HomeMy WebLinkAboutAUP_2023-04-12_AgendaPacketADMINISTRATIVE USE PERMIT HEARING
Updated 11-1-2022
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
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 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at City Hall to consider
the following project:
1. 5925 ENTRADA AVE (USE23-0020)
The application is to allow for a monument sign on APN 029-344-034.
The project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) under Categorical Exemption §15303, Class 3: new construction
of small structures. Staff recommendation is to approve the project,
subject to conditions. (Sam Mountain, 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 ava ilable 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.
C ITY OF A TASCADERO
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Administrative Hearing Agenda Report ITEM # 1
FROM: Sam Mountain, Assistant Planner MEETING DATE: April 12, 2023
FILE NUMBER: USE23-0020
PROJECT ADDRESS: 5925 Entrada Avenue
SITUATION:
The applicant, BU Brewing, LLC, is proposing one new grain silo-shaped monument sign
in the Downtown Commercial (DC) zoning district. While the sign area of the proposed
structure is a circular logo of approximately 7 square feet, the structure is being proposed
exclusively for use as a base for signage; as a result, staff has determined that the entire
structure is a sign. The sign is for the business Barley and Boar Kitchen and Brewhouse
at 5925 Entrada Avenue. Barley and Boar’s business license in currently in review with
the City. The proposed sign is 15 feet tall and 6 feet in diameter at its widest point and
will be located in a planter near the business’s main entry. As the planter is roughly 14
inches tall, the total combined height will be 16 feet 2 inches. Atascadero Municipal Code
9-15.008 limits ground monument sign height to 6 feet and, in DC zones, enforces a 3-
foot setback for monument signs from the back of a sidewalk. Since the sign is 10 feet
above maximum height, exceeds the total signage limit of 50 SF in a downtown zone,
and is located within the 3-foot setback, the applicant is requesting an exception via
Administrative Use Permit.
EVALUATION:
The total aggregate signage area for the business is proposed to be roughly 182 square
feet, which includes a wall sign on the front façade of approximately 22 square feet and
the silo itself with roughly 160 square feet of usable sign area (measured as the surface
area of the cylindrical portion of the structure).
AMC 9-15.002(a) describes the purpose of “maintain[ing] and improv[ing] the aesthetic
environment and overall community appearance to foster the City’s ability to attract
sources of economic development and growth,” and AMC 9-15.002(e) describes the
purpose of “minimiz[ing] possible adverse impacts of signs on private and public property
in order to maintain property values and to maintain a positive City image.”
While staff is concerned about the large dimensions of the sign due to its large scale
relative to other downtown signage, it would help identify and promote this business, and
would be consistent with other proposed signage for the building. Additionally, the unique
shape and scale of this sign may contribute to Downtown placemaking by serving as a
neighborhood landmark. Staff would be interested in solutions which maximize the draw
and appeal of the sign while minimizing negative externalities on nearby businesses.
Page 2
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Administrative Hearing Officer approve USE23-0020 to allow the
sign as proposed.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
☒ Categorical Exemption CEQA – Guidelines Section 15311
☐ Statutory Exemption §§ 21000, et seq & ________________________
☐ No Project – Ministerial Project
The proposed project is Categorically Exempt (Class 11) 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, b ecause the proposed
project includes addition of an on-site sign.
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 brewing silo shape of the proposed sign identifies it as relating to beer, and thus it
would not be fitting for nearby non-brewery businesses to use the same sign. Additionally,
there are no other free-standing monument signs in the applicant business’s immediate
vicinity to which the applicant could attach a sign.
Page 3
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 area. 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 distinctive sign design that will help frame street-facing businesses in the
downtown commercial zone.
Additionally, the proposed sign follows the City’s appearance review manual guidelines
related to signs. Specifically, the number of graphic elements on the sign is the minimum
needed to convey its major message and is composed in proportion to the area of the
sign face.
Conditions
1. The dimensions of the sign shall be consistent with Attachment 3.
2. The placement of the sign shall be consistent with Attachment 2.
3. Building permits shall be obtained prior to installation of the sign.
Code Requirements
1. AMC 9-15 (Sign Ordinance)
2. AMC 9-1.112 Administrative Use Permit
Attachments
Attachment 1 - Location Map
Attachment 2 - Proposed Design
Attachment 3 - Silo Elevation and Dimensions
Action:
Approve
Approve as modified
Deny
Page 4
Continue to: _______________ to allow _________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Continue indefinitely to allow: __________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
Kelly Gleason, Hearing Officer
Aerial Map
Attachment 1: Location Map
USE23-0020
Project Location
Proposed Design (not to scale)
Attachment 2: Proposed Design
USE23-0020
Attachment 3: Silo Elevation and Dimensions
USE23-0020