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Home My WebLink About12-10-1996 96-047 Dublin Park Hotel CUP&SDR '-~ -- CITY OF DUBLIN PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA STATEMENT/STAFF REPORT for December 10,1996 PROJECT: PA 96-047, Dublin Park Hotel Conditional Use Permit and Site Development Review PREPARED BY: Jeri Ram, Associate Planner DESCRIPTION: Request for a Conditional Use Permit and Site Development Review approval for a 3,800 sq.ft. expansion to the existing hotel. The expansion to the hotel includes 900 sq.ft. of office space and a 1500 sq.ft. lobby expansion and a future expansion of a meeting room of 1400 sq.ft. The project also includes 3,500 sq.ft. outdoor patio and two freeway orient~d towers for decorative purposes. A new use subject to review and ar~ :,val is a spa (massage, facial, manicure and p..:dicures). RECOMMENDATION: Approve Exhibit A, a Resolution approving the Conditional Use Permit and Site Development Review for the Dublin Park Hotel (PA96-047). BACKGROUND: The development of the Dublin Park Hotel began under Alameda County in 1972 with the approval of the first site development review. The hotel was originally approved as a 93 unit hotel and restaurant (Howard Johnson Motor Lodge). Over time, conditional use permits were approved to expand the hotel use to what is now in place today, a 235 room hotel. In 1988 and 1990 approvals were granted to allow the existing hotel to add a beauty shop, gift shop. two offices, a dance floor and public dancing within the lounge, a vehicle rental lot, and sales and auction activities. A game room for military personnel was also approved for a one year period from 10/1/94 (0 10/1/95. The Applicant, Pacific Valley Investors, recently purchased the hotel. During the spring and summer of 1996, they met with City staff to discuss their plans to update and improve the hotel. Their proposed expansion would exceea the City's ability to process the item as a minor modification to the existin'~ . Conditional Use Permit (the City's Zoning Ordinance requires that any E,xpansions of use exceed it I"~ 1 ,000 sq.ft. obtain a new conditional use permit). Staff therefore suggested that the Applicant also examine the approved uses under their Conditional Use Permit to see if those uses should be updated at the same time. As a result, they have requested approval of a spa use which includes massage. ANALYSIS: Conditional Use Permit: Uses: The approved Conditional Use Permit (PA 91-036) allowed for a vehicle rental lot and office. Additionally, the most recently approved Conditional Use Permit (PA 93-033) allowed for a beauty shop, gift shop, offices and temporary retail sales and auction activities. Under this Conditional Use Permit (PA ITEM NO. COPIES TO: Pacific Valley Investors PAFile -- --- 96-047), these uses would continue to be allowed. The only additional use requested by this application is for a spa. The spa would be a use that includes massage, facials, manicures and pedicures. Any massage use must comply with the Massage Establishments and Massage Services regulations and requirements specified by Chapter 4.20 of the Dublin Municipal Code. The regulations require a massage therapist to obtain a massage permit from the Dublin Police Services prior to conducting the massage therapy business. Compliance with this Section of the Municipal Code has been made a condition of approval of this application. The existing uses within the hotel are currently operating in compliance with the conditions of approval of the existing Conditional Use Permits. Hote/ Expansion: The Applicant is requesting as part of the Conditional Use Permit approval of a 3,800 sq.ft. expansion to the existing hotel. The expansion to the hotel includes 900 sq.ft. of office space and a 1500 sq.ft. lobby expansion. Also proposed is a future expansion of the meeting room area of 1,400 sq.ft. The project also includes 3,500 sq.ft. outdoor patio and two freeway oriented towers for decorative purposes (Exhibit B). Adequate on-site parking presently exists for the hotel and its related facilities. The hotel presently has 235 guest rooms, a restaurant and banquet facilities. As the chart below illustrates, after the expansion the hotel will have 83 spaces over the amount required by the Zoning Ordinance. Therefore, staff believes that there is sufficient parking for the additional public area and meeting roorn expansions. EXISTING PARKING REQUIRED RESERVED EXTRA PARKING I PARKING PROVIDED WITH PARKING FOR PARKING FOR PROVIDED EXPANSION EXPANSION CAR RENTAL . 373 spaces 340 spaces 237 spaces 20 spaces 83 spaces . Site Development Review: The Applicant's plans (Exhibit B) indicate that improvements would be made to the site entry in the form of enhanced paving, landscaping and a new trellis porte corchere. On the east side of the building, a 1500 sq.ft. lobby expansion and a 3,500 sq.ft. patio area off the meeting rooms are proposed. The expanded lobby area will act as a pre-function staging area. The new patio area would be used by people utilizing the meeting rooms. In the future (indicated on the plans, Exhibit B, as Phase II), a new 1400 sq.ft. meeting room is proposed on the north side of the building. No plans are provided for the room at this time. When that project is designed, site development review will be required. The Applicant is proposing a "lightened up" color palette for the entire hotel, including the expansion. A color elevation and color chips will be presented at the meeting. The materials and style of the expansion match the existing building (Exhibit B, sheet A-3.1). The two towers that are proposed, will update the building and add some variation to the roof line. The patio addition would be enclosed by a masonry wall with a brick cap. Wrought iron inserts break up the wall at :ntervals, providing visual interest. 2 Tower Height: This project is located in Development Zone 2 of the Downtown Specific Plan. Height limitations in this Zone are 45'. Additionally, the C-1 Zoning District, where this project is located also has a height limit of 45'. The Zoning Code does allow this height to be exceeded for decorative architectural elements. Section 8-60.10 states: "The building height limitations set forth in this Chapter apply generally to structures, also, but shall not apply to chimneys, church spires, flag poles, or to mechanical appurtenances necessary and incidental to the permitted use of a Building." The Specific Plan indicates that those development standards not mentioned in the Plan will generally be those required for the base C-1 Zoning District. Staff believes that based on this information, the intent of the Specific Plan would be to rely upon the Zoning Ordinance in this matter. Since the tower elements are decorative, and could be compared to a church spire, staff believes the 48 foot tower is appropriate. Conclusion: The Dublin Park Hotel Conditional Use Permit and Site Development Review is in scale with the site and parking, will provide additional meeting rooms in the Dublin Area and will update the architecture and uses of the hotel. GENERAL INFORMATION: APPLlCANTI PROPERTY OWNER: Pacific Valley Investors 1050 Ralston Avenue Belmont, CA 94002 LOCATION: 5.61~ acres at 6680 Regional Street (APN 941-1500-047-3) EXISTING ZONING: C-1 General Commercial DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN DESIGNATION: Zone 2: General Commercial GENERAL PLAN DESIGNATION: Retail/Office ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The project has been found to be Categorically Exempt from CEQA under SE ..:tion 15301, Class 1 (e) of the California Environmental Quality Act guidelines. The project consists of an addition to an existing structure that will not result in a increase in building area of more than 2,500 square feet. A IT ACHMENTS: Exhibit A: Resolution Recommending Approval Conditional Use Permit and Site Development Review Exhibit B: Project Plans G:\PA96047\PCSR 3