PLANNING AND HOUSING COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
DATE: 8/20/2018
TO: Honorable Chair and Commissioners
FROM: Community Development Department
APPLICATION REQUEST:
Title
PM37452 (PM2018-0001):Parcel map application to subdivide 8.81 acres into two parcels located approximately 350 feet west of Lincoln Avenue, north of Sixth Street in the MP (Mobile Home Park) Zone and proposed C-3 (General Commercial) Zone on 0.20 acres. APN: 118-201-012, 013 (Applicant: Fitschen Family Trust, 1203 W. Sixth Street Corona CA 92882).
End
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the Planning and Housing Commission recommend adoption of the Negative Declaration and APPROVAL of PM37452 to the City Council, based on the findings contained in the staff report and subject to the conditions of approval.
Body
PROJECT SITE SUMMARY
Area of Property: 8.81 acres
Existing Zoning: MP (Mobile Home Park)
Existing General Plan: GC (General Commercial)
Existing Land Use: Mobile Home Park/Vacant commercial building
Proposed Land Use: Mobile Home Park/Vacant commercial building
Surrounding Land Uses:
N: FP1(Flood Plain)/Flood control channel, C-3 (General Commercial)/Commercial development
E: C-3 (General Commercial)/Commercial development
S: C-3 (General Commercial)/W. Sixth Street and Commercial development beyond
W: FP1(Flood Plain)/Flood control channel, R-3(Multiple-Family Residential)/Apartment complex
BACKGROUND
The 8.81 acres currently contains 92 mobile homes and a 1,717 square foot vacant commercial building in the MP (Mobile Home Park) Zone. The project site is bordered by a flood control channel to the north and west, commercial development to the north, east, and Sixth Street to the south with commercial development beyond. The applicant is proposing to subdivide the parcel into two parcels to separate the mobile home park from the vacant commercial building. At this time there is no development proposal for the vacant commercial building. The subdivision is accompanied by a Change of Zone (CZ2018-0001) that will establish the C-3 (General Commercial) Zone on the 0.20 acres containing the vacant commercial building.
On November 28, 2017, the applicant submitted a Development Plan Review (DPR2017-0120) to the city for the proposed subdivision. Following DPR, the applicant submitted a parcel map application and change of zone application which were discussed at the Project and Environmental Review Committee (PRC) meeting of April 19, 2018.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
PM37452 will establish two parcels on 8.81 acres as illustrated in Exhibit A. Parcel 1 is the larger of the two parcels proposed at 8.59 acres and will continue to accommodate the mobile home park which contains 92 mobile homes. Parcel 2 will be 0.20 acres (8,712 square feet) and will accommodate an existing 1,717 square foot commercial building that has been vacant since 2013. The following table summarizes the lot information for this subdivision.
TABLE 1
Proposed Lot Sizes
Parcel No. Lot Area (Acres)
1 8.59
2 0.20
A 0.01
B 0.02
Parcel 1 will continue to retain the MP zone whereas Parcel 2 is proposed to have a zone of C-3 from MP. Section 17.30.050 of the Corona Municipal Code (CMC) governs development in the MP zone and prescribes minimum development standards for a mobile home park. The MP zone indicates the site area, not lot area, shall be no less than 10 acres. Currently, the site area of the mobile home park is 8.81 acres. The mobile home park is a legally established use and was likely established prior to the minimum site area established in the CMC. The parcel map separating 0.20 acres from the current mobile home park will reduce the size of the mobile home park to 8.59 acres. However, this slight reduction will not affect the overall layout or operation of the mobile home park because the 0.20 acres is separated and isolated from the other mobile homes located in the park and has direct access from Sixth Street and not from the park itself. Therefore, the parcel map is not creating a substandard condition from the current condition.
Section 17.33.060 of the CMC describes the development standards for properties in the C-3 zone. No minimum lot size is prescribed for the C-3 zone; therefore, the proposed 0.20 acres would be consistent with the zone. The lot width and depth of Parcel 2 is approximately 75 feet by 114 feet, respectively.
The two lettered lots shown on the parcel map accommodate the dedications for the street rights-of-way adjacent to Sixth Street.
Easements
The map displays two new Public Utility Easements (PUE) per the Department of Water and Power to accommodate an existing backflow device. Each easement will be 20 feet wide by 10 feet deep. The first PUE will be located along the frontage of Parcel 1 north of west Sixth Street. The second PUE will be located along the frontage of Parcel 2 west of Lincoln Avenue. Lastly, the map also displays three easements across the site for a variety of utility purposes and storm drain purposes.
ACCESS AND PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS
Parcel 1 provides primary vehicular access from west Sixth Street, which is classified by the General Plan as a Mixed Use Boulevard 4 Lane Divided/Undivided. A secondary vehicular access for Parcel 1 is provided from Lincoln Avenue, which is classified by the General Plan as a Secondary 4 Lane. Additionally, Parcel 2 also provides access from west Sixth Street. In addition to the mobile homes, the current site development includes a parking lot and landscaping. Per the conditions of approval (Exhibit B), a 20' x 10' PUE is required for the existing backflow device along Sixth Street and the existing backflow device along Lincoln Avenue. The conditions of approval also state an additional easement for public sidewalk purposes will be required for the ADA compliant path of travel along Sixth Street.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
Per Section 15070 of the State Guidelines for Implementing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Section 6.01 of the City’s Local Guidelines, an initial study was prepared for the project which demonstrates that there is no substantial evidence in light of the whole record before the City that the project may have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, a negative declaration is recommended for adoption (Exhibit D).
FISCAL IMPACT
The applicant has paid all the required application processing fees.
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, staff has not received any correspondence regarding the proposed project.
STAFF ANALYSIS
The proposed subdivision and the change of zone will facilitate the separation of the mobile home park from the commercial building. Consistent with other zones in the area, the proposed C-3 Zone for Parcel 2 is compatible with the existing commercial development to the east, south and west of the project site along Sixth Street. The parcel map will allow Parcel 2 to function as a commercial parcel separate from the mobile home park and will integrate with other commercial uses fronting Sixth Street. Additionally, PM37452 will serve to implement General Plan goals and policies encouraging development of vacant infill properties and facilitation of uses that serve the city’s residents and business community.
FINDINGS OF APPROVAL FOR PM2018-0001 (PM37452)
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 demonstrated that there is no substantial evidence in light of the whole record before the City that the project may have a significant or potentially significant adverse effect on the environment. Therefore, a Negative Declaration was prepared.
2. Pursuant to California Government Code Section 66411.1 this division of land necessitates the inclusion of Conditions of Approval for the requirement of Public Utility Easements and additional easement for public sidewalk purposes, attached as Exhibit B, for the following reason:
a. Although the project site is developed with a mobile home park and a vacant commercial building, the Conditions of Approval require a 20' x 10' PUE for the existing backflow device along Sixth Street and the existing backflow device along Lincoln Avenue.
b. The conditions of approval also state an additional easement for public sidewalk purposes will be required for the ADA compliant path of travel along Sixth Street as noted on the plans.
3. None of the conditions provided in Section 66474 of the California Government Code exist for the following reasons:
a. The existing mobile home park and commercial building on the project site are located in the General Commercial designation of the General Plan, and the parcel map does not change the land uses currently existing.
b. The parcel map is consistent with the development standards of both the MP zone and C-3 zone for the establishment of the newly created parcels.
c. The site is suitable for the parcel map as the existing land uses continue to have adequate access from west Sixth Street and Lincoln Avenue.
d. PM37452 will create one separate parcel for the existing mobile home park and one separate parcel for the existing commercial building. The map clearly demonstrates the site is physically suitable to accommodate the existing uses.
e. The design of the subdivision or the proposed improvements is not likely to cause substantial environmental damage or substantially injure fish or wildlife or their habitat because the project site is fully developed with a mobile home park and a vacant commercial building; therefore, there are no potential environmental impacts to wildlife and their habitat.
f. The proposed subdivision will not result in adverse impact to public health, safety or general welfare because the project site already contains a mobile home park and a commercial building.
g. The design of the subdivision or the type of improvements will not conflict with easements, acquired by the public at large, for access through or use of, property within the proposed subdivision because the existing easements are being protected in place onsite.
4. Pursuant to California Government Code Section 66464.6, the discharge of waste from the proposed subdivision into existing community sewers would not result in violation of existing requirements presented by the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board pursuant to Division 7 (commencing with Section 13000) of the Water Code for the following reason:
a. The amount of discharge to be produced by the existing development does not exceed the limit established by the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board as monitored by the City of Corona’s Department of Water and Power.
5. The proposal is in conformance with the standards of the existing MP (Mobile Home Park) Zone and the proposed C-3 (General Commercial) Zone for the following reasons:
a. Both zones do not prescribe a minimum lot area for newly created parcels, therefore Parcels 1 and 2 meet the criteria of the MP and C-3 Zones and continue to accommodate the existing uses located on the project site.
PREPARED BY: LUPITA GARCIA, ASSISTANT PLANNER
REVIEWED BY: TERRI MANUEL, PLANNING MANAGER
SUBMITTED BY: JOANNE COLETTA, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
EXHIBITS
1. Locational and Zoning Map
2. Exhibit A - Parcel Map 37452
3. Exhibit B - Conditions of Approval
4. Exhibit C - Applicant’s letter dated March 27, 2018
5. Exhibit D - Environmental Documentation
6. Exhibit E - GIS Aerial Map
Case Planner: Lupita Garcia (951) 736-2293