Planning Commission approves Covina Valley Kia expansion with site improvements

The Covina Planning Commission voted 5-0 on May 12 to approve Conditional Use Permit 25-012 and Site Plan Review 26-030 for Covina Valley Kia at 626 South Citrus Avenue, allowing enclosure of an existing 666-square-foot canopy to expand the showroom, a 5,315-square-foot attached service building, and interior and exterior renovations.

Assistant Planner Alvar Delatori told the commission the subject site is approximately 3.24 acres, contains a single-story 19,274-square-foot commercial building, and the proposed service building (about 120 feet long, 44 feet wide and 21 feet tall) will include vehicle lifts, a service counter, and tools. Staff27s parking analysis showed a proposed layout of 179 stalls (including service, sales, customer, inventory, and employee parking). Excluding exterior sales and inventory stalls from the customer/employee tally, staff calculated parking compliance with the Covina municipal code and noted a surplus of one required stall.

Delatori also recommended a correction to a citation in an earlier resolution (condition reference D11) and proposed a determination of exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act for the project. Architect Carl Chrisman, speaking for the applicant, described exterior upgrades including new glazing, finishes and Kia branding designed to modernize the site.

Staff recommended adoption of Resolution 2026-006 PC with the corrected condition reference. A motion to approve carried 5-0; the decision is final subject to the appeal period under Covina Municipal Code 17.62.013.