TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY OF CHINO
FROM: SWATI MESHRAM, PHD AICP, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
SUBJECT
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Introduction of Ordinance No. 2026-012 - East Chino Specific Plan Amendment (PL25-0119).
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RECOMMENDATION
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1) Conduct a public hearing; and 2) approve the introduction of Ordinance No. 2026-012, to be read by number and title only, amending the East Chino Specific Plan (ECSP) to allow homes to front onto Loop Roads, allow on-street parking on Amsterdam Avenue and Aguerre Avenue, and reduce the minimum front yard setback to 15 feet for homes with swing-in garages within the RD 4.5 (4.5 dwelling units/acre) land use designation of the ECSP.
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FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact for the proposed amendment to the East Chino Specific Plan. However, if the amendment is approved, the City will receive one-time revenues associated with development activity, including permit and development-related fees. Upon completion of the project, ongoing property tax revenues and local sales tax revenues generated by future residents are also anticipated.
CITY OF CHINO MISSION / VISION / VALUES / STRATEGIC ISSUES
The recommendation detailed above further the City’s values and strategic issues that serve as key pillars on which identified priorities, goals, and action plans are built, by fostering:
• Positive City Image
• Responsible Long-Range Planning
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BACKGROUND
On June 17, 2026, the Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider PL25-0119 (Specific Plan Amendment), PL25-0120 (Site Approval), and PL25-0121 (Tentative Tract Map No. 20845) for a proposed Project located at 13918 Cypress Avenue. The ECSP was adopted in 1987 to guide the development of the East Chino area as it transitioned from an agricultural/dairy land use to residential and commercial land uses. Throughout the years, the ECSP has been amended to facilitate development within the plan area. While the ECSP is generally built out, there are still some parcels remaining that have not been developed.
The request for approval of a Site Approval (SA) and Tentative Tract Map (TTM) allows the Applicant to subdivide 12.42 acres of land for the development of 55 single-family homes at a density of 4.44 dwelling units per acre within the RD 4.5 Residential (4.5 dwelling units/acre) land use designation of the East Chino Specific Plan (collectively, the “Project”). The Project, as proposed, required an amendment to the ECSP to allow homes to front onto a loop street (Amsterdam Avenue), to allow parking on the loop street (Amsterdam Avenue and Aguerre Street), and to allow a reduced front yard setback for swing-in garages. As part of the Project, the applicant has agreed to construct full street improvements along the west side of Cypress Avenue, which include a 5-foot-wide sidewalk, curb and gutter, parkway landscaping, and streetlights that connect to Edison Avenue. Additionally, the applicant will construct sidewalk improvements on the east side of Amsterdam Avenue to connect the sidewalk from Pepperdine Street to the sidewalk being constructed for the Project.
During the public comment period, several residents from the community west of the Project site expressed concerns about traffic, parking, and vehicular access along Amsterdam Avenue. The residents expressed concerns that residents and guests of the 10 homes proposed to front onto Amsterdam Avenue could park on Dalton Street. Residents also expressed concern that personal vehicles and delivery trucks parked along Amsterdam Avenue could obstruct the roadway and impede vehicular access. In response to these concerns, the Planning Commission asked the Applicant whether the 10 homes proposed to front onto Amsterdam Avenue could instead be reoriented to front onto Cypress Avenue. The Applicant indicated that the reconfiguration would not be feasible. The Planning Commission voted 5-1 to continue the item and directed the Applicant to work with staff to further evaluate the alternative configuration and provide an analysis identifying the feasibility constraints associated with replotting the 10 homes to front onto Cypress Avenue.
Following the Planning Commission meeting, the Applicant evaluated the feasibility of replotting the 10 homes to front onto Cypress Avenue. An alternative technical site plan and conceptual utility plan were submitted for staff review. Concurrently, members of the adjacent community developed an alternative site plan to address their parking and access concerns in the event the homes could not be plotted to front onto Cypress Avenue. The community proposed alternative included widening Amsterdam Avenue to accommodate on-street parking adjacent to the 10 homes while reducing lot depths for those 10 lots. Amsterdam Avenue and Aguerre Avenue are both classified as Loop Roads in the ECSP and form a continuous roadway with Amsterdam Avenue extending north-south before turning east and continuing as Aguerre Avenue. The proposed widening would extend along both Amsterdam Avenue and Aguerre Avenue.
On July 15, 2026, the Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider the continued item. The Applicant presented its analysis of the feasibility of replotting the 10 homes to front onto Cypress Avenue. The analysis determined that the alternative configuration would require significant infrastructure improvements along Cypress Avenue because sewer and storm drain infrastructure do not currently exist along this portion of the roadway. An additional drainage basin would also be required to accommodate stormwater flows and the reconfiguration would result in the loss of one residential lot. Based on these physical constraints, the Applicant demonstrated that reorienting the homes to front onto Cypress Avenue was infeasible. As an alternative to address the parking and vehicular access concerns raised by the adjacent community, the Applicant agreed to move forward with the community proposed design to widen the Loop Road and provide on-street parking. However, in order to achieve this roadway widening, a reduction in front yard setback for the units facing Amsterdam Avenue and Aguerre Avenue would be necessary. The Planning Commission voted 7-0 to approve the Site Approval and Tentative Tract Map No. 20845, with the modification to widen Amsterdam Avenue and Aguerre Avenue to accommodate on-street parking, and to recommend that the City Council approve the ECSP Amendment. The Planning Commission staff report is included as Exhibit “A”.
ISSUES/ANALYSIS
East Chino Specific Plan Amendment
The ECSP currently prohibits on-street parking and homes from fronting onto streets classified as Loop Roads and requires a minimum front yard setback of 25 (+/- 5 feet) feet. To facilitate the proposed Project and accommodate the roadway modification approved by the Planning Commission, the Applicant is requesting amendments to the ECSP to allow single-family homes on Lots 26 through 35 to front onto Amsterdam Avenue, allow on-street parking along Amsterdam Avenue and Aguerre Avenue, and permit a reduced minimum front yard setback of 15 feet for homes with a swing-in garages.
The first of the amendments is to allow homes to face onto the loop street, which for this Project would allow for Lots 26 through 35 to face onto Amsterdam Avenue and Aguerre Avenue. In total, 324 parking spaces are proposed, exceeding the requirement of 220 parking spaces. To address the parking and vehicular access concerns raised during the Planning Commission meetings, the applicant is dedicating additional roadway along Amsterdam Avenue and Aguerre Avenue to widen the Loop Road along the Project’s frontage. The additional width will accommodate both a bicycle lane and eight on-street parking spaces along Amsterdam Avenue and 15 on-street parking spaces along Aguerre Avenue, for a total of 23 on-street parking spaces. Since the ECSP currently prohibits on-street parking along Loop Roads, the proposed amendment is necessary to implement the roadway and parking configuration approved by the Planning Commission. The reduced front yard setback for homes with swing-in garages allows the Applicant to provide three-car garages, thereby increasing on-site parking. The swing-in garage configuration also reduces the visual prominence of garage doors from the street and, together with varied front yard setbacks, provides greater architectural variety within the Project. The revised Project plans are included as Exhibit “B” and depict the roadway and on-street parking configuration consistent with the proposed amendment.
The proposed amendments would not change the land use designation or maximum allowable density of the subject property. Rather the amendments would facilitate the development of the 55 single-family homes and accommodate the site and roadway design approved by the Planning Commission. The proposed amendments would be compatible with the surrounding single-family residential neighborhood and would remain consistent with the RD 4.5 land use designation of and applicable development standards. Additionally, this is one of the last parcels of land designated RD4.5 in the ECSP so the proposed amendments would not impact other parcels within the specific plan.
PUBLIC NOTICE
A 10-day notice was mailed to all property owners within a 300-foot radius of the project site. In addition, a notice was published in the Chino Champion on September 5, 2026. The notice meets legal noticing requirements. Prior to the posting of the agenda, the City received comments from residents in opposition to the project (attached as Exhibit C).
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The proposed project has been determined to be within the scope of the previously certified 2045 General Plan Update Environmental Impact Report (EIR) (State Clearinghouse No. 202409083), adopted on September 2, 2025. The EIR adequately describes the environmental effects of the proposed project for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183. This exemption applies when a project is consistent with the land use designation, development density, and applicable policies established by the City’s General Plan, the East Chino Specific Plan, and underlying zoning, all of which were evaluated in the certified EIR. The proposed amendment to the ECSP modifies residential development standards applicable to the project to reflect the current housing development trends and provides consistency with the Chino Zoning Code requirements. The proposed changes do not change the land use designation or maximum allowable density for the subject property thus the 15183 exemption is the appropriate environmental document. Pursuant to Section 15183(b), a focused evaluation of the development was conducted and the analysis concluded that the proposed project would not result in any new or more severe significant environmental impacts beyond those identified in the certified General Plan EIR. The project is also subject to uniformly applicable development policies and mitigation measures identified in the 2045 General Plan Update EIR, which would reduce potential impacts to less than significant levels. Accordingly, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183, no additional environmental review is required.
In accordance with SB18, Tribal Consultation was conducted on December 17, 2025. Staff received one response from the Gabrieleno Band of Mission Indians Kizh Nation on January 9, 2026, stating they have no objection at this time.
Attachments:
Exhibit A - Planning Commission Staff Report
Exhibit B - Revised Project Plans
Exhibit C - Letters of Opposition
Exhibit D - City Council Ordinance No. 2026-012