PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT
TO: Planning Commission
FROM: Ursula Luna-Reynosa, Director of Community Development
BY: Jessica Bui, Associate Planner
SUBJECT:
title
ENTITLEMENT PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 19-002 (HUNTINGTON BEACH CHURCH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL AND PRE-SCHOOL)
REQUEST:
To amend Conditional Use Permit No. 1997-027 to allow a private high school with a maximum of 30 students and a pre-school with a maximum of 15 children in conjunction with an existing religious assembly use.
LOCATION:
8121 Ellis Avenue, 92646 (north of Ellis Avenue, between Patterson Lane and Goodwin Lane)
body
APPLICANT/
PROPERTY
OWNER:
Jason Robertson, 8121 Ellis Avenue, Huntington Beach, CA 92646
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
1. Is the project proposal consistent with the City of Huntington Beach land use regulations (i.e., General Plan land use designation, Zoning Map and Zoning Code including any specific plans and overlay districts where applicable)?
2. Does the project proposal satisfy all the findings required for approving an Entitlement Plan Amendment?
3. Has the appropriate level of environmental analysis been determined?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
That the Planning Commission take the following actions:
A) Find the proposed project categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15301, Class 1 - Existing Facilities.
B) Approve Entitlement Plan Amendment No. 19-002 with findings and conditions of approval (Attachment No. 1).
end
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
A) Continue Entitlement Plan Amendment No. 19-002 and direct staff to return with with findings for denial.
B) Continue Entitlement Plan Amendment No. 19-002 and direct staff accordingly.
PROJECT PROPOSAL:
The project proposal is to allow an international high school with a maximum of 30 students and a pre-school with a maximum of 20 children to operate in conjunction with an existing religious assembly use commonly referred to Huntington Beach Church located at 8121 Ellis Avenue. In order to undertake the project proposal, Jason Robertson (the “Applicant”) requests an entitlement plan amendment to amend Conditional Use Permit No. 97-027, the conditional use permit on record that established the religious assembly use (Attachment No. 4).
Background:
The subject site is located on the north side of Ellis Avenue and east of Patterson Lane. The site is fully developed with one single-story building and two, two-story buildings that front along Ellis Avenue. The site also includes 125 parking spaces and landscaping.
The original church was approved by the Planning Commission on February 16, 1965 which established a sanctuary, offices, and necessary parking for 275 persons. On December 21, 1976, the Planning Commission approved Conditional Use Permit No. 79-029 to permit a master plan for development which included three phases. The first phase provided for an addition of the fellowship hall and six classrooms that would be used for a day care center use only (no school uses), as well as indoor and outdoor recreational areas for the day care use. Phase two was for a second floor addition to the day care center and fellowship hall. Lastly, phase three was to develop a new sanctuary building with a seating capacity of 395 persons and the elimination of the day care center to accommodate the increase in occupancy; however, phase three was never constructed. On September 26, 1997 the Planning Commission approved Conditional Use Permit No. 97-027 to construct a new two-story, 8,766 sq. ft. sanctuary building for a maximum capacity of 430 persons, and the approval did not include a day care use; however, the church is currently operating a pre-school and is seeking approval for the use with this request for an entitlement plan amendment.
The legal notice that was published in the Huntington Beach Wave on May 16, 2019 included a request to establish a high school use with a maximum of 30 students and five employees, and a allow a pre-school use with a maximum of 15 children and three employees. The applicant has since requested to increase the enrollment for the pre-school use, and is now requesting to amend Conditional Use Permit No. 97-027 to establish a high school with a maximum of 30 students and five employees and a pre-school use with a maximum of 20 children and three employees in conjunction with the approved religious assembly use and ancillary bible study programs. The applicant is not proposing changes to the hours of operation for the Sunday services or bible study programs; nor proposing physical additions to existing structures, or the construction of new buildings. The school and pre-school will operate within the existing buildings onsite. There is a paved play area on the west side of the site for pre-school children and the students from the school will have outdoor activities in the existing courtyard on the south end of the site.
A summary of the approved and current Sunday services and bible study activities are:
• Sunday: Worship/Bible Study - 9:30AM to 7:00PM;
• Tuesday: Senior Adult Program - 11:00AM to 12:30PM; and
• Wednesday: Children’s Program - 6:15PM to 9:30PM.
The proposed school hours are:
• Monday - Friday: 7:30AM to 5:00PM
The proposed pre-school hours are:
• Monday - Friday: 6:30AM to 6:30PM
The main entry to the site for the high school and pre-school is located along Ellis Avenue with a designated drop off and pick up area located on the southeast side of the sanctuary. The Applicant’s narrative states parents are notified to utilize the Ellis Avenue driveway for ingress and egress to the site and to follow the designated drop-off and pick-up area shown on the site plan (Attachment No. 3) to ensure the residential uses along the northwest are not impacted by traffic.
ISSUES AND ANALYSIS:
Subject Property And Surrounding General Plan Designations, Zoning And Land Uses:
|
LOCATION |
GENERAL PLAN |
ZONING |
LAND USE |
|
Subject Property: |
RM (Residential Medium Density) |
RM (Residential Medium Density) |
Public and Semi-Public |
|
East of Subject Property: |
RL (Residential Low Density) |
RL (Residential Low Density) |
Residential |
|
North and South (across Ellis) of Subject Property: |
RMH (Residential Medium High Density) |
RMH (Residential Medium High Density) |
Multi-Family Residential |
|
West of Subject Property: |
RM (Residential Medium Density) |
RM (Residential Medium Density) |
Multi-Family Residential |
General Plan Conformance:
The General Plan Land Use Map designation on the subject property is RM (Residential Medium Density). The proposed project is consistent with this designation and the goals, policies, and objectives of the City’s General Plan as follows:
Public Services and Infrastructure
Goal PSI-4: A broad range of public and private programs meet diverse community needs, including mental health, arts, educational, and cultural programs.
Policy PSI-4(A): Ensure that programs and services meet the needs of a diverse group of users (e.g., seniors, youths, and special needs populations), and accommodate a range of ages and abilities.
Goal PSI-5: A range of educational programs and facilities meets the needs of all ages of the community.
Policy PSI-5(B): Continue to support and expand continuing education, after-school programs, and educational programs for all ages including educational opportunities offered in neighboring universities and colleges.
The proposed school with a maximum of 30 students and a pre-school with a maximum of 20 students in conjunction with an existing religious assembly use is consistent with the goals of the community because the use will provide a broad range of private programs that will meet the diverse educational and child care needs of the community and regional area. In addition, the proposed use will provide educational programs for a diverse group of users such as high school students and young children.
Zoning Compliance:
The project complies with the requirements of the RM (Residential Medium Density) zoning designation. A private high school and a pre-school use in conjunction with an existing religious assembly use is subject to the approval of an entitlement plan amendment by the Planning Commission. A high school use requires seven parking spaces per classroom. There are three proposed classrooms for the high school use which requires a total of 21 parking spaces. A pre-school use requires one parking space per staff member and one parking space per classroom. The pre-school use is proposed to occupy four rooms and three employees, which requires a total of seven parking spaces. The existing church facility was approved to require 79 parking spaces per Conditional Use Permit No. 97-027. In total, 107 parking spaces are required and 125 spaces are provided onsite and a summary is listed below for reference. Therefore, there is a surplus of parking spaces and the site can accommodate the proposed school and pre-school use without impacts to parking.
Summary of Parking Requirements:
• High School: seven parking spaces per classroom (3 classrooms x 7 spaces = 21 spaces)
• Pre-School: one parking space per staff member and one per classroom (3 employees + 4 classrooms = 7 spaces)
• Church and Ancillary Group Programs: 79 spaces as approved by CUP 97-027
TOTAL REQUIRED: 107
TOTAL PROVIDED: 125
Urban Design Guidelines Conformance:
Not applicable.
Environmental Status:
The proposed project is Categorically Exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15301, Class 1 - Existing Facilities, because the project involves no expansion of the existing facility.
Coastal Status:
Not applicable.
Design Review Board:
Not applicable.
Subdivision Committee:
Not applicable.
Other Departments Concerns and Requirements:
The Departments of Community Development, Public Works, and Fire have reviewed the project and identified a list of code requirements (Attachment No. 5) applicable to the project.
Public Notification:
Legal notice was published in the Huntington Beach Wave on May 16, 2019, and notices were sent to property owners of record and tenants within a 500 ft. radius of the subject property, individuals/organizations requesting notification (Planning Division’s Notification Matrix), applicant, and interested parties. As of May 20, 2019 no communications supporting or opposing the request has been received.
Entitlement Plan Amendment No. 19-002 was filed on February 28, 2019 and deemed complete on April 16, 2019. The applicant is scheduled for a public hearing before the Planning Commission on May 28, 2019.
Application Processing Dates:
|
DATE OF COMPLETE APPLICATION: |
MANDATORY PROCESSING DATE(S): |
|
April 16, 2019 |
June 14, 2019 |
|
|
|
SUMMARY:
Staff recommends the Planning Commission approve Entitlement Plan Amendment No. 19-002 based on the following:
- Consistent with the RM (Residential Medium Density) Land Use Designation of the General Plan and the RM (Residential Medium Density) zoning designation;
- Compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood; and
- Provides a necessary service to the local and regional community.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Suggested Findings and Conditions of Approval for Entitlement Plan Amendment No. 19-002
2. Vicinity Map
3. Site Plan and Floor Plans dated April 15, 2019
4. Narrative dated May 16, 2019
5. Code Requirements Letter dated April 17, 2019