01-18-2011 - General Plan Amendment No. 10-01Zone Change No. 10 - Item 12 (2).docCity of West Covina
Memorandum
A G E N D A
ITEM NO. 12
DATE: January 18, 2011
TO: City Manager and City Council
FROM: Jeff Anderson
Acting Planning Director
SUBJECT: GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 10-01
ZONE CHANGE NO. 10-01
NEGATIVE DECLARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
APPLICANT: Ahmad Ghaderi - Ashdon Development
LOCATION: Northeast Corner of Azusa Avenue and Giambi Way
RECOMMENDATION:
The Planning Commission and staff recommends that the City Council adopt the following resolutions:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA, CERTIFYING THE NEGATIVE DECLARATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT FOR GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 10-01, ZONE CHANGE
NO. 10-01, PRECISE PLAN NO. 10-02, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 10-02, AND VARIANCE NO. 10-02 PURSUANT TO THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT OF 1970, AS AMENDED
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 10-01
The Planning Commission and staff further recommends that the City Council introduce the following ordinance:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA APPROVING ZONE CHANGE NO. 10-01
DISCUSSION:
On August 24, 2010, the Planning Commission approved a precise plan and conditional use permit for the development of a gasoline service station facility including a car wash, convenience
store, food service, a drive-through window, and office space, and also recommended approval of the General Plan amendment and zone change. For more detailed information, please refer
to the Planning Commission staff report (Attachment 4).
The request is to change the General Plan designation of the property located at the northeast corner of the intersection of Azusa Avenue and Giambi Way (vacant lot) from “Open Space”
(O-S) to “Service and Neighborhood Commercial” (S-C) to allow the development of the service station facility.
The “S-C” Zone allows for development of retail service or similar type uses. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a zone change to “Service Commercial” (S-C) to allow for the development
of an auto service station facility that would include a self-service car wash and a two-story convenience store building with office space and space for fast-food use. Because the
property is located on a high traffic volume arterial street and is of limited size the subject property is not an ideal site for a park or open space. It is staff’s belief that changing
the zone to “Service Commercial” is appropriate and will allow the property to be improved and maintained.
Proposed Development
The project proposes the construction of a gas station facility that includes a 2,340-square foot self-service car wash facility, and a 7,305-square foot two-story building. The building
includes a 2,340-square foot second floor and a 4,965-square foot first floor. The lot is currently undeveloped and is 92,729 square feet in size. The applicant proposes to subdivide
the first floor of the building into three tenant spaces including: a food mart, food take out, and a fast food restaurant with a drive-through. The site is located at the northeast
corner of Azusa Avenue and Giambi Way directly adjacent to the Big League Dreams Sports Park.
Two 26-foot high geo grid retaining walls are proposed along the easterly property line. The proposed retaining walls will match the style of retaining walls currently located throughout
the Heights Retail Center and Big League Dreams Sports Park.
Additionally, a twelve-foot wide deceleration lane to allow vehicles into and out of the subject site is proposed along the Azusa Avenue frontage. The deceleration lane allows for vehicles
to enter and exit the subject property without conflicting with through traffic.
The two-story building is proposed to be contemporary in style and provide a variety of articulation in building surfaces. Stone veneer (Chardonnay “Southern Ledgestone”) columns are
provided throughout front and side elevations of the building. The façade design will include smooth finish stucco and architectural cornice molding along the raised parapets. The
exterior of the building will include a mixture of beige and tan colored smooth stucco cement plaster. Decorative square accents with revels are proposed along the front and side elevations.
Rod-supported metal “Curved Trellises” are proposed on the front elevation of the first floor and on the second floor of the building.
The proposed self-service car wash building includes stone veneer columns with a wood trellis over the parking area along the front of the car wash building. The façade design and exterior
of the building includes a mixture of beige and tan colored smooth stucco cement plaster that is consistent with the adjacent convenience store building.
The project also includes a conditional use permit for a service station, convenience store, fast food use, carwash, and drive through.
Environmental Review
The project requires a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The environmental consulting firm of ESA prepared the MND as well as
the Post Closure Development Environmental Impact Report closing the BKK Landfill, and the Big League Dreams City Park, Sports Complex and Commercial Retail Center Supplemental Environmental
Impact Report (Big League Dreams SEIR). The MND concluded less than significant impacts caused by the proposed project. The public review period for the Negative Declaration ran from
August 4, 2010 through August 24, 2010. On September 15, 2010, staff received a letter from the Department of Fish and Game responding to the MND (Attachment 13). In order to address
issues raised in the Department of Fish and Game letter, it is recommended that the mitigation of the Biological Resources section be amended in the draft MND to address their comments.
Changes recommended to those mitigations are provided in Attachment 11 and include the following:
Requiring a qualified biologist to conduct a breeding bird survey to determine if protected species have nests in the vicinity; and
Recommending that coastal sage scrub vegetation be removed prior to February 1 or after September 1 to avoid impacts to the birds or nests.
On January 6, 2011, staff sent a response letter (Attachment 12) to the Department of Fish and Game indicating the potential impacts to coastal California gnatcatcher were mitigated
to less-than-significant level under the California Environmental Quality Act.
PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEW AND ACTION:
The Planning Commission held a public hearing regarding this matter on August 24, 2010. Commissioner Stewart expressed concerns regarding the potential noise impacts from the carwash
and adequate parking. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Commission voted 5-0 to approve the precise plan and conditional use permit as well as to recommend approval of the General
Plan amendment, zone change, and Mitigated Negative Declaration to the City Council. In approving the project, the primary reasons cited by the Planning Commission included improvement
to the area and the addition of well designed and attractive buildings that would be an asset to the surrounding community. The Commission therefore acted to approve the proposal.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The estimated building valuation for the new office building is $969,106. The property tax is equal to 1 percent of the assessed valuation. The City’s portion of that assessment is
approximately $9,691 annually.
_______________________________ _______________________________________
Prepared by: Ron Garcia Reviewed/Approved by: Jeff Anderson
Planning Associate Acting Planning Director
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – Draft Mitigated Negative Declaration of Environmental Impact Resolution
Attachment 2 - Draft General Plan Amendment Resolution for Approval
Attachment 3 – Draft Zone Change Ordinance for Approval
Attachment 4 – Planning Commission Staff Report dated August 24, 2010
Attachment 5 – Planning Commission Minutes dated August 24, 2010
Attachment 6 –Planning Commission Resolution No. 10-5373, Mitigated Negative Declaration of Environmental Impact
Attachment 7 – Planning Commission Resolution No. 10-5374, General Plan Amendment No. 10-01
Attachment 8 – Planning Commission Resolution No. 10-5375, Zone Change No. 10-01
Attachment 9 – Planning Commission Resolution No. 10-5376, Precise Plan No. 10-02
Attachment 10 – Planning Commission Resolution No. 10-5377, Conditional Use Permit No. 10-02
Attachment 11– Recommended Amendments to Biology Mitigation Measures
Attachment 12– Staff response letter (Attachment 12) to the Department of Fish and Game, dated January 6, 2011
Attachment 13 – Department of Fish and Game Response Letter, dated September 15, 2010