DATE: JULY 15, 2026
TO: CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION
FROM: ANDREA GILBERT, CITY PLANNER
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RECOMMENDATION
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Approve, by motion of the Planning Commission, a one-year time extension for PL18-0057.TE06 (Special Conditional Use Permit - 6th Time Extension) and PL18-0058.TE06 (Site Approval - 6th Time Extension).
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BACKGROUND
The owner/applicant, Golden Dragon Holding Company, LLC, received approval by the Planning Commission on July 20, 2020, to develop a vacant parcel on the southside of Guardian Way, between 10th Street and Vernon Avenue with a 109,581-square foot, three-story assisted living facility consisting of 72 units (132 residents/beds) with supporting facilities on a 3.07-acre site in the RD20 (Residential 20/units per acre) zoning district.
The proposed assisted living facility consists of three buildings (Buildings A, B, and C). Buildings B and C include only living quarters, while Building A includes living quarters and the facility’s main office and several interior amenities including a dining hall, gym, game room, video rooms, and a salon. The buildings are all connected by three fully enclosed hallways in the center of the facility. In total, the buildings include 12 one-bedroom units and 60 two-bedroom units totaling 132 beds. The two-bedroom units share a common living room area with private bedrooms. All units are provided with a private restroom adjacent to each bedroom. Residents will be served three meals a day in the dining hall and will be given snacks as desired.
Pursuant to Chino Municipal Code §20.04.030(C), approval of a Special Conditional Use Permit (SCUP) was required to establish the assisted living facility use, and approval of a Site Approval (SA) was required for the physical development of the site.
ISSUES/ANALYSIS
Since the 2020 approval, the applicant has received three one-year time extensions approved by the Director of Development Services and two one-year time extensions approved by the Planning Commission in July of 2024 and 2025, as allowed by Section 20.23.080.H.4 and 20.23.090.H.3 of the City’s Zoning Code. Any subsequent time extension beyond three must be reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission. The proposed request is for approval of a sixth one-year time extension for the construction and operation of the assisted living facility (see attached Exhibit “A”). The applicant has stated that the reason for the requested time extension is due to financial constraints experienced over the last few years and difficulties obtaining the financing to construct the building. The owner has been working diligently to resolve these issues and intends to keep the project moving forward. Construction is not expected to be finalized before project entitlement expiration on July 20, 2026, and therefore the extension is requested. Despite extensive efforts to secure financing, the applicant has encountered repeated challenges due to the current scale of the proposed building. Feedback from lenders, investors, and financing partners has consistently indicated that the project's size is difficult to support given the allowable unit count and overall development. At this time the applicant is proposing to move forward with the current design approval, but in the coming months, the applicant may propose a redesign of the building from three stories to two stories and reducing the overall building area from more than 100,000 square feet to approximately 75,000-80,000 square feet. This adjustment may help align construction costs, financing requirements, and operational projections with current market conditions. Additionally, if the applicant moves forward with the modification of the project, it would be brought back before the Planning Commission for review and approval. The applicant is currently working with TMC Financing to obtain financing (see attached Exhibit “B”). If the request for the time extension is approved, approval of the SCUP and SA would expire on July 20, 2027. The only change with this time extension is the added condition of approval requiring the applicant to annex into the City’s Services Community Facilities District (CFD). See revised Engineering conditions of approval 1.22 (Exhibit “C”).
PUBLIC NOTICE
A 10-day notice was mailed to all property owners and occupants within a 300-foot radius of the project site. In addition, a notice was published in the Chino Champion on July 4, 2026. In response to public notice, no comments have been received.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The proposed project is categorically exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per Section 15332 of the guidelines - Infill Development Projects. The proposed time extension does not include any change to the Project and therefore is within the scope of the exemption, which adequately describes the activity for the purposes of CEQA. Additional environmental review is not required.