31C - VARIANCE - 2725 N BRISTOL ST

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Variance No. 2013-11 September 23, 2013 Page 2 Proiect Description The proposed project consists of interior tenant improvements and minor exterior changes to an existing building to allow a Planet Fitness health club. As stated previously, Planet Fitness will be occupying approximately 18,600 square feet of floor space within an existing multi-tenant commercial building that shares a site with four other buildings. The project will feature an entry lobby and reception area, tanning facilities, dressing rooms, a primary area for fitness and exercise, several smaller rooms with various exercise equipment, and miscellaneous storage and utility rooms. A total of 11,404 square feet of interior area will be devoted to physical activity. The project also proposes minor exterior improvements to the building in addition to the interior improvements for the health club use. The applicant proposes to remove existing cart corrals that were once used for the market/retail uses at the site, as well as to install signage that will be reviewed through a separate, ministerial application. Primary access to the project site will be provided from the existing driveways on Bristol Street and Memory Lane (Exhibits 4 and 5). Proiect Background The various buildings comprising the Floral Park Promenade commercial center were constructed between 1965 and 2004. Original structures included commercial buildings and a service station, with the former enlarged throughout the years and the latter replaced with a multi-tenant retail center in 2004. Conditional Use Permit No. 2003-17 and Variance Nos. 2003-2 and 2004-5 were approved in 2004 in order to allow a drive-through facility as well as a reduction in required parking for the building closest to the corner of Bristol Street and Memory Lane. Since its construction, the tenant space that is the subject of this application has housed a variety of uses. These include grocery markets, a pharmacy, as well as miscellaneous, seasonal retail uses. The site has remained without a tenant since Rite Aid vacated the space in 2009. Founded in 1992, Planet Fitness is a nationwide chain of health clubs with over 600 locations. Many of the company's earliest locations were in the eastern United States, but the company has expanded to the western US in recent years. Planet Fitness distinguishes itself by offering low-cost plans that target semi-occasional, first-time health club members. Most locations comparable to the proposed Santa Ana location range in size from 12,000 to 20,000 square feet with an average size of 15,000 and feature simpler amenities than other, larger national health club chains. This Planet Fitness would be Santa Ana's first location and Orange County's third. Planet Fitness currently operates two locations in Anaheim that are similar in size and amenities offered to members with 24-hour operation, except on weekends. The proposed hours of operation at the Santa Ana location are 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. 31 C-4