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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1978-0111 WHORTON FINDINGS STAFF REPORT January 11, 1978 APPLICATION: Continuation of Conditional Use Permit 198 APPLICANT: Ashland Colony Inn, Billy L. Whorton LOCATION: 725 Terra Street (tax lots 3400 and 3500, assessor's map 5DA) LOT AREA: Approximately 2.55 acres ZONING: R-3:1.2, Multiple-family residential COMP. PLAN: Medium density residential ORDINANCE REFERENCE: 18.08.482 and 18.28.030 C PROPOSAL: To utilize existing apartments as traveller's accommodations during the period of June 1, 1978 to September 30, 1978 to coincide with the Shakespearean Festival. BACKGROUND: l) 2) 3) This application was approved last year with the following conditions: That any trash receptacles on the premises be shielded from public view; That a "pourous material", such as gravel, be spread over any muddy areas of the proposed parking area; That use of the apartments as "travelerst accommodations" be limited to the period of June 1 - September 30, 1977. APPLICANT'S FINDINGS: (See attached three pages from Billy L. Whorton, Property Manager.) ANALYSIS OF APPLICANT'S FINDINGS: Each of the criteria listed above must be adequately addressed before a conditional use permit change may be granted. The more drastic the proposed change, the greater the burden of proof on the applicant. Note that the applicantts findings are virtually identical to those submitted last year. Note also that the Mark Antony Hotel, the Ashland Hills Mot.~l, and the Black Forest Motel are all scheduled to open for business in 1978. The applicant should be prepared to address the question of "public need" in more depth at the public h~aring. Staff would suggest, too, that should this application be approved, specific reasons for approval be given since a travellers' accommodations proposal was denied at the December meeting. If this application is approved, staff would suggest the following conditions: 1. That additional "pourous material", such as gravel, be spread over any muddy areas of the proposed parking area. 2. That use of the apartments as "travelers' accommodations" be limited to the period of June 1 - September 30, 1978. PUBLIC HEARING CONT. CfjP #198 COLO NN A request for a continuation of Conditional Use Permit #198 to allow ~h~ use of Colony Inn apartments as travelers' accommodations in an R-3:~ multiple family residential zone. Site is located at 725 Terra Ave lot 3500 and 3400, assessor's map 15AD. Mr. Billy Whorton represente Ashland Colony Inn. Winterowd discussed the request for the continued use of CUP #198 and commented on the hotel/motel accommodations that would be ready for summer use. He also commented on the CUP criteria which he said must be adequately addressed by the applicant. The Commission expressed concern about the effect of traveler's acconnnodations on the new hotel and motel businesses. Alderson also mentioned that the area which the Com- mission requested be filled with gravel, under the original conditions of CUP #198, was still a mud hole, and she felt the applicants hadn't comple- tely complied with the Commission's wishes. Mr. Bill Whorton, Palo Alto, said he felt the Ashland Hills motel and Mark Antony Hotel would be dealing with different clientele than Colony Inn and therefore should not cause problems. He said the conditions have not APC, 1-11-78, Pg. 11 changed that much since last year. Mr. Whorton said the parking area was not filled with water last summer, as a matter of fact they had to mow down the vegetation there so it would not be a fire hazard, so they did not gravel it. He said they would gravel it if needed, but they did not feel they had violated the conditions imposed last year. He said they had 1,038 guests last summer and they also paid motel tax. Lou Hershberger, 959 Terra, said he lives across from Colony Inn and would disagree with Mr. Whorton on the parking need because in rainy weather the extra parking area is so muddy cars get stuck there so they park along the street causing congestion. He sa~d he did see several buses parked at Colony Inn last summer but other than the problem with students cars when the parking area is muddy there were no problems in the summer with the guests. Mr. Whorton said he had talked with Shakespearean Festival Manager Bill Patton who told him Ashland has the fourth largest theatre of its type in the U.~ and that most of the visitors stay outside of Ashland because of lack of accommodations. There were no further comments from the public and the Hearing was closed. Shapiro said he had talked with the Chamber of Commerce manager who said the Chamber was planning not to endorse the guest housing concept this year. He reminded the Commission that a guest housing request had been turned down at the December meeting and he feared that approval of such requests would result in applications from all over town. He said he was not against the need for visitor's accommodations, and he knew that owners. made more money by renting apartments and rooms by the night rather than by the month, but he felt this was not a good idea - that the need was more appropriately handled by motels and hotels. Billings said he felt the applicant did not violate the graveling requirement because the area was not muddy in the summertime. Hansen said she agreed with Shapiro's ideas. She felt approval of the request would be opening Pandora's box and using apartments and private homes was not the way to handle the need for tourists and travelers. Hansen said the City has been trying to encourage people to come into town and improve public ~ccommodations and that allowing requests such as the one in question was not a good way to promote this encouragement. Alderson said she agreed with Shapiro, and although it was a hard decision to make because of the need for public accommodations, approving requests such as this would cause problems. Shapiro moved to DENY the request for continuation of CUP #198. Second by Alderson. PASSED unanimously by roll call vote.