The project was reviewed pursuant to the guidelines of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and determined to be Categorically Exempt pursuant to Section 15304(e), Class 4: “Minor Alteration to Land” of the CEQA Guidelines in that the special event is a minor temporary use that will have negligible effects on the environment, and CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), "Common Sense Exemption" of the CEQA Guidelines in that there is no possibility that the special event may have a significant effect on the environment.

That the Planning Commission approve:

A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA, CALIFORNIA, MAKING THE REQUIRED FINDINGS AND APPROVING SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT SEP2L24-0002 TO CONDUCT A LARGE SPECIAL EVENT THAT INCLUDES A PUMPKIN PATCH AND ANCILLARY ACTIVITIES AT 777 SOUTH BEACH BOULEVARD, AS PER THE APPROVED SITE PLAN AND SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS, AND MAKING THE DETERMINATION THAT THE PROJECT IS EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) PURSUANT TO SECTION 15304(E), CLASS 4: “MINOR ALTERATIONS TO LAND” AND SECTION 15061 (B)(3), "COMMON SENSE EXEMPTION" OF THE CEQA GUIDELINES.
 

The Applicant, Santa’s Garden, Inc. is proposing a pumpkin patch with ancillary activities on a vacant commercial property, located at 777 South Beach Boulevard, near the southwest corner of Lambert Road and Beach Boulevard, south of the existing Del Taco restaurant and future Dutch Bros restaurant, as identified on Exhibit 1 below. The General Plan designates the subject property for Highway Commercial land use. The property is within the Commercial (C-2) Zone, which implements the General Plan Highway Commercial land use designation.

On January 23, 2023, the Planning Commission approved a Tentative Parcel Map, Design Review and Conditional Use Permit to permit a Dutch Bros drive-through restaurant, north of the proposed Pumpkin Patch, and an America's Tire store on the site of the proposed Pumpkin Patch. Grading, building and landscaping permits have been issued for the Dutch Bros restaurant and grading of this portion of the property is underway; a construction fence separates the construction of the Dutch Bros restaurant from the site of the proposed Pumpkin Patch. Grading and building plans are still under review for the America's Tire store.
  EXHIBIT 1 – Vicinity Map


In prior years, the Applicant utilized both the site of the Dutch Bros restaurant and the America's Tires store for temporary events. The Applicant currently has a lease to use the portion of the property identified above in Exhibit 1, from September 1, 2024 – November 1, 2024. The Applicant is requesting approval to conduct a Large Special Event for the sale of pumpkins that will include inflatable slides, bouncers, and a kiddie train. Exhibit 2, below, provides the proposed site plan for the event. The event is scheduled to run from September 28, 2024, until October 31, 2024. Event setup is proposed to run from September 1, 2024, to September 27, 2024. As in previous years, the proposed hours of operation of the proposed Pumpkin Patch are from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., seven days a week. The event operator has conducted this event annually since 2010, with the exception of 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  EXHIBIT 2 – Site Plan

The event layout for the portion of the property adjacent to Beach Boulevard remains generally the same as in previous years, with the pumpkin display area located in the middle of the property and the kiddie train meandering through the pumpkin patch. A total of three bouncers, five inflatable slides, and two inflatable obstacle courses are proposed around the pumpkin display area. The event also includes temporary lighting, security office trailers (24-hour security), temporary restrooms, storage trailers, and an office unit. In previous years, the site of the Dutch Bros. restaurant was used for parking; since this parking will not be available this year, the Applicant has accommodated all required parking spaces for the proposed Pumpkin Patch within the northwest corner of the above site plan.  Pursuant to La Habra Municipal Code Section 18.14.060.B.5, the event is required, and the Applicant has provided, 20 onsite customer parking spaces. Additional parking within the Del Taco parking lot is shown on the site plan for context only. As in previous years, customers will access the proposed Pumpkin Patch from Beach Boulevard, via the driveway located at the southeast corner of the Del Taco property, through the Del Taco drive aisle, to an entrance located at the southwest corner of the Del Taco property. The Applicant has an agreement with the owner of the Del Taco for this access. 

Analysis
The proposed project is before the Planning Commission pursuant to La Habra Municipal Code (LHMC) Section 18.06.040.A and the Special Event Policy Guidelines. The Guidelines classify the proposed activity as a Large Special Event due to the use of inflatable rides and bouncers, as well as the duration for the event, which is more than four consecutive days. Large Special Events require notification to property owners within 300 feet and consideration by the Planning Commission. Conditions of approval from previous pumpkin patch events have been carried over and placed on the requested permit. These conditions have been designed to mitigate and address potential impacts such as noise, light glare, and cleanup and maintenance of the property. The event operator has complied with the conditions of approval from previous years and no issues were reported for the most recent event, held in 2023.

Related Cases:

The applicant has paid for the processing costs associated with the Special Event Permit, which totals $943.00.

The Applicant’s proposal has been reviewed pursuant to the requirements of the City’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Permit, the Local Implementation Plan (LIP), and the Model Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP), Section 7.2. Since no disturbance of soil will occur, the project is exempted by the Water Quality Ordinance from the preparation of a WQMP.
 

The proposed event is related to the following General Plan policies:

The proposed event is related to the following City Council Goal and Objectives: