Planning commission approves conversion of garage to expanded convenience store at 201 Monterey St.; adds bilingual signage condition on alcohol sales

The Salinas Planning Commission voted unanimously Aug. 6 to approve Conditional Use Permit 2024-065 to expand an existing convenience store and relocate an existing Type 20 off-sale beer-and-wine license into a former vehicle repair bay at 201 Monterey Street in the Central City/Downtown Core overlays.

Tom Weil, senior planner with the Community Development Department, told commissioners the applicant provided a support petition of roughly 252 signatures and submitted a PowerPoint. Weil said the proposal would convert an existing vehicle repair area inside the building into retail space and construct an on-site kitchen; the staff report described the existing convenience store as about 438 square feet and the repair bay area as about 802 square feet, which the applicant proposes to incorporate into the store. Weil said the project was recommended for approval and that staff found it exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under CEQA Guidelines section 15332 (infill development projects).

Weil also reported the property lies in Census Tract 13 and the police reporting district used in the analysis is above the city's average for reported incidents; despite that, the Salinas Police Department did not object to approval and recommended conditions such as a digital surveillance system, ample exterior lighting and posting for trespassing enforcement. Weil said because the alcohol sales are an existing off-sale use, the relocation would not increase the number of off-sale licenses in the census tract.

Applicant representatives Sherry Olsen (PLRC) and Tammy Rosca described the design and operations plans, saying the project would keep the store's alcohol storage square footage roughly the same while moving the coolers and walk-in cooler to the south side of the store. Tammy Rosca said the walk-in cooler is for employee stocking and not customer entry. The applicants said they plan extensive interior and exterior renovations, security measures including about 16 interior cameras and roughly 14 exterior cameras, a point-of-sale system to record alcohol sales, and lockable cooler doors.

Property owner Christopher Davitt, also speaking at the meeting, described the site as a 10-year investment in the neighborhood and said nearby businesses have been supportive.

Commissioners asked about parking and operating hours. The applicant said five parking spaces exist on-site. Staff noted the site is subject to Assembly Bill 2097 (state law), which prevents the city from requiring off-street parking in certain downtown areas; the applicants and staff said no additional off-site parking is proposed and the project would not expand the building footprint beyond the existing structure. The store and fuel services will remain a 24-hour operation; the applicants said the on-site kitchen would operate more limited hours (the applicant estimated roughly 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. for prepared-food service) and that a health permit would be required to move from prepackaged to scratch/prepared food.

Commissioner Carissa Purnell and others proposed an added condition to reduce single-can or single-serving alcohol sales. Commissioner Rook made a motion to approve the resolution finding the project exempt under CEQA and to approve CUP 2024-065 with a modification adding bilingual signage language: the condition requires that a notice in English and Spanish stating "No single-serving or 1-can sales of alcoholic beverages shall be made from the premises" be posted at the cashier station and on cooler doors at all times. Commissioner Gutierrez seconded the motion. The motion passed on a roll-call vote with Commissioners Rakimora, Rook, Gutierrez and Purnell and Chairperson Larissa McKelvey Day voting yes (5-0).

The planning commission's approval authorizes conversion of the interior repair bay to retail and the relocation of the existing off-sale ABC storage within the building subject to the permit conditions, including the bilingual signage and other conditions listed in the conditional use permit. The staff and applicants noted the project will require a health-permit update for the kitchen and that enforcement of alcohol conditions remains within the purview of the city's code enforcement and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

The commission's decision is subject to appeal; staff noted an appeal of the action may be filed with the Community Development Department.