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2025-03-13 Planning Commission MinutesMINUTES OF THE EL SEGUNDO PLANNING COMMISSION Regularly Scheduled Meeting March 13, 2025 CALL TO ORDER Chair Maggay called the meeting to order at 5:32 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Chair Maggay Present: Vice Chair Inga Present: Commissioner Christian Also present: Michael Allen, AICP, Community Development Director Also present: Eduardo Schonborn, AICP, Planning Manager Also present: Joaquin Vazquez, City Attorney Also present: Paul Samaras, AICP, Principal Planner Also present: Maria Baldenegro, Assistant Planner Also present: Jazmin Farias, Assistant Planner PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chair Maggay led the pledge. PUBLIC/WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS None. A. CONSENT 1. Approval of Planning Commission Meeting Minutes: • February 13, 2025 MOTION: Approve the minutes. Moved by Commissioner Inga, second by Commissioner Christian. Motion carried, 3-0, by the following vote: Ayes: Maggay, Inga, and Christian Consent Item 2 and 3 pulled by the Planning Commission. 2. A Request to Expand the Areas of On -site Sale and Consumption of Beer, 1 Wine, and Distilled Spirits at an Existing Restaurant (Brewport Tap House). (Environmental Assessment No. EA-1166 and Administrative Use Permit No. AUP 16-11 Revision B). (JF) Assistant Planner Jazmin Farias presented the staff report regarding the proposed request to expand onsite sale and consumption of beer, wine, and distilled spirits into one new outdoor accessory area comprised of a 120 square - foot outdoor axe throwing cage located at the rear northeast corner of the lot. • Chair Maggay inquired where the noise readings were done and if they were doing while the axe throwing activity was occurring. Jazmin stated that they were done at the project site while axe throwing activity was occurring and not occurring. • Commissioner Inga inquired if the accessory activity is a new amenity or existing. Jazmin stated that the activity would be a new area for alcohol consumption, Planning Manager Eduardo Schonborn stated that the amenity had been installed within the last couple of years as part as temporary outdoor dining during COVID and now that the outdoor dining area was removed, they are proposing a permanent accessory amenity. • Commissioner Christian inquired if during the COVID temporary outdoor dining noise readings were done and if noise readings were done within the property boundaries of the nearby residents. Staff advised that no noise readings were conducted during the COVID temporary outdoor dining. Community Development Director Michael Allen added that Code Enforcement inquired if a noise reading could be done from a resident's home and access was not granted (via a code enforcement case/complaint). Chair Maggay opened public communications. • Applicant Kristian Krieger (restaurant owner) and Hatchet Hound (axe throwing owner) Matt McCullough explained that the axe throwing only occurs when the amenity is booked, and no walk-up service is available. They added that the amenity has been around for 4 years and is located in dead space area adjacent to the parking lot. Kristian stated that residents behind the restaurant have his direct phone number where they can report any issues. They also volunteered to reduce the hours of operation to 8pm for the axe throwing amenity to reduce noise. Other improvements have been made to the axe cage to mitigate noise to the surrounding uses. • Commissioner Christina inquired the frequency of events as its driven by reservations and popular times for these reservations. Matt shared that it picks up during holiday season as they cater to corporate events; approximately 30 reservations a month and on slow months approximately 12 to 15 reservations. Popular times are earlier in the day from 12pm — 6pm. N Chair Maggay inquired if the location of the amenity could be changed as the back of the cage faces the alley. Matt stated that another orientation will not work as the space is limited due to mechanicals that go to the building and the restaurant storage space. Chair Maggay inquired if there is signage up that says residents nearby, please keep it down. Matt stated that at the moment they do not have any but a coach is present at all times to take charge of the participants and concurred with adding signage as a form of mitigation. Resident Tony Martini who resides directly behind the Brewport parking lot expressed his concerns with the noise emitting from the project site; specifically the participants noise and not necessarily the axe throwing itself. He expressed his frustration with the situation as he is not able to relax in his home nor open the windows. He added that this amenity could be located inside the restaurant and played a video as an example of how loud the participants are. Resident John Vasak spoke on behalf of the residence adjacent to the restaurant and inquired if alcohol is allowed in the parking lot and believes that alcohol should not be permitted back there if indeed this is a parking lot. He also believes the amenity can be relocated inside or positioned elsewhere to reduce noise coming from the participants. Kristian advised that there is no room for the amenity inside the restaurant and added that alcohol would not be served only consumed in the axe throwing cage area. Matt stated that there would be no more than 20 people at a time within the axe throwing cage area as the area is not large enough to accommodate more. Chair Maggay closed public communications. Further communication from Planning Commission. • Chair Maggay inquired if the axe throwing amenity itself needs a permit. Staff advised that it does not. Staff also shared that the area where the cage is located is dead space, it is not taking up parking spaces and clarified that the area itself is not part of the parking lot. • Chair Maggay suggested to add a condition so that staff can monitor the activity at the site as he understands that a handful of approaches have been taken by the restaurant to mitigate sound and wants to ensure the Conditions of Approval are being adhered to. Staff advised that they could report back with findings. • Commissioner Christian inquired if the permit could be revoked. City Attorney Joaquin Vazquez advise that any permit can be revoke upon due process and notice of a hearing. • Staff inquired if the Planning Commission has operational standards that they consider important in terms of performance to give staff a threshold to determine if the site is in violation otherwise, we are limited to what the Conditions of Approval call out. Chair Maggay stated that he is comfortable with the regular process and make it complaint driven; commissioner Inga concurred. Commissioner Christian stated he likes the concept of something more measurable as noise complaint calls can be manipulated. Staff suggested that a simple report back to Planning Commission can be done if consensus is not reached on operational standards. • Planning Commissioners provided consensus to add the below additional conditions of approval: o Install signage at the axe throwing cage location advising customers to "be good neighbors" to the surrounding area by keeping their voice/screams/yells down. o Staff shall report back to the PC in 3 months to provide an update on the operation of the facility and their adherence to the Conditions of Approval. Chair Maggay is interested in knowing if any PD calls are received after the 8pm moving forward. o Staff shall conduct unannounced noise readings during times when the axe throwing activity is being conducted to obtain noise levels produced during the use of the area by customers while conducting axe throwing activity. o Staff shall attempt to conduct on -site noise readings from the surrounding residential properties (if permitted entry by the tenants/property owners) during times when the axe throwing activity is being conducted to obtain noise levels produced during the use of the area by customers while conducting axe throwing activity. MOTION: Receive and file Community Development Director approval of Environmental Assessment No. EA-1166 Revision B and Administrative Use Permit No. AUP 16-11 Revision B with the modified conditions as stated above. Moved by Commissioner Christian, second by Commissioner Inga. Motion carried, 3-0, by the following vote: Ayes: Maggay, Inga, and Christian 3. Revision "A" to an Administrative Use Permit to Expand the Indoor and Outdoor Dining Areas and Allow the Sale of Beer, Wine, and Distilled Spirits for On -site Consumption at an Existing Restaurant (Environmental Assessment No. EA-1295, Revision A, Downtown Design Review No. DDR 24-01, and Administrative Use Permit No. AUP 20-03). (MB) Assistant Planner Maria Baldenegro presented the staff report regarding the proposed reconfiguration and expansion of the existing restaurant which triggers a modification to the existing AUP on file to capture the expansion of alcohol service for on -site consumption for both indoor and outdoor dinning area expansions. 4 Chair Maggay opened public communications. • Applicant representative Matthew Melo concurs with the findings and recommendations made by staff. He stated that the applicant is very excited to continue operating in El Segundo. Chair Maggay closed public communications. • Commissioner Inga inquired if the restaurant area that is increasing is a common area with the other tenants. Maria advised that the increased area is only for this restaurant and not the other tenants. MOTION: Receive and file Community Development Director Approval of Revision A to Environmental Assessment No. EA-1295, Revision A, Downtown Design Review No. DDR 24-01, and Administrative Use Permit No. AUP 20-03. Moved by Commissioner Inga, second by Commissioner Christian. Motion carried, 3-0, by the following vote: Ayes: Maggay, Inga, and Christian B. NEW PUBLIC HEARINGS None. C. NEW BUSINESS 4. 2024 General Plan Implementation and Annual Housing Element Progress Reports. (PS) Principal Planner Paul Samaras presented the staff report regarding updates related to the Community Development Department and a review of progress made in 2024 on each General Plan Element. • Commissioner Christian inquired if the Code Violation cases had an increase or decrease compared to the last couple years. Paul advised that there was a slight decrease compared to the last couple years. • Commissioners thanked staff for the update. Chair Maggay opened public communications. • None Chair Maggay closed public communications. MOTION: Not required. 61 D. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. E. REPORTS — COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR OR DESIGNEE Community Development Director Michael Allen shared that two planning commissioners have been selected by City Council and are expected to join the commissioners no later than the first meeting in April. He added that the contract with MIG was approved to proceed with the land use element update and the first meeting in April will be the appointment of a member of the Planning Commission to sit on the technical advisory committee. Planning Manager Eduardo Schonborn shared that City Council continued the Zone Text Amendment regarding parking in the R-3 zone as they asked staff to do a couple modifications to that amendment. F. REPORTS — PLANNING COMMISSIONERS None. G. REPORTS — CITY ATTORNEY None. ADJOURNMENT — the meeting adjourned at 7:01 pm. The next meeting is scheduled for March 27, 2025, at 5:30 pm. a =e C(-C- MichaerAllen, Community Development Director Kevin/Ilaggay, PI ni Commission Chair 114 +aa 0 - /VG 4 V /C6 C�-1,4rf7