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Public Hearing to consider Use Permit application U-18-03 to establish and operate an eight room Bed & Breakfast Inn and Special Events venue located at 4400 Suisun Valley Road, 2 miles west of the City of Fairfield, within the Suisun Valley Agricultural Zoning District "A-SV-20", APN's 0027-020-030, 080, and 090.
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Published Notice Required? Yes _X__ No __ _
Public Hearing Required? Yes _X__ No ___
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Resource Management recommends that the Planning Commission:
1. Conduct a noticed public hearing to consider Use Permit Application No. U-18-03 of Gary and Ying Bacon to authorize an Agritourism facility consisting of an eight room Bed and Breakfast Inn and Special Events venue.
2. Adopt a resolution to Adopt the Negative Declaration and Approve Use Permit U-18-03 subject to the recommended conditions of approval (Attachment A, Draft Resolution).
SUMMARY:
The project involves the construction of a 4,000 square foot barn-styled accessory structure (event barn) to serve as a special event facility adjunct to the Suisun Valley Inn currently operating at the Monroe Ranch. The Suisun Valley Inn is currently permitted via Administrative Permit AD-17-01 as a five room Bed and Breakfast Inn.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The costs associated with filing the Use Permit application and subsequent environmental review have been paid by the applicant to the Department of Resource Management.
DISCUSSION:
Setting
The subject site is located at 4400 Suisun Valley Road, two miles west of the City of Fairfield. The property is situated within an agricultural setting identified as the Suisun Valley Agricultural Region by the Solano County General Plan. Land surrounding the project is utilized for agricultural production, predominantly vineyard cultivation. The site borders agricultural land to the north and south, Suisun Creek to the east, and Suisun Valley Road to the west.
The property is comprised of three Assessor’s Parcels totaling 27.16 acres. The lot is generally flat, exhibiting slopes of less than six percent. The property is predominantly utilized for agricultural purposes, which includes 22.81 acres of land entered into an active Williamson Act contract (No. 1109). Eighteen acres of the site are devoted to seasonal vegetable crop production, five acres are planted in vineyards, two acres are riparian habitat along Suisun Creek, one acre of landscaping surrounds residential development, and one acre of vacant land is reserved for the proposed special event barn and parking. Development on-site is set back approximately ¼ mile from Suisun Valley Road and is clustered near Suisun Creek which meanders in a north-south direction across the eastern boundary of the property. The creek is bordered by large oak and walnut trees. Residential development consists of two structures, which include the 3,980 square foot Suisun Valley Inn as well as a 1,350 sq. ft. caretaker’s residence. A domestic water well and private septic system support development on-site.
Project Description
The project involves the construction of a 4,000 square foot barn-styled accessory structure (event barn) to serve as a special event facility adjunct to the Suisun Valley Inn currently operating at the Monroe Ranch.
The event barn would primarily host weddings on weekends during the summer months. A majority of the weddings are expected to have 150 or fewer attendees; however, some events would draw up to 250 persons. Weddings will typically be held on Saturdays, usually beginning in the afternoon or early evening. A wedding event at Monroe Ranch requires utilizing the entire facility which includes rental of the Suisun Valley Inn; therefore, the site is limited in capacity to host only one wedding per rented weekend.
Temporary staff providing catering and entertainment services would also be employed for each event. Staffing levels would be contingent on the size of the event and can be expected at a ratio of one staff person per fifteen guests. The facility would initially rely on outside catering for food service; however, it is anticipated that a commercial kitchen will be constructed within the event barn at a later phase of the project. Musical entertainment would likely occur at each event, lasting until 10:00 pm.
In addition to weddings, the event barn would also accommodate other types of special events including corporate meetings and charitable events. These types of events would typically occur during a weekday with an anticipated attendance of up to 50 persons.
The Suisun Valley Inn currently operates on-site as a 5-room Bed and Breakfast Inn. The Inn caters primarily to groups of friends or families who visit the Suisun Valley for 2 - 4 days, usually on weekends. In addition, the facility serves corporate retreat business during the week as well as individual travelers for last minute reservations. The Inn does not serve food, however, groups who rent the entire Inn may utilize the existing kitchen. The project would increase the available number of rooms for rent at the inn up to eight.
Access/Circulation
Access to the site is provided via Suisun Valley Road which is oriented in a north-south direction extending north from Interstate 80, to State Route 121 in Napa County (where it becomes Wooden Valley Road). Suisun Valley Road is classified as a Collector road in the Solano County General Plan. In the project vicinity, it is a rural two-lane roadway with centerline striping and unimproved shoulder areas of various widths (no sidewalks or bicycle lanes).
An existing paved driveway runs along the northern property boundary and provides access to the site from Suisun Valley Road.
The driveway is 12 feet in width with one 18 foot wide turnout and is lined on both sides by 58 Southern Magnolia trees. The existing driveway would need to be widened to eighteen feet for a two-way drive with 20 feet of unobstructed width for emergency vehicle access. Alternatively, access along the southern property line may be enhanced to meet the emergency vehicle access requirements.
Parking
The project involves developing guest parking along the eastern edge of the existing vineyard near the Suisun Valley Inn and proposed event barn. A total of 61 parking spaces would be provided atop an all weather gravel or decomposed granite surface. Spaces would be striped and measure 9 feet wide by 18 feet deep.
The project includes utilizing off-site parking at Solano Community College for larger events requiring parking for more than 61 vehicles. The applicant has provided a written agreement with the College for up to 100 additional spaces as needed. The college is located 1.5 miles south of the project site along Suisun Valley Road.
Signage
There is an existing 7 foot tall freestanding sign constructed of painted wood near the entrance of the property along Suisun Valley Road. The ten square feet of sign area faces south and displays the “Suisun Valley Inn, street address, Monroe Ranch, and Member of Suisun Valley Vintners & Growers Association”.
Proposed freestanding signage measures 8 feet tall and consists of 32 square feet of sign area. Signage would face both north and south directions along Suisun Valley Road. The proposed signage would replace existing signage and would be generally in the same location near the entrance to the property.
Domestic Water Supply
The project includes utilizing an existing domestic water well to supply potable water to two 10,000 gallon water tanks to be located south of the event barn. The tanks would then provide domestic drinking water and fire suppression to the proposed event barn.
Wastewater
The project includes the construction of a new engineered private septic system to serve the event barn. This system would be separate from two existing systems serving residential development on-site.
Irrigation Water
The subject property is located within the Solano Irrigation District Boundary and is currently provided with agriculture irrigation water between April and October through an existing agricultural service.
General Plan and Zoning Consistency
The subject site is designated Agriculture by the Solano County General Plan. Table LU-5 of the General Plan provides a description and intent of the Agricultural designation:
The (Agricultural Designation) provides areas for the practice of agriculture as the primary use, including areas that contribute significantly to the local agricultural economy, and allows for secondary uses that support the economic viability of agriculture. Agricultural land use designations protect these areas from intrusion by nonagricultural uses and other uses that do not directly support the economic viability of agriculture.
Further the General Plan identifies ten Agricultural Regions throughout the County, the subject site being located within the Suisun Valley Agricultural Region. Table AG-3 of the General Plan highlights the unique characteristics of each region and summarizes desired land uses.
The (Suisun Valley) provides for agricultural production, agricultural processing facilities, facilities to support the sale of produce, and tourist services that are ancillary to agricultural production.
The subject site is zoned Suisun Valley Agriculture “A-SV-20” consistent with the General Plan designation. Section 28.23 of the County Zoning Ordinance provides a table of allowed uses and permit requirements applicable to this zoning district. As seen on Table 28.23A, crop production, residential development, Bed & Breakfast Inn, and Special Events venue are allowed or conditionally allowed land uses within the A-SV-20 Zoning District.
WILLIAMSON ACT:
The property is predominantly utilized for agricultural purposes, which includes 22.81 acres of land entered into an active Williamson Act contract (No. 1109). Eighteen acres of the site are devoted to seasonal vegetable crop production, five acres are planted in vineyards, two acres are riparian habitat along Suisun Creek, one acre of landscaping surrounds residential development, and one acre of vacant land is reserved for the proposed special event barn and parking. A notice of non-renewal was filed April 7, 2017 on a 3.03 acre portion of the subject property. The proposed event barn and parking are located within the area of non-renewal.
The Suisun Valley Strategic Plan (Page 2-2) recognized that some of the land uses allowed under the County’s General Plan and the Suisun Valley Zoning Regulations are not consistent with the Williamson Act. Such activities include, but are not limited to: bed and breakfasts, hotels, resorts, restaurants, bakeries, and cafes. The Plan recommends that landowners within the Williamson Act seeking to operate such uses need to file for nonrenewal on portions of the property where these activities would take place. Nonrenewal has been filed on the 3 acre portion of the property where the event barn and parking are proposed.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
The Department of Resource Management prepared a Draft Initial Study and Negative Declaration (IS/ND) (Attachment B, Initial Study and Negative Declaration) for the proposed project. The IS/ND was noticed and made available for public review and comment between June 12, 2019 and July 12, 2019 through Solano County and the State Clearinghouse (SCH # 2019069044).
The IS/ND generated comments from the State Department of Conservation (DOC), Caltrans, and two nearby property owners (Comment Letters).
The DOC raised concern about the compatibility of the existing Bed and Breakfast and proposed Event Facility with the established Williamson Act contract. The Williamson Act analysis section of this report as well as the Agricultural Resources section of the IS/ND (2.2 b.) discuss the proposed land use with the existing contract.
Caltrans had no comments or concerns with the project.
Nearby property owners raised concerns primarily about the potential impact on traffic and noise from the existing and proposed land uses. Section 2.12 of the IS/ND discusses project impact on Noise. Section 2.16 of the IS/ND discusses the project impact on Transportation and Traffic. In addition, the applicant has furnished a memorandum prepared by the transportation consultant who performed the traffic impact analysis for the IS/ND addressing concerns specific to traffic (Attachment I, Traffic Memorandum).
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE:
In accordance with Solano County Zoning Regulations, notice of a public hearing was published at least 15 days before the scheduled hearing in the Fairfield Daily Republic.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Planning Commission may choose alternative actions, including:
1. Approve or conditionally approve the use permit for the project; or
2. Deny the use permit; or
3. Continue the hearing in order to obtain additional information.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The proposed project and associated Negative Declaration have been noticed and solicited for review and comment by various local, regional, and State agencies. Any recommended conditions of approval have been incorporated into the draft resolution.
Attachments:
A - Draft Resolution
B - Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration
C - Vicinity Map
D - Assessor’s Parcel Map
E - Aerial Photo of Subject Site
F - Proposed Site Plan
G - Water Usage Analysis Report
H - CEQA Comment Letters
I - Traffic Memo