For City Council Meeting [December 14, 2021]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Marcus Fuller, City Manager
FROM: Michael Tahan, Interim Public Works Director
Title
Request City Council to Adopt Resolution No. 7805 Approving Parcel Map 20204 for the Consolidation of Six (6) Parcels of Land into One (1) Parcel to Facilitate the Development of an Industrial Warehouse Building Located at the Northeast Corner of Merrill Avenue and Yucca Avenue.
Body
BACKGROUND
Tentative Parcel Map No. 20204 was conditionally approved by the City of Rialto Planning Commission on September 30, 2020. a request to consolidate six (6) parcels of land into one (1) parcel to facilitate the development of an industrial warehouse building located on the northeast corner of Merrill Ave and Yucca Ave within the Light Industrial (M-1) Zone of the General Plan. A copy of the Planning Commission Resolution No. 2020-35 is included as Attachment 1.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
The applicant/owner, SCG/DP Yucca, LLC, is requesting approval of Parcel Map No. 20204. The property is compatible with the surrounding uses, which have a zoning designation of Light Industrial (M-1) Zone. The site contains 3.45 net acres, relatively flat piece of land and the development of the vacant land is easily accommodated. The property is adjacent to streets, which will be able to accommodate the proposed use. A copy of Parcel Map 20104 is included as Attachment 2.
To the north of the project site is an approximately 57,000 square feet industrial building occupied by Plant Prefab, a pre-fabricated home manufacturer. To the east is both a San Bernardino County Flood Control channel and a 258,857 square feet industrial warehouse building occupied by DeVilbiss HealthCare, a healthcare supply distributor. To the south, across Merrill Avenue, is a single-family residential subdivision built in 1981. And to the west, across Yucca Avenue, are four (4) small industrial buildings ranging in size from 6,000 square feet to 12,000 square feet that are occupied by various businesses.
The purpose of the subdivision is to consolidate the Site into one (1) 3.45 net-acre parcel of land to facilitate the development of a 36,500 square feet industrial storage warehouse/distribution center building. Per Chapter 2 (Managing Our Land Supply) of the Rialto General Plan, the maximum allowable Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for parcels within the Light Industrial Land use designation is 100.0 percent. The FAR proposed for the project is 24.3 percent, which is well within the allowable limit. Parcel Map No. 20204 shall have the owner dedicate additional right-of-way along the entire frontage of Yucca Avenue, to provide the ultimate half-width of 22.5 feet and a cul-de-sac at the north terminus. Also, at Merrill Avenue, the owner shall dedicate additional right-of-way, to provide the ultimate half-width of 44 feet. Other dedication the owner shall be required to provide will include the dedication of additional right-of-way for a property line corner cutback at the northeast corner of the intersection of Merrill Avenue and Yucca Avenue. Moreover, the owner shall dedicate a 7-foot-wide public utility easement along the entire project frontage of Yucca Avenue. In addition, the owner is required to replace and improve the frontage according to City Standards, as per conditions to construct right of way improvements.
The site is physically suitable for the proposed density of development. Parcel Map No. 20204 will meet all criteria, development standards, and the City’s Design Guidelines. The site is sufficient in size and shape to accommodate the proposed density. The Project is consistent with the General Plan and the Light Industrial (M-1) zone.
The conditions imposed in Planning Commission Resolution No. 2020-35 include street, streetlight, landscape and minor water and sewer improvements. The construction of these improvements has been substantially completed. Survey monuments shown to be set on the parcel map have been set by the land surveyor of record.
The map has been reviewed and found to be in conformance with the approved tentative map and consistent with the Subdivision Ordinance, the General Plan of the City of Rialto, the conditions set forth by the Planning Commission, provisions of the Subdivision Map Act and the City of Rialto Standards.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The project is categorically exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The project qualifies as a Class 32 exemption under CEQA Guidelines Section 15332 - In-Fill Development Projects - as the project is consistent with the Rialto General Plan and the Light Industrial (M-1) zoning designation, the project occurs on a site less than 5.0 acres in size that is substantially surrounded by development, the project site has no value as habitat for threatened or endangered species, the project will not result in any significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality, and the project site can be adequately served by all required utilities and public services. Additionally, the design of the land division is not likely to cause substantial environmental damage or substantially injure fish, wildlife, or their habitat. On September 30, 2020, the Planning Commission authorized the filing of a Notice of Exemption with the County Clerk of Board of Supervisor’s Office for the project.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The City identified several goals and objectives within the City’s recently adopted General Plan through which the City looks to improve the community. Approving Parcel Map No. 20204 is consistent with the following goals and objectives:
Goal 2-16: To improve architectural and design quality of development within the City.
Goal 2-22; To promote commercial and/or industrial development that is functionally efficient for its purpose.
Policy 2-22.3; Require that landscape plantings be incorporated into commercial and industrial projects to define and enhance the entrances and front of a building facing a parking lot.
Goal 2-23; To minimize the visual impact of the parking lot.
Policy 2-23-1; Require mature trees and landscaping in off-street parking areas to make them more inviting and aesthetically appealing, and to provide sufficient shading to reduce heat.
Policy 2-23.3; Require use of drainage improvements designed, with native vegetation where possible, to retain or detain water runoff and minimize pollutants into the drainage system.
Goal 2-36; To reduce the amount of fugitive dust released into the atmosphere
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney has reviewed and supports this staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
Activity bonds received and released will be recorded and tracked by the Treasurer’s Office. There is no financial impact with recordation of Parcel Map No. 20204. Improvements are accepted by the City for operation and maintenance and added to the City’s GASB 34 Inventory upon completion of the one-year warranty period after approval of construction of the improvements and subsequent to the recordation of Parcel Map No. 20204.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
The proposed action will not affect the Capital Improvement Budget.
Licensing
The proposed action will not require payment of a business license tax.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. ______ Approving Parcel Map 20204 for the Consolidation of Six (6) Parcels of Land into One (1) Parcel to Facilitate the Development of an Industrial Warehouse Building Located at the Northeast Corner of Merrill Avenue and Yucca Avenue.