Planning commission approves conditional use permit for cannabis retail at 2235 Broadway with parking limits noted

The Eureka Planning Commission voted unanimously to adopt a resolution finding the conditional use permit exempt from CEQA and conditionally approving a cannabis retail and restricted cultivation use at 2235 Broadway, with conditions intended to address parking, site improvements and future corridor changes.

Assistant Planner Gonzales presented the application, describing the site as a roughly 2,120‑square‑foot parcel on the western edge of the city developed with a two‑story commercial building. The staff report and preliminary site plan allocate about 701 square feet for retail with viewing rooms, 439 square feet for restricted cultivation, and roughly 450 square feet for office and employee areas. Proposed hours are Thursday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.; staffing was described as two part‑time employees with a maximum of four on site at peak times. Staff confirmed one park‑compliant parking space could fit in an unimproved area north of the building during a site visit.

The nut graf: Caltrans and other referrals raised concerns about parking and access along Broadway as future corridor improvements could remove on‑street parking; staff added conditions to require bicycle parking, lighting upgrades, waste screening and a written acknowledgment from the applicant that on‑street parking is not guaranteed and that on‑site parking, if later proposed, must be limited to employees.

Staff noted the project is in the Service Commercial zoning district and that cannabis retail requires a conditional use permit under Eureka Municipal Code Chapter 158; general cannabis uses can be principally permitted in the district but retail requires discretionary review. Caltrans requested an encroachment permit for work within its right‑of‑way and warned that planned Broadway multimodal improvements could eliminate nearby on‑street parking, recommending any on‑site parking be reserved for employees because the unimproved area is narrow and would require backing onto Broadway.

The public hearing included support from an adjacent property owner, Kenneth G. Fleck, who said he welcomed investment and expected improved lighting and security around the site. The applicant was represented by Suzanne with Margo Advisors, who was available to answer questions.

Commissioner discussion noted long‑term corridor planning and the risk that future bike lanes and Caltrans‑led improvements could reduce on‑street parking. Commissioners and staff discussed that the municipal code does not require new parking for a change of nonresidential use under certain thresholds; staff added a condition making clear that the applicant cannot rely on unauthorized or off‑site parking and must accept that on‑street parking might be removed in the future. Staff also required short‑term bicycle parking, upgraded lighting, and screened waste and recycling as conditions to be verified before certificate of occupancy is granted.

A motion to adopt a resolution finding the project exempt from CEQA and conditionally approving the conditional use permit for cannabis retail at 2235 Broadway passed on a roll‑call vote of four in favor (Commissioners Kraft, Freitas, Lazar and Chairwoman Meyer).

Key numeric and site details in the record: staff reported the building had last held a business license in 2018, the parcel was abated in February 2011, and the site has been assumed vacant since 2019. The planning action requires the applicant to obtain all required city and state cannabis licenses and any Caltrans encroachment permit for work in the right‑of‑way; staff will verify required physical improvements before final occupancy.