pages: PlanningBoard/2008-08-11.pdf, 3
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PlanningBoard | 2008-08-11 | 3 | The public hearing was opened. Board member McNamara moved and Board member Lynch seconded the motion to limit the speakers time to 3 minutes. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Alfredo Kawas spoke in favor of the proposal. Ernest Pierucci spoke in favor of the proposal. He is the attorney for a business currently located in San Leandro, that would move to this location should it be converted to office space. He previously represented several yacht brokers with businesses in Mariners Square. Currently there is only one yacht business located at Mariners Square. The current configuration of Mariners Square prevents small businesses from establishing locations at this site. The activity that used to take place in this location provided clients for the restaurant. These clients no longer exist. Steve Farrand, attorney representing the applicant, spoke in favor of the proposal. The applicant purchased the restaurant in 1992 and in 1993 the restaurant had its highest gross sales. In 1996 shortly after the applicant purchased the restaurant the military announced the closure of the naval base resulting in a loss of 18,000 jobs. The staff report does not discuss whether a restaurant is viable in this location. On August 31, 2006 Chevy's decided to vacate this location and since that time the current owner has not received a viable offer to lease the building as a restaurant. Yola Jurzykowski, applicant, spoke in favor of the proposal. The property has been vacant for two years and in that time she has not received a financially viable offer to lease the space as a restaurant. She understands staffs desire to keep a restaurant on this site but it is not economically feasible. If she is not allowed to convert the building to office space she believes the building will remain vacant due to the lack of qualified restaurant lease requests. Onju Updegrave, architect for the applicant, spoke in favor of the proposal. She wanted to clarify a misstatement by staff. As of today, the Carriage House has not been rebuilt. 5,000 sf of office space was approved for the Carriage House but the rebuild has not taken place. Pauline Kelly spoke in favor of the proposal. She doesn't understand why elder care facilities and storage are allowed in this area but not the type of use requested by the applicant. Lars Hansson spoke in favor of the proposal. He works for a company currently located in San Leandro that would relocate to Alameda. Economic conditions in this area have changed making this location no longer viable for a restaurant. The relocation of the business from San Leandro to Alameda benefits Alameda's tax base. Christos Marras, owner of Gold Coast Grill in Alameda, spoke in favor of the proposal. As a 32 year resident of Alameda and local restaurant owner he has observed the Page 3 of 21 | PlanningBoard/2008-08-11.pdf |