For the Planning Commission Meeting of February 21, 2024
TO: Honorable Chairman and Planning Commissioners
APPROVAL: Colby Cataldi, Community Development Director
REVIEWED BY: Paul Gonzales, Community Development Manager
FROM: Daniel Casey, Principal Planner
Title
(Master Case No. 2023-0013) Conditional Development Permit No. 2023-0008 & Precise Plan of Design No. 2023-0008: A request to allow the development and use of a 4,823 square foot restaurant building with vehicular drive-thru service and a 658 square foot covered outdoor patio on a 1.85-acre portion of a 5.15-acre parcel of land (APN: 0128-571-26) located at the northwest corner of Foothill Boulevard and Larch Avenue within the Commercial Pedestrian (C-P) land use district of the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan. This project is categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15303 (New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Body
APPLICANT:
Chick-fil-A, Inc.,
105 Progress
Irvine CA 92618
LOCATION:
The project site consists of a 1.85-acre portion of a 5.15-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, square-shaped, area of land approximately 1.85 acres in size that is undeveloped and covered by natural grasses and shrubs. Additionally, the project site consists of the southeast portion of an undeveloped 5.15-acre parcel of land located at the northwest corner of Foothill Boulevard and Larch Avenue.
Surrounding Area
The project site is bound by an existing segment of Larch Avenue to the east and an existing segment of Foothill Boulevard to the south. 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 an 1,800 square foot Charley's Cheesesteaks restaurant.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
Project Proposal
Chick-fil-A, Inc., proposes to construct a 4,823 square foot restaurant building with drive-thru service and associated on-site and off-site improvements including a 658 square foot covered outdoor patio, paving, landscaping, light, and drainage improvements on the project site.
Entitlement Requirements
Per Table 3-1 (Permitted Uses) of the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan, the establishment of vehicular drive-thru service within the C-P land use district requires Planning Commission approval of a Conditional Development Permit, and per Section 18.65.010 of the Rialto Municipal Code, the development of the proposed restaurant building, and the associated improvements requires the approval of a Precise Plan of Design by the Planning Commission.
Site Design
As shown on the site plan (Exhibit B), the applicant proposes to construct the 4,823 square foot restaurant building at the southwest corner of the project site near the Foothill Boulevard frontage. The applicant will also construct a 658 square canopy over an outdoor patio area on the west side of the building. The proposed layout includes passenger vehicle parking areas along north and east of the building. These parking areas will provide parking for up to 91 passenger vehicles. A double-lane drive-thru will provide stacking for twenty (20) vehicles from the drive-thru entrance to the menu boards/speakers and twenty (20) vehicles from the menu boards/speakers to the pick-up area, for a total of forty (40) vehicles from the drive-thru entrance to the pick-up area. The entrance to the drive-thru lanes will be on the north side of the project site and the drive-thru lanes will wrap around the parking areas and lead up to the east side of the building. Lastly, the menu boards/speakers within the drive-thru lanes will be positioned to face west towards the interior of the site to ensure that sound from the speakers is directed away from any nearby sensitive uses.
The layout also includes a canopy over the drive-thru pick-up area, a canopy over the drive-thru order area, a trash enclosure, concrete pathways, and landscape planters around the perimeter of the project site and throughout the parking areas.
Access
An existing thirty (30) foot wide shared driveway on the west end of the Foothill Boulevard frontage will provide left-in/right-in/right-out access for passenger vehicles and a new twenty-six (26) foot wide driveway on the north end of the Larch Avenue frontage will provide full access for passenger vehicles.
Floor Plan
The floor plan (Exhibit C) indicates that the building is a single-tenant stand-alone restaurant building. The building features a significantly articulated footprint on all four (4) sides of the building. The interior of the floor plan places the main entrance on the north side of the building, the dining/seating area in the north and west portions of the building, the customer order/pick-up area in the north end of the building near the entrance, and the kitchen/work area in the south and east portions of the building. The building will also include a play area in the west side of the building, a drive-thru pick up window on the east side of the building, a service door on the south side of the building, and a secondary exit to the outdoor patio on the west side of the building.
Architectural Design
As shown on the elevations (Exhibit D), the applicant proposes a contemporary architectural style for the building that is compatible with the architectural style of the commercial developments to the west of the project site. This includes the incorporation of stucco finishes, varied pitched-roof forms, concrete tile roofing, and decorative canopy columns. The exterior building height will range from 21 feet up to 28 feet. Additional architectural features include generous amounts of glass, metal eyebrows, wall sconces, wall signage, and light/neutral colors all characteristic of Chick-fil-A's branding.
Landscaping
The landscape coverage for the project is 22.3 percent, which exceeds the minimum required amount of 5.0 percent. This includes a minimum 10-foot landscape setback along Foothill Boulevard and a minimum 23-foot setback along Larch Avenue, as well as planters around the perimeter of the building and 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 development will have 91 passenger vehicle parking spaces, including four (4) ADA accessible parking spaces. This quantity exceeds the minimum parking requirement as shown in the parking calculation chart below and as required by Chapter 18.58 (Off-Street Parking) of the Rialto Municipal Code:
Type of Use
Floor Area (square feet)
Parking Ratio
Number of spaces required
Restaurant Building
Outdoor Patio
Drive-Thru Credit
4,823
658
N/A
1 / 75sf
1 / 75sf
-3 per DT
65
|10 10|
-3
Total Required/Total Provided
71/91
Land Use Compatibility
The project and its design are consistent with the Commercial Pedestrian (C-P) land use district of the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan and the Design Guidelines contained within Chapter 18.61 of the Rialto Municipal Code. The nearest sensitive uses are the townhomes within the Foothill Grove residential neighborhood approximately 80 feet to east of the project site. An existing segment of Larch Avenue separates the townhomes from the project, and the drive-thru menu boards/speakers will face west away from the townhomes to ensure that the project does not negatively impact the existing residences. The project will provide a benefit to the community and an improvement to the surrounding area.
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) and Table 3-2 (General Permitted Uses) of the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan, restaurants with drive-thru facilities, such as the project, are consistent with the C-P designation. 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 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 Section 15303, New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures. Class 3 allows for the exemption of a project consisting of the construction of commercial structures not exceeding 10,000 square feet in floor area. The project involves the construction of a 4,823 square foot commercial structure, thereby qualifying the project for a Class 3 exemption. A completed Notice of Exemption form is attached to agenda report (Exhibit F).
Traffic
Linscott, Law, & Greenspace Engineers, Inc. prepared a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA), dated August 3, 2023, to assess the project's potential impacts to local streets and intersections (Exhibit G). The TIA estimates that the project will generate up to approximately 1,691 daily vehicle trips with 161 trips in the AM peak hour and 119 trips in the PM peak hour.
The TIA analyzed the following four (4) intersections in the project vicinity:
1. Cedar Avenue/Foothill Boulevard
2. Larch Avenue/Foothill Boulevard
3. Spruce Avenue/Foothill Boulevard
4. Cactus Avenue/Foothill Boulevard
The TIA concluded all four intersections will operate at an acceptable Level of Service (LOS) D or better upon completion of the project. However, the TIA concluded that the intersection of Larch Avenue and Foothill Boulevard is anticipated to be impacted when the existing plus ambient and project generated traffic volumes are combined with cumulative growth without any mitigation. The TIA recommends the installation of a traffic signal to mitigate potential cumulative traffic impacts to the intersection of Larch Avenue and Foothill Boulevard.
The City's Traffic Impact Analysis Guidelines and Requirements and the project TIA conclude that the payment of "fair share" fees constitutes adequate mitigation to address the cumulative traffic impacts. The applicant will be responsible for a fair share payment in the amount of $193,375. The fair share fees are calculated based upon the project's anticipated portion of traffic generated at each of the affected intersections. Specifically, the applicant is responsible for 29.75% of the cost of improvements necessary for the intersection of Larch Avenue and Foothill Boulevard.
Noise
Eilar Associates, Inc. prepared an Acoustical Analysis Report, dated March 17, 2023, to assess the project's potential impacts from noise generated by the project site during operations (Exhibit H). First, the Acoustical Analysis Report analyzed existing noise levels along the boundary of the project site. According to Section 3.1 (Existing Noise Environment) of the Acoustical Analysis Report existing noise levels from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. (Chick-fil-A's hours of operation) were found to range from 54 dBA to 62 dBA. The Acoustical Analysis Report then analyzed the noise levels that would emanate from the project site to the nearest residential use. According to Section 5.3 (Permanent Project-Related Noise Impacts) of the Acoustical Analysis Report, noise generated from the project would be up to 47 dBA at the nearest residential use. The predicted noise levels generated by the project at the nearest residential use will be less than the existing noise levels, and therefore the project will not increase noise levels at surrounding properties.
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 Section 15303, New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures, of the CEQA Guidelines and direct Staff to file the Notice of Exemption with County of San Bernardino; and,
2. Adopt the attached Resolution (Exhibit I) to approve Conditional Development Permit No. 2023-0008, subject to the findings and conditions therein; and
3. Adopt the attached Resolution (Exhibit J) to approve Precise Plan of Design No. 2023-0008, subject to the findings and conditions therein.