A public hearing to consider proposed improvements to the building that hosts the Ukiah Hospice thrift store on South State Street has been continued to Thursday morning.
According to the staff report prepared for the hearing which began on Dec. 13, “applicant TCW Equipment (Nena and Michael Caviness) submitted an application to renovate and reuse the existing structure at 401 South State Street for a combination of ‘General Retail’ and ‘Small Product Manufacturing’ uses.”
City planning staff describe TCW Equipment as “a California-based company that specializes in providing equipment and supplies for the wine, cider, beer, and spirits industries (and) their retail offerings typically include production and processing equipment (for winemaking and brewing) such crushers, destemmers, presses, fermentation tanks, bottling lines, and kegs.”
At the first public hearing held during a meeting of the Zoning Administrator last week, Chief Planning Manager Jessie Davis said the building at the corner of South State Street and both Clay and Main streets was built in 1949 and hosted “a number of businesses, most notably a Sears catalog store and warehouse distribution facility. Most recently, and currently, it is a second-hand thrift store.”
The project up for consideration by Craig Schlatter, who serves as both the city’s Community Development Director and its Zoning Administrator, was a proposal to “renovate and reutilize that structure for both a retail and small product manufacturing activity” by TCW Equipment, which includes:
Interior and exterior improvements to a commercial warehouse and adjoining showroom to enhance functionality, aesthetics, and customer experience. Most drop ceilings will be removed, with cables managed and ductwork painted to complement a modern design, as well as improved safety. The front building will serve as a showroom with office space and a customer-focused area, featuring restroom upgrades and a small beverage station; a portion of the warehouse will be reserved for light manufacturing and product assembly. Electrical work will include modernizing panels and restoring 3-phase service to meet operational needs. Creation of a designated shipping and receiving area, along with outdoor storage, within the rear parking lot of the property, reconfiguring a portion of the existing parking area to accommodate loading and unloading activities and establishing a secure, screened outdoor storage area for materials and equipment. These improvements are designed to create a safer, more efficient environment for employees and an accessible space for customers that improves alignment with the Phase 1 streetscape aesthetic and design.Schlatter said at the first hearing that he had concerns about the project, describing “the application as incomplete at this point, and maybe if I had seen the site and really understood what the vision was, maybe I could get on board, (but) my biggest issue here is that I wasn’t actually able to see what the vision was for this site,” said Schlatter, explaining that city planning staff members had “called ahead to let the applicant know we would be there, but there was no one there and he could not enter the building.
“I want to continue this item,” said Schlatter, then scheduling another meeting with the applicant during the hearing, noting that “the project overall looks great, and we definitely want to see improvements to buildings in the downtown, and all over the city.”
The public hearing was then continued to 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, with staff noting that “a site visit has been scheduled for the Zoning Administrator and Applicant at 9 a.m. on Dec. 19 to ensure this consideration is addressed.”
The hearing will be held at the Civic Center Annex, 300 Seminary Ave., in Conference Room 3.
To participate virtually, go to the following link: us06web.zoom.us/j/84710192091
To view the meeting (without participating), go to: www.cityofukiah.com/meetings/
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