For the Planning Commission Meeting of December 4, 2024
TO: Honorable Chairman and Planning Commissioners
APPROVAL: Colby Cataldi, Director of Community Development
REVIEWED BY: Paul Gonzales, Community Development Manager
FROM: Daniel Casey, Principal Planner
Title
Conditional Development Permit No. 2023-0012, Precise Plan of Design No. 2023-0020, & Environmental Assessment Review No. 2023-0025: A request to allow the development and operation of a 73,031 square foot self-storage facility on a 3.08-acre portion of a 5.14-acre parcel of land (APN: 0128-571-26) located on the west side of Larch Avenue approximately 340 feet north of Foothill Boulevard within the Commercial Pedestrian (C-P) land use district of the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan. A Mitigated Negative Declaration has been prepared for consideration in conjunction with Conditional Development Permit No. 2023-0012, and Precise Plan of Design No. 2023-0020, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Body
APPLICANT:
Property Plus Mobil, LLC, 9051 Van Nuys Boulevard #2, Panorama City, CA 91402.
LOCATION:
The project site consists of a 3.08-acre portion of a 5.14-acre parcel of land located at the northwest corner of Foothill Boulevard and Larch Avenue (APN: 0128-571-26) (Refer to the attached Location Map (Exhibit A)).
BACKGROUND:
Surrounding General Plan Land Use Designations
|
Location |
General Plan Designation |
|
Site |
Specific Plan with a Specific Plan Overlay (Foothill Boulevard SP) |
|
North |
Residential 6 (2.1 - 6.0 du/acre) |
|
East |
Specific Plan with a Specific Plan Overlay (Foothill Boulevard SP) |
|
South |
Specific Plan with a Specific Plan Overlay (Foothill Boulevard SP) |
|
West |
Specific Plan with a Specific Plan Overlay (Foothill Boulevard SP) |
Surrounding Zoning Designations
|
Location |
Zoning |
|
Site |
Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan (Commercial Pedestrian (C-P)) |
|
North |
Single-Family Residential (R-1C) |
|
East |
Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan (Residential-High Density (R-HD)) |
|
South |
Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan (Residential-High Density (R-MU)) |
|
West |
Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan (Residential-High Density (C-P)) |
Site Characteristics
The project site is a relatively flat, “L”-shaped, area of land approximately 3.08 acres in size that is undeveloped and covered by natural grasses and shrubs. The project site consists of the north portion of an undeveloped 5.14-acre parcel of land located at the northwest corner of Foothill Boulevard and Larch Avenue. On February 21, 2024, the Planning Commission approved Conditional Development Permit No. 2023-0008 and Precise Plan of Design No. 2023-0008 allowing the development of a Chick-fil-A restaurant on the south portion of the parcel.
Surrounding Area
The project site is bound by an existing segment of Larch Avenue to the east. To the north of the project site is a single-family residential subdivision built in 1981, and to the east of the project site, across Larch Avenue, is the Foothill Grove residential neighborhood built 2021. To the south, across Foothill Boulevard, is a 36,681 square foot County of San Bernardino Transitional Assistance Department office, and to the west is the Tudor Plaza commercial center.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
Project Proposal
Property Plus Mobil, LLC, the applicant, proposes to develop and operate a 73,031 square foot self-storage facility on the project site. The self-storage facility will be comprised of one (1) two-story climate-controlled indoor storage building and four (4) one-story drive-up storage buildings. The sizes of the proposed buildings are as follows:
• Building A: 43,564 square feet
• 1st Floor - 21,782 square feet
• 2nd Floor - 21,782 square feet
• Building B: 10,129 square feet
• Building C: 8,482 square feet
• Building D: 4,601 square feet
• Building E: 6,255 square feet
Site Design
As proposed and shown on the site plan (Exhibit B), the applicant will construct Building A on the east end of the project site nearest the Larch Avenue frontage. Buildings B, C, D, and E will be constructed on the west end of the project site at the rear of Building A. Buildings B and C will form a perimeter and Buildings D and E will be in the interior of the perimeter. The proposed layout includes a parking area consisting of nine (9) parking spaces and one (1) loading space on the east side of Building A, another parking area consisting of three (3) parking spaces and one (1) loading space on the west side of Building A, and new landscape planters along the perimeter of the project site, the perimeters of Buildings A, B, and C, and along the Larch Avenue frontage on the east side of the project site.
Other proposed on-site improvements include security gates, paving, lighting, landscape planters elsewhere throughout the site, a trash enclosure, and an underground stormwater infiltration system.
Access
An existing thirty (30) foot wide shared driveway on the west end of the project site’s parcel frontage along Foothill Boulevard will provide left-in/right-in/right-out access for passenger vehicles and a new twenty-six (26) foot wide driveway connected to Larch Avenue frontage will provide full access for passenger vehicles.
Floor Plan
According to the floor plans (Exhibit C), the buildings will contain the following:
• Building A:
o 1st Floor
§ 141 climate-controlled self-storage units
§ 900 square foot of office space
§ 2 customer lobbies
§ 2 elevators
§ 2 restrooms
§ 2 staircases
§ pathways
o 2nd Floor
§ 155 climate-controlled self-storage units
§ 2 elevators
§ 2 staircases
§ pathways
• Building B:
o 29 drive-up self-storage units
o 26 indoor self-storage units
• Building C:
o 25 drive-up self-storage units
o 15 indoor self-storage units
• Building D:
o 22 drive-up self-storage units
• Building E:
o 30 drive-up self-storage units
Architectural Design
As shown on the elevations (Exhibit D), the applicant proposes an architectural style consistent with the proposed Chick-fil-A restaurant to the south and the existing commercial developments to the west. This primarily includes a stucco exterior finish painted in neutral beige and brown earth tone colors and split-face block accents. Additional architectural features include projected masses on all outer perimeter sides of each building, multiple tower elements, varied pitched-roof forms, concrete tile roofing, reveals, vine lattices, metal canopies, and glass storefront areas to mimic retail architecture. Lastly, the exterior building heights will range from 13 feet up to 34 feet from the finished floor level.
Landscaping
The landscape coverage for the project is 14.9 percent, which exceeds the minimum required amount of 5.0 percent. This includes a 13-foot landscape setback along Larch Avenue, as well as planters around the perimeter of the project site. All the landscape planters will feature a variety of trees spaced every thirty (30) linear feet and an abundant number of shrubs and groundcover (Exhibit E).
Parking
The proposed self-storage facility will have twelve (12) auto-parking spaces, including (2) ADA accessible parking spaces. This quantity exceeds the minimum parking requirement as shown in the parking calculation chart below and as required by Section 18.58.050I(11) of the Rialto Municipal Code, which requires two (2) customer parking spaces and one (1) employee parking space per self-storage facility:
|
Type of Use |
Parking Ratio |
Number of spaces required |
|
Self-Storage Facility Total Required/Total Provided Total “Over-parked” |
3 per facility |
3 3/12 +9 |
Operations
The Project will offer monthly rentals of self-storage units with a wide range of sizes and options, including climate-controlled units that help maintain temperature and humidity to protect personal items from outdoor weather conditions. Items typically stored within the self-storage units include, but are not limited to, furniture, mattresses, clothing, files/documents, seasonal items, artwork, electronics, antiques, etc. Loading and unloading activities will occur via the main entrance on the east side of Building A or within the gated perimeter of the self-storage facility. Office hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, while customers will have access to their storage units from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. seven (7) days a week. Additionally, the self-storage facility will generate a point-of-sale through the sales of boxes, tape, packaging materials, bubble wrap, dolly rentals, stamps, envelopes, and other miscellaneous office supplies.
Land Use Compatibility
The project is consistent with the Commercial Pedestrian (C-P) land use district of the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan and the design criteria contained within the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan and Chapter 18.61 (Design Guidelines) of the Rialto Municipal Code. The nearest sensitive uses are the existing single-family residences to the north of the project site. The development and operation of the proposed self-storage facility will not significantly impact these uses since the project will incorporate a 15-foot landscape buffer along the north side, enhanced architectural features, and limits on the hours of operation.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
The General Plan land use designation of the site is Specific Plan with a Specific Plan Overlay. This designation requires the underlying Specific Plan to establish distinct land use designations within the Specific Plan itself. Page 25 of the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan indicates that the land use designation for the project site is Commercial Pedestrian (C-P). According to Table 3-1 (Permitted Uses) of the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan, self-storage facilities, such as the project, are allowed within the C-P land use district subject to Planning Commission approval of a Conditional Development Permit. Furthermore, the project is consistent with the following goals of the Land Use Element and Economic Development Element of the Rialto General Plan:
Goal 2-16: Improve the architectural and design quality of development in Rialto.
Goal 2-22: Promote commercial and/or industrial development that is well designed, people-oriented, environmentally sustainable, sensitive to the needs of the visitor or resident, and functionally efficient for its purpose.
Goal 3-1: Strengthen and diversify the economic base and employment opportunities, and maintain a positive business climate.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
California Environmental Quality Act
An Initial Study (Environmental Assessment Review No. 2023-0025) was prepared for the project in accordance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Initial Study is attached to the agenda report (Exhibit F). Based on the findings and recommended mitigation within the Initial Study, staff determined that the project will not have an adverse impact on the environment and prepared a Mitigated Negative Declaration. Although the Mitigated Negative Declaration identified potential impacts related to biological resources, cultural resources, geology and soils, and tribal cultural resources, any of these impacts will be reduced to a level of insignificance subject to the imposition of the recommended mitigation contained within the project’s Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (Exhibit G).
The Planning Division published a Notice of Intent to adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration for the project in the San Bernardino Sun newspaper, mailed copies to all property owners within 660 feet of the project site. Staff also completed a Notice of Completion and distributed copies of the Initial Study to the State Clearinghouse. A thirty (30) day public comment period for the Mitigated Negative Declaration began on September 9, 2024, and ended on October 8, 2024. No comment letters were received during the public comment period.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
The City published a public hearing notice for the proposed project in the San Bernardino Sun newspaper, posted copies of the public hearing notice outside the Council Chambers and the City Clerk’s Office, and mailed public hearing notices to all property owners within 660 feet of the project site.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Planning Division recommends that the Planning Commission:
1. Adopt the attached Resolution (Exhibit H) to approve the Mitigated Negative Declaration (Environmental Assessment Review No. 2023-0025) prepared for the proposed project, and authorize staff to file the attached Notice of Determination with the Clerk of the Board of San Bernardino County; and,
2. Adopt the attached Resolution (Exhibit I) to approve Conditional Development Permit No. 2023-0012, subject to the findings and conditions therein; and
3. Adopt the attached Resolution (Exhibit J) to approve Precise Plan of Design No. 2023-0020, subject to the findings and conditions therein.