AGENDA REPORT
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 12/04/2019
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Community Development Department
SUBJECT:
Title
City Council consideration of Precise Plan Modification PPM2019-0006, an application to amend Precise Plan PD-69-2 to allow for freestanding parcel identification signs within the Village Grove Plaza (located at 1240-1296 Border Avenue in the PCD Zone). (Applicant: Opt. Village Grove, LLC)
End
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council:
1. Adopt the Resolution No. 2019-099 approving PPM2019-0006, based on the findings contained in the staff and conditions of approval.
OR
2. Set the item for review at a subsequent meeting.
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Body
ANALYSIS:
The Village Grove Plaza located at 1240-1296 Border Avenue was initially approved in 1970 under Precise Plan PD-69-2 and later amended by Resolution No. 75-51 in May 1975. PPM2019-0006 is a modification to the precise plan to allow freestanding parcel identification signs for the commercial center, which is currently prohibited by Resolution 75-51. Except for freestanding parcel identification signs, all other signage is allowed per Corona Municipal Code Chapter (CMC) 17.74 per the C-2 (Restricted Commercial) zone requirement.
The property owner of the Village Grove Plaza recently repainted the center in a brown and tan color scheme to give it a fresh and updated appearance and is proposing to establish a sign program for the freestanding parcel identification signs that would be architecturally compatible with the center’s appearance. The proposed freestanding signs would help the center have a more dated and cohesive look in addition to providing necessary signage for tenants from the center’s street frontages. The proposed sign program has been designed to comply with the requirements of the city’s C-2 zone as governed by the CMC and are proposed to have ground mounted lighting for illumination instead of internal illumination. One freestanding sign per street frontage up to a maximum height of 15 feet is allowed for commercial properties. Additionally, the size of each sign is based on one square foot of sign area per one lineal foot of lot frontage (1:1 ratio) up to 200 square feet.
The primary pylon sign is being proposed at the southeasterly corner of the project site adjacent to the intersection of Border Avenue and Via Del Rio. The height of the sign is 15 feet and the sign area is 28.32 square feet. The size of the sign was determined using the site’s linear street frontage on Border Avenue. The linear foot of lot frontage along Border Avenue is approximately 411 feet and the proposed sign area is well below the allowed square footage of 200 square feet.
Two smaller monument style signs are also being proposed and are identical in height and size. The signs are 6 feet in height with a sign area of 14.52 square feet. One sign is proposed at the northeasterly corner of the site adjacent to the intersection of Border Avenue and Via Santiago and the size was determined using the street frontage on Via Santiago. The center’s linear footage on Via Santiago is approximately 350 feet. The other sign is proposed at the center’s southwesterly driveway located on the Via Del Rio frontage. The center’s linear frontage on Via Del Rio is approximately 410 feet. Therefore, the size of the sign area of both monument signs are below the allowed square footage of 200 square feet.
All three signs are proposed within existing landscape planters located on site and will not impact the shopping center’s driveways, drive aisles, or parking spaces. Also, to ensure that the signs will not impair a driver’s line-of-sight at the driveways, the signs are being placed outside of the applicable corner cut-off areas as required under Sections 17.70.030 and 17.70.050 of the Corona Municipal Code.
Each sign is designed to advertise up to four tenants within the center and the name of the shopping center in a vertical lettering design. The signs are supported by a base or posts and have a decorative trim along the top of the sign cabinet. The signs’ brown color scheme matches the existing brown and beige colors of the existing buildings within the center. Due to the surrounding residences across the streets, no internal illumination is proposed within the sign cabinets. Instead, the signs will be externally illuminated by ground-mounted lighting. Each sign will be equipped with an automatic dimmer for nighttime hours. Table A below summarizes the proposed signs for the center.
TABLE A
Village Grove Plaza Signage
|
Sign |
Location |
Quantity |
Sign Area |
Sign Height |
|
A |
Border Avenue |
1 |
28.32 sq. ft. |
15 feet |
|
B |
Via Santiago |
1 |
14.52 sq. ft. |
6 feet |
|
C |
Via Del Rio |
1 |
14.52 sq. ft. |
6 feet |
PPM2019-0006 is consistent with General Plan Policy 2.5.8 which encourages the City to work with property owners of community-oriented commercial centers to establish an urban design program for commercial centers to enhance their aesthetic quality, image, and “fit” with adjoining land uses. Elements may encompass site and entry identification by signage, landscape, or lighting, extensive on-site landscape, public art, improvements of abutting public streetscapes, and other amenities. The proposed sign program enhances the appearance of the shopping center while taking into consideration the surrounding residential neighborhood by requiring exterior ground-mounted lighting to reduce glare.
COMMITTEE ACTION:
Not applicable.
STRATEGIC PLAN:
Not applicable.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The applicant paid $5,421.00 in application processing fees for the precise plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
Per Section 15301 of the State Guidelines for Implementing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Section 3.22 of the City’s Local CEQA Guidelines, a Notice of Exemption has been prepared for the project because the project qualifies as a Class 1 (Existing Facilities) categorical exemption. The project consists of constructing three monument and pylon signs within an existing shopping center that is fully developed with buildings, parking, and landscaping with adequate access. The signs are between 6 to 15 feet in height and will not result in any impacts to the environment.
PLANNING AND HOUSING COMMISSION ACTION:
At its meeting of November 12, 2019 the Planning and Housing Commission considered the subject matter and took the following action:
Motion was made, with the added condition of approval that glare from the ground-mounted light fixture shall not project beyond the project site and shall not be directed toward on-coming traffic, seconded (Jones/Siqueland) and carried unanimously with Commissioner Shah absent, that the Planning and Housing Commission adopt PPM2019-0006, 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, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
SUBMITTED BY: JACOB ELLIS, CITY MANAGER
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - Resolution No. 2019-099.
2. Exhibit 2 - Locational and Zoning Map.
3. Exhibit 3 - Planning and Housing Commission Staff Report.
4. Exhibit 4 - Draft Minutes of the Planning and Housing Commission meeting of November 12, 2019.
APPLICATION INFORMATION
Opt. Village Grove, LLC, 6400 S. Fiddlers Green Circle, Suite 1820, Greenwood Village, CO, 80111