For the Planning Commission Meeting of [November 28, 2018]
TO: Honorable Chairman and Planning Commissioners
APPROVAL: Robb Steel, Assistant CA/Development Services Director
REVIEWED BY: Gina M. Gibson-Williams, Planning Manager
FROM: Daniel Rosas, Assistant Planner
Title
Tentative Parcel Map No. 2018-0002: A request to consolidate three (3) parcels of land into one (1) parcel of land to facilitate the development of a 188,712 square foot industrial warehouse distribution facility located at the southwest corner of Alder Avenue and Walnut Avenue (APNs: 0240-201-31, -60 and -02) within the Employment (EMP) zone of the Renaissance Specific Plan & Conditional Development Permit No. 2018-0001: A request to allow an a nine (9) percent increase in the permitted floor area ratio, through the implementation of non-residential development incentives, to facilitate the development of the Industrial warehouse distribution building on the project site. A Mitigated Negative Declaration (Environmental Assessment Review No. 2018-0002) has been prepared for consideration in conjunction with the project.
Body
APPLICANT:
Pacific Industrial, LLC, 6272 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Suite E, Long Beach 90803.
LOCATION:
The project site consists of three (3) parcels of land (APNs: 0240-201-31, -60 and -02) located at the southwest corner of Alder Avenue and Walnut Avenue (Refer to the attached Location Map (Exhibit A)).
BACKGROUND:
Surrounding Land Use and Zoning
|
Location |
Existing Land Use |
Zoning |
|
Site |
Vacant Land / SFR |
Employment (EMP) |
|
North |
Industrial Warehouse |
Employment (EMP) |
|
East |
Industrial Warehouse |
Business Center |
|
South |
Vacant Land |
Employment (EMP) |
|
West |
Vacant Land |
Planned Industrial (I-PID) |
General Plan Designations
|
Location |
General Plan Designation |
|
Site |
Specific Plan |
|
North |
Specific Plan |
|
East |
Specific Plan |
|
South |
Specific Plan |
|
West |
Business Park |
Site Characteristics
The project site is a rectangular shaped piece of land comprised of three (3) parcels. The project site is 8.84 net acres in size with approximate dimensions of 602 feet (east-west) by 656 feet (north-south). The project site is on the southwest corner of Alder Avenue and Walnut Avenue. To the north, across Walnut Avenue, is an industrial warehouse distribution facility and to the south is vacant land. To the west is vacant land and to the east, across Alder Avenue, is a legal non-conforming residence and an industrial warehouse distribution facility. The zoning of the project site and the properties to the north and south is Employment (EMP) within the Renaissance Specific Plan. The property to the east of the subject site is Business Center (BC) of the Renaissance Specific Plan. The property to the west of the subject site is Planned Industrial Development (I-PID) of the Rialto Airport Specific Plan.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
Project Proposal & Site Design
Pacific Industrial, LLC is proposing to consolidate three (3) parcels of land into one (1) parcel of land and to construct 188,712 square feet of warehouse building. There is currently no tenant for the new building, but its design accommodates a wide-range of distribution and/or warehouse uses. According to the applicant’s site plan and floor plan (Exhibit B & C), the building will consist of 5,000 square feet of office space and 183,712, square feet of warehouse space. Twenty-two (22) dock doors and a trailer yard will be located on the east side of the building. A fourteen (14) foot concrete screen wall will serve to screen views of the trailer yard.
Tentative Parcel Map
Per the proposed tentative parcel map (Exhibit D), the project site is 8.84 net acres in size with approximate dimensions of 602 feet (east-west) by 656 feet (north-south). Per Table 3-5 Development Standards of the Renaissance Specific Plan, the required minimum parcel size within the EMP (Employment) zone is twenty-two thousand five hundred (22,500) square feet for commercial uses. The proposed parcel greatly exceeds the required minimum size as shown in the chart below and as required by Table 3-5 Development Standards of the Renaissance Specific Plan:.
|
Standard |
Required |
Proposed |
|
Min. Lot Size |
22,500 s.f. (0.52 ac) |
385,070 s.f. (8.84 ac) |
|
Min. Lot Width |
150 ft |
602 ft |
|
Min. Lot Depth |
150 ft |
656 ft |
Architectural Design
The exterior of the building will be of concrete tilt-up wall construction painted with a palette of four (4) different colors. The main wall panels will have a three-tone color scheme consisting of two tones of grey along the base and a white band along the roofline. The incorporation of three (3) foot deep projected wall panels provides building articulation along building wall planes visible from the public right-of-way and the installation of generous amounts of glazing at the building corners create a focal point. Other key features of the building include significant building height variations along all four (4) sides of the building and panel reveal lines (Exhibit E).
Landscaping
The landscape coverage for the entire project is 15.3 percent, which exceeds the minimum required amount of 10.0 percent. This includes a ten (10) foot wide landscape easement adjacent to the public right-of-way along both Alder Avenue and landscape setbacks along the project street frontages of 30 feet. The landscape setbacks will feature undulating berms, twenty-four (24) inch box trees every thirty (30) feet, and an abundant amount of shrubs and ground cover, all in compliance with the Landscape Plant Palette of the Renaissance Specific Plan (Exhibit F).
Floor Area Ratio
Per Section 3 (Development Criteria), Table 3-5 of the Renaissance Specific Plan, the maximum allowable Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for an 8.84 net-acre project site within the EMP zone is 40.0 percent. The FAR for the proposed project is 49.0 percent, which exceeds the maximum allowable by 9.0 percent.
However, page 3-53 of Section 3 (Development Criteria) of the Renaissance Specific Plan contains provisions for incentives, or development standard bonuses, in exchange for desired development features. Incentives may provide an FAR bonus, setback reduction, parking reduction, etc., and awarded through a Conditional Development Permit on a case-by-case basis. As written, the Renaissance Specific Plan indicates that the City may only award two (2) incentives per project, and that the same incentive may not be awarded twice for the same project. The Renaissance Specific Plan gives the City the discretion to work with a developer and allow additional development incentives beyond two (2) and use the same incentive without limit. Thus, the applicant proposes to incorporate four (4) development features into their project to obtain the desired FAR. The following is a list of each proposed development feature and a discussion of each:
1. Lot Consolidation - Projects that consolidate lots into parcels that exceed five (5) acres are eligible to receive an increase of 1.0 percent in floor area ratio for every acre over five (5) acres. The applicant proposes to consolidate three (3) parcels of land into one (1) 8.84 net-acre parcel of land. As a result, the project will receive a 3.0 percent FAR bonus.
2. LEED Certification - Projects that achieve a LEED certification (or equivalent, measurable, and verifiable rating system) are eligible to receive an increase of up to 2 percent in floor area ratio. The applicant proposes to construct the facility in a manner to achieve LEED certification to receive a 2.0 percent FAR bonus.
3. Public Art - Projects that provide permanent, outdoor art that is viewable by the public from the public sidewalk are eligible to receive an increase of 2.0 percent in floor area ratio. The applicant proposes to install a display of public art at the northeast corner of the project site, near the intersection of Walnut Avenue and Alder Avenue (Exhibit G). The inclusion of public art will provide a 2.0 percent FAR bonus.
4. Pedestrian Building Orientation - Projects that orient the main entrance of the building toward the public sidewalk are eligible to receive an increase of 2.0 percent in the floor area ratio. The applicant propose to orient the buildings main entrance as close as possible to the public sidewalk along Alder Avenue near the intersection with Walnut Avenue. As a result, the project will receive a 2.0 percent FAR bonus.
The addition of the four (4) development features results in a 9.0 percent bonus to the allowable FAR. As such, the maximum allowable FAR for the project is now 49.0 percent, which is equals the proposed FAR.
Development Review Committee
The staff reviewed the proposed project and provided comments to the applicant related to the enhancement of building elevations, screening of truck court, and the incorporation of incentives for increased FAR bonus. The applicant revised to plans to incorporate the comments and staff recommends approval of the project. After Planning Commission consideration of the project, the Development Review Committee (DRC) will finalize of all Precise Plan of Design development-related conditions.
Land Use Compatibility
The project is consistent with the EMP zone proposed by the applicant. The proposed development is consistent with the existing warehouse developments adjacent to the north, east west, and south of the project site. The nearest sensitive use is a non-conforming single-family residence located to the east of the project site, across Alder Avenue. The project is not expected to negatively impact any uses with the successful implementation of mitigations such as landscape buffering, the installation of solid screen walls, aesthetic building enhancements, and other traffic relates measures. Anticipation is that the project will benefit the community and an improvement to the surrounding area. Upon completion of the project, the site will be enhanced aesthetically with a new structure and landscaping that complies with the City’s Design Guidelines and the Renaissance Specific Plan.
Access & Circulation
The development will have three (3) points of access - two (2) driveways connected directly to Walnut Avenue and one (1) driveway connected directly to Alder Avenue. The westerly Walnut Avenue and the Alder Avenue driveways are designated for both trucks and passenger vehicles while the easterly driveway on Walnut Avenue is for passenger vehicle access only. The driveway along Alder Avenue will be right in/right out only. The driveways onto Walnut Avenue are proposed as full access driveways although there are questions on the suitability of having the easterly driveway as full access. Walnut Avenue is a commercial collector with full improvements in place with the exception of the new driveway. Alder Avenue is a major arterial with full improvements for 250 feet south of Walnut Avenue with the exception of the required center median. The City will require half-width street improvements and payment of development impact fees related to traffic. All street improvements and “fair-share” payments, as established by the traffic study, must be paid and/or completed prior to occupancy.
Transportation Commission
Dudek prepared a traffic study for the project, dated May 2018, to assess potential impacts to local streets and intersections. The Transportation Commission reviewed and approved the traffic study on June 6, 2018. A total of 1,125 daily Passenger Car Equivalent (PCE) trips are anticipated, with 91 AM peak hour trips and 103 PM peak hour trips. The traffic study determined that the project is responsible for “fair-share” payment towards a future traffic signal at the intersection of Tamarind Avenue and Baseline Road, as well as modifications to four (4) other analyzed intersections. Street improvements and payment of development impact fees related to traffic are also required. All street improvements and “fair-share” payments, as established by the traffic study, must be paid and/or completed prior to occupancy.
Parking Calculations
The development will have one hundred sixty-three (163) auto parking spaces and thirty-four (34) truck trailer spaces. This quantity meets the minimum parking requirement as shown in the parking calculation chart below and as required by Table 3-6 Parking Standards of the Renaissance Specific Plan:
|
Type of Use |
Floor Area (square feet) |
Parking Ratio |
Number of spaces |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Office |
5,000 |
1 / 250 |
20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Warehouse |
40,000 |
1 / 1,000 (up to 10,000) |
40 |
|
|
143,712 |
1 / 4,000 |
36 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Required |
|
|
96 |
|
Total Provided |
|
|
163 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Truck Yard |
N/A |
1 / Dock Door |
22 Trailer spaces |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Required |
|
|
22 Trailer spaces |
|
Total Provided |
|
|
34 Trailer spaces |
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
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
The applicant engaged Dudek to prepare an Initial Study (Environmental Assessment Review No. 2018-0002) for the project in accordance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Initial Study is an attachment to the agenda report (Exhibit H). Although the Initial Study indicates that the project could present a significant effect with respect to Air Quality, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Noise, Transportation/Traffic, and Tribal Cultural Resources, any potential impacts will be mitigated to a level of insignificance through the implementation of the mitigation measures included within the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (Exhibit I). Based on the findings and recommended mitigation measures within the Initial Study, staff determined that the project would not have an adverse impact on the environment, provided that mitigation measures are implemented, and a Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared.
Staff published a Notice of Intent to adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration for the project in the San Bernardino Sun newspaper and mailed copies to all property owners within 300 feet of the project site. A mandatory twenty (20) day public comment period took place from October 15, 2018 to November 3, 2018. As such, planning staff determined that the Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared appropriately satisfies the requirement of CEQA. The City did not receive public correspondence during the public comment period for the project.
Native American Tribal Consultation (Assembly Bill 52)
In accordance with California Assembly Bill 52, the Planning Division mailed notices to six (6) Native American tribes informing them of the project and allowing them to request consultation on the project. Notification to tribes provided thirty (30) days, from August 27, 2018 and September 26, 2018 to request consultation on the proposed project. Two (2) tribes, The Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians-Kizh Nation (Kizh Nation) & The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians (San Manuel), requested formal consultation during the period. Planning staff conducted formal consultation with Chairman Andrew Teutimez-Salas and Matt Teutimez of the Kizh Nation on October 24, 2018. The topics discussed included a basic background of the project and the anticipated construction activities. During the consultation, Chairman Teutimez-Salas requested the ability to place a certified Native American Monitor on-site during all ground disturbance activities. San Manuel Band of Mission Indians expressed no concerns with the project but provided precautionary language to incorporate into the project conditions of approval in the event of resource discovery. The Draft Resolutions of Approval include a Condition of Approval requiring the applicant to coordinate with the Kizh Nation to allow access during all ground disturbance activities.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
The City mailed public hearing notices for the proposed project to all property owners within 300 feet of the project site, and published the public hearing notice in the San Bernardino Sun newspaper as required by State law.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Planning Commission:
- Adopt a resolution (Exhibit J) approving adoption of the Mitigated Negative Declaration (Environmental Assessment Review No. 2018-0002) for the proposed project and authorize staff to file a Notice of Determination with the Clerk of the Board of San Bernardino County; and
-
- Adopt a resolution (Exhibit K) approving Tentative Parcel Map No. 2018-0002 to allow the consolidation of three (3) parcels of land into one (1) parcel of land for the proposed project subject to the findings and conditions therein.
-
- Adopt a resolution (Exhibit L) approving Conditional Development Permit No. 2017-0035 to allow an a nine (9) percent increase in the permitted floor area ratio, through the implementation of non-residential development incentives, to facilitate the development of the proposed project subject to the findings and conditions therein; and