HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Comm Reports/1994/06/08 (6)
MEMORANDUM
DATE:
June 1, 1994
TO:
SUBJECT:
Chairperson and Members of the Planning Commission
J, Luis Hernandez, Associate Planner~
GPA-94-02, PCZ-94-B, General ~ amendment and Prezone 0.67 acres at
the southwest corner of Bonita Road and Lynwood Drive (Bonita Carwash).
FROM:
At the May 18, 1994 Planning Commission workshop, the Commission agreed to reconsider the
General Plan amendment and Prezone request for 0,67 acres located at the southwest corner of
Bonita Road and Lynwood Drive within the Sweetwater Community Area,
Please find attached a copy of the May 11, 1994 staff report (original report) and draft minutes
of the meeting, Also attached is additional information submitted by the applicant addressing
some of the site design and traffic concerns raised at the previous meeting,
Because the additional information is primarily clarification and illustration of certain site and
traffic conditions, the staff's recommendation remains as stated in the original report except that,
as recommended by the City Attorney, the Conditional Use Permit (PCC-9423) was previously
continued indefinitely since action on the CUP must be coordinated with the annexation of the
site to the City,
In addition to the attached illustrations and information, the applicant will be making a detailed
presentation of the project design, potential operation scenario, and traffic circulation,
(gpa-9402.mmo)
Attachments
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Excemt from Planning Commission Minutes of 5/11/94
ITEM 3,
PUBLIC HEARING: CONSIDERATION OF THE FOLLOWING
APPLICATIONS FILED BY CHARLES TIBBETT FOR 0,67
UNINCORPORATED ACRES LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER
OF BONITA ROAD AND LYNWOOD DRIVE
a,
GPA-94-02: AMEND GENERAL PLAN
COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL LOW
COMMERCIAL VISITOR
FROM OFFICE
DENSITY TO
b, PCZ-94-B: PREZONE TO C-V-P, COMMERCIAL VISITOR
c, PCC-94-23: CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO OPERATE A FULL
SERVICE CARW ASH
Associate Planner Hernandez presented the staff report, noting that the applicant had requested
a conditional use permit, The City Attorney had determined that the Planning Commission could
not act on the conditional use permit until the property is annexed to the City, and the City has
jurisdiction over the land use, He also noted corrections in the report on page 3-2 under
"Discussion"ushould read ,50 instead of ,25, and .42 should read ,17; and on,page 3-5, third
paragraph, 2 decibels should be ,2 decibels, Mr. Hernandez stated that the 1989 Update of the
Chula Vista General Plan adopted the Sweetwater Community Plan for all incorporated parcels
in this area, The Sweetwater Community Plan designation showed the site as Office
Professional Commercial and Residential for the portion being detached from the existing single-
family lot. The zoning was C-30 (Professional Office and Rural Residential - 1 unit per acre),
Mr. Hernandez explained the applicant's concept of the future use as a carwash, noting the
circulation system and architecture, The architecture had been approved by the Design Review
Committee contingent upon approval of the General Plan Amendment, Prezoning, Conditional
Use Permit, and annexation of the property to the City,
A public forum had been held to inform the residents and community group of the applicant's
intent to change the General Plan designation and construct a full-service carwash, The issues
raised were primarily the additional traffic and signal delays and Bonita Road and Lynwood
Drive, and the traffic generated by the recently approved church and school facility constructed
by the County in the neighborhood,
To address the traffic issues and traffic signal delays, a traffic report was prepared which
included the traffic the church facility generated and data provided by the County for the
intersection, The City Traffic Engineer, based on the traffic report, had concluded that the
traffic generated by the carwash was spread evenly throughout the day and was not expected to
create any significant changes in the level of service or the intersection signal phasing,
PC Minutes
-9-
May 11, 1994
A noise study was conducted to determine the potential impacts from traffic, as well as from
operational aspects of the proposed land use, The study concluded that the project would
increase the existing noise level by ,2 decibels which was considered to be negligible,
Mr. Hernandez noted that redesignation from Commercial Office and Residential Low Density
to Visitor Commercial follows the pattern of other parcels in that particular Bonita Road
segment. In staff's opinion, the property could be redesignated Commercial Visitor or left
Office Commercial. Staff recommended approval of the General Planning Amendment and
Prezoning request in accordance with the findings and subject to the conditions contained in the
resolution and ordinance; and that Conditional Use Pennit 94-23 be continued indefinitely, as
recommended by the City Attorney,
Commissioner Ray asked how many feet, in terms of a single lane, were there from Bonita Road
to the vacuum hoses, He was concerned about stacking of cars, and the inability to exit. Staff
deferred the questioned to the applicant.
This being the time and the place as advertised, the public hearing was opened,
Ron Lane, 3907 Massachusetts Avenue, La Mesa, representing the applicant, noted 12 cars could
be stacked, if necessary, and approximately 10 cars additionally on the access road from Bonita
Road,
Discussion ensued regarding traffic circulation and difficulty of access and egress, Traffic would
be encouraged to enter from Bonita Road and egress on Lynwood,
Commissioner Ray asked staff if there were any plans to connect Lynwood Drive to "H" Street,
Assistant Planning Director Lee replied negatively, noting that Lynwood was very narrow and
the ability to widen it in the future would be extremely limited, The City was opposed to
construction of the church which had been constructed at the southwest end of Lynwood which
would potentially cause more problems than the proposed carwash,
Chair Martin asked how many feet existed from the entrance of the proposed carwash back to
the off-ramp, Mr. Lee stated it was approximately 200 feet.
Chair Martin stated he had a problem with only two lanes gomg east; if there was any
obstruction, there would be delays,
Mr. Lane said their engineers were working on a smooth transition into their entrance without
significant stopping, On the Pier I side, there would be another lane added on the north side,
Chair Martin was concerned about tying up one lane with traffic going into the carwash, Mr.
Lane felt it might potentially slow down traffic, but traffic would not have to stop when
entering,
PC Minutes
-10-
May 11, 1994
Commissioner Tarantino was concerned about safety, with drivers looking to the left for
oncoming traffic when turning right from the freeway ramp, If there was stacking of cars, he
had a question about safety, Mr. Lane did not believe that with the driveway there would be
stacking in that direction; it would have to be a very overcrowded situation,
Chair Martin was concerned with any stopping just beyond the intersection, Mr. Lane stated
that with any land use, there would be some delay when someone turned in,
In answer to Commissioner Ray, Mr, Lane said there would be no machinery or ducting exposed
on the roof. From the freeway, only a portion of the roof would be visible, From "H" Street
exiting north, there would be buffering and landscaping which would screen the building heavily,
Associate Planner Hernandez noted that, to his knowledge, no roof-mounted equipment would
be installed,
Erina Fornataro, 3249 Holly Way, Chula Vista, clarified there were some people in favor of the
carwash, but not in the Lynwood Hills area, She was concerned with the safety issue and
traffic, Lynwood Drive is a two-lane road, and she did not feel they had seen the full impact
of the traffic from the church and from Bonita Road going west,
Roland Fornataro, 3249 Holly Way, Chula Vista, owned property on Lynwood and Holly, and
on Lynwood, There was no room for stacking even two cars on Lynwood going to Bonita
Road, He noted traffic from Presidio Tree Farm and the church, There were not enough lights
at the intersection to stack it up,
Bill Darnell, Darnell & Associates, 1202 Kettner Blvd" Suite B, San Diego 92101, traffic
consultant for the applicant, noted the traffic study used the SANDAG rates, and stated that the
access could be moved if there was a concern about slowing down, Mr. Darnell agreed with
Mr. Lane in that whatever was put on the site, there would be slow-down, The CalTrans signals
are tied together, and drivers pass through rather fast. The signal at Lynwood is a separate
phase from the Plaza Bonita side, so that traffic is not opposing traffic from the other side,
There was a possible conflict with drivers turning right out of Plaza Bonita with drivers turning
left from Lynwood, It was an enforcement issue, Mr. Darnell felt with the level of stacking--
20-25 cars at a peak time--a problem would not be experienced,
No one else wishing to speak, the public hearing was closed,
Commissioner Ray asked what was the possibility of expanding Lynwood 10-15 feet past the
entrance/exit of the carwash down to Bonita Road to four lanes,
Assistant Planning Director Lee stated there was an existing commercial development on the east
side, Topographically, he felt it would be extremely difficult and would have to be done as a
joint effort with the County, It had not been considered,
PC Minutes
-11-
May 11, 1994
Commissioner Ray asked what assurances there were that the drainage from the carwash would
not go into the flood channel. At the request of staff, Mr. Lane, speaking for the applicant, said
there was a full reclaim system, Five percent would end up in the sewer.
Commissioner Ray was concerned with the runoff from the parking lot, and what would end up
in the flood channel. Mr. Lane felt it would be similar to what drains from the site currently,
Chair Martin had a concern with the Commercial Visitor designation, He believed it would
cause traffic safety problems, He did not feel he could vote for the project; if it was just the
carwash, it would be possible, Redesignating it Commercial Visitor would add more traffic,
This would be the next area of concern in the next few years, and a strong message should be
sent to staff, There was no question that a carwash was a viable business opportunity, but that
was not the place to have Commercial Visitor.
MS (Tarantino/Ray) to reject the resolution amending the land use designation of the General
Plan from Office Commercial to Visitor Commercial.
Commissioner Fuller clarified that if that action were approved, there would be no need for the
remaining actions recommended by staff. Assistant City Attorney Rudolf stated that he
understood the motion was to deny the request which would have to be appealed to the Council.
If it was approved, it would move on to the Council.
Assistant Planning Director Lee advised, if it was the Commission's desire to recommend denial
of the General Plan, that the rezoning also be included so both decisions could be appealed to
the Council.
Commissioner Ray commented that the Commission was acutely aware of traffic problems in
the area--this being one of the major ones, If he could have had references to other carwashes
and real numbers, with visual presentations or renderings showing how many cars, it may have
been easier for him to vote for it, but he was very sensitive to what the Fornataros had said
regarding Lynwood, Specifically, the entrance on Bonita Road frightened him, and the potential
for some kind of traffic problem there,
Assistant Planning Director Lee reminded the Commission that the property was zoned in the
County for Commercial Office, The plan approved years ago also had right turns in and out
towards the west end of the property, Regardless of whether it is developed at some point as
Office or Retail, there would likely be a driveway toward the west end,
Commissioner Salas commented that while it may be zoned Commercial, she believed
designating it Commercial Visitor would create more trips,
Assistant Planning Director Lee noted that it was not a large area, and this was just part of
several projects that might be built. The carwash fits the exact site, and there was no proposal
PC Minutes
-12-
May 11, 1994
that would change or add anything to it. He wanted to clarify that if the carwash went out of
business in the future, there might be another proposal back in front of the Commission in terms
of a particular project.
Commissioner Fuller stated the Commissioners felt that the business opportunities in a Visitor
Commercial create more traffic, more in and out trips, more frequently than Office Commercial.
RESTATEMENT OF MOTION: To deny GPA-94-02,
Commissioner Moot asked if the maker of the motion would expand the motion to also deny
PCZ-94-B, the prezone, which would allow the applicant to appeal both issues,
The maker and second concurred,
RESTATEMENT OF MOTION: TO DENY GPA-94-02 AND PCZ-94-B.
VOTE ON MOTION:
6-0 to DENY (Commissioner Tuchscher excused)
Assistant City Attorney Rudolf asked that the Commission continue PCC-94-23 indefinitely,
MSC (Fuller/Salas) 6-0 (Commissioner Tuchscher excused) to continue indefinitely
PCC-94-23, the conditional use permit to operate a full carwash.
Commissioner Fuller commented that she was impressed with the format of the environmental
checklist form used with this item,
Bonita Carwash
po. Box 1712 Bonita, CA 91908
~
619/421-5642 Fax: 619/421-1587
TO:
Mr, Tom Martin, Chair and
Members of the Chula Vista Planning Commission
FROM:
Paul D, Magnotto
Charles Tibbett
Greg Cox
DATE:
June 1, 1994
We sincerely appreciate the Commission's willingness to grant a rehearing on
this item in order to allow us to present our project more fully, Enclosed are
several exhibits prepared in response to questions raised by Planning
Commission members at your May 11, 1994, hearing on the Bonita Carwash.
We have contracted for the services of Daniel F, Marum, a Transportation
Planning Consultant with Catalina Engineering, Inc. to address more fully
traffic concerns. Dan was responsible for preparing the Sweetwater Valley
Traffic Study for the Cities ofChula Vista and National City, County of San
Diego, and Caltrans in 1988, He is familiar with this area and will be present at
the Planning Commission meeting on June 8 to review the original traffic study
completed by Darnell & Associates, Inc., and to present possible modifications
that could further reduce potential traffic impacts.
Normal hours of operation for the carwash will be 8 am - 6 pm during the
summer and 8 am - 5 pm during the winter. Rates of $6.95 per car will be at the
higher end of carwash scale. Consequently, our pro forma anticipates washing
only 125 cars per day, This equates to one car leaving the carwash every five
minutes,
The following exhibits are provided to illustrate stacking areas availabe for cars
waiting to use our full-service carwash,
EXHIBIT 1: An overview of how cars would be accommodated on our site if
200 cars per day were washed. This is an optimistic forecast, As a reference
point, the Shell Carwash at Bonita Glen Drive and Bonita Road, which is free,
washes between 250-300 cars per day. A total of 200 carwashes per day equates to
one car leaving our property every three minutes.
EXHIBIT 2: Depiction of a normal peak hour, with 25 full-size cars per
hour being washed, or one car exiting every two and one half minutes,
EXHIBIT 3: Demonstration of the maximum capacity of the property to
accommodate cars: approximately 16 cars (shown in yellow) in the drying/
exiting areas, and approximately 33 cars (shown in red) in stacking areas.
These numbers are in addition to employee and detail area parking,
EXHIBIT 4: Rendering of the Bonita Carwash as approved by the Design
Review Board at their March 28, 1994, meeting. A number of suggestions made
by the Design Review Board were incorporated into the final design.
EXHIBIT 5: Site plan showing separate right turn deceleration lane into
the Bonita Carwash from Bonita Road. The deceleration lane is shown in red. It
is 100' long x 12' wide, with five additional feet of sidewalk. There is an additional
200 feet from the western end of the deceleration lane to the I 805/Bonita Road off-
ramp, This deceleration lane would provide for an exclusive right turn lane into
the carwash from Bonita Road. We believe that the deceleration lane will provde
a safe transition for eastbound cars pulling into the carwash.
If you have any questions about these documents, or about the Bonita
Carwash, please call any of the people listed below:
Paul Magnotto
Charles Tibbett
Greg Cox
Dan Marum
421-5642
697-7461
585-7007
295-8353
We look forward to talking with you on June 8.
.'
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