HomeMy WebLinkAbout0006_1_PA 2017-28 - SRPage 1 of 7
REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
To:Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From:Grant Yates, City Manager
Prepared by: Damaris Abraham, Senior Planner
Date:June 11, 2019
Subject:Design Review for Planning Application No. 2017-28 (Silverleaf Motors)–
An automobile dealership facility with a 3,266 sq. ft. two-story building and a
variance request to encroach into the front and rear yard setbacks due to site
constraints.
Applicant:Danny Brose, Auto Center & Mill, LLC
Recommendation
adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE,
CALIFORNIA, FINDING THAT PLANNING APPLICATION NO. 2017-28 (CONDITIONAL USE
PERMIT NO. 2017-05, COMMERICAL DESIGN REVIEW NO. 2017-05, AND VARIANCE NO.
2017-03) IS CONSISTENT WITH THE WESTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY MULTIPLE SPECIES
HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN (MSHCP); and,
adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE,
CALIFORNIA, APPROVING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 2017-05 TO ESTABLISH A
3,266 SQUARE FOOT AUTOMOBILE DEALERSHIP FACILITY LOCATED AT APNS: 363-112-
025, 026, AND 031; and,
adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE,
CALIFORNIA, APPROVING COMMERCIAL DESIGN REVIEW NO. 2017-05 PROVIDING
BUILDING DESIGN AND RELATED IMPROVEMENTS FOR A 3,266 SQUARE FOOT
AUTOMOBILE DEALERSHIP FACILITY LOCATED AT APNS: 363-112-025, 026, AND 031;
and,
adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE,
CALIFORNIA, APPROVING VARIANCE NO. 2017-03 FOR THE 3,266 SQUARE FOOT
BUILDING TO ENCROACH INTO THE REQUIRED FRONT AND REAR YARD SETBACKS
DUE TO SITE CONSTRAINTS.
Background
Community Outreach
On February 16, 2019, the applicant held a community meeting to provide information to the
surrounding neighbors regarding the proposed Project. According to the applicant,
approximately 45-50 neighbors attended the meeting. The applicant also stated that the meeting
was positive and the neighbors were supportive of the proposed Project. Two neighbors asked
PA 2017-28 (Silverleaf Motors)
06/11/2019
Page 2 of 7
about the color of the Split Face Block to be used on the Building. The applicant agreed to
provide color sample and get the neighbors concurrence (See attached Exhibit J).
Planning Commission Hearing
The Project was initially heard by the Planning Commission on May 7, 2019 but was continued
to the May 21, 2019 hearing in order to allow staff and the applicant additional time to address
questions the applicant had on some of the Conditions of Approval recommended for this
Project. Staff met with the applicant on May 13, 2019, and the Conditions of Approval have
been updated as necessary to address the applicant’s concerns.
In addition, to address some of the concerns raised by the neighbors the applicant has agreed
to the following additional features to provide additional screening and to mitigate the Project’s
visual impact to the surrounding homes (COA No. 22):
1. In order to provide additional screening for the surrounding homes, a minimum 5’-0” vinyl
fencing shall be provided along the portion of fencing facing Avenue 10 where the rear of
the building faces the wall.
2. The rear of the building shall also utilize “Split-Face Block Wall” (Color & Material #4) to
match the front of the building. The “Split-Face Block Accent Row” (Color & Material
#10) shall be widened to improve the look of the rear of the building.
3. Fast growing Vines shall be planted along the rear of the building visible from the street.
In addition, the perimeter screen trees along the residential property lines shall be a
minimum of 24” box in size.
In order to address the concerns related to parking and traffic, the Project has also been
conditioned to prevent loading or off-loading of vehicles from occurring on Auto Center Drive
(COA No. 20). In addition, per COA No. 79 the Project is required to submit a sight distance
analysis prior to building permit issuance to the Engineering Division for review and approval to
ensure that there are no visibility issues. The Project is also required to provide street
improvement plans (COA Nos. 96 and 97) which may include, but not limited to, a requirement
for a “No Stopping Anytime” sign along the Project’s frontage.
On May 21, 2019, the Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the Project
by a vote of 4-0.
Discussion
Project Description and Location
The Silverleaf Motors project (Project) consists of applications for a Conditional Use Permit
(CUP No. 2017-05), a Commercial Design Review (CDR No. 2017-05), and a Variance (VAR
No. 2017-03) which collectively are being processed under Planning Application No. 2017-28.
The Project site is located at the northwesterly corner of Auto Center Drive and Mill Street
(APNs: 363-112-025, 026, and 031).
Conditional Use Permit No. 2017-05 and Commercial Design Review No. 2017-05 are
proposing to establish a new automobile dealership facility that involves the construction of a
3,266 sq. ft. two-story building and 118 total parking spaces. The first floor will include four (4)
PA 2017-28 (Silverleaf Motors)
06/11/2019
Page 3 of 7
offices, a showroom, and customer waiting area and will be 2,447 sq. ft. in size. The second
floor will be 819 sq. ft. in size and will have four (4) storage rooms, a balcony, and an open area.
The Project will provide 118 total parking spaces for sales, employees, and visitors. The facility
will have about (5) employees associated with the operation of the business and will be open
seven (7) days a week. Monday through Saturday hours will be 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM, and
Sunday hours will be 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM.
Variance No. 2017-03 is a request to encroach into the required 20 ft. front yard setback and
the required 15 ft. rear yard setback for the proposed building due to site constraints.
Architecture and Treatments
The main building will incorporate a Contemporary Architectural Style with split-face brick wall
construction. The design will include the use of wall offsets and recessed entries, multiple
parapet heights, and decorative cornice treatments. Aluminum storefront windows with reflective
glazing will be utilized on the building to create a uniform appearance.
Landscaping and Fencing
The proposed Project will provide landscaping to complement the architectural style of the
proposed buildings. Trees, shrubs, and ground cover will be located in the perimeter
landscaping areas provide effective screening of the Project. Additionally, the Project will
provide perimeter screen trees to provide additional buffer for the adjacent residential
properties.
The Project will also provide a 5’-0” high vinyl fence along the Project’s westerly boundary
adjacent to the residential properties. Due to the site’s varying topography, the Project is
proposing retaining walls at the Project’s westerly boundary.
Site Access
Access to the Project site will be primarily provided by a vehicular driveway on Auto Center
Drive and Mill Street. To improve site circulation, the driveway approaches will be restricted to
one-way in and one-way out.
Environmental Setting
EXISTING LAND
USE
GENERAL PLAN ZONING
Project Site Vacant General Commercial (GC)General Commercial (C-2)
North Auto Dealership General Commercial (GC)General Commercial (C-2)
South Residential Medium Density
Residential
Single-Family Residential (R-1)
East Apartments General Commercial (GC)General Commercial (C-2)
West Residential Medium Density
Residential
Medium Density Residential (R-
2)
Table 1: Environmental Setting
Analysis
General Plan Consistency
PA 2017-28 (Silverleaf Motors)
06/11/2019
Page 4 of 7
The Project has a General Plan Land Use designation of General Commercial (GC) and is
located within the Riverview District. The GC Land Use designation provides for retail, services,
restaurants, professional and administrative offices, hotels and motels, mixed-use projects,
public and quasi-public uses, and similar and compatible uses with a maximum 0.40 Floor Area
Ratio (FAR). The Project is proposing to establish a new automobile dealership facility with a
0.06 FAR, which is compatible with the other intended uses of the GC Land Use Designation.
The Project site is also located in the Auto Mall overlay designation. This special overlay
designation provides for additional detailed design standards necessary to facilitate and
accommodate auto mall development and prevent conflicts related to land use incompatibility
with surrounding residential neighborhoods.
Policy RV 1.5 requires projects to establish and maintain adequate buffers between auto
sale lots and residential uses.
The Project is proposing to provide buffer landscaping along the Project’s westerly property
line adjacent to the residential lots. The Project is also conditioned to ensure that access to
the facility is restricted only through Auto Center Drive and Mill Street. No commercial
parking at the residential streets (Griffin Way, Avenue 10, and Mill Street) would be
allowed. No pedestrian access to the dealership will also be allowed from Griffin Way and
Avenue 10 (COA No. 19).
The applicant has also conducted a lighting analysis to ensure that new sources of light
introduced as a result of the Project would not impact the surrounding residences. In
addition, the Project is required to comply with the Lake Elsinore Municipal Code (LEMC)
Section 17.112.040 Lighting (for Nonresidential Development) to ensure that all outdoor
lighting fixtures in excess of 60 watts to be oriented and shielded to prevent direct
illumination above the horizontal plane passing through the luminaire and prevent any glare
or illumination on adjacent properties or streets (COA No. 12).
Municipal Code Consistency
The current zoning for the subject site is General Commercial (C-2). According to Section
17.124.030.E of the C-2 zone, motor vehicle sales is a permitted use subject to approval of a
Conditional Use Permit.
Staff has reviewed the proposed Project with respect to the relevant development standards as
identified in the C-2 zone and the LEMC and has detailed the requirements and the proposed
development standards as follows:
Development Standard Required Proposed
Front yard Setback Ave. 20 ft./not less than 15 ft.10 ft.
Rear yard Setback (ROW)15 ft.0 ft.
Building Height 45 ft.33’-6” ft.
Landscape improvements:
Adjacent to Street 15 ft.10 ft.
Landscape coverage 15%29%
Table 2:Development Standards
PA 2017-28 (Silverleaf Motors)
06/11/2019
Page 5 of 7
The Project also complies with the onsite parking standards listed in LEMC, Chapter 17.148
(Parking Requirements). Section 17.148.030.A of the LEMC requires one (1) space for each
250 sq. ft. gross floor area in commercial districts and generally for commercial uses. The
Project would require 13 customer parking spaces. The Project will have sufficient parking
spaces as there will be 118 total parking spaces for sales, employees, and visitors.
The architectural design of the proposed building complies with the Nonresidential Development
Standards (Chapter 17.112) of the LEMC. The architecture of the building has been designed to
achieve harmony and compatibility with surrounding area. The colors and materials proposed
will assist in blending the architecture into the existing landscape and are compatible with other
colors and materials used on other properties near the Project site. The proposed landscaping
improvements serve to enhance the building designs and soften portions of building elevations,
provide shade and break-up expanses of pavement.
The Variance is requesting to encroach 10’-0” into the required 20’-0” front yard setback and
encroach into the required 15’-0” rear yard setback from the public-right-of-way for the proposed
3,266 sq. ft. building. Section 17.172.060 of the LEMC requires the following findings to be
made before granting a variance: (1) that adequate safe guards to ensure development in
accordance with the General Plan and Zoning Designation are incorporated; (2) that there are
special circumstances applicable to the property whereas the granting of a variance would not
constitute the granting of a special privilege; and (3) that the variance is the minimum deviation
necessary to enable reasonable development of the property.
The subject property was created as a result of three (3) left over fragments of property from a
single-family residential housing tract and a realignment of Auto Center Drive and Mill Street.
The property is long and very narrow, and is only approximately 65 ft. in depth. The irregular
shape of the subject property is the special circumstance applicable to this Project. Due to its
irregular shape, the strict application of the code will prevent this lot from enjoying the same
rights as other lots in the surrounding area. The granting of the variance will not constitute
granting of a special privilege to the subject property but will allow the proposed building to be
constructed. The variance is the minimum deviation to enable reasonable development of the
property.
The Design Review Committee that includes staff from Planning, Building and Safety, Fire, and
Engineering have reviewed the proposed Project, and have conditioned the Project so as to
mitigate any potential concerns.
Environmental Determination
The proposed Project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (Cal. Pub. Res.
Code §§21000 et seq.: “CEQA”) and the CEQA Guidelines (14 C.C.R. §§ 15000 et seq.)
pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15332 In-Fill Development Projects:
a) The Project has a General Plan Land Use designation of General Commercial (GC) and has
a General Commercial (C-2) zoning designation. The proposed Project, an automobile
dealership facility, is a permitted use subject to a Conditional Use Permit. The Project also
complies with all applicable development standards of the C-2 zone. Therefore, the Project
is consistent with the applicable general plan designation and all applicable general plan
policies as well as with applicable zoning designation and regulations.
PA 2017-28 (Silverleaf Motors)
06/11/2019
Page 6 of 7
b) The proposed Project occurs within city limits, is located on a Project site of no more than
five acres (approximately on a 1.3-acre site), and is substantially surrounded by urban uses.
c)The Project site has no value, as habitat for endangered, rare or threatened species.The
Project has been reviewed for consistency with the Western Riverside County Multiple
Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP). The Project is located within the MSHCP
Elsinore Area Plan, Criteria Cell # 4646. A Lake Elsinore Acquisition Process (LEAP 2017-
02) application was submitted on August 11, 2017 and the MSHCP consistency findings
were completed and were submitted to the Regional Conservation Authority (RCA) for
review. On February 26, 2018, the RCA concluded the Joint Project Review (JPR# 17-10-
06-01) process and concluded that the Project is consistent with both the Criteria and other
plan requirements of the MSHCP.
The Project site has been disturbed for many decades and does not encompass riparian
scrub, woodland and forest habitat, and is not connected to those habitats to the west, east,
and south. The property is not within a Criteria Area Species Survey Area (CASSA). It is
also not within survey areas for amphibian species or mammal species and surveys for
those species are not required. Burrowing owl surveys were conducted by RCA Associates,
LLC on June 27, 2017 in accordance with the survey requirements established for the
MSHCP. No owl burrows or owls were identified during the field investigations. The Project
has been conditioned (COA No. 26) to conduct a pre-construction presence/absence survey
for burrowing owl within 30 days of the commencement of project-related grading or other
land disturbance activities to ensure that the species has not moved onto the site.
d)Approval of the project would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air
quality, or water quality.A Noise Impact Analysis (NIA) dated June 14, 2017 prepared by
Kunzman Associates, Inc. was submitted for the proposed Project. The NIA analyzed the
potential for project construction noise and operational noise to cause an exposure of
person to or generation of noise levels in excess of established City of Lake Elsinore noise
standards related to construction noise, transportation, and stationary related noise impacts
caused by the proposed Project. The NIA recommended additional conditions of approval
(COA Nos. 14 and 15) to reduce construction and operational noise emanating from the
proposed Project. In addition, a Preliminary Water Quality Management Plan (PWQMP
2017-10) that addresses water quality impacts has been submitted and approved for the
proposed Project.
(e) The site can be adequately served by all required utilities and public services.
Fiscal Impact
The time and costs related to processing this Project have been covered by the Developer
Deposit paid for by the applicant. No General Fund budgets have been allocated or used in the
processing of this application. The approval of the Project does not fiscally impact the City’s
General Fund. Mitigation Measures to protect the City fiscally have already been included in the
Conditions of Approval.
Exhibits
A – MSHCP Resolution
B – CUP Resolution
C – CDR Resolution
PA 2017-28 (Silverleaf Motors)
06/11/2019
Page 7 of 7
D – VAR Resolution
E – Conditions of Approval
F – Vicinity Map
G – Aerial Map
H – Design Review Package
I – Variance Justification
J – Community Outreach