At its July 30 meeting, the Riverside County Planning Commission voted to recommend changing the zoning for a Rancho California parcel from Residential Agriculture, 2-acre minimum (RA2), to Wine Country Residential (WCR) so the property conforms to the Temecula Valley Wine Country Policy Area. The commissionrecommended the change to the Board of Supervisors.

Staff told commissioners the parcel is inside the Southwest Area Plan and the Temecula Valley Wine Country Policy Area; it sits east of Calle Contento, north of Calle Vista, south of Via Tranquilo and west of Altanis Road. Jake Roberts, the county project planner for the item, said there is no proposed change to the general plan foundational component or land use designation and that the present land use on the parcel is a single-family residence. Roberts advised commissioners that staff recommended the commission find no new environmental documentation is required because potentially significant environmental effects had already been analyzed in the previously certified Environmental Impact Report (EIR No. 524) for the Temecula Valley Wine Country Community Plan and Policy Area and that the circumstances in CEQA Guidelines section 15162 do not apply.

Staff said public notices were published in the Press-Enterprise and mailed to property owners within 750 feet (25 unique addresses), and an on-site notice was posted at least 14 days before the hearing; staff reported receiving zero letters of opposition. The request would reclassify the parcelzoning from RA2 to WCR and would match zoning on surrounding parcels to the north and west.

A commissioner who spoke in favor described the request as a consistency zoning to bring the property into conformance with the Temecula Valley Wine Country Community Plan. The commission moved and seconded the staff recommendation and approved the item as recommended; the action forwards the zoning change to the Board of Supervisors for final adoption of the ordinance.

The commission record shows no public speakers for the item. Staff and the applicant remained available to respond to questions after the vote.

What happens next: This commission action is a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors; the zoning change does not take effect until the Board adopts the ordinance. The staff report and environmental finding cite EIR No. 524 and CEQA Guidelines section 15162.