Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

It's a clock. We'll call the meeting to order. Steve, would you uh do the pledge of allegiance for us? I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Okay, roll call. George Salin here. Deborah Vaness here. David Collins, Jeff Au here, Steven Ber here, Lori Bennell here. Okay, this is time for uh public comment. Uh this time is afforded to the public to address any matter that's not on the agenda. Limit of 5 minutes and 30 minutes total. Is there any public comment? Okay. Any questions, comments, corrections to the October minutes?

Make a motion that we approve them.

Second. Okay, the motion is accepted. Five to zero. I'll explain the meeting procedure for tonight. Um I will announce the agenda item that we have. Uh staff Mr. Zittoart will uh describe the project and the staff report and any staff recommendations. Uh I will open this discussion uh with the commission. Uh, I will allow for public hearing and inform the audience that those wishing that to speak on the item are to approach the podium and state their name and address. That includes the applicant's testimony, the proponent's testimony and including any written testimony as well as theo opponent's testimony in which time the applicant will have a chance to rebut any questions, concerns. Uh I will then close the public hearing and we will discuss the further the item further and at that point uh public testimony will not be taken except for if we have additional questions for myself or the commission. The planning commission will then act upon the item and after which um I will inform the audience which is you of the vote. Uh you do have a right to appeal and there is a fee for that and make sure that you sign in uh in the registration in the back. Okay. So, we our first item is and our only item is the public hearing for the general plan amendment use and amendment and the reszoning for 1408 and 1444 West Main Street. Kim, what do you have for us?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, fellow commissioners. At this point, I'd like to introduce the staff report into record. Um so tonight I'll be presenting uh the proposed general plan amendment and reszone for the properties located at 1408 and 1444 West Main Street. Uh the requested to change the zoning for professional office for uh uh two community commercial to allow the establishment of a small animal veterinary hospital within a portion of the building uh located at 1444 West Main Street. Uh the two buildings on these parcels total just over 15,500 square feet u of commercial or office space. [clears throat] The building at 1408 um contains five suites and totals about 8,400 square ft. And the building at 1444 West Main Street contains four suites in total uh just a little bit over 7,000 square ft. The applicant proposes to uh place a 4,300 foot uh small animal clinic within suites C and D of the the building located at 1444 uh West Main Street. Under the current uh professional zoning, uh veterinary hospitals are not permitted. Um by contrast though, the community commercial district uh allows veterinary uses while still allowing general office uses as well. Uh because of this, the C2 zone is more flexible and better aligned with the mix of commercial and services along um the west main corridor. Um why is a reszone appropriate in in this instance? There are a few reasons here that I've noted. Uh first, the C2 designation would allow the proposed small animal hospital uh which is currently not permitted in the PO uh professional office district. Uh second, the uh C2 zoning, the community commercial zoning maintains flexibility. Um a even after reszoning

the properties um many of the properties may continue to operate as professional offices or medical offices which are currently in those locations. The reason simply broadens the range of allowable businesses um providing more opportunities for both current and future tenants. [clears throat] And third, uh the change is consistent with the surrounding land use. Uh the properties along West Main Street and a few along Robert Avenue just at the beginning there adjacent to West Main already include commercial and medium to highdensity residential uses. Uh this resoning brings these two parcels into alignment with the existing land use pattern and helps strengthen the corridor cohesion. And then finally, the reason supports the city's economic development goals by encouraging investment, diver diversifying services and expanding community serving uses uh along this important commercial corridor. Um we did evaluate the parking uh staff did uh look at the parking and traffic implications of the pro proposed reszone. Uh across both parcels there is a uh 67 existing parking spaces uh which exceeds kind of the most conservative commercial requirement which would be about 62 spaces uh for the comi for the combined square footages of the building. Uh the veterinary clinic itself is expected to require about 17 to 19 spaces depending on staffing levels. Uh the remaining suites on both properties will continue to operate as low inensity office uses at this time. Um, however, they could uh obviously change uses in the future at which at which point staff would re-evaluate the parking situation and uh we could either approve or deny business licenses um based on parking generation issues that might arise. So based on this staff concludes that the parking is adequate under the proposed zoning. Uh, regarding traffic, while commercial uses

can generate higher trip counts in professional offices, uh, the roadway ne network along West Main Street uh, is designed to accommodate commercial um, volumes of traffic. Uh, the small animal clinic generates moderate trip levels uh, prim primarily through scheduled appointments. Staff does not anticipate any significant traffic impacts as a result of the reszone. Um, the proposed reszone is consistent with the city's general plan. Uh we did uh research that and uh and vetted that out uh which designates this corridor uh the West Main Street corridor for mixed commercial uses intended to serve both neighborhood and community needs. Uh the project supports the general plan goals related to land use efficiency, corridor revitalization, service a availability and circulation. Um there are two primary conditions of approval associated with the project that were listed in your staff report. Um, one would be that any interior improvements to the building would require um to we would require building permits uh through the building department here. And secondly, the property at 1444 West Main Street will be required to install a new uh trash enclosure consistent with the city's design standards. Um, currently 1408 and 1444 share trash enclosure. Um, so this would just be aligning 1444 to to bring it up to current standards uh for commercial re for commercial design guidelines. Um, there is a couple staff recommendations in the staff report there for you this evening. And um, at this point, uh, Mr. Chairman, I'll turn it back over to you and I'd be happy to try to answer any questions if you have any.

Any questions, comments? Uh, yes. Can I have a couple questions? So, so does the applicant own both of those buildings? So, the applicant is actually proposing to purchase the building at 1444 and is applied. But, so as as a matter of consistency, we did approach the building at 1408, the property owners there to see if they would be wanting to reszone that building as well. So, there's not commercial zoning in the middle of professional office zoning. Currently, the building located on the corner of of Robert and um West Main Street. So the building furthest east is already zoned uh commercial and then the last two buildings 1408 and this 1444 were zoned or professional office at this time.

Okay. So that'd be converting making sure those all are consistent. Okay. Cross. Okay. So when when you approach the owner of the other building are are do they want that? Yeah they were they want that change as well. They were fine with that. Okay. Okay. Um and then my other question is about parking. Um I'm trying to um visualize if there is parking other than in the parking lot. For example, you know, we we had business offices and stuff and we required our staff to park on off- streetet parking so that our parking lot was free for tenants or for um customers. Is there off- streetet parking on that's not really

there's only on there's only off-site on-site parking. I mean, there's no offsite along Main Street. Um, there is some along Robert Avenue as you get turned around that corner and but you're starting to head into residential areas over there. So, um, not any in Rox on Roxy either there for staff to park. The parking requirements for professional office and a lot of your retail are about the same requirements. It's only when you get into say like restaurant uses and such where the parking requirements go way up.

Okay. So I say again we would be reass we would be assessing businesses as they come forward if trying to get a business license to see if they are going to be causing any traffic impacts or parking impacts in there and the city can deny a building permit or business license because of that. Okay. So then and I just want to re revisit again what you said about the buildings. So if we were to switch this then all the buildings along there would be would all be the same. Correct. Okay.

Yes. So currently right now the like I said the buildings on the both buildings on the corner of Robert Maine. So I think the one building is uh for Muan the CPA offices there that's actually zoned commercial um as as well as the building across the street there which has the dentist office and friend salon and such in there. They they that's a zoned commercial as well. Okay. uh assist those last two buildings that are zoned professional office professional office and um I'm assuming we have plenty of professional office space in Ripen I

uh we do have I mean there is quite a bit of professional office however you know with commercial zoning it doesn't preclude that we do have a lot of professional offices that are located in uh commercial zones um as well as just office zones itself too so right okay thank you Mhm. And you just made a comment. Um Deb asked about um the availability of professional offices. Um what is demand like right now in or or can you speak to that even what demand is like and have we had any shortfall there?

Um I'm not 100% certain on that. I could probably get some numbers as as far as how much property or land is zone professional office versus commercial. Why would I'd have to research that and get that information back to you. Um I don't have that off off top of my head. Um but we we don't really track as far as in city hall here if there's a what the demand and stuff is for that. Um typically the market kind of washes that out. Um you know we do have professional office located kind of at the end of Wilma here. That whole um complex down here towards the end right by the roundabout. Um, there's office space that's in downtown which is also it's all zoned commercial down there. So, there's a lot of office space down there. As far as the vacancies though, I I wouldn't be able to speak to that.

Can you speak to uh any variance between cost per square foot of professional office space and commercial? Typically, this is just typically what we've seen in the past is that um commercial does yield a little bit higher um per square foot pricing. Um if if it takes a while for the uses to kind of get that switched over, but you know, uh like a restaurant stuff would typically pay more per square foot than a than an office use would.

That's what my research has shown as well. I'm curious as to if this is uh this could potentially squeeze out professional office um you know occupants in you know in le of a higher rent payer for um commercial office space or commercial space itself and is that something that we need to be concerned about as a city? That's some yeah that it's definitely one of the cons on the pros and cons of this. Uh there could be some higher rates being paid for office space or competition for that. Do you know if the if the space where the um veterinary office wants to go in is currently occupied or is it unoccupied?

I believe it's currently occupied. The applicant might be able to speak to that a little bit better. We you know we did just approve that project down on Main Street that's professional offices too. I think there's six suites there. And my question is um regarding the trash the the suite own or leis in 1444 they do have their own green and black cans. They do not use the trash um large bin at 1408. Will they be required to put in a large bin? And I guess if the answer is yes, where do they put that and will that use parking spaces?

Yeah. Um, they will be required, it is a condition, they will be required to put a trash enclosure in and it most likely would probably affect at least two parking spaces in the whole area there. Uh, they have not proposed a location yet for it, but um, yeah, they I mean there's really not a spot to put it without affecting at least one or two spaces. Yeah. Marin Hospital. Is it going to be a 24-hour hospital or normal business hours?

Uh, normal business hours. Any any business uh seeking to operate between the hours of of midnight and um 6:00 a.m. I believe it is or 5:00 a.m. has to do a use permit. So, um they have not applied for a use permit to operate those hours, but certainly the applicant might be able to answer that certainly for you. We will open the public hearing. Uh is the applicant here would wish to provide testimony? If you do, please come up to the microphone up here and state your name and your address, please. Okay. My name is Mandep Kurum. Calling for regarding 1444 West Main Street. C

could you spell your name for me? I'm sorry. Mandep M an A D E P. Last name spelled Gu U RM. Thank you. Any question? I mean, what was I'm sorry. Uh, sure. I I have a couple questions. So, you're you currently do not own the building? I do not. Okay. It's in it's in escro right now. Okay. So, um is the building occupied right now? It is. Okay. So, you'll be requiring the current tenants to leave so you can move your business in there. Yeah. They don't have long-term leases. Okay. Okay. So, that's And do you currently own a a veterary business someplace else? I do.

And and are you going are you relocating or are you adding or what what what's your business plan? It's additional location. Okay. Okay. Where's your current business located? in Stockton. Okay. And do you live here in Ripen? I do not. Okay. But planning to. It's my city. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Um, let's see. I think that's all the questions I have. Oh, the hours of operation. What are you What are you planning for your hours of operation? We're planning to open to, you know, probably until 700 p.m. 6 7 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Okay. That's all the questions I have at this time.

That you are going to um actively market for more commercial use in the building? Probably not because I will keep the same tenants whoever there. They barely, as far as I know, the building was empty for so long and they barely got tenants and they're all brand new leases except for the chiropractor, which where we going to be. That last statement that that's the uh I think it's a suite D, C, and D. Okay, that's where we're trying to be. Those are like they're the one who've been there from for a year or so. The rest of the tenants are all brand new location. I mean, brand new leases.

Okay. How many employees do you anticipate? Anywhere from four to six at a time.

Yes. Just a question you about [clears throat] the uh given it's going to be a C2 uh commercial zoning and Ken stated that that price would be higher for leases. Is it your um strategy, business strategy to increase those lease rates as they expire or keep them the same or nominal increases based on inflation? Keep them same so we can keep it occupied.

And my last question would be, do you intend to comply with the approval of the zoning requirements should they be approved? Yes. Sure. Do your hospital, your veterinary hospitals generate a lot of garbage? No. This seems to be a bit of a issue we were talking about with the enclosure and adding taking away parking space and everything else. Does it generate

very minimum? Right now, the place we have is open seven days a week in Stockton and we don't even use a we only use the small cans only. So they don't even require us to have a big ones possible because town needs it right now. Ripen there's only one clinic in town and uh we are seeing so many clients out there and as far as I know they're running two to three weeks behind for the appointment. Does that come to you in Stockton?

Yes, we do. So there is a demand. There is a big demand just like I said they're running three weeks behind as far as I know because I have called and check on before we pick this town how soon they can get appointment. You know, pets are very important to a lot of people. I don't have any myself, but [laughter]

No, I'm just like just like I said, we're like in Stockton, you can get a same day appointment and RIP is just like I said, three two to three weeks minimum no matter what kind of emergency you have. So either they have to go to Modesto or Stockton. question. Okay, Mr. G, thank you. Appreciate it. Is there anyone that's a proponent of this would like to come up and speak? Are there any opponents?

Okay, we will close the public hearing and are there any questions, comments from the commission?

Just comments. I like I think the the addition of a veterinary clinic would be great as Mr. Gro has said if there's demand for it. I like that idea. what my reservations are as regard to pushing out and I know Debb you just um talked about uh the other space that we have recently approved and that's a positive um but I just would hate to see other professional offices pushed out or their rates increased significantly because a retail space can afford it more than a professional office might be able to. Uh that's one of my concerns and the other is just this in incredible list of other possibilities um that could go into the spot once we open up a bit of a can of worms. Um it's a pretty significant list. I don't know that uh like an auto repair shop it seems highly unlikely. And actually the veterinary clinic seems like it would be a really good fit. Um but some of these others not so much in my opinion. Maybe somebody can talk me out of that position because I do like the idea.

I think that's one of the reasons why I asked the questions about what's there already there. So these other buildings already are C2. They're and they're right next to them. So why why wouldn't we want everything else? Why wouldn't we want it to be consistent if for everybody to be um on the same page as far as what what can go in there? And I know our our city I know Ken will look at when people come with an application, he's going to look at whether or not it's fitting. Like there's probably not going to be any auto repair shops there, I would think. Um and then to speak to the the concerns about cost and you know, professional offices don't get as much rent as as commercial. Um that's not our job for the planning commission. It's it's not up to us to determine the the rents and and what you know you you just need to let whatever is happening happen and and as a landlord of a commercial building you have a lot of expenses. So I understand that you got to you got to you know meet your expenses. So you need to charge what you need to charge in order to maintain the building for your tenants. So I don't think that we as a planning commission can control what you know the amount of money they're charging. Well, I certainly wouldn't be interested in trying to set rents for somebody, but this is our decision.

Yeah. As to which way that building should be zoned. Yeah.

Yeah. It sets forth in motion and a change of zoning who's going to be the who's going to lease the property and that changes traffic. That changes everything. So, I think it to me it boils down to is this reasonzoning going to affect um all those areas of traffic and u noise and all the other things. But, but to your point, uh Deb, I think it's I think it's you're right to say that there's already C2 in the area. So, why would we not make that more consistent? Makes that does make a lot of sense. And and thankfully Main Street is wide enough that so if you look at the the people across the street, I don't I don't think this is going to affect them.

Your analysis states that the parking isn't a significant issue. And so let me go backwards. You said that you didn't think traffic was a big issue and that was largely based on the kind of business that's going in currently as a veterinary clinic. However, if all of that space eventually does become commercially occupied, uh what does that picture look like? Sounds like from a parking standpoint, you guys have have said it's okay. From a traffic standpoint, was that looked at as well in some way?

Yeah, that was looked at. Um you it was kind of outlined in the in the staff report a little bit. Um you know commercial does have a h it does come more traffic with commercial uses obviously it can and so that was kind of what was looked at in the in the staff report. Um it did up the daily trips. Um however the site is designed appropriately enough to handle the increase but it would be an increase if if the a lot of the businesses changed over in there. I don't know the age of that building. I assume it's sprinklered.

Um it's yeah should be sprinklered. I not 100% certain on that, but it it should be sprinkler. Anything over 5,000 square feet would be sprinklered. So So right now in that space though is a chiropractor's office, right? Correct. Okay. I can't imagine that a veterary clinic is going to have more visits than a chiropractor. you know, they they run those people through every 15 minutes.

So, the comment that I have as a as a pet owner and going to Rip and Vet is they aren't taking any new pets and you can always find a parking spot on Main Street, which as we know is very congested uh with businesses that u have normal business hours. So I I would say that I can't imagine there be a parking impact of significance at least from what I can tell on this end right

work on the other end and it can be miserable if you give up your parking spot near the lunch hour and then come back it can be really difficult sometimes but that's specific to that time of day and completely different end of the end of the street. So, I have one more quick question, is um would additional lighting be needed? No. Um the police departments reviewed the project and they didn't have any additional conditions beyond that. So, okay. Yeah.

So, there's I noticed there's there are two two recommendations. So they they go together or we could do them or or we could do one or they go together. One's did one's dealing with the environmental and the second recommendation is so you are

agreeing that the environmental it is a um exempt categorically exempt from SQA and also you're recommending that city council approve or deny whatever you guys decide uh the proposed general plan use amendment and reszone. So, so, so we so we make a recommendation and then it goes to the city council and then they decide if it's correct. Okay. Well, unless there's other discussion. Okay.

Again, it does say even not that this would happen here, but a gas station is permitted and it's not highlighted for a conditional use permit. Is that Yeah. I mean, you can't look at this list of uses and think all of them are going to go in there. There's like just a question. No. Yeah. But they are those are allowed uses in the C2 zone. So, a gas station could locate in the C2 zone. So, it you're more than likely tearing the whole building down and trying to redevelop the site to the gas station, which brings a whole host of other things that would come back in front of the planning commission at that point. So, more serious than just a

condition. So, but there is uses that could go locate into a suite over there that would just come through through a staff level. And those are the ones that we evaluate the parking um and stuff that at a staff level to look at if we're [clears throat] going to issue a business license on that or not, if it needs to go through a minor site plan or a major site plan. So, uh any change of use is kind of at the discretion of the director to either handle that at a staff level or bring it to the commission if it's significant enough.

Okay. Thanks. One last question that just came to mind that I was thinking about earlier. Um, the professional office zoning, the PO office zoning allows for medical offices, obviously, chiropractors, whatever. Is animal husbandry excluded from that? It is. It's I mean, it's not it's not allowed in in professional office districts in in our community and and it's kind of the same across a lot of communities. I did some of the research on that and most most surrounding communities here uh do not allow veterinary clinics in professional office use areas. Got it. Thank you. Any other questions? Do we have a motion?

Sure. I'll make a motion um that we find that the pro proposed project is category exempt from the SQUA and then also that we recommend that the city council approve the proposed general plan land use amendment and reszoned from professional office to community commercial for the subject properties located at 1408 and 1444 West Main Street subject to the conditions and approval contained in the staff report. We have a second.

Okay, the motion has been adopted five to zero. Congratulations and thank you for investing in Ripen. Appreciate it. Make those pet owners happy. [laughter] Good. Thank you. You're welcome to stay if you want to hang out, but you don't have to.

Okay, this meeting is adjourned. Thank you. Wait, wait, wait, wait. We have reports. Oh, I'm sorry. Staff reports. Nope. Excuse me. No worries. Um, yeah, just really quick. Uh we do not have anything scheduled at this point for the December meeting. Um we possibly could have um an accessory dwelling unit ordinance amendment in front of you guys. Uh there's I think Tommy's taking a look at it right now, but there's quite a bit to it. So I'm not sure if we'll make that meeting or not, but uh that's coming either December or January. Just wait. The state will make some new rules. We can just we can just wait a couple Yeah, let's just wait. Yeah. Well, it's like every January we deal with a few more laws and and we got to update it. So, I think it's going to be a yearly thing from now on, but [laughter]

yeah. So, that's all we have at this point. Okay. Tommy, do you have a report for us? Okay. All right. Thank you for your time. This meeting is journed.