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Council advances downtown specific-plan overhaul and first reading of ordinance; plan expands boundary by 79 acres
Summary
The council introduced (first reading) an ordinance adopting an addendum to the environmental impact report and approving a comprehensive amendment to the downtown revitalization specific plan, expanding the plan area by about 79 acres and updating development standards and design guidelines.
Corona City Council held a public hearing and introduced, by title only, an ordinance (first reading) adopting an addendum to the environmental impact report for the city general-plan update and approving a comprehensive amendment to the Downtown Revitalization Specific Plan.
Joanne, the city’s Planning and Development Director, told council the amendment updates development standards, creates more enforceable design guidelines, modernizes graphics and expands the specific-plan boundary by roughly 79 acres (bringing the plan area from about 621 acres to about 700 acres). She said most properties added are residential and that the plan intends to support downtown revitalization by encouraging redevelopment, walkability and a mix of uses.
Key changes described by staff include: replacing front-yard and street-side setbacks with 0-foot setbacks in the downtown district to encourage buildings close to sidewalks and to allow setbacks to be used for outdoor dining, seating and arcades; building step-backs for any portion of buildings above three stories (a 10-foot step-back up to a maximum of five stories) to reduce perceived massing along 6th Street; updated design-guideline language on materials and architectural elements; and a streetscape chapter to create a distinctive downtown identity (gateway treatments, decorative poles and community kiosks).
Staff also said the amendment would prohibit automotive-related uses in the downtown, general commercial and transitional commercial districts; existing automotive businesses within the downtown may continue operating as long as their use does not lapse for 180 consecutive days, but further expansion of those businesses is not allowed under the amended plan. The council received a written correspondence raising that concern; staff responded that nonconforming uses would remain lawful if continuously operated and that the 180-day lapse rule carries over from the current specific plan.
The public hearing record included correspondence provided to council; no speakers signed up to speak on the item during the hearing. Councilmember Tony D'Addario and others thanked staff for outreach and for including residential properties in the amendment. Mayor Richards read the ordinance title into the record and council introduced the ordinance for first reading.
Action taken
- Introduced for first reading Ordinance No. 3407: adopting the EIR addendum for the Corona general plan technical update and approving amendments to the Downtown Revitalization Specific Plan (SP 90-8-1 / SPA 2420).
Why it matters
The amendment modernizes the 1998 downtown specific plan, adds enforceable design standards and formally expands the downtown planning boundary to include adjacent historic residential areas. Changes to setbacks, step-backs and streetscape standards are intended to encourage redevelopment and walkability while limiting incompatible uses in the core downtown.
