La Verne planning panel recommends denial of Old Waldron rezoning, approves Old Nashville site plan and Bain Drive plat

The La Verne Planning Commission on Sept. 30 recommended denial of a rezoning request for a 0.6-acre parcel at 130 Old Waldron Road, approved a site plan for a new restaurant and retail building at 192 and 198 Old Nashville Highway, and approved the final plat for a one-lot subdivision at 141 Bain Drive.

The commission voted to send an unfavorable recommendation to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for a rezoning requested by Anthony Eubanks for property owned by Hamid Durani at 130 Old Waldron Road (tax map 15 M Group E Parcel 11). The request sought to change the parcel from R-1 (low-density residential) to C-2 (Highway Service commercial). Staff showed photos of an existing dwelling and accessory sheds and a zoning map that places industrial I-2 zoning immediately behind the lot near Maxim Crane. The motion carried; the commission will forward the unfavorable recommendation to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

The commission approved a site plan submitted by Huddleston Steele for 192 and 198 Old Nashville Highway (tax map 15 M Group E Parcels 4 and 5). The proposal covers about 1.35 acres and shows existing and proposed buildings totaling 15,521 square feet, with an older stone building intended for restaurant and retail use and a proposed new building with three roughly 1,200-square-foot suites. Planning staff reported that prior open-storage violations have largely been cleaned up and that engineering staff accepted stormwater calculations submitted for the project. Commissioners moved to “accept as submitted,” and the motion passed.

The commission approved a final plat for a one-lot subdivision at 141 Bain Drive (tax map 17 Parcel 7.01), a 5.55-acre lot in an I-2 heavy-industrial zoning district. Staff noted the lot has double frontage on Jones Boulevard (north) and Bain Drive (south) and confirmed water and sewer availability. The motion to approve was made by Mr. Mark and seconded by Mayor Cole; the motion passed.

Other procedural actions: the commission approved minutes from its Aug. 26 regular meeting and its Sept. 16 workshop; item 5 was deferred; a rezoning request for about 9.67 acres on Sanford Road (requested by Last of the Loggers LLC, property owner listed as Chow Wen Dong) was amended to a planned development residential (PDR) approach and deferred to the October workshop after applicants indicated they were preparing a design book; item 8 was deferred and item 9 was withdrawn. Staff member Ms. Williams presented the bonds and letters-of-credit update; commissioners had no questions and no board action was taken on that update.

Commission discussion focused on technical and procedural matters rather than policy alternatives. For the Old Nashville site plan, staff said engineering comments were addressed and stormwater calculations met engineering criteria. For the Old Waldron rezoning, commissioners noted the parcel’s proximity to existing nonresidential uses (I-2 zoning) but nevertheless voted to recommend denial to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. Where applicants or their representatives were absent, the commission deferred consideration rather than act.

The commission adjourned after the bonds update.