Planning commission approves conditional use permit and design review for 103 Twelfth Street for warehouse/wholesale with retail

The Fortuna Planning Commission approved two resolutions to allow a change of use and exterior modifications at 103 Twelfth Street, authorizing a warehouse/wholesale operation with a small retail component at the former Mike’s Brake and Front End building and granting a two-year vesting period for the entitlements.

Community Development Director Sherry Meads told the commission that the site’s general plan designation is Commercial and the property lies in the Commercial Thoroughfare zoning district; the warehouse and wholesale components require a conditional use permit while the retail use is permitted by right. “The size of the building is not changing,” Meads said, and staff concluded the proposed use will generate less vehicular traffic than the former automotive use.

The applicant, represented in the record as Dan Bellamy, proposed exterior modifications including filling in the garage bay doors, installing horizontal hardy board siding with white trim, improving parking striping and providing an ADA path of travel from the sidewalk to the new retail entrance. Staff summarized the planned parking as including one compact space, three standard spaces and one ADA space and described a 25-foot drive aisle to improve maneuverability.

Meads said the applicant proposed decorative redwood tree sculptures in place of required living landscaping in some locations because of maintenance and visibility concerns; the applicant committed to at least three sculptures and flexible placement. Commissioners edited the draft condition of approval so that condition number 2 now reads that the applicant shall add and maintain living landscaping in areas that do not impede access or visibility; the change was moved into the design-review resolution so that living landscaping is required where it does not create access or safety issues.

Staff said the project is exempt from CEQA. Meads noted the applicant requested a two-year vesting period for entitlements citing possible wet-season and financing timing issues; the commission granted the two-year vesting period in both resolutions.

During public comment, an unnamed resident who said she had seen the project online spoke in favor, calling it “absolutely amazing” and saying the proposed retail would provide handcrafted Fortuna souvenirs that are not currently available locally. No speakers raised a formal objection during the hearing recorded in the transcript.

The commission approved the conditional use permit and the design-review resolution by roll-call votes with affirmative votes recorded for all commissioners present. The approved design review includes the parking and ADA improvements, exterior siding and trim changes, and the landscaping requirement that does not impede access or visibility. The permit allows the change of use, but construction and any other permits remain subject to building-permit review and inspections.