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same operation in Atlantic City in which his son had experienced and he thought it was a safe and fun activity. However, he did not believe the municipal codes have caught up with the trend, whereas gun ranges have existed for a long time. Commissioner Brown inquired about other options in the code that could lead to different interpretations to classify this use as other than what it's been deemed. Ms. Hagen responded that in this particular zoning district, the classification options that were considered were an indoor recreational facility which would require a Minor Conditional Use Permit (MCUP) or a bowling alleys, pool halls, indoor bocce courts and other similar uses which require a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). Staff believes it is more similar to a bowling alleys, pool halls, or indoor bocce court which was the more conservative approach. Commissioner Balch inquired whether staff reached out to other neighboring municipalities that allow this use. Ms. Hagen responded that she had reached out to planners in other cities who voiced no concerns; however, she did not speak with those cities' Police Departments to obtain feedback. Chair Allen inquired about other cities allowing this use and whether they were located in similar neighborhood centers or more industrial areas. Ms. Hagen said she did not have background on the locations of the uses in other cities. Chair Allen inquired about the zoning of this location, noting this is PUD -Commercial. She asked how this relates to the Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District. Ms. Hagen responded that, per the PUD, use requirements fall back to Service Commercial (CS) and not Neighborhood Commercial (CN). The particular PUD for this center is somewhat unique in that each building within the shopping center points to a different section of the PMC. In this case, all uses permitted in the building within which the Axe Lounge is proposed relate back to the Commercial Services District. Mr. Dolan added that the axe -throwing lounge located in Berkeley is on Telegraph Avenue between Parker Street and Blake Street and is in a commercial location near the UC Berkeley campus, which is a similarly zoned area as the proposed project location. THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS OPENED Applicant Michael Hill gave an overview of his experiences in owning other related businesses (escape rooms) and mentioned the trend surrounding axe -throwing lounges. He gave an overview and displayed photographs surrounding the trend and explained the safety measures involved for all individuals who sign up to play, including that it is within a controlled environment and there are barriers established between lanes. He said the North American Throwing Association has thousands of members throughout Canada and the United States, and there are thousands of social media followers that will continue to grow. He recognized that safety is a concern for everybody and said no one can Excerpt: Draft Planning Commission Minutes, August 14, 2019 Page 2 of 6