The purpose of this article is to establish an Escondido business enhancement zone to induce and facilitate projects that provide significant public benefit and strengthen the image and appearance of the city of Escondido. Projects submitted under this section shall be evaluated pursuant to the criteria established in city council policy which was adopted by Resolution 2001-191 and most recently amended by Resolution 2006-56.
(Ord. No. 92-13, § 1, 3-18-92; Ord. No. 2000-04, § 4, 2-16-00; Ord. No. 2001-23, § 4, 8-22-01; Ord. No. 2006-12, § 4, 5-24-06)
The Escondido business enhancement zone shall include those areas which are within and regulated by Article 16 (Commercial Zones), Article 26 (Industrial Zones) and any area approved for commercial, industrial, or office use under Article 18 (Specific Plans) and Article 19 (Planned Development) of the Escondido Zoning Code, and those portions of residential zones which have been approved for specific commercial use such as a bed and breakfast establishment or the downtown specific plan area. These regulations shall apply only to induce and facilitate developments within these zones. Nothing in this article shall relieve any applicant from compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act, the Subdivision Map Act or any other applicable federal, state or local regulation, including provisions of the zoning code for each of the articles identified above, unless otherwise stipulated in this article.
(Ord. No. 92-13, § 1, 3-18-92; Ord. No. 2000-04, § 4, 2-16-00; Ord. No. 2001-23, § 4, 8-22-01; Ord. No. 2006-12, § 4, 5-24-06)
To accomplish the purpose and intent of this article, the city council may establish an economic incentive fund which shall be available to provide incentives for projects in the business enhancement zone. Funds shall be used as credit to reduce or eliminate otherwise applicable development or connection fees. The city council also may grant relief from parking, landscape and related requirements through the use of an administrative adjustment, expedite processing as provided below, provide for lot consolidation or street closure if otherwise permitted by law, and provide any other incentives which may induce and facilitate development which is consistent with the purpose and intent of this article. Any incentives granted by the city council under this section shall be fully used within one year from the time of approval unless extended by the city council. A request for extension shall be submitted to the city manager or designee and placed on the next available city council agenda.
(Ord. No. 2000-04, § 4, 2-16-00; Ord. No. 2001-23, § 4, 8-22-01; Ord. No. 2006-12, § 4, 5-24-06)
(a) 
Any person proposing a use of property within the Escondido business enhancement zone who desires to receive the benefits of this article shall first submit a request for consideration in such form as shall be established by the city manager or designee.
(b) 
The request for consideration shall be submitted to the city manager or designee who, within 10 days of receiving such request, shall determine if the request is complete and shall evaluate the proposed use to determine whether it is consistent with the city's general plan and other applicable requirements.
(c) 
The city manager or designee shall forward the request to a standing council economic development subcommittee, which shall consist of two members of the city council to be appointed from time to time.
(d) 
The council economic development subcommittee shall review the request and determine whether the proposal is suitable for processing in accordance with the provisions of this article. Any proposal determined by the council economic development subcommittee not to be eligible for processing pursuant to this article shall be processed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter otherwise applicable to such proposed development.
(e) 
In making its determination on the eligibility of a request for processing under this article, the council economic development subcommittee shall consider whether the project furthers the purposes outlined in section 33-1450 and any relevant council policies in section 33-1450, and any relevant council policies.
(Ord. No. 92-13, § 1, 3-18-92; Ord. No. 2000-04, § 4, 2-16-00; Ord. No. 2000-16, § 4, 7-19-00; Ord. No. 2001-23, § 4, 8-22-01; Ord. No. 2006-12, § 4, 5-24-06)
(a) 
Any applicant whose request for consideration has been approved in accordance with section 33-1453 may request incentives or inducements from the city to facilitate the development. The request shall be presented to the council economic development subcommittee.
(b) 
The council economic development subcommittee may require the applicant to provide such information as necessary to assist in conducting the negotiations. Such information may include, without limitation, plot plans, elevations of buildings, architectural renderings, and detailed information regarding proposed uses.
(c) 
Any incentives or inducements, which the council economic development subcommittee determines to be appropriate, shall be submitted to the city council for final approval.
(Ord. No. 92-13, § 1, 3-18-92; Ord. No. 2000-04, § 4, 2-16-00; Ord. No. 2001-23, § 4, 8-22-01; Ord. No. 2006-12, § 4, 5-24-06)
(a) 
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to the contrary, all development projects, for which a request for consideration has been approved by the council economic development subcommittee, shall be eligible for processing as follows and shall be exempt from review by any other entity including, without limitation, the historic preservation commission, and the planning commission.
(b) 
An application shall be submitted in accordance with the requirements of the planning and building divisions. An application determined to be complete and in compliance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act by the director of community development shall be submitted to the council economic development subcommittee in the case of projects for which no public hearing is required, or the city council in the case of projects for which a public hearing is required.
(c) 
The council economic development subcommittee shall consider any project submitted to it under the provisions of this article and shall either approve, conditionally approve, or deny the project in accordance with the provisions of this chapter applicable to such project. The city council shall act as a planning commission for any project submitted to it under the provisions of this article.
(d) 
The city council shall conduct necessary public hearings and either approve, conditionally approve, or deny the project in accordance with provisions of this chapter applicable to such project.
(Ord. No. 92-13, § 1, 3-18-92; Ord. No. 2000-04, § 4, 2-16-00; Ord. No. 2001-23, § 4, 8-22-01; Ord. No. 2006-12, § 4, 5-24-06; Ord. No. 2011-19R, § 5, 1-11-12; Ord. No. 2018-07R, § 7, 4-18-18)
In addition to incentives otherwise offered by this article, the city may provide funding for the aesthetic enhancement of developed commercial properties, which already exist within this zone. Such funds may be utilized for façade and property improvements, landscape and hardscape improvements, or other exterior aesthetic improvements in accordance with the program criteria and which have been approved by the city and will benefit the property and the area in which the property is located. Requests for funding pursuant to this section shall be filed as a separate submittal to the economic development and planning divisions. Funding for such improvements shall only occur pursuant to guidelines adopted from time to time by the city council and administered by the economic development division.
(Ord. No. 2000-04, § 4, 2-16-00; Ord. No. 2001-23, § 4, 8-22-01; Ord. No. 2006-12, § 4, 5-24-06)
Those standards set forth in sections 33-335 and 33-336 of Article 16, section 33-569 of Article 26, section 33-765 of Article 39, sections 33-1326, 33-1327, 33-1328, and 33-1333 of Article 62, in Chapter 5 of the South Centre City Specific Plan, and Figure 11-2 of the Downtown Specific Plan shall be eligible for administrative adjustments. Adjustments of up to 25% may be approved or conditionally approved by the director of community development upon demonstration that the proposed adjustment will be compatible with and will not prove detrimental to, adjacent property or improvements. The director of community development shall give prior notice of an intended decision to provide an administrative adjustment pursuant to Article 61 of this chapter. Any applicant for an administrative adjustment shall pay a fee for such adjustment in an amount to be established by resolution of the city council.
(Ord. No. 2000-04, § 4, 2-16-00; Ord. No. 2000-16, § 4, 7-19-00; Ord. No. 2001-23, § 4, 8-22-01; Ord. No. 2006-12, § 4, 5-24-06; Ord. No. 2018-07R, § 7, 4-18-18)