Planning commission reapproves entitlements for 119-room Fairfield Inn and adds stormwater and utility conditions

The El Paso de Robles City Planning Commission voted 4-0 on March 11, with Commissioner Lehi recused and absent from the room, to reapprove expired entitlements for a 119-room Marriott Fairfield Inn and Suites and to adopt new conditions addressing stormwater retention and utility coordination.

Staff presented the refile as a reapproval of prior entitlements originally approved by the City Council in May 2016 and subsequently modified by the Planning Commission in January 2017. The project has active building permits, but staff said the entitlement had run out of extensions and state/local rules required treating the filing as a new application. The presentation noted that the project has been reviewed by the Design Review Committee (DRC) for substantial compliance and that staff and the applicant expect the project to remain consistent with the previously adopted mitigated negative declaration.

The commission and staff discussed three new conditions inserted into the draft reapproval resolution: A) post-construction best management practices to retain any new on-site impervious-area stormwater (to address potential Union Road realignment impacts), B) a composite utility plan signed and approved by public utilities prior to building permit issuance, and C) incorporation of public-right-of-way landscape and irrigation plans into improvement plans with approval by the streets division supervisor and community development department. Staff said the applicant has reviewed and is agreeable to the new conditions.

Rob Miller of Wallace Group, the applicant's civil engineer, told the commission the project team has been coordinating with staff and Caltrans on Union Road realignment and that stormwater can be managed either in a basin at the rear of the site or via chambers under parking. Neil Patel of Excel Hotel Group, on the phone, said, "It's our intent and we're committed to moving this project forward and being a good partner with the city." The project representative said the building permit file has been active since 2017 and that recent plan-check corrections were issued in July of the prior year.

Commissioner Neal moved to approve the refile and adoption of the draft resolution PC25‑xxx; Commissioner Kogler seconded. The roll call vote recorded aye votes from Commissioner Christiansen, Commissioner Kogler, Commissioner Connolly and Chairperson Koverubias; Commissioner Lehi recused and left the room. The motion passed 4-0.

Commissioners asked about environmental review and whether any new biological or traffic conditions would trigger additional CEQA analysis. Staff said the project remains consistent with the existing mitigated negative declaration and that recent Caltrans environmental work for the Highway 46/Union Road overcrossing included current biological studies for the area; staff stated no new species or constraints were identified in that work. Staff cautioned that if the project or the conditions materially change in the future, the commission could require updated studies or deny future extension requests.

The commission approved reapproval with the noted new conditions; staff will finalize the resolution language and insert the final resolution number in the record.