31B - VARIANCE 3960 S MAIN ST - Laserfiche WebLink

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Variance No.2008-20 December 8, 2008 Page 2 Project Description The owner of Qwik Korner Deli/Grocery is proposing to relocate the delicatessen operations located within the existing market (Unit D) to the adjacent 1,018 square foot Unit C. The area vacated by the delicatessen, which is approximately 200 square feet, will be used for additional groceries and refrigerated coolers for soft drinks and water. The relocated Qwik Korner Breakfast Hoagy Subs will provide approximately 400 square feet of customer area and contain seating for about 15 patrons. The sandwich shop will continue to provide the same menu it currently offers and will operate from 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., seven days a week (Exhibit 3). Analysis of the Issues The applicant is requesting approval of a variance from Section 41-1341 of the SAMC to allow a reduction in required parking so that an existing vacant tenant space can be converted from retail use to a restaurant use. Section 41-1340 through 41-1360 of the SAMC outlines the City's off-street parking requirement for commercial land uses. Per Section 41-1340, five parking spaces are required for each 1,000 square feet of retail use. Additionally Section 41-1341 requires 10 parking spaces for every 1,000 gross square feet of restaurant use. The building, completed in late 2005, was originally parked to only accommodate retail uses. Pursuant to Section 41-1309 of the SAMC, the deli was not parked at the restaurant rate as the use was determined to be ancillary to the market. The deli occupies less than 10 percent of the market area and there is no seating provided for patrons within the market. In 2006, the Planning Commission approved Minor Exception No. 2006-06. This was a request to allow a 16 percent reduction (five spaces) in required parking to allow the establishment of Javatinis Coffee Lounge in Unit A. The minor exception process allows for a parking reduction of up to 20 percent based on the demonstration that the center with mixed uses will have no conflict in sharing the existing parking stalls. A shared parking analysis, prepared by a local traffic engineering firm, determined that sufficient parking would be provided for the project and that the projected parking demand would not exceed the 26 spaces provided on the premises. The applicant is proposing to relocate the deli operations to the adjacent vacant unit. As the primary use of the unit, the City's parking rate of 10 spaces per thousand square feet for restaurant use 31 B-3