3A Public Hearing 2012 0521 - Laserfiche WebLink

Metadata

Thumbnails

Annotations

Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes April 19, 2012 Page 11 of 13 Audrey Velasquez, president of the San Leandro Downtown Association and general manager of the Marina Inn at 68 Monarch Bay Drive, said she was speaking on behalf of the association and Marina Inn guests. Noting that the Inn was 100% occupied last night, she said the Marina Inn employs vans to take guests to and from downtown San Leandro to shop and dine. She said her Inn patrons would love to find restaurants where they can eat outside, and one of their main complaints has been the dearth of San Leandro restaurants. She described the Village Marketplace proposal as refreshing, and said she's excited to be able to take guests there, spending their money in San Leandro rather than going out of town. Motion to close public hearing Dlugosh/Abero: 6 Aye, 0 No Commissioner Fitzsimons said he very much appreciates the applicant's understanding of and sensitivity to design. He also expressed concerns about finding another solution for the West Juana Avenue frontage, which strikes him as dead space. He isn't as concerned about the Dolores Avenue frontage due to the articulation there. While he understands that it's difficult to require tenants to have doors open to customer use in front and in back, Commissioner Fitzsimons said he would not like to see the retailers lock the doors on the East 14th Street side, and use only the doors facing the parking lot. That's happened along Mission Boulevard in downtown Hayward, he said, where a lot of businesses use only the doors in back because that's where they have parking. Overall, he said, the project is fantastic, the kind of element San Leandro needs, and he's excited about it. He's encouraged that the applicant has signed up Fresh & Easy. Ideally the development would be denser, he said, but current market conditions make that infeasible in terms of leasing, financing and construction costs. He said this is a highly visible location, especially with the Farmers' Market across the street. Also, he said the City needs something new and fresh in this space to spark other development downtown. He expects the Village Marketplace to serve as a catalyst for additional downtown's revival, and looks forward to tenants in business there by November of 2013. Commission Dlugosh moved to forward the resolutionapproving and recommending that the City Council adopt an ordinance approving a zoning map and text amendment for the establishment of a Planned District and the Approval of a Planned Development Permit for a 27,664- square -foot retail project located at 1550 East 14th Street. Vice Chair Abero seconded. Commissioner Rennie asked for confirmation that adding any of the uses listed as Other Uses would require legislative amendment to the Zoning Code versus quasi-judicial action by the Planning Commission. Mr. Pio Roda confirmed that it would require legislative amendment. Commissioner Rennie said he'd be skeptical of an application for a massage parlor at the site, and he wonders why it's necessary to have massage therapy on the list if a zoning text amendment would be required to allow them. If the Planning Commission endorses this site plan, he asked if it would then have to be approved by the City Council. Mr. Pio Roda said the Planning Commission is the deciding body on the Planned District. Commissioner Rennie asked about how to handle suggestions made by Commissioners for consideration to change the site plan, because they have not been framed as conditions. He said he didn't know how to specify exploring some of the issues. He suggested the Commission consider expressing comments as a body to give staff some direction to pursue in working with the developer to address issues raised. Commissioner Dlugosh said he was satisfied with the motion as it stands