Pursuant to LHMC Section 18.66.040.B (Applications—Investigation and Findings) of Chapter 18.66 (Conditional Use Permits), prior to the approval of the Conditional Use Permit, the Planning Commission must make the required findings listed below; following each finding is Staff's analysis of the proposed Project's ability to meet the required finding.

1. The proposed use 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 Site is located within the La Habra Boulevard Specific Plan (SP-1) Zone. This zone implements the La Habra Boulevard Specific Plan, which was adopted by City Council in 1988, amended thereafter in 1999, and codified in 2007 as LHMC Chapter 18.44 (SP-1 La Habra Boulevard Specific Plan Zone). LHMC Section 18.44.050.D (Vehicle Repair Standards) requires all automotive service/repair uses that existed within the SP-1 Zone on December 6, 1999, and continue to operate, to obtain a conditional use permit (CUP) by December 6, 2009. In addition, pursuant to Section 18.44.050.D.1, the uses must meet the following requirements:

J & D Tire Barn previously occupied the Project Site from 1976 to 2024, and did not obtain a CUP within the above timeframe required by Chapter 18.44; neither did Rene’s Tire Service when they began operating at the Project Site in 2024. On September 25, 2025, the Applicant submitted an application for the approval of a CUP to allow the continued operation of an automobile service/repair (Rene’s Tire Service) and a design review to remodel the building’s facade and add a 524 square-foot storage room to the existing building. The CUP will bring the existing automobile service/repair facility into conformance with design and development standards for the SP-1 Zone and also legalize the use and site improvements to a prominent automobile repair/service facility in a primary commercial corridor of the City. Therefore, the proposed use will not be detrimental to the public welfare and will not interfere with the use, possession and enjoyment of surrounding and adjacent properties and will not impair the character of the SP-1 Zone

The site has been utilized by automobile service type uses for over 75 years as it was previously occupied by a Union Oil service station from 1950 to 1976 and J & D Tire Barn from 1976 to 2024. Rene’s Tire Service, the current automobile service/repair business on the site, has been in operation since 2024. The proposed 524 square-foot storage room will be utilized for the storage of tires and other vehicle servicing equipment currently stowed throughout the rear lot of the site. The addition of this storage area will not change the operational logistics of the existing business. The CUP will bring the business into conformance with the entitlement requirement for the use in the SP-1 Zone. Aside from the nonconforming rear setback of 11 feet for the existing building, the setbacks for the 524 square-foot addition, onsite landscaping, lot coverage, parking count, and business operations are consistent with the SP-1 Zone. Therefore, the subject site is physically suitable for the 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.
 

Per Table 18.06.040.A - Land Use Matrix of the LHMC, the operation of automobile service/repair within the SP-1 Zone requires the approval of a CUP. As aforementioned, the site is currently developed with an existing commercial building that was originally constructed in 1950 and has been operating as an automotive service/repair use ever since. As outlined above, LHMC Section 18.44.050.D (Vehicle Repair Standards) requires all automotive service/repair uses that existed within the SP-1 Zone on December 6, 1999, and continue to operate, to obtain a CUP by December 6, 2009. However, the operator at that time, J & D Tire Barn, did not obtain a CUP. Thus, approval of this CUP will bring this automobile service/repair use into conformance with the development standards of the SP-1 Zone. The rear lot may still be used to store any surplus vehicle servicing equipment, however, to limit visibility of outdoor storage, a condition of approval has been included requiring that all outdoor storage to be fully screened and not exceed six feet in height. Vehicle repair services offered include tire changes, tire rotations, tire balancing, wheel/rim installations, and calibration. No removal of vehicle body panels, painting, or major engine overhaul will occur on the site. Therefore, the use is conditionally permitted within the subject zone and complies with the intent of all applicable provisions of Title 18.

The General Plan designates the Project Site for Corridor Mixed-Use 2 land use, which provides for the redevelopment of underutilized previously zoned commercial properties for a mix of multi-unit residential housing with supporting retail and service uses. Permitted uses and densities/intensities include: Multi-Unit Residential (Maximum density: 36 dwelling units per acre), Commercial (Maximum floor area ratio (FAR): 0.5), and Mixed-Use Projects (Maximum FAR: 1.5). Based on the size of the Project Site, the General Plan allows a maximum floor area of 4,468.5 square feet. The Applicant is proposing to construct a new 524 square-foot storage room, which, when combined with the existing 1,440-square-foot commercial building, results in a total floor area of 1,964 square feet, or an FAR of 0.22. 

The proposed use is also consistent with the following General Plan policies:

Design Review (DR2PH 25-0008)
Pursuant to LHMC Section 18.68.050 (Findings) of Chapter 18.68 (Design Review), prior to the approval of the Design Review, the Planning Commission must make the findings below. Each finding is followed by Staff's recommended justification to make the subject finding.
 

1. The proposed project is consistent with the City's General Plan.

The General Plan designates the Project Site for Corridor Mixed-Use 2 land use, which provides for the redevelopment of underutilized previously zoned commercial properties for a mix of multi-unit residential housing with supporting retail and service uses. Permitted uses and densities/intensities include: Multi-Unit Residential (Maximum density: 36 dwelling units per acre), Commercial (Maximum floor area ratio (FAR): 0.5), and Mixed-Use Projects (Maximum FAR: 1.5). Based on the size of the Project Site, the General Plan allows a maximum floor area of 4,468.5 square feet. The Applicant is proposing to construct a new 524-square-foot storage room, which, when combined with the existing 1,440-square-foot building, results in a total floor area of 1,964 square feet, or an FAR of 0.22.

The Project implements the following policies of the La Habra General Plan:

- As outlined above, this Project provides for the type and density of land use depicted in the Land Use Matrix.

- While the existing 1,440 square-foot building is non-conforming with respect to the SP-1 Zone’s requirement for a 20-foot rear setback, the proposed 524 square-foot addition is consistent with the SP-1 Zoning standards related to setbacks, parking, and landscaping. Further, the expansion of the facility will provide adequate space for business operations to take place fully within the buildings and not pose any excessive noise or light-related nuisances to the adjacent residences to the north and future business to the east.

- Within the SP-1 Zone, all new development, major remodeling or structural rehabilitation of more than 25 percent of the building area, and additions which result in additional floor area, are subject to Design Review by the Planning Commission. The Applicant has proposed tan stucco exterior with clay s-tile awnings, as required by the design guidelines for the La Habra Boulevard Specific Plan, to ensure a consistent and cohesive visual aesthetic on the site.

Therefore, the proposed Project is consistent with the City's General Plan.

2. The proposed project is consistent with the City's Zoning Ordinance. 

While the existing automobile service/repair building extends into the required rear setback area and is considered to be legal non-conforming, the proposed 524 square-foot addition will comply with the development standards for the SP-1 Zone, including height, setbacks, and lot coverage. The parking lot that serves the Project will be re-striped to provide 8 total parking spaces in order to serve the three vehicle bays and 80 square feet of sales/office area. Landscaping provided on the site accounts for 10 percent of the parking area, surpassing the minimum seven percent required by the LHMC. Therefore, the proposed Project is consistent with the Zoning Ordinance.

3. The proposed project is in the best interests of the public health, safety, and welfare of the community. 

The Zoning Ordinance and General Plan are tools to ensure that all projects achieve goals that promote the public health, safety, and welfare of the community. The proposed exterior remodel includes Early California Spanish style earth-tone stucco wall cladding with awnings that utilize red clay s-tiles, as envisioned in Section 18.44.060 (Design Guidelines for the La Habra Boulevard Specific Plan) of the LHMC. The overall height of the building will remain at 15 feet, well under the maximum building height of 50 feet, as permitted for all commercial developments within the SP-1 Zone. The proposed 524 square-foot storage room is an expansion of the existing automobile service/repair building on the site that will house the 12-foot tall tire racks that currently occupy much of the rear lot of the site. The location on the site where the addition is proposed will not affect the available parking, landscaping, or vehicle circulation. Staff has determined that the Project’s design provides sufficient access for public safety personnel such as Fire and Police. Therefore, the Project is in the best interests of the public health, safety, and welfare of the community.

4. For projects that are not subject to the objective design standards set forth in Chapter 18.09 of this title, the nature of the proposed land uses and the design is appropriate for the proposed location and compatible with the surrounding land uses and improvements.

The Project is located within the La Habra Boulevard Specific Plan (SP-1) Zone and the Mixed-Use (MX) Overlay Zone. Pursuant to LHMC Section 18.09.030.A, the objective design standards do not apply if the property is within a specific plan, overlay, and/or planned unit development that already implements design standards, in which case those standards prevail. Because the subject property is located within the La Habra Boulevard Specific Plan (SP-1 Zone), the objective design standards set forth in Chapter 18.09 of the La Habra Municipal Code do not apply.

The proposed 524-square-foot storage room will be an addition to the eastern side of the existing automobile service/repair building. The entire building will be refaced with a tan stucco exterior with clay s-tile awnings, which embraces the Early California Spanish Style as envisioned by the design guidelines for the La Habra Boulevard Specific Plan. Site access along Lemon Street and La Habra Boulevard will also remain as-is. The proposed exterior renovations will bring the existing automobile service/repair building into conformance with design and development standards for the SP-1 Zone and also authorize site improvements to a prominent automobile repair/service business in a primary commercial corridor of the City. Therefore, the nature of the proposed land use and the design is appropriate for the proposed location and is compatible with surrounding uses and improvements

5. The project complies with all requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act, or has been found to be exempt.

The Project was reviewed pursuant to the guidelines of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and determined to be categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15303, Class 3: “New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures” of the CEQA Guidelines. Class 3 consists of the construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures; and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure. Examples of the exemption include a store, motel, office, restaurant or similar structure not involving the use of significant amounts of hazardous substances, and noting exceed 2,500 square feet in floor area. The Project involves the continued operation of an automobile service/repair use within an existing building, the remodeling of the building’s facade, and the addition of a 524 square-foot storage room at the rear of the property located within an urbanized area. It will not involve the use of significant amounts of hazardous substances.

The Project is not subject to any of the exceptions for exemption under Section 15300.2 of the CEQA Guidelines. The location of the Project is predominantly urban and not considered a sensitive environment; therefore, the Project will not result in any significant impacts that may otherwise occur in a sensitive environmental area. The cumulative impact of this Project, and the approval of similar projects in the vicinity, is not expected to have any significant environmental impact. The Project is not located along any state-designated scenic highway nor within any designated hazardous waste site. The Project will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of any historical resource because the property is not listed on any National, California, or Local Registers. Furthermore, while the original building was constructed in 1950, the building has undergone several modifications over the years, resulting in a lack of historic integrity. Staff does not anticipate any significant impacts or unusual circumstances related to the approval and construction of this Project. Therefore, the Project is categorically exempt from CEQA.