PLANNING AND HOUSING COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
DATE: 07/08/2024
TO: Honorable Chair and Commissioners
FROM: Planning & Development Department
APPLICATION REQUEST:
Title
CZ2023-0006: Application to change the zoning of 0.59 acres from Mobile Home Park (MP) to General Commercial (C3) and 4.01 acres from MP to Multiple Family Residential (R3) generally located west of Buena Vista Avenue, on the north and south side of Second Street. (Applicant: Greens Development)
End
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the Planning and Housing Commission recommend APPROVAL of CZ2023-0006 to the City Council, based on the findings contained in the staff report.
Body
Area of Property: 4.6 acres (total)
Existing Zoning: MP (Mobile Home Park)
Proposed Zoning: C3 (General Commercial) (0.59 acres) and R3 (Multiple Family Residential) (4.01 acres)
Existing General Plan: HDR (High Density Residential, 15-36 du/ac)
Existing Land Use: Vacant
Proposed Land Use: Commercial (0.59 acres) and Multifamily Apartments (4.01 acres)
Surrounding Zoning/Land Uses:
N: State Route 91
E: R3 / Residential apartments
S: School and C3 / public middle school and commercial shopping center
W: C3 / commercial shopping center and vacant property
BACKGROUND
The combined project site of 4.6 acres is vacant. The project site was originally occupied with mobile homes but was eventually removed to accommodate the State Route 91 widening project. The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) was the agency responsible for the freeway widening project and purchased the property to accommodate the right-of-way needed for the extension of Second Street to Lincoln Avenue and the new freeway on-ramp design.
After the construction of the freeway widening, RCTC determined the project site to be excess surplus land and disposed of the property according to the state’s Surplus Land Act. The Corona Housing Authority purchased the 4.01 acres located at the southwest corner of Buena Vista Avenue and Second Street, and the applicant purchased the 0.59 acres located on the north side of Second Street just west of Buena Vista Avenue.
The applicant and owner of the 0.59 acres also owns the adjacent 0.81 acres to the west, which was also purchased from RCTC. The zoning of the adjacent 0.81 acres is C3. This property was once part of the commercial shopping center to the south, which was bifurcated by the extension of Second Street to Lincoln Avenue. The applicant intends to combine both parcels and develop the property for commercial.
The General Plan designation of the 0.59 acres is HDR. The applicant is also proposing to amend the General Plan to General Commercial (GC) to establish consistency with the proposed C3 zone. The applicant’s request is being reviewed by GPA2023-0004.
The Corona Housing Authority and owner of the 4.01 acres intends to have the property developed for multiple family residential apartments.
PROPOSED CHANGE OF ZONE
CZ2023-0006 proposes to change the zoning of two separate parcels to accommodate future land uses planned on the sites. Exhibit 2 identifies and shows the location of each parcel.
Site One
This site is 0.59 acres and is located between the right-of-way for State Route 91 to the north and Second Street to the south. The zoning of the site is MP. CZ2023-0006 proposes to change the zone to C3 to be consistent with the adjacent parcel to the west. The proposed change to the C3 zone will allow the parcel to be combined with the adjacent parcel and allow for commercial land uses.
Site Two
This site is 4.01 acres and is primarily a corner parcel that is adjacent to Second Street to the north and Buena Vista Avenue to the east. The zoning of the site is MP. A small 0.16 acres is also located at the immediate southwest corner where Second Street and Buena Vista Avenue connect and is adjacent to the project site. This 0.16 acres is also owned by the Corona Housing Authority and zoned R3.
CZ2023-0006 proposes to change the zoning on the 4.01 acres to R3. The R3 zone will create consistency with the property’s General Plan designation, which is HDR. The HDR designation allows a residential density range of 15 to 36 dwelling units per acre (du/ac), which is the same density allowed by the R3 zone. The current MP zone has a residential density limit of 8 du/ac, which is lower than the density range allowed by the General Plan creating an inconsistency between the zoning and General Plan. The R3 zone will also be an extension of the R3 zone that exists on the 0.16 acres at the corner of Second Street and Buena Vista Avenue.
The Corona Housing Authority intends to combine both parcels and partner with a housing developer on the development of multiple family apartments.
California Housing Accountability Act
The state’s Housing Accountability Act (Government Code Section 65589.5) was amended in 2019 to include the Housing Crisis Act of 2019 (Government Code Section 66300). The Housing Crisis Act of 2019 requires cities to maintain the residential capacity that existed at the time of adoption of the legislation to ensure a no net loss in the zoning for residential units. Cities are allowed to rezone residential properties to a non-residential zone or less intense residential use only if the city concurrently rezones another parcel to make up for the shortfall in housing units lost under the previous zoning.
Site One is 0.59 acres and the MP zone allows a maximum density of 8 du/ac, which results in 5 residential units. Site Two is 4.01 acres and the MP zone allows 32 residential units. The R3 zone allows a maximum density of 36 du/ac, which increases the residential density of the 4.01 acres. Minus the residential units already allowed by the MP zone on both properties, the R3 zone will allow an additional 107 residential units on the 4.01 acres. CZ2023-0006 satisfies the requirement under the Housing Crisis Act of 2019 because the rezoning will result in no net loss in residential units.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
Per Section 15070 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 because 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 mitigation measures 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 Mitigation Negative Declaration is recommended for adoption with the applicant’s companion application General Plan Amendment 2023-0004 (GPA2023-0004).
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. As of the preparation of this report, the city has not received any inquiry from the public on the project.
STAFF ANALYSIS
CZ2023-0006 will establish a logical transition of the C3 zone on Site One and R3 zone on Site Two. Site One is a remnant parcel from the freeway widening project and is adjacent to a parcel containing the C3 zone. The adjacent environment which consists of the freeway, and a commercial shopping center at the southeast corner of Lincoln Avenue and Second Street makes the C3 zone a compatible land use for the area.
Site Two is also a remnant parcel on the south side of Second Street, and across the street from a housing development on Buena Vista Avenue also zoned R3. The adjacent property to the south is a public school. The R3 zone will be an extension of the current R3 zone that exists on the 0.16 acres at the immediate southwest corner of Second Street and Buena Vista Avenue. Both parcels are planned to be combined to support a future housing development. The residential density of the R3 zone is also consistent with the General Plan designation of HDR because both allow the same residential density.
FINDINGS FOR APPROVAL OF CZ2023-0006
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 Conditions of Approval attached as Exhibit 3.
b. There is no substantial evidence before the City that the revised project may have a significant effect.
2. The proposed change of zone is in conformity with the General Plan map and text for the following reasons:
a. CZ2023-0006 is consistent with companion application GPA2023-0004 which proposes to amend the General Plan on the project site’s 0.59 acres (Site One) to GC (General Commercial) to establish consistency with the C3 zone because both classifications are intended for commercial land uses.
b. CZ2023-0006 is consistent with the General Plan designation of HDR on the project site’s 4.01 acres (Site Two) because the R3 zone is also intended for multiple family development that allows a maximum density of 36 du/ac.
c. CZ2023-0006 is consistent with General Plan Policy LU-4.3 to allow for the development of vacant lands on the periphery of existing development that complements the scale and pattern of existing uses, and where it is logical and feasible to extend infrastructure because commercial and high density residential and available infrastructure exists in the vicinity of the project site.
d. CZ2023-0006 is consistent with General Plan Policy LU-7.1 to accommodate 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 standard and design and development policies and adopted Housing Element because the R3 zone establishes consistency with the General Plan designation of HDR on the project site’s 4.01 acres.
3. The subject property is suitable for the uses permitted in the C3 and R3 zones in terms of access, size of parcel, relationship to similar or related uses, for the following reason:
a. The properties are remnant parcels from a freeway widening project and CZ2023-0006 will change the zoning to be consistent with the zoning on adjacent parcels to support the consolidation of parcels for future development under the C3 and R3 zones.
4. The proposed change of zone is necessary and proper at this time, and is not likely to be detrimental to the adjacent property or residents for the following reasons:
a. CZ2023-0006 will establish consistency with the General Plan designation of HDR on the project site’s 4.01 acres.
b. CZ2023-0006 will allow development that is consistent with the commercial and residential zoning and existing uses in the vicinity of the project site.
5. The proposed change of zone is in the interest of the public health, safety, necessity, convenience and general welfare and in accordance with good zoning practice for the following reason:
a. CZ2023-0006 will allow for an extension of the existing zoning on properties adjacent to the project site, which will result in future development using the same development standards as those that already exist in the surrounding area.
PREPARED BY: SANDRA VANIAN, PLANNING MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: JOANNE COLETTA, PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
EXHIBITS
1. Locational
2. GPA2023-0004 & CZ2023-0006 Exhibit
3. Conditions of Approval