PLANNING AND HOUSING COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
DATE: 07/08/2024
TO: Honorable Chair and Commissioners
FROM: Planning & Development Department
APPLICATION REQUEST:
GPCD2024-0008: Request for a General Plan Consistency Determination regarding the vacation of a 10-foot wide waterline easement located at 2228 Vesper Circle, Corona. (Applicant: City of Corona Planning and Development Department, 400 S. Vicentia Avenue, Corona, CA 92882)
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the Planning and Housing Commission adopt Resolution No. 2642 determining that the proposed vacation of a 10-foot-wide public waterline easement is in conformance with the City’s General Plan.
ANALYSIS
California Government Code Section 65402 requires that when a local agency plans to acquire, dispose of, or vacate any real property or easements for public purposes, the Planning Agency of the city in which the property is located must first issue a report addressing whether the activity is in conformity with the City’s General Plan.
Subject Property
The subject property is a combined 1.29 acres located at 2228 Vesper Circle (Exhibit 2). The owner of the property is HI Corona LLC. The property contains an existing 10-foot-wide public waterline easement that was originally established in 1983 per Parcel Map 14363, which created two separate parcels covering the subject property. The two parcels were merged by Lot Line Adjustment 2019-003 approved on March 25, 2021. The property is the location of a planned daycare center which is currently under construction and is near completion. The daycare was approved by the Planning and Housing Commission in 2022 under Precise Plan 2020-0002. As shown on the approved site plan attached as Exhibit 3, the building’s footprint was proposed over a portion of the subject waterline easement. During the precise plan review process, city staff reviewed and considered the owner’s request to vacate the easement in exchange for providing a replacement easement for the waterline elsewhere on the property that accommodates the onsite design of the daycare building. A condition of approval was accordingly placed on the precise plan requiring the owner to vacate the easement prior to the occupancy of the building. The existing easement contains no waterlines or water facilities.
The Development Services Division of the Planning and Development Department has reviewed the owner’s request and determined that the easement vacation is reasonable since the easement will not be needed due to the waterline improvements that are being constructed for the daycare building (Exhibit 4).
General Plan Consistency Determination
The City’s plan to vacate a 10-foot-wide public waterline easement is in conformance with the following General Plan goal and policy:
General Plan Goal |
General Plan Policy |
Reason |
Goal LU-4: Strategic growth that preserves viable residential neighborhoods and commercial and industrial districts, targets new development to parcels that are environmentally suitable and can be supported by infrastructure and services, and reuses appropriate properties to enhance their economic vitality and community livability. |
Policy LU-4.5: Manage the timing of development and allow development to occur only when public infrastructure and services needed to support that development are available, will be provided concurrently, or are committed to be provided within a reasonable time frame. |
The existing waterline easement was reserved on the subject parcel to support the development of two separate parcels created by PM 14363. The two parcels were eventually merged into a single parcel by a lot line adjustment to support the development of a single commercial building. The public waterline improvements are being extended from Vesper Circle to the subject parcel with corresponding easements placed on-site to support the placement of the required water infrastructure necessary for the development. |
Staff hereby requests that the Planning and Housing Commission find the proposed easement vacation conforms to the General Plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The General Plan consistency determination is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and therefore, does not require environmental review.
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed easement vacation has no impact on the City’s General Fund.
PUBLIC NOTICE AND COMMENTS
California Government Code Section 65401 does not require public notification for a General Plan Consistency Determination.
PREPARED BY: BRENDAN DALDE, ASSISTANT PLANNER
REVIEWED BY: SANDRA VANIAN, PLANNING MANAGER
SUBMITTED BY: JOANNE COLETTA, PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Exhibits:
1. Resolution No. 2642
2. Locational Map
3. Site Plan for PP2020-0002
4. Memorandum with Exhibits from the Development Services Division, dated June 6, 2024
Case Planner: Brendan Dalde, (951) 736-4918