To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Vincent Smith, Community Development Director
Prepared By: Angela Alvarez-Cendejas, Assistant Planner
TITLE:
Title
Elm House Inn Use Permit & Design Review
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution approving (i) a Use Permit to create four hotel guest rooms at 2337 Second Street to be operated as part of the existing Elm House Inn, located at 800 California Boulevard and 2294 Third Street, for a total of 26 hotel guest rooms, with shared parking and reduced parking, and (ii) a Design Review Permit for associated exterior and Site improvements, located at 2337 Second Street, 800 California Boulevard, and 2294 Third Street, and determining that the actions by the resolution are exempt from CEQA.
Body
DISCUSSION:
Executive Summary
The Applicant, Elm House Inn LLC, requested a Use Permit authorizing the creation of four (4) guest rooms at 2337 Second Street to be operated as part of the existing Elm House Inn at 800 California Boulevard and 2294 Third Street, for a total of 26 hotel guest rooms, shared parking facilities, and modifications to the on-site parking requirements, and a Design Review Permit for exterior changes to the existing commercial structure at 2337 Second Street. If approved, the total number of guest rooms would increase from 22 to 26.
Although the primary hotel structure is located at 800 California Boulevard, the rooms would be added by converting the structure at 2337 Second Street, which was previously used as an office. Work to the structure would include the replacement of the front and rear entry doors, a 50-square-foot addition, and a reconfiguration of the floor plan.
Pursuant to Napa Municipal Code (“NMC”) Section 17.62.050, a Design Review Permit approved by City Council is required for all exterior modifications to hotels.
Pursuant to NMC Section 17.10.020, hotels are allowed in the CT, Tourist Commercial Zone, subject to the approval of a Use Permit, which must be approved by the City Council. In addition, a Use Permit is required pursuant to NMC Section 17.54.040 to modify the on-site parking requirement and pursuant to Section 17.54.080 to allow shared parking facilities. Although the request is adding to the room count of an existing hotel, it is a new application.
Site Context and History
The 0.16-acre Site is located along the south side of Second Street, adjacent to the existing Elm House Inn. Surrounding uses include lodging, single-family homes, commercial offices, and cannabis dispensaries.
The Elm House Inn is near the First Street and California Boulevard roundabouts. As a result of recent traffic infrastructure projects, portions of the Site have been dedicated as City right-of-way.
The existing approximately 1,206-square-foot building at 2337 Second Street was originally a residential unit until it was converted to commercial office space in 1979 (Use Permit 903, approved by the Planning Commission on February 7, 1979). The building is on the City’s 2016 Historic Resources Inventory and is designated as a Listed Resource with contributing status to the West Napa potential district. However, the proposed changes to the structure described below would not require a Certificate of Appropriateness, pursuant to NMC Section 15.52.070, since the exterior work proposed would consist of “ordinary maintenance and repair,” which requires a staff-level Historic Clearance at the time of building permit submittal.
The City Council originally approved the Elm House Inn in March of 1985. There have been expansions of the Elm House Inn since the original approval, which are further described below:
• March 12, 1985: City Council approved a rezoning of the subject property from the R-5 to C-L district (CC Ordinance No. 2951) and a Use Permit and Final Architectural Review (CC Resolution No. 85-79), authorizing a 2-story, 18-unit motel building to be located on Ornduff Street (present-day 800 California Blvd.).
• May 19, 1987: Correspondence from Robert Orr, the project contractor, stated that one (1) of the eighteen (18) approved guest rooms has been designated as common space, resulting in a total of seventeen (17) guest rooms.
• January 18, 2000: City Council approved a rezoning of the subject property from RM-12 to CV (CC Ordinance No. O-2001), a General Plan Amendment (CC Resolution No. R2000-12) redesignating the property from TRI-144, Traditional Residential to MU-487, Mixed Use, and a Use Permit and Final Architectural Review (CC Resolution No. R2000-13), authorizing a five (5) room expansion for the Elm House Inn within an existing building, ‘The Annex’, at 2294 Third Street, resulting in a total of twenty-two (22) guest rooms.
Currently, the Elm House Inn operation consists of two (2) buildings, including the primary Elm House Inn building at 800 California Boulevard and The Annex building at 2294 Third Street. The primary building at 800 California Boulevard has seventeen (17) guest rooms, and The Annex building at 2294 Third Street has five (5) guest rooms and one (1) dwelling unit, which is the manager’s quarters, for a total of twenty-two (22) guest rooms.
Project Description
The Applicant proposes exterior modifications to the existing commercial office building at 2337 Second Street in conjunction with a request to convert the structure into four (4) guest rooms, which would operate as guest rooms for the Elm House Inn. Site improvements, such as parking lot reconfiguration and shared parking facilities, were also requested. The following section provides a detailed summary of key project components identified from Attachment 2, Project Plans, and Attachment 3, Project Description.
A. Hotel Expansion
The Applicant has proposed a conversion of the existing commercial office building at 2337 Second Street to four (4) guest rooms. The four (4) proposed guest rooms would be located on a separate parcel from the Elm House Inn but would be operated jointly as a single hotel, resulting in a total of twenty-six (26) guest rooms. No modifications or expansions to the number of rooms in the primary Elm House Inn or The Annex building properties are being requested. The ten (10) employees currently working at the Elm House Inn would remain.
B. Site Modifications
An existing shed structure at the southwest area of the Project Site and behind the primary Elm House Inn structure would be demolished. According to the Historic Assessment provided by the Applicant, the demolition of the accessory structure would not negatively impact the historic integrity of the primary structure at 2337 Second Street. Attachment 4, Historic Consistency Analysis, indicated that the accessory structure was constructed later than the primary home and was not found to be historic.
The Applicant would install a concrete walkway leading from the proposed wheelchair lift, deck, and stairs to create an accessible pathway leading to the north parking lot and the adjoining Elm House Inn properties. The existing fence at the south of the Site would be removed to provide access between the subject parcel and the common areas for the Elm House Inn.
C. Parking
Pursuant to NMC Section 17.54.040, the parking requirement for hotels and motels outside of the Downtown area is one (1) space per sleeping room, plus one (1) space per manager, plus one (1) space for every two (2) employees. Based on this parking requirement, the Project would be required to provide 32 vehicle spaces. However, the existing on-site parking is considered non-conforming as it does not provide sufficient parking.
Pursuant to NMC Section 17.54.180, the enlargement of any existing structure or use that would increase the number of parking spaces by more than ten percent (10%) shall require improvements to the parking layout, loading, and circulation.
Table 1, Parking Calculations, describes the existing and proposed parking requirements for the overall site based on NMC Section 17.54.040. As shown, the overall site is under-parked by approximately nine (9) vehicle spaces, and if the expansion is approved, the Project would be under-parked by ten (10) vehicle spaces.
TABLE 1
Parking Calculations
|
|
Rooms |
Employees |
Manager(s) |
Required Spaces |
Spaces Provided |
# of Spaces Under-parked |
|
Existing |
22 |
10 |
1 |
28 |
19 |
-9 |
|
Proposed |
26 |
10 |
1 |
32 |
22 |
-10 |
Two parking lots at 800 California Boulevard serve the Elm House Inn, including the south parking lot accessed from Third Street and the north parking lot accessed from California Boulevard. The proposed re-striping would be limited to the north parking lot. No changes would be made to the south parking lot.
The existing north parking lot contains six (6) standard parking spaces. The existing driveway serving 2337 Second Street would be demolished, and the curb cut would be removed. This former driveway area would be used for additional parking spaces to serve the north parking lot and the overall Elm House Inn. The re-striping of the north parking lot would result in four (4) standard parking spaces, four (4) compact spaces, and one (1) accessible space for a total of nine (9) parking spaces, as shown in Attachment 2, Project Plans.
If approved, the Project would result in a total of twenty-two (22) on-site parking spaces or an increase of three (3) total spaces. As proposed, the Site would be ten (10) spaces below the typical required parking per the NMC.
However, pursuant to NMC Section 17.54.040, the parking standards may be modified with a Use Permit to provide adequate and well-designed parking. Additionally, NMC Section 17.54.080 requires a Use Permit to establish shared parking facilities. The Applicant has thereby requested a Use Permit to modify the parking standards to allow for the deficit in parking of approximately ten (10) spaces for the overall site and to allow for shared parking so that the south and north parking lots collectively serve the hotel use on all three parcels. It is worth noting that while the request would result in fewer parking spaces, the nature of travel to and from hotels has changed with the utilization of rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft, as well as reliance on private transportation.
D. Structure Modifications
Proposed modifications to the structure at 2337 Second Street include the replacement of the front and rear entry doors, a 50-square-foot addition, and a reconfiguration of the floor plan to convert existing office space to the four (4) guest rooms being requested.
Character-defining historic features such as the wooden windows and wood siding would remain and be repaired as needed. The primary and rear entrance doors would be removed and replaced with more historically appropriate wooden doors. All the existing awnings above the windows would remain, although the fabric would be replaced.
The proposed changes to the historic structure are considered Minor Alterations as defined in NMC Section 15.52.020 and would be processed with a Historic Clearance approved at the Staff level.
A wheelchair lift would be constructed at the southwest corner of the structure for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access. The wheelchair lift would provide direct access to the proposed accessible guest suite, which is one (1) of four (4) proposed guest rooms. The lift and associated mechanical equipment would be screened from public view by a portion of the existing fence, which would be relocated further back towards the south area of the Site to accommodate the proposed parking spaces in the north parking lot.
The existing deck at the rear of the building would be demolished and replaced with a new wooden deck and stairs.
The entrance to the stairs would be relocated from the rear of the building entrance to the west area of the property to connect with the proposed concrete walkway, providing access to the Elm House Inn’s common areas and the north parking lot.
A 50-square-foot addition would be constructed along the southeast corner wall of the existing building to accommodate an en-suite restroom in one (1) of the four (4) proposed guest rooms. The roofline for the small addition at the rear of the structure would be an extension of the existing roofline, and the siding for the addition would match the existing siding pattern. The building addition would be subservient to the overall structure and would not disproportionately change the mass or appearance of the structure. The new addition would align with the existing walls and would maintain the existing setbacks to adjacent residential properties. The building façade's appearance would largely remain the same, except for the proposed door replacement. The minimal changes to the building’s appearance and location on the property would help maintain the existing pattern of residential development on Second Street while allowing the structure to be repurposed.
ANALYSIS:
A. General Plan
The property at 2337 Second Street is designated as Hospitality Commercial by the Napa 2040 General Plan, which provides for commercial retail and service uses oriented towards tourists and other visitors to the community, including lodging, restaurants, and other services. As proposed, the Project would be consistent with the following goals and policies identified in the Napa 2040 General Plan:
• Goal LUCD-4: Promote flexibility in parking and other development requirements, especially in areas targeted for higher-density, mixed-use, and pedestrian-oriented development, such as in Downtown and along corridors.
• Policy ED 6-1: Continue to support tourism & the development of visitor-serving components to the City’s economy as a valuable source of jobs, tax revenues, and cultural amenities.
• Goal HCR-1: Preserve and enhance Napa’s historic resources. Encourage rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, and sensitive, context-compatible infill design.
• Goal HCR-6: Encourage retention of historic structures in their original use or conversion back to their original use where feasible & support sensitive, adaptive reuse.
B. Zoning
The property at 2337 Second Street is within the RT-4, Traditional Residential Infill Zoning District, which provides low-density detached and attached single-family homes, group residential, live/work, and other compatible uses such as day care. The RT-4 zone district is inconsistent with the Hospitality Commercial land use designation, as described below.
Pursuant to the Interim Zoning Ordinance (O2023-04), in cases where the existing zoning district is inconsistent with the General Plan designation, the Community Development Director shall preliminarily determine the “Best Fit” Zoning District. On January 4, 2024, the Community Development Director made a preliminary determination that the “Best Fit” zoning district for the subject property at 2337 Second Street is CT, Tourist Commercial. Given that no appeals were received by the Applicant in response to the “Best Fit” Zoning Determination, the Permit application was processed under the regulations for CT, Tourist Commercial.
Under the Interim Zoning Ordinance, the City Council, as the decision-maker, makes the final determination regarding whether the CT, Tourist Commercial District is the “Best Fit” Zoning District and must make the following findings: (i) The Project will further the goals, objectives and policies of the General Plan and not obstruct their attainment; and (ii) The Project substantially conforms to the Zoning Ordinance requirements of the “Best Fit” Zoning District ( which in this case, is CT, Tourist Commercial). Per NMC Section 17.10.020, hotels and motels are allowed in the CT, Tourist Commercial zone subject to the City Council’s approval of a Use Permit.
C. Use Permit
Pursuant to NMC Section 17.10.020, the CT Zone District allows for hotels and motels subject to a Use Permit approved by the City Council. To approve a Use Permit, the City Council is required to make the findings identified in NMC 17.60.070. Those findings are shown below under the “Findings” section, along with the Staff’s analysis of each finding.
D. Design Review Permit
Pursuant to NMC Section 17.62.050, an application for a Design Review Permit is required for all hotels. To approve a Design Review Permit, the City Council is required to make the findings prescribed in NMC Section 17.62.080. Those findings are shown below under the “Findings” section, along with Staff’s analysis of each finding.
Planning Commission Meeting
On March 21, 2024, the Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider this application. During this meeting, the Commission was generally inquisitive about the existing Elm House Inn’s operations and the proposed Site design. City Staff and the Applicant’s team collectively responded to the Commissioners’ questions.
The Commission raised general questions about the zoning designation and scope of the Project. More specifically, one Commissioner was under the impression that the Application was being processed for a property that is residentially zoned, potentially leading to the loss of a housing unit. However, Staff explained that the City Council adopted the Interim Zoning Ordinance, which, for certain properties, created inconsistencies between the zoning designation and general plan designation. It was further explained by Staff that the Interim Zoning Ordinance includes a table of general plan designations and their corresponding zones and that, in this case, the only applicable zoning district for a property designated as Hospitality Commercial by the general plan is Tourist Commercial (CT). Lastly, the Applicant indicated that the existing building was converted to office space nearly 30 years ago, so since that time, it has not been used as a dwelling unit.
There were no speakers present for public comment.
At the conclusion of the hearing, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the project by a vote of 3-0, with one recusal and one absence.
The Planning Commission meeting minutes excerpt is included in Attachment 5, Planning Commission Report.
Public Comments
As of this writing, no public comments have been received for the Council meeting. However, two communications were received prior to the Planning Commission hearing. The correspondence is included in Attachment 5.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
No direct fiscal impact to the General Fund have been identified with this application.
CEQA:
Staff recommends that the City Council determine that the Project is exempt from the requirements of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Categorical Exemptions; Class 1), which exempts minor alterations to existing private structures and Section 15303 (Categorical Exemptions; Class 3), which exempts construction and conversion of existing small structures from one use to another.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1 - Resolution
ATCH 1 - Resolution - EX A
ATCH 2 - Project Plans
ATCH 3 - Project Description
ATCH 4 - Historic Consistency Analysis
ATCH 5 - Planning Commission Report Including Public Comments
NOTIFICATION:
Notice that this application was received was provided by the City on January 5, 2024, and notice of the scheduled public hearing was provided on April 26, 2024, by the US Postal Service to all property owners within a 500-foot radius of the subject property. Notice of the public hearing was also published in the Napa Valley Register on April 27, 2024, and provided to people previously requesting notice on the matter at the same time that notice was provided to the newspaper for publication.