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PLN24-0446 - Administrative Use Permit - 1502 Webster Street - Applicant: Andrei Klestoff. A public hearing to consider an Administrative Use Permit to allow the establishment of an approximately 1,600-square-foot beauty salon with waxing and massage services. The proposal also consists of personal instruction classes for yoga and Pilates located within an existing commercial building pursuant to AMC 30-4.9A.c.1.
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CITY OF ALAMEDA
PLANNING, BUILDING & TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
ITEM NO: 3-B
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
PLN24-0446 - Administrative Use Permit - 1502 Webster Street - Applicant: Andrei Klestoff. A public hearing to consider an Administrative Use Permit to allow the establishment of an approximately 1,600-square-foot beauty salon with waxing and massage services. The proposal also consists of personal instruction classes for yoga and Pilates located within an existing commercial building pursuant to AMC 30-4.9A.c.1.
GENERAL PLAN: Community Mixed Use
ZONING: C-C, Community Commercial District
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
Categorically exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 - Existing Facilities.
PROJECT PLANNER: Henry Dong, Planner III
PUBLIC NOTICE: A notice for this hearing was mailed to property owners and residents within 300 feet of the site, published in local newspapers and posted in public areas near the subject property. Staff have not received any public comments on this proposed project.
EXHIBITS: 1. Project Plans
RECOMMENDATION: Approve the project with conditions.
PROPOSAL SUMMARY:
The applicant is requesting a Use Permit to allow a beauty salon with massage services located on the ground floor of an existing commercial building. The proposed use will occupy an approximately 1,600 square foot commercial unit and will provide beauty services, skin care, therapeutic massage, and Pilates/yoga instruction. The therapeutic massage services will be provided by trained and licensed massage therapists. The subject location was previously approved as a massage therapy facility through Use Permit No. PLN12-0403. The proposed Use Permit is a new establishment that will now include a beauty salon and massage therapy.
Hours of operation will be during standard business hours between 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday through Friday. The other tenant in the building includes a small barber shop also on the ground floor. The proposed beauty salon layout will include a retail waiting area, front desk, yoga and Pilates area, two massage treatment rooms, one beauty and waxing treatment room, a spray tan booth, laundry room, restroom, and office. The facility will have approximately four to six employees and ten to twenty customers per day. No exterior changes or modifications are proposed to the building. See Attachment 1: Floor Plan.
The site is zoned to allow beauty salons and massage services on the ground floor subject to a use permit that can be granted if certain findings can be made. The following section provides an analysis of those findings. Conditions of approval are also provided to ensure compliance with the findings and performance standards.
PROPOSED 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 building is located within the Community Commercial zoning district, which permits beauty salons and massage business on the ground floor with a Use Permit. The Community Commercial district emphasizes a variety of retail, restaurants, and personal services serving the Alameda community. The proposed beauty salon, massage services, and yoga/Pilates instruction uses are consistent with the C-C District and compatible with the surrounding properties that include commercial and office uses. The subject building includes an existing barber shop and a commercial unit that was previously approved for therapeutic massage services by Use Permit PLN12-0403. The proposed use will operate during standard business hours and is operationally compatible with the adjacent uses in the CC-District. No new structures or changes to the exterior of the existing building are proposed as part of the project. Therefore, the project is architecturally, aesthetically, and operationally harmonious with the community and the surrounding development.
2. The proposed use will be served by adequate transportation and service facilities, including pedestrian, bicycle and transit facilities.
The facility is located near the corner of Santa Clara Avenue and Webster Street with readily available pedestrian access by sidewalks and crosswalks. The property is already served by adequate transportation and service facilities. The project is located within the transit and pedestrian oriented area of the Webster Street business district, which is served by AC Transit bus routes O, W, 20, 51A, 314, and 851. There is a bus stop for these routes located directly in front of the building, and newly installed bike lanes along Webster Street. The beauty salon anticipates approximately 10 - 20 customers per day and 4 - 6 employees per day which will not significantly generate additional traffic or service requirements. Therefore, the proposed use is served by adequate transportation and service facilities, including pedestrian, bicycle and transit facilities.
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 beauty salon with massage services will not negatively affect the properties in the surrounding area. The project provides a low-intensity commercial use that will be compatible with the adjacent commercial and office uses along Webster Street, and the proposal will complement other business services in the surrounding area. Furthermore, the hours of operation are within the standard business hours in the C-C District which is from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM. The addition of a locally owned business will improve the local economy as well. The proposed use, as conditioned, will not have substantial deleterious effects on existing business districts or the local economy.
4. The proposed use relates favorably to the General Plan.
The site is located within an area designated by the General Plan as Community Mixed Use which permits a wide variety of commercial uses. The proposal 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. The project allows customers to receive beauty and massage services and private instruction for yoga and Pilates at one location instead of traveling across town to multiple locations. The project also is consistent with General Plan Guiding Policy LU-17 encourages “reuse of existing structures to retain the structures embodied energy and reduce the generation of waste.” The proposed beauty salon will reuse the commercial space in the building and is consistent with the general plan policy. Therefore, the project relates favorably to the General Plan.
PROPOSED CONDITIONS:
1. Approved Uses: The Use Permit approves, with conditions, a beauty salon with massage services in a 1,600 square foot tenant space on the ground floor facing Webster Street. The use will also include private instruction services for yoga and Pilates which is a permitted use in the CC-District.
2. Compliance with Regulations: The approved use is subject to, and shall comply with, all applicable City Ordinances and laws and regulations of other governmental agencies.
3. Compliance with Conditions. The applicant/property owner shall ensure compliance with all the conditions contained in this Use Permit approval. Failure to comply with any condition may result in issuance of citation, and/or modification or revocation of the Use Permit approval.
4. Changes to Approved Plans. This approval is limited to the scope of the project defined in the project description and as depicted in Exhibit 1 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.
5. Hours of Operation: The hours of operation shall be limited to the standard business hours of the Community Commercial District which is between 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
6. Vesting. The Use Permit approval shall expire two (2) years after the date of approval (October 7, 2026) 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 shall be subject to ministerial approval by the Planning Director and must be filed prior to the date of expiration.
7. Revocation. This Use Permit may be modified or revoked by the Zoning Administrator, pursuant to Alameda Municipal Code Section 30-21.3d 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.
8. Indemnification. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the applicant (or its successor in interest) shall defend (with counsel acceptable to the City), indemnify, and hold harmless the City of Alameda, its City Council, City Planning Board, officials, employees, agents and volunteers (collectively, “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all claims, actions, or proceedings against Indemnitees to attack, set aside, void or annul an approval by Indemnitees relating to this project. This indemnification shall include, but is not limited to, all damages, losses, and expenses (including, without limitation, legal costs and attorney’s fees) that may be awarded to the prevailing party arising out of or in connection with an approval by the Indemnitees relating to this project. The City shall promptly notify the applicant of any claim, action or proceeding and the City shall cooperate in the defense. The City may elect, in its sole discretion, to participate in the defense of said claim, action, or proceeding and the applicant (or its successor in interest) shall reimburse the City for its reasonable legal costs and attorneys’ fees.
PROPOSED CEQA DETERMINATION:
Environmental Determination: The project is categorically exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 - Existing Facilities. There are no unusual circumstances that would preclude the use of the exemption.