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HomeMy WebLinkAbout41-Planning ~ITY OF SAN BERN4DINO - REQUEST Fa. COUNCIL ACTION F~ Delr:' Larry E. Reed, Director Subject: Appeal of DRC Approval of Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 Planning and Building Services Da~: September 19, 1990 Mayor and Common Council Meeting October 1, 1990, 2:00 p.m. Synopsis of Previous Council action: On July 19, 1990, the Development Review Committee approved Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23. On August 20, 1990, the Council referred the appeal of Lot Line Adjust- ment 90-23 to the Planning Commission for a recommendation. On September 11, 1990, the Planning Commission considered the Council's request to make a recommendation on the appeal of Lot Line Adjustment 90-23. The Commission's vote on a motion to recommend denial of the appeal resulted in a tie vote of 4 to 4. Recommended motion: o That the Mayor and Council deny the appeal, and approve Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 subject to the findings and conditons of aEprQval contained in the July 23, 1990 letter of approval, Attachment ~C" .,; (Supports DRC action.) " c, '"." ..~.. . 4 Ck/;C . Signature' Larry E. Reed Contact person: Larry Eo Reed Phone: 384-5357 1 Supporting data attached: l'lraff Report Ward: FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount: N I A Source: (Acct. No.) (Acct. Descriotion) Finance: COI Notes: 75-0262 An"'nrl~ l'tArn I\In /./1 CITY OF SAN BERN~DINO - REQUEST FO COUNCIL ACTION o o o 75-0264 STAFF REPORT Subject: Appeal of Development Review Committee (DRC) Approval of Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 Mayor and Council Meeting of October 1, 1990, 2:00 p.m. REOUEST The appellant, John Lightburn, is appealing the approval of Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 by the Development Review Committee. The appellant requests that the Mayor and Council reconsider the approval and "set aside the approval of Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 until such time a thorough environmental review is conducted in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) ...". (See Appeal Letter, Attachment "A".) BACKGROUND Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 combines 13 lots into 2 lots consisting of a total of 3.3 acres located at the northwest corner of Court Street and Arrowhead Avenue. Parcel No. 1 will consist of Assessor Parcel Numbers 135-151-4, 5, 10-16, and 20. Parcel No. 2 will consist of Assessor Parcel Numbers 135-151-17, 18 and 19. (See Attachment "B", Lot Line Adjustment Plat.) On July 19, 1990, .the Development Review Committee approved Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23. On August 20, 1990, the Council referred the appeal to the Planning Commission for a recommendation. On September 11, 1990, the Planning Commission reviewed the appeal and voted 4 to 4 on a motion to recommend denial of the appeal. This "no recommendation" resulted because of confusion over issues unrelated to the appeal. Lot Line Adjustments are categorically exempt from the provisions of CEQA (Section 15305), if new parcels are not created. The proposed configuration complies with all pertinent criteria set forth in the Municipal Code and is consistent with the General Plan. o o o L o o Appeal of Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 Mayor and Council Meeting of October 1, 1990 Page 2 BASIS OF APPEAL The main point of the appeal letter is that the Lot Line Adjustment is an "integral" part of a development plan related to the expans~on of the Sun Company, and that, as such, the "cumulative impacts" may have a significant effect on the environment and "compromise long-term environmental goals" by not taking into effect the implications of related projects. These related projects are inferred to be illegal or inappropriate. ANALYSIS OF APPEAL Lot Line Adjustments are legal instruments affecting boundar- ies of existing parcels and have no environmental consequences, cumulatively of individually. For this reason they have been categorically exempted from the provisions of CEQA. They may be important in implementing a development project for financing or legal reasons, but they do not produce a physical change to the environment. Thus, the appeal has no valid basis. The safety issues raised by his questions about related projects are being addressed by the Department through the appropriate legal and technical review procedures. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the Mayor and Council deny the appeal and approve Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23. Prepared by: John E. Montgomery, AICP Principal Planner Attachments: A - Letter of Appeal to Mayor and Common council B - Lot Line Adjustment Plot C - DRe Letter of Approval, July 23, 1990 /ke:7/27/90 M&CCAGENDA: LLA9023APPEAL o o hllyor llnet. Common Counci I City of Slln Bernllrdino 300 North 0 Street Slln Bernllrdino, Cll. 9240 1 .. 25 P 2 01 '90 v"JL : Subject: Appelll of Lot Line Adjustment 90-23, Sun Compllny Reference: Review of Plens 87-28 & 88-47 ATTACHllENT h o RECE,"e!'.. ~.r" ~'-ER. July 25, 1990 Dellr Mllyor llnd Members of the Council, 111m llWllre thllt the Development Review Committee llpproved Lot Line Adjustment 90-23 on July 19, 1990. By WilY of this letter, 111m llppellling the ORC decision of llpprovlllllnd request thllt this mlltter be set for II hellring before the Mllyor llnd Common Council. The grounds for llppelllllre liS follows: o 1. The lot line lldjustment is integrlll Pllrt of II mUlti-phllse, multi-step development pllln reloted to the expllnsion of the Sun Compllny/USA Todoy monufocturing plont which begon in 1981 llnd continues tOdey. 2. The environmentol review llnd evoluotion of the totol project, specificlllly Review of PIons 87-28 & 8B-47 ond the previous 1981 exponsion, wos inodeQuote ond should be evoluoted liS required by IllW. (Ref: JL Itr. to S. Edwins, 7-9-90 llnd Rpt. to Plonning Commission 4-17-90) 3. Due to the "cumulotive impllcts" of post llnd future phoses of the expension project, Lot Line Adjustment 90-23 is not exempt from the Colifornio Environmentel Quolity Act or Title 14 of the Celifornie Administrotive Code. (CAC, Title 14, Sections 15130 ond 15355 (b), ond Public Resources Code, Section 21083 (b)) 4. These projects moy hove II significont effect on the environment ond hove the potentiol to degrllde the Quolity of the environment ond compromise long-term environmentol gools. Those significont effects thllt should be considered include: o 0) Conflict with lldopted environmental plans ond goals of the City; b) Substantial, demonstrative negative aesthetic effect; c) Substantial degradation of water supply; d) Contomination of public woter supply; o o o Pllge Two. - Appelll o~t Line Adjustment 90-:'23 0 e) Substllntilll degrlldlltion of or depletion of ground wllter resources; f) Substllntilll interference of ground wllter rechllrge; g) Adverse llffect on II property llnd structure of historico1 llnd culturlll significllnce; h) Adverse llffect on trllffic, circulotion llnd porking requirements; i) Substllntilll increllse of 11mbient noise levels; k) Expose people llnd structures to mlljor geo/seismic hllzllrds; 1) Disruption of the physiclllorrllngement of the centrlll city llrell; m) Adverse llffect on the 11mbient llir QUlllity. 5. Lot Line Adjustment 90-23 did not tllke into considerlltion the development ond environmentlll impliclltions of Review of Plllns 67-268. 66-47 llnd the circumstllnces surrounding the previous illegllllot line odjustments, llnd the invlllid Lot Line Adjustments 63-01 llnd 62-12. (Ref: JL ltr. to L. Reed.. 5-9-90) Bosed on the foregoing, 10m requesting thot the Mllyor ond Common Council set llside the opprovlll of Lot Line Adjustment 90-23 until such time 0 thorough environmentlll review is conducted in llccordllnce with the Californill Environmental Quality Act, Title 14 of the Clllifomia Administlltive Code llnd other llpplicllble provisions of the municiplll code. o f"" ~ \l - 0 ~ ~ ., -. -. ! -, \ o ~~ ~\)\-\ ("'"\)\'" ~~ -'~:T ~-. \tI., 0 I,j~ ~~ :) - ~ ~\SI I>> C"\:> _ ~ i.~ ~!i i ~ :! \S'~. ~ ~ 0 -" ~ :\1" :!oS' '" ~! 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" " '.1 ,J. ': I t. <!l d. '- : .."ROWHEAD - tI;LA 90-28 '- !e '~~H'I..~ .,," . I . i ~ a -t ~ _. :) ~ ~ t:. ~ ~ a ~ i / o o o ~-" o o ATTACHMENT C ., - .\ - . '~: <~:.j~tJ~ I ~"""\.-. '.: ';~ ~;;I;L; ~ CITY OF San Bernardino DI'ARTMINT 0' 'LANNING AND IUILDINQ IIRVIC.I LARRY E. REED DIRECTOR July 23, 1990 Charles Schultz Reid & Hellyer P.O. Box 1300 Riverside, CA 92509 RE: Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 Dear Mr. Shultz: At their meetinq of July 19, 1990, the Development Review Committee took the followinq action: That the application for Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23, to consolidate thirteen parcels into two was approved. Said approval is subject to compliance with the conditions listed below. In accordance with San Bernardino Municipal Code Section 18.64 and Resolution No. MC-521, the followinq applies to Lot Line Adjustments. The Development Review Committee shall deny the application for a lot line adjustment unless it finds that: The proposed confiquration complies pertinent criteria set forth in Titles 18 the San Bernardino Municipal Code. B. The proposed confiquration is consistent with the General Plan. A. with all and 19 of" Any person adversely affected by the decision of the Development Review Committee may appeal, in writinq, to the Planninq Commission in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Code. 300 NOATH 0 STREET. SAN BERNARDINO. CALIFORNIA 924'8-0001 ('14)3....071'.1.7 o o o o o Charles Schultz July 23, 1990 Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 paqe 2 If no appeal is made within 10 days of the date of the decision, the action of the Committee shall be final. CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL 1. A certificate of compliance shall be recorded prior to issuance of buildinq permits. Respectfully, Q..L ~ - &fohn Montq~ery~AICP Principal Planner /ke Enclosures cc: Mike Grubbs Enqineerinq Division Don Jackson Buildinq Division LLA90-23 o o o wel I ve ......'O:-.....U.-..-- . ---'o~ - - _. --. STANDARD~EQUlREMENTS :=:'I~ -....-...... Project Description: ~ .I.A. SLJ-.z3. e::ON.A.lNG ,13 ~Ir.r .M';,-,p .2 .:,,prs : N/AI. ,c"RN~ bF' CdVLr.sY. ~ /t-KR,pi.l/:l~. Date: ....::rv4Y. /.9. ,1.930 Prepared by: -:I. H. ,1:'. Rn1 ewed By: Page / of / pages Applicant: ~,E,lA ~ H~L.4Y~ ~ A Certificate of Compliance in a form acceptable to the City Engineer shall be recorded for the lot line adjustment. ~ Applicable Engineering Fees. a) Checking Fee - S100.00 b) Recording Fee - Per County Recorder's Fee Schedule *A11 fees are subject to change without notice. o ">.. o , \ CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY JAMES F. PENMAN City Attorney October 12, 1990 Opinion No. 90-24 10.39 TO: Mayor, Common Council RE: Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 Property Owners: The Sun Company and First American Title Co. ISSUE You have inquired whether Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 is subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)? CONCLUSION Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 is exempt from environmental review pursuant to statutory exemptions under CEQA because it is a ministerial project. FACTS The Sun Company and First American Title Company in Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23, has requested to combine thirteen (13) lots, consisting of 3.3 acres located at the northeast corner of Court and "0" Streets, into two lots. Parcel No. 1 will consist of current Accessor's Parcel Numbers 135-151-4, 5, 10 through 16, and 20. Parcel No. 2 will consist of current Accessor's Parcel Numbers 135-151-17, 18, and 19. The Development Review Committee (DRC) approved Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 on July 19, 1990. John Lightburn, presumably under San Bernardino Municipal Code Section 18.64.100, appealed the DRC decision to the Mayor and Common Council on July 25, 1990. At its meeting on August 20, 1990, the Mayor and Common Council referred the appeal to the Planning Commission for its recommendation. The Planning Commission reviewed the appeal on September 11, 1990, and voted four (4) to four (4) on a .' [HE/dys/lotline.opn] CITY HALL 300 NORTH 'D' STREET' SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA 92418 (714) 384-5355 . LlI ,,~'4 o o ~ Page TO: RE: Two Mayor and Common Council Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 motion to recommend denial of the appeal. This "no recommendation" resulted because of the complexity of the issues and because some of the Commissioners may have been confused as to what issues were relevant to the Appeal. John Lightburn, in his letter of appeal dated July 25, 1990 (copy attached), requests that the Mayor and Common Council set aside the approval of Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 until a "thorough environmental review is conducted in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act, Title 14 of the California Administrative Code and other applicable provisions of the municipal code." LEGAL ANALYSIS I A lot line adjustment is permitted by San Bernardino Municipal Code Sections 18.64.010 to 18.64.100. California Government Code Section 66412(d) permits lot line adjustments and specifically exempts them from the re~uirements of the Subdivision Map Act. The Subdivision Map Act is applicable to charter cities. Santa Clara County Contractors Association v. City of Santa Clara (1965) 232 Cal.App.2d 564. Government Code Section 66412 states: "This division [Subdivision Map Act] shall be inapplicable to: . . . (d) A lot line adjustment between two or more existing adjacent parcels. where the land taken from one parcel is added to an adjacent parcel, and where a greater number of parcels than originally existed is not thereby created, provided the lot line adjustment is approved by the local agency, or advisory agency. ~ local agency or advisory agency shall limit its review and ~oval to a determination of whether or not the parcels resulting fro. the lot line adjustaent will confora to local zoning and building ordinances. An advisory agency or local agency shall not impose conditions or exactions on its approval of a lot line adjustment except to conform to local zoning and building ordinances, or except to facilitate the relocation of existing utilities, infrastructure, or easements. .. " (Emphasis added) [HE/dys/lotline.opn] . -:' o o Page TO: RE: Three M.yor and Common Council Lot Lin. Adjustment No. 90-23 Gov.rnm.nt Cod. Section 66412(d) is applicable to charter citi.s and it prohibits the City of San B.rnardino from imposing condition. or .xactions on its approval of a lot line adjustment .xc.pt to conform to local zoning and building ordinances or to facilit.t. the relocation of .xisting utiliti.s, infrastructure, or ....m.nt.. San B.rnardino Municipal Cod. S.ction 18.64.070 complies with Gov.rnm.nt Cod. Section 66412(d) and it states the City's authority in reviewing an application for a lot line adjustment: "S.ction 18.64.070 Required findings. Th. Development Review Committe. shall deny the application for lot line adjustment unless it finds that: A. B. The proposed configuration complies with all pertinent criteria s.t forth in Titl.s 18 and 19 of this Cod.; The proposed configuration is consistent with the G.neral Plan." II A lot line adjustment is ex.mpt from environm.ntal review under CEQA because it is a ministerial project and not a discr.tionary project. Ministerial projects are exempt from the requirements of CEQA pursuant to Public Resourc.s Cod. Section 21080(b)(1) and Title 14 California Code of Regulations Section 15268(a). "Ministerial" is defined in Title 14 California Code of Regulations Section 15369: "'Minist.rial'" describ.s a governmental decision involving little or no personal judgment by the public offici.l as to the wisdom or manner of carrying out the project. The public official merely applies the law to the f.cts as presented but uses no sp.cial discretion or judgment in reaching a decision. A ministerial decision involves only the use of fixed standards or objective measurements, and the public official cannot us. p.rsonal subjective judgment in deciding whether or how the pr;'ject should be carried out. . . ." / / / / , , .' [HE/dys/lotline.opn] . ~ o o 1 Page Four TO: Mayor and Common Council RE: Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 Code "Discretionary Project" is defined in Title 14 California of Regulations Section 15357: "'Discretionary Project'" means a project which requires the exercise of judgment or deliberation when the public agency or body decides to approve or disapprove a particular activity, as distinguished from situations where the public agency or body merely has to determine whether there has been conformity with applicable statutes, ordinances, or regulations. . . ." A lot line adjustment is a ministerial act and not a discretionary act under the above definitions because the San Bernardino Municipal Code and State law limit the City's review authority solely to a determination of whether the lot line adjustment conforms to the City's zoning ordinances and General Plan. IU The appellant, John Lightburn, in his letter of appeal states that: "Due to the 'cumulative impacts' of past and future phases of the expansion project ["Review of Plans 87-28, 88-47, and the previous 1981 expansion"], Lot Line Adjustment 90-23 is not exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act or Title 14 of the California Administrative Code (CAC, Title 14, Section 15130 and l5355(b), and Public Resources Code, Section 2l083(b)). " The appellant's concern for cumulative impacts is not applicable to a consideration of this lot line adjustment. The CEQA requirement for environmental analysis of cumulative impacts only applies where an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is required (Title 14 California Code of Regulations Section 15130) or where certain categorical exemptions apply (Title 14 California Code of Regulations Section 15300.2). Because a lot line adjustment is a ministerial project and is thus exempt from CEQA review, an EIR cannot be required and the categorical exemptions do not apply (Title 14 California Code of Regulations Section 15300.1). Therefore, a cumulative impact analysis for this lot line adjustment is not permitted. [HE/dys/lotline.opn] . ...,- o o , Page Five TO: Mayor and Common Council RE: Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 For all of the above-reasons, we advise that Lot Line Adjustment No. 90-23 is exempt from environmental review pursuant to statutory exemptions under CEQA because it is a ministerial project. Respectfully submitted, By: :#el~~j HENRY EMPERO, JR., Deputy City Attorney Attachment Concur: JAMES F. PENMAN, Rachael Krasney, City Clerk Craig Graves, Treasurer Shauna Edwins, City Administrator Larry E. Reed, Director of Planning and Building Services [HE/dys/lotline.opn] () o , Mayor and. Common Council City of Sen Bernerdlno 300Nor'thD St,...t ~EC~"!cr"._~"!" I'.t.EClIO San Bernenllno, Ceo 92401 'SO JJ. 2S P2 :01 Subject: App.el of Lot Line Adjustment 90-23, Sun Company Referenc.: Reylew of Plans 67-28 &. 88-47 July 25, 1990 Deer Meyor end Members of the Council, I em ewere thet the Deyelopment ReYlew Committee epproyed Lot Line Adjustment 90-23 on July 19, 1990. By wey of thts letter, I am appealtng the DRe dectslon of epproyel end request thet thts matter be set for a heering before the Meyor and Common Counctl. Th. grounds for eppeel are as follows: 1. The lot line edjustment is Integrel pert of e multl-phese, mUltl-st.p development plen related to the expansion of the Sun Compeny/USA Today menufecturing plent which began in 1981 and continues tOdey. 2. The envIronmental review and eyaluatton of the total project, specifically Review of Plans 87-28 &. 88-47 and the previous 1981 expansion, was inadequate and should be evaluated as required by law. (Ref: JL Itr. to S. Edwins, 7-9-90 end Rpt. to Planning CommIssion 4-17-90) 3. Due to the .cumulative impacts. of past and future phases of the expansion project, Lot Line Adjustment 90-23 is not exempt from the CaltfomieEnYlronmental Quality Act or Title 14 of the Colifomia Admlnistretlye Code. (CAC, Title 14, Sections 15130 and 15355 (b), and Publtc Resources Code, Section 21083 (b)) 4. These projects may have a signiflcent effect on the environment and heye the potential to degrede the quality of the environment and compromise long-term environmental goals. Those significont effects that should be considered include: , '. , a) Conflict with adopted environmental plans and goals of the City; b) Substantial, demonstrative negatIve aesthetic effect; c) Substantial degradation of water supply; d) Contamination of public water supply; \ .' '.' . Page TwO. - AllllealOLot Line Adjustment 90:23 0 e) Substantlal degradation of or depletion of ground weter resources. f) s...~..ttel tnterference of ground water recnarge; , 9) AdY"" effect on 0 property end structure of historicol end culturel stgntftCIIICe; h) AdYers. effect on traffic, CIrculation end perking reQuirements; i) Substantial increase of ambient noise leyels; k) Exposl people and structures to major geo/seismic hazards; J) Disruption of the phYSIcal arrangement of the central city area; m) Adyerse affect on the ambient air Quellty. S. Lot Lln. Adjustment 90-23 did not take into conslderetlon thl deYelopment and enyironmental implications of ReYlew of Plan. 87-28 & 88-47 and thl ctrcumstances surrounding till prevlousl11egallot line adjustments, and the inyalld Lot Line Adjustments 83-01 end 82-12. (Ref: JL Itr. to L. Reed, 5-9-90) Based on the foregoing, I am reQuesting that the Mayor end Common Council set aside the approval of Lot Line Adjustment 90-23 until such time a thorough enYlronmental review is conducted In accordance with the California EnylrOnmental Quality Act, Title 14 of the California AdmlnistatlYe Code and other applicable proyislons of the municipal code. ..