To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Vincent Smith, Community Development Director
Prepared By: Michael Allen, Senior Planner
TITLE:
Title
Embassy Suites Addition Extension II
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution approving a second, two-year extension of the previously approved Use Permit and Design Review Permit for the Embassy Suites Hotel Expansion at 1075 California Boulevard and 2420 First Street and determining that the actions authorized are exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Body
DISCUSSION:
The Applicant, Mani NVR Napa (DE), requests a second, two-year extension of the previously approved Use Permit and Design Review Permit for the Embassy Suites Hotel Addition Project (File No. PL16-0144), which authorizes a detached 53,720 square foot, 4 story, 54 room hotel addition on the Embassy Suites hotel site. The 54-hotel room addition includes a 1,520 square foot restaurant, a 4,290 square foot open air terrace and a 1,270 square foot lounge on the vacant portion of the property. For purposes of this report, the term “Project” refers to the development authorized by the original Use Permit and Design Review Permit. The “Project” was also granted a Planned Development Overlay (PD-38) approval for increased building height. However, a Planned Development is essentially a Zoning Overlay which does not expire, therefore only the Design Review Permit and Use Permit require a time extension. As described in Attachment 2, Extension Request, the Applicant cites economic/financing conditions and longer than anticipated recovery from global pandemic as reasons why additional time is needed.
Similar to the original Project approval, the extension request must be reviewed by the Planning Commission with final approval by the City Council. The Project was originally approved by the City Council on April 21, 2020, with an initial expiration date of April 21, 2022 (see Resolution 2020-053 included as Attachment 3). An Administrative extension (PL22-0008) was granted on May 17, 2022, with an expiration date of April 21, 2024 (see Attachment 5). Although the expiration date has passed, this application was submitted prior to the expiration, thereby extending the life of the entitlements until the application is acted upon by the Planning Commission/City Council.
No changes to the Project are proposed with this extension. This report reiterates the discussion of the Project contained in the original Staff Report (Attachment 6) so that the City Council may determine if the original findings for approval can still be made in support of the extension. The originally approved Project plans are provided as Attachment 7 for reference.
The original approving resolution included conditions requiring the Developer to install a 12-inch water main in a portion of Clay Street to serve the new hotel addition (Condition No’s. 30.b.(1) and 30.b.(2) of Resolution R2020-053, Attachment 3). However, the City has determined this improvement may need to be installed sooner than the construction of the hotel commences. So, the extension approval includes a new condition requiring the Developer to reimburse the City for all costs should the City install the water main ahead of the hotel’s construction (see Attachment 1).
SITE CONTEXT AND HISTORY
The Embassy Suites Hotel is on the northwest corner of California Boulevard and First Street adjacent to Highway 29 and First Street at the gateway to the downtown area. Surrounding uses include Highway 29 to the west, a mix of residential, commercial and tourist commercial to the south, single family residential to the east. Napa Creek is located directly north of the project site. Across the creek further to the north is a vacant parcel which has been approved for a residential condominium project that has been purchased by the Mani Brothers and is soon to commence construction, and older single-family residences are beyond. In 1984, the existing hotel (then called the Granada Royale II) was approved by Use Permit UP83-172. The hotel contains 211 rooms, a 2,255-square foot restaurant, and a 7,940 square feet conference facility. In 2001, a 33,500-square foot hotel addition containing 36 rooms was approved by Use Permit UP01-138. This building addition was to be built on the same location as the currently proposed addition using a similar triangular design. However, the project was never constructed and that use permit expired. In addition to the existing 211 room hotel, the remainder of the property is landscaped with lawn and trees including a parking lot.
ANALYSIS
A. General Plan
The property was located within the TC-484, Tourist Commercial General Plan designation when approved but has now been designated Hospitality Commercial by the new General Plan 2040. The new Hospitality Commercial land use designation is essentially the same as the previous Tourist Commercial designation as both designations are intended to provide for tourist oriented commercial retail and services such as destination-resort hotels, motels, and their recreational amenities such as spas and conference centers. The existing use of the site as a hotel, conference center and restaurant provide lodging, spa services including conference facilities for tourists as well as for Napa residents and their families. The approved hotel addition and the required for a two-year extension of the hotel are consistent with the General Plan’s Hospitality Commercial designation including the following General plan goals:
• LUCD-11; Encourage attractive, well-located commercial development to serve the needs of City residents, workers, and visitors.
The Project would provide an excellently designed hotel building just off State Route 29 and at the gateway to the Downtown.
It should be noted the previous General Plan with the Tourist Commercial designation contained General Plan Goal LU-5 which contained the same language as the current General Plan Goal LUCD-11: “encourages attractive, well-located commercial development to serve the needs of Napa residents, workers and visitors.” This further establishes the consistency between the former Tourist Commercial designation in effect when the hotel addition was approved and the current Hospitality Commercial designation now in place.
B. Zoning
The property is located within the Tourist Commercial (CT) District which provides for uses oriented toward tourists and other visitors to the community. The district encourages hotels and motels and their related amenities and recreational facilities. This district also includes community and visitor-serving retail commercial, entertainment, restaurants, service stations and similar compatible uses. The TC District is the only commercial district where visitor accommodations may be located subject to approval of a use permit. The existing hotel was approved by a Use Permit (UP83-172) in 1984. The proposed hotel addition is consistent with the CT districts’ intent of providing visitor accommodations. Similarly, because the proposed addition would increase the original number of rooms approved in the original Use Permit, a Use Permit is required for the expansion. The proposal is also consistent with the property development standards of the CT Zoning District with the exception of the height, as illustrated in the table found on page 4 of the original staff report, Attachment 6. As previously mentioned, a Planned Development Overlay (PD-38) was adopted to allow for a greater height than that allowed by the development standards. For more detailed analysis see Planning Commission report, Attachment 6.
PLANNING COMMISSION
At their regular public hearing on September 19, 2024, the Planning Commission recommend approval of the Project on Consent Hearing without any discussion by a vote of 4-0-1 (one Commissioner was absent).
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
If the project is approved and constructed, Staff anticipates that it could bring in additional General Fund Transient Occupancy Tax revenue for the City of approximately $0.35 million dollars annually.
CEQA:
On April 21, 2020, the City Council determined that the project described in the original applications for the Use Permit and Design Review Permit was exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with section 15332 (Class 32) of the CEQA Guidelines. Staff has determined that there have been no changes in the project, City requirements, or circumstances which would require subsequent environmental review, and that the request for extensions of the Use Permit and Design Review Permit remains exempt from environmental review in accordance with section 15332 (Class 32) of the CEQA Guidelines.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1 - Resolution
ATCH 2 - Extension Request
ATCH 3 - Resolution R2020-053
ATCH 4 - PD-38 O2020-006
ATCH 5 - 1ST Administrative Extension
ATCH 6 - PC Report (2-6-2020)
ATCH 7 - Approved Plans
NOTIFICATION:
Notice that this application was received was provided by the City on February 15, 2024, and notice of the scheduled public hearing was provided on November 8, 2024, by 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 November 9, 2024, and provided to people previously requesting notice on the matter at the same time notice was provided to the newspaper for publication. The Applicant was also provided a copy of this report and the associated attachments in advance of the public hearing on the project.