Napa Planning Commission Regular Meeting – March 21, 2024
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Napa Planning Commission Regular Meeting – March 21, 2024
The Napa Planning Commission met on March 21, 2024, at 5:30 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The primary agenda item was a public hearing on the Elm House Inn's request for a Use Permit and Design Review to add four hotel guest rooms at 2337 Second Street, totaling 26 rooms, with shared and reduced parking. The Commission voted 3-0 (Vice Chair Huether recused) to forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council. The meeting also included approval of the previous meeting's minutes and commissioner/staff comments.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes for March 7, 2024. Chair Shotwell praised staff for the excellent minutes.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public provided oral comments during the general public comment period.
Discussion Items
Elm House Inn Use Permit and Design Review (PL23-0142)
- Project Description: The applicant, KG Planning Partners (Scott Klingle), seeks to convert an existing office structure (a historic resource) at 2337 Second Street into four hotel guest rooms, to be operated as part of the Elm House Inn at 800 California Boulevard and 2294 Third Street. The project also includes a Design Review for exterior and site improvements: demolition of a non-historic accessory structure, a small addition, window and door repairs/replacements, a wheelchair lift, and circulation improvements (adding three new parking spaces, reconfiguring the driveway). Total hotel rooms would increase from 22 to 26.
- Parking: The site is non-conforming under current code. The applicant requested shared and reduced parking, acknowledging a deficit of 10 spaces (arguing the actual deficit is 9 after a planned property exchange). They stated they are providing four new on-site spaces to serve the four new rooms, and the overall parking deficiency would not increase.
- Staff Recommendation: Planner Alvarez-Cendejas recommended the Commission forward a recommendation to the City Council approving the Use Permit and Design Review, finding the project exempt from CEQA (Sections 15301 and 15303).
- Commission Discussion:
- Vice Chair Huether recused himself due to a financial interest greater than $500.
- Commissioner Myers raised concerns about consistency with the General Plan and zoning (the parcel is zoned RT-4 but the General Plan designation is Hospitality Commercial; staff determined a "best fit" of Tourist Commercial under an interim zoning ordinance). He questioned whether the project truly improves the site, noting minimal circulation improvements and a parking deficit that remains neutral. He expressed discomfort with approving a project he felt did not fully meet applicable policies.
- Commissioner Kelley acknowledged the zoning was a "gray area" but supported the project, noting the impending zoning update and improvement over the current office use (which generates more parking demand).
- Commissioner Owen supported the project, emphasizing the historic preservation aspects and the quality of the applicant's plans.
- Chair Shotwell made the initial motion to approve.
- Applicant Response: The applicant clarified that the existing office use is commercial and would require more parking (5 spaces) than the proposed hotel use (4 spaces). They highlighted the historic building's restoration and management's commitment to neighborhood concerns (e.g., hot tub hours enforced with locks).
Key Outcomes
- Motion: Chair Shotwell moved to forward a recommendation to the City Council to adopt the resolution approving the Use Permit and Design Review, as written in the staff report. Commissioner Kelley seconded.
- Vote: 3-0 (Vice Chair Huether recused). The motion passed.
- Next Steps: The item will go to the City Council for final decision. The Commission also noted a discussion on the zoning code update and objective design standards is scheduled for the April 4, 2024 meeting.
Commissioner & Staff Comments
- Commissioner Kelley thanked staff for adding a discussion on the zoning update to the next agenda and praised the effectiveness of pre-application review meetings.
- Staff reminded commissioners to file Form 700 by April 2 and announced the Boards and Commissions Dinner on May 22, 2024, at the golf course.
- The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:15 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Order and ask staff to conduct roll call. Commissioner Masaro. Present. Commissioner Myers. Present. Vice Chair Kelly. Present. And Chair Shotwell. Present. And then Commissioner Hewther is noted absent. We will now rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the file of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which one under God, indivisible Liberty and Justice for all. The Planning Commission conducts all meetings in accordance with the Ralph Milton Brown Act. And pursuant to the city. Yeah, that's his middle name. And pursuant to the city's rules of order for planning commission meetings. Staff, are there any changes to this evening's agenda? There are none. Commissioners, any proposed changes to this evening's agenda? Public comment. Public comment provides an opportunity for members of the public to directly address the planning commission on items of interest not otherwise noted on the agenda. I don't see any members of the public. Do I need to read through this? Or I mean oh, we do have eight. The applicants and right, got it. That's what I thought. Uh yeah, if we had any the let's see, their comments would be limited to three minutes, but we have none. No public people here. So our our comments are limited to three minutes. Now all of our comments are limited to three minutes. Consent calendar. These routine items may be approved by a single vote. However, any member of the public or commissioner may remove an item for consideration during the public hearing portion of the agenda. This evening we are reviewing the planning commission regular meeting minutes for March 7th, 2024. And I have to say that Myra really did a superb job of those minutes. You are really knocking it out of the park. Thank you. Thank you. Is there a motion to approve the consent calendar as submitted? So moved. Second. Second. All in favor? Great. Pass this. Consent hearings. There are none tonight. Public hearings or appeals. These are items that are formally presented to the planning commission and provide an opportunity for members of the public to comment.
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