HomeMy WebLinkAboutAUP_2021-06-16_AgendaPacket
* COVID-19 NOTICE *
Consistent with Executive Orders N-25-20 and No. N-29-20 from the
Executive Department of the State of California and the San Luis Obispo
County Health Official’s March 18, 2020 Shelter at Home Order, the AUP
Meeting will not be physically open to the public and Planning Staff will be
teleconferencing into the meeting.
HOW TO SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENT:
Members of the public are highly encouraged to call 669-900-6833 to listen and
provide public comment via phone, or submit written public comments to
aup-comments@atascadero.org by 5:00 pm on the day before the meeting. Such
email comments must identify the Agenda Item Number in the subject line of the
email. The comments will be read into the record, with a maximum allowance of 3
minutes per individual comment, subject to the Zoning Administrator’s discretion. All
comments should be a maximum of 500 words, which corresponds to approximately
3 minutes of speaking time. If a comment is received after the agenda item is heard
but before the close of the meeting, the comment will still be included as a part of the
record of the meeting but will not be read into the record.
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Clerk’s Office at cityclerk@atascadero.org or by calling 805-470-3400 at least 48
hours prior to the meeting or time when services are needed. The City will use their
best efforts to provide reasonable accommodations to afford as much accessibility
as possible while also maintaining public safety in accordance with the City procedure
for resolving reasonable accommodation requests.
To join the meeting:
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Phone: (669) 900-6833
Webinar ID: 845 6756 8854
Administrative Use Permit agendas and staff reports may be viewed on the City's
website: www.atascadero.org. Final Action Reports will be available after the
meeting, and upon request from the Community Development Department.
Copies of the staff reports or other documentation relating to each item of business referred to on
the Agenda are on file in the Community Development Department and are available for public
inspection on our website, www.atascadero.org. All documents submitted by the public during AUP
meetings that are either read into the record or referred to in their statement will be noted in the audio
recording and available for review by contacting the Community Development Department. All
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C ITY OF A TASCADERO
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
6500 PALMA AVE ▪ ATASCADERO, CA 93422 ▪ (805) 461 -5035 ▪ FAX 461-7612
Administrative Use Permit Hearing
A G E N D A
*MEETING WILL BE HELD VIRTUALLY*
The City of Atascadero’s Zoning Hearing Officer will hold a public hearing
at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 16, 2021 at City Hall to consider the
following projects.
1. 6955 EL CAMINO REAL, (USE21-0047); The application for the project is to
allow for three (3) commercial signs that exceed aggregate size
limitations in the Downtown commercial zoning district (Daniels/Tenet
Health/The Sign Place) (John Holder, Associate Planner)
2. 6090 EL CAMINO REAL, (USE21-005); The application for the project is to
allow for a non-commercial message art mural in the Downtown
commercial zoning district. (Z6 LLC/Equality Mural Project/Zappas)
(John Holder, Associate Planner)
PLEASE NOTE: Any court challenge to the actions taken at the public
hearing may be limited to considering only those issues raised at the public
hearing described in this notice or in written correspondence to the City of
Atascadero at, or prior to, the public hearing.
Any decision of the Hearing Officer is final unless appealed to the Planning
Commission within 14 days of the action. Any person aggrieved by the
decision may file an appeal. Appeal forms are available in the Community
Development Department or on the City’s website (www.atascadero.org).
The fee for filing an appeal is $806 and must accompany the appeal
documentation.
C ITY OF A TASCADERO
COM MUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Administrative Hearing Agenda Report ITEM # 1
FROM: John Holder, Associate Planner MEETING DATE: 6/16/21
FILE NUMBER: USE21-0047
PROJECT ADDRESS: 6955 El Camino Real
SITUATION:
The applicant, Tenet Health, is proposing three (3) new sets of acrylic letter signs on
building frontages in the Downtown Commercial (DC) zoning district. The total square
footage of the proposed aggregate sign area is 119.2 square feet, exceeding code
allowances by 69.2 square feet.
EVALUATION:
The signs are for the business Tenet Health at 6955 El Camino Real and will replace the
previous tenant’s logos (FCPP). The building is located on the corner of two major streets
(Highway 41 and El Camino Real) with 3 different elevations that face public roads or
parking areas, which is unique for buildings downtown. The proposal includes one sign
on each of these facades as detailed below. The proposed signs are flat cut, acrylic logos
combined with a painted multicolor design and do not contain any lighting. The signs are
centered above the business entrances on El Camino Real, adjacent to the second story
entrance on Morro Road, and facing the building parking area along Morro Road.
Atascadero Municipal Code Section 9-15.008 limits wall signage to a total combined
maximum of 50-sqaure-feet per tenant space in the Downtown Commercial zoning district
unless an exception is granted through the approval of an Administrative Use Permit. The
following three (3) signs are proposed:
Sign Location Size (Square
Feet)
Image
Sign A Facing Property
Parking Area
69.2
Sign B Facing Morro
Road
22.5
Sign C Facing El Camino 27.5
Total 119.2
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The signs will help identify and promote this business and would be consistent with
existing signage locations for the building. The signage will increase visibility from the
public right-of-way as well as from the property parking lot. No more than one sign will be
located on each façade. The signs as proposed are proportional to the building elevations.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Administrative Hearing Officer approve USE21-0047 to allow the
signage as proposed.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
☒ Categorical Exemption CEQA – Guidelines Section 15311
☐ Statutory Exemption §§ 21000, et seq & ________________________
☐ No Project – Ministerial Project
Findings
AMC 9-15.011 requires the Hearing Officer to make the following 4 findings:
1. The sign is consistent with the purposes set forth in Section 9 -15.002;
The proposed signs meets the listed purposes for signage outlined in section 9-15.002 of
the AMC. Section 9-15.002(a) intends to “Maintain and improve the aesthetic environment
and overall community appearance to foster the City’s ability to attract sources of
economic development and growth.” The proposed signage will help promote a new
business in the downtown zone. Section 9-15.002(c) intends to “implement quality sign
design standards that are consistent with the City’s General Plan, Zoning Ordinance a nd
Appearance Review Guidelines;” The signage is considered to be high-quality and will
improve a building façade on a commercial corridor. Section 9-15.002(e) intends
to “minimize possible adverse impacts of signs on private and public property in order to
maintain property values and to maintain a positive City image;” Section 9-
15.002(g) intends to “generally limit commercial signage to on-site locations in order to
protect the aesthetic environment from the visual clutter associated with the unrestricted
proliferation of signs, while providing channels of communication to the public.” The
signage will not create an adverse impacts and will help attract customers to a downtown
business. Finally, Section 9-15.002(h) intends to “limit the size and number of signs to
levels that reasonably allow for the identification of a residential, public or commercial
location and the nature of any such commercial business.” The building has three (3)
facades in a high-visibility corridor and only one (1) sign per building façade is proposed
as required by code. The building is located at the corner of a busy multi-lane intersection
and, therefore, increased signage will help drivers locate the business safely in a way that
integrates with the building architecture and remains proportional to each façade.
2. The opportunity to combine signs for more than one (1) use on a single sign
structure has been considered;
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The proposed signs are limited to one per building frontage and are considered
appropriate in order to advertise the individual tenant’s services. The current tenant is the
only building tenant at this time.
3. For freeway-oriented signs, the sign area and height are the minimum needed to
achieve adequate visibility along the freeway due to highway ramp locations and
grade differences; and
The proposed sign is not freeway-oriented.
4. Conformance with all other applicable codes and ordinances of the City, including,
but not limited to, the Zoning Ordinance, General Plan and its several elements,
and the appearance review guidelines. (Ord. 604 § 2, 2016)
The sign conforms with applicable codes and ordinances of the City, including Framework
Principles of the General Plan that call for improving the appearance and character of
Atascadero through signage. General Plan Policy 1.3 states: “Enhance the rural character
and appearance of the City, including commercial c orridors, gateways and public
facilities.” The proposed sign helps promote the downtown commercial corridor as it
provides commercial signage to identify a major tenant on a corner property adjacent to
the highway 41/El Camino Real intersection. The new signage will help promote a
downtown business. General Plan Goal LOC 4 states: “Provide for a strong and distinctive
Downtown Area.” This sign will help enhance and promote a commercial node in the
downtown area, and allow for a unique and distinc tive sign design that will help
adequately and safely identify a businesses in the downtown commercial zone.
Additionally, the proposed sign is in compliance with the City’s appearance review manual
guidelines related to signs. Specifically, the sign is in scale and proportion in its visual
relationship to the building and surrounding structures, and can be considered
harmonious with the building.
Conditions
1. The design and location of the sign shall be consistent with Attachment 2.
Code Requirements
1. AMC 9-15 (Sign Ordinance)
2. AMC 9-1.112 Administrative Use Permit
Attachments
Attachment 1 - Location Map
Attachment 2 - Proposed Elevation
Action:
Approve
Approve as modified
Deny
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Continue to: _______________ to allow _________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Continue indefinitely to allow: __________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
Phil Dunsmore, Hearing Officer
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Aerial Map
Attachment 1: Location Map
USE21-0047
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Front Elevation Sign A
Attachment 2: Proposed Signs
USE21-0047
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Front Elevation Sign B
Front Elevation Sign C
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C ITY OF A TASCADERO
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Administrative Hearing Agenda Report ITEM # 2
FROM: John Holder MEETING DATE: June 16, 2021
FILE NUMBER: USE21-0055
PROJECT ADDRESS: 6090 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93422
SITUATION: The applicant is proposing an approximately 17 by 8.5 foot art mural at
6090 El Camino as part the Equity Mural project. The project is located in the Downtown
Commercial zoning district (DC) on a wall facing a private parking area adjacent to the
Highway 101 Traffic Way off -ramp. The proposed mural will also be highly visible from
the private parking area behind the commercial buildings at 6090 El Camino Real. The
site contains a commercial project built out of cargo containers and includes a beer
garden, ice cream shop, and retail use. The proposed art mural will cover a portion of a
south-facing cargo container building façade.
EVALUATION: City policy allows art and murals in all zoning districts with review of an
Administrative Use Permit to ensure that the message is non-commercial in nature and
does not create any safety issues related to distractive or reflective elements. The mural
will be painted on a blank wall section facing the existing parking lot. The size and location
will not pose any safety hazards and proposed artwork does not depict a commercial
message or advertisement for a business.
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the Administrative Hearing Officer approve
USE 21-0055 determining that the proposed mural at the above address is non-
commercial in nature and poses no safety concerns.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
☒ Categorical Exemption CEQA – Guidelines Section 15301
☐ Statutory Exemption §§ 21000, et seq & ________________________
☐ No Project – Ministerial Project
The proposed project is Categorically Exempt (Class 01) from the provisions of the
California Environmental Quality Act (California Public Resources Code §§ 21000, et
seq., “CEQA”) and CEQA Guidelines (Title 14 California Code of Regulations §§ 15000,
et seq.) CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15311, because the proposed
project includes the minor alteration of an existing structure that will have no expansion
of the existing use.
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Findings
1. Modification of the applicable standard will not result in a project that is
inconsistent with the General Plan;
There are no conflicts with the policies set forth in the City’s General Plan.
2. Modification of the applicable standard will not result in a project that is
inconsistent with the character of the immediate neighborhood or cont rary to its
orderly development;
The proposed project is not commercial in nature and does not conflict with the
character of the immediate neighborhood. The proposed mural will enhance
building quality in the DC zoning district.
3. Modification of the applicable standard will not result in a project that is not in
compliance with any pertinent City policy or criteria adopted by ordinance or
resolution of the City Council;
The proposed mural will not conflict with City policies. The City allows non-
commercial art murals in all commercial zoning districts.
4. Modification of the applicable standard will not result in the authorization of a
use not otherwise allowed;
No new or modified uses are proposed.
5. The proposed art display is non-commercial in nature; and
The proposed artwork does not display a commercial message.
6. The size, location, and/or medium used will not pose any safety risks to drivers.
The proposed mural is located on the south-side of the building and will be seen
from the site’s parking area and the Traffic Way off -ramp from Highway 101. The
size and location does not pose a safety risk to drivers. No reflective or otherwise
distracting elements are proposed.
Conditions:
1. If the mural is defaced, or vandalized, the property owner will repair or repaint the
wall as needed.
2. Prior to any modification or replacement of the mural, the applicant or property
owner shall provide staff with a sketch or photo of any proposed changes to ensure
a non-commercial message at least five (5) working days prior to any changes.
Code Requirements
1. AMC 9-1.112 Administrative Use Permit
2. AMC 9-15: Signs
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Action:
Approve
Approve as modified
Deny
Continue to: _______________ to allow _________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Continue indefinitely to allow: __________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
Hearing Officer
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Location Map
Attachment 2: Proposed Mural Location
Attachment 3: Proposed Mural
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Attachment 1: Location Map
USE 21-0055
Proposed Project (6090 El
Camino Real)
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Attachment 2: Proposed Mural Location on building
USE 21-0055
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Attachment 3: Proposed Mural
USE 21-0055
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