HomeMy WebLinkAboutPLN-11-00163, 12113 Woodruff Avenue-CUP
STAFF REPORT PLANNING DIVISION CITY OF DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA DATE: AUGUST 17, 2011 TO: PLANNING COMMISSION FROM: BRIAN SAEKI, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT KEVIN NGUYEN, ASSISTANT PLANNER
SUBJECT: PLN-11-00163 (CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT) – A REQUEST TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE A MEDICAL CARE FACILITY ON PROPERTY LOCATED AT 12113 WOODRUFF AVE, ZONED M-1 (LIGHT MANUFACTURING)
CEQA Staff has reviewed the proposed project for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Upon completion of this review, staff determined that this request is
categorically exempt from CEQA, pursuant to Guideline Section No. 15301 (Class 1, Existing Facilities). Categorical Exemptions are projects which have been determined not to have a significant
effect on the environment and have been exempted from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act. Exempt activities under Class 1 consist of the operation, repair,
maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment or topographical features, involving insignificant
or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Planning Commission adopt the following titled resolutions:
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY APPROVING PLN-11-00163 (CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT), A REQUEST TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE A MEDICAL CARE FACILITY WITHIN THE M-1
(LIGHT MANUFACTURING) ZONE PROPERTY AT 12113 WOODRUFF AVENUE CODE AUTHORITY The applicant is making their request pursuant to the provision of Municipal Code Section 9318.04 Table 9.3.9,
which allows the operation of medical and dental offices, subject to the approval of a Conditional Use Permit. The Planning Commission’s authority to consider the request is set forth
in Municipal Code Section 9824 (Conditional Use Permit).
PLN-11-00163 – 12113 Woodruff Ave August 17, 2011 -Page 2 SITE LOCATION 12113 WOODRUFF AVE SITE DESCRIPTION A. Subject Property/Surrounding Properties 1. Property Information Site Location:
12113 Woodruff Avenue AIN 6283-013-028 2. Applicant Information Project Representatives: Property Owner: Dr. Felix L. Nunez Family Health Care Centers of Greater Los Angeles, Inc. 6501
South Garfield Avenue Bell Gardens, CA 90201 Juan Manuel Arenas Hoag Property Management Inc. 10551 Paramount Blvd, CA 90241 3. CEQA Determination Categorical Exemption, Class 1 (Existing
Facilities) 4. Noticing Information Applicant Notification: Required Action Date: August 1, 2011 November 1, 2011 B. Surrounding Properties Zone Use North M-2 (General Manufacturing)
Industrial buildings East M-1 (Light Manufacturing) Industrial buildings South C-1 (Neighborhood Commercial) Iglesia De Cristo Church West C-1 (Neighborhood Commercial) Iglesia De Cristo
Church
PLN-11-00163 – 12113 Woodruff Ave August 17, 2011 -Page 3 C. Site Photograph BACKGROUND Family Health Care Centers of Greater Los Angeles (FHCCGLA) Inc. requests approval of a Conditional
Use Permit to establish a medical care facility at 12113 Woodruff Avenue. The subject site is a 47,731 square foot parcel that is located behind the southwest corner of Washburn Road
and Woodruff Avenue. The site is zoned M-1 & P-B (Light Manufacturing, Parking Buffer) with a General Plan Land Use Designation of N-C (Neighborhood Commercial). It is currently developed
with three separate commercial buildings. Parking for this site is distributed between the buildings. On June 23, 2011, Adrian Troncoso, a representative for FHCCGLA, submitted an application
for PLN-11-00163 (Conditional Use Permit). Staff completed a review of the application on August 1, 2011, and deemed the application complete. On August 5, 2011, notice of the pending
public hearing was sent to all property owners within 500’ of the subject site and the notice was published in the Downey Patriot. DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS According to the applicant, the
proposed business is a nonprofit community health center that will provide health care services to uninsured and low income individuals. Some of the services that the proposed clinic
will provide include general adult medicine, general pediatric medicine, and family planning. The applicant also states that a dispensary room will be operated inside the clinic but
it will not be used as a pharmacy. Medications will be stored inside the dispensary room and will be sold or given away to low-income patients. These types of medications include antibiotics,
antihypertensive, diabetic treatments. The applicant has clearly stated that no pharmaceutical cocaine and/or narcotic drugs will be kept or stocked at the subject site. After evaluating
the application, staff supports the proposed medical facility; however, staff has concerns about the types of medications that will be dispensed and provided to the public. To mitigate
and to avoid future problems, staff recommends the following condition of approval: • Pharmaceutical cocaine and narcotic drugs are prohibited and not to be kept at the subject site
at all time. It is staff’s opinion that the establishment of this medical facility is not expected to have any significant negative impacts since no physical expansion of the existing
building footprint is needed to accommodate it. The applicant is simply converting the existing building into a new medical facility.
PLN-11-00163 – 12113 Woodruff Ave August 17, 2011 -Page 4 Parking The subject site has seventy-two (72) off-street parking spaces, which represents a surplus number of parking spaces
above the amount required by the Zoning Code. Based on the parking requirement of one parking space for each 250 square feet of retail use, one space for each 300 square feet of professional
office use, and one space for each 200 square feet of medical use, the combined 13,650 square feet of said uses require a minimum of 69 parking spaces. This satisfies the required parking
for the site. FINDINGS Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 9824.06, there are four (4) findings that must be adopted prior to the Planning Commission approving a Conditional Use Permit.
A discussion of the findings follows: 1. That the requested conditional use permit will not adversely affect the purpose and intent of this chapter or the City’s General Plan or the
public convenience or general welfare of persons residing or working in the neighborhood thereof. The subject site is located within the M-1 zone (Light Manufacturing) and has a General
Plan Land Use Designation of “Neighborhood Commercial”. It is the intent and purpose of the Land Use Designation to provide development of general professional and medical offices, and
similar uses within the community. Allowing the medical care facility at the subject site would be consistent with the surrounding commercial uses at the subject center. Activities at
the proposed medical care facility, with the conditions of approval, will not impact the welfare of the nearby uses. 2. That the requested use will not adversely affect the adjoining
land uses and the growth and development of the area in which it is proposed to be located. The requested use will not affect neighboring land uses due to the nature of the use and the
manner in which the development housing the medical business is oriented and designed. Specifically, the main entrance to the building is oriented toward the driveway and other commercial
buildings on the same lot. Also, a church borders the west and south sides of the subject site. Accordingly, any potential adverse impacts will be mitigated through the conditions of
approval (see Exhibit A – Conditions). 3. That the size and shape of the subject property proposed for the use is adequate to allow the full development of the proposed use in a manner
not detrimental to the particular area. The size and shape of the subject property is adequate to accommodate the requested use. The proposed use will be contained within an existing
tenant space and does not require any expansion to the physical size of the building. The space measures 960 square feet with a building frontage of 32 feet and a depth of 30 feet. 4.
That the traffic generated by the proposed use will not impose an undue burden upon the streets and highways in the area. Woodruff Avenue serves the project site. It is classified as
a “Primary Arterial” street on the City’s Master Plan of Streets and Highways. Primary streets are intended to to provide access through parts of the City to major arterials (i.e. Lakewood
Boulevard and Firestone Boulevard). Woodruff Avenue contains two lanes in each direction. It is staff’s opinion that Woodruff Avenue would be able to absorb any additional traffic the
requested use may create. The traffic generated by the proposed use will not impose an undue burden upon the streets in the area due to the minimal size of the business.
PLN-11-00163 – 12113 Woodruff Ave August 17, 2011 -Page 5 CORRESPONDENCE As of the date that this report was printed, staff had not received any correspondence regarding this matter.
CONCLUSION Based on the information contained in this report, staff supports the proposed medical care facility, subject to the conditions of approval. Furthermore, staff believes that
all findings required to approve a conditional use permit application for the proposed project can be made in a positive manner. As such, staff recommends that the Planning Commission
adopt a resolution approving PLN-11-00163 (Conditional Use Permit), subject to the conditions of approval as stated in this staff report and in Exhibit A of the Planning Commission Resolution.
H:\Community Development\Nguyen\CASES\CUP\2011\12113 Woodruff (medical in M-1)\11-00163 staff report.doc