Planning Commission recommends rezoning parcels adjacent to Santa Paula Airport from M1 to KO (airport operational); owners raise concerns

The Planning Commission adopted a resolution recommending that the City Council amend the municipal code and zoning map to remove the M1 (manufacturing) zone and rezone several parcels north of and adjacent to the Santa Paula Airport to KO (airport operational).

Staff explained the change is a cleanup step tied to the city’s 2040 General Plan. The 2040 plan removed the industrial/manufacturing land-use designation for the parcels in question and identified airport as the appropriate land-use designation; state law requires zoning designations to substantially conform to the general plan. The KO zone is intended to facilitate airport operations and lists allowed uses such as runways, taxiways, terminal buildings, fuel sales and aircraft services. The KO zone also permits certain commercial or light-industrial activities through a conditional use permit (CUP) where compatibility with airport operations can be demonstrated.

Staff said existing businesses and residences within the affected parcels will be treated as legally nonconforming and may continue their current uses. Staff explained that expansion or an increase in a nonconforming footprint (for example, an addition that enlarges a structure) would be considered an increase in nonconformity and generally would not be allowed without a permit; conversely, involuntary destruction (for example, by fire) allows rebuilding of the same footprint and use under the grandfathering rules described in the code. Staff also noted that industrial uses compatible with KO could be allowed via CUP, and that the zone change would not automatically displace existing tenants.

Property owners and tenants spoke at the hearing. Juan Mendez and other long-time residents asked whether the rezoning could be a prelude to airport acquisition of nearby homes; a property representative for 740 East Santa Maria (Renee Mendoza, Jr.) and a tenant representative for Farrell Fab Inc. asked for clarification of the practical effects on operations. One resident noted rising insurance costs for homes near the airport and asked how that would be affected; staff said the city cannot compel insurers’ actions and that rezoning aligns land use with the General Plan but does not itself impose immediate operational changes on existing lawful uses.

Commissioners asked staff to clarify how the change would affect the ability of manufacturing and similar businesses to continue or expand. Staff reiterated that existing lawful uses can continue; modest expansions that conform to KO or obtain a CUP may be possible but residential additions that increase nonconformity would likely be restricted. Commissioners asked staff to correct minor code drafting items noted in the industrial zone tables (references to the commercial light-industrial designation that should be located in the commercial section). The commission included direction to staff to clean up those references as part of the ordinance transmittal.

Planning Commission members moved to adopt Resolution No. 3,866 recommending City Council adopt the ordinance amending chapters 16.07, 16.09, 16.11, 16.21 and 16.27 to remove the M1 zone and rezone the listed parcels to KO. The motion passed by voice vote; staff will forward the ordinance language and the commission’s recommended edits to City Council.