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Members of the Danville Planning Commission approved a parking variance request last week that will mean a wider variety of businesses will be able to take up residence at the Rose Garden Shopping Center on Camino Tassajara and Camino Ramon.
At their May 26 meeting, commissioners heard a request from Blake Hunt Ventures, the leasing and property manager for the Rose Garden, asking that the current variance of 12 percent be increased to 27.2 percent. Blake Hunt CEO Brad Blake explained that having the variance would allow them to lease out space to more “personal service” businesses such as nail salons, fitness studios and tutoring services.
Since its opening in 2008, the Rose Garden has been primarily a retail/restaurant area. The initial variance to parking was granted in order to allow the Burke Williams Day Spa to set up shop there.
Town staff explained that each business is allotted a certain number of parking spaces. High turnover uses, such as retail, require fewer spaces because customers park, shop then leave.
Personal service uses like the day spa require a greater number of parking spaces because customers will generally be there for a longer period of time. Since the parking for the Rose Garden was designed to provide 368 spaces divided up between the various tenants, variances must be approved to allow those uses to occupy more than their share of parking.
Blake explained that having more of the personal service uses in there serves the dual purposes of providing additional businesses in the Rose Garden, but also brings in more customers who are likely to stay and patronize the other merchants.
“We’d really like it if this were all retail with a massive parking problem,” he stated. “The parking problem right now is no one is parking there.”
“Retailers are having a difficult time getting the people out of the restaurants and into the stores,” he added. “Of all the uses we’ve listed here we’ve had opportunities to sign leases with them and had to turn them away. They’ve gone to San Ramon or Blackhawk.”
In the variance request, any business vacated would revert to the previous parking variance after 90 days. Blake said that having such a short turnaround time would make it difficult to get another occupant in before the variance ran out. He requested that the commission amend the request to read 180 days.
Commissioners had several questions over the issue, not the least of which is whether it made sense to approve such a large increase in the parking variance. In leading off the public hearing, Chairman Bob Nichols asked Blake how such a change would help him.
Blake responded that having the ability to solicit the wider range of clientele for the shopping center would allow them to fill the space at the Rose Garden and increase traffic.
“If those tenants are out there, conceivably we could put them all in there,” he explained.
Commissioner Lynn Overcashier expressed concern that allowing tenants in there for five years would basically guarantee that it would never change, that the variance would be there in perpetuity.
“I want a line drawn in the sand,” she stated, “that after five years they look at the tenant mix.”
Fellow Commissioner Renee Morgan disagreed.
“Our intent is to keep businesses in Danville,” she said. “I think we should do what we can to keep the businesses here rather than see them go to San Ramon or Blackhawk.”
Another concern expressed was how the parking can be mitigated if a number of new businesses come in and parking becomes an issue.
Danville Principal Planner David Crompton said that a condition of approval is that the parking management plan has to be approved. He said the town could monitor it and if a problem comes up, it can be dealt with.
After some further discussion, the members of the Planning Commission gave their unanimous approval to the 27.2 percent variance.
Now that Burke Williams has closed, it is a moot point
It really doesnt matter much since the day spa will be closed at the end of business day wednesday june 3 and amaranta mexican is soon to follow.
There is really nothing that is a big draw in that center except Navelets. It is not upscale looking or attractive. Just what Danville needs now is more low end retail and nail salons. The developer is grabbing at straws and so is the city council. Yes, increase the parking but it won’t help the deeper issue. And Amaranta closing is no surprise, it has an ugly, cavernous interior (reminded me of my college cafeteria)and the food was average Mexican,dressed up a bit with fancy descriptions, small portions and on the pricey side. The economy needs to come back full swing before small retail owners will move or open new locations. The developer gambled and now wants Danville to help mitigate his losses.
This was a bad idea from the start. Big developer only had dollar signs and didnt understand that most didnt want it changed. I dont shop there or even go to Navelets any longer. The city approved and will do what ever the developer wants to see tax dollars coming in. It needs to be rented to medical, a dentist and bussiness offices if they want to see ot do well.
Family restraunts and local service businesses make the most sense for that center. Doctors, Dentists, insurance agents etc. The density was WAY over built but the developer wouldn’t listen to anyone. That spa sure didn’t last very long. I really think they misunderstood the demographics of the area. This town is full of double income couples that have to work hard to just keep up with their expenses. A day spa probably had less chance than a womens Gym and two of those have tried to locate in Danville of Alamo with out success.
How is Amici’s doing? I tried it out after hearing its virtues extolled by Ralph Barbieri, and should have known better. To me, it represents an attempt to take pizza ‘upscale,’ that only succeeded in making it expensive. Less for more. Are there enough ‘foodies’ in Danville to support a restaurant that pretentious?
Give me Primo’s, or Garlex, just about any day.