DATE: 04/15/2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Planning and Development Department
2026-106
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
PRECISE PLAN MODIFICATION FOR THE REVIEW OF A NEW COMMERCIAL BUILDING FOR K-1 SPEED WITHIN THE SHOPS AT DOS LAGOS RETAIL CENTER EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to affirm the decision by the Planning and Housing Commission in granting Precise Plan Modification 2024-0007 (PPM2024-0007) to allow for the construction of a 44,855-square-foot commercial building for K-1 Speed, a go-kart racing recreation business.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council:
a. Take no action, thereby affirming the Planning and Housing Commission’s action granting PPM2024-0007, based on the findings contained in the staff report and conditions of approval.
OR
b. Set the item for review at a subsequent meeting.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
Precise Plan Modification PPM2024-0007 is a request to amend Precise Plan PP04-008 to allow the construction of a new, single-story, commercial building to comprise 44,855 square feet of floor area, on one lot identified as assessor parcel number (APN) 279-460- 033 and presently developed with surface parking serving the Shops at Dos Lagos retail center. Precise Plan PP04-008 was originally approved by the Planning and Housing Commission in August 2004 and authorized the construction of 346,369 square feet of commercial/retail space and a 60,000 square foot movie theater (the current Shops at Dos Lagos retail center) on multiple lots (including the Project site) totaling approximately 41 acres. The retail center is located within the boundaries of the Dos Lagos Specific Plan, a regulatory document prescribing standards and guidelines, adopted by the City Council in June 2000. The Project site is located within Planning Area 3 of the Specific Plan and zoned as “EC” (Entertainment Commercial), a designation that allows for a variety of uses including, among others, restaurants, movie theaters, live performance, specialty retail shops, and family-oriented amusement attractions.
The Project site comprises one parcel measuring 2.08 acres in area and is developed with a surface parking lot containing 278 stalls that presently serve as an overflow facility for the broader retail center. Multi-fixture lampposts are scattered throughout the lot, along with planters and tree wells. The property sits atop a landscaped slope with a differential of approximately 5 feet between the surface of the parking lot and the adjacent street (Lakeshore Drive) and the public sidewalk to the east. Pedestrian and vehicular access to the property is provided through a single entry (shared with the retail center) from Lakeshore Drive at the property’s southeasterly boundary.
Pursuant to Section 17.91.020 of the Corona Municipal Code (CMC), the Planning Commission shall review and determine modifications to Precise Plans where proposed changes to a building site would affect more than 30 percent of the property. The scope of work would revise an approved Precise Plan by redeveloping an existing parking lot with a go-kart business to operate within a new building, in conjunction with new or revised surface parking, landscaping, lighting, and supporting infrastructure, and accordingly requires approval of a PPM.
The proposed project was initially reviewed by staff as Development Plan Review DPR2024-0001, with PPM2024-0007 subsequently submitted for review on November 4, 2024. Several rounds of review were completed by staff, with the item ultimately determined to be complete and eligible for hearing by the Planning and Housing Commission on March 9, 2026.
ANALYSIS:
The proposed scope of work would amend PP04-008 to allow the construction of a new commercial building to contain a go-kart racing business, in conjunction with new or revised parking facilities, landscaping, lighting, and supporting infrastructure. The following subsections discuss the project’s site plan, floor plan, architecture, and other features.
Site Plan
As stated, the Project site is currently developed with a surface parking lot that serves as an overflow facility for the broader Dos Lagos retail center. The footprint of the proposed commercial building would replace approximately 37 percent of the lot’s surface, while preserving or adding parking stalls around three of its four sides. Two existing lighting fixtures would be kept in place, as would all planted areas not proposed for replacement with the new building (Exhibit 2).
As the existing parking lot pad is relatively flat, with an overall differential of approximately 12 feet (low to high points) over the property’s 2.8 acres of land area, proposed grading would be modest and intended to create a new pad for the proposed commercial building and/or to effect compliant drainage of the property.
Development standards for the EC Zone are enumerated in Section 4.3.2 of the Dos Lagos Specific Plan. A listing of project compliance with applicable standards follows in the chart below.
Development
Standard Proposed Complies (Y or N)
Building Height Max. 60 feet
tall 58 feet tall Y
Front (Easterly) Yard
Setback 20 feet 206 feet 1 inch Y
Rear (Westerly) Yard
Setback 0 feet Min. 50 feet 8 inches Y
Side (Northerly/Street)
Yard Setback 10 feet Min. 58 feet 7 inches Y
Side (Southerly) Yard
Setback 0 feet Min. 4 feet 3 inches Y
Architecture
Chapter 5.2 of the Dos Lagos Specific Plan prescribes standards and guidelines intended to foster the creation of a “mixed use village” that adheres to an “Eclectic Mediterranean” theme – the latter essentially a blending of design elements from various architectural styles, including Italian Villa, California Mediterranean, Spanish Colonial, and others – to effect both a diversity of forms and design consistency throughout the retail center. For properties located within the designated “Entertainment Commercial Lakeside Village” portion of the Specific Plan, the guidelines are further refined to allow greater design freedom through review and approval of a Precise Plan (or modification thereto). The subject property is so located, and accordingly proposes a building form that is both modern and “whimsical,” with geometric roof forms, sharp corners and minimal amounts of glass, but also articulated grooves etched into wall surfacing (for purpose of breaking up the building’s perceived mass) and a variety of painted colors (grey, white and “gumball red”). The proposed design aligns with the intent of the aforementioned design guidelines and complements the diversity of building forms, materials, and styles typical of the Dos Lagos retail center.
Floor Plan and Operations
The interior of the building would include a variety of rooms to support its proposed use as a go-kart/commercial entertainment venue, including, most notably, a large, winding track where electric-powered go-karts would be raced by patrons. Accessory uses within the floorplan include a gaming area (video games, pool tables, and the like), a “paddock lounge” where food and drink (including beer and wine) would be served, go-kart storage and repair facilities, restrooms, and employee offices/meeting space. Patron entry to the building would be via a single entrance located at the structure’s southerly elevation; additional emergency or service entrances are located around the building’s perimeter.
The proposed go-kart business would operate entirely indoors (within the proposed building) and be open to the public seven days a week, as follows:
Monday – Thursday: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Friday: 12:00 PM – midnight (12:00 AM)
Saturday: 10:00 AM – midnight (12:00 AM)
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Estimated staffing for the business would include a maximum of 40 employees, with up to 12 onsite during any given shift.
Access and Circulation
Vehicular and pedestrian access to the property would be taken from an existing entry/drive aisle (shared with the broader retail center) and a public sidewalk leading from adjacent Lakeshore Drive to the interior of the project site. The internal drive aisles in the parking lot range from 25 to 28 feet wide and provide vehicular access to parking spaces.
All designated fire lanes have been reviewed by the Fire Department against applicable fire codes and regulations and found to comply.
Parking
While parking facilities are generally shared among the various buildings and businesses of the broader Dos Lagos retail center, all required parking for the proposed go-kart business is proposed to be provided within the project site's boundaries and would take the form of surface parking stalls. Pursuant to CMC Section 17.76.030(F) (Off-Street Parking), the proposed business is qualified as a “Team Sport Facility Greater than 3,500 square feet,” a use that does not prescribe a specific parking ratio, rather requires that a recommendation be provided by a qualified expert (using nationally recognized standards) against the use’s unique operational traits. To determine an appropriate ratio, the Applicant submitted two analyses (Vehicular Trip Generation and Parking Study, Planning Systems, February 5, 2025 and Trip Generation and Parking Rate Analysis – Typical K-1 Speed Indoor Karting Center, Planning Systems, June 6, 2022) that compared the proposed go-kart business to similar K-1 Speed branded facilities (including building size, floorplan and general operation) located in the Cities of San Diego and Anaheim, and ultimately concluded the following:
The operational needs and characteristics of all K-1 Go-Kart facilities are similar and result in their typical location within buildings sized between 45,000 and 65,000 square feet of floor area, with nearly identical floor plans and operational characteristics (staffing, hours, etc.) for each. This relative uniformity in location and business model dictates that parking demand is similar for all, and accordingly, that a parking ratio of one space for every 838 square feet (1:838) of proposed floor area is appropriate.
The proposed go-kart use (again, similar to findings for other K-1-branded facilities) would generate a total of 323 average daily trips.
Applying the recommended 1:838 ratio results in a requirement for 54 parking stalls for the proposed use. As a total of 128 onsite parking stalls (minimum 9 feet by 20 feet) are proposed, the project would accordingly comply with the recommended ratio and, more broadly, with the referenced CMC section.
As stated, the subject property’s existing parking facilities are part of a shared pool of stalls that currently serve the broader Dos Lagos retail center. As the proposed Project would require the removal of 149 spaces in order to accommodate the proposed building - ultimately reducing the number from 278 (existing) spaces to 128 spaces - a calculation is required to confirm that with redevelopment of the site, other uses in the center would not be made nonconforming with respect to parking. To that end, the Applicant submitted a listing of all uses (businesses) currently in operation within the retail center, coupled with their required parking ratio per the CMC. The analysis concluded that all of the uses - including the proposed K-1 facility - require the provision of 2,072 spaces. As the retail center would have 2,178 parking spaces remaining following implementation of the proposed Project, the center would ultimately maintain a surplus of 106 spaces, compliant with the CMC's requirements.
Landscaping
New or existing landscaping would cover approximately 17 percent of the Project site and take the form of several new or existing trees and varied ground cover, located both within the interior of the project site (within planter wells and parking “diamonds” scattered amongst the project’s parking stalls), as well as along adjacent slopes.
Trash Enclosure
A single, detached trash enclosure is proposed to serve the new commercial building and would be located at the rear (northerly extent) of the project site. The structure would stand up to 8 feet in height, with walls surfaced with painted stucco to complement the primary building. To prevent unauthorized entry, three of the four sides of the enclosure would be fully sealed using a combination of walls and metal mesh. Entry to the enclosure would be via two lockable gates located at the front of the structure.
Signage
All signage for the proposed building and property would be reviewed and determined administratively (e.g., by staff) under separate submittal for a sign permit, with standards for location, design, and operational requirements enumerated in the Dos Lagos Specific Plan. Conceptual signage is shown on both the elevations and renderings which are included in the Planning and Housing Commission staff report packet attached as Exhibit
3. The proposed scope of work would amend PP04-008 to allow the construction of a new commercial building to contain a go-kart racing business, in conjunction with new or revised parking facilities, landscaping, lighting and supporting infrastructure. The building would repurpose an existing, underutilized surface parking lot with a new use that would complement the diverse variety of retail, entertainment and restaurant uses within the Shops at Dos Lagos retail center, and more broadly, expand commercial-entertainment options available to Corona residents and visitors. The building, its architecture and site plan (the latter including access, parking, lighting and landscaping) have been reviewed by staff against the standards and guidelines of the Dos Lagos Specific Plan and, where applicable, the Corona Municipal Code, and found to be in compliance. Additionally, staff’s recommended conditions of approval, provided in Exhibit 3, ensure the Project’s continued compliance with all standards. As the proposed scope of work is found to meet all applicable requirements, the necessary findings to recommend approval can be made and are listed below.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The applicant paid the application processing fees of $6,880.14 to cover the cost of the Precise Plan Modification.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
Per Section 15332 (Class 32 - Infill Development Projects) of the State Guidelines for Implementing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Section 3.31 of the City’s Local CEQA Guidelines, a Notice of Exemption has been prepared for the Project.
The Project proposes the construction of a new commercial building that would be consistent with the property’s MU-1 (General Plan) Land Use, all applicable General Plan policies, as well as with the EC Zone and its associated development standards, on a lot located within city limits measuring less than five acres, substantially surrounded by urban uses and having no value as habitat for endangered, rare or threatened species, with no foreseen significant effects relating to traffic, noise, air quality, or water quality, and with the project site able to be adequately served by all required utilities and public services.
PLANNING AND HOUSING COMMISSION ACTION:
At its meeting of March 9, 2026, the Planning and Housing Commission considered the subject matter and took the following action:
Motion was made, seconded (Vernon/Longwell) and carried, with Vice Chair Siqueland absent, that the Planning and Housing Commission find the project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), adopt Resolution No. 2685 granting PPM2024-0007, based on the findings contained in the staff report and conditions of approval. The minutes of the Planning and Housing Commission meeting are included as Exhibit 4.
PREPARED BY: SANDRA VANIAN, PLANNING MANAGER
SUBMITTED BY: BRETT CHANNING, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER and ACTING
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – Locational and zoning map
2. Exhibit 2 – Site plan for Precise Plan Modification 2024-0007
3. Exhibit 3 – Planning and Housing Commission staff report
4. Exhibit 4 – Minutes of the Planning and Housing Commission meeting of March 9, 2026