Zoning officer approves use permit and parking exception for proposed Lahonda wine bar

A San Mateo County Zoning Hearing Officer on Nov. 5 approved a use permit and an off-street parking exception for a proposed restaurant and wine bar at 8865 Lahonda Road, allowing the establishment to operate with 25 on-site parking spaces where county rules require 32.

Olivia Boo, the project planner, told the hearing officer the proposal is for a dine-in restaurant and wine bar in an existing commercial space of about 5,458 square feet with an approximately 1,900-square-foot outdoor patio. "The number of seats proposed is 98 seats," Boo said, and she explained the recommended conditions of approval and the parking calculation that prompted the exception request. Boo also said the project is exempt from environmental review under Section 15,301, Class 1, for existing facilities or minor alterations.

The planner provided a breakdown of parking allocations among tenants on site (including a post office and Puente, a community-serving organization) and noted the site has 25 on-site spaces while 32 are required for the proposed seating. The applicant and owner were present for questions; staff said some spaces have been signed for special events but otherwise are shared among tenants.

During the hearing the officer and staff clarified that the county treats this use permit with a standard five-year review interval for such uses and that the applicant must file for an extension after five years if they wish to continue under the exception. The applicant described the property as having been used as a restaurant historically and emphasized local demand, saying the location is the only restaurant within about seven miles serving roughly 1,500 residents.

After confirming the applicant had read and accepted the conditions of approval, the Presiding Officer approved the use permit and the off-street parking exception "to allow the operation and tenant improvements for a restaurant slash wine bar within an existing space and allow 25 parking spaces where 32 parking spaces are required by adopting the conditions of approval in Attachment A." The officer noted that any appeal must be filed by Dec. 8 and that the fee for filing an appeal is $1,962.

The zoning hearing officer adjourned the hearing after announcing the decision. No public commenters spoke on the item at the meeting.