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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 1 - Staff Report C H U L A VISTA PLANNING yw�� COMMISSION ° AGENDA STATEMENT Item: 1 Meeting Date: 03/13/19 ITEM TITLE: PUBLIC HEARING: CUP16-0030; Consideration of a Conditional Use Permit to establish and operate a temporary Recreational Vehicle and Boat storage facility at 1228 Eastlake Parkway: Applicant-Frank Orhmund Resolution of the City of Chula Vista Planning Commission approving Conditional Use Permit CUP16-0030 for a temporary Recreational Vehicle and Boat Storage Facility located on a 6.5-acre site at 1228 Eastlake Parkway within the Eastlake II Sectional Planning Area(OS3 Zone) SUBMITTED BY: Oscar Romero, Assistant Planner REVIEWED BY: Kelly Broughton, Director of Development Services INTRODUCTION On July 28, 2018, the Applicant, Frank Orhmund, submitted a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application for approval to operate a Recreational Vehicle (RV) and Boat Storage facility at 1228 Eastlake Parkway within the Eastlake 11 Sectional Planning Area (SPA) (OS-3 Zone) (see Attachment 1-Locator Map). The CUP would be for a five year period. BACKGROUND Under the provisions of the Unclassified Use Provisions outlined in 19.58.400 Recreational Vehicle Storage Yards, the Applicant is applying for approval of a 5-year CUP to allow the construction and operation of a proposed RV and Boat Storage facility on the subject site. The granting of the CUP will allow the Applicant to conduct the necessary site improvements in order to construct and commence operation of the facility. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The Development Services Director reviewed the project for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the project qualifies for a Class 3 Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15303 (New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures) of the State CEQA Guidelines because the project consists of the installation of minor improvements for outdoor storage. Therefore, no further environmental review is required. Planning Commission March 13, 2019 PCC-16-0030 Page No. 2 RECOMMENDATION Conduct the Public Hearing and adopt the attached Planning Commission Resolution, PCC-16- 0030, approving Conditional Use Permit CUP16-0030, based on the findings and subject to the conditions contained in the attached Planning Commission Resolution (see Attachment 2). DISCUSSION Project Site Characteristics: The 6.5-acre project site is located along Eastlake Parkway between SR-125 and Eastlake Parkway, north of Trinidad Cove and south of Clubhouse Drive within the Eastlake II SPA in the OS-3 Zone. The project site is located off Eastlake Parkway and has a frontage width of 220-feet with an existing 65-foot San Diego County Water Authority easement and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) easement of 120-feet spanning from the east to west side of the property. The two easements stretch from the north side of the parcel to the toe of slope on the southern end adjacent to the residences. The proposed project will use part of the easement for ingress and egress as well as for emergency vehicle turn around. The RV Storage will be located on the southern SDG&E easement where it will be graded with permeable concrete for stored vehicles and a more durable concrete for emergency vehicle access. The site is surrounded by a combination of parcels; to the north is a high school (PC40S4 zoning), to the south is a residential complex (PC4RM25), and to the west SR-125 and east is an existing church(PC4PQ) as further described in the following table: Land Use District General Plan Existing Land Use Designation Site Medium-High Planned Community 4— Residential (OS-3) Vacant North PQ-park—Quasi Planned Community—(OS- Eastlake High School Public 4) South FC—Freeway RM25—Medium Commercial Residential 25 Antigua Condominiums East RLM—Low-Medium PQ-Public Quasi Parkway Hills Church of the Residential Nazarene West PC- Special Planning NSA SR-125 Area Planning Commission March 13, 2019 PCC-16-0030 Page No. 3 Project Description: The site will provide outdoor storage for 80-100 recreational vehicles and operate seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The property will not accommodate any permanent structures but will include light poles with surveillance cameras to assist in monitoring the site. The proposal will also include a 40-foot landscape enhancement fronting on Eastlake Parkway from the interior edge of the curb to the entrance. ANALYSIS: Findings for granting of a Conditional Use Permit The required findings for the granting of a Conditional Use Permit are described in Chapter 19.14 of the Chula Vista Municipal Code ("Municipal Code" or "CVMC"). One such finding is that the Project would provide a needed service to the surrounding community. The proposed storage facility would be desirable at this location as it would provide a needed service for residents of the surrounding Eastlake community. The existing Covenants Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R's) governing the residential areas of Eastlake prohibit both the parking and storage of RV's and boats along the streets or within private driveways. The Project would allow for the storage of RV's and boats for residents of Eastlake and the Chula Vista neighborhoods that currently have to use storage elsewhere. The second finding made must prove the project proposal will not be detrimental to the health, safety or general welfare of persons residing or working in the vicinity or injurious to property or improvements in the vicinity. The proposed storage facility is topographically lower than both parcels to the north and south of the site and will be screened by existing landscaping and a 6 foot high fence. Although the storage facility will not be completely screened, its visibility from the adjacent properties will be minimal. In addition, the site will include lighting (which will be shielded from adjacent properties), a locked gate and security cameras and other improvements described herein. As such, the project will not be detrimental to the health, safety or general welfare of persons residing or working in the vicinity or injurious to property or improvements in the vicinity. The third finding must confirm that the proposed use complies with the regulations and conditions specified in the code for such use. The storage facility has been reviewed and conditioned to reflect the provisions in Section 19.58.400 of the CVMC. Finally, the finding must be made that the project will not adversely affect the General Plan of the City. The proposed project is a temporary use allowed for a maximum period of 5-years (with possible time extensions). The Conditional Use Permit is in compliance with the General Plan and CVMC Section 19.54.020 listing recreational vehicle storage yards as an Unclassified Use and subject to the granting of a CUP by the Planning Commission. Compliance with Development Regulations: The project site is zoned OS-3 (Open Space) and has a General Plan Medium-High Residential land use designation. In recommending approval of the requested CUP to the Planning Commission, staff relies on the following sections of the CVMC: Planning Commission March 13, 2019 PCC-16-0030 Page No. 4 CVMC Section 19.54.020 (Q) Chapter 19.54 describes Unclassified Uses that may be permitted in any zone subject to review of the use in terms of compatibility at the proposed location and subject to the approval of a CUP. Specifically, Section 19.54.020(Q) lists recreational vehicle storage facilities as part of the list of unclassified uses that could be considered with the approval of a CUP, subject to review of specific compatibility issues outlined in CVMC Section 19.58.400. CVMC Section 19.58.400 Section 19.58.400 requires that an application to establish a recreational vehicle storage yard shall address the following issues: (1) height limit for stored items, (2) screening (landscaping and fencing), (3) surfacing, (4) access to the site, (5) office facilities, (6) customer parking, (7) lighting, (8) hours of operation, (9) security, (10) signing, and (11) surrounding land uses and structures. Said items are discussed in more detail below. Section 19.58.400 also indicates that approval of an RV storage facility that is considered by the Planning Commission to represent an interim use of land based upon zoning or development patterns, shall be subject to a review and report filed each year with the Zoning Administrator. These reports would indicate the current status of development within the immediate area, including any proposal for the adjacent parcels. Permits for an interim RV storage yard shall be granted for a maximum period of five years with extensions subject to rehearing before the Planning Commission. Height/Screening and Landscapes A six foot high chain link fence with a privacy lath will be provided along Eastlake Parkway and a chain link fence around the perimeter of the site. Along the property frontage facing Eastlake Parkway will be a 40-foot landscape strip from the edge of the interior of the curb to the entrance. The proposed landscaping would be an aesthetic improvement to the site and would provide some additional screening beyond what would be provided by the six foot high perimeter fence. The items stored will be motorhomes, boats and travel trailers with a range in height of 8-13 feet. As a result, the upper portion of some of the vehicles may not be completely screened from view from the street or the adjacent property to the south. The existing site is topographically 15-feet below grade of the site directly south of the proposed project. The Applicant will allow the existing landscaping along the southern property line to grow to a height of 6-feet within the proposed site to screen the first floor of the residences as viewed from their private open space. Minimal visibility of items stored at this facility could occur within this line of sight. Otherwise, there are no visual impacts to the surrounding area. Two conditions of approval will address concerns related to screening: First, a building height of thirteen and a half feet would be established for RV's as conditioned by SDG&E; Second, storage would be limited to motorhomes, trailers, boats on trailers and operable vehicles. These conditions would minimize potential visual impacts from the facility to occur. Planning Commission March 13, 2019 PCC-16-0030 Page No. 5 Surfacing, Access and Site Improvements The area will be utilized for the proposed RV storage facility. The site, including driveways and storage areas, would be paved with permeable asphalt surfacing. No office facility will be provided on-site. In addition, a twenty-six foot wide fire drive aisle will be provided through the center of the project and would contain additional surfacing required to accommodate emergency vehicles. Access to the storage facility will be through one controlled automatic gate. The gate would be activated by an electronic keypad for recognition. Parking and Circulation There are 11 separate parking spaces provided within the storage facility. Customers will pull up to boats and other trailers, hitch up, and drive away. In the case of motorhomes, customers can park their car in the storage space as they leave with their coach. In addition, if other temporary parking is required, due to the thirty to forty foot length of the storage spaces, there may also be additional room within said space for the parking of cars. Lighting and Security The site will contain a number of security lights. The light poles will be fifteen feet high in order to provide sufficient lighting for security purposes. A photometric study was prepared to show that no light spillage would occur beyond the property lines. Hours of Operation Hours of operation of the storage facility would be daily from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. There will be no on-site attendant. However, surveillance cameras will be located on-site for security surveillance. As described above, the entry gate would be activated by an electronic keypad for recognition. The gate will be programmed for activation only during these hours of operation. Land Use Compatibility The proposed project is located on a parcel with a utility corridor. The site is located in the eastern portion of the City. There are existing uses adjacent to the parcel, a residential parcel is located to the south, a high school is located north of the site, SR-125 is west and a church is on the east side across Eastlake Parkway. Because the requested CUP would only be granted for a period of five years, any development of these parcels would be taken into consideration for any future requests by the applicant to extend the operation of the storage facility beyond a five-year period of time. The project produces very little traffic with no significant noise impacts. PUBLIC INPUT During the project review process, City staff received 6 comment letters from concerned residents who own property south of the proposed project site (please see copy of Letters included in this packet as Attachment 3). The letters express concerns related to land use, transients, noise, property values, aesthetics and hours of operation. In response, the Applicant attempted to contact residents via social media in an attempt to meet and discuss issues. Staff has reviewed the project based on the standards contained in CVMC Section 19.5 8.400 requiring that an application to establish a recreational vehicle storage yard shall address the following issues: (1) height limit for stored items, (2) screening (landscaping and fencing), (3) surfacing, (4) Planning Commission March 13, 2019 PCC-16-0030 Page No. 6 access to the site, (5) office facilities, (6) customer parking, (7) lighting, (8) hours of operation, (9) security, (10) signing, and (11) surrounding land uses and structures. Staff reviewed the proposed project and found that the proposed use meets the requirements of the CVMC. CONCLUSION Staff finds that the proposed use meets the requirements of the CVMC and that allowing the storage facility to operate for five years would be an appropriate interim use of the site. As discussed in this staff report, the use will have no significant impacts on the existing surrounding land uses. DECISION-MAKER CONFLICTS Staff has reviewed the property holdings of the Planning Commission members and has found no property holdings within 1,000 feet of the boundaries of the property which is the subject of this action. Consequently, this item does not present a disqualifying real property-related financial conflict of interest under California Code of Regulations Title 2, section 18702.2(a)(7) or (8), for purposes of the Political Reform Act(Cal. Gov't Code §87100, et seq.). Staff is not independently aware, and has not been informed by any Planning Commission member, of any other fact that may constitute a basis for a decision-maker conflict of interest in this matter." FISCAL IMPACT There are no fiscal impacts from the preparation of this report and the processing of the CUP. All costs are covered by the Applicant's deposit account. ATTACHMENTS 1 Locator Map 2 Planning Commission Resolution 3 Correspondence 4 Ownership Disclosure Form 5 Project Plans (Via Flash Drive) Prepared by: Oscar Romero,Assistant Planner, Development Services Department