All correspondence received prior to 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday preceding a Planning Commission Meeting will be distributed to Commissioners to review prior to the meeting. Information submitted after 5 p.m. on that Wednesday may not have time to reach Commissioners, nor be read by them prior to consideration of an item.
Commissioners Paul Estey, Matthew Howard, TJ Welch, Vice Chair Nathan Kieu, and Chair Courtney Christiansen
Please review the section How to Provide Comments to the Planning Commission for instructions. Oral Communications allows time for members of the public to address the Planning Commission on any Consent Item on tonight’s agenda or on any topic within the jurisdiction of the City that is not on the Public Hearing section of the Agenda. Members of the public may speak for up to three minutes unless otherwise specified by the Chair. Individuals may not speak more than once during Oral Communications. All speakers must address the entire legislative body and will not be permitted to engage in dialogue.
All matters listed under “Consent Calendar” are considered by the Planning Commission to be routine and will be enacted by one motion in the form listed below. There will be no separate discussion on these items prior to the time the Planning Commission votes on the action unless the Planning Commission request specific items to be discussed for separate review. Items pulled for separate discussion will be considered in the order listed on the Agenda.
Project Description: Request to Continue. Master Sign Program for the Capitola Mercantile site located within the MU-V (Mixed Use Village) zoning district. Application does not include the adjacent “Mercantile Annex” property fronting Stockton Avenue. This project is in the Coastal Zone but does not require a Coastal Development Permit. Environmental Determination: Categorical Exemption.
Recommended Action: Continue item to the next regularly scheduled Planning Commission meeting on April 2, 2026.
Project Description: Application #26-0055 APN: 035-131-04. Two-year permit extension of #23-0330 for a Design Permit to demolish an existing commercial building (Baash) and construct a new single-family dwelling with a Variance request for the floor area ratio, a Minor Modification request for the maximum driveway width, and exception requests to the rear and side setbacks. The project is located within the MU-N (Mixed Use Neighborhood) zoning district. The project is in the Coastal Zone and requires a Coastal Development Permit which is not appealable to the California Coastal Commission.
Recommended Action: Consider application #26-0055 and approve the two-year permit extension maintaining the original Findings and updated Conditions of Approval.
Project Description: Application #25-0567. APN: 034-162-03. Design Permit for the construction of an attached two-story Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) located within the R-1 (Single-Family Residential) zoning district. This project is in the Coastal Zone but does not require a Coastal Development Permit.
Environmental Determination: Categorical Exemption
Recommended Action: Consider application #25-0567 and approve the project based on the Findings and Conditions of Approval.
Public Hearings are intended to provide an opportunity for public discussion of each item listed as a Public Hearing. The following procedure is as follows: 1) Staff Presentation; 2) Planning Commission Questions; 3) Public Comment; 4) Planning Commission Deliberation; and 5) Decision.
Project Description: Minor Design Permit, Conditional Use Permit, Sign Permit, and Coastal Development Permit No. 25-0464 for the remodel (including exterior façade upgrades) of an existing tenant space within the King’s Plaza Shopping Center (former Rite Aid) to accommodate Vehicle Sales (Tesla) and designated employee parking located at 1475 41st Avenue (APN 034-151-20) and 1404 38th Avenue (APN 034-164-41), within the Community-Commercial (CC) zoning district (the “Project”).
This project is located within the Coastal Zone and requires a Coastal Development Permit which is not appealable to the California Coastal Commission.
Recommended Action: Staff recommend the Planning Commission:
Find the Project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), and
Consider Permit #25-0464, and approve the Coastal Development Permit, Minor Design Permit, Sign Permit, and Conditional Use Permit pursuant to the findings and analysis included in the staff report and subject to the Conditions of Approval.
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How to View the Meeting
Meetings are open to the public for in-person attendance at the Capitola City Council Chambers located at 420 Capitola Avenue, Capitola, California, 95010
Other ways to Watch:
Spectrum Cable Television channel 8
City of Capitola, California YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@cityofcapitolacalifornia3172
To Join Zoom Application or Call in to Zoom:
Meeting link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84412302975?pwd=NmlrdGZRU2tnYXRjeSs5SlZweUlOQT09
Or dial one of these phone numbers: 1 (669) 900 6833, 1 (408) 638 0968, 1 (346) 248 7799
Meeting ID: 844 1230 2975
Meeting Passcode: 161805
How to Provide Comments to the Planning Commission
Members of the public may provide public comments to the Planning Commission in-person during the meeting. If you are unable to attend the meeting in person, please email your comments to planningcommission@ci.capitola.ca.us and they will be included as a part of the record for that meeting. Emailed comments will be accepted after the start of the meeting until the Chairman announces that public comment for that item is closed.
Appeals:The following decisions of the Planning Commission can be appealed to the City Council within the (10) calendar days following the date of the Commission action: Design Permit, Conditional Use Permit, Variance, and Coastal Permit. If the tenth day falls on a weekend or holiday, the appeal period is extended to the next business day. All appeals must be submitted in writing on an official city application form, setting forth the nature of the action and the basis upon which the action is considered to be in error, and addressed to the City Council in care of the City Clerk. An appeal must be accompanied by a filing fee, unless the item involves a Coastal Permit that is appealable to the Coastal Commission, in which case there is no fee. If you challenge a decision of the Planning Commission in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this agenda, or in written correspondence delivered to the City at, or prior to, the public hearing.
Notice regarding Planning Commission meetings: The Planning Commission meets regularly on the 1st Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers located at 420 Capitola Avenue, Capitola.
Agenda and Agenda Packet Materials: The Planning Commission Agenda and complete Agenda Packet are available on the Internet at the City's website: https://www.cityofcapitola.org/. Need more information? Contact the Community Development Department at (831) 475-7300.
Agenda Materials Distributed after Distribution of the Agenda Packet: Materials that are a public record under Government Code § 54957.5(A) and that relate to an agenda item of a regular meeting of the Planning Commission that are distributed to a majority of all the members of the Planning Commission more than 72 hours prior to that meeting shall be available for public inspection at City Hall located at 420 Capitola Avenue, Capitola, during normal business hours.
Americans with Disabilities Act: Disability-related aids or services are available to enable persons with a disability to participate in this meeting consistent with the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Assisted listening devices are available for individuals with hearing impairments at the meeting in the City Council Chambers. Should you require special accommodations to participate in the meeting due to a disability, please contact the Community Development Department at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting at (831) 475-7300. In an effort to accommodate individuals with environmental sensitivities, attendees are requested to refrain from wearing perfumes and other scented products.
Si desea asistir a esta reunión pública y necesita ayuda - como un intérprete de lenguaje de señas americano, español u otro equipo especial - favor de llamar al Departamento de la Secretaría de la Ciudad al 831-475-7300 al menos tres días antes para que podamos coordinar dicha asistencia especial o envié un correo electrónico a jgautho@ci.capitola.ca.us.
Televised Meetings: Planning Commission meetings are cablecast "Live" on Charter Communications Cable TV Channel 8 and are recorded to be replayed on the following Monday and Friday at 1:00 p.m. on Charter Channel 71 and Comcast Channel 25. Meetings can also be viewed from the City's website: https://www.cityofcapitola.org/.