PLANNING AND HOUSING COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
DATE: 2/12/2024
TO: Honorable Chair and Commissioners
FROM: Planning & Development Department
APPLICATION REQUEST:
Title
GPA2023-0002: A General Plan Amendment to amend the General Plan land use designation of 5.15 acres located at 430 W. Foothill Parkway from General Commercial (GC) to High Density Residential (HDR, 15-36 dwelling units per acre, and up to 75 du/ac for senior units) (APN: 114-070-020, 114-070-021 and 114-070-022). (Applicant: O & I Development, 3 Park Plaza, Suite 1920, Irvine, CA 92614).
End
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the Planning and Housing Commission recommend adoption of the Mitigated Negative Declaration with Mitigation Monitoring Plan and APPROVAL of GPA2023-0002 to the City Council, based on the findings contained in the staff report, and adopt Resolution No. 2624 granting GPA2023-0002 as part of Cycle 1 of General Plan Amendments for 2024.
Body
PROJECT SITE SUMMARY
Area of Property: 5.15 acres
Existing Zoning: C (Commercial) within the Mountain Gate Specific Plan (SP-89-01)
Existing General Plan: General Commercial
Existing Land Use: Vacant Land
Proposed Land Use: Senior Assisted Living Facility
Surrounding Zoning/Land Uses:
N: R-1-9.6 (Single Family Residential) / Single Family Residential
E: C (Commercial) / Commercial Shopping Center
S: P (Park) / Mountain Gate Community Park
W: P (Park) / Corona Heritage Park and Museum
BACKGROUND
Applicant’s Request
O & I Development (Applicant) has submitted a General Plan Amendment (GPA2023-0002) application to change the General Plan land use designation of 5.15 acres located at 430 W. Foothill Parkway from General Commercial (GC) to High Density Residential (HDR). GPA2023-0002 is intended to facilitate the development of a senior assisted living facility on the vacant 5.15-acre site. The HDR designation permits a residential density between 15-36 dwelling units per acre, and up to 75 dwelling units per acre for senior units.
The applicant manages a portfolio of communities under the Oakmont Senior Living and Ivy Living brands. Oakmont is an owner, operator and developer in senior housing. Oakmont currently serves over 8,000 seniors across approximately 90 communities in California, Hawaii, and Nevada.
The applicant has submitted the following applications in conjunction with GPA2023-0002:
1. SPA2023-0004: Specific Plan Amendment to the Mountain Gate Specific Plan (SP-89-01) to change the land use designation of the project site from Commercial (C) to a Senior Citizen Residential (SCR) with corresponding development standards.
2. CFPA2023-0001: Community Facilities Plan Amendment to the South Corona Community Facilities Plan to change the land use designation of the project site from Commercial (C) to Senior Citizen Residential, which would allow for a SCR maximum target density of 40.5 du/ac.
3. PP2023-0006: Precise Plan to review the site plan, architecture, landscaping and design features of an assisted senior living facility consisting of 107 units.
Details associated with the abovementioned applications are provided under separate staff reports for the Planning and Housing Commission’s consideration.
Project Site
The subject property is comprised of three vacant parcels located to the immediate west of the existing Albertsons commercial shopping center. On July 15, 1998, the City Council approved Precise Plan 97-6 (PP97-06) for the development of a 153,000-square-foot commercial shopping center consisting of 9 buildings on a total of 15 acres, which included the three parcels associated with the project site. The three subject parcels were intended to be developed as the second phase of the shopping center; however, the market has not supported additional commercial uses on the remaining five acres. Over the years, the property has been considered for other uses such as a tire shop and townhouses. However, those uses were not considered the best use for the property. The applicant will be processing a lot line adjustment to not only merge the three parcels required for the development of the entire property but also to remove a portion of the shopping center’s parking lot from the project site.
The project site is an infill property surrounded by existing single family residential development to the north of Foothill Parkway and to the southwest of the site; commercial development to the immediate east; Mountain Gate Park to the south and the Corona Heritage Park and Museum to the immediate west (Exhibit 2). The applicant proposes to develop a two-story senior assisted living facility consisting of 107 units within a 109,551 square-foot building. The project proposes a density of 20.77 du/ac, which is within the density range of 15 to 36 dwelling units per acre (du/ac), and below the maximum density of 75 du/ac for senior housing allowed by the General Plan HDR land use designation.
The project was initially reviewed by the Development Plan Review (DPR) Committee on June 15, 2023. The applicant formally submitted the General Plan Amendment (GPA) and the abovementioned applications to the city on August 16, 2023. All applications were reviewed by the Project and Environmental Review Committee (PRC) on September 7, 2023. Missing and revised items were subsequently submitted, and the applications were deemed complete on January 16, 2024, and scheduled for the Planning and Housing Commission meeting of February 12, 2024.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT
GPA2023-0002 proposes to change the GC land use designation to HDR on the 5.15-acre project site to facilitate the development of a senior assisted living facility (Exhibit 4). The amendment is compatible with the immediate land uses in the area, which includes a neighborhood shopping center to the east, the Heritage Park and Museum to the west in addition to single family homes to the southwest, a city park to the south and single family homes to the north beyond Foothill Parkway. The project site will stand on its own and will not require access from any of the adjacent properties. The primary access to the site will be from Foothill Parkway, which is a major arterial street.
GPA2023-0002, along with approvals of SPA2023-0004, CFPA2023-0001 and PP2023-0006, promotes and maintains a balance of housing types to provide for the community's demands for housing for all persons within the city, including age restricted residential communities.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
Per Section 15070(b) of the State Guidelines for Implementing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Section 6.02 of the City’s Local Guidelines, a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) was prepared for the project since the Initial Study identified that the project’s potentially significant effects to the environment are capable of being mitigated to less than significant. Therefore, based on the project’s mitigation measures and mitigation monitoring and reporting program identified in the Mitigated Negative Declaration, there is no substantial evidence, in light of the whole record before the City, that the project may have a significant or potentially significant effect on the environment. The Mitigated Negative Declaration is therefore recommended for adoption (Exhibit 7).
FISCAL IMPACT
The applicant has paid the applicable application processing fees for the project.
PUBLIC NOTICE AND COMMENTS
A 20-day public notice was mailed to all property owners within a 500-foot radius of the project site, as well as advertised in the Sentinel Weekly News and posted at the project site. Additionally, the MND was electronically sent to the State Clearinghouse (SCH#2024010527). As of the preparation of this report, staff has not received any comments on the project in response to the public notice.
STAFF ANALYSIS
GPA2023-0002 facilitates the development of a housing type that promotes the goals and policies of the General Plan and increases housing opportunities for senior citizens, which continue to increase as a result of longer lifespans. The proposed amendment establishes the high-density land use designation for the project site which is the prerequisite for consideration of the companion entitlement applications proposed by the applicant.
HDR is an appropriate designation as it serves as a buffer between the existing GC land use designation and the park and neighboring Low Density Residential (LDR) designations. GPA2023-0002 is consistent with General Plan Land Use Policy LU-7.1 as it accommodates the development of a diversity of residential housing types that meet the needs of Corona’s population in accordance with the Land Use Plan’s designations, applicable density standards and design and development policies.
GPA2023-0002 is also consistent with Policy H-1.3 of the Housing Element of the General Plan as it helps to provide sites for residential development, specifically for senior housing, so that scarcity of land does not unduly increase the cost or decrease the availability of housing for all segments of the community.
The proposed HDR designation will be consistent with the Senior Citizen Residential (SCR) land use designations of the Mountain Gate Specific Plan proposed by SPA2023-0004, and the South Corona Community Facilities Plan (SCCFP) amendment proposed CFPA2023-0001.
The Planning and Development Department, therefore, recommends approval of GPA2023-0002 based on the findings of approval listed below and the recommended conditions of approval in Exhibit 3.
FINDINGS FOR THE APPROVAL OF GPA2023-0002
1. An initial study (environmental assessment) has been conducted by the City of Corona so as to evaluate the potential for adverse environmental impacts. The initial study identifies potentially significant effects on the environment, but:
a. The project applicant has agreed to revise the project to avoid these significant effects or to mitigate the effects to a point where it is clear that no significant effects would occur, as reflected in the Mitigation and Monitoring Program within the Mitigated Negative Declaration and within the Conditions of Approval attached as Exhibits 7 and 3, respectively.
b. There is no substantial evidence before the City that the revised project may have a significant effect on the environment.
2. GPA2023-0002 is in the public interest and would not be detrimental to public health, safety and welfare for the following reason:
a. There is adequate infrastructure in place to accommodate the proposed land use change from General Commercial to High Density Residential on the project site. The project site and its intended use under the HDR designation will not unreasonably interfere with the use and enjoyment of neighboring existing or future developments, will not create traffic or pedestrian hazards, and will not otherwise have a negative impact on the aesthetics, health, safety or welfare of neighboring uses because future development allowed by the HDR designation will be required to adhere to the development standards required by the zoning of the property and other development standards required by the Corona Municipal Code, if applicable.
3. GPA2023-0002 is internally consistent with the elements of the General Plan, including the goals and policies stated therein for the following reasons:
a. The amendment is consistent with General Plan Land Use Policy LU-7.1 as it accommodates the development of a diversity of residential housing types that meet the needs of Corona’s population in accordance with the Land Use Plan’s designations, applicable density standards and design and development policies, and the adopted housing element.
b. The amendment proposes a land use that fits with the current market and facilitates the development of an underutilized property surrounded by urban land uses, which is consistent with General Plan Land Use Policy LU-3.3 which is to allow flexibility in the defined land use types, densities and intensities to account for changes in housing needs and characteristics, industrial and employment markets, and retail commercial enterprises that will occur during implementation of the General Plan and that such deviations be consistent with the Plan’s vision, goals and overall policy intentions.
PREPARED BY: ROCIO LOPEZ, CONSULTING PLANNER
REVIEWED BY: EVA CHOI, SENIOR PLANNER
REVIEWED BY: SANDRA VANIAN, PLANNING MANAGER
SUBMITTED BY: JOANNE COLETTA, PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
EXHIBITS
1. Resolution No. 2624
2. Locational and Zoning Map
3. Conditions of Approval
4. Existing & Proposed General Plan Exhibit
5. Applicant’s letter dated 1/4/24, requesting a General Plan Amendment
6. Photographs of the site
7. Environmental Documentation
Case Planner: Rocio Lopez (951) 736-2293