ORDINANCE NO. 3425
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF CORONA,
CALIFORNIA, APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE
DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION SPECIFIC PLAN (SP98-
01) TO CHANGE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION FOR
TWO PARCELS LOCATED AT 323 S. BELLE AVENUE
AND 322 S. WASHBURN AVENUE FROM SINGLE
FAMILY AND GATEWAY BUSINESS, RESPECTIVELY,
TO DOWNTOWN, AND TO ESTABLISH THE
DOWNTOWN LAND USE DESIGNATION FOR 0.87
ACRES OF PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY ON FOURTH AND
FIFTH STREETS (SPA2024-0003).
WHEREAS, on December 8, 2025, the Planning and Housing Commission of the City of Corona (“Commission”) recommended that the City Council of the City of Corona (“City Council”) approve SPA2024-0003 to amend the Downtown Revitalization Specific Plan (SP98- 01) to change the land use designation for two parcels located at 323 S. Belle Avenue and 322 S.
Washburn Avenue from Single Family (SF) and Gateway Business GB), respectively, to Downtown (D) and to establish the Downtown (D) land use designation for 0.87 acres of public right-of-way on Fourth and Fifth Streets (“Amendment”) to facilitate development of a commercial retail center on 4.70 acres of land located on the west side of N. Main Street, north of W. Sixth Street (“Project”); and
WHEREAS, in connection with the approval of GPA2024-0003, a general plan amendment to change the land use designation in the General Plan for the above referenced property from Low Density Residential and General Commercial to Mixed Use Downtown, which is being reviewed concurrently with this Amendment, the City Council approved a Mitigated Negative Declaration (“MND”) and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, which were prepared pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq.) ("CEQA"), the State CEQA Guidelines and the City of Corona Local CEQA Guidelines and which included an analysis of the environmental impacts of this Amendment. The MND indicated that all potential environmental impacts from this Amendment were less than significant or could be mitigated to a less-than-significant level; and WHEREAS, the Commission based its recommendation to adopt this Amendment on the findings set forth below, and the adoption of the MND; and WHEREAS, on January 21, 2026, 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
DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
2 SECTION 1. CEQA Findings. As the decision-making body for this Amendment, the City Council has reviewed and considered the information contained in the MND, the initial study and the administrative records for this Amendment, including all written and oral evidence provided during the comment period. Based upon the facts and information contained in the MND, the initial study and the administrative record, including all written and oral evidence presented to the City Council, the City Council finds that all environmental impacts of this Amendment are either less-than-significant or can be mitigated to a level of lessthan-significance pursuant to the mitigation measures outlined in the MND, the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program, and the initial study.
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. SPA2024-0003 systematically implements and is consistent with the General Plan for the following reasons:
(i) SPA2024-0003 proposes zoning designations (Downtown) for the above referenced properties that are consistent with the Mixed Use Downtown land use designation proposed by General Plan Amendment GPA2024-0003. (ii) SPA2024-0003 proposes land uses that are consistent with current market demands and facilitates the development of property that is accessible from the freeway and in proximity to other land uses, consistent with General Plan Land Use Policy LU-3.3. (iii) SPA2024-0003, along with GPA2024-0003, PM 38981 and PP2024-0001, which are companion applications for the Project, is consistent with Land Use Goal 17 because it promotes retail commercial land uses along the street frontages that cumulatively create a pedestrian-oriented and active street environment, including retail shops, services, offices, entertainment, and similar and compatible uses as envisioned in the MUD designation.
(iv) SPA2024-0003 promotes General Plan Economic Development Goal ED-1 because it facilities the development of a new neighborhood grocery market and the repurposing of an existing commercial building for future use. It also implements General Plan Economic Development Goals ED-3 and ED-4 in that the Project will foster a strong and diversified economic base, will contribute to the revitalization and continued growth of the Downtown and the Sixth Street corridor, and enhances the City’s fiscal sustainability through commercial sales and property tax revenues.
(v) SPA2024-0003 is consistent with General Plan Land Use Policy LU-17.6 because it facilities the development of a “catalyst project” intended to attract and spur 3 the redevelopment of surrounding properties and contribute to the creation of an attractive, vibrant downtown.
(vi) SPA2024-0003 is consistent with the General Plan Land Use Policy LU-17.7 because it facilitates development of a new commercial center in the Downtown that is attractive and creates an image conducive to economic revitalization consistent with the Downtown Revitalization Specific Plan.
(vii) SPA2024-0003 is consistent with General Plan Land Use Policy LU-17.9 because it allows for the consolidation of 13 individual lots for the cohesive development of a well-designed downtown neighborhood grocery market and redesign of an old bank building into a restaurant/bank use that maintains the area’s character of low-rise and pedestrian-oriented buildings with distinctive storefronts.
B. SPA2024-0003 provides for development of a comprehensively planned project that is superior to development otherwise allowed under the conventional zoning classifications for the following reasons:
(i) The Downtown land use designation in the Downtown
Revitalization Specific Plan ensures that new development is attractive and creates an image conducive to economic revitalization consistent with the adopted specific plan per the General Plan Land Use Policy LU-17.7.
(ii) Future development of the Project would be required to adhere to the development standards of the Downtown land use designation, ensuring orderly development of the site so that impacts to other properties in the area are minimized.
C. SPA2024-0003 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) SPA2024-0003 provides for the construction, improvement, or extension of transportation facilities, public utilities and public services required by the longterm needs of the Project and complements the orderly development of the City beyond the Project's boundaries because the Project will be required to maintain all necessary components and infrastructure necessary for the Downtown Revitalization Specific Plan including water, sewer, circulation and drainage facilities.
D. SPA2024-0003 provides for the appropriate orientation and relationship between land uses within and adjacent to the project for the following reasons:
4 (i) SPA2024-0003 will facilitate development of the Project and appropriately provide for commercial uses in proximity to a major entry point to the City that is accessible from major street corridors, as well as local streets. (ii) SPA2024-0003 will ensure that commercial uses remain in the Downtown Core.
SECTION 3. Approval of the Amendment (SPA2024-0003). The Amendment to the Downtown Revitalization Specific Plan (SPA2024-0003) is hereby approved. The text and exhibits of the Downtown Revitalization Specific Plan (SP98-01) are 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. Justin Tucker, Acting Planning and Development Director, is the custodian of the record of proceedings.
SECTION 5. Effective Date. 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 newspaper published and circulated in the City of Corona. This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force on the 30 days after its adoption.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 4
th day of February 2026.
______________________________________
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 21st day of January, 2026 and thereafter at a regular meeting held on the 4
th day of February 2026, 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 4
th day of February, 2026.
___________________________________
City Clerk of the City of Corona, California
[SEAL]
6 EXHIBIT “A”
AMENDMENT TO THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION SPECIFIC PLAN (SP98-01) (THE PROPOSED LAND USE MAP IS ATTACHED BEHIND THIS PAGE)
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT EXISTING & PROPOSED LAND USE DESIGNATIONS
EXISTING
PROPOSED