HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Min 1994-02-23
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CITY OF SEAL BEACH PLANNING COMMISSION
MEETING AGENDA of FEBRUARY 23, 1994
7:30 P.M. 1c City Council Chamber's
211 Eighth Street, Seal Beach, CA
Next Resolution: #94-8
I. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ll. ROLL CALL
ill. CONSENT CALENDAR
1. Minutes of February 9, 1994
IV. SCHEDULED MATTERS
2. AdoptIOn of Resolution #94-6
Conditional Use Permit #94-1 for Radisson Hotel
Denying Alcohol Land Use Permit
3.
Adoption of Resolution #94-2
CUP #92-26 for Tortilla Beach Restaurant
4. Receive and File: "Air Qualtty Element of the General Plan - Techmcal
Rep011
v.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
5.
Conditional Use Per'mit #93-15
[Continued from 1-5-94, 1-19-94, 2-9-94]
Addre5t5t: 900 Ocean A venue
Business: Ruby's Restaurant
Applicant: Lee Riley/Ruby's Restaurant
Propel1y Owner: City of Seal Beach
Request: To remodel and expand an existing
restaurant (Ruby's) through the addition of approximately 765 square
feet of outdoor seating area (south end of municipal pier), a 170
square foot multipm'pose room (north side of the restaur'ant), adding
a wooden monument sign (30 square feet), a new gar'age to house a
private tram for transpol1ing customers, a lar'ger trash enclosure and
new landscaping at foot of pier. The remodel will integrate the
existing restl'Ooms into the interior of the restaurant and add new
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Page 2 Planmn!, COlI/lI/lSllOn A!,wda JOI I eblumy 23 19901
exterIOr restr ooms for pubhc access
VI.
ORAL COl\1MUNICATIONS
VII.
STAFF CONCERNS
VIII.
COMMISSION CONCERNS
IX.
ADJOURNMENT
771< (IIV of S, al B, ach COlllp!U I Wllh Ih, Alii, ncalll Wllh Dl\ab1l1ll<1 Ac( oJ
1990 If you nqll1n Ip<cllll all/llallC< 10 all<lld (i/ palllcrpal< In Ih"
IIIUllIIg p!cal< call1h< Clly CluJ.. \ Office at (310) 431 2527 at leal! 48
hOIll \ 1'"01 (0 Ih< lIIallll~
Page 3 Plannmg Comnllmon A[,wda fOI I Lh, umy 23 199.J
. 1994 AGENDA FORECAST
MAR 09 CITY DEADUNE. FED 02
CUP #93-2/901 Ocean/Kmda Lahiuna @ 12 mos/ ABC
MAR 23 CITY DEADLINE FEB 16
[No new apphcatlons received by deadlme date]
APR 06 CITY DEADLINE MAR 02
CEQA Study SessIOn
APR 20 CITY DEADUNE- MAR 16
MAY 04 CITY DEADLINE MAR 30
MA Y 18 CITY DEADLINE APR 13
]UN 08 CITY DEADLINE MAY 04
CUP #92-19/Clancy's @ 12 mos/mdefmlte extenSIOn
JUN 22 CITY DEADLINE. MAY 18
JUL 06 CITY DEADLINE JUN 01
. ElectIOn of Chairman & Vice Chall man
CUP #92-2/101 Mam/SeaSlde GIIII/Revlew hours extenSIOn
JUL 20 CITY DEADLINE. JUN 15
AUG 03 ClTY DEADLINE JON 29
CUP #92-2611 eVlew of TOl1111a Beach for I ecelpt of ABC he & conditIOns
AUG 17 CITY DEADLINE JUL 13
SEP 07 CITY DEADLINE A DC 03
SEP 21 CITY DEADLINE AVe 17
OCT 05 CITY DEADLINE: AUO 31
OCT 19 CITY DEADLINE: SEP 14
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771< e'l) of S(ol Beach cOlI/f'h(\ v,,,h IhL AlI/u/cW!1 w"h DllalJ/11I1(\ Ac/ of
1990 If YOII /(qlllIL If'(ctal a\\/\IOlla 10 al/Llld (II f'OlllUf'OIL 111 /h/l
lIIa/l/111 f'lcol( wll /h( Lily Uuk I O{fia at (10) 4U 2527 at [((lit 4R
hOlIl ~ 1'1701 /0 /he III( LlII111
Page 4 Plannmg Con/JI/LIslOn Al,enda /01 / ,hlUwy 23 /994
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NOV 09
CITY DEADLINE- OCT 05
NOV 23
CITY DEADLINE' OCT 19
DEe 07 CITY DEADLINE NOY 02
CUP #93-13/Paplllon's @ 12 mos /mdef exten of entertamment
DEC 21
CITY DEADLINE: NOY 16
STAFF REPORTS PENDING. NOT AGENDIZED
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ZTA #92-2
Entel1amment Cafes
ACTION City-wide polley statement on entertamment
ST A TUS Pendmg City Manager's mput
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ZTA # --
CI est view/PatIO Setbacks
ACTION ZTA needed
ST A TUS DlrectOl to pi epm e staff report
. 1995
JAN CUP #92-13/143 Mam/Paplllon's/12 mos entel1amment
CUP #92-25/1400 PCR/Glldel Inn/mdefmlte extensIOn
771< Lrf) of Sail Bwch COli/pilL' ,,,,h Iln AII/u/cam "'1Ih Dl\alnltll<' ACI of
/990 If }Oll I<qllllL ,{'((/(/I a\\/I/(/IlCL 10 alulld {IJ pm/(clpale III Ih/~
II/"'III~ {'lul\( call lit, ell} C/u!.., O[!i(( al (VO) 4V 2527 at hal/ 48
hOIll ~ {'I/OJ 10 III< 11/" IIII~
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CITY OF SEAL BEACH PLANNING COMMISSION
MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 23, 1994
The Plannmg CommISSIon of the CIty of Seal Beach met in regular seSSIon at 7: 30 p m wIth
Charrman Dahlman ca11mg the meetmg to order WIth the Salute to the Flag.
ROLL CALL
Present:
Charrman Dahlman
CommIssIoners Soukup, Law, Sharp, Campbell
Also
Present.
Department of Development ServIces
CraIg Steele, ASSIStant CIty Attorney
Lee Wluttenberg, Drrector
Barry CurtIs, AdmmIstrahve ASSIStant
Joan Fillmann, Execuhve Secretary
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. Minutes of February 9, 1994
MOTION by Law; SECOND by Campbell to approve the Minutes of February 9, 1994 with
a correction at page 11, paragraph 4, change"... was free, alcoholic drinks included, " to
"... was free, beer and wine included, "
MOTION CARRIED:
AYES:
5-0-0
Law, Campbell, Sharp, Dahlman, Soukup
SCHEDULED MATTERS
2. Adoption of Resolution #94-6
Conditional Use Permit #94-1 for Radisson Hotel
Denying Alcohol Land Use Permit
Charrman Dahlman saId he would have voted dIfferently on CUP #94-1 at the February 9th
meehng had he thought to separate the hOSpItalIty SUIte from the controlled access beverage
cabinets He queshoned what the applIcant would prefer, for the Plannmg CommIssIOn to
modIfy thIS resoluhon allowmg the controlled access beverage cabmets or to have tlus resoluhon
SIgned now, denymg the applIcahon, so they could appeal to the CIty Councll.
Mr. WhIttenberg saId therr February 9th teshmony mdIcated they applIed for the hOSpItalIty
SUIte, not mtendmg to use It illlhally, but seelang approval m case they wanted to use It at a later
date.
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Page 2 - PIanmng CommISSIon MInutes of February 23, 1994
COmmISSIOner Soukup saId ills concerns were larger than Just the hOSPItahty sUIte, not1Og he dId
not favor access to hquor 10 72 rooms consIdermg the over concentratIon of hquor hcenses 10
that census tract He was not 10 favor of modIfy1Og the pnor demal
COmmISSIOner Law saId she IS 10 favor of both the hOSPItahty room and the controlled access
beverage cabznets The hOSPItahty room would have been useful for conventIons et cetera
Charrman Dahlman saId he could not be persuaded on the ments of the hOSpItalIty SUIte, but felt
there was eVIdence on both sIdes for the controlled access beverage cabznets and he was not
persuaded they should be demed the cab10ets COmmISSIOner Law saId she would hke the
resolutIon to state thIs, notIng they can apply at a later date for the hOSPItahty sUIte If they want
to
COmmISSIOner Sharp saId he wanted Mr Steele's oplnlon on whether the Planmng COmmISSIOn
could do thIs Charrman Dahlman saId Mr Steele had adVIsed the COmmISSIOn that changes
could be made to resolutIons as long as they were based on pubhc testImony Mr Steele saId
a resolutlon IS the final actIon of the Plannmg COmmISSIOn, as long as the resolutIon IS based
on the eVIdence presented to the COmmISSIOn durmg a Pubhc Hearmg Staff has adVIsed hIm
thIs evenmg that the apphcant has been tallong to Planmng Department staff regard10g an appeal
of the Planmng COmmISSIOn's decISIon to the CIty Councll One optIon the apphcant dISCUSsed
WIth staff IS hav10g the appealant drop theIr request for a hOSpItalIty SUIte, malang the request
only for the controlled access beverage cabznets Another optIon IS, 1f the COmmISSIOn deSIres
to follow the dIrectIon of Charrman Dahlman, thIS resolutIon could be reVIsed to reflect the
COmmISSIOn's deSIre as stated by Charrman Dahlman COmmISSIOner Soukup asked If thIs IS
to be consIdered as new 1OformatIon, outSIde the Pubhc Hear10g process? Charrman Dahlman
saId he would not make a decISIon based on the fact of now know1Og the apphcant may pOSSIbly
appeal Mr Steele saId he was not presentIng thIs as 1OformatIon to be conSIdered 10 the
COmmISSIOn's decISIOns, he IS advlSlng the CommISSIon of theIr optIons 10 thIs matter The
resolutIon can be amended WIthOUt another Pubhc Hearmg, but staff's preference would be to
come back to the COmmISSIOn 10 two weeks WIth an amended resolutIon
MOTION by Dahlman; SECOND by Sharp to amend ResolutIon No. 94-6, to restate the
Planmng COImmSSlOn's desIre to approve CUP #94-1, penmttmg on-sale service of beer,
wme and distilled SpIrIts from room controlled access beverage cabznets but not penmttmg
a hospltahty suite.
COmmISSIOner Soukup asked Charrman Dahlman to explam further hIS reasons for allow1Og the
controlled access beverage cabznets Charrman Dahlman explamed the controlled access
beverage cabznets are WIdely aVailable, If not standard, 10 most hotels and are not 10 the same
category as the hOSPItahty SUIte The apphcant's arguments durmg the Pubhc Hearmg were
vahd The hOSpItalIty SUIte represented, to hIm, another outlet where a person could go and be
served alcohohc beverages He saId "I Just dIdn't realIze, or I maybe wasn't qUIck enough, to
reahze we could have done thIS at the last meet10g had we conSIdered thIs at the last meetlng
as two separate ISSUes I would have voted agamst the hOSPItahty SUIte and for the refngerators"
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Page 3 - Plannmg CommISSIon Mmutes of February 23, 1994
CommISSIoner Soukup took Issue With the Chalrman' S statement that the controlled access
beverage cabznets are wIdespread, tlus IS the second type #70 ABC hcense m Orange County
ChaIrman Dahlman S3.l.d that at least 50% of the hotels he has stayed at m the last four years
have had the controlled access beverage cabznets ChaIrman Dahlman S3.l.d he was not persuaded
that the over-concentratlon of ABC hcenses m the census tract had much to do WIth these
cabmets ComffilssIOner Soukup asked that If makmg hquor avaliable m a resIdentlal
neIghborhood, wIthm 100' of resIdences IS a problem? ChaIrman Dahlman S3.l.d "It's a balance
And I tlunk, on balance, It'S not that bIg a problem" ComffilssIOner Soukup sald he dIffered
strongly and was surpnsed at a last mmute change
ComffilSSIoner Sharp S3.l.d any hotel that has a restaurant plus an ABC hcense can have all the
hOSPItal1ty rooms they want The type #70 ABC hcense IS somethmg new and IS completely
dIfferent than the other ABC hcenses Any hotel of any SIZe m Orange County have restaurants
WIth ABC hcenses He dIdn't see that tlus IS seventy new alcohol-servmg outlets, It'S a hotel
WIth the cabmets as a convemence
CommISSIOner Soukup S3.l.d a person, 21 years of age, could rent a room and have thel! under-
age fnends come to VISIt There's no way to control that "I tlunk there's a major ethIcal Issue
here that somehow we're ffilssmg" He felt the ComffilssIon should thmk on thIS further
ChaIrman Dahlman suggested a condItlon could be mcluded whIch would msure that whoever
gets the key to a controlled access beverage cabznet IS aware of hIs/her responsIbllitles
CommIsSIOner Sharp S3.l.d the laws state a person receIvmg such a key must be of age, It'S not
the room key WhICh opens the cabmet
ChaIrman Dahlman asked If there were any other condItlon whIch could be set m place whIch
would make ComffilssIoner Soukup more comfortable? ComffilssIoner Soukup S3.l.d yes, If there
were only one or two mmlature bottles of hquor m each cabmet He mdIcated there are hquor-
selling estabhshments across the street from the hotel and hquor doesn't have to be brought mto
the hotel
ChaIrman Dahlman S3.l.d It'S a decISIon for the hotel to make to purchase and stock the controlled
access beverage cabznets and the CIty should not make that decISIon for them However, It IS
mcumbent on the hotel management to make certaIn ffilnors do not drmk from the cabmets and
that people who are mtoXlcated do not dnve thel! cars
MOTION CARRIED:
AYES
NOES
3-2-0
Dahlman, Law, Sharp
Soukup, Campbell
Mr Whtttenberg S3.l.d Resolutlon No 94-7 would be reVIsed and brought back to the
ComffilssIon on March 9, 1994 for ComffilssIon conSIderatlon and fmal actlon
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Page 4 - P1annmg ComDlISSIOn Manutes of February 23, 1994
3.
AdoptIon of ResolutIon #94-2
CUP #92-26 for Tortilla Beach Restaurant
The ComffilSSIon noted the ABC condItIons of approval for CUP #92-26 are presented for theIr
reVIew tonIght
MOTION by Sharp, SECOND by Campbell to approve ResolutIon #94-2, thus approvmg
an mderrmte extensIOn for an alcohol-related land use at Tortilla Beach restaurant.
MOTION CARRIED:
AYES
5-0-0
Sharp, Campbell, Law, Dahlman, Soukup
***
4 Receive and FIle: "Azr Quality Element of the General Plan - Techmcal Repori
Mr Wluttenberg explamed thIs report IS not m fmal form, staff IS WaitIng for addItIonal
mformatIon from the South Coast Au Quahty Management DIStrIct When thIs mformatIon IS
receIved and mcorporated the CommIsSIon will be provIded an updated copy of tms document
In Mayor June staff will come before the ComffilSSIon WIth a proposal to adopt an AIr Quahty
element to the CIty'S General Plan
MOTION by Law; SECOND by Dahlman to receive and rIle the "Azr Quahty Element of
the General Plan - Techmcal Repori.
MOTION CARRIED'
AYES:
5-0-0
Law, Sharp, Campbell, Dahlman, Soukup
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PUBLIC HEARINGS
5 ConditIonal Use Pernut #93-15
[Contmued from 1-5-94, 1-19-94,2-9-94]
Address' 900 Ocean A venue
Busmess Ruby's Restaurant
Apphcant. Lee RIleylRuby's Restaurant
Property Owner- City of Seal Beach
Request: To remodel and expand an eXIStmg restaurant
(Ruby's) through the additIon of approXImately 705 square feet of outdoor seatmg
area (south end ofmumclpal pier), a 170 square foot multIpurpose room (north Side
of the restaurant), addmg a wooden monument Sign (30 square feet), a new garage
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Page 5 - PIanmng CommISSion Minutes of February 23, 1994
to house a pnvate tram for transportmg customers, a larger trash enclosure and new
landscapmg at foot of pier. The remodel will mtegrate the existmg restrooms mto
the mtenor of the restaurant and add new extenor restrooms for pubhc access
Staff Report
Mr CurtIs presented the staff report [Staff report on fIle In the Planmng Department] ThIs
matter was contInued to allow addItIonal tIme for staff to contact the Long Beach regIOnal office
of the Department of FISh and Game (DFG) to discuss potentIal concerns regardmg proVIsIons
of theIr lease WIth the CIty and to consIder alternatIves to the proposed monument SIgn
CommISSIon Comments on Staff Report
DFG Concerns
COmmISSIOner Soukup asked If DFG IS only concerned WIth the needs of the fishermen? Mr
CurtIs saId the DFG staff appeared to be very concerned WIth wheelcharr access, publIc access
around the pIer and fishIng access
WheelchaIr Access ReqUirements
CommIsSIoner Soukup asked what the requIrements are for wheelcharr access on a pedestnan
area? Staff thought the Amencans WIth DIsabIlIty Act (ADA) requIred 44"
Benches
CommIsSIOner Soukup asked who's VIew would be Improved If the backs of the pIer benches are
removed? Mr CurtIs SaId people m wheelcharrs and smaller people would have a better VIew
off the end of the pIer than they currently have, trymg to look over the ralis Removmg the
backs of the benches would provIde easIer access In and out of the benches, It would also be
cleaner COmmISSIOner Soukup felt the fishermen and some elderly people would benefit from
the back support
Monument SIgn
COmmISSIOner Soukup SaId a pnvate restaurant would be able to have a 50' SIgn whIch IS based
on the WIdth of the buildmg Such sIgnage would be on the buildmg Itself or m the parkIng lot
as a monument or pole SIgn However, that pnvate restaurant would be subject to the CIty'S
parkmg regulatIons
Restrooms
CommIsSIoner Soukup asked who would mamtaIn the extenor restrooms? Mr WhIttenberg saId
the CIty would mamtaIn them
Lease NegotIatIons
CommIsSIoner Soukup asked If the CIty Council would re-negotIate the lease terms based on the
Impacts of thIS development? Mr WhIttenberg SaId certaIn prOVISIons of the lease document
would no longer be applIcable If thIs applIcatIon IS approved as presented Therefore, the lease
Page 6 - Plannmg COIDlDlSSIOD MInutes of February 23, 1994
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would need to be amended, partIcularly m regard to tram servIce wluch IS now reqUIred to be
provIded by the CIty under thIS proposal the restaurant operator would provIde that servIce
Rents, lIabilIty Issues regardmg the tram, and other dISCUSSIons would take place between the
CIty Manager and Ruby's, Plannmg Department staff would not be mvolved m that process
Staff could not comment on how the CIty Council ffilght mstruct the CIty Manager m tlus
regard
ORposItIon to Proj)Osal
Charrman Dahlman asked If DFG staff were made aware of publIc OpposItlon to tlus proposal?
Mr CurtIs saId DFG staff were not proVIded copIes of the February 9th CommISSIon ffilnutes,
however CIty staff dId make comments on what they had heard at that meetlng, staff wanted to
elICIt DFG concerns
DFG Personnel Present at PIer Meetlng
Mr Wluttenberg saId the DFG personnel present were the Drrector of the WildlIfe Conservatlon
Board and one of hIS asSIStantS from Sacramento
Other POSSIble DeSigns
Charrman Dahlman asked If the applIcant had any other deSIgns? Mr Wluttenberg saId the
applIcant has prepared a couple of drawmgs WhICh have been dIsplayed
PublIc Heartng
. Chatrman Dahlman opened the PublIc Hearmg
Lee Riley * Ruby's
Mr Riley dISCUSSed three Issues
I Issue. I' More Pubhc Access Alternatlve Al prOVIdes 8' of pubhc access versus
Alternatlve BI wmch prOVIdes 9' of publIc access Mr Riley saId these numbers are
arbItrary and dId not come from standards
He saId he spoke to the WildlIfe Conservatlon Board trymg to understand the 9' but they
could not proVide Ruby's With any statlstlcs on how much space a fisherman needs or
a pedestnan needs
Alternatlves Al and BI are two new StudIes done by Ruby's smce the February 9th
meetlng These studIes respond to concerns expressed by the WildlIfe Conservatlon
Board (part of DFG) and Plannmg ComffilssIon comments
He saId the staff report comments, relatlng to the restaurant's mtenor, do not work
because of ADA reqUIrements, mffilmum dIStance Widths for booths, swmgmg doors
If Ruby's had to comply stnctly WIth DFG requrrements, Ruby's would have to stlck to
BI
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Page 7 - PIannmg CoDlDllSSIOn Minutes of February 23, 1994
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AIlS only l' wIder than Bl m a hmlted area, m the central part of the outdoor dInIng
area Losmg the l' would preclude Ruby's from havmg four person booths Any partIes
of three persons or more would not have any seatIng facmg the ocean Losmg the
fleXIbility and/or types of seats for VarIOUS dmmg patrons would be a problem The
average SIZe of a Ruby's party IS 3 2 persons
He saId there have been allegatIons that fishmg areas would be taken away and thIs IS not
true Ruby's IS not takIng away any fishmg area that eXISts today CIty staff has
requested some bench area at the end of the pIer be removed to prOVIde more space for
fishermen congregatIng to go out on charter boats Removal of thIs bench prOVIdes a
benefit to wheelcharr/handICapped persons AcceSSIbility to that corner of the pIer would
allow them to fish off the end of the pIer
Mr RIley saId he measured the pIer at San Clemente and there IS 2'6" between the face
of the pIer raIlmgs and the edge of the seatIng area It seemed adequate to hIm
Mr RIley asked the Plannmg CommIsSIon to consIder AlternatIves A 1 and B 1, mdlcatIng
they prefer Al
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Mr RIley saId the bench backs have become a problem for CIty marntenance workers
He dIdn't see why they need to be 6" deep, a narrower bench backIng would gIve more
access space If the bench was moved up 3", Ruby's would be able to marntarn the
requIred pedestnan access
Mr WhIttenberg, notIng the dIfference between the Al and Bl alternatIves IS l' m
WIdth, asked how long IS that area where the seatIng IS? Mr RIley saId It 25' m length
for a total of 25 square feet
CommISSIoner Soukup saId the drawmg mdlcates 44" between the new bench and the
extenor wall and 48" IS mlmmum Mr RIley saId he dIdn't know where the 48"
measurement came from, It dIdn't come from DFG Mr RIley explarned how they pIck
up 9" of the 12" WhICh would have been lost m Bl The handIcapped access for a
passageway IS 44" The new bench proposal IS WIthOUt backIng, explarnmg that a 6"
thIck back IS a great place to cut baIt and that becomes very dIrty Mr RIley dIdn't see
the need for a back support saymg most pIers don't offer them CommIsSIoner Soukup
agreed the bench backs don't need to be 6" thIck but, to hIm, the backs are a necessary
component after a long day of fishIng
Regardmg fishermen's gear gomg out mto the pedestnan area, Mr RIley saId a backstop
could be placed under the benches to preclude that happenmg, DFG thought that would
be adequate also Mr RIley spoke WIth John SchmIdt, ExecutIve DIrector, Wlldhfe
ConservatIon Board saId theIr scope does not mclude pedestnan access, they are
narrowly focused on the needs of the fishermen However, theIr letter says they are
concerned WIth pedestnan traffic, WhICh IS dIrect conflIct WIth hIs conversatIon
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Page 8 - PIannmg CommISSIon Minutes of February 23, 1994
ComnusslOner Soukup, referencmg Mr R1ley's statement that the Al plan (WIth the four-
person booths) would be ehmmated If the B1 plan was chosen, asked If a fanuly of four
wouldn't want to SIt m a row, lookmg out over the ocean? Mr R1ley S3.1d semor cItlzens
frequent Ruby's and Ruby's feels they would not want to SIt at a counter when they could
SIt at a booth ComnusslOner Soukup S3.1d they could SIt at a booth mSIde or at outdoor
booths
2
Issue #2. SIgnage
At the February 9th meetmg, the dIScussIon centered not on ItS SIZe or locatIon but, on
what It would say The ComnusslOn felt the CIty should be gettmg more recogmtIon
Ruby's IS open to dIscuSSIon on thIs Issue Ruby's wants a "farr shake" on exposure so
people at the foot of the pIer are aware there's a Ruby's restaurant at the end of the pIer
He S3.1d he would hke ComnusslOn approval for a sIgn of certaIn dImenslOns and then
havmg Ruby's come back to the CIty to work out what the copy will be He explamed
that he will be heard by the CIty Council and If they gIve the CIty Manager the authonty
for hIm to move on to the Cahforma Coastal ComnusslOn, then what Ruby's puts before
the Coastal ComnusslOn IS what Ruby's has to hve WIth The Coastal ComnusslOn has
no requrrements on the sIgnage Ruby's has no problem WIth sharmg the sIgn, but smce
It'S puttmg the sIgn up It wants a farr percentage of the sIgn to address Ruby's He
wanted the CIty to tell hIm what they want It to say
3
Issue #3. Tram
Charrman Dahlman asked Mr R1ley If Ruby's needs to build a structure on the beach?
Mr Wluttenberg S3.1d the apphcatIon mcludes the constructIon of a storage garage at the
base of the pIer m the parkmg lot area Mr R1ley S3.1d they were gomg to have the tram
storage on the pIer Itself In response to Coastal Conservancy comments, Ruby's moved
It down mto the parkmg lot mto a unused area
Charrman Dahlman S3.1d he receIved a letter from Dr Robert Thayer who S3.1d there's
a State law requmng a tram to have a beepmg SIgnal Mr Wluttenberg S3.1d he talked
to Dr Thayer and told hIm he IS not aware of such a State law, staff will research thIs
The Charrman asked Ms Fillmann If the CIty receIved any correspondence regardmg thIS
apphcatIon? Ms Fillmann S3.1d no Charrman Dahlman mdIcated he receIved a letter from
Robert Thayer, Ph D and a telephone call from Ron Miller m favor of the apphcatIon The
letter from Dr Thayer, dated February 10, 1994 was read mto the Record [Attached] The
letter mentIons LeIsure World resIdents walk a lot Keymg on that comment, ComnusslOner
Soukup asked If the CIty IS supposed to provIde tram servIce for persons who are mcapable of
walkmg somewhere?
ComnusslOner Soukup stated he had wanted to attend the CIty'S meetIng WIth DFG and was
notIfied by Mr Steele that If he dId so he may forgo hIS votmg pnvileges If he attended It was
Page 9 - PIannmg CommISSion Mmutes of February 23, 1994
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alnght for Mr Soukup to appomt a representative from DIStnCt 1, he appomted DavId
Rosenman Mr Rosenman got approval from DIStnCt 1 Councilperson Hastings
The followmg persons spoke m favor of thIs apphcation
John LoomIS * ArchItect for the Ap.phcant * 30th Street ArchItects
Mr LoomIS saId a handIcapped accessIbility area IS a Umform Buildmg Code (UBC)
requIrement and not ADA law UBC requIres an eXIt path of 44" for any occupancy m excess
of 49 people, both alternative Al and BI provIde for thIs Regardmg the backs of pIer benches,
he saId he would hke to have a back to a seat A back could be provIded WIthOUt a reduction
m the WIdth of theIr plans Regardmg SItting next to one another at a counter, hIs expenence
over the years has shown people are most comfortable m a booth setting, "Eating IS a SOCIal
expenence" He felt the real dIfference between alternatives Al and BIIS one foot, It does not
mcrease any ability along the pIer pen meter The total pen meter of the pIer IS the acceSSIble
to fishermen m both schemes The one foot goes m a sohd back wall, behmd the bench, whIch
IS a 4" to 6" structure and could poSSIbly be reduced a couple of mches The rest of the footage
goes mto the CIrculation area behInd that wall, behInd the bench In the 8' scheme, Ruby's IS
provIdmg a 44" WIde path of travel and m the 9' scheme, Ruby's IS mcreasmg that by
approxImately 8" An addItional 4" IS a sohd wall behmd the bench, whIch acts as a back to
the bench There IS 19" WIdth for the bench and a bench WIth a back can easily be provIded
The addItional foot allows Ruby's to provIde outdoor dmmg, whIch IS a VISItor servIce too
.
COmmISSIOner Soukup referenced Mr LoomIs' comment that dmmg IS a SOCIal expenence and
more pleasurable m a booth He asked If he could take that to mean all counter seating could
be removed and that space could be gIven back to the pubhc? And could Ruby's then
concentrate on booth seating and rearrangmg outdoor seating? Mr LoomIS saId "Of course
not" He explamed a balance of seating opportumties, noting the statiStically most deSIrable
seating IS booth seating Gomg to the 9' scheme prohIbIts Ruby's from havmg four premIer
booths at the center of the scheme
COmmISSIOner Soukup suggested buildmg up, creating a 10ft-type patio Rather than havmg all
the seating on the pIer deck, a second story would be created, havmg more of the four-seater
booths up there Mr LoomIS saId a second story was dISCUSSed a long time ago The CIty was
not m favor of a second story for the restaurant at the time He thought the CahfornIa Coastal
COmmISSIOn and the Coastal Conservancy hmIted the buildmg to a rephcation of the square
footage of the buildmg that burned
COmmISSIOner Sharp remembered that pretty much everyone was agaInst the second story -- the
COmmISSIOn and the pubhc CommISSIOner Soukup saId he thought the apphcation of that
second story, a bar, was the problem If the two Issues were separated support may have been
found Mr LoomIS saId that there IS nothIng preventing Ruby's from consIdenng a second story
If the CIty would allow It and dependmg on configuration of the area bemg able to accommodate
booths and tables for four people The ADA would come mto play for access to that second
story
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Page 10 - PIannmg CommISSIon Mmutes of February 23, 1994
Mr Steele asked Mr Loonus to c1anfy the Al alternatIve WIth the 8' space between the edge
of the pIer and the edge of the buildmg and the set of four top booths WIth a 44" nummum aisle
versus alternatIve BI wmch has 9' between the edge of the pIer and the edge of the buildmg,
two topper booths and a 52" aisle He SaId It appeared to mm that 2/3 of the space that's
commg out of AIlS gomg to an aisle, so we're talkmg about 4" of table space Mr Loonus
c1anfied that there's a foot dIfference WIth 4" gomg mto the wall behmd the bench, 8" gomg mto
the aisle approXlmately Mr Steele asked If It would be possIble to keep a 44" aisle on Bl and
mcrease the table space? Mr LoomIS SaId no, because the m1mmum WIdth on the four top IS
48" and that's extremely tIght The best Ruby's could achIeve was 38" d1menslOnally It does
not work
The followmg persons spoke m OppoSItIOn to thIS appl1catIon
DaVId Rosenman * 208 8th Street. Seal Beach
Mr Rosenman SaId that at the request of ComnusslOner Soukup and Councilwoman HastIngs
he attended, as an observer, a meetIng between DFG and the City Also attendmg were Mr
Whlttenberg, Mr CurtIs and Mr Riley Mr Steele's ground rules were that he could not
comment at that meetIng Mr Rosenman dIffered WIth Mr CurtIs' comment that there really
wasn't much mput about what the publ1c wanted, except for one erroneous pIece of mformatIon
Mr Rosenman SaId the prmc1pal of that meetIng was W John Schnudt, ExecutIve Drrector,
Department of FISh and Game Wildl1fe ConservatIon Board Mr Schnudt pomted out the
pnmary nuss10n of DFG m thIS case IS that the momes had been gIven to prevlOusly to the CIty
of Seal Beach to establ1sh a fishmg pIer He had to restnct mmself to those concerns Mr
Schnudt SaId he's concerned about any of the pIers that DFG IS mvolved WIth because when
publ1c space IS taken It IS never gotten back If any space IS taken away, somethmg IS bemg
taken from all people usmg the pIer
Mr Rosenman SaId there has been a cascade of events leadmg to bad decISIons, such as lookmg
at only one alternatIve He asked many people about pnor concerns regardmg the pIer, 100%
of those asked SaId they dIdn't object to two stones but they object to the fact the pnor proposal I;
was gomg to be a bar He felt other alternatIves should be set forth, such as a second story or
a long, finger-hke structure the length of the pIer He urged rejectIon of thls appl1catIon as
currently deSIgned and favored redeSIgn, eIther up or back m the drrectIon of the pIer
Mr Rosenman SaId he talked Wlth Seal Beach reSIdent Wendy Rothman, who was mvolved Wlth
brmgmg Ruby's to the CIty The CIty gave Ruby's a fully fixtunzed facility, WIth refngerators,
counters, seats Normally, when a restaurant IS rented only the shell IS rented The tenant
suppl1es the refngerators, ovens, tables et cetera Ruby's, as conSIderatIon, assumed
responsIbility for canng for the restrooms Mr Rosenman suggested the ComnusslOn not remove
thls reqUlrement but forward It to the CIty Council to deal WIth
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Page 11 - PIannmg CoOlJUlSSIOO Mmutes of February 23, 1994
Regardmg the sign, Mr Rosenman saId It'S current design IS too large and suggested It be 18'
x 8' Regardmg the suggested lack stop to go under the benches to prevent fishmg gear from
gomg mto pedestrIan walkways, he felt thiS would gather debns
Mr Rosenman felt Ruby's management should chalk mark on the pier what part of the pIer they
are proposmg to take so the publIc can look at It He wondered If thIs has not happened because
If people looked at It they probably wouldn't go for It
Mltzle Morton * 153 13th Street. Seal Beach
Mrs Morton saId thIS applIcation should not have been brought before the Plannmg Comffilsslon
but rather should have gone to the City Council Because thIs IS CIty-owned property, the
restaurant was built by the CIty, and the CIty owns the restaurant the CIty Council should have
been the frrst to hear about thIs The CIty Council should have made a decISIon on whether they
wanted staff to proceed The February 9th Plannmg Comffilsslon hearmg sounded to Mrs
Morton as though Ruby's owned the restaurant When she called CIty Council people she found
out they knew nothIng about thIs applIcation The Plannmg Department staff has been workIng
on thIS applIcation WIthout the CIty Council knowmg about It Mrs Morton saId she worked
WIth a group on the re-establIshment of thIs restaurant and to try to get Ruby's m Ruby's
wanted to come to Seal Beach and at the time, Doug Cavanaugh of Ruby's told thIs group that
he would not ask for anythIng other than what he had been granted as It was suffiCIent Now,
SIX years later, Ruby's wants an expansIOn The CIty gave Ruby's a sweetheart deal by
mc1udmg all the fIXtures Mr Cavanaugh dIdn't lIke the CIty'S deSIgn and he decIded to change
It, whIch was hIS pnvilege Mrs Morton saId she does not want to gIve up part of the CIty'S
pIer She felt an outdoor patio would be lovely but the patio does not have to accommodate 56
or 60 people, they could have a small patio to seat 25 or 30 people She does not want the CIty
to gIve up more space to a restaurant use whIch was supposed to be a secondary use on the pIer
Regardmg the tram, she asked what SIze It would be? Who would use It? What's gomg to
happen to the people who don't want to go to Ruby's but can't walk out to the pIer? Regardmg
the Ruby's garage on the CIty'S parkmg lot, she stated there was a lot of controversy when the
CIty lIfeguards wanted to put theIr storage sheds down there The heIght of the sheds was gomg
to rum the ocean VIew of people SItting m the park The cIUzens don't want to see sheds and
garages down there whIch may obstruct the VIew She suggested the parkIng lot at Frrst Street
would be an alternative She questioned the fact of the CIty gIvmg up therr nghts of a publIc
tram and gIve It to a pnvate enterpnse Regardmg a two-story structure, she questioned the
safety of such a buildmg m an earthquake but noted an upstarrs patio would be mce to have
The pnor objections to a two-story structure were that It would be a large restaurant WIth a bar
whIch would stay open to 1 00 a m The management was gomg to take over more than the pIer
restaurant, he was gomg to take over pIer concessIOns The CalIfornIa Conservancy would be
the mam agency concerned about the publIc She saId she would hate to see the Plannmg
CommIssIon make a decISIon and then It'S appealed to the CIty Council and they are put on the
spot of dlffenng WIth therr Planmng CommIssIoners She felt the CIty'S lease With DFG states
the mam pomt of any SIgn IS to say "Seal Beach PIer" or "Seal Beach FIShmg PIer" and
secondary would be the restaurant If a SIgn IS planned, she hoped It would be placed on the
West SIde, towards Alaffiltos Bay, so there wouldn't be an obstruction of the ocean as you dnve
Page 12 - PIannmg CommISSIon MInutes of February 23, 1994
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down Mam Street
Charrman Dahlman sald the apphcant proposed approval of a blank sign and figunng out the
copy later He asked If she had comments Mrs Morton sald Ruby's IS actmg hke they are the
mam entity but she felt any SIgn should say "Seal Beach PIer" and the word "mumcIpahty" IS
too large a word to mclude She called DFG and they told her that no mention of the sign was
made to them at therr meetmg With the City She thought approval would have to be gamed
from DFG for any SIgn It should be up to the CIty to decide on what, If any, type of SIgn they
want
Charrman Dahlman agreed With Mrs Morton, saymg he wished the Plannmg COmmtSSlOn had
had more gUIdance on this Issue before It came up Charrman Dahlman sald If the SIgn IS left
out of this apphcatIon and It'S left to the City to put up a SIgn, It would not be patd for Mrs
Morton sald It wouldn't cost that much for a mce wooden SIgn and a lot of money was donated
to landscapmg the park She would prefer that the SIgn be desIgned by the CIty and approved
by the City Council
.
Charrman Dahlman asked Mrs Morton about the trams havmg an exclUSive contract, takIng
away the City'S nght to operate a tram Mr Steele sald the City IS not bemg asked to approve
that at this time ThIs would be renegotiated WithIn the lease per drrectIon from the City
Council Charrman Dahlman asked If the COmmtSSlon needed to even address tram Issues now?
Mr Wluttenberg sald the Plannmg COmmtSSlon' S Issues are to deal With the proposed outside
dInmg area, the expansion of the storage area, the extenor restrooms and a garage storage
structure at the base of the pier for a tram vehIcle The CIty Council will dehberate on the type
of tram vehtcle, who provides the vehtcle, and what the nghts of the partIes are regardmg the
vehtcle
CommISSIoner Sharp sald he felt people are mtssmg the pomt that If the Plannmg COmmtSSIon
approves this, It will go to the Coastal CommISSIon next Mrs Morton sald It should go to the
City Council before It goes to the Coastal COmmtSSlon Mr Wluttenberg clanfied that If the
Plannmg Commission approves thIS apphcatIon, staff will go to the City Council at therr next
meeting to seek Council authonzanon to file an apphcanon With the Coastal CommiSSIon, the
CIty would be the apphcant on that apphcanon As part of that request for ftlmg of an
apphcanon With the Coastal COmmtSslon, staff will request the Council request the City Manager
to enter lease negonanons With the current operators of the facility Once the Coastal
COmmtsslon has made a declSlon, the City Council would have before them the final approval
of whatever lease document IS appropnate based on the approvals granted by the Plannmg
CommISSion, If It decIded to grant any at all, and then by the Coastal CommiSSIon based on therr
dehberanons
COmmtSsIoner Campbell sald the 1984 lease agreement IS very clear on sIgnage It sald "The
name of thIS project IS the Seal Beach FIshtng Pier or the Seal Beach Pier" Etther name shall
be used m all documents, SIgns, pubhcanons, brochures, general hterature or news releases
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Page 13 - PIannmg CommJSSJon Mmutes of February 23, 1994
Operators shall not rename the project or change any project sIgns WIthOut the approval of the
State and then, only for reasons of change of condItIons or over-ndmg pubhc or histone
Importance" Mr WhIttenberg saId the Plannmg COmmISSIOn would have the authonty to
approve a SIgn WIth whichever one of those two ChOIces IS most appropnate
Mrs Morton saId she IS very dlsappomted staff dId not contact DFG when the latest fire
damaged the pIer Accordmg to DFG's letter they would have been willmg to gIve the CIty
money to reparr the pIer and the reparr work could have been done a long tIme ago
COmmISSIOner Soukup agreed, statIng DFG mdlcated they could pOSSIbly find some momes
Brent Matthews * 8th Street. Seal Beach
Mr Matthews saId It seems It IS not a questIon If Ruby's should or could expand but how they
mIght expand and under what terms He asked the CommIssIon to make sure any expanSIon IS
compatIble WIth the current use and to protect and enhance the CIty'S pOSItIon phYSIcally and
finanCIally Regardmg the SIgn, he IS completely against sIgnage on the pIer, he doesn't need
a SIgn to know It'S a fishmg pIer If Ruby's IS asking to expand he doesn't have a problem WIth
sIgnage Regardmg the restrooms, he would be dlsappomted If the COmmISSIOn rehnqUlshed the
CIty'S poSItIon for Ruby's to clean the restrooms Under CIty staffing constraInts It'S a
neceSSIty Regardmg the lease, he asked If there IS a fixed rental fee per square foot He felt
this would be tIme to mclude this m lease renegotIatIons He suggested the Planmng
CommIssIon use chalk, laymg out the proposal, and bemg sure It works
COmmISSIOner Soukup asked If the Plannmg CommIssIon could make recommendatIons WIth
regard to the lease? Mr WhIttenberg saId the Planmng COmmISSIOn may make
recommendatIons to the CIty Council on plannmg matters It mIght be stretchIng the defimtIon
of plannmg matters to try to dIrect the Council on how to negotIate a lease agreement
ChaIrman Dahlman saId the COmmISSIOn's main object IS to look after development and plannmg
conSIderatIons CommIssIoner Sharp SaId that a few years ago the CIty Council thought that the
Plannmg CommIssIon was trymg to set pohcy and they let the Plannmg CommIssIon know and
straightened the COmmISSIOn out on what theIr Job was and what they were supposed to do
COmmISSIOner Campbell saId that m regardmg to readmg the 1984 agreement between the CIty
and DFG, It'S not a matter of enforcmg the agreement but rather It'S a matter of approvmg
somethIng m dIrect VIolatIon of It
Mr Steele SaId Its dIfficult when consldermg a comprehenSIve apphcatIon, where there are a
number of elements, to separate out the land use decISIons The COmmISSIOn's decISIon IS
hmIted to whether or not this apphcatIon IS conSIstent WIth the General Plan and the apphcable
zomng, whether or not the property and Improvements are adequate to accommodate the
proposed use and the other mumclpal ~ proVISIOns It's a matter of law that If this apphcant
wants to go forward WIth thIngs that are not land use decISIons, the apphcant will have to go to
the CIty Council and get the lease amended The fact that there's language m the lease that may
or may not Impact the proposal IS not relevant to the land use Issues liThe questIon before you
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Page 14 - PIannmg CommISSion Minutes of February 23, 1994
on the sIgn as I see It, and I would dIffer WIth Mr Wluttenberg, IS whether or not there should
be a SIgn there Is It good planmng and good land use m the CIty of Seal Beach to have a thIrty
square foot SIgn at the end of the pIer? II The CIty Council and CIty Manager must negotIate
WIth the apphcant Wlthm the terms of the lease to decIde what the SIgn will say QuestIons on
who will mamtam the restrooms are not land use decISIons
MarlO Voce * 730 Catahna. Seal Beach
Mr Voce saId apprmumately two years ago there was a proposal to add a SIgn announcmg
Ruby's at the end of the pIer There was much adverse reactIon He saId he was concerned that
the CIty not lose pedestrIan space at the end of the pIer because It'S already cramped when
people are out there m suffiCIent numbers
Rebuttal
Mr Rtley rebutted that regardmg a second-story, the ADA would reqUIre Ruby's to put man
elevator faclhty and the costs would be prohtbItIve Mr Steel saId hts understandmg of ADA
requIrements IS that an eXIstIng structure, to whtch a second story IS added, does not requITe an
elevator It's when you get to three stones Mr Rtley saId on April 1, 1995, the ADA rules
will tIghten sIgmficantly Regardmg the lease, there are two leases, the one between the CIty
and Ruby's and the lease between the CIty and DFG ThIs IS not the appropnate forum to
dISCUSS leases Regardmg Mrs Morton's comments, the reason Ruby's IS dealmg WIth the
Planmng COmmtSSlon before the CIty Council IS that when Ruby's tnltIally made thts proposal
they met WIth Mr Wluttenberg and the CIty Manager and asked what procedure must we go
through? They outhned very clearly the steps, whtch mcluded dealmg WIth the COmmtSSIOn
before the Council Ruby's IS followmg CIty pohcy and IS not trymg to cIrcumvent the CIty
Council Mr Wluttenberg saId that If the Planmng COmmtSSlon approves thts apphcatIon It will
go before the Council next Monday mght for them to conSIder authonzmg the filmg of the
apphcatIon to the Coastal COmmtSSIon Regardmg the tram, Ruby's plans to have a golf-cart
sIZed tram whtch would seat four to SIX persons The tram would be for theIr patrons Ruby's
IS not currently bemg prOVIded the tram servIces they are supposed to receIve Regardmg the
garage for the tram, Ruby's IS proposmg a 9' x 15'structure It's below the park and will not
be VISIble from the street or park and the only tIme It could be seen IS from the bottom of the
pIer Regardmg DFG not bemg aware of the sIgnage, DFG has receIved two dIfferent sets of
plans, both of whtch have the SIgn mformatIon on them Regardmg COmmtsSIoner Campbell's
comments on pIer sIgnage, the agreement IS referrmg to the brass plates mstalled at the left SIde
on the pIer COmmtSsIoner Campbell saId she IS readmg from the agreement as It pertaIns to
any SIgns placed there
There bemg no addItIonal speakers the Pubhc Hearmg was closed
Chamnan Dahlman called a recess at 9.38 p m. The meetmg resumed at 9 49 p m.
COmmtssloner Soukup asked what would Ruby's do If the CIty wanted to resume actIVItIes WIth
the tram as It was? Mr Rtley saId Ruby's would love It because they have been WIthOUt tram
servIce whtch was a guaranteed amemty to the lease for two years DISCUSSIOn ensued on why
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Page 15 - PIannmg CommISSion Mmutes of February 23, 1994
the CIty'S tram servIce had been mterrupted WIth ComrmSSlOner Soukup suggestIng pIer reparrs
needmg to be done Mr Wluttenberg saId the tram Issues are not a ComrmSSlOn Issue
ComrmSSlOner Soukup saId the ComrmSSlOn IS deahng WIth a garage structure wIDch IS for a
tram, askmg If the proposed garage structure would house a CIty tram? He dId not feel It was
mappropnate to ask that questIon Mr Wluttenberg saId that at thls pomt the CIty does not have
a CIty tram
MOTION by Soukup; SECOND by Campbell to postpone thIS apphcabon
Before a vote the followmg comments were made
ComrmSSlOner Campbell asked about havmg a second story for the general publIc If the space
below was taken away for the restaurant? ComrmsslOner Soukup saId he wants to accommodate
Ruby's as best he can WIthout thIS approach but feels further mvestIgatIon needs to be done
Mr Steel adVIsed the ComrmsslOn has a specIfic proposal before It To move for mdefimte
delay and to ask for further mvestIgatIon would requrre a motIon to deny thIS partIcular proposal
m order to protect the applIcant's nghts ComrmsslOner Soukup saId he would restate IDS
motIon If that IS what IS requrred Charrman Dahlman saId he wanted to see how the dIScussIon
proceeds
ComrmSSlOner Law saId that If thls applIcatIon IS demed by the Plannmg CommIssIon the
applIcant has a nght to appeal that decISIon to the CIty Council Mr Wluttenberg clanfied the
applIcant's appeal nghts
ComrmSSlOner Law saId she understood exactly what CommIssIoner Soukup had saId, and that
IS that he does not want thIS applIcatIon at all, he wants them to come back WIth dIfferent
proposal and deSIgn ComrmSSlOner Soukup clanfied that he feels thIS plan may be confiscatory
m the way that thIS plan IS bemg developed at thIS moment There may be other ways to
accomplIsh the same thmg and proVIde Ruby's a way to satIsfy therr needs and to satIsfy the
publIc If a motIon IS legally needed to deny thIS so that actIon can be pursued, then he would
mclude It m IDS motIon He IS not agamst Ruby's categoncally He saId there's the ongmal
proposal and the alternatIves Al and Bl and he IS agamst removal of the benches m the ongmal
proposal
Charrman Dahlman how the ongmal proposal and the Bl alternatIve dIffer? Mr Wluttenberg
saId they are not sIgmficantly dIfferent but Bl prOVIdes a more accurate representatIon of the
outSIde patIo area The publIc areas are the same There IS l6lh' from the end of Ruby's
restaurant to the edge of the pIer railing
CommISSIoner Soukup saId "I thlnk there's a lot of solutIons that we can mvestIgate, WIth the
cooperatIon of Ruby's or WIthOUt" He suggested a car-hop arrangement for servIce outSIde the
restaurant "As It IS now, IJust don't th1nk that from a general land use decIsIon-makmg pomt
of VIew that we should approve thls one and get on a fast track to the Coastal ComrmSSlOn
WIthOUt looking at the other avenues My MotIon IS to delay or postpone, under the auspIces
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Page 16 - PIanmng CommISSion Minutes of February 23, 1994
of denymg the ongmal request"
Mr Steele SaId there IS another concern and that IS the delay of final achon on a specIfic
proposal IS that the Penmt Streamhnmg Act requrres the CIty take a final achon on thIS proposal
WithIn a specIfied penod of hme --- It may be 90 days or It may be 115 days --- otherwIse It'S
deemed approved The CIty IS startlng to push that deadlme
ComffilSSlOner Soukup SaId he would modIfy hls Mohon
MODIFIED MOTION by Soukup; SECOND by Campbell to deny CondItIonal
Use Peront #93-15.
Before a vote the followmg comments were made
ComffilSSloner Campbell SaId the owners enJoy a hlgh patronage and WIsh to mcrease therr
fmanclal profits by servmg more people Wh1le there IS nothmg wrong WIth that, It would be
done at the expense of the general pubhc because Ruby's would be talang away the end of the
pIer WhIch belongs to the general pubhc Once It'S taken away the CIty IS never gomg to get
It back She SaId she went out to the pIer and measured It There IS 9' from the end of the pIer
to where Ruby's partlhon would begm whlch allow 4' to 4th' for the general pubhc She feels
thIs IS madequate for the general pubhc There are safety queshons such as the pIer havmg to
be evacuated qUIckly there would be a lot of trouble The amount of space Ruby's wants to
allow the general pubhc to use IS not enough She IS agamst removmg the back of the benches
because she, for example, tends to not look where she IS walkmg and IS afrald she would fall
over those benches She felt It'S better to have the fishermen and therr gear separated from the
ch1ldren She feels there are other ophons, such as a second story WIth eIther dmers eatlng up
there or the pubhc strollmg up there The current proposal, to her and the many people from
College Park East that she has spoken WIth, IS not glvmg adequate space
Comffilssloner Sharp Said he felt the Planmng CommIssIon doesn't have the ability or knowledge
to draw plans for a restaurant whlch has many regulahons placed on It by the ADA, DFG and
the Coastal CommIssIon He felt the SIgn was mappropnate, the proposal IS too large and they
already have enough slgnage
SUBSTITUTE MOTION by Sharp; SECOND by Law to approve CondltIonal Use Peront
#93-15, alternatIve Bl, With the stIpulatIon that the Sign be removed from the request.
Before a vote Mr Steele SaId because the Subshtute Mohon IS drrectly OppOSIte the ongmal
MOhon, the Comffilsslon must vote on the Mohon A Subshtute Mohon IS an amendment to the
ongmal Mohon as opposed to the exact OppoSIte ChaIrman Dahlman SaId the Subshtute Mohon
IS out of order
Chalrman Dahlman commented on the Mohon to deny thIS apphcatIon, saymg he thInks the CIty
has been gIven two alternahves, one talang away 8' at the end of the pIer and the other takes
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Page 17 - Planmng CommISSIOn Mmutes of February 23, 1994
away 7' He doesn't see an alternatIve that doesn't take away any space "If there were such
an alternatIve and there were a good reason not to vote for It I don't thmk I would vote for It
If one of these other alternatIves were better But m the absence of that I don't thmk I can
consIder --- I would much rather have seen, whenever tills first came to the attentIon of the
Plannmg Department -- have seen two or three alternatIves m general1f you really wanted our
opmlOn on tills So that we could help steer you m the nght drrectIon Or maybe you have got
that gUIdance from Jerry Bankston or the CIty Council" Regardmg the tram, the SIgn and the
constructIon of the storage on the beach are best addressed by the Mam Street SpecIfic Plan
The tram IS certamly related as there IS talk of a trolley m town He dIdn't want to see those
Items mcluded m a proposal "GIven the proposal and the staff report, tills Just dIffers so much
from what I would hke to see that I can't support It at tills tIme" He would hke to see an
outdoor patIo added to Ruby's He sald WIthOUt CIty Council adVIce that tills IS the way they
want you to go, he IS not comfortable approvmg the plan as presented
MOTION CARRIES:
AYES.
NOES:
3-2-0
Soukup, Campbell, Dahlman
Sharp, Law
Mr Wluttenberg sald staff prepared two resolutIons for tills apphcatIon, one for approval and
one for demal The resoluoon for demal mcludes appropnate findmgs based on the reductIon
of pubhc access area both for fishmg areas and general enjoyment of the pIer Staff would
recommend adoptIon of tills resolutIon as Resoluoon No 94-8
Chamnan Dahlman asked how many of the ComffilssIoners agreed WIth mm about a tram and
Slgnage bemg more appropnate Issues for the Mam Street Speclfic Plan to conSIder
ComffilssIoner Soukup agreed Mr Wluttenberg sald the CommIsslOn could mstruct staff as a
separate Item, under ComffilssIon Concerns, to deal WIth those Issues The apphcatIon before
the ComffilsSIon IS for specIfic Items and does not dISCUSS a tram
ComffilssIoner Dahlman asked for tIme for the ComffilssIoners to read the fmdmgs He mdIcated
there are findmgs wmch should be addressed, such as m Secoon 5(d)
The pIer and proposed remodeled structure would not be adequate En SIze or shape to
accommodate both the proposed use and the exlStlng fishzng and pedestnan uses
He dIdn't agree WIth that findmg and that hIS vote would represent agreement WIth that He sald
he thmks the ComffilssIon needs to find common ground and hffilt the fmdmgs to the thmgs they
can agree on He asked If staff could come back m two weeks WIth another resolutIon wmch
more accurately reflects the ComffilssIon's agreement? Mr Wluttenberg sald staff needs
dIrectIon on that common ground as staff IS unable to dIscern that based on the dIScussIon to tills
orne Chamnan Dahlman, askIng the three ComffilssIoners who voted to deny, satd all the
alternatIves mvolve a reductIon m pubhc access and asked If tills IS an appropnate fmdmg? Mr
.
.
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Page 18 - Plannmg CommISSion MInutes of February 23, 1994
WhIttenberg suggested a change to subparagraph Sed)
" the pIer and the proposed remodeled structure, which would reduce public access
areas available to the general publzc on the pier, would not be adequate "
ChaIrman Dahlman saId that would be adequate but If thIS were the best alternatIve he would
vote for It But he does not beheve he has seen all the alternatlves he needs to see m order to
know that tIus IS the best If you take away from pubhc access you need to look at alternatlves
WhICh mc1ude those that do not take away from pubhc access If those are not feasIble, then you
can take away pubhc access
Mr WhIttenberg saId the COmmISSIOn appears to be saymg that tIus may be a reasonable project
but WIthout a reVIew of other alternatlves that decIsIon can't be made "What I thmk what you
need to do IS deny tIus apphcatIon and then Just mdIcate --- maybe we need to add an addItlonal
paragraph to the findmgs --- that WIthout a reVIew of alternatlves that mIght be consIdered
economIcally feaSIble by the apphcant, tIus IS your decIsIon at tIus pomt So you're not
precludmg future actIons"
Mr Steele saId he was not sure subparagraph (d) IS essentlal to the resolutlon If the
COmmISSIOn IS uncomfortable WIth subparagraph (d) but IS comfortable WIth (a), (b) and (c) they
are adequate grounds on wluch to deny tIus apphcatlon
Charrman Dahlman saId he would add a subparagraph wluch saId approXImately "Adequate
alternatlves were not conSIdered to allow the requested reductlon m pubhc access" He
suggested the CIty Attorney's Office reVIew tIus and return WIth reVIsed language
COmmISSIOner Sharp remmded Charrman Dahlman of the 90 day penod Mr Steele saId he IS
concerned WIth the final actlon of the COmmISSIOn
COmmISSIOner Campbell saId fmdmg (c) was not correct to her thmkmg, as she dId not fmd the
outdoor dmmg area would be detnmental to the surroundmg neIghborhood She does not fmd
the concept detnmental, she fmds the amount of space It takes up detnmental Mr WhIttenberg
saId the CommIssIon IS deahng only With the space tIus apphcatlon IS requmng Charrman
Dahlman asked why the COmmISSIOn had to find the apphcatlon IS detnmental to everybody?
Mr Steele saId the murncIpal ~ requIres, WIth regard to CUPs, IS that the Plannmg
COmmISSIOn make a fmdmg WIth regard to detnment to the surroundmg neIghborhood If the
COmmISSIOn IS denymg thIS apphcatlon based on detnment to the pedestrian access and fishmg
access staff would conSIder that to be the surroundmg neIghborhood for tIus proposed use The
COmmISSIOn IS stuck WIth that language
Chairman Dahlman asked about subparagraph (d) The CIty Attorney has mdIcated that can be
deleted Charrman Dahlman Said "I Just cannot beheve that after all tIus dIscussIOn, over all
these hours, that you were able pnor to even cOmIng here tornght put out a resolutlon that
appropnately summanzes these findmgs It Just doesn't seem nght to me" Mr WhIttenberg
.
.
.
Page 19 - Plannmg ColDIDISSlOn Mmutes of February 23, 1994
sald the general dISCUSSIon IS the same dISCUSSIon that took place at the last COmmISSIOn meetIng
With no new testlmony COmmISSIOner Campbell dIsagreed, notIng two addItlonal alternatlves
were dIstnbuted tomght wIDch were not available In the staff report COmmISSIOner Soukup
noted DFG gave comments Charrman Dahlman sald "ThIs IS really being rushed through Do
you really thInk It'S 90 days from November 15th?" Mr WhIttenberg explained the apphcatlon
was submItted on November 11, 1993 The tlme penod IS 90 days from the date the apphcatlon
was deemed complete and the next meetIng IS March 9th Mr WhIttenberg sald the March 9th
COmmISSIOn meetIng may exceed the 90 day penod Charrman Dahlman sald he dIdn't thInk
the rush or urgency IS a good reason to not get tms apphcatlon the best way It can be done and
suggested It should be subject to CIty Attorney reVIew totally The COmmISSIOn dISCUSsed
pulling the matter over two weeks, commg back WIth a reVIsed resolutlon and taking a chance
It would be approved by default Mr Steele sald If that IS the COmmISSIOn's drrectlon, then staff
needs drrectlon as to what the COmmISSIOn wants In the resolutlon If the COmmISSIOn demes
the apphcatlon they are requrred to make findmgs, as drrected by the mumcIpal ~, WIth
regard to the areas at Issue m the CUP The feasIbility of other alternatlves IS not one of those
findmgs The apphcant dIdn't propose other alternatlves Charrman Dahlman sald that the lack
of an alteratlve that dId not reduce pubhc access IS the most Important reason for IDS not
supportmg tms apphcatlon Mr WhIttenberg addressed tms concern by saYing that when an
apphcant files an apphcatlon to the CIty, he was not aware of many Instances where multlple
apphcatlons were filed and let the CIty pIck and choose between them It IS most usual for an
apphcant to file one apphcatlon and If that IS demed, the apphcant can appeal to the CIty Councu
or can file a new and dIfferent apphcatlon on WhICh Pubhc Hearings are held Secondly, the
CIty mailed legal Notlce letters indIcatIng there would be a Pubhc Heanng on December 9th
That means the Planmng Department conSIdered the apphcatlon complete before December 9th
The CIty'S nmety-day tlme penod will be at least March 8th, the next COmmISSIOn meeung IS
March 9th DISCUSSIon ensued on the computatlon of the nmety days and when the apphcatlon
was deemed complete
COmmISSIOner Sharp sald he couldn't understand the CommISSIOn's feehngs that pubhc access
IS bemg demed because the apphcant IS plannmg to put In access ramps for the handIcapped,
extra restrooms COmmISSIOner Soukup sald the confiscatlon and reductlon bemg talked about
IS Ruby's would be taking a SIgnature pIer wIDch IS the ultlmate statement for the CIty and
convertmg It to pnvate use at the end of the pIer and makIng It dIfficult for people on bikes or
people m general to go out to the end of the pIer and enJoy what they are used to enJoYing
COmmISSIOner Soukup sald he beheved Ruby's could come back to the COmmISSIOn WIth a
project very SImuar to the one bemg demed, WIth some shght dIfferences, and they don't need
to do too much as long as It IS techmcally dIfferent
Charrman Dahlman asked If the resolutlon to deny tms CUP IS satlsfactory to the other members
of the maJonty? Mr Steele sald staff has counted the days and If the apphcatlon was deemed
complete on December 8th, the day before the Notlces were mailed, the March 9th meetlng
would be 92 days
.
.
.
Page 20 - Plannmg Comnusslon Minutes of February 23, 1994
MOTION by Soukup, SECOND by Dahlman to deny CombtIonal Use Penmt #93-15
through the adoptIon of ResolutIon No. 94-8 with sub-paragraph (d) of SectIon 5 deleted.
MOTION CARRIED:
AYES:
NOES
4-1-0
Soukup, Dahlman, Law, Campbell
Sharp
Mr Whtttenberg saId ResolutIOn No 94-8 IS approved and the appeal penod starts Immediately
The final resolutlon will be pnnted tomorrow, as modified by the Motlon tomght
***
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
There were no oral commumcatlons from the audience
STAFF CONCERNS
Bolsa Chlca Letter
Mr Whtttenberg saId he prOVIded a copy of the City Council's response letter to Orange County
on the Bolsa ChIca Draft EIR for the CommIssIOn's mformatlon
ReVised Time Schedule/Main Street Specific Plan
Mr Whtttenberg saId he also prOVided, for the Commission's mformatlon, a revised tlme
schedule for the lnltlatlon of the MaIn Street Specific Plan based on diSCUSSions With the
consultant ThIs process will begm m mId-April to allow staff to obtam updated parkmg and
traffic counts from 5th to 12th Streets
COMMISSION CONCERNS
Neighborhood Watch
CommIssioner Soukup asked If staff had followed up on hIs earher request regardmg the
Neighborhood Watch program? Mr Whtttenberg saId he has not followed up on thIs and saId
he would CommISSioner Soukup Said he would appreciate seemg thIs done as soon as IS
pOSSible
Surf side TraIler
ChaIrman Dahlman saId the CommIssion had notlfied staff that a traIler m Surf side was bemg
hved m For a penod of tlme the traIler was unoccupied and put up for sale Now It IS bemg
OCCUpied agaIn Mr CurUs saId he would go out and take a look at It
Crestview Patlo VIOlatlon
Chairman Dahlman referenced a homeowner on Crestview Dnve that had a patlo m vlolatlon
of the eXlsung ordmances The City wanted to postpone enforcement on that while the
ordmances had been changed He asked If these ordmances have been changed? Mr CurUs
.
.
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Page 21 - Planning Commission Minutes of February 23, 1994
sat.d no, the ordmances have not been changed but that Issue will be coming back before the
Plannmg CommIssIon WIthin the next SIX weeks. What was changed dealt WIth what could be
built along artenal streets. The back yards along CrestvIew Dnve dealt WIth pano covered
structures and walls along propertles backing to the Hellman property but this homeowner's deck
structure IS not the type of structure whlch thls ~ amendment dealt WIth.
Congratulate Man of the Year Nommee
Charrman Dahlman sat.d the Commission would like to congratulate Chuck Feenstra, a member
of the Development Services Department, on bemg nommated for Man of The Year. He dId
great work gettIng Walt's Wharf open after therr rrre. The Comffilsslon agreed that they want
a letter be sent congratulatlng Mr. Feenstra.
Welcome BJ's PIZza
Comffilssioner Soukup welcomed BI's PIZza to the City and wIshed them well.
ADJOURNMENT
Charrman Dahlman adjourned the meeting at 10:30
Respectfully Subffiltted:
~~~"
Joan tllmann
Recordmg Secretary
APPROVAL:
The Mmutes of the February 23, 1994 Plannmg CommIssIon meetlng
were approved by the Commissioners on March 9, 1994. *