HomeMy WebLinkAboutPA 2019-31 - SR
REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
To: Honorable Chairman and Members of the Planning Commission
From: Justin Kirk, Assistant Community Development Director
Date: June 2, 2020
Subject: Planning Application 2019-33: (Rahman and Associates): A request to
construct two (2) buildings totaling 17,037 SF; hardscape, landscape, on-site
stormwater management improvements, trash enclosure, and area lighting would
be constructed as part of the Project. In addition, the applicant has requested to
establish a 17,037 SF cannabis facility.
Applicants: Rahman and Associates LLC
Recommendation
ADOPT, A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAKE
ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE
ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, APPROVAL OF DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT NO. 2019-03 FOR
A 17,037 SF CANNABIS FACILITY LOCATED AT 18990 SPRING ST. (APN:377-220-024); AND,
ADOPT, A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAKE
ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, RECOMENDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE
ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, APPROVAL OF CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 2019-08 TO
ESTABLISH A 17,037 SF CANNABIS FACILITY LOCATED AT 18990 SPRING ST. (APN:377-
220-024); AND,
ADOPT, A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAKE
ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, APPROVE INDUSTRIAL DESIGN REVIEW NO. 2019-03
PROVIDING BUILDING DESIGN AND RELATED IMPROVEMENTS FOR TWO MULTI SUITE
INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS TOTALING 17,037 SF LOCATED AT 18990 SPRING ST. (APN:377-
220-024).
Discussion
The applicant is requesting approval of Planning Application No. 2019-33 (Development
Agreement No. 2019-33, Conditional Use Permit No. 2018-02 and Commercial Design Review
No. 2018-06) to construct two (2) buildings totaling 17,037 SF; hardscape, landscape, on-site
stormwater management improvements, trash enclosure, and area lighting would be constructed
as part of the Project. In addition, the applicant has requested to establish a 17,037 SF cannabis
facility that includes 11,100 SF of cultivation use, 1,853 SF of dispensary use, and approximately
4,084 SF of ancillary and/or support uses within the requested buildings. The Project is generally
located at the northwest corner of the intersection Minthorn and Spring and more specifically
referred to as 18990 Spring St. (APN:377-220-024).
Rahman and Associates
June 2, 2020
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Analysis
General Plan Consistency
The subject site has a General Plan Land Use Designation of Limited Industrial (LI) and is in the
Business District. The focus of the Business District is to support its position as the industrial and
commercial hub of the City. Specific Goals of the Business District applicable to this project
include:
To encourage its position as the industrial and commercial hub of the City and to ensure
that new growth respects the environmental sensitivity of the natural wetlands, floodway
and floodplain.
Support a vibrant commercial and industrial hub with high quality developments that have
a strong orientation towards major corridors.
Provide a safe and comprehensive roadway network for vehicular, truck, bicycle, and
pedestrian traffic throughout the Business District.
The LI designation provides for industrial parks, warehouses, manufacturing, research and
development, public and quasi-public uses, and similar and compatible uses. The subject use
includes a variety of manufacturing, distribution and warehousing uses for the production of
cannabis products. The proposed facilities will operate wholly within the buildings and do not
propose or can have exterior operations. The proposed cannabis facilities help to further the goals
of the Business District by reinforcing the viability of the industrial hubs and help to create vibrant
industrial hubs by introducing an additional business that would create high paying jobs, reduced
vacancy rates, and increased investment.
Overall, the proposed cannabis facilities introduce new land uses to an existing mix of industrial
and quasi-commercial uses in the vicinity. The proposed facilities further the goals of the Business
District and will not create new unmitigated significant impacts. Because of this, the proposed
facilities are consistent with the General Plan.
Municipal Code Consistency
The subject projects have a base zoning designation M-1 Limited Manufacturing District (M-1).
Staff has reviewed the proposed Project with respect to the relevant development standards as
identified in the M-1 zone and the Lake Elsinore Municipal Code (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. 35 ft.
Rear yard Setback 0 ft. 15 ft.
Side yard setback (ROW)_ Ave. 20 ft./not less than 15 ft. 20’-3” ft.
Side yard setback 0 ft. 0 ft.
Building Height 45 ft. 28’-0”
Landscape improvements:
Adjacent to Street 15 ft. 15 ft.
Landscape coverage 15% 29%
The Project also complies with the onsite parking standards listed in LEMC, Chapter 17.148
(Parking Requirements). Section 17.148.030.E of the LEMC requires one (1) space for each 500
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June 2, 2020
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ft. of area. A total of 35 parking spaces would be required for the proposed Project. The Project
will have enough parking spaces as there will be 53 parking spaces provided for the Project.
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 the surrounding area. Further refinement of building
colors will need to be addressed prior to construction and the project has been conditioned to do
so prior to the issuance of a building permit. The proposed landscaping improvements serve to
enhance the building designs and soften portions of building elevations, provide shade and break-
up expanses of pavement.
With respect to Cannabis related land uses, Chapter 17.156 Cannabis Uses, of the Lake Elsinore
Municipal Code, specifically regulate these uses. The proposed cannabis facilities have been
analyzed for the consistency with these operational requirements and the proposed facilities have
been found to meet these requirements. In addition to the code requirements, additional detail
information was specified in the application materials as follows:
Fire protection plan
Closure plan, i.e., a plan to fully restore the occupied space to the condition that existed
before the establishment of a cannabis related facility and the posting of a bond so that
the City could authorize the work without incurring financial liability
Information related to project proponents
Project specific details as to the operational characteristics identifying the number of
employees, production quantities and values, and other pertinent information.
These additional details were required to ensure that the proposed facilities operated in a safe
manner and would not create unintended impacts during the construction, operation and closure
of these facilities. Staff has reviewed these additional details and have found that the materials
submitted demonstrate that the proposed cannabis facilities would operate in a manner that would
not adversely impact the nearby businesses.
Because the proposed cannabis facilities meet the minimum code requirements and do not
propose any adverse impacts on adjacent businesses, they have been found consistent with the
Municipal Code. In addition, Conditions of Approval have been prepared.
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 (Class 32: Infill Development) because the following findings
can be made:
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: The subject site has
a General Plan Land Use Designation of Limited Industrial (LI) and has a M-1 Limited
Manufacturing District zoning designation (M-1). The LI designation provides for industrial parks,
warehouses, manufacturing, research and development, public and quasi-public uses, and similar
and compatible uses and the M-1 designation establishes a number of industrial land uses,
included as permitted by right or subject to the approval of a Conditional Use Permit, including
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June 2, 2020
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cannabis oriented land uses. Because the subject development consists of an industrial park and
the applicant has applied for a CUP, the project is found to meet this finding.
The proposed development occurs within city limits on a project site of no more than five acres
substantially surrounded by urban uses: The subject parcel is 1.37 acres and is surrounded by
urban uses.
The project site has no value as a habitat for endangered, rare, or threatened species: The project
applicant has provided a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment that did not identify any
resources onsite and found the site to have been extensively disturbed. In addition, the subject
site is not located within any special assessment area, is not located within a Multiple Species
Conservation Habit Plan criteria cell or special study area and has been conditioned to conduct
additional surveys prior to ground disturbance. Therefore, due to these reasons the project site
has been found to have no value as a habitat for endangered, rare, or threatened species.
Approval of the project would not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality,
or water quality: A comprehensive traffic impact analysis was prepared for the project that found
that the project would not have any significant effects and required that the project pay requisite
in-lieu fees and construct frontage improvements, which have been conditioned in a manner
consistent with the Municipal Code. A Water Quality Management Plan was prepared that
evaluated the project design features that found the project met all necessary permit requirements
and did not discharge water from the subject site without treatment. The project does not propose
any features which would generate significant noise and has been conditioned to not exceed the
thresholds of significance as established by the Municipal Code.
The site can be adequately served by all required utilities and public services: Water and
wastewater services are provided by the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, which has
conditionally issued a will serve letter guaranteeing adequate source of supply of water and
system capacity to serve the project, provided specific Conditions of Approval are met. The site
is served by Southern California Edison and the Gas Company and adequate electrical and/or
gas transmission lines exist adjacent to the project site.
Exhibits
A – PA 2019-33 DA Resolution
B – PA 2019-33 CUP Resolution
C – PA 2019-33 IDR Resolution
D – PA 2019-33 Conditions of Approval
E – PA 2019-33 Vicinity Map
F – PA 2019-33 Aerial Map
G – PA 2019-33 Project Plans
H – PA 2019-33 Development Agreement