ORDINANCE NO. 3919
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING CHAPTER 1,
ARTICLE 40 OF DIVISION 9 OF THE TORRANCE
MUNICIPAL CODE AND ADDING A MATRIX OF
PERMISSIBLE USES AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
FOR THE DOWNTOWN TORRANCE DISTRICT,
COMMERCIAL SECTOR
WHEREAS, on April 19, 2023, a duly noticed public hearing was held by the Planning Commission and public comment was taken regarding the need and necessity for amending the Torrance Municipal Code regarding Downtown Torrance District, Commercial Sector. The Planning Commission, by a 4 to 1 vote (Commissioner Choi dissenting, Commissioners Rudolph and Yeh absent), voted to forward a recommendation to the City Council for the adoption of an Ordinance amending Chapter 1, Article 40 of Division 9 of the Torrance Municipal Code and adding a matrix of permissible uses and performance standards for the Downtown Torrance District, Commercial Sector; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Torrance hereby finds that the proposed amendment to the Torrance Municipal Code would not have a significant impact on the environment, and, pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(3) and 15061 (b)(3) of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines would be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Torrance hereby finds that the proposed amendment to the Torrance Municipal Code is consistent with the City's General Plan pursuant to §65860 of the State Government Code.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TORRANCE DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1
Article 40 entitled "Downtown Torrance District" of Division 9 entitled "Land Use" including Section 91 .40.1 entitled "Creation of District" through Section 91.40.9 entitled "Declaration of Nuisance" is deleted in its entirety.
SECTION 2
A new Article 40 entitled "Downtown Torrance District" is amended to read in its entirety as follows:
"ARTICLE 40 DOWNTOWN TORRANCE DISTRICT
91.40.010 CREATION OF DISTRICT
A Downtown Torrance District is hereby established, the boundaries of which shall be as follows :
Commencing at the intersection of Cota Avenue and the first alley north of Torrance Boulevard, easterly along said alley to the alley between Cravens Avenue and Sartori Avenue, then south to Torrance Boulevard, easterly along Torrance Boulevard to Border Avenue, south along Border Avenue to the first alley south of Carson Street, westerly along said alley to Gramercy Avenue, north and east along Gramercy Avenue to the first alley southwest to Cravens Avenue, northwesterly along said alley to Portola Avenue to Torrance Boulevard west on Torrance Boulevard to Cota Avenue, north on Cota Avenue to the point of beginning."
91.40.020 DOWNTOWN TORRANCE DISTRICT, COMMERCIAL SECTOR PERMISSIBLE USES"
Downtown Torrance District Land Use Matri x
P -Permitted
C -Conditional Use Permit required
A -Administrative Planning Permit required
X -Not Permitted
If a proposed use is not listed in the following table, the Community Development Director shall make a determination of which listed use most closely corresponds, not permitted, or if a Conditional Use Permit or Administrative Permit is required.
Automotive Related Uses
Auto Parts Sales -No Installations p
Auto Parts and Car Stereo Sales -with Installations C
Automobile Repair C
Automobile Rentals X
Automobile Sales and Leasing, with repair/service X
Automobile Sales and Leasing, without repair/service X
Automobile Service Stations X
Car Wash , Full Service C
Car Wash, Mechanical Self Service X
2 Eating and Drinking Establishments
Alcohol Service in conjunction with restaurant C
Bars and Cocktail Lounges C
Breweries, wineries, taprooms C
Entertainment in conjunction with a bar or restaurant C Outdoor Dining on private property in conjunction with established A restaurant
Restaurants, Class I (full-service) C
Restaurants, Class II (fast-food) no drive-through C
Restaurants, Class Ill (take-out) A
Restaurants, Class IV (limited service/snack shop, bakery, deli, ice A cream, yogurt)
Restaurants with drive-through sales X
Health Care Services
Extended Care Facilities X
Surgery Clinics -Outpatient services only p
Offices-Medical, Dental, or licensed healing professional p Residential Care Facilities X
Recreation, Community Services , Education, Public Assembly Arcades, Virtual Reality Gaming C
Billiard Parlors C
Child or Adult Day Care C
Community Service Facilities, Clubs, Lodges and Meeting Halls C Commercial Recreation C
Dance, Fitness, Gymnastic, Martial Arts Studios (under 2,000 SF of p assembly area)
Dance, Fitness, Gymnastic, Martial Arts Studios (2,000 SF and over C of assembly area)
Educational Institutions C
Escape Rooms C
Religious Facilities C
Schools -business or trade schools C
Theaters, Cinemas C
Residential
Affordable Housing C
Mixed-Use Development, including both residential and commercial C components (Residential may include Senior Citizen Housina) Multi-Family Residential, stand-alone C
Senior Citizen Housing, stand-alone C
Retail Trade
Accessory sales of non-cannabis sourced CBD products as defined p in Section 413 .010, accounting for no more than ten percent (10%) of total floor area of primary use
Animal Sales and grooming, pet store -no overnight boarding p Antique StoreNintage p
3 Appliance store p
Artisans Studios p
Art Supply store p
Bakery p
Bicycle (sales, rental, repair, service) p
Bookstore p
Buildinq Materials Sales, indoor p
Butcher Shop, retail p
Candy/confectionary sales, retail p
Ciqar, hookah lounqe C
Clothinq sales p
Coffee, tea store p
Collectible , coin , hobby store p
Consiqnment store p
Convenience or Liquor store p
Delicatessen p
Drive-in and drive-throuqh sales X
Electronics sales ( consumer) p
Flooring, carpet sales p
Florist shop p
Furniture store p
Glass studio p
Gift store p
Grocery store p
Gun/Firearms store X
Hardware supply store p
Health food, supply store p
Jewelry, watch sales/repair p
Music store p
Paint, wallpaper sales p
Paper product sales, stationary store p
Party supolies store p
Pawn Shop (without aun/firearms sales) C
Pharmacy p
Photofinishinq, retail p
Plant Nurseries, garden supply store p
Retail Stores, qeneral merchandise (without aun/firearms sales) p Shoe sales/repair p
Sign store p
Sportinq qoods store (without aun/firearms sales) p
Thrift/Secondhand store A
Tile sales p
Tobacco, smoke, vape shops C
Toy stores p
Wine shop p
Window coverinq sales p
4 Service Uses
Banks, Credit Unions, and Financial Services p
Barber, beauty, hair, nail salons, cosmetologists, skin care p Body Art Establishments (subject to separation requirements) p Check Cashing X
Dressmaker, tailor shop p
Drive-in and Drive-through Services X
Dry Cleaner p
Funeral Parlors and Mortuaries p
Hotel and Motels C
Interior decorator p
Laundromat p
Locksmith p
Metal engraving, trophy shop p
Offices, governmental p
Offices, professional p
Personal Improvement Services, 1,200 SF or less in area and with p six or fewer students on-site for instruction at one-time Personal Improvement Services, more 1,200 SF in area and with A more than six students on-site for instruction at one-time Photography studio p
Print, publishinq shop (blueprintinq, photocopyinq) p
Public Safety Facilities p
Public Utilities (excluding offices) p
Real estate office p
Repair and Maintenance Services, Consumer Products (Indoors) p Taxidermist p
Upholstery shop p
Veterinary Clinics and Animal Hospitals p
Other Uses
under 2,000 SF p
C
rivate, stand-alone p
p
91.40.030 DOWNTOWN TORRANCE DISTRICT, COMMERCIAL SECTOR PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
a) Exterior colors shall be consistent with the Downtown Color Palette. b) Business operations shall comply with Municipal Code Noise Standards. c) There shall be no outdoor storage or display of products or merchandise. All storage and display of merchandise or products shall be within the building. d) The business operator or property owner shall maintain the premise clear of weeds, debris and trash.
e) The business operator or property owner shall on a regular basis clean the sidewalk in front of the building and keep the storefront free of debris. 5 f) Employees of the business shall be prohibited from parking in on-street parking spaces. g) Trash generated by the business shall not be disposed of in public trash receptacles. h) The business shall comply with Fire Department and Building Code requirements for building occupancy.
i) The storefront windows shall remain clear of signs, posts and materials that give it an unsightly appearance.
91.40.040 MAINTENANCE OF PROPERTY; NUISANCES.
It is hereby declared a public nuisance for any person owning, leasing, occupying or having charge of any premises in the Downtown Torrance District to maintain such premises in such manner that any of the following conditions are found to exist thereon:
a) Buildings which are abandoned, partially destroyed, or left in a state of partial construction for prolonged periods, and as a result thereof are unmaintained and deteriorating; b) Attractive nuisances in the form of abandoned and broken equipment dangerous to children;
c) Maintenance of premises in such conditions as to be detrimental to the public health, safety, morals or general w,elfare;
d) Property maintained in such condition of deterioration or disrepair that the same causes appreciable diminution of the property values of surrounding properties or is materially detrimental to proximal properties and improvements;
e) Property maintained by itself or in conjunction with others so as to establish a prevalence of depreciated values, impaired investments, and social and economic maladjustments to such an extent that the capacity to pay taxes is reduced and ta.i:c recEJipts from such particular area are inadequate for the cost of public services rendered therein; f) For the purposes of this Section, abandonment shall mean unoccupied, unmaintained for a period of two (2) years.
91.40.050 ABATEMENT BY REPAIR, REHABILITATION, DEMOLITION OR REMOVAL.
All or any part of premises found as provided herein, to constitute a public nuisance, may be abated by rehabilitation, demolition or repair pursuant to the procedures set forth herein. The procedures set forth herein shall not in any manner limit or restrict the City from enforcing the City ordinances or abating public nuisances in any other civil proceeding provided by law.
91.40.060 DECLARATION OF NUISANCE.
Whenever the Planning Commission finds that any premises within the Downtown Torrance District is maintained contrary to one (1) or more of the provisions of Section 91.40.040., the Planning Commission shall institute proceedings to declare such premises a public nuisance in accordance with the procedures established in Article' 32 of Chapter 2. of Division ~of this Code." SECTION 3
Any provisions of the Torrance Municipal Code or its appendices, or any other ordinances of the City inconsistent with this ordinance to the extent of the inconsistencies and no further, are repealed.
6 SECTION 4
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, the decision will not affect the validity of the remaining portions of the ordinance. The City Council declares that it would have passed this ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause and phrase irrespective of the fact that anyone or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases are declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 5
This ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after the date of its adoption. Within fifteen (15) days following adoption, this ordinance or a summary of this ordinance if authorized by the City Council, will be published at least once in the Daily Breeze, a newspaper of general circulation, published and circulated in the City of Torrance.
INTRODUCED and APPROVED this 23rd day of May 2023 .
ADOPTED and PASSED this 6th day of June 2023.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
PATRICK Q. SULLIVAN, City Attorney ATTEST :
atia Y. Strader, Assistant City Attorney f ~ 'l :J ,J cca Poirier, MMC, City Clerk 7 TORRANCE CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE NO. 3919
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
CITY OF TORRANCE
)
)
)
ss
I, Rebecca Poirier, City Clerk of the City of Torrance, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance was duly introduced and approved at an adjourned regular meeting of the City Council held on the 23 rd day of May 2023 and was duly adopted at a regular meeting of said Council held on the 6th of June 2023 by the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
COUNCILMEMBERS Kaji, Kalani, Lewis, Sheikh and Mayor Chen COUNCILMEMBERS Mattucci.
RECUSE: COUNCILMEMBERS None.
ABSTAIN : COUNCILMEMBERS Griffiths .
This ordinance was duly published in accordance with State law (GC 40806).
Rb ~f~ e ecca rnner,
City Clerk of the City of Torrance
8