PC - 2021-04 - Recommending that the City Council adopt Ordinance No. 998 for approval of MCA 21-01, amending Title 17, Section 17.12.010.C, various Sections of 12.12.020, various sections of 17.12.030, Section 17.136.030.A PC RESOLUTION 21-04
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
ROSEMEAD, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT ORDINANCE NO.
998 FOR THE APPROVAL OF MCA 21-01, AMENDING TITLE 17
(ZONING) OF THE ROSEMEAD MUNICIPAL CODE BY ADDING
DEFINITION FOR SMALL LOT AND AMENDING THE DEFINITION FOR
LOT AREA TO SECTION 17.04.050; AMENDING SECTION 17.12.010.0
TO INCLUDE SMALL LOT SUBDIVISION IN THE R-3 ZONING
DISTRICT; AMENDING VARIOUS SECTIONS OF 17.12.020 INCLUDING
TABLE 17.12.020.1 PERTAINING TO RESIDENTIAL USES AND SMALL
LOT SUBDIVISION; AMENDING VARIOUS SECTIONS OF 17.12.030
INCLUDING TABLE 17.12.030.1 PERTAINING TO RESIDENTIAL
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS INCLUDING SMALL LOT SUBDIVISION;
ADDING SECTION 17.12.030.B.2.g FOR SMALL LOT SUBDIVISION IN
THE R-3 ZONING DISTRICT; AMENDING SECTION 17.136.030.A TO
ADD SMALL LOT SUBDIVISION IN SITE PLAN AND DESIGN REVIEW
REQUIREMENT
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 998 (the "Small Lot Ordinance") creates incentives for
infill residential development in areas zoned for multi-family to create new
homeownership opportunities to that of traditional single-family homes or condominiums;
WHEREAS, Section 17.152.060 of the Rosemead Municipal Code provides the
criteria for a Zoning Code Amendment;
WHEREAS, Sections 65854 and 65855 of the California Government Code and
Section 17.152.040 of the Rosemead Municipal Code authorizes the Planning
Commission to review and make recommendations to the City Council regarding
amendments to the City's Zoning Code;
WHEREAS, on March 25, 2021, a notice was published in the Rosemead Reader
and notices were posted at five public locations, specifying the availability of the proposal,
and the date, time, and location of the public hearing for the Small Lot Ordinance;
WHEREAS, on April 5, 2021, the Planning Commission held a duly noticed and
advertised public hearing to receive oral and written testimony relative to the Small Lot
Ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the Rosemead Planning Commission has sufficiently considered all
testimony presented to them in order to make the following determination.
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Planning Commission of the City
of Rosemead as follows:
SECTION 1. The Ordinance is not a project pursuant to California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) Guideline 15378, because the activity undertaken involves general
text amendments that would not cause either a direct physical change in the environment
or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment and does not
meet the definition of a "Project" under CEQA. The proposed Code Amendment is also
exempt from CEQA under Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because CEQA
only applies to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the
environment. As a series of text amendments concerning standards and incentives for
residential uses that are already allowed in the underlying zone, it can be seen with
certainty that there is no possibility that the ordinance will have a significant effect on the
environment.
SECTION 2. The Planning Commission HEREBY FINDS AND DETERMINES that
facts do exist to justify approving Municipal Code Amendment 21-01, in accordance with
Section 17.152.060 of the Rosemead Municipal Code as follows:
A. The proposed amendment is consistent with the General Plan and any
applicable specific plan;
FINDING: The General Plan, adopted on October 14, 2008, establishes the
framework for, "moving from the Rosemead of today toward the desired community of the
future." In doing so, the General Plan document begins with a vision, "...where people
have many options for housing, employment, shopping, and recreation." The said
Ordinance introduces a new housing opportunity aimed to encourage the construction of
smaller, more affordable infill housing to first-time buyers in an increasingly unaffordable
market. The Ordinance allows for the creation of detached townhouses on land zoned
for multi-family use (R-3 zone) where the residents may purchase the property in fee-
simple (ownership of the building and the land underneath), a process that distinguishes
Small Lot homes from traditional condominiums where the land is owned in common and
the resident owns the building. Inasmuch, the said Ordinance is consistent with a goal of
the Land Use Element to provide housing opportunities for all segments of the population.
B. The proposed amendment will not be detrimental to the public interest,
health, safety, convenience or welfare of the City; and
FINDING: The Ordinance creates a new housing opportunity for residents to own
both the townhome building and land underneath (fee-simple), where the traditional
condominium ownership of land is in common. This opportunity would increase property
value, pride in ownership, and investing in the community, and would benefit the public
interest, health, safety, convenience, and welfare of the City.
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C. The proposed amendment is internally consistent with other applicable
provisions of this Zoning Code.
FINDING: The said Ordinance would allow for Small Lot Subdivision to be created
so that townhome residents would be able to own the land underneath their building. The
Ordinance is consistent with the current development standards including the density of
the R-3 zone.
SECTION 3. The Planning Commission HEREBY RECOMMENDS City Council
adoption of Ordinance No. 998 for the approval of Municipal Code Amendment 21-01, for
the amendments of Title 17 (Zoning) of the Rosemead Municipal Code by adding a
definition for Small Lot and amending the definition for Lot area to Section 17.04.050;
amending Section 17.12.12.010.0 to include Small Lot Subdivision in the R-3 zoning
district; amending various sections of 17.12.020 including Table 17.12.020.1 pertaining
to residential uses and Small Lot Subdivision; amending various sections of 17.12.030
including Table 17.12.030.1 pertaining to residential development standards including
Small Lot Subdivision; adding Section 17.12.030.B.2.g for Small Lot Subdivision in the R-
3 zoning district; amending Section 17.136.030.A to add Small Lot Subdivision in Site
Plan and Design Review requirement.
SECTION 4. This resolution is the result of an action taken by the Planning
Commission on April 5, 2021, by the following vote:
AYES: BERRY, LEUNG, LOPEZ, AND TANG
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
SECTION 5. The Secretary shall certify to the adoption of this resolution and shall
transmit copies of same to the Rosemead City Clerk.
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this 5th day of April 2021.
Danie z, air
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CERTIFICATION
I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of a resolution adopted by the Planning
Commission of the City of Rosemead at its regular meeting, held on the 5th day of April
2021, by the following vote:
AYES: BERRY, LEUNG, LOPEZ, AND TANG
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
0 .! '1V L��,14 �L. -•
Ang Frausto-Lupo, Secretary
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Kane //e , Planning _o ssion Attorney
Burke, ill'.ms & Sorensen, LLP
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