To: Planning Commission
From: Planning and Building Department
Agenda Section: Public Hearing Old Business
SUBJECT:
title
Nancy Young Special Permit
Assessor Parcel Number: 304-231-019
Record Number: PLN-2022-17962
Elk River area
A Special Permit to allow operation of a bed & breakfast-type establishment using an existing single-family residence and a detached cottage. A maximum of two bedrooms would be made available for nightly accommodation serving no more than four (4) guests at a time. Breakfast will not be served to guests.
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Planning Commission:
1. Adopt the resolution (Resolution 23-__). (Attachment 1) which does the following:
a. Finds the project exempt from environmental review pursuant to Section 15301 of the State CEQA Guidelines; and
b. Makes all required findings for approval of the Special Permit; and
c. Approves the Nancy Young Special Permit as recommended by staff and subject to the recommended conditions of approval (Attachment 1A).
Body
DISCUSSION:
Executive Summary: The project involves authorizing the use of an existing primary residence and detached cottage as transient habitation under a bed & breakfast management model, with the primary difference being that breakfast will not be served to guests.
The project was initially presented to the Planning Commission at the meeting of July 6, 2023 but had to be continued due to lack of time. Following staff’s presentation, questions from several Commissioners revealed concern about use of the detached cottage/accessory dwelling unit as part of the Bed & Breakfast proposal. Staff has prepared a revised recommendation and draft resolution to help address these concerns, which can be found in Attachment 1. The revised resolution includes additional findings for denying use of the detached Accessory Dwelling Unit as part of the Bed & Breakfast Operation. The revised resolution also includes findings for approving use of up to two (2) bedrooms within the primary residence. Four new conditions have been added to the recommended Conditions of Approval requiring successful completion of hydraulic load testing of the septic system and “life and safety” inspections by the Building Division and Humboldt Bay Fire Protection District prior to initiating transient occupancy by guests. The additional conditions also limit guest occupancy to bedrooms in the primary dwelling and require that the owner-operator or a designated caretaker-operator reside in the primary dwelling during all periods where the Bed & Breakfast is being operated.
Staff believe that with the incorporation of these recommended conditions, the required findings for approval can be made.
Additional public comments and information received as well as the original staff report and draft resolution are all included as attachments.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The project was referred to responsible agencies and all responding agencies have either responded with no comment or recommended approval or conditional approval. A summary of referral agency responses is included in Attachment 4.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Based on a review of Planning Division reference sources and comments from all involved referral agencies, planning staff believes that the applicant has submitted evidence in support of making all of the required findings for conditionally approving the Special Permit.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. The Planning Commission could elect to add or delete Conditions of Approval.
2. The Planning Commission could elect to approve the earlier resolution (Attachment 2) authorizing use of both the primary and the accessory dwelling unit as part of the bed & breakfast operation. In the event the Commission elects to do this, staff recommend incorporating additional Conditions 10-12 from the revised resolution.
3. The Planning Commission could deny approval if unable to make all the required findings. Planning staff is confident that the required findings can be made based on the evidence submitted and subject to the recommended Conditions of Approval. Consequently, staff does not recommend further consideration of this alternative.
4. The Planning Commission could continue the item to a future meeting and direct the applicant and/or staff to address specific issues or items.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Draft Resolution (revised 07-13-23)
A. Recommended Conditions of Approval (revised 07-13-23)
B. Site Plan
C. Operations Plan
D. House Rules
2. Staff Report Supplemental #1 - Additional Public Comments & Info. Received
3. Earlier Staff Report from meeting of July 6, 2023
Applicant/Owner
Nancy Young
7538 Elk River Court
Eureka, CA 95503
Please contact Steven Lazar, Senior Planner, at (707)268-3741 or by email at slazar@co.humboldt.ca.us <mailto:slazar@co.humboldt.ca.us>, if you have any questions about the scheduled item.