For City Council Meeting November 12, 2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: G. Michael Milhiser, Interim City Manager
FROM: Colby Cataldi, Director of Community Development
Title
City Council to consider the Adoption of 1) Resolution No. 8296 denying the Appeal of the Planning Commission’s decision to approve Tentative Parcel Map No. 2023-0001, Conditional Development Permit No. 2023-0011, Precise Plan of Design No. 2023-0018, and an Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report for the Rialto Airport Specific Plan (Environmental Assessment Review No. 2023-0022) for the development and use of a 225,173 square foot industrial warehouse building on 11.19 net acres of land (APN: 0239-301-39, -40, -51, -55, -56, & -64) located at the southeast corner of Locust Avenue and West Coast Boulevard within the Planned Industrial Development (I-PID) land use district of the Rialto Airport Specific Plan.
(ACTION)
Body
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Continue the Public Hearing for the Appeal; and
2. Adopt the attached Resolution No. 8296 (Exhibit A) denying the Appeal and upholding the Planning Commission’s decision on August 7, 2024, to approve an Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report for the Rialto Airport Specific Plan (Environmental Assessment Review No. 2023-0022), Tentative Parcel Map No. 2023-0001, Conditional Development Permit No. 2023-0011, and Precise Plan of Design No. 2023-0018.
APPELLANT:
Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice, P.O. Box 33124, Jurupa Valley, CA 92579
PROJECT APPLICANT:
Rialto Springs, LLC, 13116 Imperial Highway, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
PROJECT LOCATION:
The project site consists of six (6) parcels of land (APN’s: 0239-301-39, -40, -51, -55, -56, & -64) located at the southeast corner of Locust Avenue and West Coast Boulevard (Refer to the attached Location Map (Exhibit B)).
PROJECT BACKGROUND:
On August 7, 2024, the Planning Commission voted 3-1 (1 abstention and 2 vacancies) to approve Tentative Parcel Map No. 2023-0001 (TPM 20853), Conditional Development Permit No. 2023-0011, Precise Plan of Design No. 2023-0018, and the associated Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report for the Rialto Airport Specific Plan (Environmental Assessment Review No. 2023-0022) (“Project”). On August 21, 2024, Ana Gonzalez, Executive Director at the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice, filed an Appeal Form requesting that the City Council consider the project and overturn the Planning Commission’s decision.
On September 24, 2024, the City Council held a public hearing and considered oral and written testimony for the Appeal of the project. After discussion, the City Council voted 5-0 to continue the public hearing to November 12, 2024 and directed the staff to further explore incorporating a terminus into the design of West Coast Boulevard and to schedule the project for the October Economic Development Committee (EDC) meeting. The agenda report from the September 24, 2024 City Council meeting is attached as Exhibit C.
PROJECT ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
Staff from Planning, Engineering Services, and the Fire Department met with the applicant on October 8, 2024 and October 14, 2024 and discussed various options that would terminate West Coast Boulevard at the east end of the project frontage. Staff and the applicant agreed upon a design that will include the installation of a cul-de-sac bulb on the east end of the West Coast Boulevard project frontage, a gate across West Coast Boulevard to physically restrict vehicle access to emergency vehicles only, and a “hammerhead” turnaround at the existing terminus of West Coast Boulevard. This solution will separate traffic between the proposed industrial use and the existing residential uses to the east, provide access for emergency vehicles, and provide safer and more efficient turnaround movements for vehicles on the existing segment of West Coast Boulevard that currently dead ends east of the project site. An exhibit detailing the proposed improvements to West Coast Boulevard is included as Exhibit D.
Staff presented the street terminus exhibit to the Appellant and a group of residents at a meeting on October 22, 2024 and to the EDC on October 23, 2024. The draft Resolution (Exhibit A) includes a condition of approval requiring the applicant to install the street terminus along West Coast Boulevard prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.