of feet or more apart. The construction of the pedestrian bridge across Broadway adjacent to the Town Center Mall was in recognition of this dysfunctional condition, which the Specific Plan is specifically intending to address. Nevertheless, it is difficult to fully envision what full buildout within the downtown area may look like under the Specific Plan, for its generally positive intentions relative to this issue. The mixed use development that could occur in some areas would likely help create communities where there are currently none, and a cohesive urban design program (including street modifications, streetscape amenities, landscaping, and architectural features) would work toward the same end. At the same time, the level of development envisioned could introduce possible land use incompatibilities that would need to be addressed, either through building walls, introducing landscaping, or berms to separate such uses. This may be particularly true within the Railroad Loft District, where there are existing industrial uses, including the operational Santa Maria Valley Railroad. This could lead to potential impacts that impede the establishment of cohesive communities. In addition, new infrastructure would likely need to be developed to support future land uses. This could include roadway modifications that are intended to allow for the passage of more traffic. If such an approach is taken, and roadways are widened, this would run counter to the entire concept of the City s goals related to making the downtown area a lively, pedestrianoriented center of the City that promotes a mixture of commercial, residential, and destination entertainment activities, similar to the function of other downtowns in the region, including San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles. Wider roadways, particularly Broadway or Main Street, also 4.6-3

4 have the potential to further exacerbate the existing lack of cohesiveness of the downtown area. This could lead to a potentially significant impact. Adopted Policies and Regulations that Mitigate Impacts. The General Plan includes the following goals and policies with which future projects must comply. Adherence to these goals and policies would provide some degree of mitigation for potential impacts: Land Use Element Goal L.U.1. Maintain and improve the existing character of the community as the industrial, and commercial retail center for northern Santa Barbara County and southern San Luis Obispo County. Goal L.U.3. The City will promote quality urban design enhancing Santa Maria s character. Goal L.U.5. Discourage sprawl and leap-frog development. Goal L.U.6. Accommodate new development, balancing social, environmental and economic considerations. Goal L.U.7. Reduce existing and potential land use conflicts. Goal L.U.10. Continue to promote quality commercial and industrial development in Santa Maria and encourage the upgrading and revitalization of the existing commercial and industrial areas. POLICY L.U.1. Establish and maintain a balanced mix of land uses to meet the present and future demands of the community. POLICY L.U.3. Emphasize quality urban design features in rehabilitation and new development efforts (similar policies are in the Resources Management Element [RME]). POLICY L.U.7. Avoid land use problems before they arise and create maximum harmony through innovative urban design between various land uses. OBJECTIVE L.U.6b. Encourage retail commercial and office land uses of high quality along the approach corridors to downtown Santa Maria as specified in the Entrada Specific Plan and proposed in goals L.U.3 and L.U.4. OBJECTIVE L.U. 7a. Require the use of buffers between incompatible land uses by using berms, walls, open space, landscaping, bike paths, and arterial streets where appropriate (related policies are in the RME). OBJECTIVE L.U. 7d. Where industrial and intense retail development borders residential development, that circulation pattern should be designed to avoid direct conflicts so that industrial and commercial traffic does not enter residential neighborhoods. Create cul-de-sacs and locate industrial districts along major arterial streets. POLICY L.U.10a. The downtown mall shall continue to be the regional commercial center for the City (related policies are in the RME). POLICY 10b. Design neighborhood commercial centers so they serve the needs of surrounding residents. Circulation Element GOAL C.4 Land Use Compatibility. Minimize the impact of existing and future roadway improvements on adjacent land uses by ensuring compatibility between land uses and transportation facilities

5 POLICY C.4.b Coordination of Transportation Planning. Coordinate land use planning with existing and future transportation facilities so that transportation movement is neither impeded nor significantly impacts adjacent land uses. POLICY C.6.c.2 Safe Streets for Bicycles. Provide safe, efficient and convenient streets for the use of pedestrians and cyclists throughout the City, and where possible, provide separate bikeway access to major destinations (e.g. schools, parks, and commercial and employment centers) to assure safety. Project Elements that Mitigate Impacts. The Specific Plan includes several proposed policies (design guidelines) intended to address potential visual impacts and promote high quality urban design in accordance with the City s General Plan goals, as follows: Site Planning and Design o Site design shall be pedestrian oriented, not dominated by automobile use or unattractive utilities. o Parking shall be located behind structures (unless clearly demonstrated to be impractical). o Site furnishings and light fixtures in public spaces shall reflect the same or similar design concepts as those used on the surrounding buildings and within the public rights-of-way. o Sidewalks shall provide direct and safe access to building entrances and transit stops. o Outdoor spaces shall reflect purposeful planning and provide plaza spaces with defined edges, benches, and lighting. o Plazas, courtyards, pocket parks, and outdoor cafés shall be designed in an inviting manner that encourages pedestrian use through the incorporation of shelter, trellises, fountains, art, seating, and shade trees. o Loading areas, trash areas, and blank walls shall be located and designed to minimize their visibility. o Focal points should be created and incorporated into sites to establish a sense of place and orientation. Fountains, plazas, artwork, and universally accessible changes in pavement levels can be used to create focal points. o The use of brick, interlocking pavers, grasscrete, and cobblestones as an alternative to a solid paved driveway, parking lot, plaza, or paseo is encouraged. Building Design and Architectural Character o Smaller modules of varied and well-articulated wall and roof planes shall be created to reduce the overall massing and scale of buildings while providing visual interest. o The appearance of several well-articulated buildings rather than one large building is preferred to foster a more intimate, pedestrian-friendly scale. o When an infill building is more than 2-stories taller than the surrounding existing buildings, its façade shall be broken down into small, proportioned components and bays, and upper floors stepped back from lower floors. o Developments are encouraged to have their own identity; however, they must integrate with adjacent properties and provide functional and aesthetically pleasing pedestrian and vehicular circulation

6 Building Mass and Articulation o Buildings over 50 feet long shall utilize one or more of the following to reduce their perceived height and bulk: Projection or recessed elements A change in massing A change in roof or wall planes Varying cornice or roof lines o Human scale should be created through the use of awnings, arches, walls, trellises, arbors, pergolas and other architectural elements. These elements shall be integrated into the building design to avoid a tacked on look of architectural features. o Building mass and articulation shall be oriented toward the pedestrian creating outdoor dining areas, plazas, and pedestrian connections. In additional to proposed design-oriented policies, the Specific Plan focuses on improvements to public rights-of-way, sidewalks, public open space, and key intersections. The intent is to create a unified, safe, and visually attractive environment that creates a Downtown image/character. The Specific Plan establishes guidelines and concepts for public streets design elements, landscaping, intersection enhancements, entry treatment, public open space, right-ofway detail, and other unique public realm features with Downtown. In general, these elements run counter to the concept of widening streets to increase vehicular capacity on streets within the downtown area. (Please read Section 4.10, Transportation and Circulation, for further discussion of this issue.) Additional Mitigation Measures Required Through the CEQA Process. In addition to existing City regulations and proposed project elements, the following mitigation measure is required to reduce impacts to the extent feasible: Mitigation LU-1 Urban Design Priority. The City shall ensure that supporting infrastructure or roadway modifications do not impede the functionality of the downtown area by physically dividing existing communities. Effectiveness of Mitigation Measures. With implementation of state and local regulatory requirements, along with the identified mitigation measure, impacts would be reduced to a less than significant level. Implementation of the mitigation measure through City staff review would ensure that new infrastructure or roadways would not divide existing communities within the downtown area. c. Cumulative Impacts. Cumulative development within the downtown area would gradually alter the character and scale of the existing development. However, cumulative development of the City, with the establishment of a functional downtown that serves as a destination for the community, would improve the cohesiveness of the community. There may be land use conflicts that arise as development occurs, but these would be addressed on a caseby-case basis. Overall, cumulative land use impacts would be less than significant as a result

7 d. Use with Later Activities. Later Activities which implement the Downtown Specific Plan will be examined in the light of the Program EIR (SCH# ) to determine whether an additional environmental document will be prepared. (1) If a Later Activity would have effects that were not examined in the Downtown Specific Plan Program EIR (SCH# ), a new Initial Study will need to be prepared leading to either an EIR or a Negative Declaration. (2) If the finds that pursuant to Section 15162, no new effects could occur or no new mitigation measures would be required, the may approve the Later activity as being within the scope of the Santa Maria Downtown Specific Plan covered by the Program EIR (SCH# ), in which case no new environmental document will be required. The Later Activity will be within the scope of the Land Use analysis if new infrastructure and roadway improvements do not divide established neighborhoods as identified in Section b (Impact LU-1). (3) The shall incorporate the following mitigation measures, relative to Land Use into the Later Activity: Mitigation LU-1 Urban Design Priority. The City shall ensure that supporting infrastructure or roadway modifications do not impede the functionality of the downtown area by physically dividing existing communities. (4) The will use a written checklist to document the above evaluation