Planning commission recommends city council approve rezoning, general plan amendment for vacant Promenade Avenue lot

The Corona City Planning and Housing Commission on a unanimous vote recommended that the City Council adopt a mitigated negative declaration and approve a general plan amendment and a change of zone to allow light industrial uses on a vacant 0.86-acre parcel on the east side of Promenade Avenue near East Sixth Street.

Planning staff presented two related applications — General Plan Amendment GPA 2022-0004 and Change of Zone CZ 2022-0004 — for a single vacant lot that staff said could accommodate roughly a 9,500-square-foot light-industrial building under the proposed M-1 zoning. Bridal Daldy, assistant planner, described the site, the project history and staff’s recommendation that the commission approve the GPA and CZ and adopt Resolution No. 2660 as part of Cycle 2 of the City’s general plan amendments for 2025.

Why it matters: approving the change would move the parcel’s general plan designation from General Commercial to Light Industrial and change zoning from C-3 (general commercial) to M-1 (light manufacturing). Staff told commissioners the change would allow certain industrial uses by right under Corona Municipal Code (CMC) 17.44; if a future use required a major conditional use permit, it would return to the Planning and Housing Commission for review.

Commission discussion focused on environmental review and project feasibility. Commissioners repeatedly asked about the environmental study staff prepared under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The study had been completed and signed in January, after earlier continuances in 2023 that allowed staff time to obtain technical studies. Commissioners and staff discussed cultural- and paleontological-resource issues the study identified.

Miss Collette, a staff member, summarized the environmental finding: “the MND says that all of this can be mitigated to less than significant.” Commissioners pressed staff about language in the CEQA short form used in the staff packet that listed “substantial adverse effects on humans” and “cumulatively considerable impacts” as potentially significant findings. Staff explained those phrases are part of the CEQA mandatory findings of significance and that specific mitigation measures (for example, requiring a paleontological monitor for excavation below four feet) are included in the mitigation monitoring and reporting program to reduce impacts to less-than-significant levels.

The commission also noted that vehicle miles traveled (VMT) impacts flagged in the study were considered mitigated because the site lies within a Transit Priority Area. Staff said both tribes that were notified responded and did not request follow-up, and that archaeological/paleontological sensitivity warranted monitoring if deep excavation occurs.

No members of the public submitted speaker cards or asked to speak on the items. After discussion, Commissioner Sequin moved to adopt the resolution recommending that the City Council adopt the mitigated negative declaration and approve GPA 2022-0004; Commissioner Vernon seconded. The motion passed unanimously. On the change of zone, Commissioner Vernon moved to recommend approval of CZ 2022-0004 to the City Council based on the findings in the staff report; Commissioner Woody seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

Votes at a glance - GPA 2022-0004 (General Plan Amendment) — Motion to adopt Resolution No. 2660 recommending adoption of the Mitigated Negative Declaration and approval of GPA 2022-0004. Moved by Commissioner Sequin; seconded by Commissioner Vernon. Outcome: approved unanimously (commission recorded “unanimously approved”). - CZ 2022-0004 (Change of Zone) — Motion to recommend approval of CZ 2022-0004 to the City Council based on staff findings. Moved by Commissioner Vernon; seconded by Commissioner Woody. Outcome: approved unanimously (commission recorded “unanimously approved”).

What happens next: The commission’s actions were recommendations to the City Council; final approval and any project-level building permits would be determined by the council and by development review and building and safety processes. Staff said that if a future use is more intensive and requires a major conditional use permit it would return to the Planning and Housing Commission; otherwise, typical light-industrial uses allowed under M-1 could proceed at the administrative level.

Background and timeline: staff said the project originated as a Development Plan Review (DPR2022-0016) submitted April 25, 2022, and was continued at planning commission hearings in February 2023 to allow additional technical studies and circulation analysis. The mitigated negative declaration and mitigation monitoring and reporting program were completed in January (signed in January per staff).