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HomeMy WebLinkAbout18 - Action Plan to Resolve Lighting Issues at Fletcher Jones Motorcars�swpo,Q CITY OF NEw11,uKT BEACH Hearing Oate: February 23, 1998 p` \m COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Agenda Item No.: 1.8 u = PLANNING DEPARTMENT Staff Person: Sharon Z. Wood C.4OF00.N"' 33oo NEWPORT BOULEVARD (714) 644-3222 NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658 (714) 644-3200; FAX (T4) 644-5250 BY CiiY CITY OF %EWPC p:� ." bLkf U I REPORT TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FEB 23L. PROJECT: Action Plan to Resolve Lighting Issues at Fletcher Jones Motorcars SUGGESTED ACTIONS: Approve plan Direct staff to commence a 30- day review period when plan implementation is complete Direct staff to withhold final certificate of occupancy until all mitigation measures and conditions of approval are met The City Council continued this matter from the meeting of January 26, 1998, to allow additional time for Fletcher Jones to explore alternatives for reducing the impacts of interior lighting. The solution that Mr. Jones has chosen to implement is to replace all the metal halide lamps inside the showroom with incandescent lights focused on the six display cars after dark. The change from metal halide to incandescent at dark will be controlled by an automatic timer rather than a manual switch. This solution should be effective because metal halide lights are bright white, and their effect has been intensified by reflection off the white showroom wall. Incandescent lights are softer and more natural, and the focus down onto the display cars will make the light less visible off-site. This proposal also will continue to render true colors for the display cars, which is important for the business. Fletcher Jones' interior designer and electrician are working with staff in the Building Department on this change, and it should be completed the week of February 23, 1998. As of January 26, there was a question regarding automatic control of the service entry lights. Staff has verified that the automatic control system does turn the majority of the lights in this area, including the LED display, at 7:00 p.m. Three lights in each service aisle remain on until 10:00 p.m., when they are turned off automatically. Staff has continued to work on the recommended off-site landscaping with a the independent lighting engineer, a landscape architect, soils engineer and the other governmental agencies involved in ownership and control of the areas to be landscaped. Because the landscaping is proposed for sensitive environmental areas, this is a somewhat complex project. A plan is expected by the end of March. A revised action plan reflecting these additional items is attached. The last lighting work should be completed within a week, at which time staff recommends that we review the effectiveness of the improvements for thirty days. At the end of that period, we would return to the City Council with a report on compliance with mitigation measures and conditions of approval, and a recommendation release of the final certificate of occupancy for the project. SHARON Z. WOOD Assist City Manager , — I,, 4� - Attachment Page 2 Attachment # I FLETCHER JONES LIGHTS ACTION PLAN (Revised 2/20/98) Item Status Shielding Service entrance lenses Automatic lighting control Lower parking lot complete Upper parking lot complete Complete Independent lighting engineer verifies system is programmed to do the following: • Upper parking lot off at 7:00 p.m. • Lower parking lot off at 10:00 p.m. • LED and most of service entrance off at 7:00 p.m. • Remainder of service entrance off at 10:00 P.M. Interior lighting Metal halide lights to be replaced with incandescent focus lights at night, with automatic control; to be completed by 2/27/98 Landscaping Letter from FJM to cleaning company requiring minimal lights in each area only as it is being cleaned Landscape architect to complete off-site landscaping plan by March 27, 1998. Hearing Date: January 26, 1998 Agenda Item No.: Staff Person: Sharon Z. Wood. (714) 644-322(' REPORT TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL PROJECT: Action Plan to Resolve Lighting Issues at Fletcher Jones Motorcars SUGGESTED ACTIONS: Approve plan Direct staff to commence a 30- day review period when plan implementation is complete Direct staff to withhold final certificate of occupancy until all mitigation measures and conditions of approval are met The City Council received a status report and recommendations to resolve lighting issues on December 8, 1997, and a status report on those recommendations on January 12, 1998. Although progress had been made on implementing the recommendations of the independent lighting engineer and residents noted improvement, it was determined that additional work is needed to satisfy the mitigation measures and conditions of approval, and to address the concerns of neighboring residents. The Council requested that the residents designate two to three people to work with staff on resolving the remaining issues with Fletcher Jones. Staff visited an Eastbluff home to understand the concerns unique to that neighborhood. Following that, I met with a group of residents representing Eastbluff (Carol Boice and Barbara Quist) and the Bluffs (Carol Hartman and Hilary Thamer) to outline an action plan to address their concerns. Finally, I consulted with Fletcher Jones and the General Manager of the dealership to gain concurrence and a schedule for the action plan. Action Plan The attached plan outlines those actions that are acceptable to the residents' spokespersons and to Fletcher Jones. It recognizes that the replacement of lenses in the service entrance fixtures is complete, and shielding is still needed only on some lights on the upper parking lot. A report from the independent lighting engineer on the automatic lighting control system is attached to the plan, verifying that the system is in place and programmed as outlined in the plan. The system includes shut-off of the upper parking lot at 7:00 p.m., the lower parking lot and LED display at 10:00 p.m., and the service entrance lights at 11:00 p.m. Fletcher Jones' lighting engineer is verifying that the service entrance lights can be stepped down beginning at 10:00 4 PpRr CXTY OF NEW vOKT BEACH SEW COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ~ n u = PLANNING DEPARTMENT 15oo NEWPORT BOULEVARD NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658 (714) 644-3200; FAX (714) 644-3250 Hearing Date: January 26, 1998 Agenda Item No.: Staff Person: Sharon Z. Wood. (714) 644-322(' REPORT TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL PROJECT: Action Plan to Resolve Lighting Issues at Fletcher Jones Motorcars SUGGESTED ACTIONS: Approve plan Direct staff to commence a 30- day review period when plan implementation is complete Direct staff to withhold final certificate of occupancy until all mitigation measures and conditions of approval are met The City Council received a status report and recommendations to resolve lighting issues on December 8, 1997, and a status report on those recommendations on January 12, 1998. Although progress had been made on implementing the recommendations of the independent lighting engineer and residents noted improvement, it was determined that additional work is needed to satisfy the mitigation measures and conditions of approval, and to address the concerns of neighboring residents. The Council requested that the residents designate two to three people to work with staff on resolving the remaining issues with Fletcher Jones. Staff visited an Eastbluff home to understand the concerns unique to that neighborhood. Following that, I met with a group of residents representing Eastbluff (Carol Boice and Barbara Quist) and the Bluffs (Carol Hartman and Hilary Thamer) to outline an action plan to address their concerns. Finally, I consulted with Fletcher Jones and the General Manager of the dealership to gain concurrence and a schedule for the action plan. Action Plan The attached plan outlines those actions that are acceptable to the residents' spokespersons and to Fletcher Jones. It recognizes that the replacement of lenses in the service entrance fixtures is complete, and shielding is still needed only on some lights on the upper parking lot. A report from the independent lighting engineer on the automatic lighting control system is attached to the plan, verifying that the system is in place and programmed as outlined in the plan. The system includes shut-off of the upper parking lot at 7:00 p.m., the lower parking lot and LED display at 10:00 p.m., and the service entrance lights at 11:00 p.m. Fletcher Jones' lighting engineer is verifying that the service entrance lights can be stepped down beginning at 10:00 4 p.m. In response to a request from the residents in the memo from Carol Boice (attached), he also is verifying that all the exterior lights can be turned off at the dealership's earlier closing time on weekends. The system cannot be programmed for holidays, and staff recommends that early shut-off be done manually on holidays. All parties to the discussions agree that the interior lighting should be on manual control, to allow lighting to remain on, area by area only, for cleaning of the facility after the 10:00 p.m. closing. A letter from Fletcher Jones to the cleaning company, outlining the required procedures, is attached to the plan. Staff is continuing to work with a landscape architect to design and implement an off-site landscaping plan to address the problems of glare and reflection. Plans showing the areas in which landscaping can be added and information on plant materials acceptable in the sensitive habitat areas have been provided. I anticipate having a landscape plan by the end of February. Outstanding Issues The parties have not been able to reach agreement in one area that is covered by the mitigation measures and conditions of approval, the reflection of interior lighting off the white walls in the showroom. Fletcher Jones had initially felt that screening or blinds to diminish this impact would have a negative impact on his business operations. As part of our most recent discussions, he did investigate the use of screens on the upper two panes of the showroom windows. Unfortunately, the cost of this treatment was considered prohibitive, especially as it was not clear that it would solve the reflection problems of the residents or the late afternoon glare experienced by the dealership. Staff has encouraged Fletcher Jones to consider other ways of reducing the impacts of interior lighting, such as repainting or papering the showroom wall or adding wall hangings or indoor planks. Mr. Jones believes the other changes he has made or agreed to make bring him into compliance with the mitigation measures and conditions of approval, and that further changes to the interior will compromise its design without having a noticeable effect on light impacts. It is staff s opinion that, unless the interior light impacts are addressed, the facility will not comply with the mitigation measure requiring reduction in light impacts on the habitat areas and the condition of approval requiring that the project be designed to eliminate light and glare spillage on adjacent uses. In addition to addressing the mitigation measures and conditions of approval for the project, the Eastbluff residents have requested some mitigation for the glare and reflection off the white walls on the south face of the service building. Fletcher Jones did explore the addition of landscaping to soften the building in this area. His landscape architect advised that palm trees consistent with the overall site landscaping are not appropriate for this shady location, and Mr. Jones does not wish to change the project's design with other plant materials. Page-' Review Period The residents have requested a period to review the effectiveness of the items in the action plan, after they have been implemented. At the meeting of January 12, the Mayor suggested a period of thirty days, which staff agrees is reasonable. Staff suggests that we notify the City Council and the resident representatives when we determine that the plan has been implemented, and provide a report at a Council meeting at the end of the review period. This report will evaluate the project's compliance with the mitigation measures and conditions of approval, and provide an opportunity for the residents to comment on the reduction in light impacts, as well as for Fletcher Jones to comment on any effect of the changes on his business operation. Based on this information, City Council can determine if the project lighting is acceptable. Certificate of Occupancy The certificate of occupancy is not to be issued until the City has evidence that the objective of reducing the effects of night lighting on the adjacent habitat areas has been met. Because staff believes that the impacts of interior lighting have not been addressed, we are recommending that the certificate of occupancy be withheld until the City Council determines that all mitigation measures and conditions of approval are satisfied. If the City Council wishes, the final certificate of occupancy could be issued at this time, as lighting is the only outstanding City issue with the project, and Fletcher Jones' final payments to the architect and contractor are being held back. If the Council chooses this alternative, staff recommends that Fletcher Jones be required to provide the City with security to comply with all mitigation measures and conditions of approval. SHARON Z. WOOD Assistant City Manager Attachments: Action Plan Letter from Konsortum I Letter from Fletcher Jones Motor Cars Memo from Carol Boice Page,k (o