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Home My WebLink AboutPLN-11-00191-staff report, 251 Stonewood Street STAFF REPORT PLANNING DIVISION CITY OF DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA DATE: SEPTEMBER 21, 2011 TO: PLANNING COMMISSION FROM: BRIAN SAEKI, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR DAVID BLUMENTHAL, SENIOR PLANNER SUBJECT: PLN-11-00220 (SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT) – A REQUEST FOR A FOOD TRUCK RALLY WITHIN THE PARKING LOT OF STONEWOOD CENTER ON PROPERTY LOCATED AT 251 STONEWOOD ST, ZONED SP 89-1 (STONEWOOD SPECIFIC PLAN). CEQA Staff has reviewed the proposed use for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Upon completion of this review, it has been determined that this request is categorically exempt from CEQA, pursuant to Guideline Section No. 15304 (Class 4, Minor Alterations to Land). Categorical Exemptions are projects, which have been determined not to have a significant effect on the environment and have been exempted from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act. Class 4 consists of projects that are temporary in nature and won’t have a permanent change to the property. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Planning Commission adopt the following titled resolution: A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DOWNEY APPROVING PLN-11-00220 (SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT), THEREBY ALLOWING A FOOD TRUCK RALLY WITHIN THE PARKING LOT OF STONEWOOD CENTER ON PROPERTY LOCATED AT 251 STONEWOOD ST, ZONED SP 89-1 (STONEWOOD SPECIFIC PLAN). CODE AUTHORITY The applicant is making his request pursuant to the Section V(C)(1) of the Specific Plan No. 89-1 (Stonewood Specific Plan) and the provisions of Municipal Code Section 9420.18, which allows Special Event permits to be issued for outdoor activities. The Planning Commission’s authority to consider the request is set forth in Municipal Code Sections 9420.04 (Special Event Permits). PLN-11-00220 – 251 Stonewood St September 21, 2011 -Page 2 SITE LOCATION 251 Stonewood St SITE DESCRIPTION A. Subject Property 1. Property Information Site Location: 251 Stonewood St (AIN 6360-012-009) 2. Applicant Information Applicant: Property Owner: Maxson Smith Atomic Eats 2001 East 4th St, #110 Santa Ana, CA 92705 Macerich Stonewood LLC 251 Stonewood St Downey, CA 90241 3. CEQA Determination: Categorical Exemption (Class 4) 4. Noticing Information Applicant Notification: Required Action Date: September 1, 2011 October 31, 2011 PLN-11-00220 – 251 Stonewood St September 21, 2011 -Page 3 B. Surrounding Properties North – The north side of the subject site has a General Plan Land Use Designation of Low Density Residential and is zoned R-1 (Single Family Residential). This area is improved with single family homes. South -The properties to the south of the project site, across Firestone Blvd, is within the Lakewood-Firestone Specific Plan (SP 91-2) and has a General Plan Land Use Designation of General Commercial. These properties are improved with a variety of commercial uses. East – The properties to the east of the subject site, across Woodruff, are developed with residential. The single family homes are within the Low Density Residential Land Use Designation and are zoned R-1 (Single Family Residential); whereas, the condominiums are within the Medium Density Residential Land Use Designation and are zoned R-3 (Multi-Family Residential). West -The property to the west of the subject site are located across Lakewood Blvd, are zoned C-P (Commercial Professional) and have a General Plan Land Use Designation of Office. These properties are improved with a combination of retail, offices, and residential. C. Site Photographs Area of parking lot to be used for event (viewed from Woodruff) PLN-11-00220 – 251 Stonewood St September 21, 2011 -Page 4 BACKGROUND The subject site is an approximate 63-acre site that encompasses the Stonewood Center. The site has a General Plan Land Use Designation of General Commercial and is zoned Stonewood Center Specific Plan (SP 89-1). The site is generally bounded by Lakewood Blvd, Firestone Blvd, Woodruff Ave, and Cecilia St. The Stonewood Center is a regional mall with over 900,000 square feet of leasable area, which includes inline tenants, four anchor tenants (Sears, Macy’s, Kohl’s, JCPenney), and several restaurants within the enclosed mall; as well as, four outlying buildings that contain two auto repair businesses (Sears & Firestone) and two restaurants (Acapulco and Olive Garden). In addition to the buildings on the site, the parking lots provide capacity for 4,800 vehicles. On August 25, 2011, the applicant submitted a request for a Special Event Permit (PLN-11-00220), requesting to conduct a food truck rally on the subject site. Staff completed their their review of the application on September 1, 2011, at which time the application was deemed complete. On September 8, 2011, notice of the pending application published in the Downey Patriot. Furthermore, the notice was mailed to all property owners within 500’ of the subject site on September 9, 2011. DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS The applicant is requesting to conduct a food truck rally within the parking lot of the Stonewood Center on the following days: October 16 & 17; October 29 & 30; November 12 & 13, 2011. The food trucks will be located in the parking lot east of Sears, adjacent to Woodruff Avenue. The food truck rally will be operated on each of these days from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The food truck rally will feature gourmet food trucks, which are not the typical “traditional catering truck,” but rather they bring high end fusion and gourmet food to the masses (see adjoining photo). The trucks have a large following by marketing themselves through social media such as Twitter and Facebook. With the use of social media, these types of events can draw people from all over the region. The Stonewood event is anticipated to have 10-15 trucks and is expected to draw upwards of 1,000 people a day (participants usually are at the event for one to two hours). A typical question that is asked is how these events impact the “brick and mortar” restaurants in the area. It is staff’s opinion that these events can compliment existing restaurants on the site and provide new exposure to them that can ultimately increase the traffic going to the restaurant. Furthermore, the mall management has approved this event and has the ability to address the concerns from if their tenants. In considering the request, staff is not concerned about impacts to parking since the trucks will operate in an area of the parking lot that is underutilized, except during the Christmas shopping season. To ensure the applicant’s request does not result in parking issues, staff directed the PLN-11-00220 – 251 Stonewood St September 21, 2011 -Page 5 applicant not to include any days that fall between Thanksgiving and Christmas with their request. Additionally, staff is recommending conditions of approval to address to potential impacts from trash, barricading the event from vehicle traffic, providing adequate fire safety to surrounding buildings, and amplified noise. Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 9420.04, Special Event Permits can be reviewed and approved by the City Planner, except incases where the event is a large scale (involving over 500 persons) or has the potential to create extensive impacts. Inasmuch as the event is anticipated on drawing over 1,000 persons per day, the City Planner referred this event to the Planning Commission for consideration. Findings Municipal Code Section 9814.08 sets forth three (3) findings that must be adopted in order to approve a Special Event Permit. A discussion of the findings is as follows: 1. That the proposed activity or use will be consistent with the objectives, policies, and general land uses and programs specified in the City’s General Plan. The subject site has a General Plan Land Use Designation of General Commercial, which according to the General Plan is intended to provide a full range of commercial uses including shopping centers, automobile dealerships, and hotels. These types of uses are meant to not only serve the immediate community, but provide access to goods and services for the region. As previously noted in this report, the proposed food truck rally draws its customers from beyond the City’s borders by utilizing social media to attract consumers from the entire region. Additionally, it is anticipated that 1,000 people will attend this event each day, which will provide exposure and additional business to the tenants of the Stonewood Center. For these reasons, it is staff’s opinion that the food truck rally is consistent with the objectives, policies, and general land uses and programs specified in the City’s General Plan. 2. That the proposed activity or use is consistent with other provisions of Article IX of the Downey Municipal Code. The proposed special event will be located within the easterly parking lot of Stonewood Center. The event will utilize gourmet food trucks that are parked on the site during the event only. It is staff’s opinion that the location of the event will not hinder on site movement and that there is sufficient parking to accommodate the event. While the general development of the site is regulated through the Specific Plan, temporary outdoor events are controlled by the Special Event Permit. Therefore, staff believes the event is consistent with the other provisions of Article IX of the Municipal Code. 3. That the proposed activity or use will not result in conditions or circumstances contrary to the public health, safety, and general welfare. The food truck rally is temporary in nature, and in staff’s opinion will not result in impacts to surrounding properties. Nevertheless, staff is recommending conditions of approval to address potential trash, noise, and life safety issues created by the event. With these conditions of approval, staff is of the opinion that the event will not result in conditions or circumstances that are contrary to the public health, safety, and/or general welfare. PLN-11-00220 – 251 Stonewood St September 21, 2011 -Page 6 CORRESPONDENCE As of the date that this report was printed, staff has only received one item of correspondence regarding the proposed event. The letter was received from a Mr. Duran and is attached to this report. CONCLUSION The proposed food truck rally will involve 10-15 gourmet food trucks that have the capability to drawing 1,000 people to the site each day the event operates. Staff is concluding that this event will provide good exposure to the mall from people coming to the site from throughout the region, thereby bring new shoppers into Downey. Based on the analysis contained in this report, staff is further concluding that any potential impact from the event will be addressed through the conditions of approval. Finally, it is staff’s opinion that all of the required findings needed to approval the Special Event Permit can be made in a positive manner. Accordingly, staff is recommending that the Planning Commission approve the Special Event Permit (PLN-11-00220). H:\Community Development\Blumenthal\Projects\Stonewood\PLN-11-00220 (Food Trucks)\Staff Report_2011-9-21.doc PLN-11-00220 – 251 Stonewood St September 21, 2011 -Page 7 Exhibit ‘A’ – Aerial Photograph Aerial of entire site Aerial of event area PLN-11-00220 – 251 Stonewood St September 21, 2011 -Page 8 Exhibit ‘B’ – Zoning Map N Subject Site R-1 7,500 R-1 6,000