For City Council Meeting [November 15, 2022]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Marcus Fuller, City Manager
FROM: Paul Gonzales, Community Development Manager
Title
Request City Council Set a Public Hearing for December 13, 2022, Related to the Original Pepper Avenue Specific Plan Approved in 2017 for Commercial, Open Space, Public Facilities, and Residential Overlay Land Uses to Consider Adopting: (1) General Plan Amendment No. 2022-0003, a request to change the general plan land use designation of approximately 101.7 acres of land from existing Residential 6 and Business Park to Specific Plan with a Specific Plan Overlay, and; (2) Zone Change No. 2022-0001, a request to change the zoning designation of approximately 101.7 acres of land from Single-Family Residential (R-1A) and Commercial Manufacturing (C-M) to Pepper Avenue Specific Plan. The project site is generally located south of the SR-210 Freeway, north of Walnut Avenue, east of Eucalyptus Avenue west of Meridian Avenue.
Body
APPLICANT:
City of Rialto, 150 S. Palm Avenue, Rialto, CA 92376
LOCATION:
The project site consists of eleven (11) parcels of land (APNs: 0264-191-02, -04, -13, & -14 and 0264-201-08, -25, -27, -28, -29, -30, & -31 (Former APNs: 0264-191-12 & -22 and 0264-201-04, -05, -06, -07, & -26)) generally located south of the SR-210 Freeway, north of Walnut Avenue, east of Eucalyptus Avenue west of Meridian Avenue. (Refer to the attached Location Map Exhibit A).
BACKGROUND:
General Plan Amendment No. 2022-0003 and Zone Change No. 2022-0001 shall hereinafter be referred to as “Project” or “project”.
On December 12, 2017, the City Council adopted Resolution Nos. 7258 and 7259 approving the original Pepper Avenue Specific Plan and adopting the Environmental Impact Report prepared in conjunction with the Specific Plan. At that time, a General Plan Amendment and Zone Change were not included with the actions taken by the City Council.
Although the 2017 original Pepper Avenue Specific Plan was approved, it is not yet shown in the General Plan Land Use Map or the Zoning Map. These maps continue to show the underlying land use and zoning that existed prior to the 2017 approval of the original Pepper Avenue Specific Plan - primarily residential with an industrial land use and zoning over a portion located between Eucalyptus Avenue and Pepper Avenue extending approximately 500 feet south of the SR-210 eastbound ramp.
The land uses approved in the original 2017 Pepper Avenue Specific Plan include only commercial land uses (with a residential overlay), and a public facilities land use for the existing West Valley Water District property. Open space is also established for the environmentally sensitive wash area. The land use map for the original 2017 Pepper Avenue Specific Plan is shown below and is the subject of this item - to incorporate these land uses into the General Plan Land Use Map and Zoning Map.
The approval of the General Plan Amendment and Zone Change to change the land use designation of the project site to “Specific Plan with a Specific Plan Overlay” will achieve consistency between the General Plan and Zoning Map with the original Pepper Avenue Specific Plan approved in 2017.
The effect of these actions is reflected in the following graphics which show the current and proposed Land Use and Zoning of the area established as the original 2017 Pepper Avenue Specific Plan.
General Plan Land Use Map
Zoning Map
SPECIAL NOTE: This item is unrelated to a separate application to consider a proposed amendment to the original Pepper Avenue Specific Plan.
Planning Commission Action
On October 26, 2022, the Planning Commission discussed and recommended approval to the City Council for GPA No. 2022-0003 and ZC No. 2022-0001. After discussion, the Commission voted 4-0 (1 recusal & 2 vacancies) to adopt Resolutions recommending that the City Council approve the project. Copies of the Planning Commission Resolutions are attached as Exhibit B and Exhibit C.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
In accordance with Government Code Sections 65350-65362 and Section 18.06.030 of the Rialto Municipal Code, the City Council is to set the matter for a public hearing. The Planning Commission recommended approval to the City Council for GPA No. 2022-0003 and ZC No. 2022-0001. The project is a clean-up item to activate the Pepper Avenue Specific Plan to allow for commercial, open space, and public facility uses along with a residential overlay as anticipated with the City initiated specific plan. No industrial land use designation is proposed with GPA No. 2022-0003 or ZC No. 2022-0001. A more comprehensive staff report will follow once the hearing has been set.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
On December 12, 2017, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 7259 certifying the Environmental Impact Report prepared for the project (Environmental Assessment Review No. 2017-0072). No further environmental review is required for the project.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved the staff report and the attached Notice of Public Hearing (Exhibit D).
RECOMMENDATION:
In accordance with the process provided by Government Code Sections 65350-65362 and Section 18.06.030 of the Rialto Municipal Code, Staff recommends that the City Council set a Public Hearing for December 13, 2022, to consider amending the General Plan Land Use Map and Zoning Map to incorporate the original Pepper Avenue Specific Plan approved in 2017.