In permit application, shopping center proposes 50 events per calendar year on its common area lawn
Starting Jan. 1, the Planning Commission has begun to meet on Tuesdays after The Malibu Times has gone to print. We will continue our coverage regularly and publish our articles online following the meetings.
To start off last week’s meeting, the commission approved Conditional Use Permit Amendment No 18-002, an application to expand the existing interior and exterior restaurant’s service area of Kristy’s Village Café by 1,631 square feet for a total service area of 3,262 square feet and to maintain the current hours of operation, located in the Community Commercial (CC) zoning district at 30745 Pacific Coast Highway (Zuma Beach Properties, LLC).
On June 5, 2018, the applicant submitted a request pursuant to Malibu Municipal Code (MMC) Chapter 17.66 to amend CUP No. 07-013 to allow the expansion of the existing interior and exterior restaurant space and to maintain their current hours of operation. The request is to expand their existing 1,631 square feet restaurant and outdoor patio service area by 1,631 square feet for a total restaurant space of 3,262 square feet. No additional seats beyond the original CUP approval are proposed as part of the expansion.
The commission moved on to item Coastal Development Permit No. 19-054, Variance No. 23-006, and Conditional Use Permit No. 19-006. An application for a new single- story commercial office building. The project site is approximately 34,250 square feet in size and is flat with slopes less than 5 to 1. The site is currently developed with a 3,837-square-foot single-story commercial office building and associated surface parking. According to the plans, the application proposes a new 1,299-square-foot, single-story commercial building proposed near the center of the parcel and within the previously approved reconfigured parking lot.
After an hour of deliberation, commissioner Skylar Peak motioned to approve the project as is, commissioner Dennis Smith seconded the motion, and the motion carried by a 3-2 vote.
The commission approved Coastal Development Permit No. 21-048, and Variance Nos. 22-004, 23-028 and 23-035. An application to replace a failed retaining wall with two new 6-foot tall walls as part of a follow-up to Emergency Coastal Development Permit No. 20- 005. The motion passed unanimously.
The commission moved on to Coastal Development Permit No. 22-018 and Lot Line Adjustment No. 22-001, an application for a lot line adjustment. The commission motioned to approve the project as is with the additional condition suggested by city staff. The motion carried.
The commission motioned to continue the Conditional Use Permit No. 18-003. An application to allow 50 events per calendar year at the Trancas Country Market Shopping Center which will consist of live music performances and movie nights; events are expected to have between 50 to 100 attendees each.
Trancas Country Market shopping center is proposing 50 events per calendar year on its common area lawn located on the northeast side of the property. Currently, temporary events that are held onsite are subject to city approval through the issuance of a Temporary Use Permit (TUP) for each event. Only six TUPs are allowed per calendar year pursuant to MMC Section 17.68.010. The proposed events would include movie nights on Thursdays from 6 to 10 p.m., live music performances on Fridays from 6 to 9 p.m. with varying monthly occurrences. In the month of December, there will a third potential event option for a live music performance on Saturdays that will last for a duration of up to three hours and will take place between the window of 12 to 9 p.m. Additionally, there will occasionally be a concert or movie night on a holiday or holiday eve such as, but not limited to, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Independence Day, or Labor Day that would take place between 6 and 10 p.m. Most events are expected to have an average attendance of 50 to 75 people while the events that take place in relation to a holiday are expected to have a maximum of 100 attendees.
The applicant had originally proposed an additional 12 events in the form of a once-per-month car show but withdrew these events from the original proposal prior to the original staff report being published. The car shows would have been considered higher impact than the current proposal. The proposed events are considered more compatible with the applicable CC zoning.
The events are hosted by Vintage Grocers, the grocery store tenant within the shopping center. However, if the tenant becomes unable or unwilling to host, the shopping center’s owner would host the events. No food or alcohol will be served at these events, though there are onsite tenants that sell food and drinks, such as Vintage Grocers, Kristy’s Village Café, and Malibu Brewing Company. To see the full report visit, www.malibucity.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/6465?fileID=58070.
Two Malibu West residents spoke against approving the application to allow 50 events per year, stating the events will affect parking and traffic.
A Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) has been submitted and analyzed the traffic and parking impacts of CUP No. 18-003, CUPA No. 18-002. The requested changes added a weekend event day option that proposes to allow for live music on Saturday within the month of December and to allow for the Thursday movie nights to start at 6 p.m. rather than 8 p.m.
On June 20, 2018, the applicant submitted a request pursuant to Malibu Municipal Code (MMC) Chapter 17.66 to allow that 75 events per calendar year be included as part of the shopping center’s use and has since revised the request to 50 events. The events will include live music performances and movie nights with varying monthly occurrences depending on the seasons.
On Nov. 20, 2023, the subject item was scheduled for a Planning Commission meeting, but the meeting was adjourned due to a power outage in the area. The meeting adjourned to Nov. 30, 2023. Prior to hearing the item, the Planning Commission continued the item to the Jan. 16 regular Planning Commission meeting.
Two spoke in favor, saying the concerts showcase local talent and bring the community together.
“We’re really trying to build a sense of community at Trancas Country Market that’s needed in the world now more than ever,” Kristy Apana said.
The commission motioned to continue the item after it had gone to City Council next month.