PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING DATE:
SEPTEMBER 9, 2026
SUBJECT:
Title
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT RENEWAL TO ALLOW THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF AN EXISTING MOVIE STUDIO WITH YOUTH SPORTS FILM PRODUCTION, MEDIA OFFICE SPACE AND STORAGE IN THE LOMA SAN MARCOS SPECIFIC PLAN AREA.
LOCATION/APN:
1601 SAN ELIJO ROAD / APN: 223-080-41-00 and 223-080-42-00
CASE NUMBER:
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT (CUP25-0002)
Body
Recommendation
ADPOPT AND APPROVE the following in the order set forth below:
1. ADOPT Notice of Exemption (EX 25-038); and
2. APPROVE Resolution No. PC 25-5182 (Conditional Use Permit CUP25-0002) to allow the continued operation of an existing full-service entertainment production facility in the Loma San Marcos Specific Plan Area (SPA-LSM) Zone
Body
Introduction
A Conditional Use Permit (CUP) renewal is requested to allow the continued operation of the existing youth sports filming facility at 1601 San Elijo Road in accordance with the Loma San Marcos Specific Plan. The 12.33-acre project site is currently developed with 61,650 square feet of youth sports film production space, 15,610 square feet of media office space, and 102,275 square feet of storage. Approval of the CUP renewal would allow the existing Phase 1A operations to continue and maintain the ability to implement future phases of development consistent with the adopted Specific Plan. The CUP renewal would also require the permittee and/or property owner to participate in the future installation of a traffic signal at the shared driveway intersection with San Elijo Road if the adjacent property to the west develops during Phase 1A. Should the applicant initiate Phase 1B prior to development of the adjacent property, the applicant would be required to install the traffic signal.
Discussion
The project site is located at 1601 San Elijo Road, between the San Elijo Town Center and Melrose Drive. The project site was developed in the early 1990s as a 179,535-square-foot Material Recovery Facility (MRF) consisting of a building divided into three areas: 9,750 square feet of industrial/office space and two separate enclosed industrial spaces consisting of 61,650 square feet and 108,135 square feet. The site is accessed from San Elijo Road via an easement over a gated private driveway owned by the County of San Diego. Surrounding land uses consist of the closed County landfill to the east and vacant land to the north and south. To the west, an 89.23-acre vacant parcel in unincorporated San Diego County has been entitled for the development of 76 single-family homes and will share the project driveway for access from San Elijo Road.
Prior to becoming fully operational, the MRF was abandoned in 1995 due to rapidly changing regulations and market conditions related to solid waste recycling. In 2003, the property was purchased by Loma San Marcos, LLC. In 2004, the City adopted the San Marcos Studios Specific Plan and Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to allow the existing building to be repurposed as movie studios (Phase 1) and to allow construction of a new office building and parking structure at the rear of the property (Phase 2).
After the property did not develop as a traditional movie studio, the City adopted a Specific Plan amendment and approved a CUP in 2018 to allow onsite commercial filming in association with youth sport activities (Loma San Marcos Specific Plan and CUP). As part of this proposal, the original movie studio Phase 1 was divided into two sub-phases: Phase 1A and Phase 1B. Phase 1A allowed a smaller portion of the existing facility to operate with active uses, while future Phase 1B would allow the remaining area of the existing facility to be used as a movie studio, add approximately 23,000 square feet of floor area within the existing buildings, and provide additional onsite circulation, parking, and landscaping improvements to support the expanded use of the facility. Phase 2 would continue to consist of the development of an office building and parking structure at the rear of the project site, unchanged from the original San Marcos Studios Specific Plan.
The 2018 Specific Plan Amendment (SP 18-0001) and Conditional Use Permit (CUP 18-0004) were approved with an initial three-year term, expiring on November 13, 2021. An application to renew the CUP was filed prior to its expiration and was approved on March 7, 2022, for an additional three-year term. Prior to the expiration of that permit (CUP 21-0004), the applicant filed the current CUP renewal application.
Conditional Use Permit (CUP)
The Loma San Marcos Specific Plan requires a CUP to operate the facility with youth sports filming activities. This is the second consecutive request to renew the CUP since the initial CUP was approved in 2018 to allow youth sports filming at the facility. The applicant is requesting renewal of the CUP to allow the continued partial operation of the existing facility and future phased development of the site in conformance with the adopted Loma San Marcos Specific Plan.
As shown in Table 1 below, the current operation of the facility conforms to Phase 1A. Building A is used for multimedia office space and storage associated with film production and other creative uses. Building B contains sports courts used for filming, including three basketball courts, batting cages, and passive sports courts. Building C and the onsite Administrative Office support a comic book company and associated multimedia production. The remaining areas of the facility are limited to storage. In conformance with the Loma San Marcos Specific Plan, all onsite uses must be related to the entertainment industry; accordingly, youth sports activities occurring onsite are filmed.
|
Table 1: Distribution of Facility Uses |
|
Building |
Use |
Size (Square Feet) |
|
Building A |
Multimedia Office Space and Storage |
15,610 |
|
Building B |
Sports Courts |
61,650 |
|
Building C |
Comic Book Storage |
76,680 |
|
Admin Office |
Comic Book Offices |
5,138 |
|
Auxiliary Buildings |
Storage |
20,457 |
|
Total: |
179,535 |
The most recent CUP Renewal (CUP21-0004) allowed sports activities other than basketball or beach volleyball to occur, provided that no more than five (5) sports courts are in concurrent operation. This limitation is consistent with the findings of the 2018 Chen Ryan traffic analysis included in the 2018 MND Addendum (Attachment F), which determined that the concurrent operation of up to five (5) sports courts would not warrant installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of the project site driveway and San Elijo Road.
On December 18, 2024, Chen Ryan prepared an Existing Conditions Technical Memorandum (Attachment G) to evaluate the traffic effects associated with additional trips generated by a proposal to operate eight (8) pickleball courts. The memorandum considered the prior traffic findings and concluded that the additional trips generated by the pickleball courts would not result in traffic impacts requiring roadway or intersection improvements.
Traffic Signal Required
When the Loma San Marcos Specific Plan amendment (SP 18-0001) and original CUP (CUP 18-0004) were approved in 2018, the City Council required installation of a traffic signal at the project driveway and San Elijo Road during Phase 1A, within 24 months of commencing operations. The requirement was added in response to community concerns regarding site access and circulation, particularly because vehicles exiting the site cannot turn left toward Melrose Drive and Rancho Santa Fe Road and must instead travel east toward the San Elijo Town Center before reversing direction.
During operation of the facility, an additional traffic analysis was prepared (Attachment H) to evaluate actual pedestrian and vehicular traffic volumes at the driveway intersection. The analysis concluded that actual traffic volumes were lower than those anticipated in the 2018 Traffic Study. Based on these findings, the applicant requested a modification to the original CUP to remove the requirement to install a traffic signal during Phase 1A (CUP 20-0003). The Planning Commission approved the request, and the City Council upheld the approval on appeal. As part of the modification, the applicant also agreed to install lane delineators to physically prevent left turns from the project driveway. The lane delineators were installed and remain in place.
In 2024, the County of San Diego approved the Questhaven project, consisting of 76 single-family homes on an 89.23-acre vacant parcel directly west of the Loma San Marcos facility. The homes would be clustered on the northern portion of the property, near San Elijo Road, with approximately 63 acres of open space preserved on the southern portion. Access to the Questhaven project would be provided via the existing County-owned driveway that also serves the Loma San Marcos facility and closed County landfill. If the Questhaven project is constructed, the combined traffic volume at the shared driveway would warrant installation of a traffic signal at San Eljio Road.
This CUP renewal (CUP25-0002) continues to allow operation of the Loma San Marcos project in substantial conformance with approved Phase 1A and retains the requirement to install a traffic signal as part of Phase 1B. The CUP also now requires the permittee and/or property owner to participate in the installation of a traffic signal if it is required in connection with development of the Questhaven project, even if Loma San Marcos remains in Phase 1A. The permittee's obligation is limited to its fair-share contribution toward the design, permitting, and construction of the traffic signal and related improvements, as established through a private cost-sharing agreement and supported by traffic engineering analysis and other evidence acceptable to the City Engineer.
Term of CUP
The applicant requests approval of a five-year renewal of the Conditional Use Permit (CUP), with one subsequent five-year renewal eligible for administrative approval, allowing for a potential total term of ten years. Any renewal beyond this period would require approval of a new CUP renewal by the Planning Commission. The project would allow the continued operation of the facility under Phase 1A and future development under Phases 1B and 2, in conformance with the Loma San Marcos Specific Plan
Environmental Review
The continued partial operation of the existing facility and future phased development of the site would be in conformance with the previously adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration (ND 03-681) and 2018 Addendum (Attachment F), adopted by the City Council on November 13, 2018. Additionally, this CUP Renewal qualifies for an exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), in conformance with Cal. Code of Regulations Section 15301 (Class 1), in that the project is an existing facility with no expansion beyond the scope of the previously adopted Mitigated Negative Declaration (ND 03-681) and 2018 Addendum.
Public Comment
Beginning in May 2026, staff contacted the developer of the Questhaven project to provide the proposed conditions of approval related to installation of the traffic signal in conjunction with development of the adjacent property. Staff has had follow-up communications with the developer since that time (Attachment I); however, no formal comments regarding the traffic signal condition have been provided.
At the time of the preparation of this staff report, no additional public comments have been received.
Attachment(s)
Resolutions:
1. Resolution PC 25-5182 (CUP25-0002): Approve a Conditional Use Permit for the continued operation of an existing full-service entertainment production facility in the Loma San Marcos Specific Plan Area (SPA-LSM) Zone.
A. Vicinity Map
B. Requested Entitlements
C. Site & Project Characteristics
D. Notice of Exemption (EX 25-038)
E. Project Plans
F. 2018 Addendum to Mitigated Negative Declaration (ND 03-681)
G. 2024 Existing Conditions Technical Memorandum
H. 2020 Traffic Analysis Memorandum
I. Public Comments
Prepared by: Corina Flores, Associate Planner
Reviewed by: Sean del Solar, Sustainability Program Manager / Principal Planner
Kyrenne Chua, Principal Civil Engineer
Submitted by: Joseph Farace, Planning Division Director