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Planning Commission approves Collier Veil Shops project with drive‑through restaurant
Summary
Lake Elsinore Planning Commission approved planning application 2023‑13 for the Collier Veil Shops, a roughly 7,200‑square‑foot commercial center with a drive‑through restaurant on a 1.4‑acre site within the Albert Hill Ranch Specific Plan; staff found the project consistent with local plans and exempt from CEQA under Section 15303.
Lake Elsinore Planning Commission on Monday approved planning application 2023‑13, the Collier Veil Shops project, a proposed roughly 7,200‑square‑foot commercial center with a drive‑through quick‑service restaurant on a 1.4‑acre parcel within the Albert Hill Ranch Specific Plan.
Staff planner Carlos Serna told commissioners the site is along the easterly edge of Collier Avenue about 460 feet southeast of the Collier Avenue and Nichols Road intersection (Assessor’s Parcel No. 389‑200‑031). The application requested Conditional Use Permit 2023‑5, Commercial Design Review 2023‑3 and two Sign Design Review approvals (listed in the staff report as two separate sign design review applications). Serna said the project includes a one‑story multi‑tenant building with three retail units and a drive‑through quick‑service restaurant, a 480‑square‑foot outdoor dining area and a drive‑through lane sized to queue 10 cars. Staff recommended adoption of resolutions approving the project, finding it consistent with the city general plan, the municipal code, the Albert Hill Ranch Specific Plan and the MSHCP, and determining the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Section 15303 for new construction of small structures.
The applicant, Erwin Rontowa, answered commissioner questions about site grading and access, saying the project has a grading plan and is “designed to be fairly fluid with the existing parcel” and that the property will have two access points; he said no formal shared‑parking agreement with the adjacent AM/PM convenience store had been finalized but he would consider it.
Commissioners asked staff clarifying questions about relative elevation to the nearby gas station and the location of site entrances. Serna said the project's grade is “fairly similar” to the adjacent convenience center and confirmed the project’s primary entrances are on the uphill slope off the shared access road, not directly on Collier Avenue.
No members of the public requested to speak during the public hearing on the item. After closing the hearing, the commission moved to approve the resolutions and the motion passed unanimously on roll call. Commissioners recorded their votes in the meeting minutes as aye for the motion.
The approvals include the design review and conditional use permit necessary for the drive‑through operation and the two sign design reviews noted in the staff report (staff materials described a freestanding building identification sign along Collier Avenue and a freeway‑oriented sign adjacent to I‑15). The staff report also notes the project was reviewed and conditioned by applicable city departments and divisions.
The commission’s action authorizes the city to proceed with permitting in accordance with the approvals and the conditions listed in the staff report; any ministerial permits, final engineering, or agreements referenced in staff conditions will be subject to subsequent review and approval by city staff as required.
Votes at a glance: the approval motion for planning application 2023‑13 passed unanimously on roll call; commissioners recorded “aye” votes as reflected in the meeting record.
No further public hearings or appeals were recorded in the transcript for this item.
