Administrative
Report
J.1., File # HC22-4977 Meeting Date: 10/10/2022
TO: HARBOR COMMISSION
FROM: BRANDY FORBES, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AND SEAN
SCULLY, PLANNING MANAGER
TITLE
DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON AN EXEMPTION DECLARATION,
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, AND COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT TO ALLOW THE
OPERATION OF A CHILD DAY CARE CENTER, WITH INFANT CARE, IN AN EXISTING COMMERCIAL OFFICE BUILDING ON PROPERTY LOCATED AT 109 W. TORRANCE BOULEVARD WITHIN THE COASTAL COMMERCIAL (CC-2) ZONE
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the attached resolution, which would adopt the Exemption Declaration and approve the Coastal Development Permit / Conditional Use Permit for a child care center, subject to the conditions contained in the attached resolution.
BACKGROUND
On July 27, 2022, the Community Development Department received applications (Conditional Use Permit and Coastal Development Permit) to operate a Child Care Center (with infant care) on a property located at 109 W. Torrance Boulevard within the Coastal Commercial (CC-2) Zone. Pursuant to the Redondo Beach Municipal Code, a child day care center use is conditionally permitted in the CC-2 Zone.
The subject property is owned by the City of Redondo Beach and a lease for the use of approximately 4,752 square feet has been accepted by the City pending the approval of said Conditional Use Permit and Coastal Development Permit.
The applicant, Savoir Faire Immersion Preschool, is the owner/operator of the existing “Savoir Faire Language Institute” located in an adjacent commercial office building at 117 W. Torrance Boulevard (3,979 square feet). The existing “Savoir Faire Language Institute” (child day care center for children ages 2-7) was originally approved on August 30, 2013 for up to 62 occupants including both students and instructors. The child care center at 117 W. Torrance Boulevard for children ages 2-7 will remain in operation.
The proposed new facility at 109 W. Torrance Boulevard will provide infant child day care services for infants to 3 years old. A maximum of 60 students and 11 staff/instructors is proposed for this facility.
The proposed hours of operation are Monday through Friday 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
No exterior alterations are proposed with these applications and only minor interior modifications are
J.1., File # HC22-4977 Meeting Date: 10/10/2022
No exterior alterations are proposed with these applications and only minor interior modifications are planned.
DISCUSSION
Below are aerial photos that identify the subject property, the subject building (109 W. Torrance Boulevard), the adjacent existing “Savoir Faire Language Institute” (117 W. Torrance Boulevard) and the surrounding offices and parking areas. Below the aerial photos is an exhibit of the proposed floor plan.
J.1., File # HC22-4977 Meeting Date: 10/10/2022
The primary issues of concern associated with child day care facilities are the potential noise (outside play areas), parking, and ensuring traffic/pedestrian safety concerning drop-off/pick-up activities.
Additionally, with all projects in the Coastal Commercial Zone, maintaining access to coastal resources is also required. The following analysis provides a summary of the noted issues of concern, noise, parking, and traffic/pedestrian safety.
Concerning coastal access, since the project does not include any new development or
J.1., File # HC22-4977 Meeting Date: 10/10/2022
Concerning coastal access, since the project does not include any new development or addition/expansions to the existing structure, no impediment to existing views or access to coastal resources is anticipated. It is staff’s opinion that this use will introduce/expose more local families to the waterfront/pier area for leisure and recreational use.
Noise
Any potential for noise associated with child day care centers typically emanates from the State required outdoor play areas. The proposed outdoor play area for the subject project is located just outside the northwest corner of the building and is surrounded by an 8-foot tall wood/glass combination wall. Additionally, shade canopies (triangular fabric in shape) are planned to be installed over a portion of the play area that would also serve to further dampen some of the anticipated noise.
A condition of approval has been added to the draft resolution indicating that No more than 12 children will be permitted at one time in the outdoor play area. A “Playground Schedule” is attached to this Administrative Report. The morning playground schedule runs from 9:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and the afternoon schedule from 2:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
The nearest adjacent office (115 W. Torrance Boulevard) is located 50 feet away to the northwest. An additional mitigating factor is that the elevation of the subject play area is higher than the nearest adjacent office and with the surrounding 8-foot tall wall should send the majority of sound in an upward direction rather than laterally or downward. To ensure the potential noise is mitigated, the following conditions of approval have been included in the attached resolution.
10. The outdoor play yard shall have a maximum of 12 children/infants at one time between the hours of 9:00 AM - 11:45 AM and 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM.
11. The existing wood siding wall with transparent finish material on top is approximately 8-foot above adjacent interior decking (outdoor play area) and is expected to mitigate anticipated noise levels from the children/infant outdoor play area. However, the following additional noise mitigation measures are required: Installation of “shade triangles” not to extend above the top of the wall/fence and eaves of main structure; The active management by staff of children in distress by their removal from the outdoor play area to the indoor play area. Upon the receipt by the City of deemed reasonable complaints concerning noise, a noise study may be required and additional mitigation including alteration of wall/fence materials and height may be required.
Parking
Historically, the existing commercial space now proposed for a child day care center has been utilized as office space. Pursuant to Section 10-5.1706 of the City’s Zoning Ordinance, the existing 4,752 square foot space would require a total of 16 parking spaces (1 space per 300 square feet of office) if utilized as an office. Conversely, a child day care center is required to provide one space per employee, plus drop-off and pick-up areas “as determined necessary based on the center’s maximum capacity”. With the proposed age of the children planned for this facility being infant to 3 years old, staff has determined that in most cases the parents will need to park and walk/carry the children into the facility. Combining the number of staff/instructors (11) with a child care center student population of 60, staff determined there would be a need for significantly more parking than the 16 spaces required by the prior business office use. As a result, staff required that a drop-off and pick-up schedule be provided and a parking study be conducted. Attached to this Administrative
J.1., File # HC22-4977 Meeting Date: 10/10/2022
pick-up schedule be provided and a parking study be conducted. Attached to this Administrative Report is the proposed drop-off and pick-up schedule/plan for both the existing Savoir Faire Language Institute (117 W. Torrance Boulevard) and the proposed/subject child day care center at 109 W. Torrance Boulevard. Also attached is a comprehensive parking analysis entitled, “Redondo Beach Savoir Faire School Drop-Off & Pick-Up and Total Parking Sufficiency Analysis Technical Memorandum” that was conducted by KOA, a traffic engineering firm, dated August 12, 2022.
Below are excerpts from the “Conclusion” of the parking analysis that demonstrates there is ample parking available for the proposed child day care center at 109 W. Torrance Boulevard. See the attached parking analysis for the complete analysis.
“The Project will rely on currently available parking spaces in the existing Fisherman’s Wharf parking areas and will not be adding any parking to the existing supply. To support the approach, a comprehensive parking analysis was conducted that included 1) City Code standalone parking requirements, 2) an analysis of the drop-off and pick-up demand, and 3) a shared parking demand analysis building upon the 112 Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant Project shared parking analysis (recently completed for a future restaurant expansion project). The parking demand analysis results were compared to the available parking supply to determine whether there would be enough parking available to meet the parking demands for all of the Fisherman’s Wharf land uses, including the Project.
Based on the City Code standalone parking requirements for all the leaseholders at the Fisherman’s Wharf including the proposed 112 Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant (other future project) and the Project, a total of 1,167 parking spaces would be required, which is 180 less (13%) than the 1,347 parking spaces that are provided for Fisherman’s Wharf.
Therefore, the RBMC parking requirements are met for Fisherman’s Wharf as a whole, including the Project.
An analysis was (also) conducted comparing the drop-off/pick-up Project demand to the unoccupied surface parking spaces. The analysis was conducted for each 15-minute interval between 7 AM and 6 PM. The Plaza Lot will accommodate the drop-off and pick-up parking demand, and available parking spaces in the Kincaid Lot provide parents and caregivers an additional option.
A shared parking analysis was also conducted expanding the analysis conducted for the 112 Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant Project (other future project). The expanded shared parking study concluded that all anticipated weekday parking demand, with the Project, can be accommodated by spaces accessible through the Torrance Boulevard access to Fisherman’s Wharf.
In summary, the standalone analysis determined that the parking supply meets the RBMC requirements. The surface parking analysis demonstrates that convenient parking spaces are available for drop-off and pick-up. Lastly, the shared parking analysis demonstrates that the
J.1., File # HC22-4977 Meeting Date: 10/10/2022
and pick-up. Lastly, the shared parking analysis demonstrates that the parking supply accessed via the Torrance Boulevard Main Entrance is sufficient to accommodate the parking demands associated with the Project.”
Below is the condition of approval included in the attached resolution to address any potential dropoff and pick-up conflicts.
9. Drop-off and pick-up instructions will be provided to the child day care center-infant care staff and clients to ensure the orderly and safe access and exiting from the infant care center and the property. Said drop-off/pick-up program shall be reviewed and approved by the City’s Public Works and Community Development Department prior to issuance of occupancy.
Outreach
Public notices were sent by the City to all property owners within 300’ of the subject property. To date no comments, concerns or inquiries have been received. Additionally, as noted in the attached application, the applicant has meet with the following business neighbors who have signed the application in support.
· Holiday Carpet, 115 W. Torrance Boulevard
· Randy Waters, 115 W. Torrance Boulevard
· First Steps for Kids, 119 W. Torrance Boulevard
· Doug Leach, 119 W. Torrance Boulevard
· Randy Heaters, 115 W. Torrance Boulevard, Suite 180
· Dan Aitken, 115 W. Torrance Boulevard, Suite 200
ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS:
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Section 15303 of the Guidelines, the proposed project is categorically exempt from the preparation of environmental analyses.
ATTACHMENTS
Draft Resolution
Exemption Declaration
Applications
Architectural Drawings
Savoir Faire School Pick-Up/Drop-Off Schedules (109 and 117 W. Torrance Boulevard) Parking Analysis (KOA)
Savoir Faire Business Plan
Public Notice