Porterville staff flag fire-safety, sign and permit requirements for 559 Tea House occupancy change

Porterville Project Review Committee staff on Jan. 22 advised an applicant seeking to convert 870 West Henderson Avenue into the 559 Tea House that the project must meet building, fire and sign regulations before tenant improvements proceed.

The committee reviewed a proposed change of occupancy from personal services to a coffee shop cafe and limited tenant improvements. Oscar Cepeda, associate planner and chair of the meeting, said planning comments were limited to signage compliance with the Porterville Municipal Code, Chapter 21, Development Code Section 305, and the Porterville Town Center Master Design Program.

The planning division noted the building is existing and the work is limited to tenant improvements, but the proposed mounted sign appeared to exceed 75 percent of the wall face it attaches to; Cepeda said the applicant must verify and, if required, reduce the sign size to meet code. Temporary signs displayed on-site would require a separate temporary sign permit under the municipal code, staff said.

James Wickersham, chief building official, said the building department’s requirement was administrative: submit the tenant-improvement plans for plan review. "The only comment building would have would be just submitting the TI plans for review," Wickersham said.

Clayton Digna, fire marshal, outlined fire-safety requirements. He said the applicant must provide a fire extinguisher sized and located to meet the fire code and must provide a key for the building’s existing Knox box so the fire department can secure the key. Digna also said that any cooking that produces grease-laden vapors requires a UL 300–compliant fire-extinguishing system.

The applicant, identified in the record as Amy, said the business intends to serve precooked food rather than perform extensive on-site cooking. "We plan on having precooked food," Amy said, and added the site will use a ventless hood system over the fryer and that she would submit equipment specifications. "We will provide all specs and everything from that," she said. Amy also confirmed she would submit required plans and provide the fire extinguisher.

Javier Sanchez, engineering and project management director, reported engineering had no comments on the proposal.

Staff said comments from all departments will be compiled into a Project Review Committee (PRC) letter and sent to the applicant in about two weeks; that letter will list required submittals and conditions for plan approval. No formal motions or votes were recorded during the committee meeting.

The committee closed the PRC meeting at 1:45 p.m.; staff indicated the applicant should coordinate with the fire marshal to deliver the Knox-box key and submit TI plans and sign measurements for code verification.