The city of Ukiah recently approved a permit requested for a Habit Burger & Grill restaurant to operate out of the former Denny’s location on Pomeroy Street.
At the last meeting of the city’s Zoning Administrator this month, a minor site development permit for the project was approved by Craig Schlatter, who also serves as the city’s director of Community Development, after a public hearing in which only a project representative spoke.
However, city staff did note that at least two public comments were received just prior to the public hearing, one that seemed supportive of the project, and one that expressed concern about how the proposed business would affect traffic in the area.
The entrance to the former Denny’s parking lot is very close to one of the busiest intersections in Ukiah, the four corners where Orchard Avenue meets Perkins Street that include two busy restaurants and two busy gas stations. Even closer to the parking lot are ramps leading on and off Highway 101, plus the Perkins Street overpass leading to more highway access and exit points.
In response to concerns raised by both residents and the California Department of Transportation, Senior City Planner Jess Davis said that the applicant modified the project “to address Caltrans’ comment regarding the interchange of Pomeroy and Perkins streets, and this was primarily to facilitate what is called a ‘neck down’ of that encroachment, to narrow the entrance and facilitate a more clear circulation pattern for the property. The applicant has achieved this by ‘necking down” that encroachment, moving it away from the interchange, using a combination of landscaping and curbs, and those landscaping changes will improve the overall coverage of the property, and also enhances the safety considerations for that intersection by ensuring that there is more distance between the stop sign and the exit onto Pomeroy (Street).”
In addition, Davis noted that “the city of Ukiah is undergoing a comprehensive update to a number of streets… and there will be changes to help improve traffic flow at Orchard Avenue and Perkins Street,” and that city staff will “be working with Caltrans on a longterm vision to address the Perkins Street corridor.”
Davis also noted that “the intensity of use at this restaurant is expected to be less than that of the Denny’s, (which) was a 24-hour restaurant that featured service for 72 parking spaces, and Habit Burger is primarily an afternoon and evening establishment” that will have 43 parking spaces.
Issues with people camping on the property were brought up when the Design Review Board considered the project, and Schlatter noted that when he visited the property it appeared that someone was sleeping behind a “pony wall,” and asked if that wall would be removed.
Davis said the wall would be removed, and “that south elevation will be primarily for the staff entrance to the kitchen, and will have bicycle parking. The storage areas will be removed, and the trash closures will be moved to another area.”
The applicant representative added that “we’d love to see this property get redeveloped, bringing jobs to the city and (having) a successful business there. I think everyone in the community wants that.”
Schlatter then approved the permit for the business.
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