ORDINANCE NO. 3367
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CORONA,
CALIFORNIA, APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE
NORTHEAST CORONA SPECIFIC PLAN (SP81-2) TO
PERMIT PET BOARDING AND DAYCARE AS
CONDITIONAL USES IN THE SUPPORT COMMERCIAL
FREEWAY DISTRICT AND TO PERMIT ALTERNATIVE
FENCING MATERIALS FOR COMMERCIAL
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SUPPORT COMMERCIAL AND
SUPPORT COMMERCIAL FREEWAY DISTRICTS
(SPA2022-0007).
WHEREAS, on March 6 2023, the Planning and Housing Commission of the City of Corona (“Planning Commission”) recommended that the City Council of the City of Corona (“City Council”) approve SPA2022-0007, an amendment to Section 4.5.20 (Conditional Uses) of the Northeast Corona Specific Plan (SP81-2) to permit pet boarding and daycare as conditional uses in the Support Commercial Freeway District and an amendment to Section
4.5.11 (Walls, Fences and Landscaping) of the Northeast Corona Specific Plan (SP81-2) to allow the use of alternative fencing materials for commercial developments within the Support Commercial and Support Commercial Freeway Districts (the “Amendment”); and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission based its recommendation to adopt the Amendment on the findings set forth below and a determination that there is no possibility that the Amendment will have a significant effect on the environment and, thus, is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act; and WHEREAS, on April 5, 2023, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing at which all persons wishing to testify in connection with the Amendment were heard and the Amendment was comprehensively reviewed.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CORONA
CALIFORNIA DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. CEQA Findings. As the decision-making body for this Amendment, the City Council has reviewed and considered the information contained in the preliminary exemption assessment and the administrative records for this Amendment, including all written and oral evidence. Based upon the facts and information contained in the administrative record, including all written and oral evidence presented to the City Council, the City Council finds this action exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the common sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant 2 effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action is merely a text amendment to a specific plan to permit pet boarding and daycare as conditional uses and to permit the use of alternative fencing materials in commercial areas and there is no possibility that adopting this Ordinance will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required, and staff will file a Notice of Exemption with the County of Riverside.
SECTION 2. Zoning Findings. Pursuant to Sections 17.53.090 and
17.53.100 of the Corona Municipal Code, and based on the entire record before the City Council, including all written and oral evidence presented to the City Council, the City Council hereby makes and adopts the following findings:
A. SPA2022-0007 systematically implements and is consistent with the General Plan for the following reasons:
(i) This Amendment is consistent with General Plan Land Use Policy LU-11.1, which encourages a comprehensive range of retail, service, and other commercial uses in the City that provide goods and service to meet the diverse needs of Corona’s residents and businesses. SPA2022-0007 expands the list of conditionally permitted uses in the Support Commercial Freeway District and provides a defined regulatory path for future pet boarding and daycare establishments to seek land use approvals.
(ii) This Amendment is consistent with General Plan Land Use Policy LU-11.3 to promote reinvestment in declining shopping centers and districts, with an emphasis on new retail uses that serve adjacent neighborhoods and contribute to the overall vitality of the centers. SPA2022-0007 proposes to conditionally allow a new use, pet boarding and daycare, in the Support Commercial Freeway District, which pertains to an area with easy freeway access and high freeway visibility located on the south side of State Route 91, west of McKinley Street.
SPA2022-0007 provides an additional type of commercial use to operate within the Support Commercial Freeway District, which enhances the likelihood for re-use of vacant commercial tenant spaces.
(iii) This Amendment is consistent with General Plan Land Use Policy LU-5.15 which requires new and rehabilitated structures to be designed, built, and maintained in a manner that promotes physical longevity and at the same time provide architectural details consistent with the City’s design guidelines and other applicable codes and ordinances. The amendment permits the use of alternative fencing materials based on a business’ operational characteristics as a means of enhancing longevity and reducing costly maintenance of the fencing material.
B. SPA2022-0007 provides for development of a comprehensively planned project that is superior to development otherwise allowed under the conventional zoning classifications for the following reason:
3 (i) This Amendment provides opportunities for pet boarding and daycare establishments in the Support Commercial Freeway District and use of alternative fencing materials within Support Commercial and Support Commercial Freeway Districts through the Precise Plan or Conditional Use Permit review process, which allows for site specific consideration in relation to the proposed business’ operational characteristics and site conditions.
SPA2022-0007 expands the conditionally permitted uses list for the Support Commercial Freeway district and will result in a more cohesive development with minimal impacts, given the additional layer of discretionary review.
C. SPA2022-0007 provides for the construction, improvement, or extension of transportation facilities, public utilities and public services required by the long-term needs of the project and/or other area residents, and complements the orderly development of the City beyond the project’s boundaries for the following reason:
(i) This Amendment is a specific plan text change to allow pet boarding and daycare by conditional use permit, and the use of alternative fencing materials through the Precise Plan (PP) or Conditional Use Permit (CUP) review process. As part of the PP or CUP review process, the merits of each business’ operational needs and desire for using alternative fencing materials are evaluated and appropriate conditions of approval will be incorporated to protect existing infrastructure constructed within the Northeast Corona Specific Plan.
D. SPA2022-0007 provides for the appropriate orientation and relationship between land uses within and adjacent to the Subject Property for the following reasons:
(i) The Northeast Corona Specific Plan will continue to provide for the appropriate orientation and relationship between land use within and adjacent to the Support Commercial Freeway District because SPA2022-0007 does not directly result in any land use changes that would impact existing uses without discretionary review. SPA2022-0007 allows for site specific evaluation of pet boarding and daycare uses and alternative fencing materials through the conditional use permit or precise plan review process, as applicable.
SECTION 3. Approval of the Amendment (SPA2022-0007). The Amendment to the Northeast Corona Specific Plan (SP81-2) (SPA2022-0007) is hereby approved. The text of the Northeast Corona Specific Plan (SP81-2) is hereby amended as shown in Exhibit “A” attached to this Ordinance and incorporated herein by reference.
SECTION 4. Custodian of Records.The documents and materials that constitute the record of proceedings on which these findings are based are located at City Hall for the City of Corona, located at 400 S. Vicentia Avenue, Corona, California. Joanne Coletta, Community Development Director, is the custodian of the record of proceedings.
SECTION 5. Effective Date of Ordinance. The Mayor shall sign this Ordinance and the City Clerk shall attest thereto and shall within fifteen (15) days of its adoption cause it, or a summary of it, to be published in a general circulation newspaper published in the City of Corona. This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force on the 30th day after its adoption. 4 PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 19th day of April, 2023. ______________________________________
Mayor of the City of Corona, California
ATTEST:
___________________________________
City Clerk of the City of Corona, California
5 CERTIFICATION
I, Sylvia Edwards, City Clerk of the City of Corona, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance was regularly introduced at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Corona, California duly held on the 5
th day of April, 2023, and thereafter at a regular
meeting held on the 19th day of April, 2023, it was duly passed and adopted by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAINED:
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Corona, California, this 19th day of April, 2023. _________________________________________
City Clerk of the City of Corona, California
[SEAL]
6 EXHIBIT “A”
AMENDMENT TO THE
TEXT OF THE
NORTHEAST CORONA SPECIFIC PLAN (SP81-2)
Section 4.5.11 of the Northeast Corona Specific Plan (SP81-2) is hereby amended in its entirety to read as follows:
SEC. 4.5.20 CONDITIONAL USES
The following use shall be permitted in the SCF District subject to the issuance of a Minor Conditional Use Permit (MCUP) pursuant to Chapter 17.92 of the Corona Municipal Code.
Church not exceeding an overall combined floor area of 10,000 square feet Smoking lounges, subject to the supplemental development standards of CMC Section 17.33.160
Tattoo and body piercing salons as an ancillary use not occupying more than 25 percent of the floor area of the primary business, and subject to the supplemental development standards listed in Section 4.5.22.
Tobacco stores, subject to the provisions of CMC Chapter 5.19 The following use shall be permitted in the SCF District subject to the issuance of a Major Conditional Use Permit (CUP) pursuant to Chapter 17.92 of the Corona Municipal Code.
Church equal to or exceeding an overall combined floor area of 10,000 square feet Pet boarding and daycare with outdoor play area.
Pet boarding and daycare with outdoor play area.
Section 4.5.20 of the Northeast Corona Specific Plan (SP81-2) is hereby amended in its entirety to read as follows:
SEC. 4.5.11 WALLS, FENCES, LANDSCAPING
The provisions of Chapter 17.70 of the Corona Municipal Code shall apply, except that alternatives to wrought iron and decorative block may be considered during the Precise Plan or Conditional Use Permit review processes.