PLANNING AND HOUSING COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
DATE: 8/26/2019
TO: Honorable Chair and Commissioners
FROM: Community Development Department
APPLICATION REQUEST:
Title
PM 37565: A parcel map application to create two parcels totaling 3.48 acres to facilitate the development of two medical office buildings located on the south side of West 6th Street between Sheridan Street and Belle Avenue in the Downtown District zone of the Downtown Corona Revitalization Specific Plan (SP98-01). (Applicant: Richard Boureston, Boureston Development, 650 Town Center Drive, Suite 890, Costa Mesa, CA 92626)
End
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the Planning and Housing Commission recommend adoption the Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring Plan and APPROVAL of PM 37565 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: 3.48 acres combined (13 properties)
Existing General Plan: MUD (Mixed Use: Downtown)
LDR (Low Density Residential, 3-6 du/ac)
OP (Office Professional)
Proposed General Plan: MUD (Mixed Use: Downtown)
OP (Office Professional)
Specific Plan: Downtown Corona Revitalization Specific Plan (SP98-01)
Existing Zoning: D (Downtown District)
SF (Single Family District)
CS (Community Services District)
Proposed Zoning: D (Downtown District)
Existing Land Use: Vacant land and parking lot
Proposed Land Use: Medical office buildings
Surrounding Land Uses / Zoning:
S: Parking lot for the Corona Regional Medical Center / CS District of SP98-01
N: Sixth Street and commercial buildings beyond/ D District of SP98-01
E: Tire shop, Belle Avenue and Corona Public Library beyond / D and CS Districts of SP98-01
W: Sheridan Street and automobile dealership and single-family residences beyond / TC and SF (Transitional Commercial and Single Family Districts) of SP98-01
BACKGROUND
The project site is comprised of two blocks containing 13 parcels located on the south side of West 6th Street between Sheridan Street and Belle Avenue. The two blocks are physically separated by 7th Street which will be vacated adjacent to the project site so that the land area can be included as part of the project’s on-site improvements. Two alleys which are located between the parcels will also be vacated adjacent to the project site and included within the project boundary. In total, the project site is 3.48 acres which will be developed with two medical office buildings totaling 58,900 square feet. The development also includes on-site parking to serve the buildings and on-street parking located on Belle Avenue adjacent to the project site.
The project site consists of 12 vacant parcels and one developed parcel containing a parking lot for the Corona Public Library which is located east of the project site. The parking lot and the adjacent vacant property (315 W. 7th Street) located directly west of the parking lot are currently under the ownership of the City of Corona. The remaining 11 vacant parcels are under the ownership of the Corona Housing Authority.
On November 7, 2018, the city entered into a Development and Disposition Agreement with the applicant, Boureston Companies, to allow the applicant to acquire the 11 properties owned by the Corona Housing Authority. The applicant is also acquiring the two city-owned properties. All 13 properties are currently under escrow and, per the terms of the Agreement, the sale of the properties will be finalized once the applicant has obtained project approval.
The Agreement establishes certain milestones for the construction of the project which will be phased. Phase 1 will be the construction of Building A which is located closest to Sixth Street and Phase 2 will be the construction of Building B which is located on the southern portion of the project site closest to the Corona Regional Medical Center. The Agreement requires the applicant to complete construction of the building associated with Phase 1 and all necessary related off-site public improvements within 36 months after the close of escrow. The building associated with Phase 2 is required to be completed within 36 months of the first certificate of occupancy issued for the building in Phase 1. However, the Agreement does not prevent the applicant from constructing both buildings at the same time under Phase 1. Building A is intended to be occupied by City of Hope, a cancer treatment center. Building B will be a medical office building occupied by multiple tenants specializing in specific medical practices.
To make up for the loss of the 49 parking spaces within the library’s off-site parking lot, the city will be entering into a shared parking agreement with the applicant to allow library patrons to utilize the new on-street parking spaces proposed on Belle Avenue which will have 54 parking spaces. Library patrons will be able to utilize the parking spaces during the evenings and weekends when the library is heavily trafficked. This agreement was discussed at the Infrastructure Committee meeting on July 31, 2017. The Committee was receptive to the proposed on-street parking as it would provide parking that is much needed, and the spaces are also at a safe walking distance to the library. The Committee also discussed the appearance of the buildings from Sixth Street with then-Council Member Jason Scott directing that if the rear elevations of the buildings face Sixth Street they should receive as much architectural detail along the backs as the fronts.
The 13 parcels have varied General Plan land use designations and zoning under the Downtown Corona Revitalization Specific Plan. Due to this, the project requires a General Plan Amendment (GPA2019-0001) which would bring each parcel into one General Plan designation. Parcel 1 will maintain its existing General Plan designation of Mixed Use Downtown and Parcel 2 is proposed to have a General Plan designation of Office Professional. The area for Parcel 2 contains two General Plan designations of Low Density Residential and Office Professional. Therefore, to facilitate the creation of the new parcel being created by this parcel map, the parcel needs to have one General Plan designation. A Specific Plan Amendment (SPA2019-0001) is also being processed to bring all the parcels into one consistent zoning. Additionally, the project requires a precise plan (PP2019-0003) to review the site plan and architecture of the project.
The project was initially reviewed by staff through the city’s Development Plan Review (DPR) process in November 2018. The applicant officially submitted the GPA, SPA, parcel map, and precise plan applications to the city on March 15, 2019. The applicant was issued an application incomplete letter due to missing or incomplete application items. The applicant over time submitted the required application materials to staff with the applications finally considered complete on July 23, 2019, and cleared for public hearing before the Planning and Housing Commission on August 26, 2019.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
As shown in Exhibit A, Parcel Map 37565 proposes to merge 13 parcels into two parcels totaling 3.48 acres. Parcel 1 is 1.75 acres and intended for the development of a 32,500 square foot two-story medical office building for the City of Hope. Parcel 2 is 1.73 acres and intended for the development of a 26,400 square foot two-story medical office building. In addition to the buildings, both parcels will contain parking spaces associated with the buildings.
The parcel map also proposes to create four lettered lots for street rights-of-way to be dedicated to the City. Lot A is 0.40 acres and encompasses the east half of Sheridan Street. Lot B is 0.30 acres and encompasses the west half of Belle Avenue. Lots C and D are 0.03 and 0.01 acres, respectively, and are located at the northwest and northeast corners of the project site within the 6th Street right-of-way.
The parcels are being created under the development standards of the Downtown District. No minimum lot area, width, or depth requirement is prescribed for newly created lots in the Downtown District. The following table summarizes the lot information for this subdivision.
Table A
Lot Summary for PM 37565
|
Parcel No. |
Lot Area |
Use |
|
1 |
1.75 ac. |
Medical office building |
|
2 |
1.73 ac. |
Medical office building |
|
A |
0.40 ac. |
Street Dedication (Sheridan Street) |
|
B |
0.30 ac. |
Street Dedication (Belle Avenue) |
|
C |
0.03 ac. |
Street Dedication (6th Street) |
|
D |
0.01 ac. |
Street Dedication (6th Street) |
ACCESS AND PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS
Parcel 1 will have access from 6th Street and Sheridan Street. Parcel 2 will have access from Belle Avenue. However, the access and parking for both parcels will be shared for the two buildings planned on the project site.
Public improvements are required for the south half-width of 6th Street along the project site’s frontage. The south half-width of Sixth Street from the centerline to the right-of-way line is required to be 50 feet. Currently, the south half-width is 40 feet; therefore, the applicant is required to dedicate an additional 10 feet of public right-of-way along the project’s street frontage where insufficient right-of-way exists. This dedication is being provided by Parcels C and D. The applicant is also required to construct the necessary public improvements including curb and gutter, a 7-foot wide sidewalk and 10-foot landscape parkway behind the sidewalk along this frontage.
Sheridan Street is required to be widened to have an overall right-of-way width of 60 feet which shall include a paved roadway width of 40 feet curb to curb and a 10-foot wide parkway for landscaping and sidewalk on both sides of the street. The improvements on the west half of Sheridan Street between 6th Street and 7th Street shall include space for a new bus stop for the Corona Cruiser. Beyond 7th Street to the south, the improvements will transition to match the existing conditions on the west half-width of Sheridan Street. The east half-width of Sheridan Street is required to be improved with curb and gutter plus a 5-foot wide landscape parkway and a 5-foot wide sidewalk adjacent to the project site.
Belle Avenue is required to have an overall right-of-way width of 80 feet with 28 feet of paved roadway that will have unobstructed access. The street will be modified to include angled parking spaces on both sides of the street. Beyond the 28-foot wide roadway a paved width of 19.7 feet will be provided on both sides of the street to accommodate the on-street angled parking design. The parkway width on Belle Avenue adjacent to the project site will include a 5-foot wide landscape parkway and a 4-foot wide sidewalk. The parkway width on the east side of the street will include a 6-foot wide sidewalk and no landscape parkway.
EASEMENTS
Sheet 4 of the parcel map exhibit in Exhibit A depicts the proposed and existing easements for the project site. The project proposes to establish easements over two areas within the parking lot that will contain drainage and infiltration facilities associated with the project’s Water Quality Management Plan. A 20-foot wide easement will be established over a new public water line that will be constructed within the project site. A 10-foot wide Southern California Edison easement will be established within the project site for underground utility lines. The project contains several existing easements related to SCE utility lines and public facilities (sidewalks, sewer, water, and storm drain facilities) which will be protected in place.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
The section of 7th Street between Sheridan Street and Belle Avenue and the two existing 16-foot wide alleys located between Sheridan Street and the project site’s east property line and between 7th Street and the site’s south property line will be vacated by separate instrument in order for these areas to be included within the project boundary. The alley having access from Sheridan Street is located within Parcel 1 and the alley having access from 7th Street is located within Parcel 2. It is worth mentioning that this alley used to extend southward but the southerly portion was vacated as part of the expansion to the Corona Regional Medical Center and is now part of the hospital’s parking lot. For the alley that is located within Parcel 1, the applicant intends to transfer the portion of the alley that borders the south side of the adjacent commercial property (tire shop) located at the corner of 6th Street and Belle Avenue to the owner of the commercial property which will allow the tire shop to continue to utilize the alley.
The Corona Cruiser Blue and Red Line routes currently run on Belle Avenue and on the roadway section of 7th Street that is proposed to be vacated with this project. Since this section of 7th Street is to be vacated, the bus routes are being rerouted from Belle Avenue to Sixth Street and to Sheridan Street as shown in Exhibit D. To accommodate the change in the route, a new bus stop will be placed on 6th Street going eastbound and another one on Sheridan Street going southbound. The remainder of the route will be protected in place as the route will continue to travel on Sheridan Street beyond the project site.
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 (Exhibit F).
FISCAL IMPACT
The applicant paid $15,701.75 in application processing fees for the parcel map application.
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 received calls from two property owners of two residential properties located on Sheridan Street south of Eighth Street. The property owners requested clarification on the location and use of the project with one property owner expressing support for having the City of Hope in Corona.
Staff also received a letter of protest from Mr. John Vazirian who owns the automobile dealership and three residential properties located to the west of the project site. The letter is attached in Exhibit G. Mr. Vazirian’s concern is related directly to the design of the project and is not related to the parcel map but is being included with this staff report for informational purposes. Mr. Vazirian indicates that Building A would visually obstruct his business and future commercial development on his properties from Sixth Street. His letter includes three site plans depicting alternative layouts of Building A that would reduce visual impacts to his properties. Staff has spoken to Mr. Vazirian and informed him that his properties including the residential properties are zoned Transitional Commercial which requires only an 8-foot front yard setback. Therefore, any future commercial development proposed on his properties could be built as close as 8 feet from the Sixth Street right-of-way line. This setback is closer to Sixth Street than the setback that is being proposed for Building A which is designed to have a 10-foot setback from Sixth Street with the majority of the building being set back 20 feet from Sixth Street. Also, the medical office buildings could be built up to a height of 60 feet which is allowed in the Downtown District but the applicant has chosen to design them as two-story buildings with a height of approximately 40 feet. It is also worth mentioning that this segment of 6th Street is intended for commercial development and the city’s development standards do not require the preservation or protection of views along the street from certain distances. The development standards are adopted by the city to provide equal application of the standards to all property owners that develop their property in accordance with the zoning of the property.
STAFF ANALYSIS
Parcel Map 37565 facilitates the development of two medical office buildings on the project site. The use is being reviewed by an associated precise plan application PP2019-0003. The parcel map complies with the development standards of the Downtown District which prescribes no minimum lot area, width, or depth requirement for the lots. The parcels are provided with adequate access from 6th Street, Sheridan Street, and Belle Avenue. The parcel map guarantees the construction of any missing public improvements on the streets adjacent to the project site.
The project is consistent with General Plan Policies 1.1.1, 1.1.2, and 1.1.3 because it helps Corona be a community that contains various uses to support the diverse needs of Corona’s residents, enhances the City’s fiscal viability, and minimizes the need for Corona residents to travel to surrounding communities for recreational services. Therefore, based on the following findings and conditions of approval, PM 37565 is recommended for approval.
FINDINGS OF APPROVAL FOR PM 37565
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 B.
b. There is no substantial evidence before the City that the revised project may have a significant effect.
2. Pursuant to California Government Code Section 66411.1 this division of land necessitates the inclusion of Conditions of Approval for the following reasons:
a. The guarantee of the construction of improvements for W. 6th Street, Sheridan Street, and Belle Avenue is necessary for the public's safe access to and around the site.
b. The improvements of W. 6th Street, Sheridan Street, and Belle Avenue are necessary for the orderly development of the surrounding areas because there is the potential that surrounding properties could be developed. Each site must contribute to the improvements so that further development would not be detrimental to the public.
3. None of the conditions provided in Section 66474 of the California Government Code exist for the following reasons:
a. The proposed map and associated development are consistent with the General Plan designation of Mixed Use: Downtown and Office/Professional which are being proposed for the project site by associated General Plan Amendment application GPA2019-0001. The map and associated development are also consistent with the Downtown Corona Revitalization Specific Plan’s designation of Downtown District which is being proposed for the project site by associated Specific Plan Amendment application SPA2019-0001.
b. The design or improvement of the proposed subdivision is consistent with the development standards of the Downtown District of the Downtown Corona Revitalization Specific Plan which prescribes no minimum lot area, width, or depth requirement for newly created lots.
c. The site is suitable for the type of development proposed and offers adequate access from West 6th Street, Sheridan Street, and Belle Avenue, as demonstrated by Exhibit A of PM 37565.
d. The site is physically suitable for the development of medical office buildings which are capable of meeting the development standards required by the Downtown District as demonstrated by the project’s site plan attached as Exhibit C of PM 37565.
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’s initial study has determined that potential environmental impacts are capable of being mitigated to less than significant levels.
f. The proposed subdivision will not result in adverse impact to public health, safety or general welfare because the project adheres to the development standards of the zone in which it is located promoting orderly development of the project site and the improvements associated with the project adhere to city standards.
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 no such easements exist on the project site, or the easements are being protected in place or relocated elsewhere on the project site.
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 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 Downtown District of the Downtown Corona Revitalization Specific Plan for the following reasons:
a. The Downtown Corona Revitalization Specific Plan prescribes no minimum lot area, width or depth requirement for new lots created within the Downtown District. Therefore, the proposed parcel map is in compliance with the Downtown District.
REVIEWED BY: SANDRA YANG, SENIOR PLANNER
SUBMITTED BY: JOANNE COLETTA, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
EXHIBITS
1. Locational and Zoning Map.
2. Exhibit A - Parcel Map 37565.
3. Exhibit B - Conditions of Approval.
4. Exhibit C - Site Plan.
5. Exhibit D - Proposed Corona Cruiser Bus Route Change.
6. Exhibit E - Applicant’s letter dated May 21, 2019 giving essential subdivision information.
7. Exhibit F - Environmental Documentation.
8. Exhibit G - Public Correspondence.
Case Planner: Sandra Yang (951) 736-2262