Title
PLN26-0095 - Administrative Use Permit - 801 Lincoln Avenue - Applicant: Paige Benjamin for The Mindful Bloom. A public hearing to consider an Administrative Use Permit to allow for a private instruction use. (Continued from the May 4th, 2026, Zoning Administrator Hearing.)
Body
CITY OF ALAMEDA
PLANNING, BUILDING AND TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
ADMINISTRATIVE USE PERMIT
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION: PLN26-0095 - Administrative Use Permit - 801 Lincoln Avenue - Applicant: Paige Benjamin for The Mindful Bloom. A public hearing to consider an Administrative Use Permit to allow for a private instruction use.
GENERAL PLAN: Medium-Density Residential.
ZONING: R-4, Residential District.
ENVIRONMENTAL
DETERMINATION: The project is categorically exempt from environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 - Existing Facilities. No physical changes are proposed to the site.
PROJECT PLANNER: Carlina Rose, Planner
PUBLIC NOTICE: A notice for this hearing was mailed to property owners and residents within 300 feet of the site, published in the local newspaper of general circulation and posted in public areas near the subject property. Staff have not received any public comments on this proposed project.
EXHIBIT(S): 1. Project Plans
RECOMMENDATION: Approve the project with conditions.
PROJECT SUMMARY:
The project site is located within an existing approximately 1,500 square-foot portion of the ground floor of a two-story mix-use building that was previously used as a legal nonconforming grocery store with residential use on the upper floor accessed via a separate entrance. The project would require a change of occupancy to a lesser intensity. Hours of operation are proposed to be from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays.
USE PERMIT FINDINGS:
1. The location of the proposed use is compatible with other land uses in the general neighborhood area, and the project design and size is architecturally, aesthetically, and operationally harmonious with the community and surrounding development.
The proposed use would provide private instruction services compatible with the surrounding residential neighborhood. The number of visitors to the site will reactivate a vacant commercial space, bringing additional eyes and foot traffic to the street. The community being served by The Mindful Bloom will not exceed building capacity and is unlikely to generate any measurable negative impacts to surrounding properties No exterior modifications to the existing building are proposed as part of the new use.
2. The proposed use will be served by adequate transportation and service facilities, including pedestrian, bicycle and transit facilities.
The existing establishment is sufficiently served by transportation and service facilities. The property is fully developed with no barriers to public access and some street parking for vehicles. A 7-stall parking lot, shared with the residential unit, is located at the back of the property with space to add secure bicycle parking. AC Transit Lines 51A, 851, and O serve the area, stopping at four locations within 1000 feet of the site.
3. The proposed use, if it complies with all conditions upon which approval is made contingent, will not adversely affect other property in the vicinity and will not have substantial deleterious effects on existing business districts or the local economy.
The proposed private instruction use will provide local residents with accessible personal enrichment services and will not have a significant impact on the properties in the surrounding area. The proposed use will occupy a vacant commercial space within a mixed-use development. The proposed use, as conditioned, will not have substantial deleterious effects on the existing residential district or the local economy.
4. The proposed use relates favorably to the General Plan.
The subject property contains a legal nonconforming commercial space within a residential zoning district. Pursuant to Alameda Municipal Code Section 30-20.2, a nonconforming use may be changed to another nonconforming use of the same or more restricted classification upon approval of a Use Permit, provided no structural alterations are made. The proposed private instruction use represents a less intensive use than the prior grocery store use and therefore constitutes a change to a more restricted use classification consistent with the Municipal Code.
The proposed occupancy of approximately 75 persons places the use within an Assembly (A-3) classification; however, the scale and operational characteristics of the use remain compatible with the surrounding residential context. All activities will occur within the existing building footprint, and any required life-safety or occupancy-related upgrades will be addressed through the building permit process. As conditioned, the proposed use will not enlarge, extend, or intensify the existing nonconforming condition, and will instead activate a vacant space with a lower-intensity, neighborhood-serving use.
The proposed use supports General Plan Policy LU-5 which calls of the maintenance, promotion, and support of neighborhood-oriented business districts to provide local-serving retail and commercial uses with multi-family housing opportunities above the ground floor commercial uses. The project also is consistent with General Plan Policy LU-9 which encourages the development of a broad range of commercial businesses and services in Alameda to provide for the diverse needs of the Alameda community and reduce the need to travel off-island to acquire goods and services. For these reasons, the proposed use permit relates favorably to the General Plan.
1. Compliance with Plans: Any modification on this site shall be in substantial compliance with the use permit application submittal dated February 12th, 2026, by Paige Benjamin, on file in the City of Alameda Planning, Building, and Transportation Department, except as modified by the conditions listed in this report.
2. Changes to Approved Plans: This approval is limited to the scope of the project defined in the project description and does not represent a recognition and/or approval of any work completed without required City permits. Any changes to the approved scope of the project shall be submitted to the Planning, Building, and Transportation Department for review and approval.
3. Change in Building Occupancy: Prior to commencing approved activities, the Applicant shall obtain a Building Permit and other necessary permits and construct any building upgrades required to comply with the Building Code for occupancy requirements as directed by the Building Official.
4. Vesting: The Use Permit approval shall expire two (2) years after the date of approval unless authorized construction or use of the property has commenced. The applicant may apply for a time extension, not to exceed two (2) years. An extension request will be subject to approval by the Zoning Administrator and must be filed prior to the date of expiration.
5. Revocation: This Use Permit may be modified or revoked by the Zoning Administrator, pursuant to Alameda Municipal Code Section 30-21.3.d should the Zoning Administrator determine that: 1) the use or conditions under which it is being operated or maintained is detrimental to the public health, welfare or materially injurious to property or improvements in the vicinity; 2) the property is operated or maintained so as to constitute a public nuisance; or 3) the use is operated in violation of the conditions of the Use Permit.
6. Indemnification: The Applicant shall defend (with counsel reasonably acceptable to the City), indemnify, and hold harmless the City of Alameda, the Alameda City Planning Board and their respective agents, officers, and employees from any claim, action, or proceeding (including legal costs and attorney’s fees) against the City of Alameda, Alameda City Planning Board, and their respective agents, officers, or employees to attack, set aside, void or annul, an approval by the City of Alameda, the Planning, Building, and Transportation Department, Alameda City Planning Board, the City of or City Council related to this project. The City shall promptly notify the Applicant of any claim, action, or proceeding and the City shall cooperate in such defense. The City may elect, in its sole discretion, to participate in the defense of said claim, action, or proceeding. No judicial proceedings subject to review pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.5 may be prosecuted more than ninety (90) days following the date of this decision plus extensions authorized by California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.6.