PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT
SUBMITTED TO: Planning Commission
SUBMITTED BY: Jennifer Villasenor, Director of Community Development
PREPARED BY: Joanna Cortez, Principal Planner
SUBJECT:
title
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 20-001/ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT NO. 20-002/ TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP NO. 21-103/CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 19-021/ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT NO. 21-001 (GOLDENWEST/GARFIELD COMMERCIAL)
REQUEST:
GPA: To amend the General Plan designation from Industrial-Specific Plan (I-sp) to Commercial Neighborhood-Specific Plan (CN-sp); ZTA: To amend the zoning designation within the Holly Seacliff Specific Plan (SP9) from Industrial to Commercial; TPM: To consolidate eight lots into a 1.32 net acre site comprised of two parcels; CUP: To construct a service station consisting of two canopies at an overall height of 19 ft., 14 pumps, a 233 sq. ft. payment kiosk at 13 ft. in height and a 3,588 sq. ft. drive-thru carwash tunnel at an overall height of 30 ft. with six vacuum stalls on a vacant site with a grade differential of more than three feet; and EA: To analyze the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project through Addendum No. 2 to the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan certified Final EIR.
LOCATION:
19026 Goldenwest St., 92648 (southeast corner of Goldenwest St. and Garfield Ave.)
body
APPLICANT:
Eric Fitzer and Robert Cole, Sustainability Engineering Group, 5240 N. 16th St. Phoenix, AZ, 85016
PROPERTY
OWNER:
Garfield Goldenwest LLC, 19026 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach, CA 92648
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
That the Planning Commission take the following actions:
A) Recommend approval of Environmental Assessment No. 21-001 (Addendum No. 2 to the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan (SP9) Environmental Impact Report No. 89-1; Attachment No. 7) as adequate and complete in accordance with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by approving draft City Council Resolution and forward to the City Council for adoption (Attachment No. 2);
B) Recommend approval of General Plan Amendment No. 20-001 and forward draft City Council Resolution to the City Council for consideration (Attachment No. 3);
C) Recommend approval of Zoning Text Amendment No. 20-002 and forward draft City Council Resolution to the City Council for consideration (Attachment No. 4);
D) Approve Tentative Parcel Map No. 21-103 and Conditional Use Permit No. 19-021 with suggested findings and conditions of approval (Attachment No. 9)
end
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
A) Deny Environmental Assessment No. 21-001, General Plan Amendment No. 20-001, Zoning Text Amendment No. 20-002, Tentative Parcel Map No. 21-103 and Conditional Use Permit No. 19-021 with findings for denial;
B) Continue Environmental Assessment No. 21-001, General Plan Amendment No. 20-001, Zoning Text Amendment No. 20-002, Tentative Parcel Map No. 21-103 and Conditional Use Permit No. 19-021 and direct staff accordingly
PROJECT PROPOSAL:
The project site is a vacant property containing five existing oil wells. The applicant proposes the following:
• GPA: Amend the General Plan designation from Industrial-Specific Plan (I-sp) to Commercial Neighborhood-Specific Plan (CN-sp)
• ZTA: Amend the zoning designation within the Holly Seacliff Specific Plan (SP9) from Industrial to Commercial
• TPM: Consolidate eight lots into a 1.32 net acre site comprised of two parcels
• CUP: Construct a service station consisting of two canopies at an overall height of 19 ft., 14 pumps, a 233 sq. ft. payment kiosk at 13 ft. in height and a 3,588 sq. ft. drive-thru carwash tunnel at an overall height of 30 ft. with six vacuum stalls on a vacant site with a grade differential of more than three feet
• EA: Analyze the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project through Addendum No. 2 to the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan Certified Final EIR.
(Attachment No. 6)
ISSUES AND ANALYSIS:
Subject Property And Surrounding General Plan Designations, Zoning And Land Uses:
|
LOCATION |
GENERAL PLAN |
ZONING |
LAND USE |
|
Subject Property: |
I-sp (Industrial-Specific Plan Overlay) |
SP9 (Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan) |
Vacant |
|
North (across Garfield Ave.), South, and East of Subject Property: |
I-sp |
SP9 |
Industrial |
|
West of Subject Property (across Goldenwest St.): |
CN-sp (Commercial Neighborhood-Specific Plan Overlay) |
SP9 |
General Commercial |
General Plan Conformance:
The applicant is proposing to amend the General Plan land use designation on the site from I-sp (Industrial- Specific Plan Overlay) to CN-sp (Commercial Neighborhood-Specific Plan Overlay). The CN-sp designation is an extension of the same designation found across the street at Peninsula Marketplace and is appropriate at the intersection of two arterial streets. It allows for general commercial uses at a FAR (Floor Area Ratio) of 0.35, with which the project complies. The project would develop the property with commercial uses that would be consistent with allowable commercial uses in the CN-sp designation. Development of the property with the service station and carwash is also consistent with other commercial land uses in the vicinity of the project site, including the commercial shopping center across Goldenwest Street.
Development of the project site with a service station and drive-thru carwash would also be consistent with the following goals and policies in the General Plan:
A. Land Use Element
Goal LU-1 - New commercial, industrial, and residential development is coordinated to ensure that the land use pattern is consistent with the overall goals and needs of the community.
Policy LU-1C - Support infill development, consolidation of parcels, and adaptive reuse of existing buildings.
Policy LU-1D - Ensure that new development projects are of compatible proportion, scale and character to complement adjoining uses.
Goal LU-11 - Commercial land uses provide goods and services to meet regional and local needs.
Policy LU-12B - Encourage renovation and revitalization of deteriorating and struggling nonresidential areas and corridors, particularly commercial locations.
B. Circulation Element
Policy CIRC-7E - Require that development projects adjacent to a designated scenic corridor include open spaces, plazas, gardens, and/or landscaping that enhance the corridor and create a buffer between the building site and the roadway.
The project includes a Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) to implement the land use designation proposed as part of General Plan Amendment (GPA) No. 20-001 and will enable the redevelopment of a vacant, industrial site into a compatible commercial corner with a service station and drive-thru carwash. The TPM to consolidate eight lots into a 1.32 net acre site will elevate the economic viability of the property and improve the streetscape at a major intersection. The commercial project supports the City’s goals and policies aimed at promoting infill development and revitalizing an existing vacant property with commercial development with an optimal location and accessibility along a major arterial. The project will develop the property with a service station and drive-thru carwash that will exhibit a contemporary architectural style with elements that are in proportion, scale, and character of the surrounding area. Approval of the ZTA will ensure that the project is consistent with the development standards for commercial uses as outlined in the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan (SP9) and the Huntington Beach Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance (HBZSO). The project also provides enhanced landscaping areas along each of the two streets that form the site boundaries to enhance existing vehicular and pedestrian connections within the project area.
Additionally, the proposed structures are consistent with the natural grade, and the proposed heights do not result in impacts to the surrounding area. Therefore, the proposed project will be consistent with the overall goals and needs of the community, provide goods and services to meet regional and local needs, and develop a vacant site in a manner that is compatible with the surrounding land uses.
Zoning Compliance:
Zoning Text Amendment:
The ZTA will not affect the overall land use or the development standards prescribed for the Commercial (C) zoning district established in the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan. The zoning designation for the subject site is and will remain SP9 (Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan); however, the ZTA would revise the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan to allow for Commercial (C) uses on the subject site rather than Industrial (I) uses.
A community need is demonstrated for the proposed change because it will allow an undeveloped site to be developed into a commercial project that will serve residents locally and in the surrounding region.
Adoption of the ZTA will also be in conformity with public convenience, general welfare and good zoning practice because commercial uses are a more appropriate land use for the site than industrial given its location at the intersection of two arterials and its small size compared to industrial uses currently being proposed in the city. While the site is adjacent to light industrial uses to the south and east side, it would match the commercial zoning to the west and activate the corner property to benefit surrounding commercial, residential, and industrial uses. The development of a commercial use on the subject property would result in less impacts to nearby residences than an industrial use. The adoption of the ZTA will implement the land use designation proposed with General Plan Amendment No. 20-001 and the overarching goals and policies in the Specific Plan and would result in a land use on the property that is more compatible and beneficial with the surrounding neighborhood.
Parcel Map
TPM No. 21-103 will consolidate eight existing lots into two parcels of a 1.32-net-acre site for development of a service station and drive-thru carwash. Each use will be on their own parcel for leasing purposes and under single ownership. A reciprocal access and maintenance agreement for both parcels has been conditioned. Both proposed parcels meet the required minimum lot size and width of 10,000 sq. ft. and 100 ft., respectively, and are physically suitable for the type and density of development proposed. The site is also located in an urbanized area surrounded by other commercial and industrial uses. The applicant will physically construct or pay fees for all infrastructure improvements required as part of the project.
The design of the subdivision or the proposed improvements will not cause serious health problems or substantial environmental damage or substantially and avoidably injure fish or wildlife or their habitat because the site has previously been disturbed and is void of any wildlife habitat. The site is vacant; however, because of the history of oil drilling operations previously occurring on the site, the project includes the abandonment of five onsite wells pursuant to City Specification no. 422 to avoid any health hazards associated with the oil wells onsite. Furthermore, project design features, compliance with regulatory requirements, and implementation of modified mitigation measures outlined in Environmental Assessment No. 20-001 (Addendum No. 2 to the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR)) will ensure that the subdivision will not cause serious health problems or substantial environmental damage.
The design of the subdivision or the type of improvements will not conflict with easements, acquired by the public at large, for access through or use of property within the proposed subdivision. The only existing easement on the property is a private utility easement for the benefit of Standard Oil or its successors and was originally granted to lay down an oil pipeline on the site. This easement will continue to be in place on the property following project implementation. The subdivision will provide all necessary street improvements and utility easements to serve the new development.
Conditional Use Permit
The proposed service center will provide seven two-sided fueling stations (14 fuel pumps) and include a 233 sq. ft. walk-up kiosk. The fueling stations and kiosk will be covered by two prefabricated canopies measuring 3,526 sq. ft. and 731 sq. ft., respectively. The proposed canopies have an overall height of 19 feet, and the kiosk has an overall height of 13 feet.
The 3,588 sq. ft. automated carwash is proposed in the southern portion of the site. The carwash layout includes dual lanes where customers pay for their carwash and merge into a single lane to enter the carwash tunnel. The carwash also includes six spaces for vacuum service located in the eastern portion of the site. The carwash building has an overall height of 30 feet.
The project includes a total of 14 automobile parking spaces for the service station and carwash. Additionally, the project will provide five bicycle spaces.
Access to the project site is provided via two driveways: one 30-foot-wide driveway on Garfield Avenue and one 32-foot-wide driveway on Goldenwest Street. Pedestrian access to the site will be provided by existing sidewalks along the aforementioned streets.
The project proposes installing approximately 13,320 sq. ft. (23 percent of site area) of drought tolerant landscaping. Landscaping includes a variety of trees, shrubs, and groundcovers as required by the specific plan. Landscaping will be installed along the perimeter of the site and within planters in the center of the site.
The project complies with the commercial development standards of SP9 as listed below and in Attachment No. 5:
|
DEVELOPMENT STANDARD |
REQUIRED |
PROPOSED |
|
MIN. SETBACKS FRONT SIDE STREET SIDE REAR |
10 feet 0 feet 10 feet 0 feet |
Fuel Station 45 ft.-10 in. 118 ft.- 8 ft. 53 ft.-10 in. 90 ft.- 9 in. |
Carwash/Equip. 72 ft.-10 in. 10 ft.- 8 in. 15 ft. 10 ft.- 6 in. |
|
MAX. HEIGHT OF BUILDINGS |
50 |
Canopies 19 feet/Kiosk 13 feet Carwash 30 feet |
|
MAX. FLOOR AREA RATIO |
.35 |
.14 |
|
MIN. SITE LANDSCAPING |
8% |
23% |
|
MIN. LANDSCAPE BUFFER |
15 feet along street frontage |
15 feet |
|
MIN. PARKING REQUIRMENT |
Service Station - 2 spaces Carwash - 10 spaces |
2 spaces 12 spaces |
The proposed service station and carwash will provide a service for the local community in an area of the City that is ideal for such use, as it is adjacent to two arterials. The SP9 allows for a service station and drive-thru carwash with the approval of a conditional use permit by the Planning Commission. The surrounding uses to the north, south, and east are industrial uses and to the west are commercial uses. Single-family residential is located diagonally across the intersection. The service station canopies are setback beyond what the code requires (46 ft. - 54 ft.) to reinforce enhanced landscaping along the street frontage and improve the on-site vehicle circulation which furthers compatibility with all surrounding uses. The daily hours of operations for the fueling station are conditioned to be 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM for the fuel kiosk, with credit card services only after hours, and 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM for the carwash to ensure compatibility with surrounding uses and reduce potential noise impacts. The proposed site layout provides for the carwash tunnel and vacuum stalls to be located in the most southerly and easterly portions of the site, respectively, which are adjacent to industrial uses. They are approximately 400-450 ft. from the nearest residential use. Most of the carwash operations will occur within a building and away from any sensitive uses. All carwash operations/equipment will need to comply with the City’s Noise Ordinance.
The project has sufficient onsite circulation as supported in Addendum No. 2 and required by the City’s Urban Design Guidelines for drive-thru uses. The increased setback of the fuel pumps and canopies allow for vehicle circulation to occur along the street frontage and minimize conflicts with the entrance to the centrally located carwash drive-thru lanes. The duel laned carwash design allows more vehicles to queue onsite in a manner that will not impact vehicles at the service station as there is a curb divider separating the queuing lane from the rest of the site. To help maintain adequate onsite access, an onsite circulation management plan has been conditioned.
The site’s topography gradually slopes down from southwest to northeast of the site with a grade differential greater than three feet. Due to the layout of the property and proposed improvements, the grade difference does not detrimentally affect the surroundings. The finished surface is within a foot of the existing grade and the finished floor of the proposed buildings is within 1.25 feet of the finished surface. From the top of the curb, the overall height of the canopies of the service station and carwash are 19 feet and 30 feet, respectively. The enhanced landscaping and increased setbacks will soften the appearance of the single-story structures. While the site’s natural grade does vary, the project is designed to terrace along with the natural grade of the site. Therefore, the proposed structures are consistent with the grade and compatible with adjacent development.
The project will improve an existing vacant site with commercial development consistent with other uses in the vicinity. The project will also result in a visual and economic improvement from existing conditions on the site, which largely consists of an undeveloped dirt lot. The site layout and buildings are designed in a manner that is similar in scale, character, and design to adjacent structures.
Urban Design Guidelines Conformance:
The project, with the suggested conditions from the Design Review Board, conforms to City of Huntington Beach Urban Design Guidelines for general commercial buildings with a functional site layout, architectural imagery, and perimeter landscaping. Both commercial buildings are consistent with the height requirements and complement the adjacent commercial and industrial developments. The design of the carwash building incorporates façade breaks and a variation in color scheme along with architectural elements such as cornices with articulating rooflines, metal accents, and stone veneer base to provide visual interest. As conditioned, the service station integrates those elements by adding the stone veneer base to the canopy columns and adding the same cornice treatment to the canopies to create a cohesive design. The proposed building setbacks exceed the minimum setback of 10 feet. The project also includes a 15-foot front yard landscape buffer along Goldenwest Street and Garfield Avenue that will screen vehicles in the drive-thru lane along the west side of the property and vacuum stalls near the north property line.
Environmental Status:
The City certified Program Environmental Impact Report No. 89-1 for the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan in 1990, which evaluated environmental impacts associated with development approved as part of the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan. The Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan identified the subject property as Industrial (I) land use and the EIR evaluated environmental impacts associated with up to 103,963 sq. ft. of industrial uses on the property. The EIR provides the environmental setting and analysis to serve as the first-tier CEQA document for the proposed project. An addendum to the EIR was prepared to analyze the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project.
Although the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan considered the impacts of industrial development on the subject property, the result of the addendum was that a commercial use (such as the proposed project) would result in a less intense project than what was evaluated under the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan EIR, and therefore would not result in new significant impacts or an increase in the severity of a previously identified impact in the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan EIR. In addition, the project includes several project design features and will be required to comply with City standards and existing mitigation measures outlined in the EIR to ensure that development of the proposed project and approval of the GPA, ZTA, TPM, and CUP would not result in an action that requires further evaluation pursuant to CEQA (Attachment No. 7).
Design Review Board:
The Design Review Board reviewed the design, colors, and materials of the project at the November 13, 2025, regular meeting and provided suggested conditions of approval related to the color and material of the carwash building. They also suggested adding additional trees in the landscape planter in front of the carwash tunnel entrance. The suggested DRB conditions are incorporated in Attachment No. 1.
Other Departments Concerns and Requirements:
Public Works, Building, Fire, and Planning staff reviewed the proposed project and identified code requirements applicable to the project. (Attachment No. 8)
Public Notification:
Legal notice was published in the Huntington Beach Wave on Thursday, October 30, 2025, and notices were sent to property owners of record within a 500 ft. radius of the subject property, individuals/organizations requesting notification (Community Development Department’s Notification Matrix), and applicant.
Application Processing Dates:
|
DATE OF COMPLETE APPLICATION: |
MANDATORY PROCESSING DATE(S): |
|
October 23, 2025 |
Addendum to the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan -Within 1 Year of complete application GPA/ZTA/TPM/CUP - None |
SUMMARY:
Staff is recommending approval of Environmental Assessment No. 21-001, General Plan Amendment No. 20-001, Zoning Text Amendment No. 20-002, Tentative Parcel Map No. 21-103 and Conditional Use Permit No. 19-021 based on the following:
• Environmental Assessment No. 21-001 (Addendum No. 2 to the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan EIR for the Goldenwest/Garfield Commercial Project) is adequate and complete in that it has identified all potential environmental impacts associated with the project.
• Environmental Assessment No. 21-001 (Addendum No. 2 to the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan EIR for the Goldenwest/Garfield Commercial Project) demonstrates that the project will not have new or substantially more severe environmental impacts that were not disclosed in the certified Final EIR for the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan and will not require the preparation of a Subsequent or Supplemental EIR.
• Environmental Assessment No. 21-001 (Addendum No. 2 to the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan EIR for the Goldenwest/Garfield Commercial Project) was prepared in compliance with the CEQA Guidelines.
• The GPA, ZTA, TPM, and CUP are consistent with the General Plan and its goals and policies.
• The GPA, ZTA, TPM, and CUP are consistent with surrounding area.
• The project meets the requirements of the Subdivision Map Act.
• The project will improve an existing vacant site with commercial development consistent with other uses in the vicinity.
• The development of a commercial use on the subject property would result in less impacts to nearby residences than an industrial use.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Suggested Findings and Conditions of Approval for Environmental Assessment No. 21-001 (Addendum No. 2 to the certified Final EIR for the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan), Zoning Text Amendment No. 20-002; Tentative Tract Map No. 21-103; and Conditional Use Permit No. 19-021
2. Draft City Council Resolution for Addendum No. 2 to the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report No. 89-1
3. Draft City Council Resolution for General Plan Amendment No. 20-001
4. Draft City Council Ordinance for Zoning Text Amendment No. 20-002
5. Project Plans received and dated September 30, 2025
6. Project Narrative received and dated September 30, 2025
7. Addendum No. 2 to the certified Final EIR for the Holly-Seacliff Specific Plan EIR can be found here: https://www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/business_detail_T9_R514.php
8. Code Requirements Letter (For Informational Purposes Only) dated November 5, 2025
9. Tentative Tract Map No. 21-103 received and dated September 30, 2025
10. Existing & Proposed General Plan Land Use Designation Maps
11. Revised Specific Plan/ZTA No. 20-002 Legislative Draft
12. Power Point Presentation