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:February 11, 2025
Subject:Notice of Decision – Planning Commission Approval of Planning Application No. 2023-13 for a Commercial Design Review, Conditional Use Permit, and Sign Design Review to develop a 7,200 sq. ft. Retail Center with a drive-through restaurant on a 1.4-acre site located near the Collier Avenue and Nichols Road intersection
Applicant:Erwin Randhawa, PSR Investments LE, LLC
Recommendation
Receive and File the Notice of Decision for Planning Application No. 2023-13 approved by the Planning Commission on January 21, 2025.
Background
Planning Application No. 2023-13 is a request for a Commercial Design Review (CDR No. 2023- 03), Conditional Use Permit (CUP No. 2023-05), and Sign Design Review (SIGN No. 2023-07) to develop a new one-story commercial center and drive-through restaurant. The project proposes the following construction and improvements:
•Construct a new one-story 7,220 sq. ft. retail shopping center with three separate tenant spaces including a new drive-through restaurant:
oUnit A: 1,473 sq. ft.
oUnit B: 1,470 sq. ft
oUnit C: 1,560 sq. ft.
oUtility Room: 200 sq. ft.
oExterior Pilasters: 120 sq. ft.
•Construct a new 2,397 sq. ft. drive-through restaurant including:
oDrive-through queue capacity for 10 vehicles
o480 sq. ft. outdoor dining area
•New signage including:
oOne (1) 6 ft. freestanding building identification sign PA 2023-13 (Collier Retail Shops)
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oOne (1) 45 ft. freeway-oriented identification sign
•Related site improvements including:
o60 new parking spaces
oLandscape and hardscape improvements
The proposed project site is located along the easterly edge of Collier Avenue approximately 460 feet southeast of the Collier Avenue and Nichols Road intersection. The undeveloped and vacant
1.4-acre site is located within the Alberhill Ranch Specific Plan’s Highway Commercial Land Use Designation (C-H) and encompasses Assessor Parcel Number (APN) 389-200-031.
On January 21, 2025, the Planning Commission by a 5-0 vote took the following actions:
1. Found that the proposed project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15303 (New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures);
2. Adopted A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAKE
ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING FINDINGS THAT PLANNING APPLICATION NO. 2023-13 (CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 2023-05, COMMERCIAL DESIGN REVIEW NO. 2023-03, SIGN PERMIT NO. 2023-07) IS CONSISTENT WITH THE
WESTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY MULTIPLE SPECIES HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN (MSHCP);
3. Adopted A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 2023-05 TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE A 2,397-SQUARE-FOOT DRIVE-THROUGH RESTAURANT WITH A 480 SQUARE-FOOT OUTDOOR DINING AREA IN THE ALBERHILL RANCH SPECIFIC PLAN’S HIGHWAY COMMERCIAL (C-H) DISTRICT LOCATED AT APN 389-200- 031;
4. Adopted A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING COMMERCIAL DESIGN REVIEW NO. 2022- 03 TO CONSTRUCT AN APPROXIMATELY 7,200-SQUARE-FOOT COMMERCIAL
CENTER WITH A DRIVE-THROUGH RESTAURANT AND RELATED SITE IMPROVEMENTS LOCATED AT APN 389-200-031; and
5. Adopted A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING SIGN DESIGN REVIEW NO. 2023-07 TO
CONSTRUCT A FREE-STANDING BUILDING IDENTIFICATION SIGN AND A FREEWAY ORIENTED IDENTIFICATION SIGN LOCATED AT APN 389-200-031.
Discussion
The Planning Commission voted 5-0 to approve the project at its regular meeting on January 21, 2025. There were no public comments received in writing or made during the hearing. Only the applicant attended the hearing.
PA 2023-13 (Collier Retail Shops)
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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 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 to protect the City fiscally have already been included in the Conditions of Approval.
Attachments
Attachment 1 - Planning Commission Staff Report