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Planning commission approves storage-only accessory building at Roosevelt Avenue property
Summary
The Esplanade Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit amendment allowing an accessory storage building behind a nonconforming residence on Roosevelt Avenue, with conditions limiting the building to storage and requiring staff to file a CEQA notice of exemption.
The Esplanade Planning Commission on Tuesday approved a conditional use permit amendment to allow an accessory storage building at a residence on Roosevelt Avenue, directing staff to file a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) notice of exemption with the San Joaquin County Recorder's Office.
The permit covers a proposed 440-square-foot accessory structure with a 176-square-foot porch at the rear of the lot at the property described in the application packet. The commission’s approval limits the structure’s use to storage and bars conversion to business or dwelling use, staff said.
The city planner told the commission the property sits in a C-2 community commercial zone but contains a nonconforming residential use; the house was built in 1945, before incorporation. The planner said the property received permits in 2020 to convert a garage to an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) and later obtained approval for a home addition and patio cover; the new accessory structure exceeds the 450-square-foot threshold that requires planning commission approval.
During questions, a commissioner asked what would prevent the new structure from later becoming an ADU. Staff responded that because an ADU already exists on the property, state and local rules allow a main dwelling plus an ADU and a junior ADU (the latter built within the main dwelling), so the property could not lawfully add a second ADU in the future.
Danielle, identified in the record as the property owner, and her husband addressed the commission during the public hearing and described the building as a combination storage and family “hangout” area; they said there will be no plumbing and only electrical outlets and lighting. The applicants provided a signed usage letter stating the structure will be used for storage, which the commission made a condition of approval.
Commissioners made the findings required for a conditional use permit under the municipal code and approved the amendment, with staff tasked to file the CEQA notice of exemption.
The approval follows prior approvals and permitted work at the property; staff said the accessory structure’s design—stucco finish and matching color and texture—meets development standards for setbacks, height (maximum 15 feet), and lot coverage for accessory structures in residential zones.
No member of the public objected during the hearing. The commission closed the public hearing before voting to approve the conditional use permit amendment.
