Dec 12, 2023 City Council Meeting 7pm

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THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK OUR CITY CLERK TO PLEASE CALL THE ROLE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.

WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE STAND WITH ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? AND THEY REMAIN STANDING FOR A BRIEF MOMENT OF SI PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, STAFF, DO YOU HAVE ANY AGENDA CHANGES? NO SIR.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANY AGENDA CHANGES? NO.

THAT BRINGS US TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

AT THIS TIME, ANY PERSON MAY ADDRESS A MATTER WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL HOUSING AUTHORITY SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE EL CAJON REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA ARE BE TAKEN AT THE TIME THAT THE ITEM IS HEARD.

STATE LAW PROHIBITS DISCUSSION OR ACTION ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

HOWEVER, COUNCIL AUTHORITY AND AGENCY MEMBERS MAY BRIEFLY RESPOND TO STATEMENTS OR QUESTIONS, AND AN ITEM MAY BE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA.

ANGELA, DO YOU HAVE ANY CARDS UNDER PUBLIC COMMENT? NO CARD, SIR.

ALRIGHT, THAT BRINGS US TO

[100. Plaza de Las Palmas Shopping Center Specific Plan Update RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council: Opens the Public Hearing and receives testimony; Closes the Public Hearing; Moves to adopt the next Resolution, in order, approving the California Environmental Quality Act Exemption; and Moves to adopt the next Resolution, in order, approving an Amendment to Specific Plan No. 32.]

WILL YOU PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THIS? HI, NOAH.

HI.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

GREAT.

UM, SO THIS ITEM IS A PRIVATELY INITIATED, UH, REQUEST TO ALLOW NEIGHBORHOODS SERVING, WAREHOUSING, DISTRIBUTION, AND WHOLESALE ACTIVITIES AT THE PLAZA DELIS, PALMAS, UH, SHOPPING CENTER.

SO HERE YOU CAN SEE THE SHOPPING CENTER.

WE'RE AT THE CORNER OF EAST CHASE AND AVOCADO ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER.

UM, OVERALL THE SHOPPING CENTER IS 13 ACRES IN SIZE, AND IT'S DEVELOPED WITH TWO LARGE COMMERCIAL SPACES, WHICH ACT AS THE, UH, TENANT, UH, THE MAJOR, UH, TENANT, UH, ANCHOR ANCHOR STORES, EXCUSE ME.

UH, THERE'S ALSO NUMEROUS SMALL, UH, RETAIL AND RESTAURANT USES, UH, IN THE REMAINDER OF THE SHOPPING CENTER AS WELL AS, UH, THREE SATELLITE BUILDINGS OUT ALONG AVOCADO AVENUE, AND THEN AMPLE PARKING IN BETWEEN THOSE.

UH, THE SHOPPING CENTER IS GOVERNED BY A SPECIFIC PLAN, UH, WHICH APPROVES THE SITE LAYOUT AS SHOWN IN THE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH HERE.

SO THE SHOPPING CENTER HAS A GENERAL PLAN DESIGNATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL, UM, THAT'S INTENDED, UH, TO INCLUDE SHOPPING CENTERS FOUND IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO RESIDENTIAL USES.

UM, AS SHOWN ON THE AER PHOTOGRAPH EARLIER, THERE'S, UH, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES DIRECTLY TO THE EAST ON BURNABY STREET, AS WELL AS SOME SINGLE FAMILY ALSO, UH, TO THE WEST ACROSS AVOCADO AVENUE.

UM, GENERAL PLAN, OBJECTIVE 9.4 0.3, UM, SHOWN HERE, UH, DOES SEEK TO ENSURE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SHOPPING CENTER IS DIVINE TO BE CON, UH, COMPATIBLE WITH THOSE ADJACENT RESIDENTIAL USES.

SO EXISTING ZONING REGULATIONS, UH, GENERALLY ALLOW FOR WAREHOUSING, DISTRIBUTION AND WHOLESALE ACTIVITIES TO OCCUR AT RETAIL STORES, UH, BUT ONLY AS AN ACCESSORY USE.

AND IT LIMITS THOSE ACTIVITIES TO 15% OF, UH, BOTH THE FLOOR AREA AS WELL AS THE RECEIPTS.

SO RETAIL STORES CAN SELL WHOLESALE, BUT IT LIMITS IT JUST TO 15% OF THE FLOOR AREA AND 15% OF THOSE RECEIPTS.

SO THE ONLY AREAS IN THE CITY WHERE YOU CAN GO ABOVE THAT 15% THRESHOLD IS IN THE HEAVY COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ZONES.

SO THOSE ARE ALL PRIMARILY LOCATED UP ALONG THE INTERSTATE EIGHT CORRIDOR AND UP BY GILLESPIE FIELD.

SO THE PROPOSED SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT, UH, WOULD ADD A DEFINITION, WHICH IS SHOWN HERE ON THIS SLIDE AS THE PROPOSED USE.

UM, IT WOULD ALLOW STORES GREATER THAN 20,000 SQUARE FEET WITHIN THE PLAZA DE PALMA SHOPPING CENTER TO OPERATE AS NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING, WAREHOUSING DISTRIBUTION, AND WHOLESALE USES.

AND IT WOULD REMOVE THAT 15% LIMITATION ON THE WHOLESALE, UM, WHOLESALE, UH, AREAS AS WELL AS THE RECEIPTS.

SO THE WAY THE, UH, PROPOSED SPECIFIC PLAN IS STRUCTURED, UM, ONLY TWO TENANT SPACES IN THE EXISTING SHOPPING CENTER WOULD QUALIFY FOR THIS NEW PROPOSED USE.

THOSE ARE THE TWO TENANT SPACES, THE TWO ANCHOR STORES THAT ARE GREATER THAN 20,000 SQUARE FEET.

SO THAT'S THE FORMER RITE AID STORE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY VACANT AS WELL AS THE, UH, VON STORE.

SO THE APPLICANT FOR THIS REQUEST DOES INTEND TO UTILIZE THE FORMER RITE AID STORE FOR THE PROPOSED USE.

UH, THE APPLICANT HAS GENERALLY CHARACTERIZED IT AS BEING SIMILAR TO, UM, A SAM'S CLUB OR A COSTCO, UH, WITH THE BUSINESS BEING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT WHILE CONTINUING TO OFFER PRODUCTS BY RETAIL, BUT THEN HAVING INCREASED WHOLESALE ACTIVITIES.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE VERY CAREFUL TO CONSIDER, UH, AS RELATED TO THIS REQUEST WAS, UH, TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL.

UH, WE REALLY

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SO THE SPECIFIC PLAN DOES REQUIRE THAT WHOLESALE, TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL NOT BE VISIBLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND IT LIMITS THAT AREA WITHIN THE STORE TO NO MORE THAN 25% OF THE FLOOR AREA.

UM, ADDITIONALLY I WANTED TO TOUCH ON ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL REGULATIONS.

UM, THEY DO, UH, PROHIBIT RETAIL SALES OF ALCOHOL AT LOCATIONS THAT HAVE WHOLESALE.

SO UNDER A BC REGULATIONS, IF THEY'RE UTILIZING A WHOLESALE LICENSE, THEY WOULDN'T BE SELLING RETAIL ALCOHOL.

UM, HOWEVER, UM, THE SPECIFIC PLAN DOES DIVERT BACK TO EXISTING ZONING REGULATIONS.

SO IF, UM, FOR INSTANCE, UM, THEY WANTED TO HAVE RETAIL ALCOHOL SALES, UM, IT WOULD BE THE SAME AS THAT FORMER RITE AID STORE THAT WAS THERE.

SO THEY WOULD LIMIT THEIR SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE FLOOR AREA, JUST LIKE A NORMAL RETAIL STORE, UH, BOTH FOR ALCOHOL AND FOR TOBACCO SALES.

SO WHILE EVALUATING, EVALUATING THE PROPOSAL, STAFF CONSIDERED ONLINE RETAIL ACTIVITIES AND HOME-BASED BUSINESSES, UM, SUCH AS AMAZON, DOORDASH AND UBER EATS, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE REALLY STARTING TO TRANSFORM THE RETAIL LANDSCAPE THEY'RE DELIVERING TO PEOPLE'S HOUSES.

THEY'RE NEEDING TO DO MORE DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY'RE REALLY INCREASING DEMAND FOR BOTH, UH, WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS. SO WE'RE SEEING THIS INSIDE OF, UH, RETAIL COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES LIKE VAUGHN'S AND TARGET, WHICH ARE SHOWN HERE IN THIS SLIDE.

UH, THE PHOTOGRAPH ON THE LEFT IS OF, UH, VAUGHN'S IN THE SHOPPING CENTER AT THE PLAZA TAYLORS POMOS SHOPPING CENTER.

UH, THE PHOTOGRAPH ON THE RIGHT IS THE TARGET, UH, ON FLETCHER OR ON UH, BROADWAY.

UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, UH, THAT NOTHING IS PROPOSED TO CHANGE IN THE SHOPPING CENTER.

SO IT'S IT'S STATUS QUO.

THEY'RE NOT PROPOSING ANY IMPROVEMENTS.

THEY'RE NOT CHANGING ANY OF THE ROLL UP DOORS THAT ARE FACING THE ADJACENT RESIDENCES.

UM, BUT WE DID WORK WITH THE APPLICANT ABOUT SOME COMPATIBILITY POLICIES SO THAT IF IN THE FUTURE A NEW USE, UH, DOES COME IN TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS NEW PROPOSED USE, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WEREN'T CONCENTRATING DELIVERY DOCKS OR LOADING AREAS, UH, TOWARDS THOSE ADJACENT RESIDENTIAL USES.

AND THEN WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY RETAINED THE, UH, RETAIL COMMERCIAL NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL ATMOSPHERE IN THE SHOPPING CENTER.

SO THE COMPATIBILITY POLICIES IN THE SPECIFIC PLAN, UH, WOULD, UH, MANDATE THAT NO DELIVERY DOCKS, UH, NO NEW ONES, UH, FACE THE ADJACENT RESIDENCES.

AND THEN ALSO THAT THEY MAINTAIN THAT COMMERCIAL ATMOSPHERE WITH THE RETENTION OF THE COLON AIDS AND THEN ALSO HAVING WINDOWS SO THAT PEOPLE WALKING BY THE FRONT OF THE STORE CAN STILL LOOKING.

SO IN ORDER TO PROVE THE REQUEST, THE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO FIND THAT THE PROPOSED SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT SERVES THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND THAT IT WILL IMPLEMENT THE CITY'S GENERAL PLAN.

SO DRAFTED FINDINGS INDICATE THAT THE SPECIFIC PLAN SERVES THE PUBLIC INTEREST BY PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASED LOCAL DELIVERY AND DISTRIBUTION, THUS MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE MARKETPLACE IN A MANNER THAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING PROPERTIES.

ADDITIONALLY, THE SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT WOULD BE, UH, EXEMPT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW UNDER THE EXISTING FACILITIES EXEMPTION BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT PROPOSING ANY NEW CONSTRUCTION OR, UM, ANY NEW AREAS.

SO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, DID UNANIMOUSLY, UH, RECOMMEND CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THIS REQUEST.

AND STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE THE REQUESTED SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT, UH, AS SHOWN ON THE SLIDE HERE.

I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANKS, NOAH.

ANY QUESTIONS? NOAH? YES, MICHELLE.

OKAY.

UM, THIS IS JUST GONNA BE THE RITE AID BUILDING.

SO, UM, THE, AS PROPOSED BY THE APPLICANT, THEY ARE PROPOSING TO, UM, CHANGE THE RIGHT AID BUILDING, BUT THE SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT, UH, APPLIES TO THE ENTIRETY OF THE SHOPPING CENTER.

SO, UM, WE TRIED TO WORK WITH THE APPLICANT TO BE A LITTLE, UH, FORWARD THINKING SO THAT IN THE FUTURE, LET'S SAY YVONNE'S WANTED TO HAVE, UH, MORE STORAGE SPACE SO THAT THEY COULD DO KIND OF MORE LOCAL DISTRIBUTION AND DELIVERY, THEY COULD, UH, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

SO THE REQUEST THAT THE APPLICANT WILL SPEAK TO IS SPECIFIC TO THE RITE AID BUILDING.

UH, BUT THE OVERALL SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT WOULD APPLY TO THE WHOLE SHOPPING CENTER.

OKAY.

AND WHAT IS THE PRODUCTS? I MEAN, WHAT IS THE COMPANY THAT'S GONNA BE SELLING OUT OF THE RITE AID BUILDING? BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S GONNA BE A, UM, LIKE A WAREHOUSE TYPE SALE LIKE COSTCO, SAM'S CLUB, BUT ALSO RETAIL RETAIL.

WHAT ARE WE, WHAT TYPE OF PRODUCTS ARE WE SELLING THERE? UM, THE APPLICANT HAS A GREAT VIDEO THAT HE SHOWED AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.

UM, IT'S GENERALLY WHOLESALE, UH, HOUSEHOLD GOODS, UM, THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO SELL FROM THAT LOCATION.

UM, IT'S BRANDED, I BELIEVE, ON THE VIDEO AS CASH AND CARRY AS THE NAME OF THE BUSINESS.

UM, BUT HE DOES HAVE A VIDEO AND HE CAN SPEAK MORE TO THOSE, UH, PRODUCTS.

SO ARE WE GONNA, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.

NO, NO, THAT'S ALL.

SO ARE WE GOING TO START COMBINING THE COMPANIES THAT DO THE SAME

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WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE ON THE CORNER OF FIRST AND BROADWAY, UM, THESE, AND THEN WE HAVE THE TWO SPICE STORES ON MAIN STREET THAT ARE NOT JUST SPICE, BUT ALSO HOME GOODS.

MM-HMM.

ARE WE JUST, ARE WE GOING TO COMBINE ALL OF THAT OR ARE WE GOING TO JUST MAKE, EVEN JUST ADD TO THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS? I THINK THAT THE APPLICANT COULD PROBABLY SPEAK BETTER TO, UH, THE INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTS THAT THEY WISH TO SELL AT THIS LOCATION, BUT THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE, UM, CONSISTENT WITH THAT NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL ZONING.

OKAY.

I'LL HOLD MY QUESTION ON THAT.

THE SECOND QUESTION IS ON THE, UM, THE LIQUOR SALES, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ACQUIRING THE LIQUOR LICENSE FROM RITE AID? OR ARE WE GIVING THEM A, A LIQUOR LICENSE? IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY HAVE AN EXISTING WHOLESALE LICENSE THAT THEY WANT TO TRANSFER TO THIS LOCATION.

AND WHAT IS THE SATURATION IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ON LIQUOR LICENSES? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT TYPICALLY WE DON'T GIVE LIQUOR LICENSES OUT.

SO THE WHOLESALE LICENSE, UM, DOESN'T HAVE A SATURATION CRITERIA THAT'S IN THE ZONING CODE, JUST 'CAUSE IT'S NOT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

SO RIGHT NOW, UM, THE EXISTING WHOLESALE LICENSE, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S AT THEIR LOCATION ON NORTH MARSHALL, UH, WHEN I MOST RECENTLY LOOKED IT UP.

AND SO FROM THAT LOCATION THEY WERE USING IT JUST AS A, AS A POINT OF DISTRIBUTION.

SO THEY'RE OPERATING ESSENTIALLY AS A WAREHOUSE AND EITHER, UM, CUSTOMERS ARE COMING TO THAT LOCATION TO PICK UP PRODUCTS OR THEY'RE DELIVERING OUT TO, YOU KNOW, TO OTHER STORES.

SO IT'S ESSENTIALLY THE SAME CONCEPT THAT THEY WANNA MOVE HERE TO THE SHOPPING CENTER.

THEY WANNA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OKAY.

WITHIN THE RITE AID.

AND THEN THEY WANNA HAVE, UM, THE WHOLESALE ALCOHOL, UH, NOT BE VISIBLE TO THE PUBLIC, SO IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A LIQUOR STORE AND WOULD ONLY BE ACCESSIBLE TO, UM, WHOLESALE, UH, PURCHASERS THAT ARE COMING IN.

OKAY.

SO THE LIQUOR IS NOT GOING TO BE FOR RETAIL SALE.

CORRECT.

WHEREAS THEIR OTHER PRODUCTS WILL BE CORRECT.

'CAUSE I'VE BEEN TO THAT.

I GO TO THAT SHOPPING MALL QUITE FREQUENTLY 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE I TAKE MY AMAZON RETURNS.

MM-HMM.

, UM, WHAT DOES THE TRAFFIC STUDY SAY? BECAUSE, UM, CHASE ALREADY HAS TRAFFIC ISSUES.

UM, THERE'S ALREADY SPEEDERS, RED LIGHT RUNNERS ACCIDENTS ON CHASE.

WHAT DOES THE TRAFFIC STUDY SAY ON THAT? IT'S ESSENTIALLY A LIKE FOR LIKE SWAP OUT.

SO ALL WE'RE DOING IS LIKE CURRENTLY THE WHOLESALE ACTIVITIES ARE ALLOWED, UM, IN, IN THE SHOPPING CENTER AND WE'RE JUST INCREASING THAT PERCENTAGE.

AND SO THE WAY THE USE WOULD BE OPERATED, IT WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE TRAFFIC THAT'S GENERATED, UH, FOR THE PREVIOUSLY, FOR THE PREVIOUS RITE AID STORE.

OKAY.

AND WHEN DID THIS GO BEFORE PLANNING? IT WENT IN NOVEMBER.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

MM-HMM.

CHIEF.

THANKS NOAH.

GOOD PRESENTATION.

WHAT ARE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE SPECIFIC PLAN? THE SHOPPING CENTER ITSELF? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

OKAY.

AND WHAT'S THE FLOOR AREA OF THE RITE AID STORE? UH, THE TOTAL FLOOR AREA IS JUST OVER 20,000 SQUARE FEET.

OKAY.

SO 20,000 JUST FOR KICKS AND GIGGLES.

OKAY.

SO DID I READ THERE'S SOME LANGUAGE IN THE STAFF REPORT I NEED CLARIFIED.

UM, CURRENTLY YOU CAN USE 15% FOR WHOLESALE OF PRODUCTS AND SELL WHOLESALE 15% UNDER THE CURRENT SPECIFIC PLAN.

I READ ONE PLACE, UH, THE SPECIFIC PLAN PROPOSES TO LIMIT THE COMBINED AREA TO NO MORE THAN 25%.

AND LATER ON I SEE, UH, THE PROPOSED CHANGE WOULD, UH, REMOVE THE 15% MM-HMM.

, HELP ME RE RECONCILE THOSE TWO.

OKAY.

SO, UM, GENERALLY IN RETAIL COMMERCIAL ZONES YOU HAVE THAT 15% THRESHOLD FOR, UM, WAREHOUSING, WHOLESALE, AND DISTRIBUTION WITHIN AN EXISTING COMMERCIAL, UH, BUSINESS.

SO THE EXACT OPPOSITE IS TRUE IN INDUSTRIAL ZONES.

SO IF YOU HAVE A WAREHOUSE IN AN INDUSTRIAL ZONE, YOU CAN ADD 15% SET ASIDE TO RETAIL SALES THAT HAPPEN IN THE FRONT OF THE BUSINESS.

UM, SO THE REQUEST IN THE COMMERCIAL SHOPPING CENTER IS JUST TO ELIMINATE THAT 15% THRESHOLD SO THAT THEY CAN DO THE GREATER AMOUNT OF WHOLESALE AND AND WAREHOUSING.

SO THE REQUEST IS THEY COULD GO AS HIGH AS 85 OR 90% WHOLESALE? YES.

OKAY, GOOD TO KNOW.

AND SO THE, UM, THE DISTINCTION THOUGH ON THE PERCENTAGES FOR THE 25% IS REALLY RELATED TO THE ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO WHOLESALE ASPECT OF THE BUSINESS.

AND SO THE, UM, WHEN ANALYZING THE REQUEST, UM, STAFF WANTED TO ENSURE THAT THEY MAINTAINED THAT NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL ATMOSPHERE.

AND SO THEY, THEY, UM,

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AND WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS A LIMITATION SO THAT THE WHOLE STORE DIDN'T TURN INTO A LARGE, ESSENTIALLY LIQUOR STORE OR SMOKE SHOP.

UM, SO THAT THERE WAS STILL SUFFICIENT ACTIVITY, UH, FOR A RETAIL STORE TO MAINTAIN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL ATMOSPHERE.

SO IN THIS PROPOSAL, YOU'RE SAYING, UH, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL IN A WHOLESALE WOULD BE 25% OF THE 20,000 SQUARE FEET? YES.

UH, OF THE SPACE DEDICATED.

SO WITHIN THE, WITHIN THAT INDIVIDUAL SPACE, 25% DEDICATED TO, UM, TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL COMBINED MAXIMUM, BUT THEN THEY CAN STILL HAVE OTHER WHOLESALE PRODUCTS ON THE FLOOR, WHICH WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR RETAIL OR WHOLESALE PURPOSES.

THE, THE WAREHOUSE STORE CONCEPT? YEAH.

SO SIMILAR TO LIKE A, A COSTCO OR A SAM'S CLUB WHERE, OR SMART FINAL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YES.

OKAY.

UM, SO WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR IS 10.

I GET YOU.

THEY HAVE A WHOLESALE LIQUOR LICENSE, DON'T THEY? YES, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.

DO THEY HAVE A RETAIL LIQUOR LICENSE? THEY DO NOT.

AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO ALLUDE TO IN THE, UH, DISCUSSION ABOUT ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL.

SO THEY HAVE, UM, ESSENTIALLY THERE'S A FEW EXCEPTIONS, BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE A WHOLESALE LICENSE WITH A RETAIL LICENSE AT THE SAME LOCATION.

UM, THERE'S SOME EXCEPTIONS, LIKE IF YOU ARE A MANUFACTURER, SO LIKE A BREWERY CAN HAVE A LICENSE TO SELL RETAIL FOR LIKE A TASTING ROOM, BUT, UM, FOR WHOLE GENERAL WHOLESALE, UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING PER A BC REGULATIONS, YOU CAN'T HAVE A RETAIL LICENSE AT THE SAME LOCATION.

SO WE DON'T EXPECT RETAIL SALES OF ALCOHOL OR TOBACCO AT THIS LOCATION.

UM, WE, SO I'M GOING BACK TO THE WHOLESALE RETAIL NUANCE.

UM, SO, UM, IT, THERE'S THE LIMITATION ON THE 25% WHOLESALE FOR THE WHOLE FLOOR AREA.

YES.

BUT THE UNDERLYING ZONING WOULD STILL ALLOW THE SAME OPERATION AS THE RITE AID OR, UM, VONS.

SO IF YOU GO INTO V'S.

UH, VONS HAS A MAXIMUM OF 10% OF THEIR FLOOR AIR AREA ALLOCATED TO ALCOHOL SALES, AND THEN THEY HAVE THE, UM, MAXIMUM, UM, TOBACCO SALES AREA OF 16 CUBIC FEET.

YES.

SO A STORE, UH, THAT GOES IN HERE COULD PRESUMABLY IN THE FUTURE, UH, OPERATE UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS.

UH, BUT IF THEY HAD THE WHOLESALE ALCOHOL LICENSE UNDER CURRENT A BC REGULATIONS, THEY COULD NOT HAVE A RETAIL LICENSE.

OKAY.

OKAY.

UM, UH, NO OBJECTIONS FROM PEOPLE ON BURNABY STREET.

UM, I RECEIVED, UM, ONE EMAIL THAT ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION.

I PROVIDED THE, THE DEFINITION AND, UH, VIA EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE.

UH, NO OBJECTIONS WERE GIVEN.

UM, I DID GET A COUPLE PHONE CALLS, UM, YESTERDAY AND TODAY.

UM, ALSO ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION.

UM, I PROVIDED THEM WITH THE INFORMATION AS CHARACTERIZED IN MY PRESENTATION.

UM, THEY DIDN'T EXPRESS ANY OBJECTIONS AND SAID THEY WOULDN'T BE ATTENDING TONIGHT.

AND DOES THIS USE, UH, MEET ALL THE SETBACKS IN TERMS OF SO MANY FEET FROM RESIDENCES, SO MANY FEET FROM CHURCHES, RELIGIOUS FACILITIES? DOES IT MEET ALL THOSE REQUIREMENTS? SO THE ISSUE AGAIN, IS THE NUANCE BETWEEN THE WHOLESALE AND THE RETAIL ACTIVITIES.

SO THE RETAIL ACTIVITIES HAVE THOSE SEPARATION STANDARDS AND THEN THOSE, THERE'S THOSE EXCEPTIONS FOR LIKE VONS TO TO HAVE ALCOHOL SALES AS A LARGER, UM, GROCERY STORE.

AND THEN THERE'S THE DIFFERENT REGULATIONS FOR TOBACCO THAT THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW.

UM, UNDER THE WHOLESALE, SINCE IT'S NOT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, IT'S LIMITED SPATIALLY WITHIN 25% OF THE ENTIRE FLOOR AREA.

THERE'S NO SEPARATION STANDARD OR WHOLESALE? CORRECT.

OKAY.

WOW.

THIS ONE'S GOT A LOT OF TWISTS AND TURNS TO IT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

I I, I'LL, I'LL FIGURE OUT IN MY HEAD THE NUANCE PART, BUT I'LL LET SOMEBODY ELSE GO FOR IT.

YEAH.

THE, MY, I I THINK THAT'S A HIGH CRIME AREA.

COULD THEY HAVE RETAIL? UH, COULD THEY GET A LIQUOR LICENSE IN A HIGH CRIME AREA? UM, THEY WOULDN'T MEET THE SEPARATION STANDARDS FOR A LIQUOR STORE, BUT OBVIOUSLY IN THE PAST, UM, RITE AID AND VONS BOTH SOLD ALCOHOL.

RIGHT.

BUT THIS WOULD BE, OKAY, SO THEY WOULD TAKE THE RITE AID LIQUOR LICENSE? NO, THE ISSUE IS, IS THAT THEY ARE PROPOSING JUST WHOLESALE, SO IT WOULD BE NOT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

IT WOULD ONLY BE AVAILABLE TO WHOLESALERS.

YOU COULDN'T SEE IT WHEN YOU WENT IN THE STORE, SO IT WOULDN'T LOOK LIKE A LIQUOR STORE.

UM, AND SO IT WOULD BE SEVERELY RESTRICTED.

OKAY.

SO THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SELL LIQUOR RETAIL UNLESS THEY CLOSE THEIR WHOLESALE SECTION, IS THAT YES.

CORRECT.

CORRECT.

SO AS LONG AS THEY KEEP THE WHOLESALE SECTION, THEY CAN'T SELL RETAIL LIQUOR.

CORRECT.

OKAY.

AND TOBACCO, THEY CAN SELL IN THE RETAIL SECTION? YES.

UNDER THE EXISTING REGULATIONS THAT LIMIT IT TO THE, BASICALLY THE, YOU KNOW, FOUR BY FOUR

[00:20:01]

ALRIGHT.

SO LET, LEMME TAKE A STEP BACK.

WHAT WE'RE ESSENTIALLY DOING WITH THIS AREA IS EXPANDING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE, FOR THESE TWO BUILDINGS IN THIS SPECIFIC AREA TO BE USED.

WE'RE EXPANDING THAT.

SO IT'S EITHER THE VONS WAS OCCUPIED BY VONS OR A VACANT BUILDING, SO WE'RE EXPANDING THE USE.

SO THE EXISTING USE FOR A RITE AID OR A VONS COULD STILL BE THERE IN THE FUTURE IF THIS APPLICANT JUST LEFT.

UM, BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS EXPANDING THE POTENTIAL USE FOR IT TO BE HA UH, WAREHOUSE AND THEN A LITTLE RETAIL.

IS THAT RIGHT? YES, CORRECT.

OKAY.

I THINK I WOULD CHARACTERIZE IT AS, UH, WE TRIED TO LOOK AT IT FROM A FORWARD THINKING PERSPECTIVE.

UM, SO I KNOW OF AN ALBERTSONS IN LEMON GROVE.

UH, IT'S ABOUT 40,000 SQUARE FEET WHERE, UH, THEY CAME IN AND DID A TENANT IMPROVEMENT AND ALLOCATED ABOUT 25% OF THEIR FLOOR AREA TOWARDS, UH, A MORE MODERNIZED DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

RIGHT.

SO THEY, THEY WALLED THAT OFF THE STORE WENT FROM 40,000 TO 30,000 SQUARE FEET.

UM, THEY HAVE A LOT OF RACKS AND FREEZERS WHERE THE PEOPLE THAT GO AROUND AND PULL MERCHANDISE, PULL 'EM ALL, GET 'EM SET UP IN THE COOLERS, AND THEN THEY DELIVER 'EM OUT TO THE PARKING LOT OR THEY LET THE, UM, THE, UH, THE TRUCKS DELIVER, UH, TO YOUR HOUSE.

SO THE IDEA WHEN DISCUSSING THIS WITH THE APPLICANT, UH, WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACCOMMODATED THE, THAT FUTURE V MODEL THAT MAY COME, UH, TO THE SHOPPING CENTER AND THEN TO ALSO, UH, THINK ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, THE INTERSECTION OF HOW LIKE IN AMAZON AND, AND HOW UBER EATS OR, UM, THOSE, UH, INSTA OR THE SHOPPING CARTS, UM, HAVE THOSE CHANGE KIND OF THE OPERATION OF A RETAIL COMMERCIAL SHOPPING CENTER.

RIGHT.

AND SO WE TRIED TO TAKE IT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD SHOPPING CENTER SERVING THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, MAINTAIN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD RETAIL COMMERCIAL ATMOSPHERE.

RIGHT.

BUT ALLOW SOME FLEXIBILITY SO THAT THEY CAN, AND GROW AND MEET THE NEEDS OF CONSUMERS.

AND SO AS YOU STATED, A COUPLE TIMES A, B, C REGULATIONS SAY YOU CAN ONLY HAVE ONE LIQUOR LICENSE, UH, A SINGLE PROPERTY.

AND THIS APPLICANT IS CHOOSING TO DO A WHOLESALE LIQUOR LICENSE.

SO REALLY WE JUST REMOVED A LIQUOR LICENSE FROM THE AREA.

MM-HMM.

FOR RETAIL, IS THAT, IS THAT, IS THAT YES.

YEAH.

OKAY.

SO WE'RE REMOVING A LIQUOR LICENSE FROM THAT AREA.

SO NOW THERE'S JUST THE VONS IN THAT SPECIFIC PLAN THAT HAS THE ONSITE RETAIL SELLING OF LIQUOR BECAUSE IT'S, EVERYTHING ELSE IS WHOLESALE AT THAT PROPERTY.

YES.

UH, BUT IN THE FUTURE, LET'S SAY IF, UM, THE USE WENT AWAY AND RITE AID WANTED TO COME BACK, UH, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EXISTING ZONING REGULATIONS IF THEY HAD A LIQUOR LICENSE YES.

TO TRANSFER THERE? CORRECT.

OKAY.

UM, THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE RIGHT NOW.

UM, HI NOAH.

SO HOW FAR IS THE CURRENT LOCATION OF THE STORE FROM THE NEW LOCATION? UM, I DON'T THINK I MEASURED THAT THE, THE LOCATION IS ON, UH, NORTH MARSHALL.

UM, SEEMED LIKE IT'S ABOUT LESS THAN A MILE TO ME.

PROBABLY A LITTLE OVER A MILE IF I HAD MILE, MILE AND A HALF.

OKAY.

ABOUT A MILE? YEAH, THREE FROM PUBLIC WORKS YARD.

IT'S, IT'S ADJACENT TO THE PUBLIC WORKS YARD.

SO, UM, BEING ADVISED ABOUT THREE MILES.

OH, THREE MILES.

MM-HMM.

.

OH, OKAY.

UM, HOW LONG HAS THE, UM, THE RITE AID STORE BEEN VACANT? UM, I'M NOT AWARE.

I KNOW WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE APPLICANT FOR PROBABLY IN EXCESS OF NINE MONTHS ON THIS APPLICATION.

UH, BUT THE APPLICANT MAY BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT 'CAUSE THEY PURCHASED IT FOR THE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS USE.

UM, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL BRING YOU GUYS UP TO TALK ABOUT IT IN A MINUTE.

UM, DO VACANT PROPERTIES TEND TO ATTRACT HOMELESSNESS? I MEAN, GENERALLY I WOULD SAY, UH, YES THEY DO.

AND IS THERE A HOMELESS PROBLEM AT THIS PROPERTY? UM, I'M NOT AWARE OF A SPECIFIC HOMELESS, UM, ISSUE.

WE HAVEN'T HAD MANY COMPLAINTS THAT I'M AWARE OF.

UM, I WORK WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, THROUGH OUR CODE COMPLIANCE.

WE HAVE A PROBLEM PROPERTIES TEAM AND IT HASN'T, UH, BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION FOR THIS LOCATION.

OKAY.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, STEVE, YOU WANNA ASK ANOTHER QUESTION? YEAH, I NEED SOME FOLLOW UP HERE.

THE STAFF REPORT, UH, UM, UH, THE SPECIFIC PLAN PROPOSED TO LIMIT THE COMBINED TOTAL AREA DEVOTED TO WHOLESALE TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL TO MORE THAN 25% OF THE FLOOR AREA.

MM-HMM.

.

SO WHOLESALE, TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL COULD BE NO MORE THAN 25% OF THE WHOLE STORE? CORRECT.

OKAY.

RETAIL SALES OF TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL WILL CONTINUE TO BE PERMITTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ADOPTING.

I'M HEARING THEY'RE NOT GONNA SELL RETAIL.

MM-HMM.

WHAT,

[00:25:01]

I THINK WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY IN THE, UH, IN THE AGENDA REPORT WAS THAT, UM, THE UNDERLYING RETAIL REGULATIONS WILL CONTINUE TO, TO APPLY.

SO RITE AID WANTS TO COME BACK, UM, THEY COULD CONTINUE TO OPERATE UNDER EXISTING ALCOHOL REGULATIONS.

OKAY.

SORRY, SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU 'CAUSE I'LL GET CONFUSED IF YOU KEEP TALKING BECAUSE YOU, YOU'VE, I THINK YOU'VE ANSWERED MY QUESTION.

OKAY, PERFECT.

THE UNDERLYING CODE WILL STILL ALLOW RETAIL SALES.

THIS PARTICULAR USE IS NOT GOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

GREAT.

THAT'S ALL I NEEDED TO KNOW.

OKAY.

OKAY.

THANKS NOAH.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS ON THIS ITEM? YES SIR.

WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED 11 CARDS, BUT WE WERE ADVISED THAT ONLY MR. VINCE, UH, KALU WOULD SPEAK.

ALRIGHT.

AS A RESULT, SINCE YOU'RE REPRESENTING 11 PEOPLE, VINCE, I'LL GIVE YOU WHATEVER TIME YOU NEED TO MAKE YOUR CASE.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

FIVE MINUTES WILL BE SUFFICIENT.

SURE.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR WELLS AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS VINCE CATULA WITH KAUL AND ASSOCIATES, AND I REPRESENT ISSU INC.

ON ITEM 100 FOR TONIGHT'S AGENDA.

WITH ME TONIGHT IS JEFF MANSOUR, PRESIDENT OF ISSU INC.

AND HIS FAMILY WHO HAVE OWNED AND OPERATED THEIR CASH AND CARRY BUSINESS IN EL CAJON FOR OVER 30 YEARS.

WE'RE HERE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT SEEKING YOUR APPROVAL TO AMEND SPECIFIC PLAN 32, ALLOWING NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTION AND WHOLESALE TO OCCUR WITHIN SPECIFIC PLAN 32.

THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS SIMPLE.

ONE COULD COMPARE IT TO THAT OF A MOM AND POP STYLE COSTCO OR SAM'S CLUB.

THE SITE WOULD BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT CUSTOMERS ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN AN ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP.

PRODUCTS INCLUDE BULK SIZE SNACKS, DRINKS, MEDICINE, FROZEN FOOD PERSONNEL, HYGIENE PRODUCTS, AUTOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT, AND OTHER HOUSEHOLD GOODS.

WHOLESALE, TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE, BUT THEY'RE RESTRICTED TO BUSINESS OWNERS ONLY WHO MUST POSSESS AN ACTIVE RESELLER'S LICENSE, EITHER FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTROL, OR STATE TOBACCO LICENSING.

THE LICENSES THAT THE BUSINESS MUST MAINTAIN ARE ALSO RESTRICTED TO WHOLESALE ONLY.

THEY WILL NOT HAVE ANY RETAIL, ALCOHOL, OR TOBACCO LICENSES.

BOTH TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL WILL BE SECURED OFF FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE STORE AND ACCESSIBLE TO RESELLERS ONLY.

THE SECURED AREA IS EXTERNALLY SCREENED WITH HOUSEHOLD GOODS TO PREVENT ANY VISUAL IMPACTS OR THE APPEARANCE OF A SMOKE SHOP OR LIQUOR STORE.

WE'LL DISCUSS THAT A LITTLE BIT HERE MORE SHORTLY.

THIS ANIMATION SHOWS WHAT THE SITE WILL LOOK LIKE AFTER THE TENANT IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE EXTERNAL FACADE WILL REMAIN THE SAME AS IT DOES TODAY EXCEPT FOR A NEW SIGN.

SO WHAT YOU SEE RIGHT HERE IS THE, UH, ENTRANCE TO THE PROPOSED STORM.

UH, THIS IS AN EXISTING FOYER.

THERE'S ONE WAY IN AND ONE WAY OUT.

AS YOU ENTER, YOU GO THROUGH SOME METAL GATES TO PROHIBIT ANYBODY FROM SHOPLIFTING AND RUNNING OUT THE ONE WAY.

WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW IS A CHIPS AISLE THAT HAS, UH, DORITOS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME CANDY BARS AND, UH, CHEETOS AND SKITTLES AND LAYS AND WHATNOT.

WHAT WE'RE WALKING INTO RIGHT HERE IS A COFFEE BREAK AREA OFF TO YOUR RIGHT.

WE'RE GONNA TURN AROUND AND WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT AGAIN.

ONE COULD COMPARE THAT TO THE HOT DOG AREA OF COSTCO.

YOU CAN GET A A A CUP OF COFFEE HERE, OBVIOUSLY NOT FOR SALE, BUT FOR SIT DOWN FOR CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE BEEN SHOPPING ALL DAY.

THIS IS AUTOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT AND LAUNDRY DETERGENT, BULK SIZED PRODUCTS, UH, AVAILABLE HERE IN, UH, THIS FACILITY.

AS WE CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE STORE, WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS, UH, OTHER SORTS OF PRODUCTS.

WE HAVE SOAP, WE HAVE DRINKS, WE HAVE CEREAL, EVERYTHING AGAIN IN BULK SIZE THAT YOU WOULD FIND AT A COSTCO OR A SAM'S CLUB.

UH, HERE WE HAVE LARGE BARS OF SOAP.

UH, AND AS WE CONTINUE, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, EVIAN CASES AND OTHER SORTS OF DRINKS AND SNACKS.

OFF TO YOUR LEFT, YOU SEE THE CAGE WHERE THE TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL ARE, ARE CAGED OFF AND AVAILABLE TO RESELLERS ONLY.

AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S SCREENED OFF BY SODA POP.

THE ONLY WAY TO KNOW THAT, UM, THERE'S ALCOHOL OR TOBACCO IN THE STORE IS IF YOU GO THROUGH THIS WHOLESALE ONLY RESTRICTED CAGE.

ONCE YOU ENTER, YOU SEE THE TOBACCO, YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THESE AISLES.

THERE'S ALCOHOL HERE AS WELL, BUT AGAIN, COMPLETELY CAGED OFF AND SECURE ONLY FOR RESELLERS

[00:30:03]

AN EXISTING FREEZER WILL SERVE AS FROZEN FOOD.

YOU KNOW, SIMILAR TO COSTCO BULK SIZED PRODUCTS.

WE HAVE KOMBUCHA BY THE CASES THAT YOU WOULD FIND IN THE DRINK SECTION AND STRAIGHT AHEAD WE HAVE A, UH, CUSTOMER SERVICE AREA WHERE MANAGEMENT WILL BE OPERATING THE BUSINESS.

AND AGAIN, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT, UH, HERE YOU HAVE FIVE COSTCO STYLE CHECK STANDS THAT YOU NEED TO GO THROUGH BEFORE YOU EXIT THE STORE IN THE BACK CORNER.

OUR REQUEST THIS EVENING IS THAT YOU AGREE WITH THE OVER 100 WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT, YOU AGREE WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED S SP 32 CHANGES AND ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SP 32 AMENDMENT.

THIS CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.

WE'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

I DO HAVE A COUPLE FOLLOW UPS, IF I MAY, TO COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL'S QUESTIONS EARLIER.

CERTAINLY, UM, THIS USE IS FAR LESS INTENSE THAN THE EXISTING UNDERLYING USE OF A DRUGSTORE PERTAINING TO TRAFFIC GENERATION.

ACCORDING TO SANDAG, NOT SO BRIEF TRAFFIC, UH, GUIDE, UH, DRUG STORES GENERATE 90 TRIPS PER THOUSAND SQUARE FEET AND WE HAVE ABOUT 21,400 SQUARE FEET HERE.

SO THAT BRINGS US TO ABOUT 2000 TRIPS A DAY.

THIS WHOLESALE USE GENERATES 60 TRIPS PER DAY.

THAT'S ABOUT 1200 TRIPS.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA BE GETTING 1200 CUSTOMERS, ALTHOUGH GOD WILLING WE WILL.

UM, BUT, UH, THAT ANSWERS THE TRAFFIC GENERATION REGARDING THE ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO STATE LAW PROHIBITS WHOLESALE AND RETAIL LICENSES FOR ALCOHOL IN THE SAME FACILITY.

WE CANNOT HAVE A RETAIL LICENSE.

THE BUSINESS MODEL DOES NOT INCLUDE A RETAIL COMPONENT FOR ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO.

SAME THING WITH TOBACCO.

WE DON'T PLAN ON SELLING, UH, TOBACCO AS, UH, RETAIL.

AND THEN FINALLY, REGARDING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GOEBBELS COMMENTS ON THE TRUCK, UH, IN THE BACK AND ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE NEIGHBORS ON BARNABY.

UNDER THE CURRENT USE, RITE AID HAS SEMI TRUCKS, 18 WHEELERS THAT PULL IN 24 HOURS A DAY WITH NO RESTRICTIONS.

THE BUSINESS OPERATION THAT WE'RE PROPOSING INCLUDE SMALL BOX TAIL, THOUGHT STYLE TRUCKS, U-HAUL, IF YOU WILL, THAT WILL BE ARRIVING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 8:00 AM TO 3:00 PM MAX.

THEY'RE NOT COMING OVERNIGHT AND UNLOADING WHILE THE STORE IS EMPTY, WHICH IS TYPICAL OF WHAT RITE AID DOES.

NO IDLING.

UM, AND NOTHING OF THAT SORT.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

WELL, FIRST I WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON ONE OF THE BEST PRESENTATIONS I'VE EVER SEEN IN YEARS.

THANK YOU.

SO YOU HIT EVERY POINT THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT.

UH, AND THEN I WANNA ADDRESS THE MAYOR'S CONCERN ABOUT THE ALCOHOL AND THE HOMELESS.

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, HOMELESS GUY ISN'T GOING TO BUY ONE OF YOUR MEMBERSHIPS .

THAT'S, AND THE SECONDLY, THE ALCOHOL IS SOLD ONLY IN THE WAREHOUSE PART.

SO THERE WILL PROBABLY BE AN ACTUAL REDUCTION OF THE HOMELESS ABUSING ALCOHOL IN THAT AREA.

JUST TO CLARIFY, I THAT WASN'T MY CONCERN.

MY CONCERN WAS THE EMPTY STORE ATTRACTING OH, OKAY.

VANDALISM AND HOMELESSNESS AS OPPOSED TO A, A STORE WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING AND GOING.

WELL, YEAH, THAT, THAT WORKS OUT TOO.

BUT YOUR POINT, YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN.

YEAH.

SO, UH, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT IDEA AND WILL BE OF GREAT BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO THANK YOU FOR COMING IN.

THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER KENDRICK.

GREAT PRESENTATION.

EXACTLY.

THAT REALLY HELPS BRING IT HOME.

A QUESTION I HAVE IS, YOUR CAGE DIDN'T SHOW A PRODUCT STACKED UP ABOVE THE SHELVES SO THAT IT COULD BE SEEN, UH, INSIDE THE CAGE SO IT COULD BE SEEN OUTSIDE THE CAGE.

IS THAT YOUR INTENT TO KEEP THAT AREA, UH, FREE SO THAT I CAN'T SEE BULK TOBACCO OR, OR ALCOHOL INSIDE THE CAGE? THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

SO IT'S, UH, VISUALLY SCREENED BY HOUSEHOLD GOODS SO THAT TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL ARE NOT VISIBLE FROM ANYWHERE, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE CAGE.

YEAH.

MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE IF YOU EVER DO NEED TO STACK IT THAT HIGH, THEN IF, IF, UH, THE FIRE CODE ALLOWED OR SOMETHING, YOU JUST MAKE AN OPAQUE, UH, WALL INSTEAD OF A FENCED WELL TAKEN THING.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I, I AGREE.

THIS REMOVES A RETAIL ALCOHOL, UH, PRESENCE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND MAKES IT WHOLESALE.

UH, WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR IS TO GO FROM 2000 SQUARE FEET AS YOU'RE ENTITLED, 10% ENTITLED UNDER A RETAIL USE AS RITE AID IS TODAY TO GO UP TO 25%.

SO IT'LL GO FROM 2000 SQUARE FEET TO 5,000 OUT OF A 20,000.

SEEMS REASONABLE TO ME.

UH, SO FOR ALL

[00:35:01]

YEAH.

AGAIN, I'M JUST GONNA ECHO THE PRESENTATION.

IT'S FANTASTIC.

AND I LIVE IN THIS DISTRICT.

UM, WE GO TO THAT VONS AND I WENT TO THE CVS AND PROBABLY ABOUT A HALF A DOZEN TIMES I SAW PERSONALLY WITH MY WIFE AND MY KIDS, PEOPLE JUST LOADING UP A SHOPPING CART FULL OF STUFF AND WALKING OUT THE FRONT DOOR.

AND SO THE CRIME THERE IS APPARENT IF IT'S JUST ME SEEING IT.

AND UNFORTUNATELY THE CVS STAFF ISN'T GONNA DO ANYTHING.

SO I THINK THIS IS A BIG IMPROVEMENT FOR THE GENERAL AREA THAT CRIMINALS ARE GONNA KNOW.

THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO JUST WALK IN AND TAKE STUFF ANYMORE BECAUSE OF THE MEASURES THAT YOU'RE TAKING, UM, TO SECURE IT.

SO IT, IT, IT SEEMS LIKE A GREAT IMPROVEMENT.

WE'RE NOT LOSING ANYTHING WITH REGARD TO THE EXISTING CODE.

THAT CODE STILL COULD SERVE A PURPOSE, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE.

BUT 1600 PEOPLE A DAY IS YOUR GOAL FOR COMING IN THERE.

I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA GO OUTTA BUSINESS ANYTIME SOON IF THAT'S YOUR GOAL.

SO, UM, AGAIN, I THINK IT'S AN IMPROVEMENT FOR THE AREA TRAFFIC, LACK OF, UH, CRIME AND CRIMINALS COMING IN OR AT LEAST REDUCED.

UM, AND, UH, YOU'RE GONNA KEEP THAT SAME FACADE.

I THINK IT'S GONNA BE AN IMPROVEMENT.

I THINK THE PEOPLE AROUND ARE GONNA, ARE GONNA, ARE GONNA LIKE IT.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING YOUR INVESTMENT INTO EL CAJON.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER ORTIZ.

UH, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING EVERYBODY SAID.

THE ONE THING I WANNA POINT OUT IS THAT I, I WENT AND VISITED THE, THE EXISTING STORE AND IT'S VERY CLOSE TO THE, TO THE STORE IT'S CALLED.

SO IT'S NOT GONNA REALLY CHANGE THE DYNAMICS, BUT IT DOES ENCOURAGE, UH, THE INCREASING OF AN ALREADY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.

I THINK FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.

UM, I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT AN EMPTY RITE AID BECAUSE CVSS AND RITE AIDS ARE CLOSING ALL OVER THE STATE BECAUSE OF THE POLICIES OF THE STATE REGARDING THEFT AND THE BIG BOX, UH, DRUG STORES ARE GETTING OUT OF CALIFORNIA.

SO I DON'T SEE THAT THAT'S GONNA BE, UM, SOME A, A STORE THAT PEOPLE ARE GONNA WANT TO RENT.

UH, CERTAINLY CAN'T PUT ANOTHER GROCERY STORE NEXT TO THE VONS.

SO THIS KEEPS THAT SHOPPING CENTER FROM BECOMING DILAPIDATED AND A AND A HOMELESS MAGNET.

AND SO THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS ENOUGH FOR ME TO VOTE YES ON THIS.

THANK YOU MAYOR WELLS.

UM, ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VINCE.

I APPRECIATE IT.

OKAY, I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

SECOND, PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.

ALRIGHT, I BRING BACK THE COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION.

I THINK WE'VE FLESHED OUT A LOT OF THE ISSUES ALREADY.

SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO ADOPT THE NEXT RESOLUTION, UH, PROVING THE QUA EXEMPTION AND ADOPT THE NEXT RESOLUTION APPROVING AMENDMENT TO SPECIFIC PLAN NUMBER 32.

SECOND PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.

CONGRATULATIONS.

WHEN WILL YOU, UH, BE OPEN TO THE, TO THE PUBLIC TOMORROW? , YOU HAVE TO WORK ALL NIGHT, RIGHT? YEAH.

UM, PROBABLY IN MARCH, YOU KNOW, TWO, THREE MONTHS.

WE, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE GO THROUGH THIS AND MAKE SURE WE GET THE APPROVAL.

AND I'D LIKE TO PERSONALLY SAY THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL WORK OUT AND, UM, WE WANTED YOUR BLESSINGS SINCE WE GOT IT.

WE'RE GONNA START MOVING FORWARD, SO GOD BLESS Y'ALL AND I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

GO MAKE LOTS OF MONEY.

YEAH.

HOPEFULLY AND LOTS OF SALES TAX.

THANK YOU.

YES, YES.

ALRIGHT, UM, THIS BRINGS US TO THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE ADJOURNED REGULAR JOINT MEETING OF THE ELCON CITY COUNCIL.

EL CAJON HOUSING AUTHORITY SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE EL CAJON REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY HELD THIS 12TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2023.

WE ARE ADJOURNED TILL JANUARY 9TH, 2024 AT 3:00 PM MAY EVERYBODY HAVE A HAPPY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HANUKKAH, AND WHATEVER HOLIDAY YOU'RE CELEBRATING THIS TIME MAY BE A GREAT ONE.

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR.

GOOD.