| Item No. 2. | |
| MEETING DATE: October 11, 2021 |
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| TO: | PLANNING COMMISSION |
| FROM: | DAVID CRABTREE, INTERIM DIRECTOR By: Victor Rosales, Planning Intern |
| SUBJECT: | DULY NOTICED PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER A REQUEST FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 21-04 TO ESTABLISH A RESTAURANT (CAFE) WITHIN AN EXISTING GROCERY STORE AT 1800 WEST WHITTIER BOULEVARD
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CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA):
This project was reviewed pursuant to the guidelines of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and determined to be Categorically Exempt pursuant to Section 15301(a), Class 1: "Existing Facilities" of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Planning Commission Approve:
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA APPROVING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 21-04 TO ESTABLISH A RESTAURANT (CAFÉ) WITHIN AN EXISTING GROCERY STORE AT 1800 WEST WHITTIER BOULEVARD, AS PER THE APPROVED PLANS, MAKING THE APPROPRIATE FINDINGS, AND SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS.
DISCUSSION:
The Applicant, ABS CA-O, LLC, is proposing to operate a café (Starbucks Coffee) within the Albertsons grocery store, which is located near the southeast corner of Whittier Boulevard and Beach Boulevard. The General Plan Land Use designation is Community Shopping Center 2. The property is zoned Community Shopping Center High Density (C-2sH) which is consistent with the General Plan.
The Albertsons grocery store is approximately 54,338 square feet in area and is located within a commercial shopping center that contains a variety of retail and service-oriented businesses and restaurants. The center previously included a Starbucks within one of the commercial suites located near Beach Boulevard. Albertsons also originally contained a coffee bar/café within the grocery store that was approved via of CUP 97-11 in 1998. With the expiration of CUP 97-11 due to nonuse, a replacement coffee bar/café is being requested.
The proposed Starbucks café will be located within the grocery store situated between the main entrance and exit doors along the northernmost section of the store. The café area is approximately 251 square feet and will be improved with kitchen type equipment. The café will not have any interior tables or chairs and will operate as a food-to-go type restaurant. The Starbucks café will offer handcrafted teas, coffees, pre-made baked goods, breakfast type sandwiches and pastries. The facility will operate from Monday through Sunday, 6:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. and will employ approximately 10 baristas. The restaurant will operate within the established grocery store, whose hours of operation are Monday through Sunday, 6:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
ANALYSIS
The proposed project is before the Planning Commission pursuant to La Habra Municipal Code (LHMC) Section 18.06.040.A, which requires approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for all restaurants including cafés/coffee shops within the C-2sH Community Shopping Center High Density Zone. In order to grant the Conditional Use Permit for this request, all of the following findings must be made:
The Albertsons grocery store is approximately 54,338 square feet in area and is located within a commercial shopping center that contains a variety of retail and service-oriented businesses and restaurants. The center previously included a Starbucks within one of the commercial suites located near Beach Boulevard. Albertsons also originally contained a coffee bar/café within the grocery store that was approved via of CUP 97-11 in 1998. With the expiration of CUP 97-11 due to nonuse, a replacement coffee bar/café is being requested.
The proposed Starbucks café will be located within the grocery store situated between the main entrance and exit doors along the northernmost section of the store. The café area is approximately 251 square feet and will be improved with kitchen type equipment. The café will not have any interior tables or chairs and will operate as a food-to-go type restaurant. The Starbucks café will offer handcrafted teas, coffees, pre-made baked goods, breakfast type sandwiches and pastries. The facility will operate from Monday through Sunday, 6:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. and will employ approximately 10 baristas. The restaurant will operate within the established grocery store, whose hours of operation are Monday through Sunday, 6:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
ANALYSIS
The proposed project is before the Planning Commission pursuant to La Habra Municipal Code (LHMC) Section 18.06.040.A, which requires approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for all restaurants including cafés/coffee shops within the C-2sH Community Shopping Center High Density Zone. In order to grant the Conditional Use Permit for this request, all of the following findings must be made:
- The granting of such Conditional Use Permit will not be detrimental to the public welfare and will not unreasonably interfere with the use, possession, and or enjoyment of surrounding and adjacent properties and will not impair the character of the zone in which it is to be located.
- The subject site is physically suitable for the type of land use being proposed.
- The use is conditionally permitted within the subject zone and complies with the intent of all applicable provisions of this title.
- The granting of this Conditional Use Permit is consistent with the comprehensive general plan.
The request involves a minor tenant improvement that does not affect the grocery store’s normal business operations. The proposed hours of operation for the Starbucks café are consistent with the hours of operation of the grocery store and the other businesses found within the center. Onsite parking is not affected, as the original café/coffee shop was approved at the same time as Planned Unit Development Precise Plan 97-01 which approved the layout and design of the Albertsons shopping center including the 332 parking spaces. In addition, the request does not involve an expansion of the floor area. Since the request does not involve any parking lot changes, the subject site is physically suitable for the proposed land use.
Albertsons also originally contained a coffee bar/café within the grocery store with the approval of CUP 97-11 in 1998. With the expiration of CUP 97-11, a replacement coffee bar/café is requested with similar operational characteristics to the original café.
Albertsons also originally contained a coffee bar/café within the grocery store with the approval of CUP 97-11 in 1998. With the expiration of CUP 97-11, a replacement coffee bar/café is requested with similar operational characteristics to the original café.
The subject property has a General Plan Land use designation of Community Shopping Center 2 which is characterized by commercial uses that need a large amount of land area and are primarily related to and dependent on the City’s main arterials for patronage and access. Restaurants are identified as acceptable land uses within this designation. The requested CUP is similar to other coffee shops operating within the City.
CODE COMPLIANCE
The subject property complies with all applicable development standards.
RELATED CASES
- On May 11, 1998, the Planning Commission approved a Planned Unit Development Precise Plan PUD 97-01 and Negative Declaration of Environmental Impacts for a new shopping center on the subject site (Albertsons).
- On May 11, 1998, Planning Commission approved CUP 97-11 to establish a food court/ café within the Albertsons supermarket.
- On January 10, 2000, the Commission approved a CUP 99-27 to establish a “Starbucks” coffee house at 1950 West Whittier Boulevard, Suite C-1.
FISCAL IMPACT/SOURCE OF FUNDING:
The request does not impact the City’s general fund.
NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES):
The Applicant’s proposal has been reviewed pursuant to the requirements of the City’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Permit, the Local Implementation Plan (LIP), and the Model Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP), Section 7.2. Since no disturbance of soil will occur, this project is exempted by the Water Quality Ordinance from the preparation of a WQMP.
GENERAL PLAN RELEVANCE:
The subject property has a General Plan Land use designation of Community Shopping Center 2 which is characterized by commercial uses that need a large amount of land area and are primarily related to and dependent on the City’s main arterials for patronage and access. Restaurants are identified as acceptable land uses within this designation.
The project implements Policies LU 2.2 Places to Shop, LU 2.3 Places to Work, LU 3.2 Uses to Meet Daily Needs, LU 11.1 Diversity of Uses, of the La Habra General Plan 2035.
The project implements Policies LU 2.2 Places to Shop, LU 2.3 Places to Work, LU 3.2 Uses to Meet Daily Needs, LU 11.1 Diversity of Uses, of the La Habra General Plan 2035.