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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPA-2022-29 09.14.23 PAR COMMENTS SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO: jo.howard@kwcengineers.com October 5, 2023 KWC Engineers 1880 Compton Ave, Unit 100 Corona, CA 92881 RE: Planning Application No. 2022-29, West Nichols Logistics Center (PAR-2023-06) Dear Jo Howard, Thank you for requesting a pre-application review for the West Nichols Logistics Center, a proposed industrial development containing a 1,025,383 sq. ft. industrial building including up to 40,000 sq. ft. of office space, 204 dock doors, 462 standard vehicle parking stalls, and 249 trailer parking stalls on approximately 61.10-acres located south of Nichols Road and southwest of the intersection of Nichols Road and Baker Street. Per Section 17.410.040 of the Lake Elsinore Municipal Code, this letter aims to provide you with information on relevant policies, regulations, and procedures and identify potential issues relevant to the proposed project. Moreover, the information, pertinent policies, or recommendations provided herein are advisory only and shall not constitute or be construed as an approval or denial of a land use or a development permit by the City. Accordingly, the City’s Design Review Committee (DRC), consisting of staff from the Planning Division, Engineering Division, Building & Safety Division, Fire Department, and Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, have reviewed your application and provided comments (or maybe forthcoming) that are included in this letter and the attachments for your reference. If you have questions about this letter, please contact me at (951) 674-3124 ext. 273 or via e-mail at jmendoza@lake-elsinore.org. Joey Mendoza Associate Planner, City of Lake Elsinore PA 2022-29 (West Nichols Logistics Center) PAR Letter 10/05/2023 Page 2 of 5 Planning Division Comments 1. The project site is located within the General Plan’s Alberhill District and has a General Plan Land Use Designation of Residential Mixed Use (RMU), Low-Medium Residential (LMR), and Murdock Alberhill Ranch Specific Plan (MARSP). The current zoning for the subject site is Residential Mixed Use (RMU), Single-Family Residential (R-1), and MARSP with C-1 and R- 3 designations. 2. The conceptual proposal includes a General Plan Amendment to change the Land Use Designation from Residential Mixed Use (RMU) and Low-Medium Residential (LMR) to Limited Industrial (LI), a Specific Plan Amendment to remove the westerly approximately 14- acre portion of the property located within the Murdock Alberhill Ranch Specific Plan (MARSP), and a Zone Change to change the zoning designation from Residential Mixed Use (RMU) and Single-Family Residential (R-1) to Limited Manufacturing (M-1). a. The General Plan shows that residentially designated land uses surround the subject property. The subject property is also surrounded by residential development currently approved and under construction. The proposed General Plan Amendment and Zone Change would create incompatible land uses in the area. Justification with supporting documentation will be necessary as part of the formal application. b. To offset negative impacts of noise, light, visibility, activities and/or vehicular traffic associated with industrial activities on residential and other sensitive land uses, the project would need incorporate design measures which may include, but not limited to, building siting and design, physical barriers, and land use transitions. (General Plan Section 2.3.4 Policy 3.2; General Plan Section 4.8.3 Policy 12.1-2). c. Per Section 17.415.020.G (General Plan Amendments) of the Lake Elsinore Municipal Code (LEMC), the applicant shall demonstrate to the City Council that there is a substantial benefit to be derived from the amendment. d. Per Section 17.415.040.G (Zoning Amendments) of the LEMC, the applicant shall demonstrate that the proposed amendment will not be detrimental to the health, safety, comfort, or general welfare of the person residing or working within the neighborhood of the proposed amendment or within the City, or injurious to property or improvements in the neighborhood or within the City. e. Per Section 17.415.030.K (Specific Plans) of the LEMC, a specific plan may be amended as necessary under the same procedures as adoption of a specific plan. 3. The proposed request for a General Plan Amendment change to Limited Industrial (LI) Land Use Designation and Zone Change to Limited Manufacturing (M-1) raises concerns with respect to potential reductions in currently permitted residential densities. a. Adequate information has not been provided to demonstrate how the proposal would comply with Senate Bill No. 330 (SB330). b. SB330, which became effective January 1, 2020, prohibits the City from changing a land use from a residential use to a less intensive non-residential use (or other land use entitlement that will reduce housing capacity) unless the City concurrently changes the development standards, policies, and conditions application to other parcels within the jurisdiction to ensure that there is no net loss in residential capacity. PA 2022-29 (West Nichols Logistics Center) PAR Letter 10/05/2023 Page 3 of 5 c. Since the proposed General Plan Amendment and Zone Change would change the land use from Residential to Limited Manufacturing (non-residential), the project is required to demonstrate how the proposed change would not result in a no net loss in residential capacity within the City. 4. Per the Lake Elsinore General Plan Chapter 2.3.3, the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for developments in the Limited Industrial (LI) Land Use Designation shall not exceed 0.45. a. The proposed project has a FAR of 0.53. b. The applicant shall revise the project proposal to comply with the General Plan FAR restriction for the Limited Industrial Land Use Designation. 5. The project proposes a single 1,025,383 sq. ft. industrial building and is subject to Council Policy No. 400-16 “Good Neighbor Policy” for Warehousing, Logistics, and Distribution Uses (GNP) adopted by the City Council on April 25, 2023. 6. Per the GNP, the applicant has submitted an analysis dated August 24, 2023 for this PAR application for review by the City Council Executive Project Review Subcommittee and the City’s Development Review Committee (DRC). The Council Subcommittee meeting was held on September 18, 2023 and DRC review was held on July 6, 2023 and September 14, 2023. The following site-specific items were identified as part of the PAR review: a. Per the GNP, warehousing, logistics, and distribution lane uses with buildings that are 250,000 sq. ft. in size or larger that are located within 1,000 ft. of an existing or planned sensitive receptor shall provide detailed justification supporting a proposed separation of less than 1,000 ft. as measured from the property line of the sensitive receptor to the nearest point of any proposed warehousing, logistics and distribution building. The PAR analysis has provided cross-sections (Sections A-A, B-B, and C-C), providing information on site-specific conditions such as grade difference between residential lots and proposed screening. Upon submitting a formal application, the applicant shall provide additional information supporting the proposed screening and landscaping as well as all applicable technical reports such as noise impact analysis and air quality analysis. b. Per the GNP, sites shall be fully screened with perimeter landscaping and masonry screening walls along all bordering streets and adjacent to the property lines of sensitive receptors. Perimeter screening shall measure a minimum of 15 ft. in width and shall include, but not be limited to, a continuous vegetative screen of overstory trees that measure a minimum of 25 ft. in height. Trees shall be provided at a ratio of one (1) 24”box tree per 20 linear ft. The PAR analysis indicates that the project will provide landscaping and screening walls per the GNP. A detailed Landscape Plan shall be submitted with the formal application, demonstrating compliance with all the screening requirements noted above. c. Per the GNP, Building planes visible from public view shall be articulated by changes in exterior building materials, color, decorative accents, and/or articulated features. Modulation and variation of building masses between adjacent buildings visible from public streets shall be provided. Pedestrian and ground-level building entries accessible PA 2022-29 (West Nichols Logistics Center) PAR Letter 10/05/2023 Page 4 of 5 to visitors should be designed using recessed entries, covered entries, projections, or roofs to provide shade and visual relief at a pedestrian scale. a. Full elevations will be required at application, showing detailed articulation and decorative accents. b. Visual articulation and design impact shall be emphasized on the A-A section of the PAR exhibits (Terra Cotta Rd). d. The PAR application has provided preliminary analysis to demonstrate compliance with the GNP. The formal application should provide additional supporting information showing compliance with all the development and operational criteria outlined in the GNP including, but not limited to, project plans, technical reports, and visual impact study. 7. Required approvals and entitlements include: a. General Plan Amendment b. Zone Change c. Specific Plan Amendment d. Tentative Tract Map e. Industrial Design Review f. Conditional Use Permit 8. In addition to the GNP and zoning district regulations, the following development standards and guidelines would apply to the project: a. Parking Requirements, LEMC Chapter 17.148 b. Nonresidential Development Standards, LEMC Chapter 17.112 c. City Landscaping Guidelines 9. A fiscal impact analysis should be prepared for City review. 10. Coordinate early and often with public service providers (e.g., Fire, Police/Sherriff, School) to understand adequacy of existing service capacity in the project area. 11. Prior to entitlement, the Developer shall submit a Due Diligence application to Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) at engservices@evmwd.net and attend a Due Diligence meeting to obtain the project’s requirements for water and/or sewer service. 12. Coordinate early and often with utilities to understand requirements and presence of existing utilities that may affect project feasibility. 13. Public outreach is strongly encouraged. A public outreach plan should be submitted for department review. 14. The project will be subject to Senate Bill No. 18 (SB18) and Assembly Bill No. 52 (SB52) Tribal Consultations. 15. The City contracts with an approved consulting firm to provide California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documentation and compliance. The applicant for the proposed project PA 2022-29 (West Nichols Logistics Center) PAR Letter 10/05/2023 Page 5 of 5 is responsible for the costs related to CEQA review. An Initial Study will be required for this project, and it is anticipated that following technical studies will be required: - Air Quality Analysis - Biological Resources/MSHCP Consistency Analysis - Cultural Resources Assessment - Energy Analysis - Geotechnical/Soils evaluation - Greenhouse Gas Analysis - Health Risk Assessment - Hydrology Study - Noise Impact Analysis - Paleontological Resources - Phase I Environmental Site Assessment - Public Service Demand Study - Traffic Impact Study - Water Quality Management Plan - Wildfire Protection Plan and Report - Utility/Services Systems Study (i.e., Will-Serve Letters) - Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Analysis - Visual Impact Study - Additional technical studies, engineering reports, or other information may be required 16. Pending Comments a. Comments from the following Agencies are pending and will be delivered upon receipt: a. Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District 17. Interagency Comments a. Comments from the following City Departments regarding this project are attached to this letter: a. Engineering Department, Dated September 14, 2023 b. Fire Prevention Department, Dated September 25, 2023 c. Building & Safety Department Conditions b. Please direct specific questions to the following DRC members as applicable: a. Fire Prevention: Traci Williams, Ext. 228 or twilliams@lake-elsinore.org b. Building & Safety: Bill Belvin, Ext. 286 or bbelvin@lake-elsinore.org c. Engineering: Yu Tagai, Ext. 246 or ytagai@lake-elsinore.org