REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
To:Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From:Jason Simpson, City Manager
Prepared by:Damaris Abraham, Community Development Director Date:September 24, 2024
Subject:Notice of Decision – Planning Commission Approval of Planning Application No. 2023-17 for Exterior Building Façade and Related Site Improvements with a Request for Parking Reduction for an Existing Commercial Center Located at 31681 and 31701 Riverside Drive Recommendation
Receive and File the Notice of Decision for Planning Application No. 2023-17 approved by the Planning Commission at their Regular Meeting on August 20, 2024.
Background
The project site is an existing 1.99-acre commercial center located along Riverside Drive between Joy Street and Lincoln Street at 31681 and 31701 Riverside Drive. The project site encompasses Assessor Parcel Numbers (APNs) 379-381-053 and 379-381-054. The site is fully developed with an approximately 14,000-square-foot two-story commercial building and 12,000-square-foot one- story commercial building along with existing parking spaces and landscaping.
Planning Application No. 2023-17 is a request for a Commercial Design Review (CDR No. 2023- 05) to remodel the existing exterior façade and interior renovations of the commercial buildings including the following proposed improvements:
•Demolish both structure’s existing storefront, roof membrane, and interior/exterior walls and doors to construct a new storefront façade with interior renovations including partition walls and restrooms;
•Demolish a small portion of the existing two-story building to reduce the building size from 13,837 square feet (sq. ft.) to 13,435 sq. ft.;
•Demolish the existing exterior stairwell attached to the two-story building and construct a new interior stairwell with an accessible chair lift;
•Construct a new 833-square-foot patio with a second story deck for the existing two- story building; and
PA 2023-17 (Lakefront Plaza Revitalization)
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•New commercial center identification signage, individual unit signage, and site improvements to the parking and landscaping.
The applicant also requested a reduction in the required number of parking spaces associated with the proposed remodeling and change in uses as required by LEMC 17.148.030.D.
On August 20, 2024, the Planning Commission took the following action with a vote 5-0:
1. Found that the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Class 1 Existing Facilities); and
2. Adopted A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING PLANNING APPLICATION NO. 2023-17 (COMMERCIAL DESIGN REVIEW NO. 2023-05) FOR EXTERIOR BUILDING FAÇADE
AND RELATED SITE IMPROVEMENTS WITH A PARKING REDUCTION FOR THE EXISTING LAKEFRONT PLAZA COMMERCIAL CENTER LOCATED AT 31681 AND 31701 RIVERSIDE DRIVE (APNS: 379-381-053 AND 379-381-054).
Discussion
The Planning Commission voted 5-0 to approve the project at its regular meeting on August 20, 2024, with the applicant present at the meeting. There were no speakers during the public comment portion of the meeting and no written comments received prior to the meeting.
The Planning Commission’s decision is final, and no action by the City Council is required unless the City Council, by majority vote, elects to review and reconsider the Planning Commission’s decision by ordering the matter set for a future noticed public hearing according to Section
17.410.110.F of the Lake Elsinore Municipal Code (LEMC), or the applicant or an interested person files a complete appeal application within 15 days of this notice appearing on the City Council’s Agenda.
Fiscal Impact
The time and cost related to processing this application have been covered by fees paid for by the applicant. No. General Fund budgets have been allocated or used in the processing of this application. Project approval does not fiscally impact the City’s General Fund. Mitigation Measures to protect the City fiscally have already been included in the Conditions of Approval.
Attachments
Attachment 1 - Planning Commission Staff Report