ADMINISTRATIVE PERMIT NO. 24-44
CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
APPLICANT: Wine Selections
LOCATION: 4141 S Nogales Street Unit #C103
REQUEST: The applicant is requesting an Administrative Permit (AP) to allow the sale of wine for off-site consumption within an existing 1,031 square foot tenant space, located in the "Service Commercial Mixed-Used" (SMU) Zone. 

The applicant is requesting the approval of an AP to allow the sale of wine for off-site consumption within an existing 1,031 square foot tenant space. The subject property is located within the Service Commercial Mixed-Use Zone, on the southwest corner of the East Valley Boulevard and South Nogales Street intersection. 

 

ITEM	DESCRIPTION
Zoning & General Plan Designation	Zoning: Service Commercial Mixed-Use (SMU) General Plan: Commercial (C)
Surrounding Land Uses & Zoning	North: Multi-Family Residential (MF-20), Office Professional Mixed-Use (OPMU) East: Service Commercial Mixed-Use (SMU) South: City of Industry West: Service Commercial Mixed-Use (SMU), Multi-Family Residential (MF-15)
Current Development	Commercial Building
Legal Notice	The Planning Commission public meeting notification has been mailed to one hundred-three (103) owners of properties located within five hundred (500) feet of the subject property.

The applicant is requesting the approval of an AP, to allow the sale of wine for off-site consumption (Type 20) within an existing tenant space. The West Covina Municipal Code (WCMC) allows for the sale of beer and wine for off-site consumption with approval of an AP, as long as the location is not within an area of undue concentration. 

Hearing Request
Staff sent out public notices to owners of properties located within a 500-foot radius of the project site with information regarding the request to allow the sale of wine for off-site consumption within an existing 1,031 square foot tenant space, as specified by the AP process. On January 20, 2025, staff received an email (Attachment No. 3) from a property owner residing in one of the single-family residential properties to the north of the project site. In this email, they requested a public hearing to oppose the sale of alcohol at this address. Based on this request, the AP is being forwarded to the Planning Commission. Additionally, we received an email from another neighbor with concerns about the possible crime in the area that could be as a result of the sale of alcohol. 




BUSINESS OPERATION
The proposed use is the sale of wine for off-site consumption within an existing 1,031 square foot tenant space. The existing tenant space has a retail sales floor area of 418 square feet. The proposed use would occupy 127 square feet in total. Of that, 120 square feet will be storage area that will not be accessible to the public, and the remaining 7 square feet will be through three (3) display racks. Customers are able to enter the store during business hours. Alcohol sales will be limited between the aforementioned business hours of 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, as shown in the operation plan (Attachment No. 2).

The retail store will have one (1) employee per shift, who will be trained in the ability to verify an individual/customer's age by using the individual/customer's government-issued identifications. The identification card reader is required to determine the authenticity of the identification that displays the age of the individual/customer. 

CENSUS TRACT ANALYSIS
The subject property is located in Census Tract No. 4081.41 in Los Angeles County. Per the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), based on the population ration within the County and the Census Tract, the project site is not considered an area of undue concentration for "off-sale" alcohol licenses. There are currently no alcohol licenses issued to the subject Census Tract, which allows for three (3) "off-sale" licenses. Additionally, the proposed use is not located within a high crime area.

The findings necessary for the approval of an Administrative Permit are as follows: 

a. That the proposed use at the particular location is necessary or desirable to provide a service or facility which will contribute to the general well-being of the neighborhood or community. 

The proposed use is consistent with the Service Commercial Mixed-Use Zone. The Service Commercial Mixed-Use Zone is composed primarily of retail and service commercial, recreational business office and multi-family residential land uses which by their nature are of a relative high intensity; are unique in that their success depends upon direct motorist exposure and excellent access. The proposed use is the sale of wine for off-site consumption within an existing 1,031 square foot tenant space. The Wine Selections store would offer the same convenience for purchasing alcohol as other retailers, wine would be the business' only product.

b. That such use will not, under the circumstances of the particular case, be detrimental to the health, safety, peace or general welfare of persons residing or working in the vicinity or injurious to property or improvements in the vicinity. 

The proposed use is the sale of wine for off-site consumption within an existing 1,031 square foot tenant space. The business will be open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. The sale of alcohol will be limited between these hours. The site is not located within a high-crime area and is not located within an area of undue concentration of off-sale alcohol licenses. Therefore, there is no evidence that the use will be detrimental to the health, safety, peace or general welfare of surrounding residents or business owners. 

c. That the site for the proposed use is adequate in size and is so shaped as to accommodate said use, as well as all yards, spaces, walls, fences, parking, loading, landscaping, and any other features necessary to adjust said use to the land and uses in the neighborhood and make it compatible therewith. 

The existing building and site are adequate in size and are properly designed to accommodate all existing uses. The long-standing facilities and uses have provided sufficient parking on site for a number of years. There is no evidence that the addition of alcohol sales within the existing tenant space will increase the current parking demand.


d. That the site abuts streets and highways adequate in width and improvements to carry traffic generations typical of the proposed use and that street patterns of such a nature exist as to guarantee that such generations will not be channeled through residential areas on located residential streets.

The subject property abuts East Valley Boulevard and South Nogales Street and can be accessed by either street. The existing subject property along with the adjacent tenant spaces are long-standing facilities and the previous use of the tenant space was office/retail, similar to the proposed use. There is no evidence that the addition of alcohol sales within the subject property will generate a substantial amount of vehicular traffic, nor alter the percent circulation pattern. 

e. That the granting of such administrative permit will not adversely affect the General Plan of the City, or any other adopted plan of the City. 

Granting the Administrative Permit for the proposed sale of wine for off-site consumption will not compromise the character of the surrounding neighborhood or be detrimental to the surrounding land uses. Allowing the proposed use is consistent with the policies and actions of the General Plan. The proposed use is consistent with Policy 2.1: Maintain and enhance the City's current tax base. 

The proposed use is consistent with the following policy of the General Plan: 

• Policy 2.1 Maintain and enhance the City's current tax base.

Pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the proposed project is considered to be categorically exempt, pursuant to Section 15301 (Class 1, Existing Facilities) in that it consists of minor alterations of the existing structure in order to operate the requested use. 

Planning Staff recommends that the Planning Commission adopt Resolution No. 25-6166 approving Administrative Permit No. 24-44.

Plans may be viewed at the West Covina City Hall Planning Division Counter at 1444 W Garvey Avenue South. 2nd Floor -  Room 208, West Covina, 91790.