2004 RES R-129-04 - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 The Subject Site has, for more than 100 years been used in support of various railroad operations.(See EIR page 4-3) In fact a portion of the Subject Site is comprised of a portion of an active Union Pacific rail yard where transloading of rail cars has occurred for many years. Further, a number of rail spurs run throughout the Subject Site and connect to main railroad lines offsite. (See EIR page 4-3) The Subject Site will continue to be used for transloading activities. These generally involve the unloading of goods and materials from rail cars onto waiting trucks and other cargo vehicles. .(See page 2 - 4 of August 24, 2004 Agenda Report; EIR page 4-3) Thus, the zoning, location and use of the Subject Site (i.e. property zoned "Heavy Industry" with direct access to a railroad yard and lines) is such that transloading will continue to be a primary activity. The Subject Site is relatively flat, ranging in elevation from 964 feet in elevation to 955 feet in elevation from west to east. (See EIR page 4-3) Consequently. any fencing cannot take advantage of topographic differences in elevation to screen the activities occurring inside. The nearest residential property is located west of the Subject Site. (See EIR Exhibit 4-1) Section 18.52.040 of the Colton Municipal Code provides that no storage shall be visible above the height of fencing. The Subject Site's location, surroundings and use of the adjacent railroad yard for transloading necessarily requires the storage of cargo unloaded from rail cars. In addition, the Subject Site will be used as metal shredder facility with additional storage. As a result, and in order to properly screen the transloading and shredder activities and the storage necessitated by transloading and shredding from surrounding properties and the street, it is necessary to construct fencing along the southerly property line of the Subject Site. Further, such fencing must be high enough to screen the aforementioned activities in order to comply with Section 18.52.040 of the Colton Municipal Code. This can only be accomplished if the proposed wall along the southerly property line is constructed at a sufficient height to screen these activities and storage from the street. A height of 13 feet (8 -foot wall and 5 -foot landscaped berm) has been proposed by the Applicant. The Planning Commission finds that such height is necessary because such a barrier will adequately screen the transloading activities from nearby residential property and, more importantly, from motorists traveling along East "M" Street. In addition the height of the proposed wall will contribute to the reduction of noise emanating from the project activities and the adjacent Union Pacific rail road line. Approval of the Major Variance will not constitute a grant of special privilege inconsistent with the limitations imposed on other properties in the same vicinity and zone because no property in the vicinity has direct access to the Union Pacific Rail lines for the purpose of conducting transloading activities. (See EIR Exhibit 4-1) B. The City Council further finds that the Major Variance is granted subject to the use of berming and landscaping in order to incorporate the Project into the surrounding neighborhood and make it compatible with the streetscape and surrounding uses. SECTION 5. In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the City's Local CEQA Guidelines, an EIR has been prepared. The City Council has considered the information contained in the EIR and mitigation monitoring and reporting program prepared for the Applications in compliance with the CEQA and the City's CEQA Guidelines and hereby approves and adopts the EIR as stated in Resolution No. R-130-04. SECTION 6. Effective Date. adoption by the City Council. RVPUB\MXM\684167.1 This Resolution shall become effective upon -5-