ORDINANCE NO. 3394
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CORONA, CALIFORNIA
APPROVING A CHANGE OF ZONE TO ADD AN
AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVERLAY ZONE FOR VARIOUS
PROPERTIES TO PERMIT HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
IN CONJUNCTION WITH EXISTING ZONING (CZ2023-
0007).
WHEREAS, on November 3, 2021, the City Council of the City of Corona (“City”) adopted Resolution No. 2021-121 adopting an Addendum to the Final EIR and approving GPA2021- 001, an amendment to the City’s General Plan to update the Housing Element for the 6th Cycle covering planning period 2021-2029 (“2021-2029 Housing Element Update”); and WHEREAS, as part of the implementation of the 2021-2029 Housing Element Update, the City is required to accommodate the planning of a sufficient number of low- and moderate-income households in the City in order to meet the City’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment (“RHNA”), which allocates regional housing needs by income level among member jurisdictions within the Southern California Association of Governments (“SCAG”); and WHEREAS, the 2021-2029 Housing Element Update includes an inventory or list of housing sites at sufficient densities to accommodate a specific number of units at various levels of affordability to satisfy the RHNA assigned to the City by SCAG (“Housing Sites Inventory”); and WHEREAS, in connection with the 2021-2029 Housing Element Update, the City prepared an environmental evaluation to analyze the potential environmental impacts associated with the Housing Element Update and determine whether such impacts were adequately addressed in the Corona General Plan Technical Update Environmental Impact Report (SCH# 20180081039) (“General Plan EIR”) certified on June 3, 2020. The evaluation indicated that the Housing Element Update will not result in impacts beyond what was previously analyzed in the General Plan EIR and will not require additional mitigation measures not otherwise included in the General Plan EIR because the Housing Element Update will not have new or substantially more severe significant environmental impacts. In accordance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (Pub. Res. Code Section 21000 et seq.), together with the State Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs.
Section 15000 et seq.) and local guidelines implementing said Act (collectively, “CEQA”) the City prepared an addendum to the General Plan EIR, which the City Council adopted pursuant to Resolution No. 2021-121; and
WHEREAS, on March 1, 2023, pursuant to Resolution No. 2023-012, the City Council approved an amendment to the City’s General Plan to change the land use designation on various properties to allow certain residential land uses consistent with the Housing Sites Inventory (“GPA2022-0002”); and
WHEREAS, on March 1, 2023 prior to its approval of GPA2022-0002, the City 2 Council approved Resolution No. 2023-010 certifying a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report for the Housing Element Rezoning Program Project (SCH# 2202060732) (“Final SEIR”), adopted findings and a statement of overriding considerations, and a mitigation monitoring and reporting program, all in compliance with CEQA, the State CEQA Guidelines and the City of Corona Local CEQA Guidelines, which included an analysis of the environmental impacts of GPA2022-0002; and
WHEREAS, on March 15, 2023, as part of the implementation of the 2021-2029 Housing Element Update, the City adopted Ordinance No. 3360 adding Chapter 17.31 to the Corona Municipal Code (“CMC”) to create and establish regulations for an Affordable Housing Overlay (“AHO”) zone, which is a new zoning designation that established by-right development standards for affordable housing projects; and
WHEREAS, as adopted by the City Council, GPA2022-0002 did not include sufficient housing sites to satisfy the City’s RHNA allocation; and WHEREAS, an additional 24 housing sites have been identified to add to the Housing Sites Inventory, four of which are the subject of this Change of Zone, defined below, which will accommodate at least 463 low-income units and 13 moderate income units; and WHEREAS, on March 25, 2024, the Planning and Housing Commission of the City of Corona (“Planning Commission”) conducted a duly noticed public hearing and recommended that the City Council approve a change of zone on various properties identified in Exhibit “A” (“Subject Parcels”) to add the AHO zone to permit high density residential in conjunction with existing zoning (“Change of Zone”); and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission based its recommendation to adopt the Change of Zone on the findings set forth below; and
WHEREAS, the Change of Zone was submitted in conjunction with: (1) GPA2023- 0005, an amendment to change the land use designation on various properties to allow certain residential land uses consistent with the Housing Sites Inventory; and (2) SPA2023-0008, an amendment to the Northeast Corona Specific Plan (SP81-2) and the El Cerrito Specific Plan (SP91- 02) to add the AHO zone on various properties to permit high density residential in conjunction with existing zoning and an amendment to the Downtown Revitalization Specific Plan (SP98-01) to change the zoning for various properties from Gateway Business District to Multi-Family Residential District (collectively referred to herein as the “Phase 2 Housing Element Rezoning Project”); and
WHEREAS, on April 17, 2024, as the first action on the Phase 2 Housing Element Rezoning Project, the City Council approved Resolution No. 2024-011 certifying the Addendum to the Final SEIR for the Phase 2 Housing Element Rezoning Project (“Addendum to Final SEIR”) in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq.) ("CEQA"), the State CEQA Guidelines and the City of Corona Local CEQA Guidelines, which included an analysis of the environmental impacts of this Amendment; and 3 WHEREAS, the Addendum to Final SEIR concluded that implementation of the Phase 2 Housing Element Rezoning Project, which includes this Change of Zone, will not result in impacts beyond what was previously analyzed in the Final SEIR and will not require additional mitigation measures not otherwise included in the Final SEIR because the Phase 2 Housing Element Rezoning Project will not have new or substantially more severe significant environmental impacts; and
WHEREAS, on April 17, 2024, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing at which all persons wishing to testify in connection with this Change of Zone were heard and this Change of Zone was comprehensively reviewed.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CORONA, DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. CEQA Findings. As the decision-making body for this Change of Zone, the City Council has reviewed and considered the information contained in the Addendum to Final SEIR and the administrative record for this Change of Zone, including all written and oral evidence provided during the public hearing. Based upon the facts and information contained in the Addendum to Final SEIR and the entire administrative record before it, the City Council hereby makes and adopts the following findings:
A. The Addendum to Final SEIR and the administrative record have been completed in completed in compliance with CEQA, the State CEQA Guidelines, the City of Corona Local CEQA Guidelines and other applicable law.
B. The Addendum to Final SEIR contains a complete and accurate reporting of the environmental impacts associated with the Change of Zone and reflects the independent judgment and analysis of the City Council.
C. All mitigation measures applicable to this Change of Zone shall be a condition of approval for the Change of Zone and are incorporated herein by this reference.
SECTION 2. Change of Zone Findings. Pursuant to Corona Municipal Code Section 17.104.120 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. This proposed Change of Zone is in conformity with the General Plan map and text for the following reasons:
(i) CZ2023-0007 is being processed in conjunction with General Plan Amendment application GPA2023-0005 to allow residential uses associated with the AHO zone as a land use in the General Commercial designation of the General Plan. 4 (ii) CZ2023-0007 is consistent with General Plan Housing Element Goal H-1 because it establishes zoning on certain properties that will help promote a balance of housing types for corresponding affordability levels, which will assist in meeting the demand for housing within all economic segments of the City.
(iii) CZ2023-0007 is consistent with General Plan Housing Element Policy H-1.3 because it provides sites for residential development, including sites for affordable housing,so that the scarcity of land does not unduly increase the cost or decrease the availability of housing for all economic segments of the community.
B. The Subject Parcels are suitable for the uses permitted by zoning being established by CZ2023-0007 in terms of access, size of parcel, relationship to similar or related uses for the following reason:
(i) The Subject Parcels are mostly infill properties located in developed areas that are supported by existing infrastructure, such as utilities and improved streets, that can support new development or the redevelopment of existing properties.
C. This proposed Change of Zone is necessary and proper at this time and is not likely to be detrimental to the adjacent property or residences for the following reasons:
(i) Housing Program 7 of the 2021-2029 Housing Element Update requires the City to rezone properties to meet its state mandated regional housing need for low- and moderate-income housing units, which is required to be implemented during the Housing Element’s eight-year planning cycle (2021-2029).
(ii) The Subject Parcels are mostly located within the City’s urban commercial corridor that is capable of supporting high density, multifamily residential in conjunction with commercial land uses.
D. This proposed Change of Zone is in the interest of the public health, safety, necessity, convenience and general welfare and in accordance with good zoning practice for the following reason:
(i) The Subject Parcels are mostly infill properties located in developed areas that are supported by existing infrastructure, such as utilities, and improved streets, and in proximity to land uses, such as commercial services, and public transportation that are compatible with high density residential uses.
SECTION 3. Approval of Change of Zone (CZ2023-0007). CZ2023-0007 is hereby approved to change the zoning on the Subject Parcels to add the AHO zone to permit high density residential in conjunction with existing zoning as further described in the table in Exhibit “A” attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
SECTION 4. Modification of Zoning Map. The Planning and Development 5 Director shall modify the Official Zoning Map of the City of Corona in accordance with this Ordinance to indicate thereon the zoning applicable to each of the Subject Parcels as set forth on the map attached as Exhibit “B” attached hereto and incorporated by reference.
SECTION 5. Custodian of Records. The documents and materials that constitute the record of proceedings on which the findings set forth in this Ordinance have been based are located at the City of Corona City Hall, 400 S. Vicentia Avenue, Corona, California 92882. The custodian for these records is Joanne Coletta, Planning and Development Director.
SECTION 6. 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.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 1
st day of May, 2024.
____________________________________
Mayor of the City of Corona, California
ATTEST:
____________________________________
City Clerk of the City of Corona, California
6 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 17th day of April 2024, and thereafter at regular meeting held on the 1
st day of May 2024, 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 1
st day of May, 2024.
City Clerk of the City of Corona, California
[SEAL]
7 SUMMARY
On May 1, 2024, the Corona City Council will consider approving a Change of Zone to change the zone on various properties to add the AHO zone to permit high density residential in conjunction with existing zoning. A certified copy of the full text of this proposed ordinance is posted in the City Clerk’s office.
The City Council meets at 6:30 a.m. in the Council Chambers in the Corona City Hall, located at 400 South Vicentia Avenue. The City Clerk’s office is located in City Hall near the Council Chambers.
8 EXHIBIT “A”
TABLE OF SUBJECT PARCELS
(THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION AND DEPICTION ARE ATTACHED BEHIND THIS PAGE)
Change of Zone CZ2023-0007 Property Table
Site Address Assessor
Parcel #
Existing
Uses
Acres Existing
Zoning
Proposed
Zoning
410 River Rd. 119-250-017 Commercial
buildings
and parking
lot
2.66 C2
(Restricted
Commercial)
C2 (AHO)
1540, and
1510-1550
W. 6th St.
103-280-017,
103-280-020
Commercial
buildings
and parking
lot
4.87 C3 (General
Commercial)
C3 (AHO)
680 Smith St. 103-280-007 Commercial
buildings
and parking
lot
0.81 C3 (General
Commercial)
C3 (AHO)
9 EXHIBIT “B”
PROPOSED CHANGES TO OFFICIAL ZONING MAP
(THE PROPOSED OFFICIAL ZONING MAPS ARE ATTACHED BEHIND
THIS PAGE)