REPORT TO PLANNING COMMISSION
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Planning Commission From: Damaris Abraham, Community Development Director
Prepared by: Nancy Huynh, Principal Planner
Date: October 21, 2025
Subject: Planning Application No. 2016-112 (Kassab Travel Center Carwash) - A Modification to the Kassab Travel Center to Replace the Previously Approved Drive-through Restaurant with a Proposed Express Carwash Including Vacuum Spaces
Applicant: Joseph Karaki, Karaki Western States Engineering, Inc.
Recommendation
1. Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAKE
ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING AN ADDENDUM TO THE KASSAB TRAVEL CENTER MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION NO. ER 2018-02 (SCH NO. 2019029048) FOR PLANNING APPLICATION 2016-112 (COMMERCIAL DESIGN REVIEW NO. 2021-21 AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 2021-16);
2. Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING FINDINGS THAT PLANNING APPLICATION 2016- 112 (COMMERCIAL DESIGN REVIEW NO. 2021-21 AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 2021-16) IS CONSISTENT WITH THE WESTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY MULTIPLE SPECIES HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN (MSHCP);
3. Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 2021-16 TO ALLOW A NEW 3,600 SQUARE-FOOT EXPRESS CARWASH FACILTY INCLUDING VACUUM SPACES FOR THE KASSAB TRAVEL CENTER LOCATED AT APNS 378-030- 007 AND 378-030-009; and,
4. Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING COMMERCIAL DESIGN REVIEW NO. 2021-21 TO ESTABLISH A NEW 3,600 SQUARE-FOOT EXPRESS CARWASH FACILTY INCLUDING VACUUM SPACES FOR THE KASSAB TRAVEL CENTER LOCATED AT APNS 378-030- 007 AND 378-030-009.
PA 2016-112 (Kassab Carwash)
Project Location
The project site is located on an approximately 2.8-acre property in the central portion of the City near the southwest corner of Riverside Drive and Collier Avenue. The project site is currently zoned Commercial Manufacturing (C-M) and encompasses Assessor Parcel Numbers (APNs) 378-030-007 and 378-030-009.
Environmental Setting
EXISTING LAND USE GENERAL PLAN ZONING
Project Site Vacant Limited Industrial (LI) Commercial Manufacturing (C-M) North Self-storage Limited Industrial (LI) General Manufacturing (M-2) South Vacant Limited Industrial (LI) Commercial Manufacturing (C-M) East Vacant Limited Industrial (LI) Commercial Manufacturing (C-M) West RV Sales & Service Limited Industrial (LI) Commercial Manufacturing (C-M) Table 1: Environmental Setting
Background
The Kassab Travel Center was originally approved by City Council on July 14, 2020 which allowed the development of a new travel center consisting of an 8,360 square foot (SF) convenience store with concurrent sale of alcoholic beverages (Type 21), quick service restaurants within the new convenience store, a 6,092 SF gas station including for Recreational Vehicles (RVs), and a 2,543 SF free-standing drive-through restaurant. The project’s approved entitlements included the following:
Municipal Code Amendment (MCA) No. 2017-02: an amendment to the Lake Elsinore Municipal Code (LEMC) to allow drive-through establishments as a use subject to a Conditional Use Permit in the C-M zone;
Conditional Use Permit (CUP) No. 2018-03: to allow a proposed 2,543 SF drive-through restaurant in the C-M zone; and
Commercial Design Review (CDR) No. 2016-07: to allow construction of the new commercial/retail buildings for the proposed travel center.
Subsequently, on November 12, 2020, a Minor Design Review (PDR No. 2020-04) was approved by the Director of Community Development which increased the convenience store to 10,240 sq. ft., reduced the quick service restaurant area to 1,000 sq. ft., and removed three (3) RV parking spaces.
Project Description
The proposed project is a request to modify the travel center’s previous approval to replace the approximately 2,500 SF drive-through restaurant with a proposed 3,600 SF express carwash with 15 vacuum spaces. The request includes CUP No. 2021-16 and CDR No. 2021-21 since a CUP is required for carwash uses in the C-M zone and a CDR is required for the new carwash building design.
PA 2016-112 (Kassab Carwash)
The proposed express carwash would be located in the same area as the drive-through which is towards the rear of the travel center. The express carwash would be automated and feature a 120-foot-long tunnel with three queuing lanes and include an emergency exit lane. The new carwash building would also include “back of house” areas to support the carwash use such as an office, equipment room, and towel wash room. Access to the proposed carwash would be provided via two 50-foot-wide driveways along Riverside Drive and Collier Avenue.
The project does not involve changes to the travel center’s other previously approved uses or square footages including the convenience store, gas station, and quick service restaurants.
Potential Oversaturation of Carwash Uses
Although the proposed carwash use complies with the applicable Lake Elsinore Municipal Code (LEMC) development standards and requirements as discussed further below, there remains a concern from staff and the community regarding a potential oversaturation of carwash uses within the City.
The City Council recently directed staff to conduct a market analysis to study this oversaturation concern and better understand the appropriate number of carwash facilities that the economic market in Lake Elsinore could support before reaching saturation. At their regular meeting on October 8, 2024, the City Council reviewed the Carwash Market Analysis (dated September 13, 2024) which was prepared by an economic consultant hired by the City, The Natelson Dale Group.
At the time the report was prepared, the City had 18 carwashes either in process (i.e. entitled, under construction, or application under review) or currently in operation. The analysis concluded that the market demand for carwashes in Lake Elsinore is 13 total by 2035. As such, if all 18 carwashes were constructed and in operation, Lake Elsinore would be oversaturated by five (5) carwashes.
If approved, the Kassab Travel Center’s proposed express carwash could further contribute to the oversaturation concerns with carwash uses especially given that 18 carwashes are already entitled, under construction, or in operation.
Analysis
The following analysis provides a discussion of the proposed project’s consistency with the commercial development standards and requirements pursuant to the Lake Elsinore Municipal Code (LEMC) as well as the General Plan. In addition, the Design Review Committee, including Staff from Planning, Building and Safety, Fire, and Engineering Departments and the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, has reviewed the project and has included recommended conditions of approval to ensure compliance with adopted plans, policies, and regulations.
General Plan Consistency
The project has a General Plan Land Use designation of Limited Industrial (LI) and is located in the Business District. The LI designation provides for industrial parks, warehouses, PA 2016-112 (Kassab Carwash)
manufacturing, research and development, public and quasi-public uses, and similar and compatible uses with a maximum 0.45 Floor Area Ratio (FAR). The proposed project is an amendment to the Kassab Travel Center to replace the previously approved drive-through restaurant with a new express carwash including vacuum spaces which is considered a compatible use with the other intended uses in the LI designation. Although the express carwash is approximately 1,000 SF larger than the drive-through restaurant, the increased FAR of 0.175 would still be below the maximum allowed in the LI designation. Therefore, the Project is consistent with the General Plan.
Municipal Code Consistency
Pursuant to LEMC Section 17.132.030.C, a carwash is a conditionally permitted use in the C-M zone. Staff has reviewed the proposed carwash with respect to the relevant development standards as identified in the C-M zone and other applicable sections of the Lake Elsinore Municipal Code (LEMC) and has determined that the carwash complies with the requirements as shown in Table 2.
In terms of parking, the proposed carwash complies with the minimum parking requirements, especially since it requires less than a drive-through restaurant. The carwash requires nine parking spaces (one space per 400 SF) while the drive-through required 27 spaces (one space per 45 SF of customer area plus one space per 200 SF of non-customer area). With the proposed carwash, the travel center’s parking requirements decrease to 41 spaces. The travel center proposes to provide 47 parking spaces which exceeds the minimum requirements by six spaces.
Development Standard Required Proposed
FAR 0.45 FAR 0.175 FAR
Front Yard Setback 20 feet 40 feet
Side Yard Setback (Interior) 0 feet 0 feet
Rear Yard Setback 0 feet 63 feet
Maximum Building Height 45 feet 26 feet
Landscape Coverage 12% 12%
Table 2: Development Standards
The carwash also complies with the applicable non-residential development standards outlined in Chapter 17.112 of the LEMC. The carwash has been designed to provide adequate stacking distance for a minimum of four vehicles at the entry of the facility. Parking areas for the vacuuming stations are clearly provided adjacent to carwash facility.
The new carwash building’s architecture would be consistent with the overall theme of the previously approved travel center which is contemporary with cement pilaster and stucco finishes in neutral tone colors that complement the existing natural surroundings of the City. The carwash building would have architectural treatments such as articulated planes along the exterior walls, attractive storefront window system, recessed suite entries and a variety of rooflines which would create depth and shadow.
Environmental Determination
PA 2016-112 (Kassab Carwash)
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15164, the City proposes to adopt an Addendum to the Kassab Travel Center Mitigated Negative Declaration (ER 2018-02; SCH #2019029048) for the project on the basis that none of the conditions described in CEQA Guidelines Sections 15162 or 15163 calling for the preparation of a subsequent or supplemental Mitigated Negative Declaration have occurred.
Although the proposed modification involves a change in land use with a slight increase in square footage from an approximately 2,500 SF drive-through restaurant to a 3,600 SF automated express carwash with vacuum spaces, the change is not considered substantial in that there are no new significant environmental effects, no substantial increase in the severity of previously identified significant effects, no substantial changes to the circumstances under which the project was undertaken, and/or no new information of substantial importance which was not known at the time of the previous EIR. Furthermore, all potentially significant effects have been avoided or mitigated pursuant to the MND adopted by the City Council on July 14, 2020.
MSHCP Consistency
The project has also been reviewed for consistency with the Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP). The project is located within the MSHCP Elsinore Area Plan, Criteria Cell #4266. On May 9, 2018, the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority (RCA) completed the Joint Project Review (JPR #18-03-29-01) process and concluded that the project is consistent with both the Criteria and other plan requirements of the MSHCP.
Public Notice
Notice of the public hearing has been published in the Press-Enterprise newspaper and mailed to property owners within 300 feet of the subject properties. As of the writing of this report, no written comments concerning these applications have been received by staff.
Attachments
Attachment 1 – CEQA Addendum Resolution
Attachment 2 – MSHCP Resolution
Attachment 3 – CUP Resolution
Attachment 4 – CDR Resolution
Attachment 5 – Conditions of Approval
Attachment 6 – GIS Exhibits
Attachment 7 – Project Plans
Attachment 8 – Addendum to MND
Attachment 9 – Public Notice Materials