For the Planning Commission Meeting of November 4, 2026
TO: Honorable Chairman and Planning Commissioners
APPROVAL: Christina Taylor, Community Development Director
REVIEWED BY: Daniel Casey, Community Development Manager
FROM: Brian Vazquez, Assistant Planner
Title
Conditional Development Permit No. 26-0017: A request to establish and operate a water store within an existing 1,085 square foot commercial lease space located at 625 S. Riverside Avenue, Suite F, within the Central Commercial (C-2) zone. The project is categorically exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Regulation Section 15301, Existing Facilities (Class 1).
Body
APPLICANT:
Juan Hadyeh, Legacy Investments Inc., 625 S. Riverside Avenue, Suite F, Rialto CA 92376
LOCATION:
The project site is located at 625 S. Riverside Avenue, Suite F, within the Plaza Rialto commercial center, which is located on the east side of Riverside Avenue approximately 750 feet south of Merrill Avenue (Refer to the attached Location Map (Exhibit A)).
BACKGROUND:
Surrounding General Plan Land Use Designations
|
Location |
General Plan Designation |
|
Site |
General Commercial |
|
North |
General Commercial |
|
East |
Residential 21 |
|
South |
General Commercial |
|
West |
Residential 30 |
Surrounding Zoning Designations
|
Location |
Zoning |
|
Site |
Central Commercial (C-2) |
|
North |
Central Commercial (C-2) |
|
East |
Multi-Family Residential (R-3) |
|
South |
Central Commercial (C-2) |
|
West |
Multi-Family Residential (R-4) |
Site Characteristics
The project site is an existing vacant commercial lease space located in the north end of the Plaza Rialto commercial center. The Plaza Rialto commercial center is an existing 2.07-acre commercial center located on the east side of Riverside Avenue approximately 750 feet south of Merrill Avenue. Businesses within the Plaza Rialto commercial center include Little Caesars Pizza, an ice cream shop, a cellphone store, a barbershop, a restaurant, and a liquor store.
Surrounding Area
The project site is bound on the west by an existing segment of Riverside Avenue. To the north of the project site is the Five Points Plaza commercial center anchored by El Super, and to the east is a series of multi-family structures. To the south is an existing commercial development that contains a 7-Eleven and a bar, and to the west, across Riverside Avenue, is the Santa Barbara apartment complex.
Existing Water Store
Legacy Investment, Inc., the applicant, currently owns and operates a water store at 529 S. Riverside Avenue, within the Five Points Plaza commercial center. The name of their existing water store is Agua Pura. The property owner of the Five Points Plaza commercial center has opted not to renew several lease agreements in the commercial center, including Agua Pura’s lease agreement, as they work to consolidate space for a larger prospective tenant. This has forced the applicant to seek a new location for their water store operation.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
Project Proposal
The applicant proposes to relocate, establish, and operate the Agua Pura water store within a 1,085 square foot commercial lease space located at 625 S. Riverside Avenue, Suite F. The proposed location is approximately 450 feet away from current location. A site plan and pictures detailing the proposed location are attached as Exhibit B and Exhibit C.
Agua Pura will function as a retail store that primarily sells purified drinking water, but will also sell ice cream, soda, and bags of ice. Hours of operation will be from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. seven (7) days a week. According to the floor plan provided by the applicant (Exhibit D), the interior will feature five (5) water filling stations, six (6) reach-in coolers, four (4) racks for empty water containers, a water filter room, and a restroom. No dispensers or vending machines will be placed outside the building.
Entitlement Requirements
Per Section 18.66.030.Y of the Rialto Municipal Code, the establishment of a water store is subject to the approval of a Conditional Development Permit. The applicant complied with this requirement and filed a completed Conditional Development Permit application on September 12, 2026.
Separation Criteria
On March 14, 2012, the Planning Commission instituted a policy requiring a one-half (0.5) mile separation between sole proprietor owned water stores. Staff conducted a survey to determine the number and location of all water stores operating within the City. Currently there are nine (9) water stores located within the City, including Agua Pura. The list below shows the names and locations of the other eight (8) water stores, as well as the approximate distance from each to the proposed Agua Pura location:
|
Business Name |
Business Address |
Distance from Project Site (miles) |
|
Mendoza’s Water & Supply |
415 S. Riverside Ave. |
0.25 |
|
Water Boy |
591 E. Foothill Blvd. |
1.17 |
|
Galicia’s Water & Ice Cream Rialto |
444 E. Foothill Blvd. #K |
1.23 |
|
Mountain High Alkaline Water Store |
586 W. Foothill Blvd. |
1.34 |
|
Water & Ice |
1374 W. Foothill Blvd. # A |
2.07 |
|
Lili’s Water & Ice |
245 E. Baseline Rd. |
2.10 |
|
3 Hermanos Water Store |
216 E. Baseline Rd. |
2.24 |
|
Joy Gift & Water |
236 W. Baseline Rd. |
2.24 |
As illustrated in the survey above, the proposed Agua Pura water store is located less than one-half (0.5) mile from Mendoza’s Water & Supply located at 415 S. Riverside Avenue, and therefore it does not comply with the recommended separation criteria. However, the intent of the separation criteria was to prevent an over-proliferation of water stores throughout the City, and, as previously mentioned, the proposal involves relocating an existing store, which will not increase the number of water stores in the City. Furthermore, Agua Pura’s existing location is only 0.18 miles from Mendoza’s Water & Supply, so the proposed location will increase the separation between the two (2) water store operations. With that, the Planning Division has determined that the relocation of Agua Pura will not create an over-proliferation of water stores in the City.
Land Use Compatibility
The project is consistent with the Central Commercial (C-2) Zone, the existing uses within the commercial center, and the surrounding land uses. The project will not negatively affect any other tenant within the commercial center, or any other nearby use, provided that the applicant adheres to all Conditions of Approval. With the approval of the Conditional Development Permit, Agua Pura will be subject to a Planning Commission review within six (6) months from the date of approval to ensure compliance of all Conditions of Approval, and to ensure that the establishment has not become a nuisance. Thereafter, the establishment will be subject to annual review.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
The General Plan land use designation of the site is General Commercial. According to Chapter 2 (Managing Our Land Supply) of the Rialto General Plan, commercial service uses, such as water stores, are consistent with the General Commercial designation. Furthermore, the project is consistent with the following goal of the Economic Development Element of the Rialto General Plan:
Goal 3-1: Strengthen and diversify the economic base and employment opportunities and maintain a positive business climate.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
California Environmental Quality Act
The project is categorically exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Regulation Section 15301, Existing Facilities (Class 1). Class 1 allows for the exemption of a project consisting of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond the existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination. The project involves the interior use of an existing building with no expansion, thereby qualifying the project for a Class 1 exemption. A completed Notice of Exemption form is attached to agenda report (Exhibit E).
PUBLIC NOTICE:
The City published a public hearing notice for proposed project in the San Bernardino Sun newspaper, posted copies of the public hearing notice outside the Council Chambers, and mailed public hearing notices to all property owners within 660 feet of the project site, as required by State law.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Planning Division recommends that the Planning Commission:
1. Determine that the project is categorically exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Regulation Section 15301, Existing Facilities (Class 1); and
2. Adopt the attached Resolution (Exhibit F) to approve Conditional Development Permit No. 26-0017, based upon the findings and subject to the conditions therein.