RESOLUTION NO. 568-2026
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BARSTOW RECOMMENDING CITY COUNCIL (1) ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING A GENERAL
PLAN AMENDMENT TO ALLOW FOR A GENERAL LAND USE DESIGNATION CHANGE TO 1230 EAST MAIN STREET, BARSTOW, CA (APN 0181-292-16-0000) FROM
COMMERCIAL (C) TO DIVERSE USE (DU) AND FINDING THAT THE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT IS EXEMPT FROM CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA); AND (2) ADOPT AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT TO
ALLOW FOR A ZONING DISTRICT CHANGE TO
1230 EAST MAIN STREET, BARSTOW, CA (APN 0181-292-16-0000) FROM
COMMERCIAL (C) TO DIVERSE USE (DU) AND FINDING THAT THE
ORDINANCE IS EXEMPT FROM CEQA
WHEREAS, the City of Barstow has received an application to amend the General Plan designation ("General Plan Amendment") and allow a Zone District Change ("Rezone") of approximately 1.29 acres located at 1230 East Main Street, Barstow, CA 92311 (APN 0181- 292-16-0000) ("Site") so that the Site's existing motel can be renovated and converted to residential multifamily housing units ("Project); and
WHEREAS, the Project proponent is Ron Perlstein as Manager of Danco, Inc., ("Applicant"); and
WHEREAS, the property owner of the Site is Danco, Inc., ("Owner"); and WHEREAS, the Site has General Plan and Zoning District designations of Commercial (C); and
WHEREAS, on or about September 4, 2025 Applicant made an initial request to amend the General Plan to designate the Site as Diverse Use (DU) in accordance with Barstow Municipal Code ("BMC") Section 19.34.020(a); and
WHEREAS, on or about October 27, 2025, the Planning Commission of the City of Barstow ("Planning Commission"') approved in principle Applicant's request to amend the General Plan pursuant to BMC 19.34.020(b); and
WHEREAS, on or about November 7, 2025 Applicant filed an application for the City to amend approximately 1.29 acres of the General Plan to designate the Site as Diverse Use (DU) ("General Plan Amendment") and to allow a Zoning District Change to designate the Site as Diverse Use (DU) ("Rezone") in accordance with BMC Sections 19.32.020 and 19.34.030; and
WHEREAS, on January 12, 2026, the Planning Commission commenced a duly noticed public hearing and received and considered all public testimony, documentary evidence, and staff recommendations submitted at such public hearing regarding the General Plan Amendment and Rezone; and
WHEREAS, all legal prerequisites to the adoption of this Resolution have occurred; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Planning Commission of the City of Barstow does hereby recommend that the City Council of the City of Barstow (1) adopt a PC Reso 568-2026
resolution approving the General Plan Amendment; and (2) pass an ordinance allowing the Rezone, and find that the adoption of said resolution and passage of said ordinance are exempt from CEQA, based on the following findings:
1. The Site has one existing structure, a motel, and if approved, Applicant proposes renovations and upgrades to the building. More specifically, Applicant intends to convert the motel into multifamily residential rental units.
2. The public necessity, general welfare, changing urban socio-economics developments, and good planning practices justify the General Plan Amendment and Rezone because they will allow for the creation of residential rental housing from an existing blighted motel, the continued operation of which has become economically unfeasible due to changing socio-economic factors, without the need for new construction. The Project also has the potential to create naturally occurring affordable housing within the City.
3. Adoption of the General Plan Amendment and Rezone are in the public interest because they will increase the City's housing stock.
4. The General Plan Amendment is not a substantial amendment to the City's General Plan because it only changes the general land use designation for one parcel of real property within the City.
5. The Rezone is to create conformance with the land use designations, policies, and standards of the General Plan. The requested Zoning District Change is required in order to allow for Applicant's proposal to convert the existing motel into residential rental units. Under Commercial zoning, residential uses are not permitted. Under the Barstow Municipal Code, the purpose of Diverse Use zoning "is to implement the policies of the general plan, to encourage a harmonious intermingling of business and residential structures, to provide for an increased variety and intermixture of residential, commercial, and office activities, and to enhance the pedestrian usage and character of this district." Approval of the Rezone would allow for this cohesion. Additionally, several General Plan policies and goals would be served, including, without limitation:
a. Land Use Element Policy 2.C: The City shall encourage quality design in all development projects and shall encourage the enhancement of existing developed properties."
b. Housing Element Goal H-1: A diverse range of housing types that meet the City's housing needs.
i. Policy H-1.1: Provide a variety of residential development opportunities in the City, through zoning and land use designations, which permit housing to meet the needs of current and future residents.
ii. Policy H-1.5: Encourage housing production through incentives and the removal of regulatory barriers, especially accessory dwellings, affordable housing for lower income residents, and planned developments that provide homes for families and seniors.
6. Applicant has filed both a General Plan Amendment and Rezone request, should both be approved, the Site land use designation and zoning district will be consistent with the City of Barstow General Plan.
PC Reso 568-2026 2
7. The General Plan Amendment and Rezone are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under the following sections of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations: (a) Sections 15301 (Existing Facilities) of the CEQA Guidelines, which exempts the repair, maintenance, and minor alteration of existing private structures and facilities involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use; (b) Section 15302 (Replacement or Reconstruction) which exempts the reconstruction of existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced; (c) Section 15332 (In-Fill Development Projects) which exempts proposed development that occurs within city limits on a project site of no more than five acres substantially surrounded by urban uses; and (d) Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense) which exempts projects where there is no possibility that the activity may have a significant effect on the environment.
Having made these findings, the Planning Commission hereby recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a resolution approving the General Plan Amendment;
2. Adopt an ordinance allowing the Rezone;
3. Find that the adoption of a resolution approving the General Plan Amendment is exempt from CEQA; and
4. Find that the adoption of an ordinance allowing the Rezone is exempt from CEQA.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 12* day of January, 2026.
Juan Antonio DeLucas, Chairman
ATTEST:
Andrea Flores, City Clerk
APPROVE AS TO FORM:
lam Menitzer
Adam Mentzer, Deputy City Attorney
PC Reso 568-2026
I, Andrea Flores, City Clerk of the City of Barstow, hereby certify that the foregoing Planning Commission Resolution was duly passed at a regular meeting of the Planning Commission of the City of Barstow held on the 12t day of January, 2026, by the following vote on roll call:
Ayes: Chairman DeLucas, Vice Chair Niemeyer, Commissioners Ziemer, and Weasma Noes: None
Absent: Commissioner Lint
Andrea Flores, City Clerk
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