HomeMy WebLinkAboutAUP_2022-11-07_AgendaPacketADMINISTRATIVE USE PERMIT HEARING
Updated 11-1-2022
In accordance with City Council Resolution No. 2022-071 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.
CITY OF ATASCADERO
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 2:00 p.m. on Monday, November 7, 2022 at City Hall to consider
the following project:
1. 8200 EL CAMINO REAL (USE22-0089)
The application is to allow for an Amendment to the Master Sign
Program at the Smart & Final Shopping Center at 8200 El
Camino Real on APN 056-031-062 for the Bank of the Sierra.
Staff recommendation is to approve the project as conditioned.
(Mariah Gasch, 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 $1,530 and must accompany the appeal
documentation.
CITY OF ATASCADERO
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Administrative Hearing Agenda Report ITEM # 1
FROM: Mariah Gasch, Associate Planner MEETING DATE: 11/7/2022
FILE NUMBER: USE22-0089
PROJECT ADDRESS: 8200 El Camino Real
SITUATION:
The applicant requests a modification to the Master Sign Program for the Smart & Final
Shopping Center to allow an area previously designated for a future tenant to be utilized
by Smart & Final’s subtenant, Bank of the Sierra, pursuant to Atascadero Municipal Code
(AMC) 9-15.005 and 9-15.006. The applicant is also requesting the maximum sign size
to be expanded from the current 40 square feet allowed to 52 square feet.
EVALUATION:
Smart & Final opened their Atascadero location in April of 2016. Tenant improvements
for the business divided 57,513 square feet of floor area into two commercial spaces. The
grocery store occupies 39,088 square feet of the space, leaving 18,425 square feet for
a future tenant. Planet Fitness was approved in the vacant space in 2020. Construction
of the tenant improvements is under way but has not yet been completed.
The original Master Sign Program for the “Albertson’s Center” was adopted by
Administrative Use Permit 99-01. The program was amended in 2016 to allow for a larger
wall sign for Smart & Final. (PLN 2016-592) This amendment denoted Smart & Final’s
bank sign location (US Bank) as well as the location for the future tenant. Bank of the
Sierra is replacing US Bank and is requesting to utilize the sign space previously
designated for “future tenant sign”. This sign location was designated for the tenant in
Smart & Final’s demised space that was approved for Planet Fitness. Planet Fitness’s
sign was approved through their Conditional Use Permit (USE20-0045) in a different
location and will not interfere with the proposed sign. The Smart & Final sign is 237 square
feet. The maximum sign size designated the future tenant was approved as 40 square
feet in the amendment from 2016. The proposed sign is 52 square feet when all elements
are calculated together (text and logo). (See Attachment 2) Bank of the Sierra will not
have a place on the multi-tenant monument side along El Camino Real. The subject
building is located approximately 300 feet off El Camino Real. Therefore, the sign size
and location provides visibility to the banking service within the grocery retailer.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Administrative Hearing Officer approve USE22-0089 to allow the
signage as proposed.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
Page 2
☒ 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;” and 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.” 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 storefront and is large enough
to be visible to advertise the subtenant’s services. There is an existing monument sign
for the center however, the sub tenant is not eligible for use of this sign as it is reserved
for major tenants.
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 El Camino Real commercial corridor.
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
Page 3
harmonious with the building.
Conditions
1. The design and location of the sign shall be consistent with Attachment 2.
2. 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
Attachment 1: Location Map and Zoning
USE22-0089
CR
CS
CP
Attachment 2: Existing Elevation
USE22-0089
Proposed Sign Location
Attachment 2: Proposed Elevations and Sign
USE22-0089
52 SF total