Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

It is now being recorded.

Thank you. I would like to call the regular meeting of April 13th, 2026 to order. Will the secretary please call roll?

Commissioner Escamillo. Commissioner Leo.

Here.

Commissioner Oliva. Here. Commissioner Phan.

Here.

Commissioner Wu.

Here.

Vice Chair Benninger. Chair Ramos. Chair, quorum has been reached at 5.33 p.m.

Thank you. We are now going to go into the Pledge of Allegiance. Everybody can please stand. Place your right hand over your heart.

Ready, begin. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

Thank you, everybody. Before we begin, I would like to remind my fellow commissioners to turn your microphones on when speaking and off when not speaking. And when speaking, please place the microphone about four inches away from you. Thank you. For members of the public joining us this evening, there are two Spanish language interpreters available. If you would like to listen to the meeting or provide comment in Spanish, please see staff in the lobby to pick up a headset.

Para los miembros del público que nos acompañan esta noche, hay dos intérpretes de idioma español disponibles. Si desea escuchar la reunión o proporcionar comentarios en español, por favor comuníquese con el personal en el vestíbulo para recoger audífonos.

Members of the public may attend the Planning Commission meeting either in person or virtually via Zoom. I now invite the Commission Secretary, to describe how the public can access and participate in this meeting.

This meeting is being live streamed via our portal at www.santa-ana.primegov.com slash public slash portal and on YouTube at www.youtube.com slash city of Santa Ana videos. If you would like to provide public comment, you may do so in the following ways. Join the meeting via Zoom, enter the meeting ID number, When the item you wish to comment on is being discussed, please select the hand icon to indicate you would like to speak. Once called upon remember to unmute yourself and state your name for the record. You can also join the meeting by calling 669-900-6833. Enter meeting ID number 86248847468. When the item that you would like to comment on is being discussed, press 9 to let us know you would like to speak. You will be called upon by the last three digits of your phone number. After you are called upon, you may press 6 to unmute yourself. For those who are attending this meeting in person and would like to provide public comment, please fill out a request to speak form and turn it into the recording secretary. All speakers will have three minutes to speak. I will alert you when your time is up.

Ms. Moving on to public comments on non-agenda or non-public hearing items.

Chair, we have received a total of three emails in the form of public comments for non-agenda or non-public hearing items. If you are attending this meeting in person and would like to comment on non-agenda or non-public hearing items, please fill out a request to speak form and turn it in into the secretary. If you are participating via Zoom and would like to comment on non-agenda or non-public hearing items, please select the hand icon to let us know you would like to comment. If you are calling in and would like to comment on non-agenda or non-public hearing items, please dial 9 and then 6 to unmute yourself. I will wait a few seconds. Chair, we have one speaker in-house.

Gay Olivos, would you like to step forward? You'll have three minutes. Thank you. Take your time.

Good evening, Commissioners and staff. Okay, I know I have three minutes. I'll make it quick. I did submit three e-comments today via email, and so you have a pretty to read those, and it'll be more thorough when I want to discuss it. I got to make it quick. First of all, I just want to comment back on the Warner Street writing project of the meeting of the 23rd. I was just left a little bit bothered by that. I mean, I'm just sickened that 30 houses were destroyed of old Delhi. We used to call it Cross Warner when I was a kid growing up in Santa Ana. And I came across a woman whose grandmother's house was knocked down by a bulldoze down, and she is just heartbroken. And it breaks my heart to think that her grandmother's house was demolished by the city of Santa Ana. And I understand it was demolished to widen the street to appease some testing people that are coming in through that area, which I don't know if it's true, just a rumor, but I hope that wasn't the case. As for the pull along the sidewalk, I don't think it really posed a danger. It's clear that many of you are not bike riders. I'm a bike rider with my bike here today, and those pulls in the sidewalk are throughout the city, plain blank. I'll give you an example. From Memory Lane to City Drive, you'll find the exact same situation. and yet I don't see you widening the street there and tearing down homes. So my heart goes out to those people. More importantly, I'm a grandmother filled with grandkids in my house, and I worry, would you knock down my home and my memories with my grandkids? So let's just be mindful moving forward if you're going to call eminent domain the long-term effects of these long-term residents of Santa Ana. Secondly, I want to commend Commissioner Leo in his closing arguments last meeting because he was the only one that I've heard from this commission that's willing to stand up to caribou industries and that development. I would like to see Mike Harrop in this chamber, ask him some questions on this path moving forward with that 37-story tower building. Lastly, I did make comments about one Broadway Plaza. Through Discovery and our team, there's two issues that really bother me. It's long past due, but I want it to be on record. One was in 2010, the developer did approach this commission, and you approved his to a path forward to go to build a 37-story tower without having 50% occupancy and without repairing the streets. He was supposed to repair the streets, especially Washington, and none of them has done it. And I want to know why. Secondly, in 2020, he came across as commissioner again and again to city council. and he asked to change the scope of work and decrease the business office space and replace it with residential. Now, 2020, we were in COVID, okay? People were dying. The world stage was, we were combating an ugly pandemic and the audacity of this team and the city council to go ahead and approve a project that would affect us all when we're busy on the pandemic is sad. Thank you.

Thank you for your comments. Moving on to the consent calendar. We have one motion for all consent items unless an item is pulled for separate discussion. Is there a motion to approve item A, minutes from March 23rd to 2026, and item B, excused absences?

I move.

Thank you. We have a motion from Commissioner Wood.

I second.

Thank you. We have a second from Commissioner Pham. And before calling for a roll call vote, I just have one question for staff. One of the public comments we received today via email just asked that we attach the Warner widening presentation that was given to us last week to the minutes. So I just wanted to ask if that will be attached to the minutes.

We can.

Thank you all. So with that, Secretary, can you please call for a roll call vote?

Commissioner Escamillo? Commissioner Leo.

Aye.

Commissioner Oliva. Aye. Commissioner Pham.

Aye.

Commissioner Wu.

Aye.

Vice Chair Benninger. Chair Ramos.

Aye. And I just want to note that Commissioner Escamilla is joining us now at 5.42. We'd like to give him a chance to vote as well. On our minutes.

On minutes and consent, yes.

And consent, yes. motion approved by majority vote with vice chair benninger absent thank you that concludes the consent calendar items moving on to the public hearing i will now review the process for the public hearing so that everyone knows what to expect Staff will provide a presentation and answer questions from the Commission. The public hearing will be opened. The applicant will be given the opportunity to speak, limited to 15 minutes. Members of the public will be given the opportunity to comment, limited to three minutes. The applicant will be given the opportunity to respond to comments made by the public, limited to five minutes. The public hearing will be closed. Discussion will return to the Commission with formal action taken to approve, deny, or continue review of the application. Please consider the following suggestions when organizing your comments. Please state your name. You may state your address that is strictly voluntary. State whether you support, oppose, or are neutral to the proposal. Your statement should include all pertinent facts within your knowledge. Please note, decisions on these matters are final unless appealed within 10 days by any interested individual or party. Recommendations on these matters will be forwarded to the City Council at a later date for final determination. Now moving on to item one. This is the time and place for conditional use permit number 2026-06 for the property located at 2311 South Bristol Street, located within the General Commercial C2 Zoning District. Before we begin, do any commissioners have anything they wish to disclose with regard to this item?

Not disclose, but I was wondering if I was within the

1,000 foot radius.

That was my question.

I'm going to call for a five minute or less quick recess so that Commissioner Oliva can inquire with staff. Okay, we are reconvening the meeting. Our recess is over. Before we begin on item 1, do any commissioners have anything they wish to disclose with regard to this item? Seeing no disclosures, I will hand it over to Ricardo.

Thank you, Chair. I do want to provide a brief introduction to Natalie Liu. She's an Assistant Planner 1 with the city. It's her first presentation before the Planning Commission, so go easy on her. She joined the city back in January of 2025, starting off as a planning tech, and was shortly promoted to assistant planner one, and she joins us with some private sector experience where she worked on telecommunication entitlements.

Thank you, Ricardo. The case planner, Natalie Liu, welcome, will now provide a brief presentation.

Thank you, Chair Ramos. Good evening, Chair and Planning Commission. Tonight's first item is conditional use permit 2026-06 for Sprouts Farmer's Market Grocery Store to be located at 2311 South Bristol Street. The request is for the approval of a conditional use permit and a determination of public convenience or necessity to allow the sale of beer, wine, and distilled spirits for off-premises consumption through a Type 21 ABC license. At this time, staff is recommending the following. Adopt a resolution approving Conditional Use Permit 202606 as conditioned, make a determination of public convenience or necessity to allow a Type 21 ABC license, and authorize staff to issue a letter of PCN to the State Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The site's general plan land use designation is urban neighbourhood, medium-low, and the zoning is general commercial. Surrounding the site is largely commercial, in addition to the north having single-family residences and the east also including medical office. The lot size is a total of 7.2 acres, and the unit in which the proposed grocery store is to be located is 25,878 square feet. The subject commercial unit was originally developed as a market in 1,956, and it's located within a commercial shopping center, also known as the Bristol Warner Village Shopping Center. The subject unit has been occupied by a variety of grocery and retail tenants, including a food for less grocery store, and most recently a 99 cents only store which occupied from 2,004 to 2,024. In July of 2025, the applicant submitted tenant improvement plans to the city for building plan check review for the First Sprouts Farmers Market within the city of Santa Ana. As of March 5, 2026, building permits for the tenant improvement plans have been issued. On February 17, 2026, the applicant submitted the subject CUP application to the Planning Division. Since the receipt of the CUP application, staff have coordinated with the applicant ABC, Code Enforcement, and the Police Department to evaluate potential impacts associated with the proposed off-premises sale of alcoholic beverages. Sprouts Farmers Market will occupy an existing 25,878 square foot building located at the southeast corner of the intersection of Warner Avenue and Bristol Street. The business is a national grocery retailer specializing in fresh natural organic foods, offering grocery items, prepared foods, and dried goods. The store will also include an alcoholic beverage display area of 49 square feet, which will not exceed the 5% of gross floor area of the store. The proposed alcohol sales will be an ancillary use to the primary grocery store use and be limited to off-premises consumption. The applicant has proposed hours of operation from 7am to 10pm with alcohol sales also being limited to the same hours of 7am to 10pm. here's a site photo, which was taken from the Western elevation of the existing building this photo is of existing conditions and the site is currently under construction for the proposed tenant improvements. This is the site plan with Sprouts labelled on the centre. Please note that this property currently includes a multitude of retail businesses which include a Starbucks drive-thru, an IHOP, as well as a variety of other businesses. This is a floor plan of the proposed Sprouts. Please note that the Alcoholic beverage display area is highlighted in red. And as noted below, it will total a square footage of 49 square feet with the display area not exceeding 5% of the gross floor area. I would also like to note that the floor plan displays the proposed tenant improvements which include new coolers, new freezers, new interior and exterior doors. partition walls, restrooms, a new meat deli area, bakery area, and more. This is the proposed elevation as viewed from the west of the site. The applicant is proposing minor improvements to the exterior including new storefront glazing, doors, signage, and paint. The proposed sale of alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption at the proposed sprouts will not be detrimental to the health, safety, or general welfare of the community or surrounding properties. The alcohol sales would be incidental and ancillary to the full-service grocery store use and would offer a neighbourhood serving amenity that is consistent with similar grocery stores within the city. The property is also located within an existing commercial zone and is surrounded by other commercial uses and is not located within immediate proximity of parks, playgrounds, or schools. The operational standards applicable to an ABC licence and conditions of approval such as a good neighbour policy and property maintenance agreement will address any potential impacts and will ensure that the use will not negatively affect the surrounding community. The Police Department has reviewed this request and has no concerns as operational standards applicable to an ABC licence and the proposed conditions of approval will mitigate any potential impacts. The CUP is consistent with the General Plan land use designation and supports several General Plan goals and policies. such as Policies 1.2 and 1.3 of the economic prosperity element which will diversify the city's commercial offerings and support economic vitality and job creation. In addition, Policies 3.1 and 4.1 of the land use element which support convenient access to goods and services within walking distance of residential neighbourhoods. PCN requests are governed by Section 41-645.5 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code and Section 23958.4 of the Business and Professional Code. A PCN determination is required for this project because ABC identified the project site as being located within a high crime area based on statistics from 2018. The Santa Ana Police Department has indicated that more recent crime data from 2024 to 2025 suggests that the area may no longer meet the threshold for a high crime designation. Staff has included the PCN analysis as part of this request to ensure compliance with ABC review and procedures. And at this time, ABC has not updated its determination and therefore continues to classify the area as a high crime area for the purpose of licence review. Here is the PCN analysis map. There are currently three active off-sale ABC licences within the census tract 740.05, which ABC allows for a total of four licences. The census tract does not currently have an overconcentration of off-sale ABC licences. Staff have established the following PCN analysis findings. The proposed Sprouts provides a unique specialty grocery store experience not offered by nearby off-sale alcohol establishments, including health-oriented products. The alcohol offerings are curated and ancillary to the primary use and will emphasize wellness-focused, low-alcohol specialty products. In addition, it supports a complete one-stop grocery shopping experience consistent with other Sprouts locations. Operational standards, conditions of approval, and store policies ensure that responsible alcohol sales will mitigate potential impacts such as crime or nuisance activity. As part of the PCN analysis, the applicant must demonstrate reasonable efforts to seek community input. In addition to the standard notification procedures outreach for discretionary action, staff have reached out to directly ten neighbourhood representatives and have not received any comments. The applicant has also conducted their own community engagement on their end, and staff will allow the applicant to speak on that. In accordance to the California Environmental Quality Act and CEQA guidelines, the project is categorically exempt from further review for Section 15301 for Class I existing facilities. Based on this analysis, a Notice of Exemption, Environmental Review No. 2026, 20 will be filed for this project, and there is no fiscal impact associated with this action. At this time, staff is recommending the following. To adopt a resolution approving CUP No. 2026-06 as conditioned, making a determination of PCN to allow the Type 21 alcoholic beverage control licence for the sale of beer and wine and distilled spirits for off-premises and authorizing staff to issue a letter of PCN to the State Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. This concludes the staff presentation. Staff is here along with the applicant, Terry Dickerhoff, who is representing Sprouts, to answer any questions.

Thank you. Does the commission have any comments or questions for staff? We'll go ahead and begin with Commissioner Wu.

Item number two, could staff highlight the fact that the neighborhood is not a high crime area, that the gangs have grown up, gone to college, started a business, and went on with their lives? You could leave the last part out. I just thought it was worth noting that if the state has an impression that it's a high crime area, then we should correct that misunderstanding. that this is a nice city. The other question I have, isn't there an Aldi in the same neighborhood area? And so you've got two markets that have the same small store target market. Does that mean the economics and income level of the neighborhood is changing? I'm just curious.

Alan? So let's make our way up the street, right? So let's go all the way down to Segerstrom. There's no markets there. You get to Ettinger. You got a Superior. No, no, not Ettinger. It's Warner. You got to edit. But we'll finish. So you got Superior, possibly Sprouts. Food for Less is diagonally across. You go to the next slide, right? That's where Aldi is. Aldi's above Food for Less, right? Councillor Hutchison Yeah. Councillor Hutchison And then at Edinger we have Smart and Final. Then at McFadden we have They're different markets. Yeah, they're different markets, different people. People in Santa Ana are getting different options.

Commissioners, can we allow staff to answer the question? And then we can have staff discussion after the first round of questions. I mean, commission discussion as well.

Thank you. That sort of answers my question, that it gives the residents diversity.

Okay. You no longer have a question for staff, Commissioner Wood? Okay. Thank you, staff and Commissioner Liu. Do we have any other questions for staff from the Commission? Great. Seeing none, we're going to go ahead and open the public hearing. Would the applicant like to speak on the matter? And you'll have 15 minutes.

Good evening, my name is Terry to graph Thank you chair Commissioners and staff for having me this evening I won't speak for 15 minutes, but I would like to just talk a little bit about sprouts and. you've listed several grocery stores that are in the vicinity within Santa Ana city limits and. I think of all of them they're all very different right somebody that you know I shop at all the I shop at sprouts different experiences different product. I don't know if any of you have shopped at any of the neighboring sprouts but they are most like I always joke that if whole foods and trader joe's had a baby, it would be sprouts there. They have a lot of bulk like you could get at Whole Foods. They have their own label like you could get at a Whole Foods or a Trader Joe's. But then they also have what, and this is no judgment on Trader Joe's, but they also have more grocery type offerings like a deli where they have cut meats or sandwich preparation, prepared sandwiches. And they also have a very extensive offering of vitamins supplements those types of sundry items, and I think not only pointed those out in her presentation, but I just wanted to emphasize that a little bit so I can answer any questions about sprouts about the location. very excited. It is our first store in Santa Ana, so that's very exciting. And I think it's going to be a great, a great synergy or a great amenity for the community.

Thank you. Thank you. Does the Commission have any comments or questions for the applicant? Great. Oh, sorry. Go ahead, Commissioner Leal.

Mr. Yeah, first of all, welcome. I had a question about the operational hours. So when you open at 7, Starbucks is the only thing open in the shopping centre at that time. Is anything else open? And if you know, or I'll ask staff, do you know what time the Superior Market opens up, which is further down in the shopping centre?

Ms. I don't know the answer to either of those questions. Mr.

Okay.

Ms. Sprouts is 7 to 10 throughout the country. Mr. Right, okay. They don't open later during holiday hours. They don't change from store to store. That's just their normal.

Okay. I was just wondering, like, if the whole center is going to be activated at that time. That's what I was wondering. But it sounds like just the Starbucks drive-thru plus you will be open at 7 and then whenever anybody else opens. And I'll ask staff about Superior. Thank you. Okay. Yes.

Thank you, Commissioner Leo. Do we have any other questions or comments from the Commission?

Great, thank you. OK, thank you.

Recording Secretary, have we received any written communication, or is there a member of the public that would like to comment on this item?

Chair, we have not received any public comments. If you are attending this meeting in person and would like to comment on this item, please fill out a request to speak form and turn it into the secretary. If you are participating via Zoom and would like to comment on this item, please select the hand icon to indicate that you would like to speak. If you are calling in and would like to comment on this item, please dial 9 and then 6 to unmute yourself. I will wait a few seconds. Chair, we do not have any speakers.

Thank you. With that, the public hearing is now closed. Is there a motion to approve this matter?

I'd like to make a motion, please.

Thank you. We have a motion from Commissioner Wu. Is there a second?

I'll go ahead and second.

Thank you. We have a second from Commissioner Escamilla. Secretary, please call for a roll call vote.

Commissioner Escamilla?

Aye.

Commissioner Leo?

Aye.

Commissioner Oliva? Aye. Commissioner Pham.

Aye.

Commissioner Wu.

Aye.

Vice Chair Benninger. Chair Ramos. Aye. Motion approved by majority vote with Vice Chair Benninger absent.

Thank you. Congratulations. We're now moving on to item two. This is the time and place for conditional use permit number 2025-23 for the property located at 2513 West Edinger Avenue, located within the community commercial C1 zoning district. Before we begin, do any commissioners have anything they wish to disclose with regard to this item? Seeing there are no disclosures, I'm going to go ahead and give it to Ricardo Soto.

Thank you, Chair. Another intro of another team member making their first presentation before this body. Tonight we have Vivian Wu, Assistant Planner One that joined the City of Santa Ana July of last year. And she joins us from another city, so she has prior municipal planning experience, but this is her first time presenting before the Planning Commission. So welcome, Vivian.

Thank you. Welcome, Vivian. The case planner, Vivian Wu, will now provide a brief presentation.

Thank you, Chair Ramos, and good evening, commissioners. Tonight's second item is conditional use permit number 2025-23 to allow for the sale of beer, wine, and distilled spirits for on-premises consumption through a type 47 license issued by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control for a new eating establishment located at 2513 West Edinger Avenue. Staff's recommendation is to approve conditional use permit Number 2025-23 for the sale of beer, wine, and distilled spirits for on-premises consumption as conditioned. The site's general plan land use designation is general commercial, and the zoning district is community commercial. The surrounding uses on the west and east side of the property consist of commercial uses and single-family residential uses on the north and south side of the subject property. The lot size is 0.31 acres and the building size is 2,250 square feet. The subject property was initially developed as a grocery store in 1964 and was later converted to a restaurant in 1969. The site maintained the restaurant operations over the years and expanded the eating establishment use to include a cocktail lounge in 1974 and a beer and dance bar in 1977 known as El Corral, which remained as the primary tenant and maintained the beer and dance bar operations until 1986, when the site transitioned back to a restaurant operating with a Type 47 ABC license under the name Joana's. Most recently, Los Mezcales operated at the site as an eating establishment with a Type 47 license prior to the property becoming vacant in November of 2023. In January 2026 the applicant submitted plans to remodel the existing vacant tenant space consisting of an interior remodel exterior facade modification and site improvements. On February 23 the applicant submitted the subjects up application to allow for the operation of the type 47 license. Since then, staff has closely coordinated. with the applicant, ABC, code enforcement, and the police department to evaluate potential impacts associated with the request for a Type 47 license and to address proposed site improvements. La Dorada Restaurant and Bar will occupy an existing 2,250 square foot building located on Edinger Avenue between Fairview Street and Sullivan Street, and will accommodate up to 50 patrons within the indoor dining and service counter areas. As a part of the CUP request, the applicant has agreed to implement site improvements, including removal of the existing non-conforming pole sign, Restriping and repaving of the parking lot, installation of new wrought iron fencing to secure the site, construction of a new trash enclosure, provision of landscape planters along the southern and northern end of the property, and rehabilitation of the existing landscaping. Additionally, the applicant will also undertake exterior building modifications, including upgrading the front facade with new storefront glazing, signage, stucco paint, and rooftop screening to conceal existing roof-mounted mechanical equipment from public view. Interior upgrades include upgrading the existing kitchen, office, dining area, service counter, preparation, storage areas, restrooms, and an installation of a new walk-in cooler. Staff is recommending that the sale of beer, wine, and distilled spirits limited from Sunday through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9am to 12am. The limitations to hours will mitigate any adverse impacts the adjacent single family residential zone here is a photo of the subject sites existing conditions from the southern elevation, where the main entrance will be proposed. Here we have a full site plan showing the existing building in relation to the entire site and the proposed site improvements by the applicant. The highlighted areas in red show the proposed alcohol storage areas in the walk-in cooler, dry storage room, and the alcohol display case behind the service counter, which will comply with the 5% maximum allowable alcohol storage and display areas as permissible by the Santa Ana Municipal Code. The southern elevation, as shown, indicates the proposed conditions with the exterior building modifications, including the upgrades to the front facade with new storefront glazing, signage, stucco, paint, and rooftop screening. The proposed sale of alcoholic beverages for the on sale consumption will not be detrimental to the health, safety or general welfare of the community or surrounding properties. The use will occur within an enclosed premise in accordance with ABC standards. The subject site is not located within immediate proximity to playground schools, residences or religious institutions. The nearest schools are approximately 900 to 1800 feet away from the project site. Nearest playground is approximately 2700 feet southwest and the nearest religious institution is located approximately 4000 feet northeast of the project site. The operational standards applicable to an ABC license and conditions of approval, such as a good neighbor policy and property maintenance agreement will address any potential impacts and will ensure that the use will not negatively affect the surrounding community. Furthermore, the police department has reviewed this request and has no concern as the operational standards applicable to an ABC license and the proposed conditions of approval will mitigate any potential impacts. The project site 2513 West Edinger Avenue is located within census tract number 748.03. And according to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, there is no over concentration of on sale ABC licenses as there are only three active on-sale licenses on the track, and it allows for a total of 11 sale ABC licenses. The requested CUP is consistent with the general plan land use designation and applicable goals and policies supporting commercial corridors. The project aligns with land use element goal LU2, which supports a balanced mix of uses, local employment, reinvestment, and economic activity along an arterial corridor. Furthermore, the request aligns with land use element LU4, which aims to promote complete neighborhoods by providing a compatible neighborhood serving dining use within a walkable environment. The project also aligns with the economic prosperity element policies, which aim to enhance the city's economic vitality and image by activating a vacant site with a vibrant eating establishment and social gathering space. In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act, and the sequel guidelines, the project is categorically exempt from further review for section 15301 class one existing facilities. And based on this analysis, a notice of exemption environmental review number 2025 dash 102 will be filed for this project. There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. Staff's recommendation is to adopt a resolution approving conditional use permit number 2025-23 for the sale of beer, wine, and distilled spirits for on-premises consumption as condition. And that concludes staff's presentation. Staff is here, as well as the applicant, Noe Quinonez, to answer any questions.

Thank you. Does the commission have any comments or questions for staff? Commissioner Wu, go ahead.

The previous bar there, the La Pechanga or something, the owner of that is not this applicant.

Thank you, Commissioner Wu. That is correct. The previous owner of the bar is no longer the property or business owner.

As staff review, your conditions for approving it corrects a lot of the previous stuff that that previous part had, correct?

Correct. We've conditioned the proposed type 47 ABC license to include additional mitigation measures to prevent adverse impacts.

Can we see the west elevation again? Yeah. What's behind the double gate there? Does it access the rear of the restaurant for deliveries or what?

The gate on the left side of the elevation is the proposed trash enclosure.

Trash enclosure. That's all. There's no parking back there or nothing. Okay. And the windows there are now windows, right? The white part.

There are new fixed tempered glass panel windows. It's a part of the exterior facade improvements proposed by the applicant to enhance the existing exterior.

And there's no residential behind there?

There is existing residential uses behind the northern side of the property, which is separated by an existing block wall.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Wu. Do we have any other comments or questions? Commissioner Escamilla, go ahead.

Yeah, and I think Commissioner Wu hit on it. I guess that was my quibble was there is an adjacency to a residence. I think that the text needs to be just cleaned up there. That's about it.

Thank you, Commissioner Escamilla. Are there any other questions or comments for staff? Great. Seeing none, we're going to go ahead and open the public hearing. Public hearing is now open. Would the applicant like to speak on the matter? You'll have 15 minutes.

Good afternoon. My name is Noe Quinones, Commissioners, Chair Ramos. I'm from 8th Level Design Group. And I represent play other other which would be the proposed restaurant in this area, and thank you Vivian for helping me with this project is my first time here so i'm a little nervous but basically Vivian already stated, I can't state it any better, so this would be a. This is a restaurant slash bar that has been there since the 60s and so. The CUP was just lost because there was a six-month process in which the owner discovered that he had issues when he bought it with the plumbing and et cetera. So the six-month period made the CUP non-valid. And so that's one of the reasons why we're applying again. But the CUP has been there for so many years already. And actually, we're going to... We honor what the planner have proposed, the new hours of operation, and so thank you. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. Does anybody have any questions for the applicant? Anybody on the commission?

Is the restaurant going to be more family oriented?

Yes. Yes, sir. It would be Mexican dishes, tacos, I would say maybe some cocktails shrimp cocktails things things like that it wouldn't be yeah it would have a full full mexican menu so the previous bar had a more rowdy crowd my understanding is that it's been i'm sorry can we have you speaking to the mic oh my understanding is that the previous bar had it was more of a bar experience but in in this case working with Vivian, we're going to make it more of a family-oriented experience.

Thank you.

Yes.

Thank you, Commissioner Wu. Do we have any other comments or questions from the Commission? Great, thank you. Recording Secretary, have we received any written communication, or is there a member of the public that would like to comment on this item?

Chair, we have received one email in the form of public comments for this item before the 3.30 p.m. deadline, which has been distributed to the Commission and posted online. If you are attending this meeting in person and would like to comment on this item, please fill out a request to speak form and turn it in to the Secretary. If you are participating via Zoom and would like to comment on this item, please select the hand icon to indicate that you would like to speak. If you are calling in and would like to comment on this item, please dial nine and then six to unmute yourself. I will wait a few seconds. Chair, we have one speaker in-house.

Thank you. Keolivos, would you like to step forward? You'll have three minutes.

Okay, I'm very familiar with this area because I coach football over there at Centennial, so I'm glad to see a building that's been abandoned kept up, and I'm glad that there's some owners that want to take that on. I am concerned about the liquor component, though. Right across there on Sullivan Street is a liquor store that is consumed with vacancy along with homelessness on that corner. And then at the corner there also you have a convenience store that sells liquor. And then you have a massage parlor that's right there. And then across the street you have another eating area. And then you have Cedar Brothers that has a lot of consumption of alcohol there. And there's restaurants in that area and that block that also have a lot of liquor. So that concerns me. But you failed to mention that there's also Valley High School students that walk in this area, along with Goldinus High School students that walk in this area. And it's not mentioned at all in your report. And there's a lot of students that come into that area. It is packed, a lot of flowing traffic. So I saw there was a 50-seater venue. Are there 50 parking spaces there for a 50 city venue? And if it's, I would take away the bar and just leave the restaurant component in there far out of the title because that's going to attract a certain crowd. Lastly, I don't think it should be open to 12 a.m. I think it should close at 10 p.m. I mean, who's eating and drinking past 10? Nobody that I know of that are family-oriented would be doing so. So those are my concerns. That place is a very busy, busy area. Like I said, I coach at Centennial Park, and I also, my grandkids all play basketball at Govina, so I'm very familiar with that area. And it is extremely busy. And adding more liquor to people in that area and driving out in that busy street is my concern. Thank you.

Thank you for your comments. Yeah, so the public hearing is still open. The applicant does have the opportunity to, sorry, let me inquire quickly. The applicant, yes. You may step forward and respond. Limited to five minutes.

Okay. In terms of the comments that the resident has made, The restaurant type of business. Sorry, you can just speak into the restaurant type business is obviously we already established that would be family oriented. The hours that were proposed. It's really to my client once probably once wants to make the most out of his investment right now. I guess he's that property is it doesn't come very cheap, but It would be very different than any market selling alcohol because, first of all, obviously no miners are ever going to buy alcohol from there. And second, it would be a family setting when you come in and you eat. And so the alcohol is really ancillary to the main product, which is food. And I just don't see that being an issue with miners.

Thank you. I'm sorry, but you can stay at the mic in case there are any additional questions. Do any members of the commission have any additional questions or comments for the applicant before I close the public hearing? Great, thank you. With that, the public hearing is now closed. Is there a motion to approve this matter? Is there a second?

Before we... I have a motion. Can I ask staff clarification?

Yes, there's still time for the commissioner to ask questions of staff. Commissioner Pham, go ahead.

Typically, would it affect our evaluation of the CUP if this exception was a bar, well, a restaurant component, or does it not matter? Whether it's a bar or it's a restaurant or it's a mixture of both, we evaluate the CUP the same, typically.

So a bar or that type of use is a completely different use than what the applicant is proposing. The applicant has proposed, and as shown on the plans, this is an eating establishment use. If this were being reviewed as under a bar type of facility, it would be completely different standards that would be applicable to the site and to the standards and to the license type that they would be applying for through the state. So the type 47 alcohol license is applicable to restaurants only, and there are state requirements that this be an eating establishment and that it be maintained as a bonafide eating establishment with certain kitchen equipment that characterizes it as an eating establishment. So in the application to staff, and everything that's been conveyed to the city, this is an eating establishment and it's being reviewed and processed as an eating establishment.

So then objectively a bar establishment would be subject to more stringent conditions if the restaurant element was taken out?

Mr. If we would have A bar use would even meet the criteria for locating at this site, which just off the top of my head, it likely would not. So that would be a completely different application process as mentioned, and that is not what this is tonight before the Commission is an application for a restaurant to be able to sell your wine and distilled spirits.

Mr. The reason I'm asking these kind of questions is that in the conditions of approval in the resolution there is a 12-month evaluation by planning whether or not everything stated today and everything that's been provided by the applicant has been complied to with the possibility of revoking the CUP if we deem that what's been presented is not in compliance. So my next question is do we have objective standards to determine activities after the CUP has been granted whether or not the establishment has been mostly used as a bar setting versus a restaurant setting? I'm wondering how do we evaluate that? Let's say residents are concerned that after the CUP has been granted that they are under the impression that this establishment has been used as a bar. that there's less of a, you know, it could, the restaurant component allows this establishment to be present, but the operational standards of this establishment is more bar versus restaurant. How do we objectively evaluate it so that the residents are satisfied as well as the owner understands their obligation?

Thank you for the question. So that, like any other concern related to a business complying with a condition of approval or to what is allowed, if we are made aware that this use or any other use is not complying with the conditions of approval or any required operational standards, the city has a code enforcement department that would go out and investigate and see if the business is operating consistent with the approvals that it has. That's all from me.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Pham. Are there any other questions for staff at this time? And if not, does anybody have a motion on this item?

I'll make a motion to adopt the resolution of conditional use permit number 2025-23 as conditioned. I would like to say that that shopping center has come a little bit alive if you've been at it past 10 o'clock now. Angels Tijuana Tacos is now open until midnight there. The Donut Shop now stays open until midnight. So if we can just get Stater Brothers to get their act together, the whole shopping centre would be activated and it would reduce some of the unfortunate police calls that they've had to do with the homeless from the park and stuff like that. And so hopefully the establishment will light up that portion of the other side of the street and we'll see some synergy in that area. because it is well-trafficked, heavily trafficked by lots of people. But it's a good location. Hopefully they can make a go of it. So that's my motion.

Councillor Osanic- Thank you, Commissioner Leo. Also wondering if you'd like to consider Commissioner Escamilla's earlier comments on some just text needed.

Mr. Yeah, as long as you clean up some of the language, whatever you reference.

Oh, yeah, I think it was just for the staff report, which I don't think this is going to City Council anyways afterwards, so it's not a worry. It was just a technical reference to the residents that's a little further.

For the record, though. So that's my motion.

Thank you, Commissioner Leo. Do we have a second?

A second.

Thank you, Commissioner Pham. We have a motion from Commissioner Leo and a second from Commissioner Pham. Secretary, please call for a roll call vote.

Commissioner Escamillo?

Aye.

Commissioner Leo?

Aye.

Commissioner Oliva? Aye. Commissioner Fenn?

Aye.

Commissioner Wu?

Aye.

Vice Chair Benninger? Chair Ramos? Aye. Motion approved by majority vote with Vice Chair Benninger absent.

Thank you. That concludes the business calendar. Moving on to staff comments.

Thank you, Chair. No comments tonight. Thanks.

Thank you. Does the Commission have any closing comments or questions for staff? Great. Seeing none, looks like we're adjourning our meeting. The next regular meeting is scheduled for April 27, 2026 at 5.30 p.m. Thank you all.