For Water Subcommittee Meeting March 27, 2025
TO: Water Subcommittee Members
APPROVAL: John Rossi, Interim Utilities Director
FROM: Matt Bennett, City Engineer
Vince Giron, Engineering Manager - Land Development
Title
Proposed Lot Line Adjustment No. 2022-0016/Certificate of Compliance and accompanying land swap between 160 N Cactus, LLC (Property Owner and Applicant) and the City located at the northwest corner of Cactus Avenue and Rialto Avenue
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Water Subcommittee review the proposed Lot Line Adjustment No. 2022-0016/Certificate of Compliance and accompanying land swap between the Applicant and the City.
BACKGROUND:
On October 25, 2023, the City Planning Commission approved Precise Plan of Design (PPD) 2022-0056 to allow for the development of a 159,700 square-foot industrial warehouse building on the Applicant’s parcels located at the northwest corner of Cactus Avenue and Rialto Avenue (Attachment 1). The Applicant owns three (3) separate parcels, consisting of two (2) Assessor Parcel Numbers 0128-141-70 and 0128-141-72, that total 7.93 acres at 160 N Cactus Ave (Attachment 2). These lots are currently vacant and have the practical effect of land-locking two (2) parcels, consisting of APNs 0128-141-49 (0.306 acres) and 0128-141-63 (0.026 acres), owned by the City of Rialto that total 0.332 acres (Attachment 3).
The City parcels are currently utilized for City of Rialto Water facilities and access to the parcels is from Rialto Avenue through a recorded access easement encumbering a portion of the Applicant’s site.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
The Applicant is requesting to fulfill the requirements of PPD 2022-0056 for implementation of the project and in accordance with the following conditions of approval:
Condition of Approval No. 9: Agree to reconfigure the existing parcel lines of the property in order to provide enhanced access and operation of the City’s water well and associated facilities. [Applicant further agreed to] submit a Lot Line Adjustment to modify the existing parcel configuration as proposed prior to the issuance of a building permit."
Condition of Approval No. 117: "The existing parcels shall be combined into a single parcel, or a lot line adjustment shall be done so that the proposed structure(s) does not cross any lot line and complies with all requirements of the California Building Code, prior to any building permits being issued.”
In coordination with the City, the Applicant proposes to modify the existing parcel configuration through a Lot Line Adjustment application that would involve a land swap to reconfigure the water facility into the southwest corner of the Site along with the Rialto Avenue frontage (Attachment 4).
This Lot Line Adjustment and land swap represents a mutually advantageous opportunity for both the City and the Applicant. It allows the Applicant to meet the Conditions of Approval required in PPD 2022-0056 while enabling the City to establish direct fee title access to the public right of way. Upon approval and recordation of the Lot Line Adjustment and related grant deeds, the City will own 0.311 acres and the Applicant will own 7.926 acres for development of the project. Thus, the City will gain a small portion of the Applicant’s land and contiguous access through this process (Attachment 5).
The proposed Lot Line Adjustment and related land swap are compatible with the environmental characteristics and lot sizes of the adjacent area. Such alterations will allow the City to obtain access from its property to the public right of way and will further result in a more aesthetic frontage. Additionally, the Applicant has agreed to process a second Lot Line Adjustment to merge the two City owned parcels on the City’s behalf. Thus, the City will benefit from additional land, access to the public right of way, and a processed Lot Line Adjustment that will better suit the property’s needs.
The Lot Line Adjustment and land swap would optimize the Applicant’s use of their property and create more usable space that better accommodates the size and layout of the proposed development. In addition to more efficient use of the land, the Applicant would no longer have an easement over the southwestern portion of their property.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The environmental impact of the proposed lot swap and Lot Line Adjustment was considered at the time of approval of PPD 2022-0056 through Environmental Assessment Review No. 2022-0054 and the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared for the project.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
Approval of the proposed action also complies with the following City of Rialto Guiding Principles, General Plan Goals and Policies:
Our City government will lead by example, and will operate in an open,
transparent and responsive manner that meets the needs of the citizens
and is a good place to do business.
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LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed the staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The Lot Line Adjustment and land swap will not have a financial impact on the City, rather, the City will enjoy the benefit of enhanced access, landscaping, fencing, and street frontage improvements at no cost to the City.