Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Good evening. The regular meeting of the Oakley Planning Commission is called to order at 6.30 p.m. Roll call. Commissioner Harvey.

Here.

Commissioner Olivares?

Here.

Commissioner Aila?

Here.

And I am Chair Price, present. Commissioner Gold is not here, is absent. We'll now do the Pledge of Allegiance. At this time, we're calling for public comments. I don't see any speaker cards. We have had no online comments. So we'll move to the consent calendar. Consent calendar is the minutes from the Planning Commission from November 18th and a resolution that established Planning Commission meeting dates. Is there any discussion from the Commission? Or would someone like to make a motion to adopt it?

I make a motion to adopt. Second.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

We now move to public hearings. Item 1, 4.1, Wolfgang Bakery and Grooming Conditional Use Permit. Are there any who would like to see the staff report?

Thank you, Chair. Give me one moment while I get the presentation loaded. Thank you. all right thank you good evening chair vice chair and planning commissioners the next item on tonight's agenda is the conditional use permit for wolfgang bakery and animal grooming located at oakley shops at laurel fields the project is located at 990 laurel road suite 1a and is designated retail business The site is north of Laurel, Laurel Road and east of O'Hara Avenue. Conditional use, the proposal is the applicant is requesting approval of a conditional use permit, CUP 2025-007 for an animal grooming facility in the new Oakley Shops at Laurel Fields Shopping Center. Wolfgang is a specialty retailer of pet food, pet supplies, and professional pet grooming with more than 350 locations open or under development throughout the United States. The Oakley location would initially have three groomers with the hopes of adding up to three additional groomers in the future. One dog is groomed at a time per groomer versus other styles of grooming that have multiple dogs come in for the same appointment time. An average grooming takes approximately 90 minutes and each groomer does an average of five dogs per day. In addition to the groomers, it is expected the retailer will also have two to three sales associates total. Hours of operation proposed are Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 10 to 6. General parking for the shopping center is provided per code and city requirements. The proposed location is 1430 square feet in a commercial suite in the northwest corner of the property. The suite is on the northern corner of the building that includes Chipotle, Wingstop, Baskin Robbins, and a Mathnasium. There's adequate parking for the uses within the shopping center. A little background, the proposed use is defined in Oakley's municipal code as animal grooming, which requires approval of a conditional use permit in the RB zoning district. The purpose of a conditional use permit is to allow cities to review and regulate uses that may be appropriate in some locations but not in others, or appropriate only if operated in a certain manner. Conditions can be imposed through the public hearing process to minimize negative impacts on neighboring properties or the community. A conditional use permit requirement also provides an opportunity for neighbors and stakeholders to provide public comment during a public hearing. Staff analysis. To grant a conditional use permit, the Planning Commission must make a series of findings for approval, including that the proposed use is appropriate for this site. in terms of size, shape, and design that it is served by adequate streets and infrastructure. It is compatible with the character of the surrounding area and is consistent with the general plan. It also supports the orderly growth of the community and complies with the California Environmental Quality Act, also known as CEQA. The proposed Wolfgang location conforms to the required findings for approval in part due to its limited scope and the fact that the findings for conditional use permits are primarily intended to ensure quality site development when a new building is constructed. Wolfgang's proposed operations are typical for an animal groomer and are compatible with the intended character of the shopping center. The proposed tenant space is found to be large enough for the use and has access to parking for as associates consistent with the first required findings for approval. As such, the project has been found to be exempt from CEQA pursuant to sections 15301, which is for existing facilities. And staff recommends the Planning Commission adopt a resolution approving Wolfgang Bakery and grooming conditional use permit CEP 2025-007 as conditioned. I did speak with the applicant today, but unfortunately, they were unable to make it to today's presentation. But they are aware of the conditions of approval and any concerns that the commissioners may have. Thank you.

Thank you, Planner Cortes. At this time, are there any questions from the Planning Commission?

I did have some questions. It's unfortunate the applicant's not here, but I guess I have some questions for city staff. One concern I have with this is I didn't see anything in the CUP about pet waste, and so I'm concerned, or concern's a strong word, but I'm curious if there's anything we can put in the CUP to address that. It is an area that there's food literally in the same building. My experience with groomers is often owners, and again, this is not the business's responsibility, but pet owners unfortunately are not always the best at not leaving waste where it shouldn't be especially after grooming appointments so if there's anything we it would be reasonable some kind of light mitigation measure perhaps putting some signage up or requiring a pet station a pet waste station to be put out or staff are responsible this business for cleaning up is there anything we can do to address that concern with the cup

Certainly, so I did speak with the applicant this morning and asked about standard operating procedures or expectations from customers prior to and after the appointment. So the pet owners are expected to walk their dog prior to the appointment. but they understand that accidents do happen, so they do provide bags for pet owners within their facility, but they were amicable to any potential conditions of approval related to pet waste, whether it be the signage, as you mentioned, or the staff being aware and taking a walkout before closing to ensure that pet waste has been picked up.

I think the signage is a really good idea. I think the signage is an excellent idea.

Just a quick question. On the site, there's also opportunities for ADA, right? We're ADA compliant in case we have folks that may be going in in a wheelchair. Ramp, is that accessible?

Yeah, the site was previously reviewed for site accessibility and would have the same accessibility as the other tenants in that pad.

Any other comments? Since there's no public cards or comments that have been made on this item, would any commissioner like to make a motion to adopt the resolution?

I'd like to, I'd be happy to make that motion, but I would like to amend the CUP to include, and I think maybe we should have some deliberations on that for what we're comfortable with or not comfortable with. I don't want to, I don't think we should be overly aggressive. You know, it's probably too much to put a weigh station in in the actual parking lot but perhaps maybe require them as part of the cup to include some signage inside their business that says you know don't do this or we have bags available if there is an accident you know just again light mitigation just something that really just kind of puts everyone on notice that this is something that we need to do again it's a public space high traffic area there's a lot of food i know owners are supposed to not do this but it is a thing with pet owners unfortunately so i think again i think some deliberation might be a good idea i would personally support some signage and requiring them to have bags at least available for cleanup i'm okay with that i don't know what the process is thank you chair um

would if staff may make a recommendation we feel like we could draft a condition that would address the the concerns of the planning commission what i would propose is if you do want to make a motion to adopt the conditional use permit with the addition of a condition of approval to address the management of potential pet waste We do know that this type of business, as Mr. Cortez stated, they do have doggy bags and things like that to pick up waste that may happen inside. They would also have disinfectants to help clean those areas where pet waste may occur. And we could easily draft a condition, if you're comfortable leaving that up to staff, that would essentially... require the business to not only provide bags for customers whose pets may have an accident out on the walkway or in the parking lot, but also to ensure that the staff does follow up to disinfect that area, especially if it's number two. and um and also post signage and i would i would think it would be comfortable to post signage not only inside the building but also have a small signage on the outside that we would not count towards commercial signage just making people aware that if there is an accident they can go inside to grab the bag and materials And if that is enough guidance for the condition that we write with a motion to include that condition, such a condition, you could go ahead and move forward with the adoption.

Anyone like to make a motion?

I think that makes sense. I'll definitely make the motion to approve the CUP as listed with additional modifications written by staff to address bags for customers, ensure staff follow up with disinfectant and then some signage with inside and outside as fits within the signage rules.

I'll second.

We have a motion and a second. Those in favor?

Aye.

Moving to the regular calendar. There are no regular calendar items, so we'll move on to reports. And the first one would be reports from SAP.

Just two quick things. Number one, just a reminder that this Thursday, December 4th, is the city's annual tree lighting ceremony from 5 to 7 right here in Civic Center Plaza. If you're able to make it, please join. And the second thing I wanted to point out, the commission, through the... consent calendar adopted a resolution for next year's Planning Commission meeting dates. And I did want to point out that in that, you know, many of the months other than the ones that only have one date by default, there are two dates listed. And I did want to give a heads up to the Planning Commission that staff is eyeballing the January 20th meeting. and so to please pencil that in on your calendar if you're able to make that meeting we'll let you know more at the next meeting whether we will hold a meeting on that date thank you and thank you for moving the national night out date that doesn't conflict with it we also got the midterm elections in there and everything thank you any reports from commission members

I attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for Oakley on Ice, and it was a wonderful occasion. We didn't get to see Ken skate yet, but we do have a skater amongst us, so hopefully that will happen. But it was a really well attended, very nice, lovely event, really good for the city, just a ton of happy families. It was great.

I would like to second on that. I attended and it's really a plus for us being downtown. I drove through Brentwood today and I saw where it used to be and it's just a vacant lot. We really worked out well having that brought into our city. That's a good plus.

me just a reminder the competition with the city of brentwood on our can drive that we continue to drive that so we can have a bragging right um of some sort so post it on your social media and friends and neighbors so it's this friday deadline is this friday and i don't know what the price is but i think that's it are there any requests for future agenda items from the commission Just a question so every time there's a new business coming in on the oakley shops will be having these types of conversations or does it kind of depend if there's some sort of a permit or some sort of design update that we need to review.

That's a great question. So for most businesses that will be located in a retail shopping center, they won't need to come before the planning commission for a conditional use permit. Our code, the municipal code, does have animal grooming listed as a use that requires a conditional use permit in the retail business district. Therefore, we had to have them apply for a conditional use permit. It was a very straightforward one, as you can see. We were able to process it very quickly. Drive-thrus would require a conditional use permit. They've already been received for all of the drive-thrus out there. The gas station required a conditional use permit. That was done with the shopping center. So I don't know if the Planning Commission will be seeing anything unless one of the vacant shops comes in with something that would require a conditional use permit. But I would say in most cases, they'd probably just be permitted by right types of uses. you are correct if there were design changes significant architectural changes or additions that would come before the Planning Commission as well for the most part that shopping center is fully approved most of the tenants have been cited there may be a couple of spaces left that they need to occupy but it's just about done thank you there are no work sessions

So at this time, being that there's no further business, this meeting is adjourned.