Staff Report
200 S. Anaheim Blvd.
Suite 162
Anaheim, CA 92805
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ITEM NO. 4
PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT
City of Anaheim
PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT
DATE: DECEMBER 4, 2023
SUBJECT: DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION NO. 2021-00071
LOCATION: This property is located at the northwest corner of La Palma Avenue and
Gilbert Street (1200 North Electric Way, 1212 North Hubbell Way, and 2411-2463 West
La Palma Avenue).
APPLICANT/PROPERTY OWNER: The applicant and owner is Curt Kennard of
Living Stream, represented by Vanessa Norwood of Sagecrest Planning and
Environmental.
REQUEST: The applicant requests to amend a conditional use permit (CUP) to permit
and retain an educational institution within an existing teleconference center.
AUTHORITY: Section 18.10.030 (Uses) of Chapter 18.10 (Industrial Zone) of the
Anaheim Municipal Code (the “Code”).
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Planning Commission determine
that a Class 1 – Existing Facilities Categorical Exemption under the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public Resources Code, Sections 21000-21189.57)
as set forth in Sections 15301 and 15300.2 of the State CEQA Guidelines (California Code
of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, Sections 15000-15387) is the appropriate
environmental documentation for this request; and approve the attached resolution for
Development Application No. 2021-00071.
BACKGROUND: The property is approximately 41-acres, located at the northwest
corner of La Palma Avenue and Gilbert Street, and developed with ten buildings owned
by Living Stream, a religious organization (Living Stream Campus, outlined in blue
below). Living Stream operates a teleconference center and adult/career training center
(Teleconference Center, outlined in red below) within the Living Stream campus, as well
as other ancillary uses on the campus such as publishing and broadcasting. Additionally,
Living Stream subleases to other various tenants for office, vocational training, and
similar uses. The property is in the “I” Industrial zone and is designated for Industrial land
uses in the General Plan. The surrounding uses include industrial and office uses to the
south and west, single-family residential uses to the south across La Palma Avenue,
industrial and office uses to the east across Gilbert Street, and Interstate 5 (I-5) to the
north.
Development Application No. 2021-00071
December 4, 2023
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Existing Site Plan
In 1999, the Planning Commission approved a CUP to permit an adult/career training center. In
2006, the Planning Commission approved a CUP to permit and retain a teleconference
center/training center; and in 2009 the Planning Commission approved an amendment to convert
an existing warehouse into a two-story office building operating in conjunction with the
teleconference center. The CUP included a condition that did not permit any uses other than the
operation of the teleconference center. Prior to 2021, Living Stream began operating a two-year
graduate training program (Educational Institution-General) without prior approval of a CUP.
PROPOSAL: The applicant requests to permit and retain an educational institution within the
existing teleconference center located at 1200 North Electric Way and 1212 North Hubbell Way
(outlined in red). The educational institution would consist of a two-year graduate training program
with classroom and study areas, a library, and cafeteria. The program would consist of two 20-
week semesters (mid-February to end of June; mid-August to mid-December), with no program
operation proposed during any teleconferences. Students would reside in off-campus housing,
including Grace Gardens, a private, off-site residential community owned by Living Stream. The
Development Application No. 2021-00071
December 4, 2023
Page 3 of 5
maximum enrollment would be 550 students, with approximately 15 staff and instructors.
Proposed hours would be Tuesday to Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS:
Conditional Use Permit: Before the Planning Commission may approve a conditional use permit,
it must make a finding of fact that the evidence presented shows that all of the following conditions
exist:
1) That the proposed use is properly one for which a conditional use permit is authorized by
this code;
The Proposed Project is properly one for which a conditional use permit is authorized as
an allowable use within the Industrial Zone under subsection .010 of Section 18.10.030
(Uses) of Chapter 18.10 (Industrial Zone) of the Code, subject to a conditional use permit
for an Educational Institution-General.
2) That the proposed use will not adversely affect the adjoining land uses, or the growth and
development of the area in which it is proposed to be located;
The proposed use would be complementary to the mix of ancillary uses, as well as
vocational schools and office uses on-site, as well as the adjacent industrial uses and single-
family residences in the area. The operating hours are consistent with other uses in the
vicinity.
3) That the size and shape of the site proposed for the use is adequate to allow the full
development of the proposed use, in a manner not detrimental to either the particular area
or health and safety;
The educational program is proposed within existing buildings designed for teleconference
and office uses on an existing industrial campus, and adequate parking for the use would
be provided as described in the parking analysis below.
4) That the traffic generated by the proposed use will not impose an undue burden upon the
streets and highways designed and improved to carry the traffic in the area;
The traffic generated by the proposed use would not impose an undue burden upon the
streets and highways which are designed and improved to carry the traffic in the area as it
is located in existing industrial buildings.
5) That the granting of the conditional use permit under the conditions imposed, if any, would
not be detrimental to the health and safety of the citizens of the City of Anaheim.
The proposed use would be integrated with the surrounding mix of uses within the area
and conditions of approval have been included in the resolution, including restricting the
operation to those activities outlined in the attached Project Description and Parking
Justification ensuring that the teleconference center and graduate training program would
not overlap (Attachment Nos. 2 and 3), and as required to ensure that the proposed use
would not be detrimental to the site or its surroundings.
Development Application No. 2021-00071
December 4, 2023
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Parking: The Code requires a parking demand study or parking analysis letter to determine the
parking demand for the educational institution. With the Project Description, which details the
operation, number of students and employees, and hours of operation, the applicant also provided
a Parking Justification letter referencing the most recent parking study prepared for the campus by
KOA Corporation in 2010. The study was for West Coast University and also incorporated analysis
related to the existing teleconference center. Based on the information provided, there would be
682 spaces available on the property for 1212 North Hubbell Way and 1200 North Electric Way
(Teleconference Center, shown below) when the teleconference center is not in use. With the
assumption that every student and staff member drove alone in separate vehicles, there would be
a surplus of 112 parking spaces. Since the two uses are not proposed to overlap, staff believes
available parking would be adequate to accommodate the proposed use when the teleconference
center is not in use. Further, it is not anticipated that the proposed use would generate a significant
amount of traffic and would not have any negative effects on traffic flow in the general vicinity.
Partial Site Plan Depicting Teleconference Center
With 682 Parking Spaces
Environmental Impact Analysis: The Project qualifies for a Class 1 – Existing Facilities
Categorical Exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public
Resources Code, Sections 21000-21189.57) as set forth in Sections 15301 and 15300.2 of the State
CEQA Guidelines (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, Sections 15000-15387).
Class 1 consists of the repair, maintenance, and/or minor alteration of existing public or private
structures or facilities, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time
of this determination. The proposed project would be within existing industrial/office
(teleconference center) buildings and is part of the larger industrial complex. Pursuant to Section
15300.2 (c) and Section 15301 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, there are no
unusual circumstances in respect to the project for which staff would anticipate a significant effect
on the environment and, therefore, the proposed project would be categorically exempt from the
provisions of CEQA.
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December 4, 2023
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CONCLUSION: The proposed Educational Institution-General use, as conditioned, would be
compatible with the industrial, office, and single-family residential uses in the surrounding area.
There would be adequate parking to accommodate the proposed and existing uses. Based on the
analysis included in this report and the findings contained in the draft resolution, staff supports the
request and recommends approval of the application to amend the CUP.
Prepared by, Submitted by,
Nick Taylor, AICP Scott Koehm, AICP
Senior Planner Principal Planner
Attachments:
1. Draft Conditional Use Permit Amendment Resolution
2. Project Description
3. Parking Justification
4. Project Plans
5. Aerial and Vicinity Maps