TO: PLANNNG COMMISSION
FROM: BRAD JOHNSON, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
DATE: May 6, 2025
SUBJECT:
Title
REQUEST FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT (FILE #25-C03), TO ESTABLISH A CIGAR LOUNGE, LOCATED AT 230 WEST FOOTHILL BOULEVARD. APPLICANT - NICK ROEFER.
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SUMMARY
On February 19, 2025, Applicant Nick Roefer requested approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) File #25-C03 to allow a new cigar lounge. Specifically, the cigar lounge will feature workspaces, a small library, and meeting rooms for everyday use and occasional social events such as book clubs, lectures, and sports viewing. The tenant space is located at 230 West Foothill Boulevard.
Staff finds the proposed use is consistent with the Claremont Municipal Code, General Plan, and Commercial Highway (CH) zoning district. Staff believes that the proposed use is appropriate at this location, and there is adequate parking to accommodate the use. Cigar lounge uses in the CH 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 A REQUEST FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT #25-C03, TO ESTABLISH A CIGAR LOUNGE, LOCATED AT 230 WEST FOOTHILL BOULEVARD. APPLICANT - NICK ROEFER; and
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. Approve the project with additional or revised Conditions of Approval.
B. Express an intent to deny CUP #25-C03, specifically identifying the findings of Section 16.303.040 that cannot be met, and continue the item to May 20, 2025 for adoption of a denial resolution.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The processing of this application has no financial impact on the City as the Applicant is responsible for paying all costs associated with its review and approval.
ANALYSIS
Background
The subject property has a General Plan designation of Commercial, and zoning designation of Commercial Highway (CH). The CH zoning district is intended to provide a broad range of retail, service, and office uses that front a major arterial. The site plan (Attachment B) identifies the proposed tenant location within the property where the adjacent surrounding properties to the east and west are also CH, to the south is Historic Claremont 7,500, and to the north, across Foothill Boulevard, is Commercial Professional and RS 10,000.
Project Description
The proposed cigar lounge, to be named The Ember Cigar and Lounge, will occupy approximately 1,630 square feet at the above-referenced address. The cigar lounge will operate as a social and recreational establishment where patrons can purchase and/or smoke cigars in a designated indoor area offering an upscale environment. This lounge will be open to the public but will also offer private membership for additional benefits and access, such as personal lockers. The lounge will also include a retail area for purchasing cigars, ash trays, lighters, and other cigar related items.
Daily activities offered by the space will include, but are not limited to, lounging, cigar smoking, studying, casual socializing, and reading. The space is also designed to host social events such as book clubs, lecture series, and sporting event viewings.
The cigar lounge will feature a foyer, parlor, boardroom, small library and lecture room, kitchenette, storage, gallery, shuffleboard room, sitting room, game room, and one bathroom as shown on the floor plan (Attachment C). The rooms will have a total of 31 lounge-style chairs throughout the business.
The lounge will feature a HEPA filtered ventilation system to allow for ventilation in each room that leads back to the primary main filtration system located in the parlor (Attachment D).
The proposed hours of operation are:
Sunday - Thursday: 6:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Friday - Saturday: 6:00 AM - Midnight
Parking
The lot contains a total of 32 parking spots shared with the existing businesses in the building. The development standards for the CH zone requires that the lot have one parking space for every 250 square feet of net floor area. Given that the total floor area is 7,194 square feet according to LA County Assessor’s Office, the existing 32 parking spaces exceed the minimum requirement of 29 parking spaces.
Basis for Recommendation
The approval of a CUP for a cigar lounge requires that the Planning Commission make certain findings as set forth in Section 16.303.040 of the CMC. Staff has reviewed the proposal and determined that the business satisfies each necessary finding as described in detail in the draft approval resolution (Attachment A).
CEQA REVIEW
The Community Development Department has determined that the project under review is
categorically exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to Section 15301 - Existing Facilities (Class 1), in that the project entails the leasing of an existing tenant space within a private structure involving negligible or no expansion of an existing or former use. The project involves the operation, permitting, and leasing of a commercial 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, no further environmental review is necessary.
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@claremontca.gov.
Submitted by: Prepared by:
Brad Johnson Daniel Kim
Community Development Director Assistant Planner
Attachments:
A - Draft Resolution
B - Site Plan
C - Floor Plan
D - Ventilation Plan