Citrus Heights Planning Commission Meetings - Regular Meeting

I will now call the regular planning commission meeting of Tuesday, September 9th, 2025 to order. Everyone, please stand for the pledge salute. Mr. Van Duker, would you please lead us? United States of America and the stands for I'll ask the clerk to call the role. Commissioner Kinderwater present. Commissioner Kaufman

here. Commissioner Al Rawi here. Commissioner Van Duker here. Vice Chair Flowers present. Chair Sheieler here. Thank you. We have now it's time for the consent calendar. We have one item on on the consent which is the minutes from June 10th uh meeting. Does anyone from the commission or the public wish to pull the consent item for discussion? Do I have a motion and a second to approve and consent the the consent calendar? I move that we approve the consent calendar from the June 10th meeting.

I second that. Motion by M. Commissioner Van Duker and second by Commissioner Elarry. Can I have a roll call, please? Nancy, can we take this all at once? All one. All at once is fine. All right. All those in favor? I I

opposed. All right. Uh, next is public comment. This portion of the agenda is available for the p for the public to address the planning commission on any issue that is not on the agenda. There will be a limit of three minutes per speaker. I welcome anyone who wishes to address the commission regarding a topic or issue that is not on the agenda this evening to please approach the podium. Seeing none, we'll move on. We'll move on to our regular calendar item this evening, which is to receive the presentation of a use permit for Sam's Club. We'll first hear a presentation by staff, followed by commissioner questions, and then we will open it for public comment. May we please have a staff presentation?

Good evening, chair and commissioners. My name is Stephanie Louie, an associate planner with the city's planning division. Um tonight I will be providing a brief presentation on the Sam's Club fuel expansion project. Um so the project is located at 7147 Greenback Lane, the existing Sam's Club fueling station. The site is zoned SC which is the shopping center zone. fueling station requires approval of a use permit within this zone and the existing station was approved back in 2002 to allow the installation of the fueling station to service 12 vehicles. Um, and with the current proposal to expand the existing use, this triggers a modification to that previously approved use permit. Um, so the project includes a request to approve the use a use permit modification for the proposed fuel station expansion project. Uh, the project includes the addition of two new gas pump islands. Um, and it'll expand the existing canopy to cover those new islands. Um, it also includes a closure and removal of a driveway on Fountain Square Drive as well as landscaping, paving, and restriping. So, the purpose of the expansion is to reduce queuing and backup within the site particularly during uh peak fueling hours. Um so in this slide it kind of gives an overview of the site plan for the proposed expansion. The project will require a lot line adjustment to accommodate for the expansion which is a separate application process um and it is required as a condition of approval. As you can see on here, the orange dotted line shows the existing lot line boundary and the blue dotted lines show the adjusted lot line as well as the expanded canopy. Uh the goal of this expansion again is to improve traffic flow and reduce queuing and backup within the parking lot. To help with this, the existing planters will be extended to match the north south

queuing pattern. And the planters to the left of the station will be moved to make space for the new fuel islands. Um cars may enter the station from the north uh near the community center shown with the green arrow and exit to the south shown with the orange arrow. So with the original use permit uh it required a traffic study for both the gas station and Sam's Club. The previous study is uh remains relevant and this minor expansion would not cause a significant impact to the existing conditions with this project. uh planning reviewed um and confirmed that there are no new services provided such as diesel or an alternative fuel. Um and again this is a membersonly gas station so traffic impacts will remain consistent with the existing conditions and then in the next couple slides we'll go um look at look at have a deeper look in the proposed expansion. So uh this slide shows the actual expansion area of the fuel station. It highlights where the two new fuel islands will be added and the canopy will be extended and both design and materials will match the existing structure. Um another key change is the permanent closure of an existing driveway along Fountain Square Drive. Um even though this might sound significant, the driveway has actually been blocked off with cones for several years and is no longer in use. Uh the closure is necessary because the entrance leads directly into the field station queuing lines. This makes closure um with this closure, it'll help improve customer and pedestrian safety by removing a midblock conflict point. It'll also align the landscaping and it extend the sidewalk to match what's existing along Fountain Square Drive. Um, all new trees and landscaping will also match the existing so there's consistency with the rest of the parking lot.

And then here are the recommended motions. The project was distributed to partner agencies as well as residents within 500 ft of the project site and notice within the messenger. Um staff and the applicant are here tonight if you have any questions. Commissioners, any questions? Yes.

Rather than the the ones that were proposed. Let's see if we can pull this up. Um and you're talking about the ones in the middle, correct? Yeah. Um that's just existing. there was a existing islands at that location that went north or that went east to west. So the removal for these is just to add two to make room for those queuing lines. Um so if there were any more it would reduce the number of lines that you can see with the arrows going up and down next to those. Um that'll uh give direct access to um the existing fueling pumps. Okay.

Any other questions? I do. So, we're expanding the lot line here. Originally, was the lot line part of the community uh event center? No, they're both part of the same lot. They're both owned by Sam's Club. Okay. They're both owned by Sam's Club. Would that be affecting any of the parking count? No. For the shopping center or the event center?

No. In the staff report, and let me just pull this up too. We do have the numbers. Um, in the existing uh use permit, the parking for um the original approval was 580 parking spaces that were required by the zoning ordinance. The current proposal exceeds this with 626 spaces. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. Uh you are losing parking spaces though, right?

Uh correct. Okay. So the original proposal uh already exceeded that. Um that was the requirement. Um so I should have put in what was existing in there. Um but the original only required those 500 um odd spaces. The original proposal exceeded it and this will also still exceed what was originally uh required.

Do you know how many spaces are being lost? Um, so the existing parking stalls provided is 702 and the proposal is 626. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions?

We have no speaker cards. I'm sorry. We have one speaker card. No, no, no speaker cards. All right. Seeing none, I'll close this public hearing. Any more questions from the commissioners? Okay,

Thomas, I have a question. Miss Lou, I looked at the storm water management plan sections. Um, is there a says that there's going to be a storm water uh a watershed map? Where are the storm drains? Are they on any of these diagrams? Good evening, commissioners. Uh Daniel Care and city engineer and general services department. Um there are existing storm drains on the site. Um we generally try to hydraulically isolate the fueling locations. Um there also is a existing water quality feature on site that they're planning to tap into as a part of the project. Those maps and drawings and calculations are typically provided during the improvements phase. Right now, we're just working on concept approval.

That answers my question. It just seemed that it was very exhaustive uh and quite a bit on storm water and I was pleased to see it. So, thank you. Can I see the motions again, please?

Do I have a motion? Should we take them together or or do them separately? Okay. Uh, I move to adopt resolution 2025-02 determining that the project is exempt from California Environmental Quality Act or SQUA under section 15301 existing facilities and 15302 replacement or reconstruction and approve a use permit modification for the proposed fuel station expansion located at 7147 Greenback Lane subject to the findings and conditions contained in the staff report and attachment 1A. I'll second.

Moved by Commissioner Van Duker and seconded by Commissioner Flowers. Please call the RO. You can take it all together, please. So may do uh all all those in favor please say I.

I opposed. Motion passes. Moving on. Uh, our regular calendar item this evening is we receive a presentation on a use permit for U-Haul. Hear the staff presentation, please. I'm not good at reading lips. There's a recommendation by staff that you read the appeal language in case there are any I'm sorry. Okay.

Any determination by the planning commission may be appealed to the city council by filing a written notice of appeal and the appropriate filing fees of $250 with the city clerk not later than 10 calendar days after the date on which the determination is made. presentation.

All right. Thank you. Um, again, my name is Stephanie Louie, an associate planner with the city's planning division. Um, and tonight I'll be providing the commission with a brief presentation on the U-Haul neighborhood dealer. Um, so the proposed project is located at 7500 Auburn Boulevard at the intersection of Auburn Boulevard and Cook Avenue. The existing location has an established fuel station and convenience store. Uh, the property is zoned within the Auburn Boulevard corridor special planning area within the Lincoln 40 district. So, the proposed use is classified as vehicle rental. Um, and even though the U-Haul has been in operation for some time at this location, um, it was operating without an approved use permit. Uh, so this site came about through enforcement action at different U-Haul locations, uh, which triggered this location to come into compliance. It's good to note that we've never received a complaint specifically for this site. Uh, but in order to come to compliance, approval of the use permit is required. Um, so like I mentioned in the previous slide, uh, vehicle rental requires a use permit within the Auburn Boulevard SPA within the Lincoln 40 district. And this project, uh, is a request for the approval to allow the operation of a U-Haul neighborhood dealer at 7500 Auburn Boulevard. So, the applicant is proposing to operate a U-Haul neighborhood dealer in conjunction with the existing fuel station and convenience store. What is a U-Haul neighborhood dealer? Um, so these are incidental to the existing use on site. They are smaller in scale than a traditional U-Haul location. Uh, they typically have smaller fleets and are intended to provide a local rental and drop off location for customers. Um, so for example, if you're moving to Washington to Citrus Heights, you can rent a vehicle in Washington.

um drive it down to Citrus Heights and then rather than dropping off a vehicle at a large scale U-Haul location, um you can drop one that's closer into your area or in location to this um you know at this site for example. And just for some scaling, the closest uh large scale U-Haul location to us is in Roseville or North Highlands. And so vehicles can be scheduled for rental pickup or returned through U-Haul's website, mobile app, or in person at a physical U-Haul location, or on site. Rentals can be picked up or returned 247 using designated key drop off boxes. Um, customers returning the vehicle can use a selfch checkckout system through the app or online. That means they can drive and pick up the vehicles on their own uh without assistance from staff. Um even though convenience store staff is available to help with parking and maneuvering of these vehicles and no maintenance of U-Haul vehicles will occur on site. Um if there are any issues with uh their fleet, U-Haul will come and pick up the vehicles and take them to a location to get maintained. Um and so parking for the rentals will occur on a an approved parking surface which is highlighted in yellow. Uh there will be a limit of five rentals on site at any time. The limit was made by staff to ensure that there's still enough room for customer circulation and access um for those who are going to the fuel station and the convenience store. Um U-Haul is able to place a limit on this location. So, if there are five vehicles already parked here and someone wants to drop off a vehicle, this location would not be an option for them to choose uh as a drop off point. Um there are multiple entrances and exits and most activity will involve customers picking up or returning a single truck or trailer rather than large volumes of vehicle movements. With the use being small in scale and pickup

and drop off um being scheduled, there was no significant increase of traffic for this project. Um additionally, as a condition of approval, staff is requiring landscaping along Cook Avenue across all frontage areas except for existing driveways. An example of that would be just those green lines um that are presented along Cook Avenue. Um, this is consistent with the Auburn Boulevard SPA uh design standards and is intended to minimize visual impact of the vehicle rental. Um, and then here are the recommended motions. The project was distributed to partner agencies as well as residents within 500 ft of the project site and notice within the messenger. The applicant as well as staff are here tonight should you have any further questions. Commissioner questions. Scott,

Miss Louie, I can imagine the answer, but I thought I'd hear it from you or staff that at the Sam's Club there's the exhaustive storm water management plans and then the uh fire vehicle access plans and then the fire vehicle roadway markings. And yet there's nothing here for the U-Haul, a much smaller property.

Yeah, there's no for us there's no expansion of um the any construction or expansion that comes with this project. It's mainly just parking of the vehicles. Um typically with the areas that were shown, it didn't show a significant increase or um blocking of access in and out of this site, but I'll also let Daniel explain a little more.

Sure. You did excellent, Miss Louie. Um, yeah, Daniel Care again, everyone. So, um, there are certain limits of ground disturbance that would trigger various types of water and storm drain improvements. At this time, there are none. Um, we did provide an additional option that those vehicles are no longer to be stored on the unpaved portions of the property. If they were to um, pave that portion of the property, make that choice, um, which is not on the table tonight, um, may be some water quality elements or storm water management that arise from that but at this time none are presented. Okay.

Thank you. I understand. Any more questions? Seeing none public comment. Anyone wish to speak on this issue?

Hello everyone. My name is John Lozano. I'm with U-Haul. I'm actually the area field supervisor um here in Northern California. Um the our client here with the property 7500 Auburn Boulevard. The only issue that we are seeing is within the landscaping element along Cook Avenue. Um safety reasons is the only thing as far as not particularly with the U-Haul, it's the actual uh fueling truck and trailer that comes through the property and exiting that property per se. Um and just the individuals of of uh cars, not U-Hauls in general, but just the traffic flow, the way the pumps are going. That's the only um issue that we're kind of seeing arise from this. So, um far as moving forward with that, we we're we're all for for you all in assisting in in in complying with the the new ordinances and landscaping and making that area look a little bit better and contributing to that. That's the only concern our our client has, our partner at that facility for that truck to go through there. So, you're saying you have a concern? Are you saying you you want to change it in some way or or

not necessarily change it? Maybe possibly modify it. As you can see with the slide there, the green that's highlighted, the larger portion is along that corridor where the sidewalk is. It's not a square curve. It's a rounded curb all the way through for that truck to come through. refill the tanks and then leave the property without disturbing the customers flowing through that pumping area. U and that's the only concern that uh the owners of the property have currently. The tank drops are currently right there in front of where the highlighted portion of the areas where there is four um black circles and then below it some lighter ones. So the truck actually enters in that second portion right there and then it will make the lefthand turn and exit through the furthest portion um closer to our movement right there. So the the The green is where the dirt areas is not not obstructing any sort of movement where the fuel trucks were to come in or customers were to come in. However, the longer portion would be obstructing staff. How would you suggest we address this this concern? Um so in the condition we did place that um that the w 8 foot wide planning strip be installed along uh Cook Avenue extending across all fronted areas except existing driveways. Um so this was this visual kind of just gave an example of what that looked like based on the drawings that we received from U-Haul with their site plan of the the three entrances that they um explained.

Um but again there is some flexibility with the length of the um of the planter in terms of where those driveways stop and start. So it sounds like you know maybe discussion with staff and trying to refine that. Maybe you can meet you know you know come to an agreement. Absolutely. I agree. Very good. Any more? No. I think that'd be all I have question. I do have one other question.

I do have another question. So you had made um you had mentioned that this is obviously been existing for some time and in this picture I see quite a few vehicles parked here. Is the limit of five vehicles something new that's been added to this and um as opposed to the former however many years it's been in in existence.

Um nothing's uh being added with this proposal. It's just basically coming into compliance with a use permit. Um so typically with vehicle rental it does require a use permit to be approved at this location. Um if anything the this um Uh this use permit is limiting the vehicles to five instead of 10. So in this area that's over here on the screen, right?

Um they were parking vehicles um in here. And so what we required was that it needed to be paved. Currently it's just a dirt um area. Um the applicant uh agreed that they didn't want to pave that area. So now we're just limiting that um their parking area to to what's highlighted in yellow. So, if anything, it is kind of decreasing um the existing U-Haul by limiting the number of vehicles that are allowed at this location.

If I may, real quick, regarding the last question, I'm I'm not current currently seeing any issues about access and servicing of those existing pumps and wells, but we'll absolutely be working with the applicant team to make sure that those are reasonably accommodated just as they are today. Is is the quickserve uh property owner the same for the U-Haul? Negative. No,

it's not. Who who allows the I'm all in favor of food trucks, but I would think the food truck that's always parked there would get in the way of the landscaping and the I don't see any I have never seen any landscaping there when I've driven by, but it would I would think the food trip would get in the way of any potential landscaping. I would imagine so as well. This is a discussion for the private owner who owns that property as well. Oh, so the food truck is on the quick serve, not on the It seems to always be right in the border between the two. Okay.

I guess I I just I wanted to clarify. I'm new, so I want to just clarify uh if we approve this today, how much of the landscaping issue is negotiable? like are we locking them into something that they potentially can't safely meet or are they going to have some ability? I like the landscaping. I'd like it to stay, but also I want to make sure the trucks can get in and out of their in and out safely.

Commissioner Koffman, if I might, um, we have built in the flexibility where staff can go back and forth and negotiate what's reasonable based on the operational characteristics that they need. So, we'll be reasonable as we get the final design. That'll be the next step. Bill submitted a landscape plan and we'll look how the trucks circulate and so forth to make sure it uh doesn't affect their overall operations but also moves the boulevard in a more positive direction which obviously we've spent a lot of money on fixing up boulevard. Want to continue moving that needle a little bit. Thank you. Very good. Thank you. Oh, I'm sorry. Another question.

It's more of a comment uh than question. When I when the packet came out and I looked at this site, I on Google Earth and looked at the site and I did see a couple vehicles parked on an unpaved uh surface and the first comment I wrote is vehicle staging. Do we have an enforcement about keeping them to buy vehicles and it's like at a corner in Auburn Boulevard so it's very visible driving down that road.

Very good observation commissioner. I saw the same thing as I did my site inspection for this permit and that's the reason that engineering added that comment. If they wanted to continue to use that area for parking, it would need to be properly paved and taken care of or they can choose to park in existing paved areas. Thank you. Any more questions?

Very good. Thank you. Thank you. No more questions. I'll close the team over here. I'll close the public comment. Oh boy. Uh any more deliberation or discussion amongst the commissioners? All right. Can I have the motions, please? Do I have a motion? I'll do it. I'm I move that we adopt resolution 25-03 determining that project is exempt from California Environmental Quality Act or SQUA under section 15301 existing facilities and approve a use permit to allow vehicle rental U-Haul neighborhood dealer at 7500 Auburn Boulevard subject to the findings in contained in the staff report and conditions of approval provided in exhibit 1A. and a little second.

And again, Commissioner Van Dooker made a motion and Commissioner Flowers, I'm sorry. Sorry, one more second. Um, I just want to make sure that you guys receive the uh the revised conditions that were on your dis. So, I wanted to make sure that we were all um basing our decision off of those revised conditions. And this was in the this was in the staff report today, right? We got the email saying use the new staff report that was in here, right? Because I've already read it. I just

This was um the condition number that condition number nine was the one that was added after that email. Gotcha. So does my second stand. Okay. As long as you're comfortable, all of you are comfortable with number nine. There's no modifications. Your your second stance.

So you're voting on this motion and second um including the modified or the inclusion of item nine commissioners. Yes. All those in favor? I object.

Very good. The appeal language any determination by the planning commission may appeal to the city council by filing a written notice of appeal and the appropriate filing fees of $250 for the city clerk no not later than 10 calendar days after the date on which the determination is made. Any general correspondents, other reports?

Good evening, commissioners. Um, I we didn't take a moment at the beginning, but I don't know if you've all met our newest commissioner, Mr. Kaufman, Scott Kaufman. So, welcome to the commission. Hopefully, you've had a chance to say hi and shake hands. Um, and before you leave tonight, we do want to take a group photo. We need to update our website with your beautiful faces. Uh so hang out for a minute when it's concluded. Um and then one more thing, I will be emailing you tomorrow some uh contact information for myself. So if you've emailed me over the past week and I didn't respond, I'm apologizing, but my email has changed. So I'll send you new contact information tomorrow. So when you get that, update your contacts. That's all I have.

Very good. All right. Well, we've reached the end of our meeting. I would like to adjourn this meeting at 6:32.