REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 02/02/2022
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Planning and Development Department
SUBJECT:
Title
Resolution of the City Council declaring that the property located near the intersection of West Chase Drive and South Main Street and identified as Assessor Parcel Number 113-340-014 is surplus land and is no longer necessary for the City’s use.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City of Corona owns real property located on West Chase Drive just east of South Main Street. The property is two acres and identified as Assessor Parcel Number (APN) 113-340-014. Pursuant to state law on the regulations governing surplus land, the City is proposing to declare the City owned property as surplus land because the property is not necessary for the City’s use. Declaring the City owned property as surplus land would allow the City to formally start the process to dispose of the property in accordance with the procedures set forth by State law in the Surplus Land Act.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council:
a. Adopt Resolution 2022-006 declaring that the property identified as APN 113-340-014 is surplus land and in no longer necessary for the City’s use.
b. Direct the City Manager or their designee to follow the procedures set forth in the Surplus Land Act pursuant to California Government Code Section 54220, et seq. for the sale of surplus land.
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BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The California Surplus Land Act governed by Government Code § 54220 et seq. requires a local agency to prioritize affordable housing, as well as parks and open space when disposing of agency owned surplus land. The Surplus Land Act was amended by Assembly Bill 1486, which took effect on January 1, 2020. It defined surplus land to be land owned in fee simple for which a local agency’s governing body takes formal action at a regular public meeting declaring land to be surplus and not necessary for a local agency’s use. This action is required before a local agency takes any action to dispose of land.
The subject property identified as APN 113-340-014 is approximately two acres. The property is undeveloped and has been used historically as an earthen water basin. The properties surrounding the subject property were once used for the farming of citrus groves but have gradually developed over time to urban land uses pursuant to the City’s South Corona Community Facilities Plan, which was adopted in July 1988. The subject property collects natural rainfall and water retained in the basin, which was used historically to water the groves. Public infrastructure improvements have been constructed in the immediate area due to the development of urban land uses, which includes storm drain facilities to collect stormwater runoff. Today, the subject property is an undeveloped water basin that is no longer used for agricultural purposes and no longer needed for the City’s use.
The subject property meets the definition of surplus land. The City Council’s adoption of Resolution 2022-006 would take formal action declaring the subject property as surplus land.
Upon the City’s determination that the subject property is surplus land, staff would follow the procedures set forth in Government Code § 54220 et seq. Those procedures require the City to offer the surplus land to certain public entities for a period of 60 days by transmitting a written notice of availability to those entities, including:
Ø Any local public entity as defined in Health and Safety Code 50079 within whose jurisdiction the surplus land is located and to housing sponsors that have notified the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) of their interest in surplus land. These entities specialize in developing low- and moderate-income housing.
Ø A local park district for the creation of parks and open space.
Ø The local school district for the purpose of constructing school facilities or open space.
If the City receives correspondence from any of the above entities interested in purchasing the surplus property after transmitting a written notice of availability, the City is required to enter into good faith negotiations concerning the price and terms of disposition with that entity for a period of 90 days. If the entity and City cannot agree to price and terms within the 90 days, or if no entity gives the City a notice of interest in the property, the City may dispose of the surplus land without further regard to the surplus land procedures. However, the provisions of the Surplus Land Act require an affordability covenant to be recorded on the property in the event more than 10 residential dwelling units are developed on the property. In this case, at least 15 percent units would need to be set aside for affordable housing if residential housing were to be built on the subject property.
ANALYSIS:
The subject property contains an open concrete water storage basin on the west side with the remainder of the area being an earthen water basin that has a depth of approximately 22 feet. Over the years, the surrounding area was developed with single family residential and medical offices. The zoning of the subject property is Water and the General Plan designation is Low Density Residential.
The subject property fronts Chase Drive to the south and is adjacent to a single parcel that is 4.09 acres which abuts the west and north perimeters. The zoning of the adjacent property is Quasi Public (QP) of the Mountain Gate Specific Plan and the General Plan is Office Professional. The property to the east is the Riverside County Flood Control Channel.
The adjacent 4.09 acres contains an existing house and citrus groves. The owner is in the process of selling the property. City staff has received numerous inquiries on what types of land uses are allowed on the property in the QP zone. Based on the current zoning of the property, it is highly likely that the property will be developed with a new land use. The potential development of the 4.09 acres based on the existing zoning would leave the subject property owned by the City in an unimproved infill condition, which would ultimately be inconsistent with surrounding development once the 4.09 acres is developed. Because the historical use of the property was a water basin associated with past agricultural practices that no longer exist, the subject property is no longer needed for the City’s use.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The potential sale of the City owned surplus property would result in revenue to the City’s General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
The declaration of the subject property as surplus is exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15312 (Surplus Government Property Sales). However, any subsequent development of the subject property would be reviewed further under CEQA and other applicable laws.
PREPARED BY: JOANNE COLETTA, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - Resolution 2022-006
2. Exhibit 2 - Locational exhibit