HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem No. 18 - Notice of Decision – Planning Commission Approval of PA No. 2018-59 (Ministerio Puerta Del Cielo Amazing Church) CUP 2025-0418)Notice of Decision – Planning Commission Approval of Planning Application No.
2018-59 (Ministerio Puerta Del Cielo/Amazing Church) – A Conditional Use Permit
Amendment (CUP-2025-04) to Expand Church Operations to Increase the Main
Sanctuary Area and Reallocate Existing Church Operations for an Existing Church
Located at 31712 Casino Drive, Units 5C, 6A through 6C, 7C, and 8A through 8B
Receive and File the Notice of Decision for Planning Application No. 2018-59 approved by
the Planning Commission on July 15, 2025.
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REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
To:Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From:Jason Simpson, City Manager
Prepared by:Damaris Abraham, Community Development Director
Date:August 12, 2025
Subject:Notice of Decision – Planning Commission Approval of Planning
Application No. 2018-59 (Ministerio Puerta Del Cielo/Amazing Church) – A
Conditional Use Permit Amendment (CUP-2025-04) to Expand Church
Operations to Increase the Main Sanctuary Area and Reallocate Existing
Church Operations for an Existing Church Located at 31712 Casino Drive,
Units 5C, 6A through 6C, 7C, and 8A through 8B
Applicant:Sonia Welsh
Recommendation
Receive and File the Notice of Decision for Planning Application No. 2018-59 approved by the
Planning Commission on July 15, 2025.
Background
Planning Application 2018-59 is a Conditional Use Permit Amendment (CUP No. 2025-04) to
expand the existing church operations for Ministerio Puerta Del Cielo (also referred to as Amazing
Church). The church currently operates within Units 5B, 6A through 6C, and 7B through 7C. The
proposed request would expand the church’s operation into Units 8A and 8B to increase the main
sanctuary area with 264 seats as well as remove and vacate Unit 7B from the current church
operations. With the proposed expansion, the church intends to operate as follows:
•Unit 5B: Spanish Mass – Sunday and Wednesday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
•Units 6A through 6C: Youth Church – Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
•Unit 7B: Proposed to be vacated and removed under new CUP
•Unit 7C: Administrative Offices – Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m.to 5:00 p.m.
•Units 8A and 8B: Main Sanctuary (English Mass) – Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
and Tuesday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
PA 2018-59 (Ministerio Puerta Del Cielo/Amazing Church)
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Units 8A and 8B will be combined to form one suite of approximately 7,600 square feet in size,
which will include new classrooms and offices.
The proposed project is located within an existing 4.87-acre multi-tenant retail commercial center.
The site is near the intersection of Diamond Drive and Casino Drive at 31712 Casino Drive (APN:
363- 171-008) and currently zoned Neighborhood Commercial (C-1) within the Lake Elsinore Hills
District.
On July 15, 2025, the Planning Commission by a 5-0 vote took the following actions:
1. Found that the proposed project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities); and
2. Adopted A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAKE
ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT (CUP) NO. 2025-04
AMENDING CUP NO. 2022-23 TO EXPAND CHURCH OPERATIONS INTO UNITS 8A AND
8B FOR THE MAIN SANCTUARY, REASSIGN UNITS 6A THROUGH 6C FOR THE YOUTH
CHURCH, DESIGNATE UNIT 5B FOR SPANISH SPEAKING SERVICE AND UNIT 7C FOR
CHURCH OFFICES, AND VACATE UNIT 7B FOR AN EXISTING CHURCH (MINISTERIO
PUERTA DEL CIELO/AMAZING CHURCH) LOCATED AT 31712 CASINO DRIVE, UNITS
5C, 6A THROUGH 6C, 7C, AND 8A THROUGH 8B (APN: 363-171-008).
Discussion
The Planning Commission voted 5-0 to approve the project at its regular meeting on July 15,
2025. There were no public comments received in writing or orally. Sonia Welsh, the applicant,
was in attendance for the public hearing and addressed the Planning Commission, stating that
she acknowledged and accepted the Conditions of Approval for the project.
The Planning Commission’s decision is final, and no action by the City Council is required unless
the City Council, by majority vote, elects to review and reconsider the Commission’s decision by
ordering the matter set for a future noticed public hearing according to Section 17.410.110.F of
the Lake Elsinore Municipal Code (LEMC), or the applicant or an interested person files a
complete appeal application within 15 days of this notice appearing on the City Council’s Agenda.
Fiscal Impact
The time and cost related to processing this application have been covered by fees paid for by
the applicant. No General Fund budgets have been allocated or used in the processing of this
application. Project approval does not fiscally impact the City’s General Fund. Mitigation to protect
the City fiscally have already been included in the Conditions of Approval.
Attachments
Attachment 1 – Planning Commission Staff Report