Vallejo, CA - Vallejo planners to revisit denied application from motorcycle club

OFF THE WIRE
BY: Jessica A. York
 timesheraldonline.com
The Vallejo Planning Commission may take a second look at a proposal to allow a motorcycle club to set up shop on Broadway Street.

The commission voted on the issue earlier this month, denying the application from the Bay Area Desperados in a 5-2 vote. City Planning Division staff has recommended the commission approve the application, with several conditions concerning hours of operation, entrance to the site, landscaping and event parking.

The Desperados were already using the former union hall at 1971 Broadway St. as a clubhouse last year when complaints from neighbors alerted city officials to the unpermitted use and shut it down. The club applied for its permit in April.

The agenda for Monday's commission meeting contains a request by a commissioner to reconsider the "no" vote, because the commission did not offer time to members of the bike club to speak during the last meeting.

The proposed re-hearing of the issue will need approval by a majority of the commission before it can be scheduled for September.

Some 36 neighbors to the clubhouse signed a petition asking the commission to ban the club, citing continuous problems with noise, parking, late operations and other issues. A club member joined city officials to speak with concerned neighbors last month, according to a city staff report on the issue.

"A major concern of neighbors opposed to the project is that -- despite the good intentions of Desperados board members, their 'by-laws' ...
and Planning Division conditions of approval -- past history has shown that club members are either unable or unwilling to self-regulate themselves and guests," wrote city Associate Planner Marcus Adams in a commission report.

Club representative Frank Fox reports about 25 active Desperados members, for a total of 40 -- about half from Vallejo. Fox could not be reached for comment Friday.

In other agenda items, the Commission will review a permit to reopen a 24-bed senior assisted living facility at 1101 Louisiana St., the former home to Evergreen Healthcare skilled nursing facility. The former business was shut down in 2006, and is not associated with the new facility applicants, according to a commission staff report. Zoning for the property has changed over the years, meaning the applicant will need a special dispensation to open the proposed business. A staff report states that the property has drawn little interest from potential lessors in the past several years, other than for medical uses.

To view the full Planning Commission agenda and reports online, visit www.ci.vallejo.ca.us and click on "city agendas."

Contact staff writer Jessica A. York at (707) 553-6834 or jyork@timesheraldonline.com.









If you go




What: Vallejo Planning Commission meeting
When: 7 p.m. Monday
Where: Vallejo City Council Chamber, 555 Santa Clara St.

At issue: Re-hearing for proposed Broadway Street motorcycle club; and use permit to open a new senior assisted care home on Louisiana Street.