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• Encourage restaurants to stay open later by changing the hour when a CUP is required for <br /> restaurants serving alcohol from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. She noted this change would be City-wide; <br /> • Create a process for modifying existing CUPs requesting to adhere to the new guidelines; <br /> • Capture the new guidelines in the CUP process <br /> Mayor Hosterman and Councilmember McGovern requested clarification on current requirements for <br /> restaurants serving alcohol. <br /> Ms. Ott explained that restaurants are currently allowed to serve alcohol after 10 p.m. with a CUP. Bars <br /> automatically require a CUP. She noted that both the PDA and EVC made recommendations over and <br /> above those of the Task Force, some of which staff supported. The most notable is the ability for <br /> businesses wishing to operate under these guidelines to make such modification within their existing <br /> CUP. Staff also supported their recommendation for annual reporting in order to provide feedback on <br /> the efficacy and acceptance of the guidelines. <br /> Mayor Hosterman said she received numerous comments from the public in just the last two days and it <br /> would seem beneficial, whatever the Council's decision, to bring this back for evaluation and potential <br /> modifications after some specified period. <br /> Councilmember McGovern said the staff report indicated the monitoring report would be prepared by <br /> the PDA but that she felt the City had some responsibility here as well. <br /> Ms. Ott explained that the PDA offered to do so and that staff certainly anticipated assisting in the <br /> process. <br /> Councilmember Cook-Kallio said she was somewhat uncomfortable with the sheer number of phone <br /> calls and emails she had received on this within the last few days and with making a decision without <br /> addressing these concerns. She requested clarification on what the focus of the report would be. <br /> Ms. Ott said they have not laid out that framework but would suggest that it include feedback from <br /> downtown businesses and residents as well information on any complaints or violations. <br /> Ms. Ott stated that staff evaluated the guidelines against the California Environmental Quality Act <br /> (CEQA) and generally found the impacts to be less than significant. The guidelines do not propose any <br /> construction, demolition, changes to underlying zoning or increases in occupancy and these types of <br /> use are already addressed in the City's General Plan and EIR. The one area that seemed to warrant <br /> focus relative to CEQA was noise impacts. While the guidelines do propose an increase in allowable <br /> decibels from 70 to 74 dba in the core area, the guidelines in the transition or residential areas either <br /> decrease or remain unchanged. <br /> She noted that staff received a number of comments over the last two days. Residents' concerns <br /> focused on the noise impacts from increased outdoor music, that residents would be acting as <br /> enforcement agents, that increased vitality could generate more noise, parking, loitering and littering <br /> impacts, that certain business might not be able to provide adequate sound attenuation, and <br /> overcrowded downtown. Staff received requests for the City to build a new parking structure to <br /> accommodate the increased traffic resulting from downtown events. However, staff was also contacted <br /> by a number of residents to share their support for increased activity and vitality in the downtown and <br /> their willingness to tolerate occasional traffic and noise impacts given this benefit. Several residents felt <br /> the increased vitality would actually increase their property values. Several property owners requested <br /> to have their own properties located within the core rather than the transition area. Ms. Ott noted that <br /> the Planning Commission had acknowledged the potential for such requests and recommended an <br /> 8 <br />