HomeMy WebLinkAboutAUP_2022-06-15_AgendaPacketADMINISTRATIVE USE PERMIT HEARING
Updated 3-16-2022
In accordance with City Council Resolution No. 2022-038 and the
requirements of AB 361, the Administrative Use Permit Meeting will not be
physically open to the public and Staff will be teleconferencing into the
meeting.
HOW TO OBSERVE THE MEETING:
To maximize public safety while still maintaining transparency and public access, you may join the
Zoom webinar from your computer, tablet, or smartphone by visiting:
To join the virtual hearing: (No passcode required)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84567568854?pwd=UytsbTU1OVB3N2JYQVVJQmlMT1FaZz09
Webinar ID: 845 6756 8854
HOW TO SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENT:
Members of the public are highly encouraged to participate in live public comment through the Zoom
platform using the link above or by calling the number below to listen and provide public comment
via phone.
US: +1 (669) 900-6833 (and use *9 to raise your hand to speak)
If you wish to provide written public comment, please email your comments to aup-
comments@atascadero.org by 5:00 pm 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 forwarded
to the Zoning Administrator and made a part of the administrative record. If a comment is received
after the deadline for submission but before the close of the meeting, the comment will still be included
as a part of the administrative record of the meeting but will be forwarded to the Zoning Administrator
the next business day. Please note, email comments will not be read into the record.
AMERICAN DISABILITY ACT ACCOMMODATIONS:
Any member of the public who needs accommodations should contact the City 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.
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
documents will be available for public inspection during City Hall business hours by appointment
request.
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 VIRTUAL
public hearing at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 at City Hall to
consider the following project:
1. 8120 EL CAMINO REAL (USE22-0051)
The application is to allow for an Amendment to the Master
Sign Program on APN 056-031-063 for Belnano Coffee. Staff
recommendation is to approve the Amendment with conditions.
(Bailey Sullivan, Assistant 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
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Administrative Hearing Agenda Report ITEM # 1
FROM: Bailey Sullivan, Assistant Planner MEETING DATE: 6/15/2022
FILE NUMBER: USE22-0051
PROJECT ADDRESS: 8120 El Camino Real
The applicant, Carmen Garriazo, is proposing two new electrical channel letter wall signs
in the Downtown Commercial (DC) zoning district. The signs are for the business Belnano
Coffee at 8120 El Camino Real. The storefront proposed sign is three-hundred and six
inches long and twenty-six inches tall (26’’ x 306’’). The logo is 46 inches long by 46
inches tall. The total square footage for both the logo and lettering of the sign is 72 square
feet. The sign is centered horizontally between the two units being leased together. The
size of the storefront wall is 50 feet by 7 feet, causing the maximum width of the lineal
leased frontage to be 55%. The sign on the northside of the building is planned to be one
hundred and thirty-two inches long by twenty-six inches tall (26’’ x 132’’). A Master Sign
Program was approved for this Center in 1999. This sign program varies from Atascadero
Municipal Code requirements.
The Master Sign Program for the center requires the following be met:
• 24-inch maximum letter height with a maximum sign square footage of 40 sf.
• Signs are not allowed on the north side of the building
• Maximum width shall be equal to 75% of the lineal leased frontage and centered
horizontally.
Since the proposed letter height for the sign for Belnano Coffee is 2 inches above the
allowed maximum letter height in the Master Sign Program for this location, the applicant
is requesting the exception in order to maximize underutilized wall space alongside the
building. This wall has no current existing signs, as Belnano Coffee is a new business.
The applicant is also requesting an exception to the Master Sign Program to allow for a
second sign on the north side of the building.
EVALUATION:
The total aggregate signage area for the business is proposed to be 72 square feet for
the storefront sign and 24 feet for the north side sign . The LED wall sign would help
identify and promote this business and would be consistent with existing signage for the
building. In addition, this building is part of a planned center and is set back a considerable
distance from the adjacent rights-of-way. Larger signage will increase visibility from the
public way as well as from the adjacent parking lots. The proposed sign design is also
proportionate to the existing building wall.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Administrative Hearing Officer approve USE2 2-0051 to allow the
signage as proposed.
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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 sign helps meet needs that are based in the following purposes 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 .” Section 9-15.002(c) intends to
“implement quality sign design standards that are consistent with the City’s General Plan,
Zoning Ordinance and Appearance Review Guidelines;” 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.” 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.”
2. The opportunity to combine signs for more than one (1) use on a single sign
structure has been considered;
The proposed sign is centered above the existing leased storefronts and is large enough
to be visible to advertise the individual tenant’s services.
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 corridors, gateways and public
facilities.” The proposed sign helps promote the downtown commercial corridor. General
Plan Goal LOC 4 states: “Provide for a strong and distinctive Downtown Area.” This sign
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will help enhance and promote a commercial node in the downtown area, and allow for a
unique and distinctive sign design that will help fra me street-facing businesses in the
downtown commercial zone. Additionally, the proposed sign complies 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.
2. The sign shall stay within the maximum proposed, which is 26 inches in letter
height.
3. The sign must remain horizontal and centered on the building wall.
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
Continue to: _______________ to allow _________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Continue indefinitely to allow: __________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
Phil Dunsmore, Hearing Officer
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Attachment 1: Location Map and Zoning
USE22-0051
CR
CS
CP
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Attachment 2: Proposed Elevations and Sign
USE22-0051
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