Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Welcome to the regular meeting of the city of Atascadero Planning Commission a meeting. Today's Tuesday, March 3rd and Mr. Vice Chair Berson, would you like to lead us in the pledge of allegiance? Roll call, please. Commissioner Frell, here. Commissioner Heath,

here. Commissioner Jones here. Commissioner Ali here. Commissioner Pachio here. Vice Chairperson Anderson here. Chairperson Keane here. All present.

If you are attending in person or listening to the commission meeting tonight, welcome. Um, we will open public comment. This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to address the commission on anything not currently on the agenda and over which the commission has jurisdiction. Speakers are limited to three minutes. Please state your name for the record before making your presentation and come up to the podium. The commission may take action to direct the staff to place a matter of business on a future agenda. Okay, seeing none, I'll close public comment and move on to the consent calendar and I will open the public comment for the consent any consent calendar items. Are there any members of the public wishing to provide public comment on a consent calendar item? Okay, I will go ahead and close that public comment. Uh do any uh any commission members wish to ask any questions about or pull any items from the consent calendar? No. Okay. Can I have a motion?

Uh, Commissioner Heath to make a motion to approve the consent calendar. And I'll second that. And roll call, please.

Commissioner Heath, yes. Vice Chairperson Anderson, yes. Commissioner Frell, yes. Commissioner Jones, yes. Commissioner Omali, yes. Commissioner Pachio, yes. Chairperson Keane, yes. Motion passes. Okay. Are is there any planning commission business? No. Okay. Any community development staff reports? Okay. And we'll move on to our public hearing. Who's presenting tonight?

Thank you, Chair. Eric Gomez is going to present this item for us tonight for the the zone change and conditional use permit. Um, which is basically premised by Chick-fil-A at the Home Depot Shopping Center. All right, Eric, dazzle us.

All righty. I have the I have the unparalleled pleasure of presenting to you and dazzling you all tonight um with the project we have in front of us today. Uh so today we're talking about the Home Depot Center broadly. Um more specifically about an amendment that's come in uh to amend the Home Depot master plan development. As you may know, the Home Depot Center is located on the far north side of Alunur Rail in our city. This is a uh combination of actions that we're asking for your recommendation to city council for today. um all listed under uh entitlement or conditional use permit 250069. Um so on your screen right now you have the project site. It's the home uh Home Depot master plan of development, the Home Depot Center. It's about 27 acres of uh commercial park zone land. Um just a little bit of background. Um there's been several iterations since the early 2000s to the Home Depot center um which have allowed uh over time about 230,000 square feet of development. Um the most recent amendments they've included uh different iterations of restaurants and and retail shelves. Um uh I think most recently was an expanded hotel to the south of the existing Spring Hill Suites. Um all these amendments have since expired. Um, and we've been uh uh working with the uh ownership of the property as they have they as they've explored um a new avenue to complete those three vacant pads that they have left on the property. Wow, that was boost to my microphone there. That was lovely. Um so that is uh what we're here to uh discuss today and we're very excited about it. Um uh about last year or two years ago, we did some some outreach with the local high schools and they said they really wanted some chicken restaurants. And so part of

the project description that we're here to discuss today is a chicken restaurant that is hoping to occupy one of those three uh vacant shells. And so they were doing it for the youth today. Um so really quickly just a quick project description. Um what you're looking at today is a zone tax amendment. So the Home Depot master plan of development is zoned uh under a plan development overlay number nine. And currently that plan development overlay doesn't allow car wash uses. So part of the actions that we're looking at is to do a zone tax amendment specifically to this PD um plan development. uh this PD only applies to this uh commercial center and it would conditionally allow meaning that they'd have to apply for a conditional use permit, but it would conditionally allow a uh car wash. The second action here is uh the actual conditional use permit. All drive-through uses uh in this zone require a conditional use permit. And with the zone amendment that we are uh or with that the applicant is proposing, so would that car wash. Um, and as a bundle deal, you get that extra little retail shell um that they're proposing as well. And they're also proposing a lot line adjustment to uh clear some underlying conflicts with the property lines uh that are existing on the property today. Um so on your screen you can see that the Home Depot center is actually kind of split into two sides. You have the east side and the west side. Uh the east side um being east of Elcom Royale, that's where your Home Depot and uh your Staples um are located. And right next to that Staples, if you know the property on that vacant pad is where uh they are proposing a drive-thru car wash. Um on the west side of the development, uh where the Spring Hill Suites is currently um and where the previously proposed hotel would have been, they are proposing a new drive-through restaurant that would be uh currently planned to be

Chick-fil-A. Um and closer to the restaurant, further west on that same area, uh they are proposing a retail/rest commercial shell building. Um the car wash would be about 4,000 square ft. The new drive-through restaurant would be about 5,000 square ft. The uh retail shell would be about um 4,200 ft². So just a quick uh overview of what they're proposing here. So, uh, some images on, uh, your screen right now, you can see kind of that location map that I've put on the bottom left corner there. Um, but on the corner intersection of Elkcom Rail, um, they are proposing that drive-through restaurant um, building and then a little bit closer to the hotel, as I mentioned earlier, is that commercial shell building. Um, all of it is generally um, contemporary architecture uh, for you know, pretty standard for what you see in that center. uh stucco walls, metal acc metal accents, um some tower elements on both the commercial shell and the car wash building. Um you'll see that as you go out there today, there are some masonary masonry/tile uh elements across the board for all the buildings that are there uh currently. Um, and so we wanted to kind of try to tie the architecture, the general site, uh, architecture and design together by asking that Chick-fil-A also do the same. That's the one condition that we place on that design. Um, and so that is noted on the conditions of approval. Um, and we'll jump over to the east side. Yeah, the car wash building. Again, very similar um, contemporary uh, design for that building. standing seam metal roof for the vacuum areas. Um throughout the site uh on either end

there will be landscape improvements um generally along the site boundaries. Jumping to signage for the site. So there is a lot of existing signage on the uh at the commercial center. It is governed by an a master sign program that was approved with the development. And so under that master sign program, uh, each essentially business is able to have up to 60 square feet of signage per a wall facing a parking lot or or a public street. Um, as shown on their plans, most of the buildings comply with that. Um, with the exception of the car wash building. Just the the purpose-built uh design of a car wash building means that there's a really long narrow side and two really short sides. Um, and given where that vacuum area is proposed, um, to make signs that are feasible for it, um, they're going to always take up a little bit more than 60 square feet as measured on their plans, which are conceptual at this point. Um, it seems about, uh, they seem to be at 90 ft. Um, and so we're requesting a design exception from that master sign program to allow those extra 30 feet on of signage specifically on that car wash building. Uh outside of those wall signs, you will um also see uh signs on a new monument sign uh as well as the existing uh freeway facing pylon um that you're seeing on your screens here. Those are related to the Chick-fil-A. Again, all signs will be uh installed with sign permits and comply with um any applicable uh provisions of our sign code as well as a master sign program. So, as part of the conditional use permit, the applicants are requesting um a parking reduction. It's important to note that all uh of the parking at the center is essentially shared. Uh very typical for a commercial center. Um but as a whole uh especi particular on the

east side, they are required to have 262 parking spaces. Um they are proposing 236 parking spaces. Uh so it's about a 30 space deficit. Um we believe that this is a justifiable reduction um just based on how the site operates uh the available queuing area for that east side for the Chick-fil-A and how many people are anticipated to be uh using that parking lot um we think the parking demand is probably overestimated. Uh and also with there being so much shared parking across both sides of the development, um we do not consider this a a significant issue um and and are recommending approval of that parking reduction. We also have a uh request for a driveway modification modification. Our typical standard when we're constructing or modifying driveways is to try to keep um at least 145 foot driveway spacing. Um so between any two driveways, aim to have 145 ft. Uh generally that's considered a safe distance. reduces uh turning conflicts. It reduces sight distance uh conflicts uh when when maneuvering or circulating throughout the site. Um in this case, just based on how their parking worked out uh with the site um and and just working through those improvements and making sure you have enough queuing space for the drive-through restaurant, um it starts eating up space um while also trying to meet other uh requirements of site improvements. So the max amount of space they could provide between the driveways was 109 ft. This project was reviewed by our public works team. It did come with a review of uh of these changes by a traffic engineer which is again peer reviewed by our public works team and and we have no concerns with this request to modify that driveway standard. Um a quick discussion on just general traffic and circulation. Um, I know this has been a a a big topic for this project and we've been working with the

applicant team um to to address some of the um concerns that you typically see with drive-through restaurants um and you know, new commercial development as it relates to uh traffic generation and making sure that there's, you know, and the site is designed so that uh you're not uh creating something that people don't want to go to. Um, right now the Chick-fil-A uh is designed to have a 33 vehicle queue for uh for their drive-through restaurant. Um, the car wash is proposed with a 13 vehicle queue. Um, the only driveway they're proposing to modify is that uh souththeast um driveway on the property, which is going getting a little bit closer to the one in the north. Um, we do recognize that a lot of these drive-through restaurants in town in particular, at the very beginning of their operation, we'll see a lot of traffic. People get very excited, just like they did for Sonic, just like they still do for um for In-N-Out. So, um, what we've asked for Chick-fil-A uh is to make sure that as uh they're finishing this project, getting closer to opening, before they finish their um building permits, that they're providing us with a traffic control plan um for that property. And so making sure um that we feel confident that you know if there is cues that are going to go beyond their queue capacity for their driveway uh that we have uh you know we we can depend on them to go ahead and control the traffic with both staff members and signage on the property. Uh that will alleviate any of that congestion and make sure it doesn't leak back over onto the street to the extent possible. Um another uh issue that's gotten brought up or concern I should say has gotten brought up is noise. Uh we are um conditioning or providing some conditions related to noise for the car wash in particular. Um anytime you have a car wash anywhere near residential

uses or even lodging uses in this case. Um there's always a concern that some of that equipment may create noise that carries into the residential neighborhoods. And so with this project, we are uh conditioning at the car wash uh stick to operating hours of 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. um to make sure they more or less coincide with what the uh city's noise ordinance is. Um we are also requiring as part of the condition um uh design parameters for the car wash that will reduce operational noise. Um, and so those are usually found those are usually preset manufacturer specs by the vendor of the car wash equipment. So that might mean some kind of silencer on uh the vacuums. That might mean some kind of special shielding along equipment or it could mean you know some type of uh special washing equipment. Um, so there are a few options they have there depending on where what manufacturer they go with on the design of that building uh and the equipment that's being used. With that being said, our recommendation today is uh listed on the uh PowerPoint uh on your screen right now. So, um we are recommending that the planning commission adopt a draft resolution uh recommending that the city council amend the plan development overlay uh number nine to conditionally allow car wash uses, approve the lot line adjustment at 25-0042 subject to findings and conditions of approval and approve the conditional use permit with the parking reduction, driveway design modification and sign exception um to amend the Home Depot center master plan development and to allow a car wash drive-through restaurant and commercial shell at the Home Depot Center subject to findings and conditions of approval.

Thank you. Um I actually have a few questions and then I'll hand it over to some of my fellow commissioners. Um I don't know that I really saw it much, but um if we're using the additional parking lot on the other side on the east side, um what what is the plan for crosswalks, pedestrian crossings, making sure that those things are um there to protect anybody crossing the street? And also just because of the fact that, you know, there's a bus stop right there, so there's going to be people walking. if we've got kids around there. What is there anything specific that we've done for pedestrians in that area?

So, a lot of that site as it's been developed has been largely improved. So, there are already existing sidewalks um fully compliant with our local engineering standards. Um crosswalks have been added. There are crosswalks, I believe, right across that traffic circle. Um the whole goal of the previous conditions for the master plan development which will stay in place was to create uh kind of that pedestrian uh crossing pattern in a safe way. So none of them are going to be changed but most of them are already there. Um and I'll let public works uh Mr. the bar public works director is here with us today. He can speak to that as well.

Good evening. Yeah, that's a great question. Um that bus stop right now that's there, that's actually not being used by RTA. So that's not an active bus stop. In fact, when I was up there earlier today, I was like, "Oh, we should pull that bench and that signpost there." So, we'll probably be doing that. The other one is um that there's crosswalks right now right at San Ramon at that four-way stop. We would encourage people to use that if they're going between the centers. um you know midb block crosswalks like where that roundabout would be closer to where the proposed car wash is. We we would want people to probably walk down and cross at that controlled intersection just for safety reasons.

Okay. Yeah, cuz I'm at there a lot and so when they put in the road, is there going to be like fresh paint, new surface, refreshing all of that? Because right now a lot of that paint is super faded. I guess that's a question for you, Nick. Yeah, that's one of the things I was just talking to the applicant earlier about. And um they'll have to do some modifications for um signage and and uh pavement markings up there. Um we'll be looking at kind of that pavement condition and seeing how because the road is the surface is a bit raveled.

Um it's in good shape structurally for the most part. There's a couple areas that have a couple issues, but for the most part it's in good shape. And um we'll work with the applicant on making sure that uh the pavement markings and the traffic control that's put in place is uh you know easy to follow for those uh traveling to this uh center. Okay. Thank you. Anybody else questions, comments for staff? Yeah, I do. Yes. Go ahead. You know, given traffic on that off-ramp right there, it's a very short off-ramp with the added traffic. What do you think is uh a good control method? because it's just a stop sign right there and sometimes it gets congested.

Yeah. You know, of all places in town, I mean, the applicant couldn't have probably picked a better spot to for for capacity for traffic because this this corridor, I mean, you look at Santa Rosa, you look at car, you look at any of our other interchanges and they're they're pretty impacted. This this corridor is not. and um their traffic report. I mean, they're not going to be queuing up onto the main line of the highway or anything, but um it still operates at an acceptable level of service and the queue queueing lengths aren't exceeded. So, um we don't really anticipate too many issues there. um the first month, you know, I don't know if you guys remember when um what's the uh Sonic when Sonic came in and it was like I was getting calls that first week like we got to do something about that traffic and I just said just wait a couple weeks and it'll kind of die down. we we put a condition in the uh conditions of approval um for some temporary or um mitigation during that first month or so. If they do have a lot of traffic in that area, they'll have to uh work with the city on, you know, having a traffic control contractor out there directing traffic or whatever it might be. Um you know, it's a good problem to have. I mean, it it's going to be real successful. I don't know if that answered your question or not. No,

I just wanted to know if you had anticipated that, which you always do. And uh you know, it's kind of like the fair, you know, when the fair comes to town, you can't you can't you can plan for it, but it gets really busy. So, it's good to have a lot of traffic. Yeah, I feel like um Chick-fil-A is going to bring a lot of traffic, but I I'm glad that you guys are on it. So, I hope that it like stays under control cuz I live right there. So, not right there. I mean, far enough away, but and it's Chick-fil-A. I don't know. I feel like y'all are underestimating how much people are going to come to Chick-fil-A. Anybody else?

That's what I was thinking, too. I have a I have an 11-year-old. We're already excited. Um, what's what's the threshold or or at what point would you do more surveys to determine if we need a light? Yeah, right now um I was just refreshing my memory on the um traffic and all we had them really look at four main intersections um for the project. One was right at San Raone and uh El Camino. Another one was at the on and off ramps, you know, uh the one on El Camino northbound and then the one on the other side of the freeway. And then the third one which was number two in the uh traffic report is uh right at that roundabout the main entrance for the Spring Hill in and um you know none of these exceed you know what the existing plus project level of service is uh you know doesn't really change the only one that does is uh they're all A or B and um nothing changes with any of them except the northbound ramp at El Camino. you know, goes from a level of service A to a level of service B after the project is done. And the queueing is all consistent with um you know, there's enough queueing on the corridor to handle all the any cars stacking up at these intersections. So um usually we would look at there's certain warrants that would warrant a a traffic signal. Um but none of these are are very close. Level of service is delay through an intersection. That's what it's measuring. And you'd usually have to drop down below a C level of service C. So like a D um to start looking at those traffic signals.

Okay. So we got a ways to go. We got a ways to go. Thank you.

Well, I just wanted to make a comment. I I I anticipate a lot of kids would like to go, you know, kind of like they go to Sonic and they go to In-N-Out, they'll probably want to go to uh Chick-fil-A or even the the other shops that are there and maybe the car wash. Who knows? But uh but uh with with the idea that you know you're going to have more pedestrian traffic probably crossing that intersection. I I can't anticipate too many high schoolers getting out at high school and running over to Staples or well maybe Staples but Home Depot on their bikes, but definitely Chick-fil-A. So we might want to anticipate some, you know, pedestrian lights or pedestrian uh added features to help uh calm that, keep them safe. Yeah, we can monitor that. You know, it's hard to say. It's hard to predict, you know, human behavior sometimes. Sometimes human behavior when it comes to traffic is really predictable. Other times it's not. And um we can keep an eye out for that. And you know, we are looking at different portions of El Camino right now, you know, where we could add enhanced crosswalks where there's none. And cuz we have some really long sections in town that are not controlled. You know, you have to almost walk a mile or so to cross. So, we're looking at that right now. And um you know, a crosswalk across El Camino that's not controlled with either a traffic signal or a four-way stop would warrant some kind of enhanced crosswalk minimum like a a push bar that has a flashing sign. So, I mean, that is something that would probably be pretty easy to implement on on that uh roundabout intersection, if you will.

Absolutely. Thank you. Appreciate that. Excuse me. And as for So, you said the traffic level is like A or B, and we would need it to be like C or D for it to be the traffic to get to a traffic signal point. Um, is that something that what would I guess what would trigger a new study? I mean, would it just be people calling like, "Oh my god, it's taking me an hour to get to Chick-fil-A from the on-ramp." It's an overestimation, but I mean, is that what would trigger a new study to see if the traffic pattern has changed or is it just something that you would do in a year or like what would trigger that to see if the traffic those intersections have changed to the point where we need to start thinking about those things?

Yeah. And I think, you know, this this is their due diligence with this traffic study and it's it's just a study. It's a model. I mean, it's um they're using slowcog data sets and then other um you know, collected traffic counts for existing and kind of what's projected and um you know, usually we'd be looking at future development in the area. So um once they build and once this is is you know happening then it becomes can't really go back to the applicant and say okay now you guys have to build a traffic signal because that kind of we this is the opportunity but we're not even close to that and um so it' be the city looking at a lot of those traffics and you know if there's complaints you know we might do a study traffic study at an intersection and and then see if it meets a warrants to build one that helps Okay. Thank you.

Yes. Go ahead, Commissioner.

We have a couple questions and uh first for staff and then what I believe the applicants represented tonight. I might have a couple questions uh for the applicant as well. One, I I do want to just comment. I'd like to push the notion of that midblock crosswalk. I do think that location is going to invite people to park across the street and cross at that roundabout area. So, I do agree with the enhanced crosswalk with the light the lighted feature, but I do want to think about that. Um uh and that's the only public comment we received actually on this project was related to the car wash. So I'll first ask staff and Miss Gleason might remember this. This commission actually addressed car washes and blowers across from In-N-Out Burger at the Greyhound car wash about 12 years ago and we got into the business of limiting the number of blowers on the car wash. I don't really care about the number of blowers. I want to know the best technology available in the decibel. That's all I really care about. So, I'm wondering if the applicant can speak to that. And then the second part of that question is, does it matter to you on your queueing? Can you put it on the south side so that the blowers aren't aimed at the hotel where people are trying to rest at the morning of hour of operation based on your queueing? I don't want to redesign your project or run your business. But I I think thinking about the best technology available in the decibel is really what matters to the impacts to both the neighborhood and the existing businesses. So, we're going to stick to staff questions and then we'll hear from the applicant and then we can ask him questions.

I'm previewing that so he's got a moment to think about it. I'm often the applicant. So, I appreciate that. That's all. Any other questions for staff? Okay. If the applicant would like to come forward.

Okay. Good evening, Madam Chair and commissioners. Uh for the record, my name is Connor Best with Wester Associates, uh representing Atasaderoa 101 Associates, the property owner. Uh we've owned and manage this center for about 28 years, and we're proud to bring forward what we see as the final phase of this development, excuse me. This proposal completes the buildout of Highway 101 interchange site of this Highway 101 interchange site. Because of this uh because of the unique constraints of this northernmost off-ramp, uh we've worked carefully to design a plan that includes the three final components, a quick service drive-through restaurant, a complimentary retail pad building, and a car wash. Together, these uses round out the center and support its long-term success. The project adds convenient services for local residents, highway travelers, and customers of nearby businesses like Home Depot and the surrounding hotel. The car wash, in particular, is a use that fits well with a freeway oriented site like this. Uh, our local traffic engineer has evaluated existing conditions and worked closely with Chick-fil-A's traffic engineering team. The analysis addresses ingress, egress, stacking, and overall site circulation and accounts for the full buildout of the project. We appreciate the collaboration from planning staff, public works, and other city departments throughout this process. Representatives of Chick-fil-A and I are available for any questions, one of which I've just received. And we would respectfully ask for the opportunity to respond to any more public comments and discuss some of the conditions of approval at the commissioner's direction. Thank you. And to uh answer Mr. Jones's question. Uh, we do not have an operator of the car wash yet, but we're happy to include that in some sort of um condition for the car wash. And I believe that our

acoustic study does limit the distance at which the blowers could approach that uh final exit of that tunnel. Uh unfortunately for the kind of rerouting of the circulation, we do believe and we've checked with a number of operators that the way that the traffic enters now and into the vacuum that that's unfortunately just for the way our roads work the best way to orient that. Um and to address the public comment that was written. Um you know, we we've uh performed the acoustic study of the car wash and for the homes to the north on the other side of the railroad. uh we do not see an impact beyond, you know, normal noise that they're already receiving from highway and railroad traffic. So, so you're saying it's comparable to ambient or do we have a decibel rating?

Sorry, can you restate? Are we saying it's comparable to ambient noise levels or do we have a decibel rating uh for that for the

Yeah, in the acoustic study I think there's you know some decibel readings that were within the acceptable range during your uh noise ordinance between 7 and 7 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. So, you know, truck traffic noise, you know, other business noise that's allowed through the city, uh, projected, you know, speakers and things like that for drive-through restaurants or or, um, you know, other businesses that produce noise throughout the day. I think we're within the limits of the city code. Eric, can you help me out with any uh specifics on that acoustic study that we did? Now it's about uh yeah they did prepare an acoustic study um that results of the acoustic study's recommendations were to uh limit eliminate um or sorry limit the operating hours uh during that time and to limit the dec or to ensure that there's you know a way to limit the decibb that they're uh creating through the dryers in particular. Um, one of those uh ways that we did that or one of the ways that we did that was through that condition that um requires kind of that silencing package when they go and design the the car wash.

I'll just ask a simple question. Do we have a decel reading? Is it like a 100 dB which is a limit for auto exhaust in the state of California or do we have a number? I don't have that number in front of me right now. Yeah, I can try to I don't have that number in front of me either. I'm sorry. But we did provide uh an acoustical report to the staff. No other questions, manager. Anyone else have questions for the applicant? Okay. Thank you very much. Thanks. Uh if I may just discuss a couple of the conditions of approval to bring to your attention that

uh we're still discussing with staff and we'd like to potentially make changes before we go to city council. Um, number seven of the conditions of approval describes some landscape screening on Chick-fil-A's decorative trash enclosure, which I think Eric was alluding to to during his presentation that we already have some decorative stone and splitface block. So, we don't really want to wrap the the decorative trash enclosure with landscape screening and the um the operators have had issues with rodents in these kind of landscape screened uh trash enclosures. So, that's one that we would hope to just eliminate is the landscape screening of the trash closers. Um, some ambiguous or subjective um ones that we're trying to work out with staff are number three, number 16, number 18, number 27, and number 30. And then there's three more that we've provided more specific plans to staff and we're trying to reach more of a specific agreement and those are numbers 12, 17, and 18. So happy to answer any of those more specifically if you have questions.

Thank you. Thank you.

I'll go ahead and open public comment. Is there any member of the public wishing to make a comment on this project? Please come up to the podium and state your name. And you have three minutes. Okay, seeing none, I will close public comment and bring it back to the commission. Uh, comments, any other questions? Can we hear staff's response to those additional items? Yeah, because I don't think we got a copy of those. And I don't see that on the website for the public to understand that either. I don't I don't think we're uh we're discussing that portion of it yet. We're just doing a lot of the Yeah, just the law changes right now. What was the question?

He had some requests that we amend some of the conditions on the permit, but I don't think we got a copy of those conditions. You don't have a copy of the conditions? No. When he was stating the numbers, we didn't get copies of that. It doesn't appear to be on the website. Uh oh. Okay. That's a concern. Um I'm asking Eric if we can bring those conditions up now, our screen. Um apologize for that. Didn't realize that didn't get published properly terms of that portion.

I do believe we are we are being asked to approve the se. We'll bring up those in just a moment. We just need to get the the document and we'll have those up on a screen so we can talk about the specific conditions the applicant's concerned about. Can you bring up on the screen um the three options for the approvals tonight so we can just verify what we're looking at?

I will do that in just a second.

Thank you. Just bear with us a moment while we pull those items up. Thank you. Chairperson, can you could um we could take a brief recess for five minutes. Yeah, we'll go ahead and take a brief recess for five minutes.

Perhaps a recess in 10 minutes is an order to allow staff.

Okay, we will reconvene for the meeting. Um, can we ask the applicant to give us a list of those conditions again? Yes, just before he does that, I just want to um state for the record that uh conditions of approval and the resolution was passed out to all commissioners at the dis and there is a copy available for the public to review um in the room. Uh the conditions will also be displayed um on the monitor which will be projected to Zoom and we'll be uploading them to the website as soon as possible. Thank you. So we got number seven with the trash enclosure.

Yeah, good evening. Thank you. And it's purely just the language about the evergreen screening there. The rest of it we're fine with for number seven. Uh and then sorry that the screening material is evergreen. you want different screening material or that that there is screening material around it. Yeah. So just the language that refers to the evergreen screening material. We think that the trash enclosure is a highly decorative design and we don't want to put screening around the decorative split concrete and stone. So no plans at all. That's what we're Yeah, that's the request. And to clarify that was also based on operational experience that rodents and other things get into that area.

Exactly. Okay. Thank you. And then um the biggest list here and I'll I'll list them for you. Item three, item 16, item 18, item 27, and item 30. Um just provide some ambiguous or subjective language to allowed changes to the plans. And we're just trying to limit that amount of change to no material change beyond the, you know, conceptual plans, you know, with with a small margin. Yeah, we can change here there, but, you know, we're trying to control costs and uh make sure that this project works for everybody. So, some of these we're just concerned that uh we don't want to give someone a blank check to change these conditions. That's basically it. And then the three items that we've we've provided some plans to staff and we're still working out the exact details of that and it's just kind of a notification. Yes, we're okay with these conditions as long as we kind of detail them down a little bit more and lock it in. Those are items 12, 17, and 18. So we have a phototric plan. We've we're working on these pavement marking plans and um we're working on this, you know, uh we've provided a traffic management plan for the first month of operation that we think is adequate. We're just trying to get agreement and a thumbs up that that it's it's agreed to by staff.

Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Sorry. And then just to let you know, so myself and representatives from Chick-fil-A are here happy to discuss it more if you like.

Perfect. Thank you. And chairperson Keane, if I could, um, just out of an abundance of caution, I would recommend maybe we reopen public comment to see if there's anyone that would like to speak based on the new information that was provided to the public. Okay, I will reopen public comment on this item for um, the zoning change and conditional use permit. Um, are there any members of the publication to speak on this item after the conditions of approval have been put on the back table? Okay, seeing none, I'll go ahead and close public comment. We can bring it back to the commission. Um, we may have some more questions for staff. Um, number three, the community development department shall have the authority to approve the following minor changes to the project that modify the site plan project by less than 10% and or result in a superior site design or appearance. Um my question is more uh what are the following minor changes?

No, it it's if the they make any changes to the plan, they don't have to come back here to planning commission. They the community development department can just approve it. So it makes it administerial. Yeah. Okay, it says it says the authority to approve the following minor changes. Just additional information on these conditions, the first several conditions here are stock conditions that we have on every single use permit. And they give our department the flexibility to be able to do minor modifications when the construction plans come in without having to come back to commission. So, we keep this caveat out here. It's basically a public FYI.

So, this isn't something where you're going to go in and be like, "Oh, you know what? Never mind. I want to change that where that driveway is. It would be something that they would bring to you with minor changes as the building permits, construction permits. Correct. When they get into construction details, sometimes things have to change to respond to the building code and we don't want to have to come back here to deal with that. For example, it's actually in the benefit of the owner.

Yeah, that makes sense. Um, so we probably need to discuss the trash enclosure screening. Um, the lighting is number 12. Um, I think number 16 is another one. The city engineer shall have the authority to approve minor revisions. That makes sense. Um, number 17 is a big one. Um, that's the improvements to the road. uh we can obviously discuss those as well. The traffic control mitigation plan um we've talked a little bit about that. Number 27 is about utilities. I think that's probably pretty stock. I'm not sure we're going to be able to do much about that. And then 30 is the fire truck.

And then 30 is the fire truck. Again, whichever project has.

Oh, yes. Go ahead. Hi. Sorry. And just to clarify, um, so this fire truck, the photometric, these are provided on our plans. So we we just view the the added condition as kind of a another reach, another ask. So we're just hoping our plans are sufficient and we're just trying to say we're okay. But just to clarify, thank you. Okay. Thank you.

Well, just go ahead. All right. My experience is that the staff has been very uh forthcoming and eager to work with new uh new buildings and and codes. So, anything that you bring forward that doesn't violate this would more than what likely be approved or worked with and I can't foresee any of our staff having anything major to be changed if it's not fitting within these these guidelines. They're very diligent in that. So, I don't think I have anything to worry about. We do have to talk about the trash enclosure though. So, any thoughts and comments on the trash enclosure?

Yeah, I'm pro hygiene and fine with no vegetation around a well decorated um trash facility. And any other people with opinions on plants around the trash enclosure? Okay, then we'll deal with that when we make a motion. Um Madam Chair, if I may, um yes, if we can ask staff for one more clarification. I again during recess could not find the conditional use permit associated with the agenda item either in the HTML format or the PDF format. So I'm wondering if members of the public had the opportunity to review the conditional use permit before us tonight. Can you take a moment to see if that's publicly available?

I'm happy to respond to this. I'm not sure about the status of its review, but um in terms of properly noticing this for the Brown Act, um this was properly noticed, we have the um project on the agenda. Uh what the public is uh is important for the public to have is whatever you have. So whatever documents that the commission was able to see um is what is important that the public has uh which is what we've done here tonight with the addition pardon with the additional information and is there additional document that you're

compliance is the floor not what we strive for. So I I appreciate that. Um but this is not publicly available to the best of my knowledge and I've been trying to show that. So it's available now. Yes. But and it became available to the public at the same time it became available to the commission tonight. Correct is my clarification.

I'd like to float the notion that if folks didn't get to see a conditional use permit adjacent to a neighborhood and existing businesses, two things. One, I I very much like this project and want to move ahead with it. I'm just concerned that our community didn't get to actually see what we're discussing now and we're reading it on the fly with a list of changes. I have a notion to float a motion to continue for two weeks so that staff and the applicant can get better alignment. Again, I'm I'm very supportive of the project and I know our community welcomes investment, but I I'm concerned that folks didn't get a chance to see it. And so that's that I know we have compliance on the floor. I don't dispute that, but I think our our standard is usually a little higher than that.

I mean, that is certainly a motion that you can make. Does anyone else have any questions or comments? Um, in regards to number seven,

to alleviate any confusion, we could add the the line trash enclosure landscape screening materials if utilized shall be evergreen and shall be of a height to adequately screen the enclosure walls. That way you guys can discuss it later and see if if they are required to be utilized or not and they could be left off. Well, I think that one specifically we can just take it out if we don't want to require it. But if we put in that if utilized, it makes it really big. So, we either need to be like it's required or it's not required. Well, okay. Yeah, if you want to just remove it, then that'll be part of the motion. There we go. Yeah.

Okay. So, uh if there's no more questions, comments, if someone wants to make a motion, if I'll make the motion. Okay.

Do we have a second? I'll second. Yeah, you have to say it. Pardon? Yeah. Can I get some clarification on what the motion? Put a motion on the calendar. I mean, I'm sorry. the motion on the screen and then you'll need to say what's on the screen and then add that we're not requiring the trash enclosure. Yeah, let's see. Landscape materials

was the resolution go just here we go. All righty. Perfect. All right. I'll make the motion to the planning commission adopt the draft resolution recommending the city council amend the plan development overlay zone number nine to conditionally allow car wash uses. Approve lot line adjustment ATAL25- Z0042 subject to findings and conditions of approval and approve a conditional use permit for the parking reduction driveway design modification and sign exceptions uh exception to amend the Home Depot center master plan of development CUP 2000- 0014 and allow a car wash drive-thru restaurant and commercial shell at the home depot center numbers I don't think you have to read all those.

Yeah. Uh with APMS and uh subject to findings and conditions approval with the um changes to number seven to remove uh the line about requiring landscape around the trash enclosure. They get a thumbs up. Do I hear a second? Commissioner. Yeah, that's my job. I apologize. Do you have a second? I will second. Okay. Roll call.

Vice Chairperson Anderson. Yes. Commissioner Frell, yes. Commissioner Heath, yes. Commissioner Jones, yes. Commissioner Ali, yes. Commissioner Pacio, yes. Chairperson Keane, yes. Motion passes. Good luck with your project. Yeah. Thank you for choosing your task. Thank you very much.

I can say now I'm sad there's no Chick-fil-A here tonight. Just saying they didn't hear me. Okay. Um any commissioner comments uh or reports? Any brief report on your own activities? Things you'd like to let the Yes, Commissioner Jones.

Yeah, just one. Um this is to staff. I I try not to be critical, but I I do want us to have some quality assurance that all of the documents on the agenda are readily available. I think that was an unacceptable miss tonight for a conditional use permit to not have the conditions available to the public well in advance of the hearing. So, I'd like to just I know that that wasn't intentional and you take your jobs very seriously, but that does put this commission in an awkward position. Our job is to have things tidy and resolved before it goes to the city council, not still have things in the applicant far apart with us. I don't mind it amending a condition or two, and I'm happy the applicant was represented, but but we can do better, and I'm I'm asking for that, I bet.

Thank you, and apologies for the omission. uh it is a mistake on our behalf to not have it published on the site and um oversight on on our behalf. Luckily, this is moving forward to city council and I guarantee we will have the report and all of the conditions in their entirety online and in print uh before we go to that hearing. So, appreciate the feedback. Apologies for what happened here tonight. I've never seen this happen. my ears at a task at arrow of emitting that and um threw us all off tonight here. So, apologies for that. Apologies for the delay and um thank you for your comments and feedback on that. Thank you.

You know, I think I think we all have some guilt. I mean, not one of us noticed that and I was kind of shocked because I'm like, wait, we're missing something. So, um I apologize for not saying something before the meeting started. We are surprised ourselves that none of you contacted us. We didn't hear from the public on this issue. Um, normally we would. So, fortunately, it wasn't uh noticed by anybody until now. Um, but here we are. The excitement of chicken sandwiches. It is our mistake. The waffle fries. Yeah.

Okay. Anybody else? Any report, Mr. Director?

Yes, thank you for the opportunity. I do have a report for you because we are so busy right now. Lots going on. Primarily want to give you guys an update on the general plan, the general plan EIR and uh our zoning ordinance update. These are some pieces that are going to be coming before the city council and before the planning commission over the next six months. Our goal is to complete all of those activities by June of this year. And we're going to be at pretty much every city council hearing with a major piece of that between now and June. And we're also going to be stopping at the planning commission in between at several hearings to show you components of that as well. Um we are probably two weeks away from publishing the environmental impact report for the general plan. Uh it's planned publication date March 16th. It'll have a 45day review period. Um it's an incredibly interesting read. Um, our legal team, Taylor here included, uh, Kelly, our planning manager, and myself have been reading through that, uh, daily, hourly, nightly. So, we're trying to make sure it's nailed down tight before that gets released to the public. Um, at the same time, we're we're putting the uh the eyes and the and the and the T's onto the zoning ordinance, uh, which will implement the general plan types. And so we're getting that nailed down tight. So we're in the final stages. I know you haven't heard much about that recently and it's because we've been developing this environmental impact report and all the background reports that go with it and we're working right down to the wire to make the publication date and make it happen so we can get everything done um by mid June and um hopefully get it done before we you know get close to election season. That's the idea. Um but it's taken us a little longer than we we had hoped to get these things along. But anyway, I'm happy to answer your any of your questions about that process and

some of those dates. But um yeah, every like I said, every hearing um we'll be moving forward with something with that. Um and um busy busy time right now for us in com. So So uh planning commissioners, plan your vacations around our very very important planning commission meetings. Okay. Curious. I hadn't noticed on the website, but checking at the recess. Do we have any agenda items for March 17th at this point? Do we have any agenda items? Kelly is nodding her head. Yes. What do we have on tap for the 17th? We're going to be bringing you I'm looking at my calendar here. I don't have any of the general planner zoning stuff for the 17th. And what have we got?

I believe we were bringing the APR. Ah, yes, the housing report. So, we're going to bring you the annual report that we bring that we take to HCD that tells us how many housing units we built in 2025, what the affordability levels were and all that stuff. So, yeah, just our run-of-the-mill APR report that we present to HCD. So, we'll have the numbers and um so not nothing uh to take action on. It'll be just a presentation report. So,

we'll be doing a new chair. That is the other component. Thanks for the reminder. We will also be putting in a notification that will be um nominating and electing a chair and vice chair. So in your minds, you can all start thinking about that and uh how that might work out. St. Patrick's Day. So make sure you wear your green. Is it actually on St. Patrick? That is the St. Patrick's Day. I was hoping for a blank agenda is Thomas Patrick Jones by similarly. Yeah. So, it'll be a green green beer here. Green commission. Yes. Yes. I expect you all have green on, please.

That's right. Okay. Um, is the downtown project completely finished? No. Okay. It's not. What do we have left on that?

There's spectacular pieces coming along. They call it phase two and it's going to include these beautiful arch signs at each end of the downtown that are reminiscent of the historic Atascadero sign that once spanned El Camino Rial near Tascadero Creek. Um and um it's a beautiful design. A Pier Ratimaker local designer really helped put together the design. It'll be on uh a metal work and sort of columner supports on each end and a tasket sign will span the entire roadway and be backlit. It's beautiful. It's kind of got the vintage letters similar to the original sign. And then there's a tunnel project to improve the tunnel and the tunnel lighting. Clean that up. And there's these cool little finishing pieces on the top of all those poles that everyone's been looking at. And they're like, there's something that needs to be finished on there. And there's a little bit of landscape that has to go into in some planters. And so it's the icing on the cake to be done. Uh but I think Nick's got an announcement for you on the project that he's really excited about. He didn't bring it with him tonight, but tell us about it, Nick.

Yes, Nick. Tell us.

Sitting here wondering where is he leading me to? We the the project um we accepted a um outstanding project award for 2025 from the League of California Cities last week at the Public Works Officer Institute. So, this beat out nine other statewide projects in this category. There's like five categories, but this was like the outstanding road project, uh, innovation and sustainability and, um, yeah, I mean, when when we're looking at the runnerups, you know, you got County of San Diego and you got, you know, all these big agencies that we beat out on it. And um, so I'm I'm guessing um, this is the year we accept all awards for the the cool project that we did.

And that's for the downtown project. That's for the downtown project. That's amazing. That's fantastic. Congratulations. Way to go, Tasero. Well, good. I'm glad we could end the night on a good note. So, I will adjourn our meeting and we'll be back uh on the 17th. And if I could do a good Irish accent, I would.