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[CALL TO ORDER]
GOOD EVENING.THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS CALLED TO ORDER, UH, FOR AUGUST 12TH, 2025.
UH, WE WILL, UM, TAKE A MOMENT FOR A SILENT PRAYER MEDITATION AT THIS TIME.
AND, UH, IT'LL BE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, WHICH WILL BE LED BY, UM, CHAIR, CO-CHAIR
SO, VICE CHAIR LEWIS, PLEASE RISE IF YOU'RE ABLE AND FACE THE FLAG.
I 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.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND START WITH A ROLL CALL.
COMMISSIONER CASTANOS, VICE CHAIR LEWIS.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OKAY, SO TONIGHT WE HAVE THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR MEETING OF JULY 22ND, 2025.DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE MINUTES? UM, NO.
UH, THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED AS PRESENTED.
[ORAL COMMUNICATIONS]
MOVE ON TO ORAL COMMUNICATIONS.WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA? ROXANNE, ARE ANY OF THESE CARDS FOR ORAL COMMUNICATIONS OR THE, FOR THE PUBLIC HEARINGS? FOR THE ITEMS. HUH? OKAY.
ARE YOU HERE ON AN ITEM FOR THE, FOR A HEARING OR JUST FOR NO, IT'S JUST A CONCERN.
BUT WE, UM, JUST THE STREET SWEEPING THING IS, IS ROUGH BECAUSE IT'S PARKING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET AT THE SAME EXACT TIMES.
AND THAT MAKES IT HARD TO WORK AROUND.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE'RE ON CAMERON AND WE DON'T HAVE DRIVEWAYS.
WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GET DRIVEWAYS DUE TO THIS COMMITTEE.
AND WE'VE SUBMITTED, AND THEY WON'T LET US GET DRIVEWAYS BECAUSE WE HAVE ALLEY ACCESS TO OUR GARAGE, BUT WE HAVE ADULT KIDS LIVING AT THE HOUSE MORE THAN MORE CARS THAN WE HAVE SPACES TO PARK.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE STREET SWEEPING BEING THE SAME EXACT TIMES ON BOTH SIDES IS A PROBLEM.
YOU KNOW, IT'S SEVEN TO 11 ON WEDNESDAYS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET, AND IT'S JUST A ROUGH THING TO DEAL WITH.
SO I JUST WANTED TO VOICE OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S ALREADY BEING ADDRESSED.
SO, UH, I'VE HAD SEVERAL CALLS MYSELF FROM PEOPLE I KNOW AND I, I KNOW THAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ HAS BEEN ACTIVELY SPEAKING TO PEOPLE REGARDING THAT, THAT RIGHT NOW THEY'RE STILL OKAY AND THERE WILL BE NO CITATIONS AT THIS TIME.
[2. CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 25-02]
SO TONIGHT WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC HEARING, ROXANNE, WHO WILL, UH, PRESENT THE STAFF REPORT TONIGHT.STAFF REPORT WILL BE PRESENTED BY OUR PLANNING INTERN MOLINA RAMIREZ.
I'LL BE PRESENTING ON CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 25 DASH OH TWO FOR 28 87 EAST VALLEY BOULEVARD.
SO THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IS TO UPGRADE, UH, THE CONVENIENCE STORE'S EXISTING TYPE 20, UH, LICENSE TO TYPE 21.
SO GOING FROM THE OFFSITE OF BEER AND WINE TO OFFSITE GENERAL, THE LOT SIZE IS 8,588 SQUARE FEET AND THE BUILDING SIZE IS 2,400 SQUARE FEET.
IT IS ZONED NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL
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MIXED USE AND IT'S LOCATED AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF EAST VALLEY BOULEVARD AND SOUTH SANTIS AVENUE.IT'S SURROUNDING USES ARE COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL.
THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE EXISTING CONVENIENCE STORE ON THE SITE.
THIS IS THE SITE PLAN THAT THE APPLICANT PROVIDED US.
THE ARROW SHOWS THE PUBLIC ACCESS POINT TO THE PROPERTY.
AND THE BOXED IN, UH, AREA IS THE CONVENIENCE STORE ITSELF.
THIS IS A FLOOR PLAN THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT, THE EXISTING BEER AND WINE.
UM, COOLER DOORS ARE IN THE TOP BOX AND THE BOTTOM BOX SHOWS WHERE THE PROPOSED DISTILLED SPIRITS WOULD BE LOCATED.
THE CONVENIENCE STORE WILL HAVE TWO, HAS TWO TO FIVE EMPLOYEES PER SHIFT AND OPERATES FROM SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
IT'LL BE 24 HOURS A DAY AND ALCOHOL SALES WILL BE LIMITED BETWEEN 6:00 AM AND 2:00 AM.
THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED WITHIN CENSUS TRACT NUMBER 4 0 8 1 0.37.
IT'S IN AN AREA OF UNDUE CONCENTRATION.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY FOUR OFF SALE ALCOHOL LICENSES WITHIN THE SUN WITHIN THE SUBJECT CENSUS TRACT, WHICH ONLY ALLOWS FOR TWO OFF SALE LICENSES.
THE CENSUS TRACT IS PRIMARILY RESIDENTIAL WITH A FEW COMMERCIAL LOCATIONS.
THE PHOTO TO THE LEFT SHOWS THE SUBJECT SITE AS WELL AS THE OTHER THREE LOCATIONS THAT CURRENTLY HAVE LICENSES FOR OFF SALE.
ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION PLANNING STAFF RECOMMENDS ADOPTING RESOLUTION NUMBER 25 DASH 61 71 APPROVING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 25 DASH OH TWO.
I AM HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS AS WELL AS THE APPLICANT'S.
UM, NOW WE'LL OPEN PUBLIC HEARING AND WE HAVE, UH, SHERRY OLSON.
ARE YOU THE APPLICANT CLIENT? OKAY.
GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONER AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
UH, MY NAME IS SHERRY OLSON AND TONIGHT I JUST WANTED TO, UH, LET YOU KNOW THAT WE DID REVIEW THE RESOLUTION AND WE CONCUR WITH THE CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL.
I ALSO WANTED TO JUST ADD A LITTLE, COUPLE THINGS.
UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, A POS SYSTEM IN THE STORE, WHICH IS, UH, STOPS THE CELLS OF ALCOHOL.
WE HAVE A LOT OF SECURITY MEASURES IN AND AROUND THE STORE ON THE EXTERIOR.
WE HAVE CAMERAS ON THE EXTERIOR, CAMERAS ON THE INTERIOR.
WE HAVE, UM, LOCKABLE COOLER DOORS.
WE HAVE IP ADDRESS WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT PD SO THEY CAN HAVE ACCESS TO OUR CAMERAS AT ANY TIME THEY NEED 'EM.
UH, WE'VE BEEN A GOOD COMMUNITY NEIGHBOR.
THE O OWNER HAS BEEN THERE FOR 30 YEARS AND HE WANTED TO SHARE WHAT, UH, EXCI EXCITING NEWS FOR THE STORE HE SHARED WITH ME TODAY.
SO I WANTED TO BRING HIM UP HERE SO HE CAN EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
MY NAME IS MANJI SINGH AND, UH, I'M IN THE LOCATION FROM, UH, LAST 30 YEARS AND STORE'S BEEN THERE FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS.
AND, UH, I'M OPERATING THE STORES, UH, IN VERY GOOD CONDITIONS AND NEXT YEARS IN MARCH.
AND WE ARE GOING TO REMODEL THE STORES, BUILDING OUTSIDE AND INSIDE STORES.
WE'RE GONNA CHANGE ALL THE EQUIPMENT, UH, COOLER DOORS, FLOORS, UH, SLUR MACHINES, SODA MACHINES, ALL THE GONDOLAS.
WE'RE GONNA SPEND ALMOST LIKE A HALF MILLION DOLLAR NEXT YEAR IN MARCH.
IT'S ALREADY APPROVED AND, UH, IS READY TO GO.
IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I CAN ANSWER THAT.
WE DO WORK, UM, HAND IN HAND, LIKE I SAID, WITH THE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY CONCERNS WITH OUR REQUEST.
UH, WE'VE BEEN IN THAT CENSUS TRACK SELLING BEER AND WINE FOR 30 YEARS AND WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY POLICING ISSUES.
WE'VE BEEN A GOOD COMMUNITY NEIGHBOR WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AND AS WELL AS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR US.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, SIR? UM, NO.
I JUST ASK YOU PLEASE APPROVE THIS.
NOW WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.
OH, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK? OH, I'M SORRY.
I DIDN'T HAVE A CARD BECAUSE I DIDN'T FILL ONE OUT.
UM, WELL, IF I'M FOR ALCOHOLIC GAS STATIONS, I'M
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FOR, FOR THIS GUY.UH, THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE IS, UH, UM, THERE ARE THOSE, UH, APARTMENTS THAT ARE, IF YOU GO DOWN HIS ALLEYWAY, THERE'S, THERE'S ALWAYS TROUBLE UP THERE.
IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN FOR 30 YEARS.
BUT I THINK, UH, THIS, THIS PANEL SHOULD, UH, DO WHATEVER IT CAN TO HELP OUT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO I, I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD APPROVE THIS.
AND NOW WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE WILL OPEN COMMISSION DISCUSSION.
DOES THE COMMISSION HAVE ANY, UM, QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? YES.
I JUST HAD A QUESTION FOR, UH, STAFF.
I'M NOT SURE WHO TO DIRECT THIS TO.
UM, SO, UH, IF WE GO INTO REQUIRED FINDINGS, IT SAYS THERE'S NO CONCERNS FROM THE WEST COVINA POLICE DEPARTMENT REGARDING THE PROPOSED USE.
UH, THE ONLY REASON I AM ASKING ABOUT THIS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN TOLD IN ONE PROJECT, UH, IN FRONT OF THIS COMMISSION THAT THERE WERE NO CONCERNS ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVED.
AND THEN LATER UPON APPEAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WAS STATED.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHO IN WEST COVINA POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ARTICULATING THAT THERE'S NO CONCERNS ABOUT THIS.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE FOR THE RECORD.
SO WHEN THE PROJECTS ARE TAKEN IN, THEY ARE ROUTED TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUILDING DEPARTMENT.
CURRENTLY IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE, UM, DANNY ARMAS, I'M FORGETTING HIS POSITION.
I'M NOT SURE IF HE'S A LIEUTENANT OR SERGEANT.
UH, BUT HE DID LET US KNOW THAT THERE WAS NO, UM, HIGH ACTIVE CRIME IN THE AREA AND THERE WAS NO CONCERNS FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IS THERE A MOTION? WELL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION.
MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THIS COP NUMBER 25 DASH OH TWO SECOND.
CAN ROXANNE THAT BE? ABSOLUTELY.
I HAVE A FIRST BY COMMISSIONER CASTELLANOS A SECOND FROM CHAIR LEWIS.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE.
UH, THIS DECISION WILL BE FINAL UNLESS A WRITTEN REQUEST FOR AN APPEAL IS PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL WITHIN 10 DAYS.
SO THE ATTORNEY, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ THE RESOLUTION NUMBER? YES, PLEASE.
THIS IS A RESOLUTION NUMBER 25 DASH 61 71, A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA APPROVING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 25 DASH TWO.
AND I, I JUST WANTED TO, ROXANNE, I'VE, I HAVEN'T MET YOU BEFORE, SO, UH, JUST NICE TO MEET YOU.
HAVE YOU BEEN WITH THE CITY OF WASA PRIOR TO? I JUST NEVER MET YOU.
WE HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET, SO, UM, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.
UM, I'VE, I HAVE RUN INTO A FEW OF YOU BEFORE.
UM, AND I HAVE INTERACTED WITH SOME, I REMEMBER WHEN, UM, COMMISSIONER CASTANOS WAS MAYOR WHEN I WAS FIRST, UM, BROUGHT INTO THE CITY OF WEST, WEST COVINA.
SO THAT WAS IN OCTOBER OF 2021.
SO IT'S A PLEASURE TO SEE ALL OF YOU HERE AND TO BE FILLING IN TONIGHT BEING THE UNDERSTUDY, IF YOU WILL, UM, FOR OUR, UM, FOR OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE PRESENT.
[COMMISSION REPORTS/COMMENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS]
UH, COMMISSION REPORTS, COMMENTS, MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT OR OTHER COMMENTS? ANYTHING TO COMMENT ON? NOTHING NEW.UH, ROXANNE, DO YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS TO REPORT? YOU KNOW, I DO HAVE A FEW COMMITTEE UPDATES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE FOR THE COMMISSION.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE FIRST ONE.
THE VETERANS AND FAMILIES PANTRY REFILL COLLECTION EVENT BEGAN ON AUGUST 5TH AND WE'LL CONTINUE THROUGH AUGUST 20TH, TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 10:00 AM TO 4:00 PM AT THE ELKS LODGE, LOCATED AT 8 41 WEST MERCED AVENUE.
UM, NUMBER TWO, THE READING ADVENTURE AND FLOWER PLANTING EVENT AT THE SHADOW OAK COMMUNITY CENTER WILL BE TAKING PLACE NEXT WEEK ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 19TH FROM THREE 30 TO 5:30 PM UM, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING, UH, THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING AT HOME OR ANY OF OUR MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE, AND OF COURSE OUR COMMISSIONERS, WE DO ASK THAT YOU PLEASE CONSIDER PRE-REGISTERING SO THAT YOU CAN PLANT YOUR VERY OWN FLOWER.
AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY
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MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICT WILL BE HOSTING A COMMUNITY MEETING PRESENTATION ON MOSQUITO PREVENTION AND PROTECTION ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20TH, 2025 AT 12:00 PM AT THE CORTEZ PARK COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER.AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THIS EVENING.
UM, ARE THERE ANY CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS TO REPORT? NO, THERE ARE NO ACTIONS TO REPORT TONIGHT.
HAVING OTHER BUS, UH, FURTHER BUSINESS, THE MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED AT SEVEN 18.