TO: Chair and Members of the Planning Commission
THRU: Anna Pehoushek, Assistant Community Development Director
FROM: Arlen Beck, Associate Planner
1. Subject
title
Approval of a new self-storage facility (Batavia Self Storage) located at 630 N. Batavia Street and related CEQA determination (adoption of Mitigated Negative Declaration and associated Mitigation Monitoring Program).
body
2. Summary
A proposal to redevelop a 3.22-acre industrial site with a new self-storage facility and associated on-site improvements and infrastructure at 630 N. Batavia Street.
3. Recommended Action
recommendation
Adopt Planning Commission Resolution No. PC 04-24 approving Major Site Plan Review No. 1089-22, Design Review No. 5072-22, and Mitigated Negative Declaration 1884-22, to redevelop a 3.22-acre industrial site with a new self-storage facility and associated on-site improvements and infrastructure at 630 N. Batavia Street.
end
4. AUTHORIZING GUIDELINES
Orange Municipal Code (OMC) Sections 17.08.020 and 17.10.060.E authorize the Planning Commission to review and take action on the subject applications. Table 17.08.020 - Reviewing Bodies of the OMC states that when more than one type of application is filed for a single project, the application requiring the highest level of approval shall dictate the review process for the entire group of applications. Therefore, the Planning Commission is acting as the final approving body on both applications for the project, and the related environmental determination.
5. project background
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Property Owner & Applicant: |
SCIND Batavia Point, LLC |
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Property Location |
630 N. Batavia Street |
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Existing General Plan Land Use Element Designation |
Light Industrial (Max 1.0 Floor Area Ratio (FAR)) |
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Existing Zoning Classification |
Industrial Manufacturing (M-2) |
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Site Size |
133,453 square feet (3.22 acres) |
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Circulation |
Vehicular access to the site would be provided via two driveways at the site’s eastern border along N. Batavia Street. |
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Existing Conditions |
47,932 SF manufacturing facility and covered storage area. |
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Surrounding Land Uses and Zoning |
North: The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway is located directly north of the site followed by light industrial buildings. West: An industrial facility occupied by ReadyRefresh Contactless Delivery is located directly west of the site. East: Batavia Street is located directly east of the site followed by an industrial building occupied by Show Fleet. South: A business park with tenants such as Bridge Associates and Site One Landscape Supply is located south of the Project site. |
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Previous Applications/Entitlements |
None. |
6. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project involves the demolition of two vacant light industrial structures, totaling 47,932 square-feet (SF) and constructing three new self-storage buildings totaling 133,372 SF, measuring a maximum of 41-feet-4-inches in height resulting in a floor area ratio (FAR) of 0.99. The project includes the construction of associated parking, landscaping, and utility improvements to serve the site, as shown on the preliminary site plan (Attachment 4 - Sheet A 1.1a). The proposed development would be consistent with the existing Light Industrial (LI) General Plan Land Use Element designation and Industrial Manufacturing (M-2) zoning designation.
The project would enhance the existing industrial character of the site and surrounding area with a new modern tilt-up concrete building, landscaping, hardscaping, and other site and street frontage improvements. Additional details about the architectural and landscape design can be found in the Design Review Committee (DRC) staff report and development plans (Attachments 3 and 4).
The three buildings total 133,372 SF: Building A would be 8,693 SF, Building B would be 105,711 SF inclusive of 1,044 SF of office space, and Building C would be 18,968 SF. The buildings are proposed to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Building A would be one story and located along the northern end of the site. Building B would be three stories and located at the center of the site. The office would be attached to the eastern end of Building B. Building C would be one story and located along the southern and western ends of the site. As shown on the preliminary exterior elevations, Buildings A and C would measure a maximum height of 15-feet-2-inches and Building B would measure a maximum height of 41-feet-4-inches (Attachment 4: Sheets A 3.0 - A 3.8).
Each building would contain a mix of non-climate-controlled and climate-controlled storage units ranging from five feet by four feet to 20 feet by 21 feet and lockers ranging from five feet by five feet to five feet by seven feet.
As shown on the preliminary site plan, an approximately 45-foot minimum setback would be provided along Batavia Street, which exceeds the 20-foot minimum setback. The Municipal Code does not require the proposed buildings to be set back from the rear and interior property lines, though the proposed buildings would be set back three feet from the north property line, one-foot-nine-inches from the south property line, and one-foot from the west property line.
Decorative architectural lighting would be installed to accent building entries as focal points throughout the site. Additional exterior lighting would be installed on-site for safety and security, as necessary.
A six-foot-high CMU block wall would enclose the site along the perimeter in areas where the proposed self-storage buildings do not act as a perimeter wall. Additionally, seven-foot-high metal swing gates would be located near the eastern ends of Buildings A and C. The gates would include a Knox padlock to allow access for emergency vehicles. The perimeter block wall serves as a safety feature for the site and patrons, given the continuous operational characteristics of the use.
Development Standards
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Required |
Proposed |
Code Section |
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Building Height |
45 feet |
41 feet-4 inches |
17.20.080 |
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Fence height |
Front yard setback: • 42 inches solid fence. 6 feet along non-arterials open fence. |
None proposed in front yard setback. |
17.12.070.E |
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Floor Area Ratio (FAR) |
1.0 FAR |
1.0 FAR |
General Plan, Land Use Element |
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Landscaping (non-residential) |
• Interior side and rear yards - 4 feet or, when adjacent to perpendicular parking, 6 feet. • Parking area screening from a public street with 5-gallon shrubs, 3 feet on center. • 146 trees required throughout the site, 25 percent of required trees need to be 24- inch box and 75 percent need to be in 15 gallon containers. • Trash Enclosures require a 4-foot wide landscaped planter on at least two sides. • Landscape the front yards of all buildings facing a street, entire setback area or 10-foot minimum planter width, whichever is greater. Car overhangs shall not be included in the 10 feet. • Street trees required as determined by the design review process. |
• Parking areas screened from public streets with a mix of 1, 5, and 15-gallon shrubs and 24-inch and 36-inch box size streets. • Does not meet standards but may be waived by the Planning Commission • 11 trees provided with 7 as 24-inch box and 4 as 36-inch box trees. • The trash enclosure is completely enclosed within Building B. • 30 feet along Batavia Street. • Not required by Public Works Department due to the lack of right-of-way area and planting of trees along the property frontage on private property. |
City of Orange Landscape Standards and Specifications (Note: landscape criteria from the City’s Landscape Standards and Specifications is “used as a benchmark for review, unless otherwise approved by the reviewing body.”) |
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Loading area (non-residential) |
10 feet by 60 feet. |
Six 12 feet by 25 feet parking stalls are provided as loading areas. |
17.34.160 and 17.34-180 |
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Parking (non-residential) |
44 off-street parking spaces |
49 off-street parking spaces including loading area spaces. |
Table 17.34.060.B |
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Setback, Front |
20 feet (when adjacent to an arterial street) |
47 feet-10 inches along Batavia Street |
17.20.090 |
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Setback, Rear |
0 feet |
Building C - 1-foot |
17.20.090 |
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Setback, Street Side |
Not Applicable |
Not Applicable |
17.20.090 |
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Setback, Interior Side |
0 feet |
Building A - 3 feet Building C - 1-foot-9 inches |
17.20.090 |
7. analysis and statement of the issues
The project site is located in an urbanized area of the city surrounded by industrial uses. The architectural design and use would be compatible with the surrounding uses and would not result in alteration or modification of the existing public street or sidewalk patterns in the area. The simple contemporary architectural design of the proposed self-storage facility buildings would be compatible with the existing industrial buildings in the vicinity of the project site. The proposed project would be consistent with the city’s General Plan goals by integrating the proposed project and existing development with nearby existing transit corridors, and industrial uses in the surrounding area.
Overall, the project would enhance and strengthen the character of the site and its surroundings through new landscaping, hardscaping, and other improvements on-site and along the street edge. The proposed architectural and landscape elements would ensure that development of the project is not detrimental to the surrounding area or uses. Additionally, project implementation would be similar and compatible uses to those existing adjacent to and surrounding the project site.
Staff believes the proposed architecture, materials, and scale of development are appropriate for the site and improve the visual quality of the project environs.
Issue 1: Landscaping
The proposed project’s landscaping plan includes a variety of trees, shrubs, and ground cover along street front areas, and the northwest corner of the site. Based on the city’s benchmark calculation for tree quantity, 146 trees are required for the project. Staff concluded that the benchmark number of trees would overwhelm the site, due to the need to dedicate much of the site for buildings, and the movement and parking of trucks due to the nature of the self-storage use. The proposal includes seven trees of 24-inch box size and four trees of 36-inch box size. Landscaping is not proposed along the north, west, and south perimeters, except for the northwest corner between buildings A and C. Staff believes the frontage landscaping is appropriate for the site and has provided conditions of approval related to tree maintenance in the attached resolution (Attachment 2).
8. public notice
A Notice of Intent for Mitigated Negative Declaration 1884-22 was sent to the property owners and tenants within a 400-foot radius of the project site and to all responsible agencies on November 17, 2023. Additionally, a notice of public hearing was sent on January 23, 2024, to all property owners and tenants within a 400-foot radius of the project site. Staff has not received any written comments as of February 1, 2024, regarding the project.
9. environmental review
Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration No. 1884-22 was prepared to evaluate the potential impacts of the proposed project in accordance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15072, the project Site is not listed on the state’s EnviroStor database for a recognized hazardous waste environmental condition. Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration No. 1884-22 is based on the finding that, by implementing the identified Project Design Features and Mitigation Measures, the project’s potentially significant environmental effects would be reduced to levels that are less than significant.
On November 17, 2023, the Notice of Intent (NOI) to adopt the environmental document was mailed to residents, property owners, and tenants within 400’ of the subject property. The public review period began on November 17, 2023, and ended on December 7, 2023.
The MND analyzes the contaminated soil (PCBs) within the Hazards section of the document. Mitigation Measure (MM) HAZ-1 through MM HAZ-3 are included for remediation for the PBCs and MM HAZ-4 is included to implement a Health and Safety plan during construction. Impacts are less than significant after mitigation.
10. ADVISORY BOARD ACTION
Staff Review Committee:
The city’s inter-departmental Staff Review Committee (SRC) conducted reviews of the project on July 20, 2022, March 1, 2023, July 12, 2023, September 13, 2023, and October 18, 2023. On November 1, 2023, the SRC recommended that the project proceed to the DRC.
Design Review Committee:
On December 6, 2023, the DRC reviewed the revised proposal and recommended approval to the Planning Commission with conditions. The DRC recommended the addition of two conditions of approval related to landscaping. Specifically, Coffee Berry shrub species is to be substituted for the proposed Ceanothus shrub species and add an additional four 36-inch box size Brisbane trees to the site. These conditions of approval are included in the attached Planning Commission Resolution (Attachment 2) and would be required prior to building plan check submittal.
11. ATTACHMENTS
• Attachment 1 Project Vicinity Map
• Attachment 2 Planning Commission Resolution No. PC 04-24
• Attachment 3 Design Review Committee Staff Report dated December 6, 2023
• Attachment 4 Development Plans
• Attachment 5 Final Mitigated Negative Declaration No. 1884-22
• Attachment 6 Site Photographs
• Attachment 7 Applicant Project Description Letter
• Attachment 8 Color and Material Board (photograph provided, actual board to be provided at meeting)