Camarillo City Council
AGENDA REPORT
Date: April 24, 2024
To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Greg Ramirez, City Manager
Submitted by: David Sanchez, Community Development Director Subject: Airport North Specific Plan Amendment and Addendum to the Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report No. 2014-08
BACKGROUND
The City of Camarillo received an application from Darren Embry, representing Faring Capital, LLC, for an amendment to the Airport North Specific Plan (“Specific Plan” or “ANSP”) to add “Automobile Centers and Supporting Uses” such as cafes, car washes, vehicle service centers, and EV chargers to the allowed uses. The proposed changes are being considered to accommodate a proposed future development that would include two Automobile Dealerships and an industrial business park.
The Specific Plan area is 337 acres located south of the U.S. Highway 101/Ventura Freeway, west of Los Posas Drive, north of the Camarillo Airport, and extends 1,400 feet west of the Central Avenue freeway interchange.
Location Map
A public hearing for this request was advertised for the City Council meeting of April 24, 2024, with notices mailed to all property owners within a 600-foot radius of the subject site, posted at Camarillo City Hall, as well as on the City’s website
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(www.CityofCamarillo.org) and published in a newspaper of general circulation within the area (Camarillo Acorn).
BACKGROUND
The ANSP was adopted by the City Council on July 9, 1986, to establish the general type, location, and character of development and allow for creative design concepts and flexibility. The Specific Plan is a means to implement the General Plan through the physical and economic development of the area. The design objectives of the Specific Plan include the creation of a business area harmonious with the natural environment and adjacent commercial, industrial, and airport land uses. The proximity of the Specific Plan area to the airport necessitates considerations that ensure compatibility with the airport, and the location along the freeway requires consideration of the visual impacts of development in the Specific Plan area.
Since its adoption in 1986, the Specific Plan has been amended on ten occasions to adjust to changing economic factors and development trends. However, the core vision of the Specific Plan has remained the same, i.e., a high-quality business area compatible with adjacent uses. In November 2023, the Specific Plan was modified to be compatible with a General Plan Amendment (2019-1) and a corresponding zone change (CZ-335).
This amendment modified the General Plan land use and Zoning of approximately 26 acres from Commercial to Industrial, and Commercial Planned Development (CPD) to Limited Manufacturing (L-M).
DISCUSSION
The applicant is proposing an amendment to the ANSP to add Automobile Centers and Supporting Uses, as permitted uses on those properties with a land use designation in the ANSP of Commercial, Commercial Mixed-Use, and Research and Development. If the City Council approves the amendment, the applicant has represented that it has two dealerships to bring to the City that will sell commercial vehicles as well as new and used light-duty vehicles. The proposed ANSP amendment defines Automobile Centers and Supporting Uses as,
“accessory uses owned or operated by permitted factory-authorized or nationally franchised or operated automobile, truck, and motorcycle sales and service facilities including the sales and service of pre-owned vehicles associated with each factory-authorized national franchise. Supporting uses include offices, café/market, uses ancillary to auto sales such as, but not limited to, customer lounge, customer business center, car wash and detailing, on-site repair and maintenance, tire services, parts and accessories sales, EV charging, and other automotive related amenities.”
While using the service center, customers will have access to food and drinks at a café, use of a business center, EV charging, and vehicle washing.
The ANSP amendment also defines Warehouses and includes new design criteria to discourage and prevent the use of industrially zoned properties as distribution and Faring Capital, LLC
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fulfillment centers. The plan places a cap on the number of loading zones at 1:12,000 square feet of gross structural coverage for Industrial buildings greater than 75,000 square feet and 1:10,000 square feet for buildings less than or equal to 75,000 square feet.
To improve flexibility, marketability, and align the Specific Plan with the current industrial standards, staff propose the following additional changes to the Specific Plan. •The sign provisions of the Specific Plan will allow multitenant Industrial, commercial, and mixed-use projects with a minimum of 150 feet of frontage on the U.S. 101 freeway to have freestanding signs up to 35 feet in height placed within the development’s property lines adjacent to the freeway. This will be consistent with commercial land uses such as Home Depot, Target, and other businesses in Camarillo Town Center that already have 35-foot-tall signs. •A new industrial parking ratio minimum of 1:750 is proposed within the Specific Plan.
The Camarillo Municipal Code currently requires 1:500 for manufacturing and 1:1000 for warehousing. The proposed parking ratio provides an incentive for manufacturing over warehousing further discouraging distribution facilities while following trends in Transportation Demand Management measures that reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled. •The Specific Plan currently allows a maximum height of 35 feet with an exception made for architectural elements that do not create additional usable square footage.
Additional height can be approved by the Planning Commission via a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). Current industrial standards, including research and development as well as life sciences, include clear interior ceiling heights of 40 feet. The amendment proposes a zone along the freeway corridor with a maximum building height of 50 feet without a CUP, subject to airport restrictions. Special purpose buildings requiring heights in excess of 50 feet may be considered under a CUP.
The ANSP, having been amended on ten occasions, and with 48 years of development history that includes the construction of Camarillo Town Center East and West, the extension of Ventura Boulevard, and the addition of the Springville interchange, staff determined that the Specific Plan required updates to align with the development that has already occurred regarding circulation, drainage, and design. The proposed amendments include an update of those aspects of the Specific Plan that require attention as well as updating some of the design criteria to add standards for Automobile Centers and Supporting Uses. Finally, changes were made to improve clarity, make corrections, and bring the plan into compliance with changes in the law.
COMMUNITY GOALS AND GENERAL PLAN REVIEW
The proposed ANSP Amendment has been weighed against the Community Goals and the Goals of the General Plan. The following provides a discussion of the project’s comparison to those goals and policies:
Community Goals
1.Community Character. The updated amendment improves the flexibility of the ANSP while providing new, modern graphics and examples to assist developers in Faring Capital, LLC
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designing business parks and buildings that would extend the community character already constructed at Camarillo Town Center and that was envisioned in the plan.
The freeway frontage within the ANSP provides prime property for Automobile Dealerships which are reliant on high visibility corridors to attract patrons therefore, the addition of this land use to the plan area is appropriate.
2.Housing. The General Plan designation and Specific Plan designate the area for Industrial and Office uses. The proposed amendment will not affect the goals of the Housing Element of the General Plan.
3.Library. The project will not conflict with the goals of the library.
4.Safety Emergency Services. SEIR 2014-08 identifies the mitigation measures necessary to maintain the desired level of service for police and fire.
5.Walkable. The proposed amendment will not alter the adopted development standards intended to ensure a safe pedestrian traffic system within the Specific Plan and adjoining areas.
6.Ventura Boulevard. The proposed amendment will not affect the Community Goals for Ventura Boulevard (Camarillo Old Town).
7.Transportation. The proposed amendment will update the circulation patterns depicted in the Specific Plan creating a more accurate document. The updated circulation patterns will provide better guidance to future developers as they design additional traffic arteries within the planned area.
8. Commercial/Industrial. The amended ANSP maintains an even distribution of Commercial to Industrial land uses. The addition of Automobile Centers and Supporting Uses is appropriate as dealerships have elements of both commercial and industrial uses.
9.Parks and Recreation. The General Plan and adopted Specific Plan do not include a designation for a park site.
10.Airport. The adopted ANSP includes specific development criteria intended to preserve the integrity of the Camarillo Airport. Properties adjacent to the airport are also subject to an airport avigation easement. This easement supports an imaginary 7:1 slope extending 1050 feet northward from the northern airport boundary and is more restrictive than the transitional surface required by Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR Part 77). A southerly portion of the area is located within the avigation easement and is subject to its requirements. The proposed amendments to the ANSP were presented to the Airport Land Use Committee (ALUC) at their regular meeting on February 2, 2024, where it was determined that the proposed project meets noise and safety compatibility standards, existing protections within the ANSP which require compatibility with airport operations, and the proposed project is consistent with the Airport Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
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11.Schools. The City’s General Plan and ANSP are designated for Industrial, Commercial, and Office and, therefore, do not include a designation for a school site.
12.Landscaping. The standards for landscaping adopted in the ANSP will be updated to be current with the City’s Landscape Design Guidelines and Standards and the State of California’s Model Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance (MWELO) to include recent legislation that does not allow the use of non-recreational turf in Commercial or Industrial developments.
13.Agricultural Land. Although the ANSP does contain farmland classified as prime and unique, according to the Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program of the California Resources Agency, the current request to amend the Specific Plan will not result in the conversion of prime or unique farmland or farmland of statewide importance. Impacts from future development were discussed in previous Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs), including the EIRs for the ANSP and the Springville Interchange. At the time, the conversion of agricultural uses was reviewed and determined to be an acceptable loss. Properties within the ANSP are not under a Williamson Act Contract.
14.Public Participation. The proposed amendment to the Specific Plan is subject to public hearings to provide input in the decision-making process.
15.Clean Air. SEIR 2014-08 identifies short-term and long-term air quality impacts of the project. It identifies the available measures to help reduce long-term impacts in accordance with Air Pollution Control District Guidelines.
16.Residential Growth. Other than the addition of Automobile Dealerships as an approved use, the proposed amendment to the ANSP is primarily an administrative update. Population and housing were previously evaluated in SEIR 2014-08 and it was determined that the development proposed in the Specific Plan could be absorbed by existing housing stock and would not displace any existing housing stock. The proposed amendment will not change the results of this analysis as the commercial and industrial nature of a dealership is equivalent to other uses allowed within the Specific Plan.
23/24 City Council Goals & Objectives
1. Fiscal Management. Development of this property will include payment of bridge fees and other impact fees related to the construction of the Springville interchange and other improvements that have occurred within the ANSP.
2. Economic Development. Approval of Automobile Centers and Supporting Uses in the ANSP will meet the Council’s goal of implementing the EDSP by expanding and diversifying the business environment. Additionally, the applicant is proposing additional industrial development that is designed to be attractive to life sciences and R&D businesses.
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Economic Development Strategic Plan (EDSP)
1. Fiscal Strength and Economic Diversity. The addition of Automobile Centers and Supporting Uses in the ANSP diversifies the City’s revenue sources thereby strengthening the fiscal resilience of the City’s economy and increasing funds that will allow the City to continue providing exceptional municipal services.
2. Alignment with Residential Base. While the EDSP states that Hospitality/Entertainment/Retail are the most low-paying business activities, automobile sales and the services that come with them create stable employment opportunities that provide well-paying jobs. This type of employment aligns with the City’s residential base and housing stock. The alignment of employment and housing stock decreases VMT.
3. A Prosperous, Attractive Community. The development of the property with businesses that provide well-paying jobs creates a prosperous community, and the design requirements of the Specific Plan will ensure that any development is attractive and high-quality adding to the appeal of Camarillo to both visitors and residents.
General Plan Goals
Staff reviewed the City’s General Plan Element goals and has provided analysis as to how the proposed amendment is consistent with the goals for each General Plan Element as follows:
1. Land Use Element
The proposed amendment to the adopted ANSP is consistent with the City’s Land Use Element of the General Plan. The proposed addition of Automobile Centers and Supporting Uses to the Specific Plan provides for a mix of uses that complement and support one another, as well as meets the stated objective of implementing the City’s adopted Economic Development Strategic Plan and expanding the diversity of businesses.
2. Circulation Element
The proposed amendment to the ANSP is consistent with the objectives of the Circulation Element of the General Plan by providing accurate and actionable designs and design objectives for current and future needs, maintaining compatibility with the Camarillo Airport, and promoting safe and efficient movement of goods. The environmental analysis performed for the specific plan evaluated the full build-out of the ANSP at over four million square feet. The current build-out is 20%. With the addition of the already approved developments and the proposed development envisioned by the applicant, the build-out will be 40%.
3. Community Design Element
The proposed amendment allows Automobile Centers and Supporting Uses, subject to development regulations and design standards of the Specific Plan and the City’s Community Design Element. Future development will be required to Faring Capital, LLC
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comply with the general placement of buildings, as set forth in the ANSP to provide for setbacks to allow for viewshed and view access. Future projects will also have to comply with the City’s requirement to incorporate appropriate architectural styles, on-site landscaping, and other features to provide a complement to the area.
4. Noise Element
The ASPN is located between the Airport and U.S. Highway 101 and results in Contour Noise Equivalency Levels ranging from 60 dBA to 75 dBA. Per Figure 2 of the Noise Element, this level of noise is most suited to industrial uses and conditionally suited for commercial and professional office uses. The addition of Automobile Centers and Supporting uses as an allowable land use is therefore consistent with the Noise Element of the General Plan.
5. CURB
The Specific Plan is within the Camarillo Urban Restriction Boundary. The portion of the Specific Plan on the west is outside the existing City limits but within the CURB.
6. Safety Element
The proposed amendment will continue to be subject to the development requirements of the Camarillo Airport, and future projects would be reviewed as required in relation to hazardous materials handling, flooding, fires, and geological/seismic concerns. Additionally, the ANSP is covered by existing emergency services and is therefore consistent with the Safety Element of the General Plan.
7. Open Space and Conservation Element
The ANSP contains farmland classified as prime and unique, according to the Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program of the California Resources Agency.
The current request to amend the Specific Plan will not result in the conversion of prime or unique farmland or farmland of statewide importance. Impacts from future development were discussed in previous Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs), including the EIRs for the ANSP and the Springville Interchange. At the time, the conversion of agricultural uses was reviewed and determined to be an acceptable loss. Properties within the ANSP are not under a Williamson Act Contract and have no natural resources. The proposed amendment is consistent with the Open Space and Conservation Element of the General Plan.
STAFF REVIEW AND PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION
The proposed amendment to the ANSP improves the flexibility of the plan by adding Automobile Dealerships and Supporting Uses as permitted uses. Additional changes to the plan will update the document to reflect actual conditions on the ground and provide modern images and examples to guide future development within the Specific Plan area.
In 2018, the City Council adopted the Economic Development Strategic Plan with high- Faring Capital, LLC
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priority initiatives that include expanding and diversifying the business environment in the City. The proposed amendment aligns with this initiative by adding a new land use category that is compatible with other land uses within the Specific Plan and with the City Council Goals and Objectives.
The Planning Commission of the City of Camarillo held a public hearing on April 2, 2024, at which time testimony was heard on the proposed Specific Plan Amendment and Addendum to the Final SEIR 2014-8. The Planning Commission recommended to the City Council, the adoption of the Addendum and approval of the SPA by a vote of 3-0 with two Commissioners absent.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no budget impact as a result of this action.
CEQA DETERMINATIONS
An Addendum to the 2016 Final SEIR 2014-08 (SCH#2010081043) has been prepared by the City’s environmental consultant, Rincon Consultants, Inc. (Rincon), to evaluate the potential impacts of the project in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the City’s environmental guidelines. The Addendum evaluates the potential impacts associated with the revisions to the Specific Plan and the future development of approximately 218,000 square feet (SF) of auto center uses and up to 600,000 SF of limited manufacturing as allowed Chapter 19.28 of the Camarillo Municipal Code (CMC) on 46.88 acres at the southwest quadrant of U.S. 101 and the Springville Drive interchange.
While performing appropriate Geoarcheological review of the project it was noted by Rincon that located west of Springville Drive was the site of the former Springville church and cemetery. The 2008 Springville Specific Plan Final EIR for the area north of U.S. 101 indicated there is the potential for encountering historic-period archaeological resources associated with the former Springville church and cemetery. Additional records research determined the bell from the church was removed and has been installed at Pleasant Valley Bible Church in Camarillo, the altar is amongst the inventory of the Pleasant Valley Historical Society, and that Pastor Wood was reinterred at Ivy Lawn Cemetery in Ventura along with approximately 60 other internments.
The 2016 Final SEIR 2014-08 identified the potential for the development to encounter archaeological resources qualifying as historical or unique archaeological resources, as well as human remains. With the implementation of Mitigation Measures CR-1 and CR- 3, which require inadvertent discovery provisions and reporting requirements, the impact on such resources would be less than significant.
The addendum concludes that substantial changes are not proposed, nor have substantial changes in circumstances occurred, that will result in new or increased environmental impacts not identified in the adopted 2016 Final SEIR prepared for the original project. Because the proposed project will result in no new impacts or generate Faring Capital, LLC
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more severe impacts, major revisions to the adopted 2016 Final SEIR are not required.
Therefore, the analyses conducted, the conclusions reached, and the mitigation measures adopted in the 2016 Final SEIR, adopted on September 28, 2016, by the Camarillo City Council, remain valid.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Adopt a resolution approving an Addendum to the Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) No. 2014-8; and
2. Adopt a resolution approving an amendment to the Airport North Specific Plan, to update the Specific Plan and add Automobile Centers and Supporting Uses to the allowable land uses.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution approving an Addendum to Final SEIR 2014-08
2. Addendum to Final SEIR 2014-08
a. Appendix A - MMRP
3. Resolution approving an Amendment to the Airport North Specific Plan
4. Draft Airport North Specific Plan
5. Redline / Strikethrough Draft ANSP
6. PC Agenda Report
7.Public Hearing Notice
REFERENCE MATERIALS – AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AT CITY HALL Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D-E
Appendix F
Appendix G