Planning commission approves SeaSprite restaurant/hotel CUP with limits on live music and late hours

The Hermosa Beach Planning Commission on Aug. 19 approved a conditional use permit for outdoor dining and on-site alcohol at the SeaSprite hotel and restaurant at 1016 The Strand, adopting conditions that narrowed the applicant’s original request for amplified live entertainment and late indoor hours.

Jake Whitney, associate planner, described the project as an accessory use to an existing legal nonconforming 35-room boutique hotel. "The request before you this evening is to allow for outdoor dining, outdoor amplified live entertainment, as well as on-sale alcoholic beverages consisting of beer, wine, and distilled spirits on an existing outdoor patio," Whitney said. He added that staff evaluated the application against the municipal code and a CEQA Class 1 exemption and recommended approval subject to conditions.

The applicant group — which presented through consultant Steve Rawlings and owner representatives including Scott Sorensen and manager Marina Bollanger — described substantial recent investment in the property and said the restaurant operation supports the hotel. Rawlings said the hotel has installed surveillance cameras, provides a guest ambassador (security) and had invested in a new commercial kitchen and other renovations. "We've invested $15,000,000 in this property," an owner representative said, noting a recent $5 million renovation and new kitchen.

The proposal originally included on-site service of distilled spirits (the applicant indicated it would seek a Type 47 license from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control), outdoor amplified live entertainment and outdoor dining. Staff said the proposed hours were outdoor dining and alcohol service 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, indoor dining 7 a.m. to midnight, and outdoor amplified entertainment noon to 6 p.m. Monday–Thursday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday–Sunday. The property is in the C-1 neighborhood commercial zone and is within the coastal zone.

Neighbors and nearby residents spoke in opposition, saying the site abuts primarily residential properties and expressing concern about noise, vehicle congestion and the cumulative effect of alcohol near residences. Several speakers asked the commission to keep live outdoor entertainment and spirits out of the site because homes sit two or three dozen feet from the restaurant. Supporters — including residents and business owners — said the renovated hotel is a community asset and that allowing spirits and some outdoor dining would help local tourism and keep spending in the city.

During deliberations commissioners and staff discussed whether the proposed uses were an accessory and subordinate use to the principal hotel use and whether the request would intensify a legal nonconforming use. Commissioners also pressed staff and the applicant for specifics about noise complaints and enforcement. Staff reported roughly 15 noise-related complaints associated with the site in the previous 18 months; the applicant said there have been minimal formal enforcement actions.

The applicant offered operational clarifications during public comment and later agreed to key modifications requested by commissioners: withdraw or avoid amplified music; provide a revised floor plan showing the proposed location for any live musicians; limit live music hours and establish earlier indoor closing hours. The commission’s adopted motion required (summary): submission of a floor plan for any live performance area, forbade amplified live music in the outdoor courtyard, limited live music hours (music to stop by 6 p.m.), and limited indoor operations to end at 10 p.m. (rather than midnight as originally proposed). The motion also removed a condition that would limit service strictly to hotel guests and their guests, allowing general public access under the CUP conditions.

The commission adopted the staff resolution with the modifications and found the project categorically exempt from CEQA. The motion carried 5-0.

Conditions of approval also require retained security camera footage for at least 60 days and availability of footage to the Hermosa Beach Police Department upon request, guest ambassador security coverage during evening hours, and that any use of public right-of-way or encroachment be permitted and insured to the satisfaction of the public works director. The resolution includes standard review and revocation language allowing the commission to revisit the CUP if detrimental impacts occur.