PC15-220RESOLUTION PC15-220
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MENIFEE, CALIFORNIA RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL
APPROVE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 2015-038 TO CHANGE
THE GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION OF APN 335-481-015
FROM COMMERCIAL RETAIL (CR) TO 8.1-14 DWELLING UNITS PER
ACRE — RESIDENTIAL (8.1-14R)
WHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code Section 65358, the City has considered
less than four proposed amendments to the City's General Plan in the year 2015; and
WHEREAS, on February 13, 2015, the applicant, John Trevor Sudweeks, the City
initiated General Plan Amendment No. 2015-038 (the "Project") to change the General
Plan land use designation for the property identified as APN 335-481-015, located at the
northwest corner of Murrieta Road and Thornton Avenue, from Commercial Retail (CR) to
8.1-14 Dwelling Units per Acre —Residential (8.1-14R); and
WHEREAS, the City Clerk has caused notice to be duly given of a public hearing
in this matter in accordance with law, as evidenced by the affidavit of publication and
the affidavit of mailing on file with the City Clerk; and
WHEREAS, on August 26, 2015, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed
public hearing on the Project, considered all public testimony as well as all materials in the
staff report and accompanying documents for General Plan Amendment No. 2015-038,
which hearing was publicly noticed on August 14, 2015 by a publication in a newspaper of
general circulation (i.e., The Press Enterprise), an agenda posting, and notice to property
owners within 300 feet of the Project boundaries, and to persons requesting public notice;
and
Whereas, on August 26, 2015, the Planning Commission opened the public hearing
and continued the public hearing for General Plan Amendment No. 2015-038; and
Whereas, on September 23, 2015, the Planning Commission held a second
duly noticed public hearing on the Project, considered all public testimony as well as all
materials in the staff report and accompanying documents for General Plan Amendment
No. 2015-038, which hearing was publicly noticed on September 11, 2015 by a publication
in a newspaper of general circulation (i.e., The Press Enterprise), an agenda posting, and
notice to property owners within 300 feet of the Project boundaries, and to persons
requesting public notice; and
WHEREAS, at the September 23, 2015 public hearing before the Planning
Resolution No. PC t5-220
General Plan Amendment No. 2015-038
September 23, 2015
Commission, the Commission found that:
1. The proposed change does not involve a change in or conflict with the City's Vision
or Community Values as stated in the City of Menifee General Plan.
The project proposes to change the General Plan land use designation for the
property from Commercial Retail (CR) to 8.1-14 Dwelling Units per Acre —
Residential (8.1-14R).
The project is surrounded to the north and west by properties designated as 2.1 to
5 Dwelling Units per Acre Residential (2.1-5R). To the east across Murrieta Road
are properties designated 5.1-8 Dwelling Units per Acre Residential (5.1-8R). To
the south across Thornton Avenue are properties designated Commercial Retail
(CR).
The General Plan land use designation for the subject parcel is currently
Commercial Retail (CR). For historical context, the 2003 Riverside County
Integrated Project (RCIP) also designated the subject parcel as Commercial Retail
(CR). Thus, the parcel's land use designation has allowed for commercial uses
since 2003. However, before that the project's land use designation was 2 to 3
Dwelling Units per Acre (with a 5 dwelling unit per acre senior bonus) Residential.
The General Plan Amendment, which would change the land use designation from
CR to 8.1-14R, would provide greater consistency with the following General Plan
Vision and Community Values:
Vision (Point #1):
We have preserved our diverse mix of neighborhoods that provide an array
of housing choices for a variety of life stages and lifestyles that is
unparalleled in the Inland Empire.
The proposed 8.1-14R land use designation would allow for a wider
spectrum of housing types and price ranges, such as attached condominium
units, within the site's existing suburban setting.
Community Value (Point #2 Sub -point #3):
We value focused growth in particular areas of the City in order to retain our
natural open space.
As stated above, the site is surrounded on the west, north, and east sides
by developed land. To the south is land which is currently designated CR
according to the General Plan. Development of the site in a manner
consistent with the proposed 8.1-14R designation would focus development
within an already developed area along a General Plan designated roadway
(Murrieta Road) and allow growth outside of the City natural open spaces.
Community Value (Point #2 Sub -point #4)
We value our ability to provide a broad range (ofj residential housing types
for our residents' life stages and lifestyles.
Refer to Vision (Point #1) above.
2. The proposed amendment would either contribute to the purposes of the General
Plan or, at a minimum, would not be detrimental to them.
The General Plan Amendment changing the land use designation from Commercial
Retail (CR) to 8.1-14 Dwelling Units per Acre — Residential (8.1-14R) would provide
greater consistency with the following General Plan policies:
LU-1.2 Provide a spectrum of housing types and price ranges that match
the jobs in the City and make it possible for people to live and
work in Menifee and maintain a high quality of life.
LU-1.4 Preserve, protect, and enhance established rural, estate, and
residential neighborhoods by providing sensitive and well -
designed transitions (building design, landscape, etc.) between
these neighborhoods and adjoining areas.
CD-3.1 Preserve positive characteristics and unique features of a site
during the design and development of a new project; the
relationship to scale and character of adjacent uses should be
considered.
HE 1.3: Housing Diversity. Provide development standards and
incentives to facilitate a range of housing, such as single family,
apartments, senior housing, and other housing types in rural,
suburban, and urban settings.
If the subject site were developed under the proposed land use designation of 8.1-
14R, it would provide a wider spectrum of housing types (e.g., attached
condominiums) and price ranges than what is currently available. In addition, it
would preserve and protect the surrounding established residential neighborhoods
by allowing a slightly higher density residential development at the intersection of
Thornton Avenue and Murrieta Road. This would serve as an appropriate transition
Resolution No. PC 15-220
General Plan Amendment No. 2015-038
September 23, 2015
between the residential uses to the west and north and the planned commercial
uses to the south across Thornton Avenue and the slightly higher density (existing)
residential development to the east. Uses allowed within the 8.1-14R land use
designation would more closely match the character of the adjacent uses to the
west, north and east (single-family residential uses) than what would be allowed
under the current General Plan land use designation of CR, which allows for a broad
range of retail commercial uses. For these reasons, the proposed General Plan
Amendment No. 2015-038 is consistent with the City's General Plan purposes,
including the General Plan objectives, policies, and programs.
3. Special circumstances or conditions have emerged that were unanticipated in
preparing the General Plan.
As previously stated, before the Riverside County 2003 General Plan (RCIP) was
adopted, the project parcel's land use designation was 2 to 3 Dwelling Units per
Acre Residential (with a 5 dwelling units per acre senior bonus). The Riverside
County 2003 General Plan changed the parcel's land use designation to
Commercial Retail (CR) and the City of Menifee's General Plan later reaffirmed that
CR designation in 2013 with adoption of its own General Plan update.
Subsequently, in December 2013 the applicant applied to change the property's
zoning classification from One Family Dwellings — 10,000 Sq. Ft. Minimum (R-1-
10,000) to General Commercial (C-1/C-P) for consistency zoning purposes. When
the project was presented to the Planning Commission in March 2014, residents
from the surrounding community expressed their desire that the City change the
property's land use designation from CR to a residential designation. The Planning
Commission later recommended and the City Council adopt a resolution to initiate
a General Plan Amendment to change the property's land use designation from CR
to a residential designation, such as the proposed 8.1-14R designation.
Because the desires of the community to preserve the property for residential use
were not known at the time the RCIP and the City's 2013 General Plan were
adopted, this expressed desire represents a newly emerged special circumstance
that was not anticipated when the General Plan was prepared.
4. Compliance with CEQA. Processing and approval of the permit application are in
compliance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act.
Section 15162 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines states
that the City may approve the project with the use of a prior CEQA document if there
are no substantial changes generated by the proposed project that might result in
new significant impacts, no substantial changes in circumstances have occurred
that would result in new significant impacts, and no new information is available
which would show that the project will have significant impacts. The City of Menifee
General Plan Program EIR was certified on December 18, 2013. This EIR evaluated
the environmental impacts of future development that would occur under the City's
General Plan land use map.
Staff evaluated the proposed General Plan Amendment and determined that none
of the above -listed circumstances exist which would require additional
environmental review.
The proposed General Plan Amendment (from CR to 8.1-14R) is anticipated to
generate lesser impacts than those generated under the City's General Plan and
the General Plan land use map, because the uses allowed under the 8.1-14R
designation would typically generate fewer average daily trips compared to those
uses allowed under the current General Plan land use designation of Commercial
Retail (CR). Therefore, the General Plan Amendment would not substantially
change the impacts evaluated in the General Plan Program EIR. No circumstances
exist that would result in any new significant impacts and no new information is
available that would suggest new significant impacts may occur.
As such, no additional environmental review is required pursuant to CEQA
Guidelines.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Planning Commission hereby recommends to the City Council
the following:
That the City Council determine that the "Findings" set out above are true
and correct.
2. That the City Council finds that the facts presented within the public record
and within Planning Commission Resolution No. PC 15-220 provide the
basis to approve General Plan Amendment No. 2015-038, and that the
Council approve said General Plan Amendment.
Resolution No. PC 15-220
General Plan Amendment No. 2015-038
September 23, 2015
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 23rd AY OF SEPTEMBER 2015.
Chris Thomas, Chairman
Attest:
J en ifer Allen, Deputy City Clerk
Approved as to form:
Aji�t Thind, Assistant City Attorney
MENIFEE
\fir'
Scott A. Mann
Mayor
John V. Denver
Mayor Pro Tem
Greg August
Councilmember
Matthew Liesemeyer
Councilmember
Vacant
Councilmember
District 3
29714 Haun Road
Menifee, CA 92586
Phone 951.672.6777
Fax 951.679.3843
vww.cityof m e n ifee. u s
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss
CITY OF MENIFEE )
I, Jennifer Allen, Planning Commission Secretary of the City
of Menifee, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution
No. PC15-220 was duly adopted by the Planning
Commission of the City of Menifee at a meeting thereof held
on the 23`d day of September, 2015 by the following vote:
Ayes:
Doty, Phillips, Sobek, Thomas
Noes:
Karwin
Absent:
None
Abstain:
None
c —
ennifer Allen, Deputy City Clerk