PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING DATE:
September 9, 2026
SUBJECT:
Title
INTEGRITY PET CREMATION CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO REESTABLISH THE OPERATION OF A PET CREMATION FACILITY WITHIN AN EXISTING INDUSTRIAL PARK
LOCATION/APN:
120 N. PACIFIC STREET, SUITE C-4 / APN: 219-116-03-15
CASE NUMBER:
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT (CUP26-0001)
Body
Recommendation
ADOPT AND APPROVE the following in the order set forth below:
1. ADOPT Notice of Exemption (EX 26-046); and
2. APPROVE Resolution No. PC 26-5230 (Conditional Use Permit CUP26-0001) to allow a pet cremation facility located within an industrial park in the Industrial/Business Park (I/BP) Zone
Body
Introduction
The applicant requests approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to reestablish a pet cremation facility within an existing 1,600-square-foot tenant suite in the Pioneer Industrial Condominium Park.
The Planning Commission originally approved a CUP for the pet cremation facility in 2005. The business was subsequently sold in 2010, while ownership of the property remained unchanged. In 2014, the City approved a one-time renewal of the CUP under a new business operator. During that operator's tenancy, the City identified operational and site maintenance issues that required code enforcement action. That operator later vacated the property, and the CUP subsequently expired. The property owner has since worked with the City to correct the outstanding site condition issues in preparation for reestablishing the use.
The property owner, and original 2005 permittee, is now seeking approval of a new CUP to reestablish operation of the pet cremation facility. The proposed conditions of approval include operational requirements intended to ensure continued compliance with City standards and to prevent recurrence of the issues associated with the previous operator.
Discussion
The project site is located within the 6.5-acre Pioneer Industrial Park, which is zoned Transitional Industrial/Business Park (I/BP) and designated “Business Park” by the General Plan. The Transitional I/BP zoning designation is regulated by the Industrial (I) Zone but allows the property to be redeveloped under either Industrial or Business Park zoning standards. The Pioneer Industrial Park consists of 11 condominium buildings designed to accommodate industrial uses, as well as certain conditionally permitted uses subject to City approval.
The property to the west is developed with a commercial building and is within the Business Park (BP) Zone with site access being provided via Descanso Avenue. To the north, approximately 430 feet from the project site, is a mobile home park within the Mobile Home Park (R-MHP) Zone. Properties across Descanso Avenue to the east are developed with industrial buildings within the Industrial (I) Zone, while State Route (SR) 78 is located immediately to the south. The surrounding businesses in the Pioneer Industrial Park include a mixture of industrial uses, ranging from product manufacturing to contractor offices.
A pet crematorium is not specifically identified as a permitted or conditionally permitted use within any zoning district. However, SMMC Section 20.205.030(C) allows the City to consider unlisted uses through the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) process when determined to be similar to and compatible with uses permitted within the applicable zoning district. Accordingly, the proposed pet cremation facility requires approval of a CUP.
The City has previously approved the use at the project site. On July 5, 2005, the Planning Commission approved CUP 05-662 to establish and operate a pet cremation facility within the subject tenant suite. The City subsequently approved CUP 14-017 to continue the use under a new operator, however that CUP expired on May 4, 2020. Because the previous CUP has expired, the applicant is requesting approval of a new CUP to reestablish the pet cremation facility at the site.
The Planning Division Director’s determination that the pet crematorium is compatible with existing land uses can be made through the following findings:
• Is substantially similar in character and activity to a listed permitted use.
The proposed pet crematory is substantially similar in character and activity to the listed uses of funeral homes/mortuaries and animal services. Like these uses, the facility provides for the receipt, temporary holding, preparation, and final disposition of remains as a service to customers. The proposed operations occur entirely within an enclosed building and share similar operational characteristics with those listed uses.
• Is compatible with the purpose and intent of the Zone.
The proposed pet crematory consists of enclosed processing and service activities within an existing industrial building. The use is consistent with the Industrial Zone's intent to accommodate manufacturing, processing, storage, and service uses, and its operational characteristics are compatible with surrounding industrial development.
• Has similar traffic, noise, light, and odor impacts as a listed permitted use.
Animal service uses may include boarding, grooming, retail pet sales, and veterinary services with regular customer visits and animal occupancy. Whereas, the proposed pet crematory will serve customers by appointment only, and will not have facilities to support assembly, resulting in limited traffic impacts. All processing activities occur within an enclosed building, minimizing exterior noise impacts, and no additional exterior lighting is proposed. Similar to funeral homes and mortuaries, the handling of remains will be conducted in a controlled manner to prevent off-site impacts. Animal remains will be stored in freezers until cremation, and the cremation equipment will operate pursuant to a permit issued by the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, minimizing the potential for odor impacts. The proposed use is not expected to generate traffic, noise, light, or odor impacts greater than those associated with comparable permitted uses within the Industrial Zone.
• Will not be a nuisance to or hinder the full development of an existing use.
The proposed use is not expected to be a nuisance or hinder the continued operation or future development of surrounding properties, as the use will operate within an existing industrial building and will be subject to applicable operational and regulatory requirements.
• Would be consistent with the General Plan and any applicable Specific Plan.
The site was developed as an industrial property under the General Plan’s Industrial (I) land use designation, when a crematory was first allowed at the proposed location in 2005, crematories were allowed with the approval of a Major CUP. The Industrial (I) land use currently allows manufacturing, assembly, processing, distribution of goods. The industrial designation also allows warehousing and wholesale activities associated with industrial operations, as well as small-scale support retail, service commercial, and office uses. The proposed use involves handling of animal remains all within an existing and industrial building and is consistent with the type of enclosed processing and service oriented activities allowed within properties developed under the previous Industrial land use designation. While the site is currently designated under the BP land use, the proposed use is located within an existing industrial building which has not transitioned from previously permitted industrial uses. The property is also not within a Specific Plan Area.
Previous Crematory Business Operations
The applicant, Juan Manuel Villanueva, and owner of the project site (industrial condominium unit C-4) originally obtained approval to operate a pet cremation facility under Conditional Use Permit (CUP) 05-662. The facility operated under that approval without the City receiving complaints related to the business. In 2010, Mr. Villanueva sold the pet cremation business but remained the property owner of Suite C-4. The City subsequently approved CUP 14-017, allowing the pet cremation facility to continue operating under the new business ownership.
On July 6, 2016, the City investigated an odor complaint associated with the operational practices of the pet cremation facility. The issue was subsequently corrected, and the related Code Enforcement case was closed.
In 2025, the City received a complaint regarding odors originating from the property. Upon inspection, City staff determined that the business was no longer actively operating and that inadequate refrigeration of pet remains was contributing to odor impacts. Following a court-ordered eviction of the previous business operator, the property owner and current applicant, Mr. Villanueva, regained possession of the premises. Mr. Villanueva cooperated with the City to promptly address and abate the nuisance conditions at the site. He also assisted, to the extent practicable, with efforts to identify and return pet remains to their respective owners following the departure of the previous operator.
Health and Safety
The applicant submitted a Statement of Operations describing the proposed operational procedures for the facility (Attachment F). The proposed pet crematory will be operated in a manner that prioritizes the safe, sanitary, and respectful handling of animal remains. The facility is limited to the cremation of common household pets, including but not limited to dogs, cats, and birds. Cremation of horses or other large animals is prohibited. The facility will maintain established procedures for the receipt, identification, temporary storage, cremation, and return of remains, including the use of a digital tracking system and identification process to maintain chain-of-custody throughout the cremation process. Animal remains will be stored in freezer units prior to cremation to minimize potential odors and maintain sanitary conditions.
The cremation equipment will be located within the enclosed industrial building and will be operated in accordance with applicable requirements of the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District. The facility will utilize a permitted cremation system designed to control emissions and minimize potential impacts associated with the cremation process, including odors, smoke, and other air pollutants. The system will be required to be maintained and operated in compliance with air quality and safety standards to minimize these impacts. Deceased pets will be picked up by the operator from veterinary hospitals and household customers. All cremation activities, including processing of remains following cremation, will occur within the enclosed suite.
Employees will be required to receive specialized training consistent with generally accepted industry standards to ensure proper handling procedures and operational standards are maintained. The facility will implement routine cleaning and sanitation procedures following each cremation to maintain a safe and sanitary environment.
Operational waste is expected to consist primarily of typical commercial waste materials, including cardboard, paper products, pet bedding, and similar materials, which will be disposed of through the existing commercial waste collection service for the property. The proposed use is not anticipated to generate hazardous waste or waste streams beyond those typically associated with comparable service and industrial uses.
Parking requirements are satisfied as the project suite has four dedicated parking spaces out of 241 spaces on site. Comparable land uses include both the Animal Sales and Services and the Manufacturing and Assembly land use. Parking ratio requirements do not exceed the 4 dedicated parking spaces as shown in the table below:
|
Comparable Land Use |
Parking Ratio |
Suite Area |
Calculated Parking Requirement |
Parking Provided |
|
Animal Sales and Services |
1 space / 400 sf |
1,600 sf |
1,600 ÷ 400 = 4 spaces |
4 dedicated spaces |
|
Manufacturing and Assembly |
1 space / 500 sf + 1 space / 300 sf office |
1,600 sf total; 144 sf office |
(1,456 ÷ 500) + (144 ÷ 300) = 4 spaces |
4 dedicated spaces |
Based on the proposed operational procedures, regulatory requirements, and indoor nature of the use, the pet crematory is not anticipated to result in adverse health or safety impacts to employees, customers, or surrounding properties.
Operational Security and Emergency Response
The proposed Conditions of Approval have been structured to address the operational and site management issues associated with the previous operator and to provide additional safeguards against similar conditions occurring in the future. In particular, the conditions require continuous refrigerated or frozen storage of deceased animals, emergency backup power for refrigeration equipment, an emergency response plan, current emergency contact information, and advance notification to the City of any planned cessation of operations.
The conditions also establish enhanced accountability for the handling and disposition of animal remains. The operator would be required to maintain a continuous identification and chain-of-custody system, physically separate and identify animals awaiting cremation, maintain records sufficient to locate and account for all animals stored on-site, and make those records available to the City upon request. Historical disposition records must also be retained on-site for a minimum of two years.
Additional requirements address equipment maintenance, regulatory compliance, and ongoing City oversight. All operational equipment must be appropriately designed, permitted, operated, and maintained for its intended use, and the cremation furnace may only operate under a valid San Diego County Air Pollution Control District permit. The conditions further require new owners or operators to acknowledge and comply with the CUP requirements. The conditions also establish periodic expiration dates providing the City reasonable access to the site to verify ongoing compliance. Collectively, these measures are intended to establish clear operations, responsibilities, provide mechanisms for early intervention, and reduce the potential for recurrence of the conditions experienced under the previous operator.
Environmental Review
The proposed project is Categorically Exempt from CEQA, pursuant to Section 15301, Class 1 (Existing Facilities) and specifically Section 15301(a), which applies to interior or exterior alterations involving interior partitions, plumbing, and electrical conveyances. The project consists of the permitting and operation of an existing tenant space within an existing industrial building and will not involve expansion of the existing building or an expansion of the existing or former use. The project also permits for temporary emergency power to the facility’s refrigeration equipment during a power outage. The portable generator would not be permanently installed and would only be brought to the site and connected when needed during an electrical outage. Any associated electrical connection to facilitate temporary emergency power would constitute a minor alteration to the existing facility and would not result in an expansion of the building or use of the site.
Public Comment
As of the date of this staff report, the City has not received any public comments in opposition to the proposed project. The applicant submitted 18 letters of support from individuals familiar with the applicant's professional experience and business practices, including the property manager of the proposed project site, veterinary professionals, law enforcement personnel, local business owners, professional animal trainers, former clients, and employees.
The letters generally describe the applicant as professional, trustworthy, compassionate, and attentive to detail, and express confidence in the applicant's ability to responsibly own and operate the proposed pet cremation facility. Copies of the letters of support are included as Attachment G to this staff report.
Attachment(s)
Resolutions:
1. Resolution PC 26-5230 (CUP26-0001): Approve a Conditional Use Permit to allow for a pet cremation facility located within an industrial park within the Industrial/Business Park (I/BP) Transitional Zone.
A. Vicinity Map
B. Requested Entitlements
C. Site & Project Characteristics
D. Notice of Exemption (EX 26-046)
E. Project Plans
F. Statement of Operations
G. Public Comments
Prepared by: Corina Flores, Associate Planner
Reviewed by: Sean del Solar, Sustainability Program Manager / Principal Planner
Submitted by: Joseph Farace, Planning Division Director