La Habra approves tentative parcel map to split 87,685‑square‑foot site at Beach and Lambert

The La Habra Planning Commission on an evening meeting approved a tentative parcel map to subdivide an 87,685‑square‑foot parcel at 777 South Beach Boulevard and 2060 West Lambert Road into two lots.

Daryl Taylor, contract planner, described the site as a roughly L‑shaped parcel at the intersection of Lambert and Beach boulevards. He said the parcel currently contains a Dutch Bros drive‑thru to the north and a proposed future America's Tire to the south; to the north across Lambert are multi‑tenant commercial uses and to the south and west single‑unit homes. Taylor said the project is conditioned to retain unimpeded circulation and cross‑access between the two resulting parcels. He told the commission that the proposed lots and proposed development meet or exceed the C‑2 zone development standards for parking, setbacks, height and floor area ratio; staff noted the Dutch Bros site currently has 13 parking spaces where eight are required and the proposed America's Tire site shows 36 spaces where 13 are required.

Mark Chinuda, representing the applicant Pacific Reed Health Partners, told the commission he and the applicant concurred with the staff report and were available to answer questions. Anna Abraham, a resident who lives on Elmcroft Street behind the site, spoke in opposition and asked for a study on how the commercial development might affect nearby residential property values, citing a desire to ensure adjacent homeowners would not be financially harmed. "We would like to have that and, you know, they have to do a study and see how it's gonna affect the adjacent property," Abraham said.

In a staff rebuttal, Taylor said he was not aware of a study addressing commercial development's effect on adjacent residential property values and noted that residential valuations are typically based on comparable residential properties rather than nearby commercial uses. Commissioners clarified that the map before them addressed only the subdivision (lot split); they said compliance with zoning and development standards is the controlling finding for approval of a tentative parcel map.

Vice Chair Ramsland moved to approve a resolution making the required findings and approving Tentative Parcel Map 2024‑2 (APN 18‑431‑39), finding the project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under CEQA Guidelines section 15315 (Class 15, minor land divisions). Commissioner Logan Cannon seconded the motion. The commission voted 4‑0 to approve the tentative parcel map; the chair said the decision will become final in 10 working days unless appealed to the City Council.

The staff record and the motion focus on the parcel subdivision and CEQA exemption; detailed building permits, design review, or subsequent development approvals for America's Tire or other tenants would proceed through separate city processes and were not part of the lot‑split decision.