For the Planning Commission Meeting of January 27, 2021
TO: Honorable Chairman and Planning Commissioners
APPROVAL: Karen Peterson, Community Development Manager
FROM: Daniel Casey, Senior Planner
Title
Specific Plan Amendment No. 2020-0003: A request to change the zoning designation of approximately 7.00 gross acres (6.94 net acres) of land (APNs: 0240-211-21, -23, -29 & -31) located at the northeast corner of Renaissance Parkway and Laurel Avenue from Corporate Center (CC) within the Renaissance Specific Plan to Business Center (BC) within the Renaissance Specific Plan. An Addendum to the June 2016 Renaissance Specific Plan Amendment Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (Environmental Assessment Review No. 2020-0015) has been prepared for consideration in conjunction with the project.
Tentative Parcel Map No. 2020-0006 (TPM 20241): A request to allow the consolidation of four (4) parcels of land (APNs: 0240-211-21, -23, -29 & -31) located at the northeast corner of Renaissance Parkway and Laurel Avenue into one (1) 6.94 net acre parcel of land. An Addendum to the June 2016 Renaissance Specific Plan Amendment Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (Environmental Assessment Review No. 2020-0015) has been prepared for consideration in conjunction with the project.
Conditional Development Permit No. 2020-0011: A request to allow the development and operation of a 135,408 square foot industrial storage warehouse/distribution center building on 7.00 gross acres (6.94 net acres) of land (APNs: 0240-211-21, -23, -29 & -31) located at the northeast corner of Renaissance Parkway and Laurel Avenue into one (1) 6.94 net acre parcel of land. An Addendum to the June 2016 Renaissance Specific Plan Amendment Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (Environmental Assessment Review No. 2020-0015) has been prepared for consideration in conjunction with the project.
Precise Plan of Design No. 2020-0015: A request to allow the development of a 135,408 square foot industrial storage warehouse/distribution center building on 7.00 gross acres (6.94 net acres) of land (APNs: 0240-211-21, -23, -29 & -31) located at the northeast corner of Renaissance Parkway and Laurel Avenue into one (1) 6.94 net acre parcel of land. An Addendum to the June 2016 Renaissance Specific Plan Amendment Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (Environmental Assessment Review No. 2020-0015) has been prepared for consideration in conjunction with the project.
Body
APPLICANT:
Orbis Real Estate Partners, LLC, 280 Newport Center Drive, Suite 240, Newport Beach, CA 92660.
LOCATION:
The project site consists of four (4) parcels of land (APNs: 0240-211-21, -23, -29, & -31) located at the northeast corner of Renaissance Parkway and Laurel Avenue (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 (Renaissance SP) |
|
North |
Freeway/Highway |
|
East |
Specific Plan with a Specific Plan Overlay (Renaissance SP) |
|
South |
Specific Plan with a Specific Plan Overlay (Renaissance SP) |
|
West |
Specific Plan with a Specific Plan Overlay (Renaissance SP) |
Surrounding Zoning Designations
|
Location |
Zoning |
|
Site |
Corporate Center (CC) |
|
North |
Freeway/Highway |
|
East |
Corporate Center (CC) |
|
South |
Business Center (BC) |
|
West |
Freeway Incubator (FI) |
Site Characteristics
The project site is a relatively flat, rectangular-shaped piece of land comprised of four (4) parcels. Altogether, the project site is 7.00 gross acres in size with approximate dimensions of 455 feet (north-south) by 670 feet (east-west). The project site is bound on the south by Renaissance Parkway. The property is vacant and covered by natural grasses and shrubs.
Surrounding Area
To the north of the project site is the SR-210 Freeway, and to the east is approximately 5.85 acres of vacant land. To the south, across Renaissance Parkway, is a 927,696 square foot industrial warehouse building occupied by Distribution Alternatives, a third-party distributor and fulfillment services provider, and to the west is approximately 9.16 acres of vacant land.
Purchase and Sale Agreement
One (1) of the four (4) parcels of land (APN: 0240-211-21) that the project site consists of is currently owned by the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Rialto, and another one (1) of the four (4) parcels of land (APN: 0240-211-31) is currently owned by the City of Rialto. On December 10, 2019, the Successor Agency approved a Purchase and Sale Agreement to sell the Successor Agency-owned parcel of land to the applicant, and, on January 14, 2020, the City Council approved a separate Purchase and Sale Agreement to sell the City-owned parcel of land to the applicant. Both agreed upon land sale transactions are currently in escrow pending completion of the applicant’s entitlement process.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
Project Proposal
Orbis Real Estate Partners, LLC, the applicant, proposes to change the zoning of the project site from Corporate Center (CC) within the Renaissance Specific Plan to Business Center (BC) within the Renaissance Specific Plan, consolidate the project site’s four (4) parcels of land into one (1) 6.94 net acre parcel of land, and then construct a 135,408 square foot industrial storage warehouse/distribution center building on the new parcel. There is no proposed tenant for the new building at this time, but the design of the building will accommodate various of warehouse uses.
Entitlement Requirements
The following entitlements are required for the applicant’s proposal:
• Specific Plan Amendment: Per Section 18.78.060 of the Rialto Municipal Code, the proposal to change the zoning designation of the project site from Corporate Center (CC) within the Renaissance Specific Plan to Business Center (BC) within the Renaissance Specific Plan requires the approval of an amendment to the Renaissance Specific Plan.
• Tentative Parcel Map: Per Section 17.16.040 of the Rialto Municipal Code, the proposed consolidation of land requires the approval of a Tentative Parcel Map.
• Conditional Development Permit: Per Section 18.66.030CC of the Rialto Municipal Code, the development and operation of an industrial storage warehouse/distribution center requires the approval of a Conditional Development Permit.
• Precise Plan of Design: Per Section 18.65.010 of the Rialto Municipal Code, the design of the development and the related site improvements (e.g. building exterior, screen walls, landscaping, etc.) requires the approval of a Precise Plan of Design.
Specific Plan Amendment No. 2020-0003
According to Figure 2-2 (Land Use Diagram) of the Renaissance Specific Plan, the entire project site is zoned CC, and, per Table 3-2 (General Permitted Uses) of the Renaissance Specific Plan, industrial storage warehouse/distribution center developments are not permitted within the CC zone. Thus, the current zoning designation does not accommodate the proposed development. In order to accommodate the proposed development, the applicant filed a specific plan amendment application to change the zoning designation of the project site to BC.
The BC zone and the applicant’s development proposal are consistent with the surrounding zoning designations and land uses. For example, as shown in the attached zoning exhibit (Exhibit B), the land immediately to the south of the project site is similarly zoned BC and developed with an industrial storage warehouse/distribution center building. Additionally, the project site has remained vacant despite maintaining the CC zoning designation for 11 years, and the Renaissance Specific Plan has yet to see development in any of the areas zoned CC up to this point. The likelihood that the project site will develop into a corporate center office use is remote given the industrial warehouse character throughout most of the Renaissance Specific Plan area, particularly the areas immediately surrounding the project site. For these reasons, the Planning Division supports the applicant’s request to change the zoning designation of the project site to BC to accommodate the proposed development. All other CC zoned properties within the Renaissance Specific Plan area will remain zoned CC.
Parcel Map
According to the tentative parcel map (Exhibit C), the applicant will consolidate four (4) parcels of land into one (1) 6.94 net acre parcel of land. The size of the proposed parcel greatly exceeds the minimum parcel size of 1.0 acre required by Table 3-5 (Development Standards - Business and Commercial Uses) of the Renaissance Specific Plan.
Site Design
According to the site plan (Exhibit D), the applicant will construct a 135,408 square foot industrial warehouse building in the center of the project site. The proposed layout includes an enclosed truck court on the south side of the building and passenger vehicle parking areas along the east, south, and west sides of the building. The truck court will accommodate a maximum of fourteen (14) trucks and trailers, while the passenger vehicle parking areas will provide for the parking of up to ninety-one (91) passenger vehicles.
A new fifty (50) foot wide driveway connected directly to the intersection of Renaissance Parkway and Laurel Avenue at the west end of the project frontage will provide full access for both trucks and passenger vehicles, and a second fifty (50) foot wide driveway connected directly to Renaissance Parkway at the east end of the project frontage will right-in/right-out access for trucks and passenger vehicles. Both driveways will provide shared access to future developments on the vacant properties to the east and west of the project site.
Other proposed on-site improvements include paving, lighting, landscape planters throughout the site, concrete screen walls around the truck court, and an underground infiltration basin within the landscape setback along Renaissance Parkway.
Floor Plan
The floor plan for the proposed building (Exhibit E) indicates that the building will consist of 7,000 square feet of office space and 128,408 square feet of warehouse space. The office space will potentially occupy either the southwest corner of the building or the southeast corner of the building, with 3,500 square feet on the ground floor and another 3,500 square feet up above on a second-floor mezzanine. The east side of the building will have fourteen (14) dock high loading doors and two (2) grade level roll-up doors. The applicant will place the main entrance to the building on the south side of the office space, along with sixteen (16) secondary/emergency exits distributed amongst the north, east, and west sides of the building.
Architectural Design
The proposed building will feature significant vertical and horizontal wall plane articulation in the form of projected wall panels and panel height variations on all four (4) sides of each building. As shown on the elevations (Exhibit F), the building height ranges from 43 feet to 47 feet from the finished floor level. The exterior of the building will be of concrete tilt-up wall construction painted with a palette of five (5) different colors - white, various gray tones, and blue accents. Other architectural features of the building include reveals, metal brow accents, and glazing.
Parking
The development will have 91 auto-parking spaces, including six (6) ADA accessible parking spaces. This quantity equals 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, which requires one (1) parking space for every 250 square feet of office space gross floor area, one (1) parking space for every 1,000 square feet of warehouse space gross floor area up to 40,000 square feet, and one (1) parking space for every 4,000 square feet of warehouse space gross floor area beyond 40,000 square feet:
|
Type of Use |
Floor Area (square feet) |
Parking Ratio |
Number of spaces required |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Office Warehouse |
7,000 |
1 / 250 |
28 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Floor area up to 10,000 square feet Floor area 10,001 square feet or more |
40,000 88,408 |
1 / 1,000 1 / 4,000 |
40 23 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Required/Total Provided |
|
|
91/91 |
Landscaping
The landscape coverage for the project is 17.6 percent, which exceeds the minimum required amount of 10.0 percent. This includes a twenty-five (25) foot landscape setback and a ten (10) foot landscape easement along Renaissance Parkway, 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 G).
Floor Area Ratio
Per Table 3-5 (Development Standards - Business and Commercial Uses) of the Renaissance Specific Plan, the maximum allowable Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for parcels between 5.0 acres and 10.0 acres within the BC zone is 50.0 percent. The FAR proposed for the project is 44.8 percent, which is well within the allowable limit.
Transportation Commission
Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. prepared a Traffic Impact Study (TIS), dated December 2020, to assess the project’s potential impacts to local streets and intersections (Exhibit H). The TIS estimates that the project will generate up to approximately 481 actual daily vehicle trips (808 PCE daily vehicle trips) with 41 trips in the AM peak hour and 43 trips in the PM peak hour. Trucks will constitute up to 192 of the 481 actual daily vehicle trips. According to Figure 8 of the TIS, 100% of the inbound and outbound truck trips will utilize Renaissance Parkway west of the project site. This segment of Renaissance Parkway is a four (4) lane Secondary Arterial Highway with existing industrial developments along the south side of the street from the project site to Alder Avenue and beyond. Trucks will not utilize Renaissance Parkway east of the project site, thereby avoiding conflicts with vehicle traffic at the Renaissance Marketplace.
The TIA analyzed six (6) intersections in the project vicinity, as shown in the table below:
Traffic counts were collected at these intersections in May 2019 and March 2020. The counts revealed that all six (6) intersections operate at Level of Service (LOS) D or better with existing traffic, which is considered acceptable by the Rialto General Plan. Under existing plus project generated traffic conditions all six (6) intersections continue to operate at LOS D or better.
However, three (3) of the intersections are anticipated to operate at LOS F when the existing and project generated traffic volumes are combined with cumulative growth and ambient growth without any mitigation. The specific intersections are (1) Alder Avenue & SR-210 Westbound, (2) Alder Avenue & SR-210 Eastbound, and (3) Alder Avenue & Renaissance Parkway. The TIS recommends various improvements to mitigate potential traffic impacts to these intersections. The recommended improvements consist of traffic signal timing modifications, restriping of existing right-of-way to create additional travel lanes, and the construction of new turn lanes through the expansion of right-of-way. According to the TIS, each of the three (3) deficient intersections will operate at LOS D or better with implementation of the recommended improvements.
The TIS concluded that the payment of “fair share” fees for the recommended improvements constitutes adequate mitigation. The applicant will be responsible for fair share payments in the amount of $398,149. 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 2.2% ($92,338) of the cost of improvements necessary for Alder Avenue & SR-210 Westbound Ramps, 3.5% ($146,082) of the cost of improvements necessary for Alder Avenue & SR-210 Eastbound Ramps, and 3.8% ($159,728) of the cost of improvements necessary for Alder Avenue & Renaissance Parkway.
The Transportation Commission reviewed and approved the TIS on January 6, 2021. In its decision, the Transportation Commission agreed with the findings and recommended “fair-share” mitigation in the TIS.
The project will construct half-width street improvements along the entire project frontage of Renaissance Parkway. Additionally, the applicant will pay development impact fees related to traffic. All street improvements, “fair-share” payments, and development impact fee payments, must be paid and/or completed prior to final inspection and occupancy.
Land Use Compatibility
The project is consistent with the BC zone proposed by the applicant and the design criteria contained within the Renaissance Specific Plan and Chapter 18.61 (Design Guidelines) of the Rialto Municipal Code. The nearby area is predominantly zoned for and developed with industrial uses, and as a result, there are no sensitive land uses near the project site. Additionally, the Draft Resolutions of Approval contain conditions of approval requiring that the project not exceed the traffic estimates contained within the TIS, thereby ensuring that the project will not significantly impact local streets and intersections. The project will be a benefit to the community and an improvement to the surrounding area.
Fiscal Analysis
Prior to completion of the project, the applicant will pay plan check, permit, and development impact fees to the City, as well as the cost of the two (2) parcels of land being purchased from the Successor Agency and the City of Rialto. Additionally, the project will generate annual recurring revenues to the City General Fund in the form of property taxes, utility taxes, and business license taxes. Furthermore, the project will generate approximately 85 to 100 jobs, increasing employment opportunities for City of Rialto residents. Not only will the project provide additional employment opportunities for City of Rialto residents, but it will also result in result in employees spending their discretionary income as they frequent local restaurants, gas stations, and other local businesses.
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. Figure 2-2 (Land Use Diagram) of the Renaissance Specific Plan indicates that the land use designation for the project site is Employment (EMP). According to Table 3-1 (Land Use Categories) and Table 3-2 (General Permitted Uses) of the Renaissance Specific Plan, industrial storage warehouse/distribution center uses, such as the project, are consistent with the proposed BC zoning 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 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 Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. to prepare an Addendum to the previously certified June 2016 Renaissance Specific Plan Amendment Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (EIR Addendum), in accordance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State CEQA Guidelines, and the rules, regulations, and procedures for implementing CEQA as set forth by the City of Rialto. Section 15164(a) of the State CEQA Guidelines states that “the lead agency or a responsible agency shall prepare an addendum to a previously certified EIR if some changes or additions are necessary but none of the conditions described in Section 15162 calling for preparation of a subsequent EIR have occurred.”
The purpose of the EIR Addendum is to analyze any potential differences between the impacts identified in the June 2016 Renaissance Specific Plan Amendment Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (2016 RSPA SEIR) and those that would be associated with the proposed Project. Pursuant to provisions of CEQA and State CEQA Guidelines, the City is the Lead Agency charged with the responsibility of deciding whether to approve development on the Project site. As detailed in the EIR Addendum, the proposed Project would result in no new significant impacts that were not analyzed in the 2016 RSPA SEIR, nor would the proposed Project cause a substantial increase in the severity of any previously identified environmental impacts. The potential impacts associated with proposed Project would either be the same or less than those described in the 2016 RSPA SEIR. In addition, there are no substantial changes to the circumstances under which the proposed Project would be undertaken that would result in new or more severe environmental impacts than previously addressed in the 2016 RSPA SEIR, nor has any new information regarding the potential for new or more severe significant environmental impacts been identified. The EIR Addendum to the 2016 RSPA SEIR is attached to the agenda report (Exhibit I).
Native American Tribal Consultation (Assembly Bill 52 and Senate Bill 18)
In accordance with California Assembly Bill 52 and California Senate Bill 18, the Planning Division mailed notices to eleven (11) Native American tribes informing them of the project and allowing them to request consultation on the project. The Planning Division provided each tribe ninety (90) days to request consultation on the proposed project. One (1) tribe, the Gabrieleño Band of Mission Indians-Kizh Nation (Kizh Nation), initially requested formal consultation during the period. However, the Kizh Nation agreed to forego consultation due to the incorporation of a Condition of Approval into the Draft Resolutions of Approval that requires the applicant to coordinate with the Kizh Nation to allow access to the site during all ground disturbance activities.
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, City Clerk’s Office, and Grace Vargas Senior Center, and mailed public hearing notices to all property owners within 300 feet of the project site, as required by State law.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Planning Division recommends that the Planning Commission:
- Adopt the attached Resolution (Exhibit J) forwarding to the City Council a recommendation to approve an Addendum to the previously certified June 2016 Renaissance Specific Plan Amendment Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (Environmental Assessment Review No. 2020-0015) 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
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- Adopt the attached resolution (Exhibit K) forwarding to the City Council a recommendation to approve Specific Plan Amendment No. 2020-0003 to change the zoning designation of approximately 7.00 gross acres (6.94 net acres) of land, detailed in the legal description attached as Exhibit L, from Corporate Center (CC) within the Renaissance Specific Plan to Business Center (BC) within the Renaissance Specific Plan, subject to the findings and conditions therein; and
-
- Adopt the attached resolution (Exhibit M) forwarding to the City Council a recommendation to approve Tentative Parcel Map No. 2020-0006 allowing the consolidation of four (4) parcels of land (APNs: 0240-211-21, -23, -29 & -31) into one (1) 6.94 net acre parcel of land, subject to the findings and conditions therein; and
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- Adopt the attached resolution (Exhibit N) forwarding to the City Council a recommendation to approve Conditional Development Permit No. 2020-0011 allowing the development and operation of a 135,408 square foot industrial storage warehouse/distribution center building on 7.00 gross acres (6.94 net acres) of land (APNs: 0240-211-21, -23, -29 & -31), subject to the findings and conditions therein; and
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- Adopt a resolution (Exhibit O) forwarding to the City Council a recommendation to approve Precise Plan of Design No. 2020-0015 allowing the development of a 135,408 square foot industrial storage warehouse/distribution center building on 7.00 gross acres (6.94 net acres) of land (APNs: 0240-211-21, -23, -29 & -31), subject to the finding and conditions therein.