REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 08/07/2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Planning & Development Department
SUBJECT:
Title
PRECISE PLAN 2023-0011 REVIEWING THE SITE PLAN, ARCHITECTURE, LANDSCAPING AND OTHER FEATURES ASSOCIATED WITH AN AFFORDABLE, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CONSISTING OF 25 MULTIPLE FAMILY UNITS ON 0.72 ACRES IN THE MP (MOBILE HOME PARK) ZONE, LOCATED SOUTH OF SECOND STREET AND WEST OF BUENA VISTA AVENUE (APN: 118-270-055) (APPLICANT: SECOND STREET HOUSING, LP)
End
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to affirm the approval of Precise Plan 2023-011 (PP2023-011) as recommended by the Planning and Housing Commission. PP2023-011 demonstrates the site layout and other physical features associated with the development of 25 multifamily units. The development is for affordable, permanent supportive housing and will set aside 19 units for low income households, five units for moderate income households, and one onsite manager’s unit. The General Plan designation of the project site is High Density Residential (HDR), which is intended for multifamily development at a density range of 15-36 dwellings per acre (du/ac). The project’s density is 34.7 du/ac.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council:
a. Take no action, thereby affirming the Planning and Housing Commission’s action granting PP2023-0011, based on the findings contained in the staff report and conditions of approval.
OR
b. Set the item for review at a subsequent meeting.
Body
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
Project History
The project site was formerly occupied by mobile homes before the units were removed in 2016 to accommodate the widening of State Route 91 (SR 91). The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) was the agency responsible for the widening of the SR 91 and purchased the subject property to accommodate the right-of-way needed for the extension of Second Street to Lincoln Avenue which bifurcated the property into two areas. The property is located on the south side of Second Street and west of Buena Vista Avenue.
Upon the completion of the freeway widening project, RCTC determined the property to be excess surplus land and disposed of the property according to the Surplus Land Act. In 2019, the Corona Housing Authority purchased the property and two other contiguous parcels totaling 4.18 acres from RCTC. The intent of the purchase was for the City to partner with an affordable housing developer for the development of affordable housing. In 2021, the Corona Housing Authority issued a Request for Qualifications and Proposal and selected the applicant to develop the site for affordable housing units.
State Density Bonus Law
The 25 multifamily residential units are a qualified project under the State Density Bonus Law [Government Code § 65915], which allows developers of eligible housing projects to receive increased density and/or other benefits by right to assist in the development of affordable housing at a proposed density. The project will be providing affordable rent for 24 units. Qualifying households are considered households that do not exceed the maximum allowable income limits for the very low income, low income and moderate income categories published by the California Department of Housing and Community Development. For this project, 19 units will be restricted to low income households, and five units will be restricted to moderate income households. The units will be restricted to their level of affordability for a minimum term of 55 years.
The project’s companion density bonus agreement is reviewed separately by the Affordable Housing Density Bonus Agreement 2023-0003 (AHDB2023-0003).
California Housing Accountability Act
The project site is zoned Mobile Home Park (MP), which allows a maximum density of 8 mobile homes per acre. The site has a General Plan designation of HDR which allows a density range of 15-36 du/ac. Under the State Density Bonus Law, the project is allowed to be developed at the highest density allowed for the property, which is 36 du/ac under the General Plan. The project’s density on the 0.72-acre site is 34.7 du/ac which is within the HDR’s density limit of 36 du/ac.
According to the Housing Accountability Act [Government Code § 65589.5] if a proposed housing development is consistent with the property’s General Plan but the zoning of the property is inconsistent with the General Plan because the resulting density would be less than allowed by the General Plan, the City shall allow the project to use the objective development standards of the zoning that is consistent with the General Plan. In the case of the proposed project, the project is allowed to be developed per the objective development standards of the R-3 zone, because the R-3 zone is a multiple family residential zone that permits the density allowed by the HDR designation. As such, the project is being reviewed according to the development standards of the R-3 zone.
ANALYSIS:
Supportive and Social Services
The permanent supportive housing development will provide housing for chronically homeless persons due to diagnosed illness. Supportive and social services will be provided to the residents by the non-profit organization Mercy House which is a partner in the project. The supportive services offered to the residents help promote and support the following: housing stability, independence, community building, the development of support networks, and participation in meaningful activities within the broader community.
Site Plan
The project consists of 25 multiple family units totaling 21,043 square feet. The units will be housed in one building. Below is a summary of the type of units provided in the project.
Table 1: Unit Summary
|
Unit Type |
# of Units |
# of Bedrooms |
# of Bathrooms |
Required Unit Size of R3 Zone |
Proposed Unit Size |
Meet R3 Zone Standard |
Waiver Requested by Density Bonus Agreement |
|
Permanent Supportive Housing |
24 |
1 |
1 |
600 sf |
528 sf |
No |
Yes |
|
Manager’s Unit |
1 |
3 |
2 |
600 sf |
1000 sf |
Yes |
No |
The perimeter yard setbacks from the project site’s property lines are shown in the following table.
Table 2
Yard Setbacks Required by the R-3 Zone
|
Yard Location |
Required Yard Setback |
Proposed Yard Setback |
Meet R-3 Zone Standard |
Waiver Requested by Density Bonus Agreement |
|
Front |
25 feet |
5 feet, 8 inches |
No |
Yes |
|
Side (West) |
10 feet |
10 feet |
Yes |
No |
|
Side (East) |
10 feet |
3.5 feet |
No |
Yes |
|
Rear |
10 feet |
7.5 feet & 3 feet (southwest & southeast corners) |
No |
Yes |
Common and Private Open Space
Per the R-3 development standards, the project is required to provide private and common open space to serve the residents of the development at a rate of 200 square feet of common open space per unit. As such, the project is required to provide at least 5,000 square feet of common open space and at least 1,250 square feet of combined private open space. The project provides approximately 7,779.6 square feet of common outdoor recreational space and provides approximately 1,408.5 square feet of combined private open space.
The project features a variety of site amenities including an on-site manager with an onsite leasing office, BBQ pavilion, lawn game areas, laundry facilities, drought tolerant landscaping, and multiple community rooms. Site amenities have been designed to enhance the residents’ community and give communal space for programs and meetings.
Architecture
The project’s overall architecture features a contemporary architectural design theme. The proposed buildings have varying s-tile roof lines with pitched roofs and flat roofing behind parapet walls which support solar panels, decorative awnings, attractive balconies, window trimming, accent tiles, plank siding accents that resemble wood siding, smooth plaster walls and overall wall reveals and trim. Accent colors include white colored walls, dark orange, green and brown accent hues, dark tan trimming around windows, and white trimming along the roof parapet.
The three-story building averages 34-feet-6-inches in height as measured from the finished grade to the roof structure, excluding the non-occupied tower elements and parapet walls. The building height complies with the maximum 40-foot height limit established for the R-3 zone.
Trash Enclosure
The project is required to provide trash enclosures to serve the residents of the development. The CMC requires trash enclosures to be provided at a ratio of six square feet per dwelling unit, which results in at least 150 square feet of combined trash enclosure area for the project. The plan currently shows one trash enclosure unit totaling 184 square feet located within the parking area of the property. The trash enclosure unit has been architecturally designed to match the overall project design and to meet code requirements with solid metal gates and a decorative wood trellis cover.
Landscaping
The Conceptual Landscape Plan includes a variety of 24-inch box evergreen shade trees, with a mix of Coast Live Oak, Olive, Brisbane Box and a variety of other decorative trees located throughout the perimeter project site, within the interior of the common open areas and the parking areas. Additionally, all new landscape materials proposed for the project are required to be California-friendly, and irrigation is required to be water efficient to meet the City’s landscape design guidelines for commercial projects.
Lighting
Outdoor lighting would consist of wall-mounted lighting, pole-mounted lighting, and low-level path lights along the proposed internal driveways and common outdoor areas. All outdoor lighting would be directed downward and shielded to minimize off-site spillover. The location of all exterior lighting would comply with lighting and glare standards established in the City of Corona’s Municipal Code, Section 17.84.070.
Perimeter Walls and Fencing
The project includes an 8-foot-high splitface masonry wall along the southern and portion of the western property line, 8-foot-high tubular steel fencing with decorative splitface pilasters along the eastern property line, and a low combination wall consisting of 36-inch high splitface masonry wall and 24-inch-high tubular steel fencing along the project’s northern and portion of western property lines.
Parking
The City’s Parking Ordinance does not specify a parking requirement for permanent supportive housing units. Therefore, the project is required to use the multi-family residential parking ratio. Table 3 shows the parking requirement for the project and the waiver being applied to the parking according to the applicant’s affordable housing density bonus agreement.
Table 3: Parking
|
Unit Type |
Number of Units |
Parking Ratio, Per Parking Ordinance |
Required Parking |
|
1 BR |
24 |
2 covered spaces/unit |
48 covered spaces |
|
3BR |
1 |
2 covered spaces, plus 1 uncovered space/unit |
2 covered spaces, plus 1 uncovered space |
|
Guest |
25 |
1 uncovered space/unit |
5 uncovered |
|
Total Parking Required |
56 Spaces Total |
|
Total Parking Provided |
17 Spaces |
The applicant is electing to utilize the state density bonus parking requirement in Government Code § 65915(p)(3)(c), which states that, upon request of the developer, a local government cannot impose any parking requirements on a development that is a supportive housing development (as defined in Health & Safety Code Section 50675.14). Supportive housing is defined as “housing with no limit on length of stay, that is occupied by the target population, and that is linked to onsite or offsite services that assist the supportive housing resident in retaining the housing, improving his or her health status, and maximizing his or her ability to live and, when possible, work in the community”. The project meets the definition of supportive housing and is not required to provide parking if elected under the applicant’s density bonus agreement.
Public Right-of-Way Improvements
Per the City of Corona’s General Plan Circulation Element, a segment of Second Street adjacent to the project site is designated as a collector street. A collector street is required to have an overall roadway width of 44 feet with a 5-foot wide sidewalk and 7 feet of parkway landscaping for an overall right-of-way width of 68 feet. However, Second Street adjacent to the project site is currently improved as a modified collector street having modified roadway width and sidewalk.
Specifically, the south half of Second Street from the street centerline to the project site is currently improved with 20 feet of roadway width and 5.6 feet of sidewalk. The applicant is required to dedicate four feet of the property’s frontage to the right-of-way for Second Street and install the missing landscaping within a 6.4-foot-wide parkway. The required improvements within the public right-of-way would serve to facilitate vehicular, pedestrian, bicycle and bus travel.
Vehicle Trip Generation
The project is expected to generate approximately 120 two-way daily trips including 13 trips during the AM peak hour and 12 trips during the PM peak hour per the trip generation analysis prepared for the project by a licensed engineering consultant (Trip Generation Assessment, prepared by Urban Crossroads, dated January 19, 2024).
Based on the project’s trip generation, the project is not anticipated to generate 50 peak hour trips and would therefore contribute fewer than 50 peak hour trips to any off-site intersection. As such, a Traffic Impact Analysis and improvements to the intersection of Second Street and Buena Vista Avenue were not warranted as confirmed by the City’s Traffic Engineer.
Justification for Waivers
The applicant has provided the City with a justification for the waiver of certain development standards associated with the density bonus agreement.
1. The R-3 zoning development standards would prevent the physical development of 24 permanent supportive housing units on the project site at the proposed density. The 24 units are necessary to balance the construction cost of the project. The project is also dependent on state funding offered by the Tax Credit Allocation Committee and county housing vouchers. If the project had to adhere to the development standards required by the R-3 zone, the number of units for the project would need to be reduced, which would make the cost of the project unaffordable.
2. The parking requirement according to the City’s Parking Ordinance for multi-family residential would require more surface area on the site and would thereby reduce the size of the building, or require the building to have an additional floor, which would increase the construction cost of the building. Also the construction cost of a parking structure is not financially feasible for a housing development containing 100% affordable units.
Waivers can be denied by the City if they will potentially result in a specific, adverse impact upon public health, safety, or the environment. [Gov. Code §65915(d)(1) and §65915(e)(1)]. However, the City is responsible for providing the preponderance of the evidence that would support the findings denying the requested waivers. The applicable City departments have reviewed the reduced or modified development standards that have been requested for this project and determined that they will not result in an adverse impact on the public’s health, safety or the environment.
The project is consistent with the intent of the R-3 zone which is intended for high density, multiple family residential. The project has been reviewed against state law that allows affordable housing or supportive housing to receive waivers in certain development standards that would support the construction of this type of housing. The applicable City departments have reviewed the waivers for this project and determined that they will not result in an adverse impact on the public’s health, safety or the environment because the project is entirely contained onsite and provides architectural qualities and landscaping consistent with other multifamily projects in the City. Circulation to the project site is provided from Second Street with the gated entry located beyond the street to prevent stacking onto the street. The applicant is also providing the required street right-of-way dedications to the City.
Additionally, the project site has been identified in the City’s Housing Element as a housing site for affordable units.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The applicant paid the application processing fees of $18,642.14 to cover the cost of the Precise Plan.
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 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.
PLANNING AND HOUSING COMMISSION ACTION:
At its meeting of July 8, 2024, the Planning and Housing Commission considered the subject matter and took the following action:
Motion was made, seconded (Siqueland/Woody) and carried with Commissioner Alexander abstaining, that the Planning and Housing Commission adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring Plan and Resolution No. 2639 granting PP2023-0011, based on the findings contained in the staff report and conditions of approval. The minutes of the Planning and Housing Commission meeting are included as Exhibit 4.
PREPARED BY: JOANNE COLETTA, PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - Locational and zoning map
2. Exhibit 2 - Site plan for PP2023-0011
3. Exhibit 3 - Planning and Housing Commission staff report
4. Exhibit 4 - Draft minutes of the Planning and Housing Commission meeting of July 8, 2024