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DATE: |
December 11, 2024 |
09 |
SUBJECT
Title
NOTICED PUBLIC HEARING:
ACCEPT THE FALLBROOK SUB-AREA PLAN AND ADOPT ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS (DISTRICT: 5)
Body
OVERVIEW
This is a request for the County Board of Supervisors (Board) to accept the Fallbrook Sub-Area Plan (Plan) and adopt related zoning amendment ordinances. The Plan consists of zoning amendments within the Fallbrook Village that would remove barriers to housing and enhance its village character through updates to the Fallbrook Design Guidelines and a new Streetscape Plan for Main Avenue. In 2019, in response to community interest in revitalizing the Fallbrook Village, the Board established the Fallbrook Infrastructure Committee, consisting of diverse community members. The Board also allocated funds to Planning & Development Services (PDS) to collaborate with the Fallbrook Infrastructure Committee on ways to revitalize the Fallbrook Village area. Through an extensive outreach and engagement effort, the Plan was shaped by community collaboration and input to improve pedestrian access, mobility, and safety; attract and retain businesses and residents; increase tourism; and preserve the small-town, historic character. It also creates the opportunity for some additional housing within the village.
The Plan includes three main components: 1) Fallbrook Village zoning amendments, including a rezone of four privately owned parcels in the village core (Assessor’s Parcel Numbers (APNs) 103-221-34-00, 103-221-32-00, 103-221-33-00, and 103-221-27-00) from S86 (Parking) to FB-V1 (Fallbrook Village 1 Zoning), 2) an update to the Fallbrook Design Guidelines, and 3) a Streetscape Plan on Main Avenue.
The Plan area, also known as the Sub-Area, encompasses 93 acres across 295 parcels in Fallbrook’s village core, centered around Main Avenue, bounded by North Mission Road and Fallbrook Street, in unincorporated San Diego County. This area features a variety of retail, food and beverage establishments, offices, and professional uses, with residential areas located on smaller adjoining streets. The study area includes schools, parks, historical, cultural, and arts features. Fallbrook Village is identified as Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) efficient area, which is an area where development would support the County’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by further promoting housing units closer to jobs, amenities, and services.
The Plan, developed in close coordination with community stakeholders, lays out a long-term vision to revitalize the Fallbrook Village. Through three phases of community outreach beginning in 2019, the Plan identified initial issues, constraints, and opportunities for the Fallbrook Village. Staff continued collaborating extensively with the community to refine the final Plan recommendations, which include adopting streetscape enhancements along Main Avenue, objective and modernized updates to the Design Guidelines, and amendments to the Fallbrook Village Zoning regulations to remove potential development constraints and barriers to housing. To accomplish these goals, the Implementation Plan prioritizes the following recommendations into estimated short-, medium-, and long-term implementation timelines.
• Short-term implementation items that can be completed today include Fallbrook Village zoning amendments, rezoning four surface parking lot parcels, and rescinding and replacing the Design Standards.
• Medium-term implementation items include Streetscape Plan features such as striped intersection improvements, all-way stops, and Rectangular Reflective Flashing Beacons.
• Long-term implementation items include Streetscape Plan features such as construction of curb extensions, missing sidewalk connections, median improvements, and installation of pedestrian lighting.
The funding to develop this Plan did not include funds to implement the proposals in the Streetscape Plan, but the Plan features an Implementation Plan to explore funding opportunities, such as local, State, and federal grants that may assist with implementing the medium- and long-term streetscape improvements.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
PLANNING COMMISSION
On September 20, 2024, the Planning Commission considered the Fallbrook Sub-Area Plan and made the following recommendations to the Board of Supervisors (Board):
1. Find that the General Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR), dated August 3, 2011, on file with PDS as Environmental Review Number 02-ZA-001, was completed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the State and County CEQA Guidelines and that the Planning Commission has reviewed and considered the information contained therein and the Addendum (PDS-2024-ER-24-00-001) thereto dated September 20, 2024, on file with PDS, prior to making its recommendation on the Update (Attachment A, on file with the Clerk of the Board).
2. Recommend that the Board of Supervisors find that there are no changes in the project or in the circumstances under which the project is undertaken that involve significant new environmental impacts that were not considered in the previously certified EIR dated August 3, 2011; that there is no substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects; and that no new information of substantial importance has become available since the EIR was certified as explained in the Environmental Review Update Checklist (PDS2024-ER-24-00-001) dated September 20, 2024 (Attachment A, on file with the Clerk of the Board).
3. Recommend that the Board of Supervisors accept the Fallbrook Sub-Area Plan, and Streetscape Plan (Attachment B, on file with the Clerk of the Board) and:
a. Recommend that the Board of Supervisors rescind the existing Fallbrook Design Guidelines (Attachment B Exhibit G) and approve the Fallbrook Design Standards (Attachment B, Exhibit G.2).
b. Approve the Streetscape Plan (Attachment B, Exhibit H).
4. Recommend that the Board of Supervisors adopt the attached Form of Ordinance: An Ordinance Amending 8001 Fallbrook Village Regulations General Provisions (Attachment C [Clean] and D [Strikeout]).
5. Recommend that the Board of Supervisors adopt the attached Form of Ordinance: An Ordinance Changing the Zoning Classification of Certain Property Within the County of San Diego Related to The Fallbrook Sub-Area Plan and Rezone (POD-20-003; REZ 24-00-001) (Attachment E).
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Planning & Development Services concurs with the Planning Commission’s recommendations.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The California Healthy Places Index, which ranks census tracts based on community conditions, such as transportation, housing, pollution, and clean environment, identifies the Plan area to be in the 31st percentile, as compared to other California census tracts. The Plan reflects equitable community and stakeholder feedback by facilitating mixed-use development, increasing housing opportunities, and promoting walkability through pedestrian-friendly features. Allowing for additional mixed-use housing opportunities could create additional housing units, contributing to the various County housing initiatives and achieving community goals. The Plan also includes pedestrian safety, access, and mobility improvements, such as updated continental crosswalks with curb ramps for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility, pedestrian countdown signals, pedestrian lighting, and traffic calming methods, such as Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons at crosswalks to improve pedestrian visibility.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The Fallbrook Village has been identified as Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) efficient area, which is an area where development would support the County’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by further promoting housing units closer to jobs, amenities, and services. This Plan proposes to remove development constraints and barriers to housing within a VMT efficient village area to achieve the desired outcomes defined in the County’s General Plan, and meet the State and County’s climate, health, and mobility goals.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no current fiscal impact associated with accepting the Fallbrook Sub-Area Plan and adopting zoning amendment ordinances presented today. However, there will be future fiscal impacts related to the proposed Streetscape Plan improvements that do not have any current funding and will require future funding for implementation. The Plan identifies potential grant funding sources to help guide County staff, community groups, property owners, and other stakeholders. Some sources include local, State, and federal grant opportunities and finance district formation. Staff will continue to coordinate and collaborate internally, with community partners, and other State and regional jurisdictions to seek funding opportunities to implement the Streetscape Plan. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
Staff met with the Fallbrook Community Planning Group (CPG) and subcommittees (Design Review Board, Circulation, Parks and Recreation) on 11 separate occasions during the development of the Plan. Staff met with the CPG twice after two public review periods to incorporate further revisions. On August 19, 2024, the Fallbrook CPG unanimously voted in support (9 ayes; 0 noes; 1 abstention; 4 absent) of the Fallbrook Sub-Area Plan and staff’s recommendations.
INVOLVED PARTIES
This is a County of San Diego initiated plan, ordinance update and zone reclassification.
PLANNING COMMISSION VOTE
On September 20, 2024, the Planning Commission voted 4-0-0-2 (Ayes: Ashman, Edwards, Pallinger, Hitzke; Noes: None; Abstained: None; Absent: Barnhart, Calvo) to recommend approval of the staff recommendations.
BACKGROUND
Fallbrook is an unincorporated community located in northern San Diego County, south of Riverside County, east of Camp Pendleton, north of Bonsall, and west of Pala and Rainbow. The Fallbrook Community Planning Area has an approximate population of 32,359 (U.S. Census 2020), comprising over 36,000 acres. Fallbrook is known for its avocado groves and calls itself the “Avocado Capital of the World.” It is still a farming community with a diversified economy, including construction, retail, and healthcare. The region also has a diverse tourism industry, which includes trails and recreation, wineries, horseback riding, gardening, shopping, and varied dining options.
A vibrant, small-town, rural village center exists within the larger Community Planning Area. The village is a close-knit community with a walkable Main Avenue lined with shops, galleries, public spaces, and restaurants in historic buildings constructed in the early 1900s. The community has successfully incorporated an arts and culture theme and supports various weekly and annual events. These events foster a sense of community by supporting local farmers and artisans. Several art centers, galleries, and colorful murals are found throughout the village. Adding to its charm, the historic village hosts numerous events, including the Avocado Festival, Christmas Parade, Galaxy of Glass Show, Harvest Faire, Wine & A Bite Art Walk, and a weekly farmer’s market. The Avocado Festival is the village's most notable event, with an estimated 70,000 attendees each spring. These events and festivals support local businesses, attract visitors, and provide a sense of community to residents.
In response to community interest and input, the County Board of Supervisors (Board) allocated funds to Planning & Development Services (PDS) in 2019 and established the Fallbrook Infrastructure Committee, consisting of diverse community members, to collaborate with PDS staff on options for revitalizing the Fallbrook Village to improve pedestrian safety and walkability, remove potential barriers to housing and development, and attract economic investment.
The Plan area, also known as the Sub-Area, encompasses 93 acres across 295 parcels in the village core, centered around Main Avenue bounded by North Mission Road and Fallbrook Street. This area features a variety of retail, food and beverage establishments, offices, and professional uses, with residential areas located on smaller, adjoining streets. The study area includes schools, parks, and historical, cultural, and arts features. Fallbrook Village is identified as Vehicle Miles Traveled efficient area. As such, development is incentivized in this area through streamlining under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Under CEQA, costly and time-consuming VMT analysis or mitigation are not required for development projects proposed in these areas.
The Plan, developed in close coordination with community stakeholders, lays out a long-term vision to revitalize the Fallbrook Village. Through three phases of community outreach beginning in 2019, the Plan identified initial issues, constraints, and opportunities for the Fallbrook Village. Staff continued collaborating extensively with the community to refine the final Plan recommendations. The Plan components are intended to improve pedestrian access, mobility, and safety and amend regulatory documents to attract and retain businesses and residents, increase tourism, and maintain the rural, small-town, historic character. Recommendations include adopting streetscape enhancements along Main Avenue, objective and modernized updates to the Design Guidelines, and amendments to the Fallbrook Village Zoning regulations to remove potential development constraints and barriers to housing.
To achieve these goals, the Implementation Plan prioritizes the recommendations into estimated short-, medium-, and long-term implementation timelines as follows;
• Short-term implementation items that can be completed today include Fallbrook Village zoning amendments, rezoning four surface parking lot parcels, and rescinding and replacing the Design Standards.
• Medium-term implementation items include Streetscape Plan features such as striped intersection improvements, all-way stops, and Rectangular Reflective Flashing Beacons.
• Long-term implementation items include Streetscape Plan features such as construction of curb extensions, missing sidewalk connections, median improvements, and installation of pedestrian lighting.
The Implementation Plan also highlights potential funding opportunities such as local, State, and federal grants that could assist with implementing the Streetscape Plan. There is currently no County funding available to implement the medium- and long-term actions.
PROJECT ANALYSIS
The Sub-Area Plan (Plan) consists of three main components:
1) Fallbrook village zoning amendments, including a rezone of four privately owned parcels in the village core from S86 (Parking) to FB-V1 (Fallbrook Village 1 Zoning);
2) Updates to the Fallbrook Design Guidelines, and;
3) Streetscape Plan on Main Avenue. In close coordination with community stakeholders, the staff recommendations are intended to address the community’s vision and goals for revitalization.
In the development of the Plan, staff completed three technical studies, including a Market Analysis (Attachment B, Exhibit C), a Mobility Analysis (Attachment B, Exhibit D), and a Parking Analysis (Attachment B, Exhibit E). These studies enhanced community engagement dialogue, provided data and best practice examples, and helped inform staff recommendations.
1. Zoning Amendments
With the support of community and industry stakeholders, staff identified amendments to the Fallbrook Village zoning regulations that will help achieve the long-term vision of the village while removing potential constraints to development and barriers to housing. Some of the zoning amendments include changes to building setbacks, building height, parking standards, residential density, and a rezone of four privately owned parcels. The full scope of the zoning amendments can be found in Attachments C and D.
Building Setbacks
To allow new development to plan for outdoor dining space and/or a more comfortable pedestrian pathway or sidewalk, staff recommends amending the front and exterior side yard building setback requirements to allow for more flexibility up to 15 ft. This could create a safer and more walkable, inviting Main Avenue. During community and stakeholder engagement, one of the key reoccurring themes was walkability and pedestrian access on Main Avenue and the desire for more outdoor dining opportunities. Currently, Main Avenue sidewalks are physically constrained by the right-of-way width (travel lanes, median, on-street parking, and street furnishings) and certain buildings that are required to have a 0 ft. front yard setback from the property line. These constraints prevent the possibility of outdoor dining and create a tight pedestrian environment between the building and street furnishings for any future development.
To allow new development to plan for outdoor dining space and/or a more comfortable pedestrian pathway, staff recommends amending the front and exterior side yard building setback requirements to allow for more flexibility up to 15 ft. This could create a safer and more walkable, inviting Main Avenue.
Building Height and Third-Story Step Back
All five village zones allow for development to be built at a maximum of three stories at 35 ft. in height. Currently, all buildings in the village are two stories. Staff recommends increasing the building height to 36 ft. to better achieve the maximum stories permitted. New developments with a third story could unlock additional housing units and contribute to many of the County’s housing initiatives. This could also help meet the community’s goal of attracting residents and increasing foot traffic in the village.
As part of stakeholder engagement, staff engaged industry groups who identified that a 35 ft. height limit does not reach the minimum height required to build three-story buildings. Industry stakeholders identified that an ideal three-story building should be between 36 and 40 ft. Staff engaged community stakeholders who agreed to an increase of 1 ft. rather than an increase of 5 ft. Staff recommends increasing the building height by 1 ft. to 36 ft. to better achieve the maximum stories permitted.
Staff recommends that third-story buildings constructed on Main Avenue require a minimum 5 ft. step back on the third floor to mitigate any potential impacts of a taller building height. The step back will help mitigate the feel of a taller building from the pedestrian scale and create balcony space for potential new residents contributing to the village character.
Off-Street Commercial Parking Standards
Staff is recommending three changes to the off-street commercial parking requirements. Proposed changes would allow new businesses to open and operate with the existing off-street parking supply. This decrease in parking requirements will enable owners to build and provide parking to meet actual and anticipated demands.
During stakeholder engagement, comments were made regarding the required minimum off-street parking for commercial uses. Stakeholders shared that current parking regulations make it difficult for new businesses to open in an existing building due to current minimum parking requirements that ask for more parking than needed, even with the 25% parking reduction applied to all village properties county-wide. The results of a parking utilization survey (Attachment B, Exhibit E) found that when the greatest number of vehicles is parked in the village daily (overall peak occupancy), there is ample parking, and the parking supply exceeds demand. There are 822 spaces for approximately 285,000 square feet of commercial uses, an actualized rate of 2.9 spaces per 1,000 square feet. During peak hours, 41% of parking is used. This actual demand is considerably less than the minimum 4.0 spaces per 1,000 square feet required for the lowest minimum parking ratio in the village. The full scope of these off-street commercial parking requirements can be found in Attachment C and D.
Residential Density
Staff recommends amending the Fallbrook Village zoning regulations to allow 30 dwelling units per acre by aligning the zoning with the General Plan. This administrative change is consistent with the maximum density established in the General Plan and State law and will provide a clearer and more transparent expectation of the density allowed on-site. The Fallbrook Village zoning regulations currently define the residential density allowed as a maximum of 24 units per acre, whereas the County’s General Plan Village Core Mixed Use land use designation establishes residential density as a maximum of 30 units per acre.
Parking Lot Rezone
During community engagement, a potential zoning inconsistency was identified regarding four contiguous privately owned parcels within the village core adjacent to the County Library (Assessor Parcel Numbers (APN) 1032213400, 1032213200, 1032213300, and 1032212700). On May 4, 2023, the property owners of the four parcels submitted a formal request to staff to rezone the site to village zoning as part of the Plan. The four parcels total 1.1 acres and are currently zoned S86 (Parking) and developed as a 144-parking space surface lot with a land use designation as General Commercial. The S86 zone allows for parking related uses and does not allow for residential or mixed-use development. Surrounding parcels to the north, south, and east are zoned for village zoning, which allows for mixed-use development. The site is also within an identified Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) efficient area, which is an area where development would support the County’s goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by further promoting housing units closer to jobs, amenities, and services. To unlock potential housing and/or mixed-use development in the Fallbrook Village core, staff recommends rezoning four parcels to Fallbrook Village Zone 1 (FB-V1) (Attachment E).
Allowing mixed-use zoning could create additional housing units-where they are currently not permitted-contributing to the various County housing initiatives and achieving community goals.
Rezoning the property to a zone classification similar to neighboring parcels ensures future development is consistent with surrounding uses, development standards, and the existing built environment. There is an existing parking easement with the County to reserve 10 parking spaces, which will remain after adoption and potential future development. To complete the rezone, an oversight was corrected in Section 2050, the Compatibility Matrix of the Zoning Ordinance. Consistent with other village zones (Ramona and Alpine), the update would make the General Commercial General Plan designation consistent with Fallbrook Village Zoning. Adopting the rezone ordinance was reviewed for potential environmental impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act (see analysis in Attachment A). The rezone can be accomplished without any additional impacts to the project budget or County resources.
2. Design Guidelines Update
The Plan includes an update to the Fallbrook Design Guidelines, which were originally adopted in 1989. The Design Guidelines provide applicants specifics on what projects should look and feel like to contribute to the Fallbrook village's desired rural, historic character.
With input from community stakeholders, the goal of this update includes the modernization of graphics, the creation of user-friendly guidelines, and the creation of high-quality, easily measured, and enforceable objective standards. Additional goals include removing barriers to housing development; streamlining the review and approval process for qualifying housing projects; and reducing the time and cost associated with development. The update includes changing the name of the “Design Guidelines” to “Design Standards” by removing subjectivity in the guidelines to ensure consistency with State laws (such as Housing Accountability Act (HAA), Streamlined Affordable Housing (Senate Bill 35), Housing Crisis Act of 2019 (Senate Bill 330), and The California HOME Act (Senate Bill 9). It also creates greater transparency for applicants, decision makers, residents, and the public. As new development and property improvements occur, the guidelines will continue to protect and enhance the existing small town, rural community character within Fallbrook.
After the conclusion of the second public input period, staff worked closely with stakeholders to get input on the Design Standards and made further edits to the document to: 1) streamline language, 2) reorganize the document, 3) add references to other supporting County regulatory documents, and 4) perform general administrative clean-up. The full scope of the update can be found in Attachment B, Exhibit G and G2.
3. Streetscape Plan
The third component of the Plan is a Streetscape Plan on Main Avenue in the village core. The streetscape plan focuses on the area on Main Avenue between Mission Road and Fallbrook Street and covers the extent of the public right-of-way. Through extensive community outreach and engagement, stakeholders identified key goals for the Streetscape Plan, including improving pedestrian safety and mobility; implementing traffic calming methods; enhancing the public space and community character within the village; and retaining the existing on-street parking supply. Based on this input, no major road reconfiguration was recommended, but rather, the goals could be achieved with improvements and enhancements to the existing road. The Plan does not identify any changes to planned Class IV bike lanes (Mission Road, Alvarado Street, and Fallbrook Street), which were adopted as part of the County’s Active Transportation Plan in 2018. The Streetscape Plan includes several pedestrian safety improvements and traffic calming methods. The following highlights some of the proposed improvements supported by community stakeholders. The full details of the Streetscape Plan can be found in Attachment B, Exhibit H.
Upgraded Crosswalks
Staff recommends upgrading crosswalks at each of the 10 intersections in the study area on Main Avenue. All east-west streets will retain their existing traffic controls (stop signs or full signals), with most of the focus on north-south improvements on Main Avenue. All intersections will be upgraded with visible striped crosswalks and be complemented with curb ramps and truncated domes for ADA accessibility, as well as ADA access signage. The striped crosswalk markings comply with the County and State standards, including retaining established yellow crosswalks on roadways contiguous to a school building or school grounds, with striped crosswalks providing high visibility.
Curb Extensions
Curb-extensions are traffic calming measures that widen the sidewalk for a short distance at the intersection and extends the curb to both reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians and enhance the visibility of pedestrians to traffic. Staff recommends upgrading each of the 10 intersections in the study area with new pedestrian curb extensions (bulb-outs). The curb extensions are proposed at intersections with a required red curb area due to sight distance triangle and vehicular approach angles, so there would be no net loss of on-street parking by adding curb extensions.
All-Way Stops
Adding all-way stops on Main Avenue will increase pedestrian mobility, access, and safety while providing a traffic calming method for automobiles traveling through the village. Staff recommends upgrading two intersections from a two-way stop to an all-way stop.
Rectangular Reflective Flashing Beacons (RRFBs)
RRFBs are pedestrian activated enhancements used to improve visibility and driver awareness at uncontrolled marked crossings. The device includes two rectangular shaped yellow indicators with LED lights that flash when activated by a pedestrian allowing traffic to flow when not activated. These devices may be powered by a standalone solar panel unit. RRFBs improve pedestrian safety and increase motorist yielding at crosswalks at a lower cost compared to a full pedestrian signal.
Staff is recommending the implementation of RRFBs at four intersections on Main Avenue. This will allow pedestrians to cross safely over Main Avenue and extends the village streetscape into a part of the street that is currently underdeveloped with more surface parking lots and buildings that are setback further from the road.
Flush Medians
Staff recommends continuing the existing pattern on Main Avenue between Ivy and Elder by adding new flush street medians. The Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce and North County Fire Protection District provided input that the flush asphalt medians can be used as a travel lane, allowing maximum flexibility for emergency vehicle access and weekend and special event street closures. Median street trees were proposed in the first draft plan but were removed based on public input in the second draft plan.
Streetscape Implementation Plan
The Streetscape Plan improvements will require future funding for implementation. The first step is the adoption of the Plan, which can help unlock funding opportunities such as grants. The Plan identifies potential grant funding sources to help guide County staff, community groups, property owners, and other stakeholders. Some of the sources include local grant opportunities, such as Caltrans and SANDAG, district formation, such as business improvement districts and or assessment districts, and use of existing County resources, such as signage and paint. The Implementation Plan also categorizes the types of improvements for each funding source, the way the funding source is collected, and the responsible parties. Many public funding sources needed to pay for improvements outlined in the Plan depend upon new public and private development and investment.
ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT
Upon completing the Environmental Review Update Checklist (PDS2024-ER-24-00-001), dated September 20, 2024, staff determined that the Fallbrook Sub-Area Plan (Plan) does not create any new significant environmental impacts and will not involve substantial changes in the magnitude of impacts identified in the GPU EIR. The modifications are consistent with those analyzed in the GPU EIR, resulting in impacts consistent with those analyzed in the GPU EIR. Therefore, the changes included in the Plan area do not constitute substantial changes to the General Plan that would require major revisions to the prior EIR and would not cause substantial changes in the circumstances under which development in this area would be undertaken because there are no new significant environmental impacts or a substantial increase in severity of previously identified impacts.
This project has been reviewed for compliance with CEQA, and the proposed actions meet the requirements for an Addendum to the County of San Diego’s (County) General Plan Update Environmental Impact Report (GPU EIR) under CEQA pursuant to Section 15164 of the CEQA Guidelines (Attachment A). The County’s GPU EIR Number 02-ZA-00, State Clearing House Number 2002111067, was certified by the Board of Supervisors on August 3, 2011. The GPU EIR and Addendum are on file with the County Planning & Development Services.
PUBLIC INPUT
The development of the Plan included an extensive public outreach process to engage with the Fallbrook community and broader stakeholders since 2019. Outreach was conducted in a three-phase approach.
1. The goal of Phase 1 was to identify the community’s vision for the village's future. On September 21, 2020, the Fallbrook Community Planning Group voted in favor of moving forward with village zoning amendments, an update to the Fallbrook Design Guidelines, and a Streetscape Plan on Main Avenue. This vote moved the project into the next phase. The feedback heard during Phase 1 informed the ‘Downtown Fallbrook Visioning Report’ (Attachment B, Exhibit A).
2. Phase 2 took place from June 2021 to February 2023. Phase 2 focused on conducting an existing conditions analysis of the study area to inform the development of plan concepts. Staff participated in 20 community and stakeholder events to define emerging concepts and develop and refine the amendments to the Fallbrook Village Zoning regulations, Design Guidelines, and the Streetscape Plan for Main Avenue. Staff reviewed the feedback compiled from Phase 2 to create the draft Plan.
3. Phase 3 began with the release of the draft Plan for public review for 64 days from October 19, 2023, to December 22, 2023. This public review period emphasized the desire to rezone the parking lot adjacent to the library to FB-V1 zoning and remove proposed new median street trees in the Streetscape Plan to avoid impacts to truck deliveries and community street festivals.
A second public review period was held from March 29, 2024, to April 12, 2024, which incorporated comments received during the first draft plan release. In May 2024, staff received community input regarding potential revisions to the Design Standards. The key input themes were to make the document more streamlined and user-friendly by updating landscape requirements, reorganizing sections of the document, and updating graphics and images. Staff worked in close coordination with community members to review the comments and recommendations. Staff reviewed the community’s comments and updated the second Draft Plan to incorporate additional input related to the Design Standards.
DEPARTMENT REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION
Planning & Development Services recommends the action provided today because the proposed Plan is consistent with County efforts, policies, plans, and initiatives including but not limited to increasing pedestrian safety, removing barriers to housing, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today's proposed actions support the Community Engagement Initiative in the County of San Diego's 2024-2029 Strategic Plan by adopting a community scale long term plan that was developed with extensive engagement and input that allowed community members to share their voice and vision for the future of the Fallbrook Village.
Respectfully submitted,
DAHVIA LYNCH
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT(S)
Attachment A - CEQA Documentation
Attachment B - Fallbrook Sub-Area Plan [POD 20-003]
Exhibit A - Downtown Visioning Report
Exhibit B - Community Engagement Summary
Exhibit C - Market Analysis
Exhibit D - Mobility Analysis
Exhibit E - Parking Analysis
Exhibit F - Zoning Ordinance (Clean)
Exhibit F.2 - Zoning Ordinance (Tracked Changes)
Exhibit G - 1989 Fallbrook Design Guidelines
Exhibit G.2 - 2024 Fallbrook Design Standards
Exhibit H - Streetscape Plan
Attachment C - AN ORDINANCE AMENDING 8001 FALLBROOK VILLAGE REGULATIONS GENERAL PROVISIONS [Clean]
Attachment D - AN ORDINANCE AMENDING 8001 FALLBROOK VILLAGE REGULATIONS GENERAL PROVISIONS [Strikeout]
Attachment E - AN ORDINANCE CHANGING THE ZONING CLASSIFICATION OF CERTAIN PROPERTY WITHIN THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO RELATED TO THE FALLBROOK SUB-AREA PLAN AND REZONE [REZ 24-001]