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STAFF ANALYSIS
PROJECT NUMBER R2006-01328-(5)
CONDITONAL USE PERMIT CASE NO. RCUP 200600099-(5)
ENTITLEMENT REQUEST
The applicant, Bavpenda Bhaktta, requests a conditional use permit to authorize the
continued operation and maintenance of a motel and a minor parking deviation to
authorize a reduction in parking that is within the 30 percent County Code requirement.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The request is to authorize the continued operation and maintenance of a 35 unit motel
in the C-2 (Neighborhood Commercial) Zone.
LOCATION
The subject property is located at 3800 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena in the East
Pasadena-East San Gabriel community.
SITE DESCRIPTION
The site plan depicts a 35 unit motel with associated landscaping and parking. The
proposed internal traffic circulation would be altered to improve traffic circulation on site
and improved access to Colorado Boulevard. Access to the site is from via Colorado
Boulevard to the east and west and Quigley Avenue to the north and south.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION
The Department of Regional Planning has determined that the applicant’s request to
allow the continued operation of the existing facility qualifies for a Class 1 Categorical
Exemption (existing facilities).
LEGAL NOTIFICATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH
Pursuant to the provisions of Sections 22.60.174 and 22.60.175 of the County Code,
the community was appropriately notified of the public hearing by mail, newspaper,
property posting, library posting and DRP website posting.
PREVIOUS CASES/ZONING HISTORY
There are no prior cases on the subject property.
STAFF EVALUATION
General Plan Consistency
The subject property is designated Major Commercial in the Los Angeles Countywide
General Plan. Properties in areas with this designation are suitable for central business
districts, regional office complexes, major shopping malls and centers, and a range of
mixed commercial retail and service actives. The existing motel is consistent with the
Major Commercial land use designation of the Los Angeles Countywide General Plan.
PROJECT NUMBER R2006-01328-(5) STAFF ANALYSIS
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT CASE NO. RCUP 200600099-(5) PAGE 2 OF 7
Zoning Ordinance and Development Standards Compliance
1. East Pasadena-San Gabriel Community Standards District (Section 22.44.135 of the
County Code)
A. Signs.
Prohibited signs include freestanding signs that exceed 30 feet in height, or are
located within 100 feet of a residential use or zone, or extend into the public right-
of-way.
The proposed freestanding signs would stand 22 feet four inches tall and 6 feet
tall respectively. They would be sited 113 feet and 114 feet from residentially
zoned property, respectively. Neither of the proposed signs would intrude into
the right-of-way. Both of the proposed freestanding signs conform to the East
Pasadena-San Gabriel Community Standards District’s standards.
B. Zone C-2 Development Standards
1. Maximum Height. The maximum height of all structures, except chimneys and
rooftop antennas, shall be 35 feet.
The existing structure stands 26 feet tall. This structure meets the County
Code’s height requirement.
2. Maximum Floor Area. The maximum floor area shall be 100 percent of the net
lot area. Floor area shall include all enclosed buildings.
The subject property has approximately 18,200 square feet of area. The
existing motel has 10,680 square feet of floor area. This is 59 percent of the
net lot area. The project conforms to the County Code’s requirement.
3. Maximum Lot Coverage. The maximum lot coverage shall be 75 percent of
the net lot area. Lot coverage shall include all enclosed buildings.
The subject property has approximately 18,200 square feet of area. The
existing motel has 8,696 square feet (48 percent) of lot coverage. The project
conforms to the County Code’s requirement.
4. Setback. For structures that exceed 17 feet in height and are located on a lot
or parcel of land adjacent to a residential zone, the maximum height of the
structure at five feet from the property line adjacent to the residential zone
shall be 10 feet and any portion of the structure that exceeds 10 feet in height
shall be set back an additional foot for every additional foot in height.
The East Pasadena-San Gabriel Community Standards District was adopted
in 2002 and the existing motel became nonconforming because of standards
PROJECT NUMBER R2006-01328-(5) STAFF ANALYSIS
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT CASE NO. RCUP 200600099-(5) PAGE 3 OF 7
at that time with regards to setbacks. Additionally, the County Code does not
require the existing structure to conform to current development standards.
5. Lighting. Exterior lighting shall be of a top-shielded or hooded design intended
to direct light away from adjacent parcels and prevent off-site illumination.
The subject property does not have any exterior lighting adjacent to residentially
zoned properties. Therefore, light from the project does not spill on the adjacent
residential properties to the south. The project conforms to the County Code.
2. C-2 Zone Development Standards (Section 22.28.170 of the County Code)
A. Ten (10) percent of the net area shall be landscaped with a lawn, shrubbery,
flowers and/or trees, which shall be continuously maintained in good condition.
Incidental walkways, if needed, may be developed in the landscaped area.
Approximately 13 percent of the site is proposed to be landscaped. The project
conforms to the County Code.
B. Outside Display. Except for the following uses, all display in Zone C-2 shall be
located entirely within an enclosed building unless otherwise authorized by a
temporary use permit:
The subject property does not have any outside display nor is any proposed.
3. Roof and Freestanding Signs (Section 22.52.890 of the County Code)
A. Frontage. Roof and freestanding business signs shall be permitted on any lot or
parcel of land for each street or highway frontage having a continuous distance
of 100 feet or more.
The subject property has 245 lineal feet of street frontage. This allows the
project to have two freestanding signs. Two freestanding signs are proposed.
B. Area Permitted.
The maximum sign face area allowed 150 square feet plus three-fourths of a
square foot of sign face area for each one foot of street frontage in excess of 100
feet. Where the locational requirements allow an additional freestanding sign on
the same frontage, sign area allocated for each sign may be in any proportion,
provided that the sum does not exceed the maximum permitted sign area
established for a specific frontage or combination of frontages, and that they
conform to all other requirements of this section.
With 245 feet of street frontage, the subject property is allowed a total of 258.75
square feet of freestanding sign face area. Two freestanding signs are
proposed. One with 102.47 square feet of sign face area and the second with
PROJECT NUMBER R2006-01328-(5) STAFF ANALYSIS
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT CASE NO. RCUP 200600099-(5) PAGE 4 OF 7
72.22 square feet of sign face area which totals 179.69 square feet. This
complies with the County Code’s requirements.
C. Location of Signs.
1. In Zone C-2 no roof or freestanding business sign shall be located on any
property nearer to a lot line, other than one adjoining a street or highway, than
a distance equal to 25 feet plus one foot for every three square feet of sign
area in excess of 150 square feet.
The easterly freestanding sign is 21 feet from the east property line and the
westerly freestanding sign is 13 feet from the west property line. These
distances are less that the 25 feet required by the County Code. The
applicant is requesting that this requirement be waived.
2. In Zone C-2, no roof or freestanding business sign shall be located nearer to
any other freestanding or roof business sign on the same frontage on the
same lot or parcel of land than a distance equal to 100 feet plus one foot for
each three square feet of the largest sign’s computed area in excess of 75
square feet to a maximum of 200 feet.
The proposed signs are less than the required 100 foot distance between
freestanding signs. The applicant is requesting that this requirement be
waived.
4. Parking
A. Number of Required Parking Spaces
Section 22.52.1140 of the County Code establishes the parking requirements for
motels. Motels require one parking space for each guest room; and parking for
each dwelling unit per Section 22.52.1180 of the County Code, an apartment
having two or more bedrooms requires one and one-half covered, plus one-half
uncovered parking spaces.
The project has 34 guest rooms and one two bedroom manager’s apartment.
Therefore, a total of 36 parking spaces are required. The site plan shows 30
parking spaces. To provide the correct amount of back distance, the number of
parking spaces would have to be reduced to 28. The applicant is requesting a
minor parking deviation to authorize this reduction.
B. Access
Parking lots shall be designed so as to preclude the backing of vehicles over a
sidewalk, public street, alley or highway.
The project was developed in 1964 prior to the requirement to not have vehicles
backing into a street or alley. With the existing structures on the site, it is not
PROJECT NUMBER R2006-01328-(5) STAFF ANALYSIS
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT CASE NO. RCUP 200600099-(5) PAGE 5 OF 7
possible to design the parking layout without backing onto a street or an alley.
The applicant is requesting that this requirement be waived.
D. Number of Compact Parking Spaces
Up to 40 percent of the parking spaces can be compact parking spaces.
The site plan has 12 compact parking spaces. This amount conforms to the
County Code requirements for the percentage of compact parking spaces.
E. Landscaping
At least two percent of the gross area of the parking lot shall be landscaped.
Landscaping shall be distributed throughout the parking lot, so as to maximize
the aesthetic effect and compatibility with adjoining uses.
The site plan shows two percent of landscaping of the parking area. This amount
conforms to the County Code requirements.
F. Backup Distance
Twenty six feet of backup distance is required for each parking space with 90
degree parking.
Several of the parking spaces have less that the required backup distance. This
issue can be resolved by a redesign of the parking layout.
Neighborhood Impact/Land Use Compatibility
Surrounding properties to the north are zoned C-2, R-2 (Two-Family Residence), and R-
1 (Single-Family Residence); properties to the east are zoned C-2, R-2 (Two-Family
Residence), and R-1 (Single-Family Residence); properties to the south are zoned R-1
and properties to the west are zoned C-2, and R-1. Surrounding land uses to the north
are single-family residential, commercial, and triplex; to the south: Single-family; to the
east: single-family residential, and commercial; and to the west Single-family and
Commercial.
Over the last two years the County has received complaints about criminal activities in
the area and the subject property’s condition. Since this time the property has been
rehabilitated. The exterior has been painted and updated and the motel rooms and
bathrooms remodeled. The Department of Public Works issued building permits for this
work in June and July of 2005 and has given final approval to the permitted work. The
plans submitted for this application indicate the motel will be rebranded to be a Days
Inn.
Staff is proposing several conditions that address the operation and maintenance of the
motel. These include: security patrols during the evening, length of rental period
(minimum and maximum), location of pay phones, no loitering on-site, a video camera
PROJECT NUMBER R2006-01328-(5) STAFF ANALYSIS
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT CASE NO. RCUP 200600099-(5) PAGE 6 OF 7
in the motel office that records the activities at the registration desk and outside at the
entrance to the motel. The motel would be subject to review for conformance with the
adopted conditions six months after approval and then annually thereafter.
Burden of Proof
The applicant is required to substantiate all facts identified by Section 22.56.040 of the
Los Angeles County Code. The Burden of Proof with applicant’s responses is attached.
Staff is of the opinion that the applicant has met the burden of proof.
COUNTY DEPARTMENT COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Sheriff’s Department
On October 31, 2007, Deputy Fellows of the Temple Station stated that during the last
year the Sheriff’s Department received 15 calls for service at this location. Most of
these calls were for domestic disturbances, and none of the calls were for prostitution.
In a one block radius of the subject property, the Sheriff’s Department received 50 calls
for prostitution. Most of these calls came from a nearby bar, Frank & Dean’s.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Staff has received one letter on this project and one call from the adjacent commercial
property owner to the east. The letter addressed prostitutes congregating on or around
the subject property. The caller, Mr. Siefke, had concerns about the minor parking
variance and its impact on parking on Colorado Boulevard. He did state that some of
the criminal activity has lessened since the subject property was rehabilitated, and that
the observed criminal activity only seems to exist during the evening.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
The applicant mailed a letter to the surrounding neighborhood describing there use and
the improvements that they have made to the subject property and how they intend to
operate the motel. Additionally they have met individually with selected neighbors to
address their concerns.
FEES/DEPOSITS
If approved, fees identified in the attached project conditions will apply unless modified
by the Planning Commission.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
The following recommendation is made prior to the public hearing and is subject to
change based upon testimony and/or documentary evidence presented at the public
hearing:
Staff recommends APPROVAL of project number R2006-01328-(5), Conditional Use
Permit Case No. RCUP 200600099-(5), subject to the attached conditions.
PROJECT NUMBER R2006-01328-(5) STAFF ANALYSIS
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT CASE NO. RCUP 200600099-(5) PAGE 7 OF 7
SUGGESTED APPROVAL MOTION
I move that the public hearing be closed and that the Regional Planning Commission
approve Conditional Use Permit Case No. RCUP 200600099-(5) with the findings and
conditions.
Prepared by James Bell, Principal Regional Planning Assistant
Reviewed by Mark Child, Supervising Regional Planner, Zoning Permits I Section
Attachments:
Draft Conditions of Approval
Applicant’s Burden of Proof statement
Site Photographs
Site Plan
Land Use Map
02/06/08
MC:JB
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