PLANNING AND HOUSING COMMISSION
STAFF REPORT
DATE: 10/11/2021
TO: Honorable Chair and Commissioners
FROM: Planning & Development Department
APPLICATION REQUEST:
Title
PM 37221: Parcel Map application for the subdivision of 2.065 acres into two lots for commercial purposes, located at the southwest corner of Temescal Canyon Road and Pronio Circle in the Entertainment Commercial (EC) designation of the Dos Lagos Specific Plan (SP99-03). (Applicant: Griffin Haupert of Griffco Land, LLC., 2518 N. Santiago Blvd., Orange, CA 92867)
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 37221 to the City Council, based on the findings contained in the staff report and subject to the conditions of approval.
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PROJECT SITE SUMMARY
Area of Property: 2.065 acres
Existing Zoning: EC (Entertainment Commercial) of SP99-03
Existing General Plan: MU1 (Mixed Use Commercial/Residential)
Existing Land Use: Vacant
Proposed Land Use: Commercial Development
Surrounding Land Use and Zoning:
N: Live/Work units in the EC (Entertainment Commercial) designation of SP99-03
E: Residential developments in the R (Residential) designation of SP99-03
S: Commercial center in the EC (Entertainment Commercial) designation of SP99-03
W: Commercial center in the EC (Entertainment Commercial) designation of SP99-03
BACKGROUND
Parcel Map 37221 is a request to subdivide a two-acre property into two parcels for commercial purposes. The property is located at the southwest corner of Temescal Canyon Road and Pronio Circle (Exhibit 1). It is bordered by developments associated with The Shops at Dos Lagos shopping center, including a manmade recreational lake (“Dos Lagos lakes”) to the west, and a restaurant parking lot to the south. To the north are live/work units, separated from the project site by Pronio Drive. To the west are residential units, located on the other side of Temescal Canyon Road. Presently the property is partially developed with a parking lot.
The proposed subdivision is intended to accommodate the development of two professional medical office buildings with a combined building area of 21,400 square feet. The use is permitted by right under the property’s underlying zone, which is Entertainment Commercial (EC). The buildings are designed per the development standards established for the Dos Lagos Specific Plan, and are being reviewed under Precise Plan 2020-0006. Both applications are being presented to the Planning and Housing Commission for concurrent approvals.
The project was preliminarily reviewed by staff on April 9, 2020 (DPR2020-0004). The applicant formally submitted the parcel map and precise plan applications on October 6, 2020. The applications were reviewed by the Project and Environmental Review Committee on October 29, 2020. The applications were determined incomplete; and staff provided the applicant a letter outlining missing items. The applicant subsequently submitted missing information on January 29, 2021 and July 21, 2021. The applications were deemed complete on September 1, 2021.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Attached as Exhibit 2.A is the parcel map exhibit for PM 37221. Proposed Parcel 1 is 30,844 square feet and located at the east portion of the site. Parcel 2 is 59,125 square feet and located on the west portion of the site. Both parcels have frontages on Temescal Canyon Road and Pronio Circle. Parcel 2 abuts the shopping center to the south. Each parcel is intended to accommodate a new medical office building, plus the parking spaces associated with the buildings. A proposed site plan, which is being reviewed concurrently as PP2020-0006, has been attached for reference (Exhibit 2.C).
In accordance with the site development standard under Section 4.3.2 of the Dos Lagos Specific Plan, there is no minimum lot area, width or depth requirement for newly created commercial parcels in the EC zone. The following table summarizes the lot information for this subdivision.
TABLE 1
Proposed Lot Sizes for PM 37221
|
Parcel Number |
Lot Area |
Acreage |
|
1 |
30,844 |
0.71 |
|
2 |
59,125 |
1.36 |
ACCESS AND PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS
Parcels 1 and 2 will have vehicular access from Pronio Circle via an existing driveway located at the north perimeter of the property. The parcels will also have access from within the adjacent shopping center, which has multiple entrances located along Temescal Canyon Road.
Temescal Canyon Road is classified by the General Plan as a major arterial; and Pronio Circle is classified as a local street. Both roadways are currently capable of handling traffic volumes associated with the proposed project. The portion of Temescal Canyon Road adjacent to the project site is fully improved with roadway, curb and gutter, landscaped parkway and sidewalk. No additional widening is required for this portion of Temescal Canyon Road. The portion of Pronio Circle adjacent to the site is improved with curb and gutters, but has a missing sidewalk along Parcel 1. The applicant is required to construct the missing sidewalk along this section of Pronio Circle.
SPECIAL CODE REQUIREMENTS
The Dos Lagos Specific Plan requires that a 13-foot wide landscape easement be provided along the project’s frontage in addition to the existing parkway within the right-of-way along Temescal Canyon Road. The applicant is providing the required landscape easement and proposes no changes to the parkway within the right-of-way.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
Per Section 15070 of the State Guidelines for Implementing the California Quality Act (CEQA) and Section 6.02 of the City’s Local CEQA Guidelines, a Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared for the project. 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 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 effect on the environment (Exhibit 3).
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The applicant paid the application processing fees to cover the cost of the parcel map review. There is no fiscal impact to the city.
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 Planning and Development Department has not received any response from the public regarding the proposal.
STAFF ANALYSIS
PM 37221 facilitates the development of two medical office buildings on the project site. The development fulfills the intent of the Dos Lagos Specific Plan, which permits office uses by right in the EC zone. The parcels are capable of accommodating the office buildings, landscape setbacks, parking spaces, drive aisles, fire lanes, and other applicable design features required by the Dos Lagos Specific Plan and Corona Municipal Code.
The Specific Plan prescribes no minimum lot area, width or depth requirements for newly created parcels within the EC zone. The parcels are provided with adequate vehicular access from Pronio Circle and from within the adjacent shopping center to the south of the project site. Any missing public improvements within the adjacent roadways will be constructed or guaranteed with the development of the project.
Therefore, the Planning Division recommends approval PM 37221 based on the findings listed below and staff’s recommended conditions of approval attached as Exhibit 2.B.
FINDINGS OF APPROVAL FOR PM 37221
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 2.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 Condition of Approval for the following reasons:
a. The guarantee of the construction of missing improvements for Pronio Circle is necessary for the public's safe access to and around the site.
b. Construction of the missing improvements on Pronio Circle is 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 parcel map facilitates the development of two medical office buildings totaling 21,400 square feet. The project is consistent with the property’s General Plan designation of MU1 (Mixed-Use 1), which permits the development of professional office buildings.
b. The design and improvements associated with the proposed subdivision have been reviewed under Precise Plan 2020-0006 are consistent with the development standards that are established in the Dos Lagos Specific Plan for the Entertainment Commercial zone.
c. The site is physically suitable for the development proposed on the project site and offers adequate access from Pronio Circle and from Temescal Canyon Road through an adjacent shopping center, as demonstrated by Exhibit 2.C of PM 37221.
d. The site is physically suitable for the development of two office buildings, which are capable of meeting the development standards required by the Dos Lagos Specific Plan, as demonstrated by the project’s site plan attached as Exhibit 2.C.
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 Dos Lagos Specific Plan 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 the easements are being protected in place 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 Utilities Department.
5. The proposal is in conformance with the standards of the Entertainment Commercial designation of the Dos Lagos Specific Plan for the following reason:
a. The applicant’s parcel map meets the development standards and other applicable code requirements under the Entertainment Commercial designation of the Dos Lagos Specific Plan and Corona Municipal Code.
PREPARED BY: RAFAEL TORRES, ASSISTANT PLANNER
REVIEWED BY: SANDRA YANG, SENIOR PLANNER
REVIEWED BY: JAY EASTMAN, PLANNING MANAGER
SUBMITTED BY: JOANNE COLETTA, PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
EXHIBITS
1. Locational and Zoning Map
2.A - Parcel Map 37221
2.B - Conditions of Approval
2.C - Site Plan
2.D - Applicant’s letter dated October 7, 2020
3 - Environmental Documentation
Case Planner: Rafael Torres (951) 736-2262