Planning Commission - public_hearing

All right. Good afternoon and welcome to the administrative zoning public hearing of August 12th, 2026. My name is George Schroeder and I'm presiding over the hearing today as zoning administrator. And I would like to call the meeting to order today at 4 o'clock p.m. Today's hearing will operate in a hybrid format. Staff, the applicants, and some community members are in person. However, we will ask if community members joining us virtually want to speak on an item at certain points in the meeting. When those opportunities arise, typically during the public comment period of each agenda item, members of the public wishing to comment may do so by clicking on the raise hand feature in Zoom when I announce the item on which you wish to speak. Speakers will be notified of their turn shortly before they are called on to speak. All speakers, virtual or in person, will have two to three minutes to provide comments with a timing-dependent total number of speakers for each item. If you are in person and wish to comment on the object item, please also fill out the yellow speaker card for us so we are able to accurately spell your name for the meeting minutes. The next portion of the meeting is oral communication for the public. This is a time set aside for persons wishing to address the zoning administrator on any matter not on the agenda. Speakers are limited to three minutes and state law prohibits any action on any items which are not on the agenda. Seeing no one from the public in the audience, is there anyone online?

Not this time.

Okay, thank you. So I will now move on to item number three, which is a zoning administrator public hearing. And item 3.1 is at 1080 Law Avenue Street, Unit B, with a request for a permanent extension for a previously approved provisional use permit to allow an indoor recreational use, a fencing studio, in an existing 8,890-square-foot building, placing an existing metal fabrication use on a 0.925-acre site, and a recommendation that the project remains categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, pursuant to Section 15301, existing facilities of the CEQA guidelines. Vincent Kwan is the project planner. Vincent, do you have a staff presentation for us?

Yes. Good afternoon, everyone. Vincent Vaughn, Associate Planner, here to present the permit extension request for the Indoor Recreational Use for an Indoor Fencing Studio at 1080 Lavalier Street, Unit B. The project is located in the P39 North Bayshore Zoning District in approximately 8,890 square foot building. There is no change in scope or of the work or business. The permit was previously approved back in May 2024 with conditions of approval for the use to commence within two years of approval. However, due to a number of different factors, the applicant was unable to commence that use within that time period. However, the applicant has continued to work with the city to move forward with the use by communicating with city staff about the necessary submittable materials for the building permit and began the submittal process in April of 2016. The applicant has demonstrated a good faith effort to comply with the conditions of the permit and has coordinated and submitted for a building permit within the original permit approval time. And so, based on the findings and conditions of Google noted finding support posted online, staff is recommending the Zoning Administration to approve the permit extension request. The applicant is here today and staff is available for questions.

All right. Thank you very much, Vincent. I will now turn it over to the applicants. Do you have a presentation for us today?

Hi, everyone. I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Xin Zhang. representing Bayside Fencing Club. I don't have a speech today, but I just want to say a few words. And we greatly appreciate the city's support over the past few years. And we were the first fencing club in the city, and we feel it is a good addition to the community And so far, you know, for various reasons, we need a little bit more time. So we applied for the extension for this POP. And we'd like to continue to serve the community. And we also would like, you know, to make a bigger, you know, better contribution to our city. Thank you so much. And welcome any questions.

Thank you very much. No questions from me. Thank you. Okay. So we will now move on to opening up the public comments period. And I don't believe there's anyone from the public in the audience here today. So I will see if there's anyone on Zoom that would like to speak on the item.

No, there's not.

Okay. Thanks, Roxanne. Okay. Well, seeing that there's no members of the public that would like to speak on this, I will now ask the applicant if there's any additional comments you have. Okay, seeing none, I'll now close the public hearing and I will move forward in making a motion to approve item 3.1 based on the findings and conditions posted online and the application materials reviewed by city staff. I find that the applicant has made a good faith effort to establish the business and comply with the conditions of the permit and the extension will allow more time to complete the building permit review process. So please note that this decision of approval is appealable to the city council within 10 calendar days. And this concludes our public hearing today at 4.06 p.m. And if anyone has any public questions, please contact the project planner, Vincent Kwan. Thank you, everyone.