FROM:
Engineering
TITLE:
Title
Master Case No. 22-050, Zoning Code Amendment No. 22-003; a resolution of the Planning Commission of the City of Fontana, California, recommending that the City Council adopt an ordinance approving Zoning Code Amendment (ZCA) No. 22-003 amending Chapter 30 of the Fontana Municipal Code Article X, General Landscape Requirements.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Based on the information contained in this staff report, staff recommends that the Planning Commission adopt Resolution PC No. 2022-___ and forward a recommendation to the City Council to:
1. Determine that the project is categorically exempt, respectively from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Guidelines Section 15061(B)(3) (the common-sense exemption) and, alternatively, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15307 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of Natural Resources) and 15308 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment), and Section No. 3.22 of the 2019 Local Guidelines for Implementing CEQA; and,
2. Adopt an Ordinance approving Zoning Code Amendment (ZCA) No. 22-003 to amend Chapter 30, Article X (General Landscape Requirements) of the Municipal Code to update the citywide landscape as shown in the Attachment No. 1 as referenced herein.
APPLICANT:
City of Fontana
8353 Sierra Avenue
Fontana, California 92335
LOCATION:
City Wide
REQUEST:
A proposed Zoning Code Amendment (ZCA No. 22-00) to amend Chapter 30 of the Fontana Municipal Code, Article X, regarding General Landscape Requirements. The Planning Commission will review and forward a recommendation to the City Council for the proposed Zoning Code Amendment.
PROJECT PLANNER:
Shannon J. Casey, AICP, Senior Engineer
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In 2015, the City of Fontana adopted Ordinance No. 1734 amending Article IV of Chapter 28 of the Fontana Municipal Code regarding landscaping and water conservation. This ordinance is referred to as the Model Water Efficiency Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) and was mandated by the State of California. Adoption of this ordinance as required created inconsistencies with other landscaping policies and ordinances in effect at the time that were created or adopted prior to state-mandated water efficiency efforts.
In 2018, the City of Fontana was granted $240,000 from the Southern California Association of Governments to complete an Urban Greening Landscape Plan.
In 2019 the Zoning and Development Code was updated to reflect the newly adopted Fontana Forward General Plan; however, Article X, General Landscape Requirements was not updated at that time
The Urban Greening Landscape Plan was completed in 2020 and included implementation measures to assist the City of Fontana to improve water efficiency, air quality, and to assist bringing regulatory consistency among existing landscape policies and ordinances. One recommended implementation measure is to update the Zoning and Development Code’s landscape standards for consistency with water efficient landscape requirements and include a tree palette to assist residents and developers in choosing appropriate trees for Fontana’s climate and maximize water efficiency.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The proposed project is an amendment to the City’s Zoning and Development Code to update Article X - General Landscape Requirements.
ANALYSIS:
The following is a summary of the amendments to Article X:
A. Reorder of sections making the Article easier to navigate for residents, developers, and staff;
B. Add definitions;
C. Clarify limits when a landscape plan check is required;
D. Provide consistency between the Article and other policies and ordinances including the adopted MWELO, Active Transportation Plan, Industrial Commerce Center Sustainability Ordinance, and others;
E. Codify landscape related policies already in place such as MS4 Permit Low Impact Development (LID) measures, use of artificial turf, and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) standards; and,
F. Increase the City’s tree canopy coverage
This proposed amendment fulfills one of the implementation measures recommended in the recently completed City of Fontana Urban Greening Landscape Plan. It is anticipated that proposed changes will facilitate water efficiency, an increased tree canopy, and assist in fulfilling goals already existing in other plans, policies, and ordinances relating to landscape design.
MOTION:
Approve Staff’s Recommendation
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Planning Commission Resolution
2. Notice of Exemption
3. Public Hearing Notice
UNDER SEPARATE COVER:
1. Draft Tree Palette
2. Urban Greening Landscape Plan