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HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.2 Public Hearing: plpa2010-00073 Starlanes MUP&CUPSTAFF REPORT PLANNING COMMISSION DATE: February 8, 2011 TO: Planning Commission SUBJECT: PUBLIC HEARING: PLPA-2010-00073 Star Lanes Minor Use Permit and Conditional Use Permit for an Indoor Recreational Facility and related parking adjustments at 6705 Amador Plaza Road Report prepared by Kristi Bascom, Principal Planner EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Applicant has requested approval of a Minor Use Permit application to operate an Indoor Recreational Facility (Star Lanes) consisting of a bar, restaurant, billiards, and bowling alley in an existing 28,455 square foot building, and for a Shared Parking Reduction. The application also includes a request for approval of a Conditional Use Permit to establish a parking standard for an Indoor Recreational Facility not listed in Chapter 8.76 (Off-Street Parking and Loading Regulations) and to permit off-site parking for the proposed use. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Planning Commission: 1) Receive Staff presentation; 2) Open the public hearing; 3) Take testimony from the Applicant and the public; 4) Close the public hearing and deliberate; and 5) Adopt a Resolution approving a Minor Use Permit and Conditional Use Permit for Star Lanes, an Indoor Recreational Facility consisting of a bar, restaurant, billiards, and bowling alley in an existing 28,455 square foot building at 6705 Amador Plaza Road, and related parking adjustments. Submitted By Principal Planner Veviewed By Planning Manager COPIES TO: Applicant File Page 1 of 8 ITEM NO.: So t0ox G:IPA#12010IPLPA-2010-00073 Star Lanes CUPIPCSR 02.08.2011.doc DESCRIPTION: The project site is located in the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan (DDSP) area. The Downtown Dublin Specific Plan and related General Plan Amendments were adopted by the City Council on February 1, 2011. However, the adoption of the Specific Plan and the General Plan Amendments do not become effective for 30 days. An accompanying rezoning action to rezone all properties in the DDSP area to a new Downtown Dublin Zoning District was introduced on February 1, 2011 and the adoption of the new zoning district is scheduled to take place at the February 15, 2011 City Council meeting. The rezoning action would then become effective 30 days later. The site currently has a General Plan land use designation of Retail/Office and is in a Planned Development Zoning District. Once the DDSP, General Plan Amendment, and Downtown Dublin rezoning actions become effective, the property will have a General Plan Land Use Designation of Downtown Dublin (Transit-Oriented District) and will be located in the newly- created Downtown Dublin Zoning District. Indoor Recreational Facilities are permitted in the both the existing Planned Development Zoning District as well as the proposed Downtown Dublin Zoning District with approval of a Zoning Clearance or Minor Use Permit. Pursuant to Zoning Ordinance section 8.70.040, a Zoning Clearance can be approved if the proposed use meets the performance standards of the zoning district, operates between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10: 00 p.m., and meets the City's minimum parking requirements. Because the proposed use will operate after 10:00 p.m. and because the use does not have a parking standard specified in the City's Zoning Ordinance, a Zoning Clearance could not be approved, and the Applicant submitted a request for a Minor Use Permit. 2 of 8 Figure 1: Project Site The application also includes a request for approval of a Conditional Use Permit to establish a parking standard for an Indoor Recreational Facility not listed in Chapter 8.76 (Off-Street Parking and Loading Regulations) and to permit off-site parking for the proposed use. The Applicant's Written Statement (without the referenced attachments) is included as Attachment 1 to this Staff Report. The Applicant is not proposing any exterior modifications to the building, but if the Minor Use Permit and Conditional Use Permit are approved, there will be substantial modifications to the interior of the building to create an Indoor Recreational Facility consisting of a bar, restaurant, billiards, and 16 bowling lanes. The division of building space is as follows: Proposed Use Area (Square Feet Other games 185 Billiards 425 Event Space/Concierge/Concourse 2,580 Restaurant/Bar 4,345 Administrative/O erations Space 4,910 Bowling 16 lanes 16,000 Total 28,455 s uare feet ANALYSIS: Minor Use Permit A Minor Use Permit is required for the proposed indoor recreational facility and the shared parking request, and is typically reviewed and approved by the Zoning Administrator and Community Development Director, respectively. Because the proposed use also needs approval of a Conditional Use Permit to establish a parking standard for an Indoor Recreational Facility not listed in Chapter 8.76 (Off-Street Parking and Loading Regulations) and to permit off-site parking for the proposed use, the Applicant is also requesting approval of a Conditional Use Permit. The Zoning Administrator and Community Development Director are typically the hearing bodies on parking adjustments, but the Community Development Director, also acting as the Zoning Administrator, has referred this application to the Planning Commission for consideration in a public hearing. Proposed Operations Star Lanes is described by the Applicant as a family entertainment venue offering interactive bowling along with an upscale eating and drinking establishment. The business will be open from 11:00 a.m. to Midnight Sunday through Thursday, and from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Star Lanes will operate a complimentary valet parking service for customers on Friday and Saturday evenings from 5:00 p.m. onwards. The business will also have on-site security during weekend evening hours from 8:00 p.m. to closing. Site Enhancements Minor changes to the project site will include new parking lot striping and a change in the vehicle circulation patterns to better accommodate valet drop off and pick up, the inclusion of additional accessible parking stalls, and the creation of an accessible pathway for employees parking off site, and improvements to the trash enclosure at the rear of the building. No other changes are proposed to the site or the building. Future signage for the business will be reviewed and approved by City Staff. 3of8 The Conditions of Approval proposed for the project (included in Attachment 2 to this Staff Report) will ensure that the proposed use operates in a manner that is safe and in compliance with the requirements of the City of Dublin. Parking The parking requirements for the existing uses on the parcel are as follows: Existing Uses Parkin Ratio Parkin Required Rigatoni's: Restaurant 2,000 SF 1 space per 100 SF 20 spaces Bank of America: Bank 4,000 SF 1 space per 150 SF 27 spaces Thomasville Home Furnishings: Retail 12,075 SF 1 space per 400 SF 30 spaces Total Parkin Required for Existing Uses 77 spaces Total Parkin Provided On Site 173 spaces Total Number of Spaces Available for Star Lanes 96 spaces The project site has enough parking if the 28,455 subject building were to remain as a retail establishment. However, the parking requirements for an Indoor Recreational Facility are more intensive than retail uses. In the case of Star Lanes, the Off-Street Parking and Loading Chapter of the Zoning Ordinance does not have a parking standard for this unique combination of uses, and a Conditional Use Permit is required to establish an appropriate parking standard. To establish the parking requirements for the proposed use, a parking study for the proposed use was completed by Fehr + Peers and reviewed by the City's Traffic Engineer. The parking study (without the referenced attachments) is included as Attachment 3 to this Staff Report, and the City Traffic Engineer's assessment of the parking study is included as Attachment 4. The conclusions and recommendations of the parking study are summarized below, and they have also been included as Condition of Approval No. 21 (Attachment 2). The operational characteristics of the proposed use, including late hours and a combination of entertainment and upscale dining, result in a peak parking demand on Friday and Saturday nights for the use of 192 parking spaces. There are 96 spaces available to Star Lanes on the parcel. The parking study explained that the peak parking demand for Star Lanes could be accommodated by a combination of solutions, including allowing off-site parking for employees, utilizing a professional valet parking service during peak parking demand times, and allowing shared parking throughout the subject parcel, which would only be needed at certain times. Parking Study Results and Recommendations The parking study identified that weekday daytime use of the facility is not expected to exceed the existing 96 parking spaces available to Star Lanes. Parking demand on a typical evening (Sunday-Thursday) could be accommodated on-site utilizing a combination of the 96 spaces available for Star Lanes and the parking spaces on the parcel that are available once other businesses in the shopping center (bank, home furnishings store, restaurant) have closed. On Friday and Saturday evenings, however, the parking study noted that standard on-site parking will begin to exceed capacity starting around 5:00 p.m. To accommodate the peak Friday and Saturday parking demand, three recommendations are proposed for implementation: 1. Shared Parking: Increases parking supply at peak times by 61 spaces Parking Reductions for Shared Parking are permitted by Section 8.76.0505 of the Zoning Ordinance when shared off-street parking is proposed between two or more adjacent use types that have different operational hours and do not need parking at the same time. The parking study examined parking demand and available parking on-site as well as within the remainder of 4of8 Enea Plaza during a typical Friday evening and Saturday evening. Because both the bank and the home furnishings store are closed by 6:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings (while the restaurant remains open), only 16 of the 77 spaces available to these tenants are utilized and the remaining 61 spaces are available to Star Lanes. 2. Off-Site Parking: Increases parking supply at peak times by 35 spaces Off-Site Parking is permitted by Section 8.76.050.C of the Zoning Ordinance when required parking for a use type cannot be feasibly provided on the same site as an approved use. In order to have the maximum number of parking spaces on-site available to customer parking, the Applicant proposes to direct employees to park in an adjacent parking lot within Enea Plaza. 35 parking spaces have been identified on the Enea Plaza parcel at 6694 Amador Plaza Road (on the southwest corner of Amador Plaza Road and St. Patrick Way) for use by Star Lanes employees on Friday and Saturday evenings after 5:00 p.m. The location of the off-site employee parking is shown on Sheet SP-1 B of the Project Plans, which are included as Exhibit A to Attachment 2. 3. Valet Parking: Increases parking supply at peak times by 17 spaces In order to accommodate all customer parking on-site at peak demand on Friday and Saturday evenings, the Applicant has proposed to implement a valet parking program that would allow all customers to the center to drop off their vehicle at the Star Lanes front door. The valet program would include vehicle stacking within a designated area on-site so that capacity could be maximized. The location of the valet parking area is shown on Sheet SP-113 of the Project Plans, which are included as Exhibit A to Attachment 2. By converting 23 standard parking spaces to 40 double-stacked valet spaces on-site, 17 additional parking spaces are gained and parking on-site can be operated by a professional parking service. The valet operations will allow all customers' cars to be parked on site and no customers or valet workers should need to seek parking elsewhere in Enea Plaza. Pedestrians crossing Amador Plaza Road would be limited to employees arriving and leaving work before or after peak traffic hours. At peak demand on Friday and Saturday nights, parking for Star Lanes will be accommodated in the following fashion: Location of Parkin Spaces Number of Parkin Spaces Star Lanes parking 96 spaces Shared parking on-site available after 6:00 .m. + 61 spaces Employee parking off-site as shown on Sheet SP-113) + 35 spaces Valet parking on-site as shown on Sheet SPA B + 17 spaces Total amount of parking available 209 spaces Total amount of parking required for Star Lanes at Friday/Saturday night peak demand 192 spaces Parkin surplus 17 spaces Condition of Approval No. 21, contained in Attachment 2 to this Staff Report, will ensure the off- site employee parking and valet parking services function well and alleviate potential parking problems during peak demand at Star Lanes, meeting the requirements to permit the requested parking adjustments, as described below: Requirements to permit Off-Site Parking: 1. The most distant parking space from a non-residential use type is not more than 400 feet from the use and the most distant parking space from a residential use type is not more than 5of8 150 feet from the use. The off-site parking is located directly across the intersection from the proposed use, and the furthest parking space is less than 400 feet away from the use. 2. Additional documents, covenants, deed restrictions, or other agreements as may be deemed necessary by the Director of Community Development are executed to assure that the required parking spaces are provided to the principal use for the life of the documents, covenants, deed restrictions, or other agreements. There is an existing reciprocal parking agreement for several of the parcels in the Enea Plaza shopping center, including the two parcels that are referenced in the Staff Report (the subject parcel at 6705 Amador Plaza Road and the parcel to be used for employee parking at 6694 Amador Plaza Road. Condition of Approval No. 14 will ensure that the legal documentation is provided to ensure continued availability of the off-street parking for the employees of the proposed use. 3. The parking lot site is not located in a residential zone unless the principal use requiring the parking is also allowed in a residential zone. The parking lot is not located in a residential zone. 4. The parking lot site is not within a road easement or private street. The parking lot is not located in a road or street. Requirements to permit a Parking Reduction for Shared Parking: 1. The Applicant shall demonstrate that there is a sufficient number of spaces are provided to meet the greatest parking demands of the participating use types and to ensure that there will not be a parking deficiency. The Applicant submitted a Parking Study prepared by Fehr + Peers Transportation Consultants, dated October 27, 2010 which concluded that sufficient parking will exist on site (and with the off-site employee parking) during the times of peak parking demand with the incorporation of the proposed Conditions of Approval. 2. Satisfactory evidence is provided that the use types, by their natures and operating times, will not conflict with each other. The Applicant submitted a Parking Study prepared by Fehr + Peers Transportation Consultants, dated October 27, 2010 which concluded that the use types, by their natures and operating times, will not conflict with each other during the times of peak parking demand with the incorporation of the proposed Conditions of Approval. 3. Overflow parking will not adversely affect any adjacent use. The peak parking demand hours of the proposed use should not conflict with existing businesses in the project vicinity due to the divergent operational hours. 4. Additional documents, covenants, deed restrictions, or other agreements as may be deemed necessary by the Community Development Director are executed to assure that the required parking spaces provided are maintained and that uses with similar hours and parking requirements as those uses sharing the parking facilities remain for the life of the documents, covenants, deed restrictions, or other agreements. Condition of Approval No. 14 will ensure that legal documentation is provided to ensure continued availability of the off- street parking for the employees of the proposed use. The combination of off-site parking for employees, utilizing shared parking in on the subject parcel, and providing valet service for customers on Friday and Saturday, will allow the proposed project to meet the requirements for each of the parking adjustments requested. The parking study for the project indicates that with this combination of solutions, sufficient parking should be provided to accommodate peak parking demand without resulting in overflow parking that would impact other properties in the project vicinity. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), together with the State Guidelines and City Environmental Regulations require that certain projects be reviewed for environmental impacts and when applicable, environmental documents prepared. For this project, Staff recommends that the project be found exempt from CEQA in accordance with CEQA Guidelines section 6 of 8 Section 15301 (Minor alterations to existing facilities involving little or no expansion of use). The project involves no expansion of the existing commercial building and only minor site enhancements. CONSISTENCY WITH THE GENERAL PLAN AND ZONING ORDINANCE: The project site is located in the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan (DDSP) area. The Downtown Dublin Specific Plan and related General Plan Amendments were adopted by the City Council on February 1, 2011. However, the adoption of the Specific Plan and the General Plan Amendments do not become effective for 30 days. An accompanying rezoning action to rezone all properties in the DDSP area to a new Downtown Dublin Zoning District was introduced on February 1, 2011 and the adoption of the new zoning district is scheduled to take place at the February 15, 2011 City Council meeting. The rezoning action would then become effective 30 days later. The site currently has a General Plan land use designation of Retail/Office and is in a Planned Development Zoning District. Once the DDSP, General Plan Amendment, and Downtown Dublin rezoning actions become effective, the property will have a General Plan Land Use Designation of Downtown Dublin (Transit-Oriented District) and will be located in the newly- created Downtown Dublin Zoning District. Indoor Recreational Facilities are permitted in the both the existing Planned Development Zoning District as well as the proposed Downtown Dublin Zoning District with approval of a Zoning Clearance or Minor Use Permit. REVIEW BY APPLICABLE DEPARTMENT AND AGENCIES: The Building Division, Fire Prevention Bureau, Public Works Department, Dublin Police Services, and Dublin San Ramon Services District have reviewed the project and provided Conditions of Approval where appropriate to ensure that the project is established in compliance with all local ordinances and regulations. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: In accordance with State law, a Public Notice was mailed to all property owners and occupants within 300-feet of the proposed project. The Public Notice was also published in the Valley Times and posted at several locations throughout the City. At the writing of this Staff Report, two letters had been received regarding the Project, which are included as Attachments 5 and 6. A copy of this Staff Report was provided to the Applicant. ATTACHMENTS: 1) Written Statement 2) Resolution approving a Minor Use Permit and Conditional Use Permit for Star Lanes, an Indoor Recreational Use consisting of a bar, restaurant, billiards, and bowling alley in an existing 28,455 square foot building at 6705 Amador Plaza Road and related parking adjustments, with the Project Plans (including a floor plan and site plan) attached as Exhibit A 3) Enea Plaza Parking Study, dated October 27, 2010 (without attachments) 4) Memorandum from Jaimee Bourgeois, City Traffic Engineer dated January 21, 2011 5) Letter to the Planning Commission from Ted Hoffman, Jr. dated February 2, 2011 6) Letter to Jeri Ram from Robert Enea dated February 1, 2011 7of8 GENERAL INFORMATION: APPLICANT/: PROPERTY OWNER: LOCATION: ASSESSORS PARCEL NUMBER: GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION: SPECIFIC PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION: SURROUNDING USES: Bratts Entertainment, Inc., Matthew Scanlan, 933 Winsford Court, San Ramon, CA 94583 St. Michael Investments, Geraldine Goodell, 31190 Calle Cayuga, Cathedral City, CA 92234 6075 Amador Plaza Road 941-1500-038-03 Existing: Retail/Office Future: Downtown Dublin (Transit-Oriented District) Existing: Commercial B (in the West Dublin BART Specific Plan project area) Future: Downtown Dublin Specific Plan (Transit-Oriented District) Existing General Plan Land Use (until Existing Zoning (until 3/17/2011)/ 3/3/2011) Current Use of Location Future Zoning (after 3/17/2011) Future General Plan Property Land Use (after 3/3/2011 Planned Development/ Retail/Office / North Downtown Dublin Zoning District Downtown Dublin Commercial/ (Transit Oriented Shopping Center District Planned Development/ Retail/Office / South Downtown Dublin Zoning District Downtown Dublin Commercial/ (Transit Oriented Auto Dealership District n/a Retail/Office / East Downtown Dublin I-680 (Transit Oriented District Planned Development/ Retail/Office / West Downtown Dublin Zoning District Downtown Dublin Commercial/ (Transit Oriented Shopping Center District) I 8 of 8