Planning Commission denies Smoke Club 13 site plan after applicant stops responding

The La Verne Planning Commission on Aug. 26 voted to deny a site plan application for Smoke Club 13, a proposed 2,759‑square‑foot building at 5234 Murfreesboro Road, after staff said the applicant stopped engaging with the city and 17 outstanding items in the staff report remained unresolved.

Planning staff member Logan told commissioners the applicant submitted plans in May and attended prior workshops in May and June, but “they submitted in May, and they were here for the May and, June workshops. And then after that, we didn't hear from them. And so staff reached out to them, and they've not engaged with the city since the June.” Logan also noted the applicant had exhausted available deferrals, triggering commission action under the bylaws.

A commissioner moved to deny the site plan “due to the 17 items as listed in the staff reports,” and a second motion was made and approved by voice vote. The motion to deny carried after commissioners voted “aye”; no recorded roll‑call tally was provided in the record.

The denial means the site plan will not be approved as presented. Staff noted the applicant’s lack of responses since June and the exhaustion of allowable deferrals as the practical reasons for bringing the item to a vote in the fourth month, per commission procedure. The staff report and the listed 17 outstanding items were referenced but not read into the record in full.

The commission did not direct staff to take additional action beyond the denial, and no timeline for any resubmittal by the applicant was recorded.