Notice:
Notice is hereby given that the Town of Corte Madera, acting as Lead Agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), will receive public comment and recommendations on a Draft Environmental Impact Report (Draft EIR) prepared for the Village of Corte Madera Restoration Hardware Expansion Project. The review period begins on July 12, 2017 and ends at 5:00 pm on August 25, 2017. All comments regarding the Draft EIR must be received by this ending date/time.
Project Applicant: Corte Madera Village LLC and Restoration Hardware
Project Location: The Village at Corte Madera and Adjacent Gravel Parking Lot, Assessor Parcel Numbers 024-032-030 and 024-032-019, Corte Madera, CA
Project Description:
The Applicant proposes to build a stand-alone Restoration Hardware building of approximately 46,000 square feet to be located on the east side of The Village in an area of existing parking. The building would have two levels plus an open-air roof-top courtyard surrounding an enclosed scenery loft. The building footprint would be approximately 25,000 square feet at ground level. The ground level would include approximately 5,800 square feet of café space that would seat up to 150 patrons. The top of the elevator tower and roof ridge of the scenery loft would be 46 feet from finished grade. The top of the parapet of the second floor would be 33 feet and 9 inches from finished grade.
Improvements would be made to portions of the existing parking lot at The Village. Improvements include reconfiguration and restriping of existing narrow compact parking spaces with uniform 8.5-foot wide spaces and installation of associated curb islands and small landscaped areas. Construction of the new building and the parking lot improvements would result in a net decrease of 166 parking spaces in the existing parking lot. Drought tolerant landscape improvements would be installed, including approximately 21 24-inch box trees. Bicycle parking would be provided near the new building within the landscape islands.
The Project includes a: general plan amendment and rezoning of the gravel lot parcel, lot-line adjustment between Nordstrom’s lot and center lot, construction and operation of an approximately 46,000 square-foot Restoration Hardware building, and improvements to the existing parking lot, the gravel lot, the east entry plaza, and utilities.
The General Plan land use designation for The Village, including the proposed location of the new building, is Mixed-Use Regional Serving Commercial. The General Plan land use designation for the gravel lot is Wetlands and Marshlands. The Applicant has submitted an application to amend the General Plan to change the designation of the gravel lot to the same designation as the shopping center: Mixed-Use Region-Serving Commercial. The Village is currently zoned as Regional Shopping (C-2) District, with Baylands Risk Zone and Natural Habitat (BRZNH) Overlay District. The gravel lot is currently zoned as Parks, Open Space and Natural Habitat (POS) District, with BRZNH Overlay District. The Applicant has submitted an application to the Town to rezone the underlying zoning district of the gravel lot from POS District to C-2 District. No change is proposed to the overlay district.
As part of the Project, the Applicant would enter into a development agreement with the Town of Corte Madera whereby the Town and Applicant would establish the rights and obligations for use of the gravel lot for parking for The Village including improvements and maintenance. The Town would record a nonexclusive public parking easement on the parcel. Community events, similar to those which have occurred in the past would continue to be allowed. The gravel lot would be paved and striped to accommodate up to 455 parking spaces. Drought tolerant landscaping, including approximately 56 trees, would be installed in planters.
Improvements would be made at the existing east entry plaza, located north east of the existing Gap store. Existing landscape and hardscape would be removed and replaced with new paving and other hardscape, drought tolerant landscaping and trees, lighting, and amenities that could include a water fountain, and street furniture to transition between the exterior common areas of the shopping center to the new building. The plaza comprises approximately 8,000 square feet.
Potential Environmental Impacts: Potentially significant impacts were identified related to aesthetics, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use, noise, public services, transportation, utilities and service systems. Each of these potentially significant impacts would be mitigated to a less than significant level if the identified mitigation measures are implemented. The Town of Corte Madera, as lead agency, would ensure implementation of the mitigation measures; therefore, all impacts will be less than significant.
Public Review Period: The public review period for the Draft EIR extends from July 12, 2017 through August 25, 2017.
Public Hearing: A public hearing on the Draft EIR will be held before the Town of Corte Madera Planning Commission on August 8, 2017 at the Council Chambers of the Town Hall located at 300 Tamalpais Drive, Corte Madera, CA 94925. This meeting will be noticed in advance.
Location Where Document Can Be Reviewed: The Town has prepared a Draft EIR for the subject project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act. This document is available for review at the Town of Corte Madera Planning Department, 300 Tamalpais Drive, Corte Madera, CA 94952 or may be downloaded from the Town’s website at: http://www.townofcortemadera.org/563/Village-Expansion-Project-Restoration-Ha (Project information, the Notice of Availability and other documents can also be accessed at the above-listed project webpage.)
Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report must be received, in writing, by the end of the review period, August 25, 2017, at 5:00 p.m.
Submit comments to:
Phil Boyle, Senior Planner
Town of Corte Madera Planning Department
300 Tamalpais Drive, Corte Madera CA 94925
Or Email to: pboyle@tcmmail.org
Phone: (415) 927-5067
