TO: PLANNING COMMISSION
FROM: BRAD JOHNSON, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
DATE: SEPTEMBER 3, 2024
SUBJECT:
Title
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FILE #24-C04, REVIEW OF PROPOSED CHANGE OF USE TO AN ADULT MEMORY DAY CARE CENTER LOCATED AT 109 SOUTH SPRING STREET - APPLICANT - AGINGNEXT, INC.
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SUMMARY
The applicant, AgingNext, Inc. is requesting approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for a change of use in the existing 1,652 square foot tenant space in the professional mixed-use building located at 109 South Spring Street in the MU2 zoning district. The proposal includes a change of use of the space from a former office space for Safety Center Incorporated to an adult day care land use designation with no proposed exterior or interior tenant improvement changes.
The adult day care, a memory care center, is a non-medical adult memory day care center that offers socialization, peer support, and stimulating activities for older adults with Alzheimer’s and related dementia. This facility will be operated by AgingNext, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides a broad array of services and support for older adults, caregivers, and others interested in enhancing aging services. The nonprofit plans to operate Monday through Friday, 9:00 PM to 5:00 PM and will utilize a drop off and pickup system for receiving participants at the location.
The building was constructed in 1963 and was remodeled in 1976. The building is not listed on the City’s Register of Structures of Historic and Architectural Merit (Register) or otherwise considered to be a historic structure.
Staff believes that the proposed use is appropriate at this location, and there is adequate parking to accommodate the use. Adult day care uses in the MU2 zoning district require a CUP approved by the Planning Commission pursuant to the satisfaction of the required findings set forth in Section 16.303.040 of the City’s Municipal Code, as identified in the draft resolution (Attachment A).
RECOMMENDATION
Recommended Action
Staff recommends the Planning Commission:
A. Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA APPROVING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT (FILE #24-C04), TO ESTABLISH AN ADULT MEMORY DAY CARE CENTER LOCATED AT 109 SOUTH SPRING STREET - APPLICANT - AGINGNEXT, INC.
B. Find this item is exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
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ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDATION
In addition to the recommendation, there are the following alternatives:
A. Continue the item for additional information.
B. Approve the project with additional or revised Conditions of Approval.
C. Express an intent to deny CUP #24-C04 in its entirety, specifically identifying the findings of Section 16.303.040 of the CMC that cannot be met, and continue the item to September 17, 2024, for adoption of a denial resolution.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Costs associated with the review of this application have been borne by the applicant.
ANALYSIS
Background
The subject property has a General Plan designation of College Avenue/South Village Transit-Oriented Mixed-Use District, and Zoning designation of Mixed Use (MU2). The MU2 zoning district is located to the south and east of the Claremont Transit Center. Within this zone, a mix of uses are encouraged with an emphasis on residential uses with limited office/commercial uses on the ground floor. The site plan (Attachment B) identifies the proposed tenant location within the property. The adjacent surrounding properties in each direction are also MU2 as well as CV to the North and RM 2,000 to the South.
The proposed tenant, AgingNext Inc. will take over the space from the former tenant, Safety Center Incorporated, an office space use. AgingNext Inc. is a nonprofit organization and has been operating since 1975. They provide a broad range of services centered around support for older adults, caregivers, and others interested in enhancing aging services. In the 1990s, the organization began offering community senior services and launched the Enrichment Center Adult Day Program for adults with memory impairment, providing respite for caregivers. Within the memory care center, participants will receive both individualized and group attention, socialization, and peer support. Daily activities may include mental stimulation games, daily exercises, music, arts and crafts, and community outings among others.
The Claremont Municipal Code (CMC) requires that a land use designation for adult day care must obtain approval of a CUP to be permitted in the MU2 District, pursuant to CMC Section 16.051.020.
Project Description
The proposed project seeks to change the use of the existing 1,652 square foot tenant space in the professional mixed-use building located at 109 South Spring Street in the MU2 zoning district from an office use, to an adult day care land use. This proposal does not include any exterior or interior tenant improvement changes or any requests to expand the tenant space. The memory care center will operate out of the property lease space as it currently exists.
This proposed facility, operated by AgingNext, Inc., a nonprofit organization will provide a broad array of easily accessible services and support for older adults and care givers. The adult day care, to be called a memory care center, is a non-medical adult day memory care center that offers socialization, peer support, and stimulating activities for older adults with Alzheimer’s and related dementia. Eligible participants also include those who can no longer structure their own daily activities, are socially isolated and would benefit from companionship, and cannot be safely left alone at home.
Daily activities offered by the center will include but are not limited to discussion groups on current events, mental stimulation games, arts and crafts, daily exercises, music, holiday and birthday celebrations, pet visits, and community outings. It will be a place where older adults can socialize and participate in group activities, while allowing caregivers temporary reprieve from their daily responsibilities.
The nonprofit plans to operate Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and will utilize a drop off and pickup system for receiving participants at the location. Participants can elect to attend for the entire day or half day sessions. Half day sessions run from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Full day and morning half day session participants are offered a meal at lunch. The facility plans to operate with a capacity of thirty participants and seven staff members at any given time.
Ultimately, the purpose of this request is to allow AgingNext, Inc. to operate an adult day memory care center at 109 South Spring Street. The proposed project meets all the required findings as set forth in Section 3 of the draft resolution (Attachment A).
Parking
Pursuant to Government Code Section 65863.2(a), a “public agency shall not impose or enforce any minimum automobile parking requirement on a residential, commercial, or other development project if the project is located within one-half mile of public transit.” 131 Yale Avenue is located 0.2 miles from the Claremont Depot with bus and train services. For this reason, minimum parking requirements cannot be enforced as a requirement for the proposed change of use. Nonetheless, given that the business will utilize a pickup and drop off form of receiving participants at the location, the remaining parking spaces needed for the facilities seven employees will be satisfied within the existing parking availability. The property currently maintains ninety-seven standard stalls and four handicap accessible stalls for a total of 101 parking stalls. The existing uses onsite historically required 94 spaces, leaving seven spaces for the employees of the facility. Two of the four available, accessible spaces onsite are located directly in front of the proposed tenant space and allow for ease in the drop-off and pick-up of the facility participants by their family members and caregivers throughout the day.
Basis for Recommendation
Adult day care uses in the MU2 zoning district require a CUP approved by the Planning Commission pursuant to the satisfaction of the required findings set forth in Section 16.303.040 of the City’s Municipal Code, as identified in the draft resolution (Attachment A).
Staff finds that the proposal satisfies all the required findings for the reasons stated in the draft approval resolution. As such, staff recommends that the Planning Commission approve the proposed change of use.
CEQA REVIEW
The proposed CUP has been determined to be categorically exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15301 - Existing Facilities (Class 1). Class 1 exemptions are applied to projects that consist of the operation and leasing of existing facilities involving negligible or no expansion of an existing or former use. The project involves the operation, permitting, and leasing of a use that is consistent with the zoning designation, general plan land use district, and uses within other tenant spaces of the same building and complex, and does not propose any expansion of the existing tenant space proposed for use, and will not require additional site improvements to accommodate the business operations proposed. Therefore, the project is consistent with the Class 1 exemption under the CEQA Guidelines and requires no further environmental review.
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
The agenda and staff report for this item have been posted on the City website and distributed to interested parties. If you desire a copy, please contact Nhi Atienza at natienza@ci.claremont.ca.us.
As a courtesy, notice of this meeting was mailed to properties adjacent to the subject property on August 22, 2024. A copy of this report has been sent to the applicant and other interested parties.
Submitted by: Prepared by:
Brad Johnson Jordan Goose
Community Development Director Assistant Planner
Reviewed by:
Christopher Veirs
Principal Planner
Attachments:
A - Draft Resolution
B - Plan Set