The subject site is located on the west side of Valley View Street, south of Chapman Avenue. The properties have a General Plan Land Use designation of Residential/Commercial Mixed Use 2, and are zoned Planned Unit Development (PUD) No. PUD-104-73.  PUD-104-73 was adopted in 1973 to allow the construction of a 126-unit residential condominium (currently known as Stonegate), a 32 lane bowling alley (12141 Valley View Street), a 900 seat movie theater (12111 Valley View Street), a 7,500 square foot restaurant (12101 Valley View Street), a 3,600 square foot drive-thru restaurant (12051 Valley View Street), and a 41,850 square foot aged care facility for 120 people (5900 Chapman Avenue). 

The applicant proposes to redevelop the movie theater and the vacant restaurant properties (12101 and 12111 Valley View Street) with a 4,241 square foot automatic car wash, an 1,870 square foot drive-thru restaurant, a 2,700 square foot sit-down restaurant, a 2,846 square foot expansion to the existing movie theater, along with related site improvements.  The vacant restaurant building will be demolished to accommodate the proposed development.  In order to allow the automatic car wash, the drive-thru restaurant, and the sit-down restaurant, an amendment to PUD-104-73 is required.

The proposed project includes:

• Construction of a 4,241 square foot automatic car wash that will be operated by Fast 5 Xpress Car Wash.  The car wash will operate from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., seven days a week.  A Conditional Use Permit is required for the car wash to minimize impacts to surrounding uses.  The car wash will provide a total of twenty (20) vacuum stations for clients.

A Noise Study was prepared to evaluate the car wash’s potential noise levels as established by the City’s Noise Ordinance.  The study monitored noise levels at similar express car washes, including evaluating the noise from idling vehicles, and noise from the car wash’s compressed air nozzles, the dryer system and vacuum equipment.  The study determined that the potential noise from the proposed car wash would not exceed the City’s adopted noise levels.  The study evaluated the noise levels to the adjacent residential condominium development and to the McDonald’s restaurant drive-thru order intercom system.  The study determined that the noise level would not affect the adjacent residential condominium development nor interfere with the McDonald’s drive-thru intercom system.

• Construction of a 1,870 square foot Jack in the Box restaurant with outdoor seating.

• Construction of a 2,700 square foot in-line tenant restaurant. No tenant has been identified for the restaurant.

• Construction of a 2,846 square foot addition to the existing movie theater.  The construction includes reconfiguring existing auditoriums and increasing the total number of auditoriums from four (4) to six (6).  All the auditoriums will have stadium seating with recliner seats.  The total seating for the movie theater will decrease from 627 seats to 326 seats to accommodate the recliner seats.  In addition to interior renovations, exterior façade renovations will occur to the existing movie theater.

• The project will provide a total of 179 parking spaces in the form of 159 parking stalls and twenty (20) vehicle queuing spaces within the drive-thru lanes of the automatic car wash and the drive-thru restaurant.

On October 18, 2018, the Planning Commission held a Public Hearing to consider Planned Unit Development No. PUD-104-73 (Rev. 2018), Site Plan No. SP-057-2018, Lot Line Adjustment No. LLA-019-2018, and Conditional Use Permit No. CUP-140-2018.  At the meeting, potential noise concerns about the car wash were raised by the owner of the adjacent McDonald’s restaurant. No other persons from the public spoke about the project.  Planning Commission voted 6-0 with one Commissioner absent, and adopted Resolution No. 5931-18 recommending approval of PUD-104-73 (Rev. 2018) to the City Council.  The Planning Commission also adopted Resolution No. 5932-18 approving Site Plan No. SP-057-2018 and Lot Line Adjustment No. LLA-019-2018, and Resolution No. 5933-18 approving Conditional Use Permit No. CUP-140-2018, subject to City Council approval of PUD-104-73 (Rev. 2018).

The applicant proposes an amendment to PUD-104-73 that will amend the permitted uses to allow an automatic car wash, subject to approval of a Conditional Use Permit, a drive-thru pad restaurant, and a sit-down restaurant on the subject project site, and a modification to the sign requirements of the PUD. The introduction of the new uses will assist with the redevelopment of the site and the commercial center.  The proposed uses are compatible with the commercial uses of the PUD, which currently include a bowling alley, a movie theater, a vacant restaurant, and a McDonald’s drive-thru restaurant, as well as with the surrounding commercial uses.   

The proposed amendment will also modify the sign requirements of the PUD.   Currently, the PUD limits signage for each use to one wall sign, and only allows one pole sign for each of the four commercial tenants (the bowling alley, the movie theater, the vacant restaurant, and McDonald’s). The proposed amendment will allow signage in the PUD to comply with the total allowable signage of the C-1 zone, as well as allow a multiple-tenant sign cabinet within the existing pole sign that serves the vacant restaurant building to advertise the car wash, the pad drive-thru restaurant, and the new sit-down in-line tenant restaurant.   In addition, the movie theater building will be allowed to have new signage that includes a new tower building sign, and non-LED/non-digital movie poster board graphics to be displayed on the exterior marquee and wall display boards of the movie theater.  The proposed signage for the movie theater is typical of signage for movie theaters. 

The proposed amendment will also assist with the revitalization and redevelopment of the commercial center, which is consistent with the goals and policies of the General Plan that encourages the revitalization of aging, underused or deteriorated commercial centers; that encourages a mix of retail shops and services to better meet the needs of the area’s present and potential clientele; that encourages the City to work with property owners to revitalize deteriorated centers; that encourages appropriate signage in commercial centers; and that encourages façade renovations, enhanced parking area landscaping, and improved lighting.  The proposed amendment will allow new uses within the PUD and will update the sign requirements that will assist with the revitalization of the commercial center.

In addition, the proposed amendment will be consistent with the intent of the Planned Unit Development as the uses are diverse and compatible with the established land use designations, and will ensure that the quality of the proposed project is greater than what could be achieved through a traditional commercial zoning classification. 

No fiscal impact to the City regarding this proposed amendment.

It is recommended that the City Council:

• Conduct a Public Hearing; and

• Introduce and conduct the first reading of the attached Ordinance approving an amendment to Planned Unit Development No. PUD-104-73 (Rev. 2018), entitled: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GARDEN GROVE APPROVING PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT NO. PUD-104-73 (REV. 2018) AMENDING THE USES PERMITTED ON A PORTION OF PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT NO. PUD-104-73 TO FACILITATE DEVELOPMENT OF AN AUTOMATIC CAR WASH, A DRIVE-THRU PAD RESTAURANT, AND A SIT-DOWN RESTAURANT ON THE PARCELS LOCATED AT 12101 AND 12111 VALLEY VIEW STREET, AND AMENDING THE SIGN REQUIREMENTS OF THE PUD.

By: Maria Parra, Senior Planner