Ordinance Number 1118
1
ORDINANCE NO. 1118
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO,
CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE KINOSHITA FARM SPECIFIC PLAN (SP-
85-01) THROUGH CODE AMENDMENT (CA 18-005) TO CLARIFY THAT
ALL THE CURRENT FARM OPERATIONS, ACTIVITIES AND
STRUCTURES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ECOLOGY CENTER ARE
PERMITTED FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 32701 ALIPAZ STREET
(APN 121-190-57) AND A FINDING THAT SAID ACTION IS
CATEGORICALLY EXEMPT FROM CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY ACT (CEQA) PURSUANT TO STATE CEQA GUIDELINES
SECTIONS 15301 AND 15303 (APPLICANT: THE ECOLOGY CENTER,
ANDREW SIEGER)
WHEREAS, the Ecology Center, through representative Andrew Sieger, has
requested approval of CA 18-005 to clarify that all the current farm operations, activities
and structures associated with The Ecology Center are permitted by the Specific Plan 85-
01 Kinoshita Farm, which governs the 28-acre City-owned Kinoshita Farm property
located at 32701 Alipaz Street (APN 121-190-57). The subject property, generally located
at the northwest corner of Alipaz Street and Camino Del Avion, has a General Plan Land
Use Designation of Agri-Business and a Zoning Designation of Specific Plan (SP) 85-01;
and,
WHEREAS, the City of San Juan Capistrano is the owner of real property located
at 32701 Alipaz Street (APN 121-190-57); and,
WHEREAS, the proposed project has been processed pursuant to Section 9-
2.301, Development Review of the Land Use Code; and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 21067 of the Public Resources Code, and,
Section 15367 of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Guidelines (Cal.
Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15000 et seq.), the City of San Juan Capistrano is the lead agency
for the proposed Project; and,
WHEREAS, the City's Environmental Administrator has determined that the project
is categorically exempt per State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, Existing Facilities
(Class 1), and in the alternative, State CEQA Guidelines Section 15303, New
Construction (Class 3); and,
WHEREAS, the City Council has considered the Environmental Administrator's
determination pursuant to Section 15061 of the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA), has considered all project environmental documentation; and,
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission conducted a duly-noticed public hearing on
February 28, 2024, pursuant to Title 9, Land Use Code, Section 9-2.302 to consider public
testimony on the proposed project and has considered all relevant public comments and
CA18-005
Ordinance 1118 April 16, 2024
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all documents and evidence submitted, including but not limited to the staff report and
attachments, and materials submitted by the Applicant; and,
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission, at its February 28, 2024, meeting,
recommended that the City Council approve the request with additional amendment
language regarding limits on the number of temporary employees/seasonal workers that
can reside on the property and requiring that the caretakers residence and any
temporary/seasonal living quarters be designed with agrarian or farmhouse architecture
and be architecturally compatible with existing structures onsite; and,
WHEREAS, all other legal prerequisites to the adoption of this Resolution have
occurred; and,
WHEREAS, on April 2, 2024, the City Council held a duly noticed public hearing
to consider this Ordinance and the Project and, following receipt of all written and oral
public comments, the City Council closed the public hearing, considered the evidence
presented, and deliberated.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN JUAN
CAPISTRANO DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council of the City of San Juan Capistrano hereby finds and
determines that all of the above Recitals are true and correct and incorporates such
Recitals into this Ordinance as if fully set forth herein.
SECTION 2. CEQA. Based upon its review of the entire record before it, the City
Council of the City of San Juan Capistrano hereby finds that pursuant to the California
Environmental Quality Act and the State CEQA Guidelines that the Project is exempt from
further review under State CEQA Guidelines, Section 15301, Existing Facilities (Class 1),
and in the alternative, State CEQA Guidelines Section 15303, New Construction (Class
3).A Class 1 exemption applies to the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing,
licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical
equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or
former use. Here, the proposed project will update the Kinoshita Farm Specific Plan so
that all existing uses on the property are clearly identified as permitted within the zoning
document. This is a minor code amendment to resolve allowance inconsistencies that
involve negligible or no expansion of existing use. Accordingly, the project falls within the
Class 1 exemption. In the alternative, a Class 3 exemption applies to construction and
location of a limited number of new small structures including accessory structures such
as 1,000 square foot maintenance structures, greenhouses, and sprung/tension
structures. Lastly, no exceptions to the exemption in State CEQA Guidelines, Section
15300.2 apply. The City Council hereby directs staff to prepare, execute and file with the
Orange County Clerk-Recorder a notice of exemption within five (5) working days of the
approval of this Ordinance.
CA18-005
Ordinance 1118 April 16, 2024
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SECTION 3. Findings for Approval of Code Amendment 18-005. The City Council
does hereby make the following findings as established by Section 9-2.309(e) of Title 9,
Land Use Code of the City of San Juan Capistrano:
(1) The proposed Land Use Code Amendment conforms with the goals and policies
of the General Plan because the proposed amendments retain the farming
operation use and ensures that all activities are related to the production and sales
of agricultural crops as identified within the Agri-Business Land Use Designation
description. Further, it provides for the fulfilment of the General Plan’s goals and
policies, including Land Use Goal 4, which provides, “Preserve major areas of
open space and natural features”; and with Cultural Resources Goal 1, which
provides, “Preserve and protect historical, archaeological, and paleontological
resources.” The proposed Land Use Code Amendment will allow for the ongoing
stewardship of the Ecology Center to use and preserve the ongoing farming
operation while educating and encouraging sustainable farming and production of
farm to table operations in furtherance of Land Use Goal 4 and Cultural Resource
Goal 1.
(2) The proposed Land Use Code amendment is necessary to implement the General
Plan and to provide for public safety, convenience and/or general welfare because
the proposed amendment achieves the goals and policies of the General Plan for
the reasons listed above.
(3) The proposed Land Use Code amendment conforms with the intent of the
Development Code and is consistent with all other related provisions thereof
because it provides, specifically, that the existing and future land uses must
conform to the Specific Plan.
(4) The proposed Land Use Code amendment is reasonable and beneficial at this time
because the Specific Plan will memorialize and clarify all of the existing land uses
on the property.
SECTION 4. Kinoshita Farm Specific Plan (SP) 85-01.
The proposed amendment to Kinoshita Farm Specific Plan 85-01, and bearing the
file number as follows:
Code Amendment (CA) 18-005
is hereby approved, and hereby adopted by the City Council and incorporated as part of
this Ordinance as Exhibit A.
SECTION 5. Severability.
If any section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of
this Ordinance or any part hereof is for any reason held to be invalid, such invalidity shall
not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance or any part hereof. The
City Council of the City of San Juan Capistrano hereby declares that it would have passed
each section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase hereof,
CA18-005
Ordinance 1118 April 16, 2024
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irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, subdivisions,
paragraphs, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid.
SECTION 6. Publication.
The City Clerk is hereby directed to cause the following summary of this Ordinance
to be published by two (2) insertions in the Capistrano Valley News, a newspaper of
general circulation that is printed, published, and circulated in the City of San Juan
Capistrano.
SECTION 7. Effective Date.
This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after its adoption. The City Clerk
shall attest to the adoption of this Ordinance and shall cause this Ordinance to be posted
and published in the manner required by law.
SECTION 8. Location and Custodian of Records.
The documents and materials that constitute the record of proceedings on which
this Ordinance is based are located at the City Clerk’s office located at 32400 Paseo
Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano, California 92675. The custodian of these records is the
City Clerk.
SECTION 9. City Clerk's Certification.
The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Ordinance and cause the same
to be posted at the duly designated posting places within the City and published once
within fifteen (15) days after passage and adoption as required by law; or, in the
alternative, the City Clerk may cause to be published a summary of this Ordinance and a
certified copy of the text of this Ordinance shall be posted in the Office of the City Clerk
five (5) days prior to the date of adoption of this Ordinance; and, within fifteen (15) days
after adoption, the City Clerk shall cause to be published the aforementioned summary
and shall post a certified copy of this Ordinance, together with the vote for and against
the same, in the Office of the City Clerk.
PASSED APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 16th day of April, 2024.
SERGIO FARIAS, MAYOR
ATTEST:
CHRISTY JAKL, ACTING CITY CLERK
CA18-005
Ordinance 1118 April 16, 2024
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STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss.
CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO )
I, CHRISTY JAKL, Acting City Clerk of the City of San Juan Capistrano, do hereby certify
that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of Ordinance No. 1118 which was regularly
introduced and placed upon its first reading at the Regular Meeting of the City Council on
the 2nd day of April 2024 and that thereafter, said Ordinance was duly adopted and
passed at the Regular Meeting of the City Council on the 16th day of April 2024 by the
following vote, to wit:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Hart, Taylor, Campbell, Bourne and Mayor Farias
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None
_____________________________________
CHRISTY JAKL, ACTING CITY CLERK
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING
CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO )
I, CHRISTY JAKL, declare as follows:
That I am the duly appointed and qualified City Clerk of the City of San Juan Capistrano;
That in compliance with State laws, Government Code section 36933(1) of the State of
California, on the 11th day of April 2024, at least 5 days prior to the adoption of the
ordinance, I caused to be posted a certified copy of the proposed ordinance entitled:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO,
CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE KINOSHITA FARM SPECIFIC PLAN (SP-
85-01) THROUGH CODE AMENDMENT (CA 18-005) TO CLARIFY THAT
ALL THE CURRENT FARM OPERATIONS, ACTIVITIES AND
STRUCTURES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ECOLOGY CENTER ARE
PERMITTED FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 32701 ALIPAZ STREET (APN
121-190-57) AND A FINDING THAT SAID ACTION IS CATEGORICALLY
EXEMPT FROM CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)
PURSUANT TO STATE CEQA GUIDELINES SECTIONS 15301 AND 15303
(APPLICANT: THE ECOLOGY CENTER, ANDREW SIEGER)
CA18-005
Ordinance 1118 April 16, 2024
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This document was posted in the Office of the City Clerk
________________________________
CHRISTY JAKL, ACTING CITY CLERK
San Juan Capistrano, California
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING
CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO )
I, CHRISTY JAKL, declare as follows:
That I am the duly appointed and qualified City Clerk of the City of San Juan Capistrano;
that in compliance with State laws, Government Code section 36933(1) of the State of
California.
On the 18th of April 2024, I caused to be posted a certified copy of Ordinance No. 1118,
adopted by the City Council on April 16, 2024, entitled:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CALIFORNIA,
AMENDING THE KINOSHITA FARM SPECIFIC PLAN (SP-85-01)
THROUGH CODE AMENDMENT (CA 18-005) TO CLARIFY THAT ALL THE
CURRENT FARM OPERATIONS, ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURES
ASSOCIATED WITH THE ECOLOGY CENTER ARE PERMITTED FOR
PROPERTY LOCATED AT 32701 ALIPAZ STREET (APN 121-190-57) AND
A FINDING THAT SAID ACTION IS CATEGORICALLY EXEMPT FROM
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) PURSUANT TO
STATE CEQA GUIDELINES SECTIONS 15301 AND 15303 (APPLICANT:
THE ECOLOGY CENTER, ANDREW SIEGER)
This document was posted in the Office of the City Clerk
________________________________
CHRISTY JAKL, ACTING CITY CLERK
San Juan Capistrano, California
EXHIBIT A
SPECIFIC PLAN 85-01
KINOSHITA FARM
Adopted January 7, 1986 (City Council Resolution
86-1-7-03)
Amended October 18, 1994 (City Council Resolution
94-10-18-03)
Amended January 16, 2024 (Ordinance 1115)
Amended April 16, 2024 (Ordinance 1118)
City of San Juan Capistrano
32400 Paseo Adelanto
San Juan Capistrano, California 92675
(949) 443-6331
City of San Juan Capistrano
Specific Plan 85-01, Kinoshita 2
1. Purpose and Intent - The purpose and intent of this Specific Plan is to provide
for the precise regulation of land uses in order to facilitate implementation of
the General Plan regarding agricultural preservation and community park use for
a 28-acre Kinoshita Farm Property located at the northwest corner of Camino
Del Avion and Alipaz Street (APN: 121-190-57).
Furthermore, the purpose of this Plan is to implement the policies and
recommendations of the Open Space Master Plan adopted by the City Council
on June 2, 1992, with respect to Kinoshita Farm.
2. Agricultural Land Uses - The following regulations apply to all areas designated
"4.2, Agri-business" by the General Plan Land Use Map:
A. Principal Uses Permitted (Agricultural preserve)
(1) Farming. All types of agricultural, horticulture, and sustainable farming
operations that occur between sunrise and sunset, including the
following associated activities provided that they are clearly ancillary
to the primary farming use:
i. The processing of farm products grown on and off the property for
onsite or off-site sales;
ii. The keeping, raising and breeding of rabbits, chickens and other
fowl for egg production sales (on-site or off-site) and manure
production for use on the property (shall be located at least 300’
from adjacent residential property);
iii. Educational activities related to farming, agricultural, horticultural,
and sustainability, including but not limited to tours of the farming
operations, and private classes on farming/food processing;
iv. Retail sales of farm products;
v. Concession stands and/or cafes, including the sale of beer and
wine;
vi. Evening farm dinner events which include the service of beer and
wine, provided farm products grown or processed on the site are
served, the events end by 10:00 p.m. and no more than thirty-six
(36) per year;
vii. Up to 6 farm celebration events per calendar with the service of
beer and wine, provided the City is notified at least 30 calendar
days in advance of each event (events such as wedding
ceremonies, private parties, or concerts are prohibited);
viii. Artist exhibits studio, showcasing and sustainable art for sale;
ix. Outdoor art installations which provide imagery related to
agricultural, horticultural, or sustainable farming; and,
x. Up to a maximum of six seasonal or temporary employees
associated with the agricultural operations residing on the
property.
City of San Juan Capistrano
Specific Plan 85-01, Kinoshita 3
(2) One principal residential dwelling, to be used as a caretakers
residence;
(3) Community garden plots;
(4) Administrative offices related to management of the agricultural
preserve;
(5) Public skatepark and related facilities and improvements including
restrooms, play structure, shade structures and landscaping;
(6) Public trail;
(7) Any use not specifically listed in this Specific Plan shall be regarded
as not being a permitted use, except as provided for in Municipal
Code Section 9-3.203 Unlisted uses.
B. Accessory Uses and Structures in Support of the Principle Uses Permitted
The structures listed in this section may be established without the need to
obtain planning approval of an Architectural Control or Site Plan Review
provided: 1) the appropriate Building Permits are obtained; 2) the
structures are permitted through execution of a License Agreement with
the City of San Juan Capistrano that governs the property; 2) the structures
are at least 50’ from the Historic Congdon House or contributing water
tower structure; and, 3) the structures do not reduce or impact agricultural
farming land.
(1) Permanent or temporary stands primarily for the sale of agricultural
products produced either on the premises, or on other agricultural
preservation areas;
(2) A caretakers residential structure and a maximum of six temporary or
seasonal employee living quarters , including those of conventional
construction and modular units. Residential units to be designed with
agrarian or farmhouse architecture and be architecturally compatible
with existing structures onsite;
(3) Maintenance and storage facilities, including barns and shipping
containers, provided each structure does not exceed 1,000 square
feet;
(4) Parking facilities;
(5) Green houses;
City of San Juan Capistrano
Specific Plan 85-01, Kinoshita 4
(6) Sprung or tension fabric structures and shelters;
(7) Live entertainment and/or amplified sound is permitted provided
sound level does not exceed the applicable noise limits established
by the San Juan Capistrano Land Use Code.
C. Development Standards
The following standards are derived from the A (Agri-Business) Zoning
District, as set forth in Section 9-3.305 of the Municipal Code:
Minimum Lot Area: 10 acres
Minimum Street Frontage: 200 feet
Minimum Front Yard Setback: 150 feet
Minimum Side Yard Setback: 20 feet
Minimum Rear Yard Setback: 50 feet
Maximum 1st Floor/Lot Area Ratio: 0.10
Maximum 2nd Floor / 1st Floor Ratio: 75%
Maximum Building Height: 35 feet
3. Amendment of Specific Plan
Pursuant to Section 9-3.317 (f) of the Municipal Code, Specific or Precise Plans
for the Specific Plan/Precise Plan (SP/PP) District shall be subject to the
development review process and shall be adopted and amended in the same
manner provided for a Comprehensive Development Plan as set forth in Section
9-3.315(d), Planned Community (PC) District.
4. Supplemental District Regulations
The Supplemental District Regulations of Article 5 in Chapter 3 of Title 9 (signs,
parking, fence regulations, etc.) of the Municipal Code shall apply to this Specific
Plan. However, specific supplementary district regulations adopted as part of the
Specific Plan shall supersede such Article 5 in Chapter 3 of Title 9 of the
Municipal Code.
5. Issues Not Addressed
In cases where a standard, regulation, or other issue is not addressed in
this Specific Plan, the appropriate provision of Title 9 of the Municipal Code shall
apply.