Zoning Code Amendment 03-25-5781
Summary
SCH Number
2025060195
Public Agency
City of Lake Forest
Document Title
Zoning Code Amendment 03-25-5781
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/5/2025
Document Description
ZC 03-25-5781 is a City-initiated Zoning Code Amendment to amend Title 9 (Zoning Code) of the Lake Forest Municipal Code related to regulations for “Cyber Cafes” and “Thrift Stores.” Municipal Code Section 5.34 currently includes cyber café operational regulations and processing requirements for an annual cyber café license. This Zoning Code Amendment was processed concurrently with an ordinance to delete Chap-ter 5.34- Cyber Cafes, which will eliminate all cyber café regula-tions. ZC 03-25-5781 includes revisions to definitions, and the land use matrixes to update code sections related to the cyber cafés and remove references to Chapter 5.34.
ZC 03-25-5781 also updates the Zoning Code related to “Thrift Stores.” In 2024, California Assembly Bill (AB) 2632 was ap-proved, that prohibits a City from treating a thrift store, which could include a donation center, differently from a similar retail store. AB 2632 allows a City to require that thrift stores meet certain design standards. In compliance with AB 2632, ZC 03-25-5781 includes revisions to definitions, and the land use ma-trixes related to “Thrift Stores” and “Donation Centers.” Addi-tionally, a new Zoning Code Section will be added with new design standards for thrift stores.
Contact Information
Name
Jennifer Mansur
Agency Name
City of Lake Forest
Job Title
Senior Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Lake Forest
Counties
Orange
Regions
Southern California
Other Information
Citywide, Lake Forest
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
State CEQA Guidelines Sections 15060 (c)(2), 15060(c)(3), and 15061(b)(3)
Reasons for Exemption
ZC 03-25-5781 is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to the following sections of the State CEQA Guidelines:
Pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines section 15060(c)(2), an activity is not subject to CEQA if the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. Here, ZC 03-25-5781 will eliminate all cyber café regulations and amends regulations related to thrift stores. Neither of these actions cause a direct or reasonably indirect physical change in the environment because such ac-tions do not authorize or prompt any development or physical changes to the environment. Thus, section 15060(c)(2) applies to ZC 03-25-5781 and no further action is therefore required.
Additionally, under State CEQA Guidelines section 15060(c)(3), an activity is not subject to CEQA if the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378(a). Under Section 15378(a), a project is an action that has the potential for resulting in in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the envi-ronment. As discussed above, ZC 03-25-5781 will eliminate all cyber café regulations and amends regula-tions related to thrift stores. Neither of these actions cause a direct or reasonably indirect physical change in the environment because such actions do not authorize or prompt any development or physical changes to the environment. Therefore, ZC 03-25-5781 does not constitute a project as defined by CEQA and no further action is therefore required
ZC 03-25-5781 also qualifies for the common sense exemption under Section 15061(b)(3). Under Section 15061(b)(3), CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. Here, the Ordinance does not have the potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment because it involves the removal of regulations for cyber cafes, and clarifications to regulations related to thrift stores and donation centers in accordance with California Assembly Bill 2632. Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that ZC 03-25-5781 may have a significant effect on the environment. As a result, ZC 03-25-5781 is not subject to CEQA.
County Clerk
Orange
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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