HomeMy WebLinkAboutPA 2019-81 - SR
REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
To: Honorable Chairman and Members of the Planning Commission
From: Justin Kirk, Assistant Community Development Director
Date: April 21, 2020
Subject: Planning Application 2019-81 (Tree Haus): A request by Tree Haus, LLC to
establish a 4,892 SF cannabis.
Applicants: Tree Haus, 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. 2019-07 FOR
A 4,892 SF CANNABIS FACILITY AT 18532 PASADENA STREET (APN: 377-430-023); 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. 2019-22 TO
ESTABLISH A 4,892 SF CANNABIS FACILITY AT 18532 PASADENA STREET (377-430-023).
Discussion
The proposed project would establish a to establish a 4,892 SF cannabis manufacturing and
distribution facility (2,860 SF), retail dispensary (952 SF) and ancillary functions (1,080 SF)
located within an existing building (Project). The Project is generally located at the northeast
corner of the intersection Pasadena and Third Street and more specifically referred to as 18532
Pasadena Street (APN:377-430-023). The subject site is zoned M1.
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.
Tree Haus
April 21, 2020
Page 2 of 3
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 are wholly located within existing 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 additional business in existing developments that would create high
paying jobs, reduced vacancy rates, and increased investment in the existing industrial parks.
Overall, the proposed cannabis facilities introduce new land uses to an existing mix of industrial
and qusai-commercial uses. The proposed facilities have been previously identified as furthering
the goals of the Business District and not creating new unmitigated significant impacts, because
of this they are found to be consistent with the General Plan.
Municipal Code Consistency
The subject projects have a base zoning designation M-1 Limited Manufacturing District. The
proposed cannabis facilities are located wholly within existing an industrial park, which has been
previously analyzed for consistency with the base district development standards and other
criteria and were found to be consistent with the applicable base zoning designations. A review
of the current operational characteristics did not find any code violations and the building are
following the base district regulations as well. 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
these include the following:
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 adjacent business in operation.
Tree Haus
April 21, 2020
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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 that require the
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 15301 (Class 1: Existing Facilities) (a) Interior or exterior alterations
involving such things as interior partitions, plumbing, and electrical conveyances:
The project is located within an existing building.
The proposed project does not propose an intensification of use that would require the
preparation of a Traffic Impact Analysis since the proposed use generates less than 100
trips.
The proposed project does not create an expansion or intensification of use beyond wheat
was previously analyzed as a part of the original project’s environmental assessment.
Exhibits
A – PA 2019-81 DA Resolution
B – PA 2019-81 CUP Resolution
C – PA 2019-81 Conditions of Approval
D – PA 2019-81 Vicinity Map
E – PA 2019-81 Aerial Map
F – PA 2019-81 Business Description
G – PA 2019-81 Project Plans