Planning commission overturns staff denial for boat-sales minor use permit at 12347 E. Carson St.

The Hawaiian Gardens Planning Commission voted 3-2 on Jan. 29 to overturn a staff denial and find that a proposed boat-sales business at 12347 East Carson Street qualifies for approval under the city's minor use permit standards.

The decision directs staff to return with a written resolution of approval, including the standard conditions the city would attach to a minor use permit. Chair Roman moved to find that the use is boat sales as allowed in the C-4 zone; the motion passed with Commissioners Alvarez and Gonzales joining Roman in favor and Commissioners Winford and Vice Chair Hernandez opposed.

The appeal centered on Surf City Boats Inc., operated locally as part of a Freedom Boat Club franchise, which asked the commission to reverse a planning staff denial. Senior Planner Tonya Pace told commissioners staff "could not make the required findings" in Hawaiian Gardens Municipal Code section 18.100.050(e), saying the application materials made the site appear more akin to boat storage than an actively operated sales lot because the proposed operation anticipated appointment-only visits, limited on-site staffing and use of other waterfront offices for on-water demonstrations.

Applicant Andrew Hart, owner of Surf City Boats Inc. (doing business as Freedom Boat Club of Los Angeles and Orange County), told the commission the business already sells boats and maintains a dealer network and financing and warranty agreements. Hart said the company maintains a local fleet of 45 boats, sold 17 boats last year generating about $1,000,000 in sales, and intends to keep roughly 10 boats on the Hawaiian Gardens site as on-site inventory. "Freedom Boat Club is the oldest and largest boat club in the world," Hart said in his presentation, adding that the site would be staffed and remodeled and that he holds a seller's permit for sales at 12347 East Carson Street.

Commissioners and staff discussed operational details that had informed the staff denial, including projected staffing and hours (the applicant described hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and appointment-based sales), whether the applicant's seller's permit would channel sales tax receipts to Hawaiian Gardens, and what site improvements and security measures (lighting, cameras, landscaping) the applicant planned. Staff said typical follow-up conditions if a permit were approved could include a traffic letter by a traffic engineer subject to review, any LA County Fire requirements, and addressing dedications or right-of-way improvements.

During public comment, neighbor Nicholas Allen said he worried about construction, paving and increased traffic on Tilbury Street and the tightness of the street serving several homes. Hart replied the site includes 10 customer parking spaces and that sales would be by appointment rather than walk-in traffic.

By approving the motion, the commission exercised its de novo review authority and directed staff to prepare a resolution that would memorialize the commission's findings and list conditions of approval. Staff and the applicant said the resolution would reflect standard site-specific conditions and that issuance of a permit would still be subject to those conditions and any further required approvals.

The commission noted procedural limits: approval of the minor use permit would not automatically approve any separate or third-party uses (staff observed any tenant or other use would need its own authorization), and code enforcement remains the city's tool for addressing any future noncompliance. The commission also heard that if the applicant wished to appeal a future denial of the commission, the municipal code provides appeal routes to the City Council.

Planning staff said they would return to the commission with the resolution and conditions at a future meeting for formal adoption and to implement the commission's direction. The hearing was the meeting's sole substantive item; commissioners completed the motion, voted, and concluded the special meeting.