This project was reviewed pursuant to the guidelines of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and determined to be Categorically Exempt pursuant to Section 15303(c), Class 3: "New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures" of the CEQA Guidelines. The project involves the construction of additional gasoline dispensers and a 6,900 square foot addition to the overhead canopy of an existing automobile service station, which will not exceed the 10,000 square foot threshold for new development within an urbanized area. The use is existing and the site is zoned for commercial uses. All necessary public services and facilities are available and the surrounding area is not environmentally sensitive.

A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA, CALIFORNIA, MAKING THE REQUIRED FINDINGS AND APPROVING DESIGN REVIEW 21-04 AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 21-02 FOR THE EXPANSION AND CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE COSTCO AUTOMOBILE SERVICE STATION AT 103 NORTH BEACH BOULEVARD, AS PER THE APPROVED PLANS AND SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS AND MAKING THE DETERMINATION THAT THE PROJECT IS EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15303(C), CLASS 3: "NEW CONSTRUCTION OR CONVERSION OF SMALL STRUCTURES" OF THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT GUIDELINES

The Applicant, Costco Wholesale ("Costco"), is requesting to expand their existing automobile service station ("gas station"), located at 103 North Beach Boulevard. The subject 14.49 acre property is developed with a 149,787 square-foot Costco Warehouse and a gas station; this request involves modifications to the gas station only. The General Plan designates the property for Community Shopping Center 2 land use, and it is located within the La Habra Boulevard Specific Plan (SP-1) Zone, with a Community Shopping Center 2 designation.

As shown in Exhibit 1, the subject property is located at the northwest corner of La Habra Boulevard and Beach Boulevard. The property to the north is improved with the Whittier Christian High School; the properties to the east, across Beach Boulevard, are improved with El Portal Elementary School and a commercial shopping center; the properties to the south, across La Habra Boulevard, are improved with single family homes and a commercial shopping center and the properties to the west are improved with single family homes and an apartment complex. The existing Costco gas station, located at the southeast corner of the property, currently operates with eight, two-sided multi-fuel dispensers (16 fueling positions) located under a 3,840 square foot canopy. The Applicant is proposing to install an additional seven, two-sided multi-fuel dispensers in order to increase the number of fueling positions to 30 fueling positions, and enlarge the overhead canopy to 10,740 square feet. To accommodate the expanded fueling positions and canopy, the Applicant is also proposing minor re-configuration of the parking lot to ensure adequate on-site circulation. 

EXHIBIT 1 - AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH



In 2018, the Planning Commission approved an expansion of the subject automobile service station under Design Review 18-11, Conditional Use Permit 18-16 and Modification 18-01. The 2018 expansion project allowed the 16 fueling positions to be increased to 22 fueling positions and the 3,840 square foot canopy to be enlarged to 6,304 square feet. Although a time extension was approved on December 9, 2019, to allow the project to remain active, the project approvals expired on December 9, 2020, due to inactivity.
 
In May 2021, the Applicant submitted a subsequent request to expand the gas station to 24 fueling positions and increase the size of the canopy to approximately 8,000 square feet. The proposed project also included modifications to the drive aisles and landscape planters located near the gas station. Overall a total of six parking spaces were proposed to be removed. This project was presented to the Planning Commission on November 8, 2021, and December 13, 2021, but was continued each time at the request of the Applicant to a date uncertain.

On April 24, 2023, the Planning Commission was scheduled to review a subsequent request to expand the gas station to 30 fueling positions and increase the size of the canopy to approximately 10,740 square feet. However, at the request of the Applicant, the Commission continued the items to date uncertain in order to allow the Applicant additional time to further refine the project plans, finalize the Water Quality Management Plan and consult with staff on the potential conditions of approval.

On July 20, 2023, the Applicant re-submitted their project plans, however, the plans were delayed from being scheduled for Planning Commission because the Applicant requested more time to review the draft conditions of approval. At this time the Applicant is ready to move forward with Planning Commission review of the proposed project.

As shown in Exhibits 2 and 3 below, the proposed project would extend the fueling area west into the existing parking lot, which will necessitate the removal of a total of 23 parking spaces, and the addition of one new drive aisle opening. Exhibit 2 shows the impacted parking areas highlighted in red and the expanded canopy and fueling positions highlighted in blue.  The parking lot modifications include a section of the two-way drive aisle located northwest of the canopy to be modified to prohibit north-south customer vehicle traffic by reducing its width from approximately 33 feet wide to 25 feet wide. The drive aisle would be labeled and striped for fuel tanker truck access only. The parking area located east of the modified drive aisle for tanker truck access, will include two new parking spaces for a net loss of 21 total parking spaces. Further west of the modified drive aisle, a new 30-foot wide opening/drive aisle would be created with the removal of eight parking spaces to allow north-south vehicle traffic to enter the main parking lot area west of the service station. In addition, two landscape planters and a total of 12 parking spaces within the two parking areas located directly west of the fueling station would be removed in order to enlarge the vehicle queuing area. A landscape planter located near the southeast driveway entrance would be modified to allow for improved vehicle and tanker truck circulation.

While a total net loss of 21 parking spaces is needed in order to ensure onsite circulation, the existing site has 704 parking spaces which exceeds the required minimum of 601 parking spaces. The Zoning Code also requires seven percent of the parking lot area to be landscaped. Although the proposed project would result in a net loss of 359 square feet of parking lot landscape area and the removal of eleven trees, a total of eleven trees will be replanted onsite, and the project site will continue to provide over 62,547 square feet of onsite landscape area or 14 percent of the parking lot area. The project includes a condition that requires the submittal of landscape and irrigation plans to address the proposed parking lot modifications near the service station and also address the substitution of the ground cover materials within the landscape planters found onsite within the warehouse parking lot area.  Exhibit 2 shows the impacted parking areas highlighted in red and the expanded canopy and fueling positions highlighted in blue.  

EXHIBIT 2 - EXPANSION AREA




EXHIBIT 3 - SITE PLAN




The proposed canopy design provides 28 feet of separation between each fuel dispenser. The gas station would continue to operate with a single direction vehicle circulation pattern and a full length bypass lane between each dispenser island. The revised design results in eight fueling lanes, with the first six lanes accommodating up to four vehicles, and the southerly two lanes accommodating three vehicles. The existing 3,840 square foot, overhead canopy is proposed to be enlarged to 10,740 square feet. An existing ancillary fuel controller enclosure located near the south side of the canopy is proposed to be removed and replaced with a similar controller enclosure that includes a small storage space to be placed approximally 25 feet to the east of its current location, near the south side of the property. Similar to the existing enclosure, the replacement enclosure is proposed to be painted a beige color to match the color of the canopy, as shown in Exhibit 4.

EXHIBIT 4 - CONTROLLER ENCLOSURE


The new expanded canopy will include a hipped roof design with clay roof tiles, metal wrapped fascia with a cornice trim and supporting columns consisting of both metal and masonry wrapping, as shown in Exhibit 5. Overall, the materials and colors will continue to match the warehouse building and the existing gas station canopy.

EXHIBIT 5 - CANOPY ELEVATION PLAN



The Costco Warehouse store operates Monday to Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; and, Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The automobile service station presently operates Monday through Friday, from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Saturday, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday, from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The automobile service station will continue to have a service attendant on duty during the hours of operation. No changes are proposed to the hours of operation for the store or the automobile service station.

Vehicle Trips/Queuing Analysis
Staff evaluated a Trip Generation and Queuing report, prepared by Kittelson & Associates, dated July 15, 2022, and revised on March 4, 2022. The Trip Generation analysis in the report forecasts the La Habra location to generate a net of 33 additional vehicle trips during the weekday PM peak and 55 additional vehicle trips on a Saturday midday peak. Therefore, the traffic generated by the project would be minimal, and no mitigation is required. Moreover, the project is not subject to the preparation of a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) analysis based on the VMT methodologies formulated by the North Orange County Cities (NOCC) SB 743 Implementation Study. Pursuant to the NOCC VMT Screening and Testing Tool, local serving retail uses less than 50,000 square feet are screened out from a VMT analysis and are presumed to have a less than significant transportation impact.

One of the Applicant's goals of the proposed project is to reduce vehicle queue wait times. The same Trip Generation and Queuing report recorded a maximum queue of 62 vehicles during the weekday PM peak period and 51 vehicles during a Saturday midday peak period, at the subject location. The report also analyzed five other Costco facilities; four in California and one in Arizona, that experienced a substantial reduction in vehicle queues after an expansion. Utilizing observed data from other Costco gas station expansion projects and applying it to the La Habra site, the report anticipates that queuing times will be cut almost in half with the proposed project. This translates to a queue reduction from 62 vehicles to 28 vehicles during the weekday PM peak and from 51 vehicles to 28 vehicles during the Saturday midday peak hour. 

The conditions of approval for the proposed project include a project specific condition that requires the Applicant to analyze vehicle queuing lengths and onsite circulation after the proposed project is completed to evaluate the effects of queuing within the driveway entrances on La Habra Boulevard. The condition requires the Applicant to address any safety concerns regarding vehicles queuing onto La Habra Boulevard. If safety concerns arise, the Applicant will be required to remove the driveway entrance located near the gasoline fueling station and improve the area with a new sidewalk and onsite landscaping. City staff will continue to work with the Applicant to address all public safety concerns.

Design Review 21-04
Pursuant to LHMC Section 18.44.050.F.1.c all new development, major remodeling and additions that add to the floor area within the SP-1 Zone are subject to a Design Review by the Planning Commission in accordance with Chapter 18.68 of the LHMC. Pursuant to Section 18.68.050, in order to grant approval of the Design Review, the Planning Commission must make the findings listed below. Staff has provided justification in support of each of the following findings:

The project site is designated by the General Plan for Community Shopping Center 2 land use, which is characterized by a variety of commercial uses serving the larger citywide area, as well as the immediate surrounding communities. Typical uses include a principal outlet or anchor that includes a variety store, supermarket, or home improvement store and a range of food, convenience goods, and specialty retail/merchandise commercial uses. The project scope only includes the expansion of the gasoline station to better serve the community. The project is consistent with General Plan Policy LU 11.2 which provides "for the concentration of commercial uses in nodes along arterial corridors in a manner that provides for improved commercial services to the community, maximizes revenue generation, and improves the balance of jobs and housing." Moreover, the proposed plan is also consistent with General Plan Policy LU 4.1, which requires "development [to be] located and designed to assure compatibility among land uses, addressing such elements as building orientation and setbacks, buffering, visibility and privacy, automobile and truck access, impacts of noise and lighting, landscape quality, and aesthetics." The proposed plan was reviewed for compliance with the City's development standards including the La Habra Boulevard Specific Plan (SP-1) Zone architectural requirements. The enlarged canopy incorporates the same design, colors and materials as the existing canopy. In addition, the onsite fuel tanker truck circulation was analyzed to address potential conflicts with vehicle queuing. The proposed plan includes two onsite fuel tanker truck circulation routes to be utilized depending on the volume of vehicles within the queue. Also, a trip generation and queuing report was provided for the project that includes data from five other Costco gas station expansion projects. The data supports the finding that the project will reduce vehicle queue wait times and will not significantly contribute to peak hour trips. Therefore, the proposed plan will continue to be compatible with the area and will improve upon its fueling capacity and service, providing a continued benefit to the community which is consistent with the City's General Plan.

The project site is zoned La Habra Boulevard Specific Plan (SP-1) and designated Community Shopping Center 2. The project is in substantial conformance with the SP-1 Zone development standards including building setbacks, building floor area ratio, building height for the canopy, onsite parking and onsite landscaping. Therefore, the proposed plan is consistent with the City's Zoning Ordinance.  

The proposed plan has been designed to improve upon vehicle queue wait times, modify and improve the vehicle queuing areas including onsite vehicle circulation. In addition, staff is recommending a condition of approval for the proposed project that would require the Applicant to evaluate queue lengths and onsite circulation after construction; and, in the event that there are traffic safety concerns including vehicles backing up onto La Habra Boulevard, the Applicant would be required to work with City staff on the implementation of phased safety measures including but not limited to the approval of a Queuing Management Plan. Therefore, the proposed plan is in the best interests of the public health, safety and welfare of the community.

The nature and function of the gasoline station will remain the same, and with the proposed parking lot modifications, vehicle queues and onsite circulation will be improved. The proposed plan is in compliance with the Zoning Code; therefore, the nature of the proposed land use and the design are appropriate for the proposed location and compatible to the surrounding land uses and improvements.

This project was reviewed pursuant to the guidelines of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and determined to be Categorically Exempt pursuant to Section 15303(c), Class 3: "New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures" of the CEQA Guidelines. The project involves the construction of additional gasoline dispensers and a 6,900 square foot addition to the overhead canopy, which will not exceed the 10,000 square foot threshold for new development within an urbanized area. The project is not subject to any of the exceptions for exemption under Section 15300.2 of the CEQA Guidelines. The gas station is existing and on a site zoned for commercial uses; the location of the project is predominantly urban and not considered a sensitive environment; it is not located along any state designated scenic highway nor within any designated hazardous waste site; and staff does not expect any significant impacts or unusual circumstances related to the approval and construction of the project. Therefore, staff does not anticipate the proposed project will result in any significant environmental impact and has determined the project is exempt from CEQA.

The proposed expansion of the gas station requires approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) within the La Habra Boulevard Specific Plan (SP-1) Zone. Pursuant to LHMC Section 18.06.040.A, approval of a CUP is required for the operation of an automobile service station (i.e. a gas station). In order to grant the CUP for this request, the Planning Commission must make the findings listed below. Staff has provided justification in support of each of the following findings:

1. The granting of the Conditional Use Permit will not be detrimental to the public welfare and will not unreasonably interfere with the use, possession and enjoyment of surrounding and adjacent properties and will not impair the character of the zone in which it is to be located.
The project's purpose is to improve upon customer vehicle queuing with the construction of additional fuel dispensers and associated improvements. Based on the Trip Generation and Queuing report included as an attachment to the staff report, the requested improvements will reduce the number of vehicles within the queuing area and wait times. The analysis is based on data obtained from other Costco gas stations that have undergone an expansion similar to the proposed La Habra project. According to the analysis, a 46 to 55 percent reduction in vehicle queuing is expected, thereby maintaining vehicles' safely onsite. With the proposed improvements, the project will continue to comply with all Municipal Code requirements. Therefore, the granting of the CUP will not be detrimental to the public welfare or unreasonably interfere with the use, possession or enjoyment of surrounding and adjacent properties or impair the character of the SP-1 zone.

2. The subject site is physically suitable for the type of land use being proposed.
The gas station will continue to blend in with the surrounding area, as all fueling activities will take place on-site and will be screened with mature plants, shrubs and trees along the property perimeter. The proposed expansion has been designed to improve queuing times and address traffic flow within the larger parking lot that serves the Costco Warehouse store. As a result of these design features and operational improvements, the subject site is suitable for the type of land use proposed.

3. The use is conditionally permitted within the subject zone and complies with the intent of all applicable provisions of this title.
Pursuant to LHMC Table 18.06.040.A, an automobile service facility (i.e. gas station) located within the La Habra Boulevard Specific Plan (SP-1) zone is allowed subject to the approval of a CUP. Staff has reviewed the proposed project for compliance with all applicable development standards and found the proposed improvements to be compliant. Therefore, the proposed expanded gas station will continue to comply with the intent of all applicable provisions of the Zoning Code.

4. The granting of the Conditional Use Permit is consistent with the General Plan.

The proposed project is consistent with General Plan Policy LU 4.1 which requires "development [to be] located and designed to assure compatibility among land uses, addressing such elements as building orientation and setbacks, buffering, visibility and privacy, automobile and truck access, impacts to noise and lighting, landscape quality, and aesthetics." The project has been designed to comply with all current development standards, including vehicle queuing and fuel tanker truck access and onsite circulation. The use will remain the same, all activities will be contained onsite, and the proposed canopy will be architecturally compatible with the existing warehouse building. Therefore, granting of the CUP is consistent with the General Plan. 
 

The Applicant has paid for the processing costs associated with the Design Review, Conditional Use Permit and Continuance fee, which total $12,825.00.

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 the proposal will constitute the disturbance of more than 5,000 square feet of soil, a Priority WQMP is required. A Preliminary Priority WQMP has been reviewed and approved. The Final WQMP will be required prior to the issuance of a building permit final.

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

The proposed project is related to the following City Council Goal and Objective: Goal 5: Development Activity and Business Assistance.