Planning and Housing Commission - Regular Meeting

[Music] Hi, I'm Ashley Sergoza. I'm with the city of Corona. The city of Corona recently toured Latitude 36 Foods. They're a Corona food manufacturer that took the Liveware Corona pledge, which shows their commitment to hiring local. Here in Corona, we do have about 80% of our workforce that works and lives here in Corona. And so that's very, very exciting for us. they get to, you know, work here and then go right back home, you know, just a couple exits away from the freeway. And so that's very, very exciting for them.

They didn't have to worry about commuting to longer distances, which in California can be quite an odyssey. It also helped keep retention. So it was important to our leadership team to keep the business here. And again, it just demonstrates our commitment to continue to grow the business right here in the city of Corona. throughout the transition from one location to another. We had a very successful partnership with the city of Corona themselves and and a lot of support when it came to, you know, moving to a whole new home and so that was really exciting for us and we truly appreciated the support from a structural standpoint.

We appreciate everything the city's done for us as well and you guys have made yourself very available to us. Again, we actually engage with the city on a few occasions to really help us navigate because there's always some new regulation that comes up. Um, and definitely having someone that's uh wellversed in those rules and regulations has really helped us uh smooth the process out a bit for us.

So by by taking the pledge uh we actually got a lot of other resources, right, that came in with that partnership. They help us with remarketing, right? they really feature us uh when it comes to, you know, their website because it really does open up ourselves to different talent, you know, people that maybe haven't heard of lot of 236 foods and they're able to uh show them what we do here locally. So, I would take the pledge and I would encourage every other company to do so because again, there's a lot of resources available with the city and the city is a great resource and has been a great resource for Latitude 36 Foods.

So, take the pledge today or contact us to learn more. Good morning everyone. We're here at City Park. We have our first big street clean up of 2024. We had about 50 volunteers come clean up the city as well as paint the skate park. It came out really great. It's good to help our community. I encourage everyone to volunteer with us in the future. Our next cleanup event is going to be for Arbor Day at City Hall on March 16th from 9 to 11:00 a.m. We'll see you there.

Most people look at Carbon Health and are like, "What is Carbon Health?" Carbon Health is the home of good health. We are here as an urgent care primarily. We have three providers that work in this clinic. We try to make sure that our teams are pretty fluid so that way everybody can do everything. School physicals, work physicals, pre-employment physicals, workers comp. If the employer needs a drug screen ahead of time, we do that as well. Vision, hearing, weightlifting, whatever physical needs. And then Carbon Health gives us a lot of the good resources in order for us to do a good job. Um, I feel like I have a lot of good tools here.

Their goal is to try to make Corona a happier, healthier community. And so we work really hard to try to make sure that we are as connected in the community as we can be. Carbon Health is working very hard to try to make healthcare accessible to everyone. With the app, you can do everything with your healthcare here at Carbon Health. I think that by itself sets us apart from everybody. So, we're hoping that we can draw our patients from Corona in instead of them going outside of Corona for their care. The idea behind the name is that we are all carbon life forms. Every carbon life form needs help. carbon health. [Music] alleys is composed of 34 alleys that were picked to be repaved. This grant was targeted by CALR to improve the quality of life of disadvantaged communities. It brings a lot of improvements to the city, including the ability to absorb water and uh recharge our local water table. It's considered a green technology. When it's really raining hard, this porous pavement will soak the water in. Whatever water was here has infiltrated into the water reservoir that's underneath the 6 in of asphalt. This is like a long-term good technology so that we're more resilient to handle drought seasons because we'll be capturing water that will stay here

locally and will serve the city well. And the green alleys probably provide the most volume or area to capture rainwater. So the alleys have multi-purpose. You know, everybody would use them, the cars, the bikes, whoever wants to use an alley as a less congestion pathway to navigate the city. You're improving the community for sometimes communities that don't get a whole lot of improvement. The community has been very [Music] [Music] [Music] Welcome to tonight's Planning and Housing Commission meeting. Commissioner Sichelin will lead us in the pledge of allegiance. Please stand.

Ready, begin.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. I'd like to call this meeting to order. Individuals wishing to address the planning and housing commission are requested to complete a speaker card, deliver it to the secretary prior to the item being heard. Please be brief for communications, and once called upon, please state your name and the city of residents for the record. The meeting minutes, approval of the minutes for the planning and housing commission meeting for August 25th, 2025. Miss Capia, are there any speaker cards from the public for the meeting minutes?

No. Vice Chair Alexander, do we have a motion? Yeah. Um, I will make a motion with one correction to the minutes. Um, under the last section section for adjournment, it was noted that uh, Commissioner uh, Longwell, Chair Longwell adjourned the meeting, but she was not actually in attendance. So, if we can change that to um the vice chair I believe presided over last meeting. All right. With that change, a motion made by Commissioner Woody and a second. Please. A second motion.

All right. Seconded by Miss Burton, please vote. All right, that passes 40. Communications from the public. This portion of the agenda is attended for general public comments on items within the commission's jurisdiction that are not listed elsewhere on the agenda. Please note that state law prohibits the planning and housing commission from discussing discussing or taking action on these items. Miss Gapia, are there any speaker cards from the public?

No, vice chair. Thank you. There are three items on the consent calendar. Consent items are not heard as public hearings and can be approved without discussion. Do any of the commissioners beside myself? I'm going to pull 51 for questions only. I don't need a presentation. But are there any other commissioners who want to pull an item?

Uh, I'd like to pull item 5.3, please. 53 from Commissioner Woody. Anyone else? Seeing none. Okay. So, would we like to take a vote on 52, the only consent item not being pulled? Sure. I'll I'll motion that the consent item five two two be approved.

Okay. I have a motion. Commissioner Cicklin, I'll second. All right. Commissioner Woody, please vote. All right, that passes 4 Z for 5.1. Um, it's a request for a general plan consistency determination for proposed easement dedication for long-term maintenance of an existing dyke locate located on land identified as assessor parcel number 101-110-002. Applicant is Christopher Chang, Orange County Public Works Department. I understand Mr. Chang is on Zoom. Uh, however, I'm not sure that I need um a presentation. I just add some general questions regarding easements. For example, the um question I have is it talks about how the US core of engineers are the owner of this land and that they're transferring the maintenance uh responsibility over to Orange County Flood Control. I I understand that, but in the wording it talks about acquiring versus just doing the maintenance. um whether it's in the public works letter talking about acquiring an easement. It could just be terminology because when I look at the 5 um two the one about Sheridan it talks about just dedicating an easement for the first time I imagine. Could you clear that up for me anyone?

Uh yes I can clear that up. Uh so um easement dedication and the term acquiring we're being used interchangeably. So you're correct in uh thinking that you know they're they're used the same way. So they're not necessarily acquiring the land per se, but they are in charge now of the maintenance of the easement. The property will still be owned by US Corps of Engineers. That is correct. Okay, great. That's all I had. I'll go ahead and uh Anyone else have any questions? If not, I'll go ahead and move to approve on 5.1.

Second. I'll second. Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Sichelin. Item 5.1

on 5.1. Correct. Please vote. All right, that passes 40. Moving on to 5.3. Um, Commissioner Woody wanted to pull it. This is a request for a general plan consistency determination for the acquisition of property located at 496 Corona Mall. APN17-143-036. Applicant is the city of Corona Economic Development Department. Mr. Woody, would you like a report? Uh, yes, I would, please.

All right. U, Ms. Vanian, planning manager will present this item.

Thank you, vice chair. This is a request by the city's economic development department. Um, and it's related to the acquisition of property located 596 Krona Mall. This property is in the north mall. It is currently developed with a commercial building and the tenant that's occupying that building is the Cortez Jewelers. And so the city is currently in negotiations with the Cortez family to acquire this property. But before they can finalize that sale, state law requires that the city make a determination as to whether the acquisition of the property is consistent with the city's general plans, general plan policies and goals. And in your staff report, you'll find that we um that we do find that this acquisition is consistent with their general plan. And so therefore, we are recommending that you find that this acquisition of property is consistent with their general plan. There are any questions? I'm available as well as our economic development director, Joel Belding, who is also here.

Thank you, Miss Vanian. Mr. Wood. Yeah, thank you. I'd like to ask a few questions. So, I know we've had some other um we've been asked to make the same sort of uh determination on some other properties um which which I think were there in that same um north north uh side of the Corona Mall area. Um I mean at this point what's how much of the of that you know that segment is privately owned versus owned by the city or in in discussions to be owned by the city.

So I'll take that one. Hi good evening everyone. Joel Belding the economic development director for the city. Uh so the there's two strips there are two rows of buildings. the entire eastern portion of that. The city's acquired everything. Tenants are moving out today. Uh there is the standalone building right in the middle on the west side. That's the tree care service. The city's acquired that. The building to the south of that where the antique store and SGC you sushi used to be. The city's acquired that block of buildings, too. for the buildings north of that section, starting with the boxed in red section and then moving north. Uh there's a a cluster of four separate ownerships there. We're in talks with all of those people about possible acquisitions. Uh so the item before you tonight is simply it's a part of a suite of activities that we need to work through to be able to actually acquire property. Uh we're rapidly approaching a finalized deal with two of those property owners. There's two additional owners that we're still in talks with. And then all the way to the north of that there's Honeys, the standalone restaurant building. The city acquired that as well. And so we're really looking at just on that aerial. It's sort of the brightest rooftops within that immediate vicinity of the red box that we're still in talks with. All of those there's four ownerships in there and four tenants.

Yeah. Good. Thank you. That was kind of a good update overall picture of that. And then I'm curious to um the building on the the eastern you um side closest to Ramona Avenue. What's the status of that?

So we're not pursuing acquisition there. We're uh we meet regularly with the property owners uh just to update them on the overall plans for the North Mall redevelopment project. That building's fully leased up. Uh it's provides good uh affordable office rent in the area and office space. And so, uh, it's a good also transitional building between the neighborhood that's immediately to the east of this and then any new development that would be happening as a part of the North Mall project. Okay. And so it it seems like then eventually if if um, you know, the negotiations go as as expected, then the city would own the remaining you know the other than that building the the rest of the North Mall, right? That's

that's our hope. Mhm. And then the South Mall, what's what's the status there?

So, we are uh we've acquired most but not all the buildings. The bank building, the twotory bank on the ground floor and the doctor's office on the second floor. The city does not own that building. We're not pursuing acquisition for that. We own the law office on the corner, sort of an iconic brick building there. We own this uh inline retail building that has the windown sign up on it, and they'll be opening very soon. There's a dentist office at the east end of that building that we don't own. So, there's individual suites uh in that entire building that are still that can be under separate ownerships. The building at the corner of Ramona and six, that's the U CNUSD parent center. The city owns that building but is leasing it to the school district. As you turn that corner and go south, the city owns that entire retail the inline building that has Circle City Tavern in it. Uh we're actively recruiting tenants for the vacant spaces in there. And then the large former 99 centon only building. We're working with an architect now for renovation plans. We should have those plans in for permits by the end of next month. And so the plan is to renovate and then reactivate all of those buildings to create sort of a a lively lifestyle center that will have plenty of uh interesting dining options and then some live music activities, uh arts fairs, really anything we can think of to have sort of regular programming and a reason for people to drive from out of the city and in the city to come here on a regular basis.

Okay. Thank you. Thanks for the update. Thank you, Mr. Beldon. Any any other commissioners have questions for staff? Yeah, I have a question. So, um, is the tech the career development building still in the in the south mall? It was next to the merit the pizza place that's now the the tavern.

Mhm. So, uh, the Circle City Tavern and the Windown are the only two tenants that we have right now. The school district will at some point be moving out of the parent center. The bank will remain the bank as long as the that landowner wants to keep it in that. And then the dentist we've talked to a couple times about possible acquisition. He's not interested in selling and we think it provides a good mix of daytime activities and then some nighttime options that we're pursuing for that. Um, but no, at this point there's no, we're not bringing in any non food and beverage or live music venues to that location. Thank you. All right, Mr. Selin, anything? No.

All right, Miss Capia, did we receive any speaker cards or written comments from the public for this item? No, Vice Chair, we did not. Okay. And if there's no other questions, if I could have a motion, please. Yeah, I'll move to approve. Um item 5.3. All right. That would be to adopt the resolution number 2675 determining that the city's acquisition of the property located at 496 Corona Mall is consistent with the city's general plan. And we have a motion. May I have a second? Second. Go ahead, Miss Vern.

Okay, Miss Vernon will second it. And please vote. All right, that passes 40. Moving on to public hearings. Public hearings are items that have been publicly advertised for review and consideration by the planning and housing commission. 6.1 is GPA 2025- Z002, a general plan amendment to update the wildfire hazard severity zone map in the public safety element to be consistent with the fire hazard severity zone maps issued by the office of the state fire marshall. Applicant is the city of Corona fire department. Sandra Vanian, the planning manager, will present this item. Thank you, vice chair. So, as you stated, this is a request by the Corona Fire Department to amend the city's general plan. Just some background. Um, on March 24th of this year, the office of the state of fire marshall released an updated fire hazard severity zones map for the city of Corona. State law requires that the local jurisdiction adopt this update map within 120 days of receiving the map. So on May 14th, the Corona Fire Department held a community meeting regarding this map. And then following that on June 4th, the city council adopted that map. And as part of that adoption, chapter 15.16 of the Corona municipal code was amended to formally um incorporate the map. Um, chapter 15.16 is the city's local regulations that govern the fire hazard severity zones at the local level. And then 30 days following the adoption of that map. The map went into effect, which was July 4th, 2025.

Our general plan currently has this map um in its public safety element. The existing map is on the left side and this was the map that was in effect at the time of the general plans adoption which was back in 2020. So the amendment tonight is simply to replace the existing map with the updated map that was recently adopted by the city council this summer. And that map is on the right side. And the reason for this is to be compliant with state law simply. It's also so that our general plan um is consistent with the information that was adopted into chapter 15.16 of the Corona muna code. So the new map identifies the moderate, high, and very high fire hazard zones within the city as well as within our sphere of influence areas. And these would include the unincorporated areas that border our cities such as Cornita, Home Gardens, Tamasco Valley, and a few other areas that border our our city boundary. The map also identifies the which agencies are responsible for fire protection within certain areas within the city and as well as within our sphere of influence. Staff is recommending that the planning housing commission recommend approval of this general plan amendment to the city council. Find the project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act and adopt resolution number 2674 granting this general plan amendment as part of cycle three of general plan amendments for the year 2025. Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Vanian. Do commissioners have any questions for staff? Thanks, Mr. Woody. Just one moment. Just trying to

uh no questions for me. Okay. Thank you, Commissioner. Miss Capia, did we receive any speaker cards or written comments from the public for this item? No, vice chair. Thank you. Uh public hearing. We see none. Public hearing is closed. Are there any questions for my colleagues? Seeing none, do we have a motion for GPA 2025-00002?

Uh I'll motion for approval that the planning housing commission recommend approval of GPA 2025002 to the city council. All right. Is there a second?

I'll second. All right, Commissioner Vernon, thank you so much. All right, we have a first and a second. Please vote. That passes 4 Z. Written communications. Has the housing commission secretary received any written communications from persons seeking action by the planning and housing commission? No, vice chair. We have not. All right. Any administrative reports from Director Ketta?

I just wanted to give you an update since it's been some time that we met. The city council did approve the affordable housing density bonus that was proposed by Maritage off of Aanita Del Vista and Via Del Rio. So that did go through. So they will be moving forward on that. And I just wanted to also let you know that we had our introduction to the new historic preservation board as well. So they had their orientation and uh got an overview of their responsibilities. So, that was a very good meeting and uh we are still looking for two more candidates that are currently being vetted out by two of our council members that have yet to report. So, that commission is now up and running. So, I just thought I'd give you that update.

Thank you very much. I know uh uh it offloads some of our responsibility and we look forward to seeing their good works. Okay. Any members of the planning commission have any matters to discuss? Commissioner, no. Commissioner, no. and commissioner. No. All right. Well, with that said, I would like to go ahead and adjourn this meeting and the next meeting will be Monday, November 10th, 2025. And thank you very much, Miss Kleta.