HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report (29)
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REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
To:Honorable Chair and Members of the Planning Commission
From:Damaris Abraham, Assistant Community Development Director
Prepared by:Carlos Serna, Associate Planner
Date:January 16, 2024
Subject:Planning Application No. 2023-15 (Starbucks – Collier Avenue) – A Request
for a Conditional Use Permit to Establish and Operate a New Starbucks
Coffee Shop with a Drive-through and Outdoor Dining Area and a Design
Review for Minor Modifications to the Existing Building, Site Circulation,
Parking Layout, Landscaping, and Related on Site Improvements located at
18295 Collier Ave
Applicant:Matthew Rocktashel, Urban Dweller Architects
Recommendation
1. Find that the proposed project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities);
2. Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAKE
ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING PLANNING APPLICATION NO. 2023-15
(CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 2023-06) TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE A
STARBUCKS COFFEE SHOP WITH A DRIVE-THROUGH AND OUTDOOR DINING AREA
IN AN EXISTING 4,400 SQ. FT. BUILDING LOCATED AT 18295 COLLIER AVENUE (APN:
377-120-057); and
3. Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAKE
ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING PLANNING APPLCIATION NO. 2023-15
(COMMERCIAL DESIGN REVIEW NO. 2023-04) FOR MINOR ONSITE MODIFICATIONS
RELATED TO EXISTING BUILDING SIZE, ELEVATIONS, PARKING LOT LAYOUT, SITE
CIRCULATION, AND LANDSCAPING FOR AN EXISTING 4,400 SQ. FT. BUILDING
LOCATED AT 18295 COLLIER AVENUE (APN: 377-120-057).
PA 2023-15 (Starbucks – Collier Avenue)
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Project Location
The project currently contains an existing 4,400 sq. ft. vacant building and is located within the
existing Oak Grove Crossing Shopping Center at the northeasterly corner of Collier Avenue and
Central Avenue, more specifically 18295 Collier Avenue. (APN: 377-120-057).
Environmental Setting
EXISTING
LAND USE
GENERAL PLAN ZONING
Project Site Vacant Bldg.General Commercial (GC)General Commercial (C-2)
North Commercial General Commercial (GC)General Commercial (C-2)
South Business
Professional
Business Professional (BP)Commercial Manufacturing (C-M)
East Commercial
Plaza
General Commercial (GC)General Commercial (C-2)
West Target General Commercial (GC)General Commercial (C-2)
Project Description
Planning Application No. 2023-15 is a request for approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP No.
2023-06) to establish a Starbucks coffee shop in an existing 4,400 sq. ft. building (3,800 sq. ft.
after remodel) with a drive-through and an outdoor dining area and a minor Commercial Design
Review (CDR No. 2023-04) to remodel the existing 4,400 sq. ft. building and other onsite
modifications on an approximately 0.96-acre site.
The site was formerly occupied by a bank (with drive-through) within the 4,400 sq. ft. building.
The building is currently vacant. The project will include demolishing a portion of the existing 4,400
sq. ft. building and reducing the building size to 3,820 sq. ft. (a 580 sq. ft. reduction) and the
construction of a new 497 sq. ft. outdoor seating area. New construction will include:
•Demolishing the existing storefront and constructing a new storefront
•Demolishing interior and exterior walls and replacing with new
•Demolish interior and exterior doors and replacing with new
•Adding new exterior patio furniture
•Demolishing roof membrane and mechanical equipment and replacing with new
•New custom poly signage, new drive-thru equipment, landscape patch and infill, new trash
enclosure, and new drive-thru window
Interior renovations will include new interior partition walls, new restroom, new beverage
preparation equipment, new casework, new floor finishes, new wall finishes, new ceiling, new
lighting, new heating ventilation and air conditioning diffusers, and new trenching of the existing
concrete slab for plumbing and electric.
PA 2023-15 (Starbucks – Collier Avenue)
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The Coffee shop and the drive-through will be open to service between 4:00 am and 12:00 am.
The Coffee shop offers an indoor and outdoor seating area and drive-through and pickup services.
The Coffee shop is projected to have an average of 25 employees.
Analysis
General Plan Consistency
The project has a General Plan Land Use designation of General Commercial (GC) and is located
in the Business District. The GC designation provides for retail, restaurants, professional and
administrative offices, hotels and motels, mixed use projects, public and quasi-public uses, and
similar and compatible uses. The Floor Area Ratio (FAR) shall not exceed 0.40. The proposed
project, which includes a coffee shop with a drive-through and outdoor dining area, is consistent
and compatible with the other intended uses of the GC Land Use Designation. The proposed
project has a 0.09 FAR. Therefore, the project is consistent with the General Plan.
Municipal Code Consistency
The current zoning for the subject property is General Commercial (C-2). According to Section
17.124.020 (Permitted Uses) of the Lake Elsinore Municipal Code (LEMC), all permitted uses of
the Commercial Office (C-O) and Neighborhood Commercial (C-1) districts as contained within
LEMC Section 17.116.020 and 17.120.020 are also permitted in the C-2 zone. Restaurants and
eating places are permitted uses. According to Section 17.124.030 of the LEMC, uses permitted
subject to a use permit in the C-1 district as contained in LEMC 17.120.030 are also permitted in
the C-2 zone subject to a Conditional Use Permit. Pursuant to LEMC 17.120.030 drive-through
establishments are permitted use subject to a Conditional Use Permit.
The project also complies with the onsite parking standards listed in Lake Elsinore Municipal Code
(LEMC) Chapter 17.148 (Parking Requirements) which requires one (1) parking space for each
45 square feet of customer area, plus one (1) parking space for each 200 square feet of
noncustomer area. The project will require a total of 61 parking spaces. The proposed project will
provide 42 parking stalls. Existing and future tenants share a parking agreement (First
Amendment to Operation and Easement Agreement dated July 30, 2007). The agreement
includes a non-exclusive easement for parking of vehicles over and across the parking,
driveways, and sidewalk areas within the shopping center. Additionally, a Traffic Analysis dated
December 6, 2023, was prepared by Urban Crossroads for the proposed project. The Traffic
Analysis concluded that based on a field review of parking conditions, the shared parking area
provides sufficient parking for all the uses within the shopping center without negatively affecting
the availability of parking to each use in the shopping center.
PA 2023-15 (Starbucks – Collier Avenue)
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Architecture and Site Design
The architectural design of the proposed building complies with the Nonresidential Development
Standards (Chapter 17.112) of the LEMC. The existing building is rectangular in plan and will
feature varying roof lines. The architecture of the building has been designed to achieve harmony
and compatibility with surrounding Oak Grove Crossing shopping center. The revised design
incorporates Riverstone accent finish throughout the building to harmonize with the adjacent
commercial structures including Target, McDonald’s, and Bank of America. The project also
complies with applicable sections of the Nonresidential Development Standards (Chapter 17.112)
of the LEMC for landscaping, lighting, circulation patterns, and trash enclosures.
The Design Review Committee, including Staff from the Planning, Building and Safety, Fire, and
Engineering departments and the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, has reviewed the
project and have added recommended conditions of approval to ensure compliance with adopted
plans, policies, and regulations.
Traffic and Operations
A Traffic Analysis dated December 6, 2023, was prepared by Urban Crossroads for the proposed
project. The purpose of the analysis is to evaluate the potential circulation system deficiencies
that may result from the development of the proposed Project, and where necessary recommend
improvements to achieve acceptable operations consistent with General Plan level of service
goals and policies. The site adjacent roadways of Collier Avenue (SR-74) and Central Avenue
are currently built to their ultimate width based on the City’s General Plan. The project does not
propose any new driveways and will utilize the existing driveways on Collier Avenue (SR-74) and
Central Avenue. As such, the study recommended the project maintain the existing roadway width
at Collier Avenue (SR-74) and Central Avenue and maintain the existing traffic control and lane
geometrics. Additionally, no off-site intersection improvements are required since all study area
intersections currently operate at an acceptable Level of Service (LOS) during the peak hours
and are anticipated to continue to operate at an acceptable LOS during the peak hours under
both Existing (2023) and EAP (2025) traffic conditions.
The traffic study also included a drive-through queuing analysis for the proposed project to
evaluate the adequacy of the drive-through lane queuing capacity. Section 17.148.060 of the
LEMC requires drive-through lanes to have a minimum storage for eight vehicles at 20 feet per
vehicle. The proposed drive-through would provide a drive-through queuing capacity of
approximately 15 vehicles. According to the traffic study, the proposed drive-thru lanes for the
Starbucks will provide sufficient capacity to accommodate average and peak vehicle demands for
the proposed project. Additionally, the project is conditioned to submit queuing management plan
detailing procedures and operational measures to be implemented to achieve safe parking lot
circulation during peak drive-through demand (COA No. 12). Therefore, upon implementation of
the traffic management plan required by conditions of approval, the project is consistent with the
circulation goals and policies of the General Plan and is not expected to adversely impact the
safety or efficiency of the surrounding roadways.
PA 2023-15 (Starbucks – Collier Avenue)
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Environmental Determination
Staff has determined that the proposed Project is exempt from the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15301 (Class 1: Existing Facilities). Class 1 consists of
the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing
public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving
negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency’s
determination. The project proposes to remodel the 4,400 sq. ft. building by reducing the building
footprint to 3,820 sq. ft. and construct a new 497 sq. ft. outdoor seating area. The site is fully
developed, and only minor site modifications related to landscaping, drive-through, and parking
lot layout are planned in association with the proposed project.
Public Notice
Notice of the hearing for this application has been published in the Press-Enterprise newspaper
and mailed to property owners within 600 feet of the subject property. As of the writing of this
report, no written comments concerning this application have been received by staff.
Attachments
Attachment 1 – CUP Resolution
Attachment 2 – CDR Resolution
Attachment 3 – Conditions of Approval
Attachment 4 – GIS Exhibits
Attachment 5 – Design Review Package
Attachment 6 – Project Description
Attachment 7 – Traffic Impact Analysis
Attachment 8 – Public Notice Materials