CC Resolution 2001-101 RESOLUTION NO. 2001-101
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING MODIFICATION TO
VILLAGE USE PERMIT 2000-005, REDUCING THE
MAXIMUM HOTEL BUILDING HEIGHT
CASE NO.: MODIFICATION TO VILLAGE USE PERMIT 2000-005
APPLICANT: SANTA ROSA PLAZA, LLC
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of La Quinta, California, did on
the 6th day of February. 2001, consider and approve the application of Santa ROsa
Plaza, LLC to develop a 145-room hotel and perimeter improvements on a portion of
a 14.3 acre site by adopting the following four resolutions: (1) Resolution No. 2001-
08, certifying a mitigated negative declaration of environmental impact for
Environmental Assessment 2000-406 prepared for Specific Plan 2000-050, Village
Use Permit 2000-005 and Tentative Parcel Map 29909; (2) Resolution No. 2001-09,
approving design guidelines and development standards for development of a hotel,
casitas and commercial retail/office sPace on 14.3 acres; (3) Resolution No. 2001-10,
approving Village Use Permit 2000-005 to allow development of a 145-room hotel and
perimeter improvements; and (4) Resolution No. 2001-11, approving Tentative Parcel
Map 29909 to allow the subdivision of 14.3 acres into nine numbered lots and two
lettered lots (collectively, the "Previously Approved Project"); and
WHEREAS, a lawsuit entitled Conserve Our Village Environment v. City
of La Quinta, Riverside County Superior Court Case No. INC 021658 (the "COVE
Lawsuit"), was filed subsequently by petitioners COVE and Kimberly Bird challenging
the City's actions in certifying the Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Previously
Approved Project; and
WHEREAS, prior to any determination by the Superior Court on the merits
of the COVE Lawsuit, Santa Rosa Plaza, LLC and the petitioners reached a settlement,
whereby the COVE Lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice, in exchange for the project
applicant agreeing to certain design modifications of the Previously Approved Project,
limiting the maximum height of the main hotel building to four stories and fifty-five
feet, rather than the previously approved six stories and seventy-eight feet; and
WHEREAS, to implement the settlement agreement in the COVE Lawsuit,
the project applicant filed a proposed modification of Village Use Permit 2000-005
with the City's Community Development Director, as required by Municipal Code
Section 9.200.090. This modification maintains the same number of hotel rooms as
previously approved, but reduces the maximum height of the hotel to four stories and
fifty-five feet as required by the parties' settlement agreement (the "Revised Project");
and
Resolution No. 2001-101
Village U~e Permit 2000-005
Santa Rosa Plaza
Adopted: August 7, 2OO1
Page 2
WHEREAS, after reviewing the application, and in light of the prior
litigation concerning the Previously Approved Project, the City's Community
Development Director elected to refer the application to the original decision-making
authority, the City Council, as provided for in Municipal Code Section 9.200.090; and
WHEREAS, the City has prepared an Addendum/Initial Study to examine
the potential environmental effects of the proposed modification to Village Use Permit
2000-005 and to evaluate whether the Revised Project could have any new or more
Severe potential adverse environment effects beyond what was considered in the
previously certified Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Previously Approved Project;
and
WHEREAS, the City has complied with the requirements of the California
Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"), the CEQA Guidelines, and "The Rules to
Implement the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970" (as amended; Resolution
83-68 adopted by the La Quinta City Council), in that: (1) the City has prepared an
Addendum/Initial Study and determined that the Revised Project will not have any new
or substantially more severe adverse environmental effects than the Previously
Approved Project; (2) none of the circumstances permitting or warranting a subsequent
environmental impact report or new mitigated negative declaration are present; and (3)
the previously certified Negative Declaration for the Previously Approved Project, when
considered with the Addendum/Initial Study, is adequate to fully address all potentially
adverse environmental effects of the Revised Project; and
WHEREAS, upon hearing and considering all testimony and arguments of
all interested persons desiring to be heard, said City Council did find the following
facts, findings, and reasons to justify approval of the proposed modification to Village
Use Permit 2000-005:
1. The proposed modification to the Village Use Permit is consistent with the
City's General Plan in that the site is designated for. Village Commercial. The
use is consistent with the goals and policies and intent of the General Plan Land
, Use Element (Chapter 2) provided the previously imposed conditions are met.
// 2. The approval of this modification to the Village Use Permit is consistent with
,,. the Zoning Code and Specific Plan, in that construction of the hotel and
perimeter improvements will conform to development standards outlined in
Specific Plan 2000-050 namely parking, lighting, building height, setbacks and
landscaping. The building height has been substantially reduced from the
maximum height permitted under Specific Plan 2000-005.
Resolution No. 2001-101
Village U~e Permit 2000-005
Santa Rosa Plaza
Adopted: August 7, 2001
Page 3
3. The application to modify Village Use Permit 2000-005 has been processed in
compliance with CEQA.
4. The modification to Village Use Permit 2000-005 will not create conditions
materially detrimental to the public health, safety and general welfare or
injurious to, or incompatible with other land uses in that all potentially negative
impacts of the modified hotel project have been mitigated to a level of
insignificance through the previously adopted mitigation measures, including any
potential impacts on aesthetics and visual resources, and the modification
further reduces the potential for impacts by lowering the height of the
structures.
5. The modification to Village Use Permit 2000-005 complies with the
architectural design standards for Specific Plan 2000-050, and implements the
architectural style, materials, colors, architectural details, and other architectural
elements contained in that document, and in the Village Commercial
Development Standards.
6. The design of the Revised Project is compatible with the surrounding
development and the quality of design required in the Village at La Quinta
Design Guidelines, in that it encourages pedestrian circulation, and provides site
design elements which are compatible with surrounding properties and land
uses.
7. The Revised Project is consistent with the landscaping standards and palette in
Specific Plan 2000-050, and will provide plantings of sufficient size, variety and
coverage to provide visual relief, screen undesirable views, and provide a
harmonious transition to adjacent land uses, in conformance with the Village at
La Quinta Design Guidelines.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of
La Quinta, California, as follows:
1. That the above recitations are true and constitute the findings of the City
Council in this case;
2. That the City Council does hereby approve the proposed modification to Village
Use Permit 2000-005 to allow development and architectural design of a 145-
room hotel and perimeter improvements, limited to a maximum height of four
stories and fifty-five feet, and subject to the previously approved Conditions of
Approval which are incorporated by this reference, with the modification to
Condition No. 69 attached hereto.
Re~olution No. 2001-101
Village U~e Permit 2000-005
Santa Rosa Plaza
Adopted: Augu,t 7, 2001
Page 4
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the La Quinta
City Council, held on this 7th day of August 2001, by the following vote, to wit'
AYES' Council Members Henderson, Perkins, Sniff, Mayor Pe~a
NOES: Council Member Adolph
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN' None
ATTEST:
City of La QuirYt[~, California
(City Seal)
AS TO FORM'
I~. KATHE~I JENSON, City
City of La Quinta, California
CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 2001-101
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
VILLAGE USE PERMIT 2000-005
SANTA ROSA PLAZA
AUGUST 7, 2001
Condition No. 69 shall be revised to read as follows:
69. Prior to the issuance of building permits the architectural plans shall be modified
as follows'
A. Windows throughout the building shall be recessed a minimum of 8
inches.
B. On the east, west and north elevations, on walls where no windows or
other surface relief occur, the walls shall be embellished with either
raised banding, medallions or other appropriate articulation at regular
intervals.
C. No portion of the "ridgeline" of the main hotel building shall exceed 48
feet in height. No portion of the main hotel building shall exceed 48 feet
in height except as follows: The center architectural tower/pediment
shall have a maximum height of 55 feet. The main hotel building may
have up to four additional architectural tower/pediments, two of which
may have a maximum height of 52 feet, and two of which may have a
maximum height of 50 feet. All height measurements shall be made from
42 feet above mean sea level.