RV storage lot on Sycamore Road also approved as commission votes on two continued items

ATASCADERO — In its Tuesday, July 18, in-person meeting, the Atascadero Planning Commission made decisions on two agenda items that were continued from the previous meeting that took place on June 20. 

The first item was for the Atascadero Bible Church (ABC) property at 6225 Atascadero Ave. The project at the church was asking the Planning Commission for an amendment to the original use permit revising conditions to consider allowing amplified sound.

At the June 20 meeting, Community Development Director Phil Dunsmore told the commission that staff was recommending that the item be continued to the July 18 meeting. The recommendation came from the City Clerk’s office. 

The motion passed unanimously. 

ABC’s project requests that they be allowed to have outdoor amplified music adjacent to the worship center on the premises. They are requesting permission to hold outdoor music services on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between the times of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The request requires an amendment to the Master Plan of Development for ABC, which was approved in 2004, though the property was originally developed in 1999.

At the July 18 meeting, the amendment was approved in a 6-1 vote, allowing the church to have amplified outdoor sound.

The second continued item from the June 20 meeting was a Conditional Use Permit for 6805 Sycamore Road. The item had actually been continued from a meeting that took place on Nov. 15, 2022. 

The project is a request to add an RV storage lot to the existing site of VSM Leasing and Rentals with an exception to minimum landscape standards.

Staff recommended that the Planning Commission allow a new business for outdoor recreational vehicle (RV) storage in the Industrial Park zone.

Vice Chairperson Tori Keen motioned to adopt a resolution denying the conditional use permit that would allow the new business. Keen brought the resolution because of a finding that the project would be inconsistent with the character of the immediate neighborhood or contrary to its orderly development because of its location near the Salinas River, since the riverbed is full of animals and this could potentially have negative effects of wildlife in the area. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Victoria Carranza but was denied as only Carranza and Keen voted yes.

Carranza then motioned to adopt a draft resolution denying the Conditional Use Permit because of the project being inconsistent with the General Plan, specifically the portion that states, “enhance the rural character and appearance of the city including the commercial corridor, gateways and public facilities, land use and conservation policy of the General Plan.” Commissioner Jason Anderson seconded the motion, which did not pass in a 3-3 vote that included Keen also voting yes.

Another motion was brought forward by Commissioner Dennis Schmidt to approve the Conditional Use Permit. Commissioner Randy Hughes seconded, but the motion also failed in a 3-3 vote, with Chairperson Jeff van den Eikhof also voting yes.

The motion to continue the item until staff reviewed the General Plan analysis passed unanimously, and the item was continued to the July 18 meeting.

At the July 18 meeting, the RV storage lot addition to the existing VSM Leasing and Rentals site was approved in a 4-3 vote. 

Both of the August Planning Commission meetings were canceled due to a lack of agenda items. The next scheduled meeting is set, in person only, for Sept. 5 at 6 p.m.