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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBackgroundBACKGROUND REPORT The project site is located on the south side of West 35th Street west of National City Blvd. and south of State Route 54 in the Southland Industrial Park, which takes up most of the street. The property on which the building is located is 4.4 acres in size and is developed with two separate buildings and over 200 parking spaces parking spaces. Each building has its own parcel number. The western building is 36,155 square feet and the eastern building 47,916 square feet. The project is one of 19 suites in the eastern building. There are no sensitive uses nearby (residential properties, elementary schools, playgrounds, etc.). The lot is shown on the current zoning map as being in the Light Industrial (IL) zone, and also within the Coastal Zone. The recent Land Use Code Update is not active in the Coastal Zone. This is due to the fact that the necessary changes in the City's Local Coastal Plan have not been approved by the Coastal Commission. Therefore, the City's previous zoning would generally apply. In this case the zone would have been ML-CZ (Light Manufacturing — Coastal Zone) — essentially the same zone. The applicant is proposing to operate a crematorium, offering human cremation services, which would operate 24 hours a day. The facility would be accessible to customers/clients from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The facility will operate in a 2,221 square -foot suite within the existing 47,916 square -foot building. The business is expected to employ 5-7 employees and perform up to six cremations per day. Under the former Land Use Code, a crematorium is a conditionally -allowed use, meaning that a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). There are no design or operating requirements for crematoriums located in the old or the new Code. In addition, no new construction, other than interior tenant improvements, is proposed. Potential impacts are generally related to parking for funeral services and air quality. The existing property has over 200 parking spaces. Based on the maximum of six cremations per day, which is the limitation of the cremator to be used, and the plans showing a maximum occupancy of 48 people, there are no parking or traffic issues expected from the use. Furthermore, although there may be people on site to witness the handling of the cremation process (e.g. families), there are no official services that would occur at this location. Traffic generation data provided by SANDAG (San Diego Association of Governments) indicates that an "industrial plant (multiple shifts)" would generate approximately 10 average daily trips (ADT) per 1,000 square feet. In this case a 2,221 square -foot use would generate about 23 ADT. The property has direct access to National City Blvd., an arterial street, which is below capacity and capable of absorbing the extra vehicle trips. A CEQA checklist (Initial Study) was prepared by staff in association with the proposed project. With the exception of Air Quality, no impacts were expected or discovered, as evidenced by the analyses in the checklist. With regard to Air Quality, the facility will be required to be permitted through the Air Pollution Control District (APCD). Specifically, Project implementation may only occur following issuance of an `Authority to Construct and Permit to Operate' by APCD and will be subject to permit conditions limiting or requiring specific actions to ensure compliance with APCD air pollution control requirements, thereby minimizing the impact of any emissions increase and ensuring no significant adverse effect upon ambient air quality. The project applicant will also be subject to periodic inspections by the District to confirm compliance. The proposed project consists of the installation of a new modern cremator within an existing industrial building. Based on the analyses presented in the attached CEQA checklist, it is concluded that the project (a) would not: have the potential to degrade the quality of the environment, impact the habitat of a fish or wildlife species, cause a fish or wildlife population to drop below self-sustaining levels, threaten to eliminate a plant or animal community, reduce the number or restrict the range of a rare or endangered plant or animal or eliminate important examples of the major periods of California history or prehistory; (b) would not have impacts that are individually limited, but cumulatively considerable; and (c) would not have environmental effects that will cause substantial adverse effects on human beings, either directly or indirectly. As such, it is expected that project implementation would have no impact with respect to these mandatory findings of significance. The project area is not within an area of retained Coastal Commission permit jurisdiction or in an area of appeal jurisdiction. As part of this discretionary review, the Planning Commission must find that granting of the Coastal Development Permit is consistent with and implements the Certified Local Coastal Program. The project is compliant with this finding in that it involves an industrial use, which is conditionally -allowed in the ML-CZ zone, and will not prohibit coastal access or obstruct views. Comments were received from the Building and Fire Departments. Comments focused on Building and Fire Code requirements, and are included as Conditions of Approval. In addition, there are conditions limiting cremation activities to what is proposed. Additional activities or expansion of proposed operations would require modification of this CUP. A crematorium is a conditionally -permitted use in the ML zone. Potential impacts related to air quality will be addressed by subsequent required permitting through the Air Pollution Control District. The area in which the business would be located is removed from sensitive uses and has ample parking and access to accommodate the use. As a result, the use is not expected to create any impacts. The business would also be required to comply with all applicable federal, state, and/or local regulations. Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on August 19, 2014. Commissioners asked questions related to business practices, the surrounding area, and air quality. The Commission approved the Conditional Use Permit and Coastal Development Permit based on findings and subject to Conditions of Approval contained in the attached Resolution. Council reviewed the Notice of Decision of the Planning Commission's approval at their meeting of September 2, 2014 and set the application for hearing in order to discuss the item.