To: Planning Commission
From: Planning and Building Department
Agenda Section: Public Hearing
SUBJECT:
title
Russ Renner Zone Reclassification, General Plan Amendment, and Conditional Use Permit
Assessor Parcel Numbers (APNs) 201-311-026 & 201-311-028
Record No.: PLN-2023-18078
Alton area
A Conditional Use Permit for a retail sales, service, repair and storage of recreational vehicles and recreational vehicle accessories and a Zone Reclassification to change the zoning of two neighboring parcels from Limited Industrial (ML) to Industrial Commercial (C-3) and Industrial Commercial with the Streamside Management Areas and Wetlands Combining Zone (C-3/WR). Both parcels were the subject of a prior owner-initiated Zone Reclassification and General Plan Amendment request which was approved by the Board of Supervisors on January 10, 2012. A Zone Reclassification is again being requested to allow for relocation of a neighboring Alton area business (Reynolds RV Repair) to the property. Operating since 2008 from a nearby parcel (APN 201-322-011) less than a quarter mile to the east, the business primarily engages in the storage, repair, servicing, and customization of recreational vehicles as well as sales of RV parts. A Conditional Use Permit is required to permit retail sales under the proposed C-3 zoning. This rezoning is being brought forward together with an earlier request (PLN-14245-ZR / ZR-18-009) to remove a Qualified “Q” zone from neighboring parcels east of the project site. The entirety of both parcels was mistakenly designated “Open Space” in 2017 during the Countywide General Plan Update. A General Plan Amendment is included to fix this mapping error and return the Industrial General land use designation to eastern portions of the site.
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Planning Commission:
1. Open the Public Hearing on this item
2. Survey the audience for any person who would like to discuss the application.
3. Close the Public Hearing on this item
4. Adopt the resolution (Resolution 23-__). (Attachment 1) which does the following:
a. Finds that the Planning Commission has considered the previously adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration and the Addendum that has been prepared for the Renner project); and
b. Finds that the proposed project complies with the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance; and
c. Approves the Conditional Use Permit subject to the recommended conditions of approval (Attachment 1A)
5. Adopt the resolution (Resolution 23-__). (Attachment 2) which does the following:
a. Finds that the Planning Commission has considered the previously adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration and the Addendum that has been prepared for the Renner project); and
b. Finds that the proposed project complies with the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance; and
c. Recommends that the Board of Supervisors consider the Addendum to the MND and approve the Zone Reclassification and General Plan Amendment as conditioned
Body
DISCUSSION:
The project before the Planning Commission is a General Plan Amendment (GPA) and a Zone Reclassification (ZR) of two parcels in the Alton area totaling approximately 6.3 acres in size. A Conditional Use Permit (CUP) is also being requested to allow retail sales to be conducted at the site. The zoning change and CUP are being requested to enable the property to host an existing business engaged in the storage, repair, servicing, and customization of recreational vehicles as well as sales of RV parts. Since 2008 the business has been operating from a neighboring property (APN 201-322-011) less than a quarter mile to the east. The business will operate in a 7,500 square foot building currently under construction and a separate 4,800 square foot building.
Both parcels were the subject of a prior owner-initiated Zone Reclassification and General Plan Amendment request which was approved by the Board of Supervisors on January 10, 2012. This action resulted in a change to the General Plan land use designation from Commercial General (CG) to Industrial General (IG) as well as a Zone Reclassification from Commercial Highway with a Qualified combining zone to Limited Industrial (ML). The Q-zone limited allowed uses to Amusement Parks and Recreational Facilities. This was based on the fact that at the time of adoption of the community plan, the site was already being used as a closed track railroad amusement park. At the time of the 2012 zone reclassification request, the tourist attraction had been vacant for over a decade and redevelopment of the property was being sought by a new owner. Soon after the rezone was approved, the property was redeveloped with a storage yard and office building for a fence contracting business. Construction of a 7,500 square foot shop building was begun in September of 2022 and is now nearing completion.
Western portions of the site (APN 201-311-026) are host to a wetland area lying between the Highway and former railroad grade. The existence, location and extent of the pond was noted during processing of the 2012 rezone and plan amendment and shown on the site plan at that time. The land use designation of both parcels was changed from Industrial General (IG) to Open Space (OS) with the Airport (AP) overlay during adoption of the comprehensive update of the Countywide General Plan on October 23, 2017. This OS designation was incorrectly applied to the entirety of both parcels when only the westernmost portions of APN 201-311-001 (containing the human-made pond) were expected to be changed from IG to OS. Consequently, a General Plan Amendment is being included to correct this inadvertent mapping error. The mapping exhibit prepared for the Zone Reclassification and Plan Amendment use of the current vegetation boundary as a boundary to divide the OS and IG portions of the site. A condition of approval is included requiring that the applicant prepare and submit a Development Plan which clearly identifies the wetland area and labels it "unbuildable”, as well as recordation of a Notice of Development Plan to provide constructive notice to future property owners and tenants.
CEQA
The requested zoning change and conditional use permit will help spur further redevelopment of the site with a broader range of new uses, and relocation of a neighboring commercial business already operating in the area. The location targeted for the relocated business lies within a domesticated portion of the site that has already been developed with gravel and a shop building in recent years. Consequently, environmental impacts associated with these changes are understandably minimal. A Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) was prepared and adopted during the approval of the prior zone reclassification and plan amendment in 2012. An Addendum to the MND has been prepared for the current proposal. Both the Addendum and previously adopted MND have been provided for the Commission’s review and consideration (Attachment 5 and Attachment 6).
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The project was referred to responsible agencies and most responding agencies have either responded with no comment or recommended approval or conditional approval. A summary of their responses can be found in Attachment 8.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. The Planning Commission could elect not to approve the project, or to require the applicant to submit further evidence, or modify the project. If modifications may cause potentially significant impacts, additional CEQA analysis and findings may be required. These alternatives could be implemented if the Commission is unable to make all of the required findings. Planning staff has stated that the required findings in support of the proposal have been made. Consequently, Planning staff does not recommend further consideration of any alternative.
2. The Planning Commission could also decide the project may have environmental impacts that would require further environmental review pursuant to CEQA. Staff did not identify any potential impacts. As the lead agency, the Department has determined that the project is consistent with the MND that was previously prepared for an earlier rezone proposal. However, the Commission may reach a different conclusion. In that case, the Commission should continue the item to a future date at least two months later to give staff the time to conduct further environmental review.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Draft Resolution - Conditional Use Permit & CEQA
A. Conditions of Approval
B. Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program Checklist
C. Site Plan
2. Draft Resolution - Zone Reclassification & General Plan Amendment Recommendation
A. Draft Board Resolution Approving Zone Reclassification & General Plan Amendment
3. Draft Zoning Ordinance for Adoption by the Board of Supervisors
4. Location, Zoning, and Land Use Maps
5. CEQA Addendum
6. Previously Adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration
7. Applicant’s Evidence in Support of the Required Findings: Zone Reclassification Justification Statement
8. Referral Agency Comments and Recommendations
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Applicant Russ Renner 646 State Highway 36 Alton, CA 95540 |
Owner same as applicant |
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Please contact Steven Lazar, Senior Planner, at slazar@co.humboldt.ca.us <mailto:slazar@co.humboldt.ca.us> or at (707)268-3741 if you have any questions about this public hearing item.