TO: Chair and Members of the Planning Commission
THRU: Anna Pehoushek, Assistant Community Development Director
FROM: Arlen Beck, Associate Planner
1. Subject
title
Public Hearing: A request to allow an escape room as a commercial recreation facility located at 20 City Blvd. West, Unit 100 (Conditional Use Permit 3212-23).
body
2. Summary
The applicant proposes to establish and operate a 4,236 square foot Escape Room at The Outlets at Orange as a commercial recreation facility.
3. Recommended Action
recommendation
Adopt Planning Commission Resolution No. 02-24 entitled:
A Resolution of the Planning Commission approving Conditional Use Permit 3212-23 to allow the establishment and operation of an Escape Room as a commercial recreation facility at 20 City Blvd. West, Unit 100.
end
4. AUTHORIZING GUIDELINES
Orange Municipal Code (OMC) Sections 17.08.020 and 17.10.030.C.1, authorize the Planning Commission to review and take action on Conditional Use Permits. A Conditional Use Permit is required for a commercial recreation facility in the Urban Mixed Use Zone (UMU); in this case, an Escape Room which constitutes a commercial recreation facility.
5. project background
|
Applicant: |
Sam Olendroff representing the Permit Place |
|
Property Owner |
Simon Property Group - Gary Duncan |
|
Property Location |
20 City Boulevard West, Unit 100 |
|
Existing General Plan Land Use Element Designation |
UMIX (Urban Mixed Use 30-60 DU/AC F.A.R. 1.5-3.0) |
|
Existing Zoning Classification |
Urban Mixed Use (UMU) |
|
Site Size |
73 acres (4,236 square foot for tenant use) |
|
Circulation |
Vehicular access to the subject site is via Chapman Avenue, The City Drive, Lewis Street, and Metropolitan Drive. The City’s Master Plan of Arterial Highways designates Chapman Avenue as an “Augmented Primary” highway with a minimum right-of-way width of 100 feet, The City Drive is designated as an “Augmented Major Arterial” highway with an ultimate right-of-way width of 120 feet, and both Lewis Street and Metropolitan Drive are designated as “secondary” arterials with ultimate right-of-way widths of 80 feet. All streets in the vicinity of the subject site are fully dedicated and improved. |
|
Existing Conditions |
The subject site is developed with The Block at Orange shopping and entertainment center and The City Plaza Tower. The Outlets at Orange is presently developed with 889,198 sq. ft. of building, which includes approximately 79,000 sq. ft. of communal space. |
|
Surrounding Land Uses and Zoning |
North - High-rise and mid-rise office towers and a high rise hotel zoned UMU. South - An office building zoned UMU and the Garden Grove (State Route 22) Freeway. East - County of Orange jail and court facilities, Orangewood Home, and UCI Hospital zoned P-I and R-1-6 (Residential, single-family, minimum lot size 6,000 sq. ft.) West - Mid-rise office towers and multi-family housing zoned UMU. |
6. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The proposed tenant space will be the former Papaya Clothing Outlet at the Outlets at Orange development owned by Simon Properties. The use will fit well into the surrounding spaces as there are other entertainment and commercial recreation facility uses such Lucky Strike (bowling) and Dave and Busters (arcade) nearby. The majority of uses adjacent to the tenant space include entertainment, commercial recreation, and retail/mercantile use.
Section 17.13.030 of the Orange Municipal Code (OMC) includes “commercial recreation facility” as a specific land use under the general category of “entertainment uses.” A commercial recreation facility, such as the Escape Room, is a conditionally permitted use in the Urban Mixed Use (UMU) Zone. Section 17.04.022 of the OMC also generally defines “Commercial recreation and entertainment” as “establishments providing participant or spectator recreation or entertainment, either indoors or outdoors, for a fee or admission charge” and does not include ‘adult-oriented businesses’ or ‘bars, lounges, and nightclubs.’ The Code further provides that “Illustrative examples of commercial recreation and entertainment uses include: athletic clubs, bowling alleys, ice/roller skating rinks, scale-model courses, and similar uses.”
The proposed Escape Game use will be open 7 days a week, from approximately 8:00 AM - 2:00 AM. No food or drink or alcohol is proposed to be served. The establishment will serve all ages. Games are offered based on a set schedule of times that can be booked in advance (similar to movie times). In general each game is available every 90 minutes, allowing for 60 minutes of game play, 10-15 minutes of before/after game briefing and debriefing and 15 minutes to prepare the room for the next team play. Each available game typically starts in 15-minute staggered increments allowing for games to be available for guests to begin at all points throughout the day.
There will be two shifts per day (AM and PM) and typically have 6-10 team members for each shift. The proposed business will serve approximately 100-350 guests daily, and each guest spends around 1.25 hours at the location.
A single or combined group of up to 12 players (depending on game size) are put together in a themed room with a 60-minute countdown to solve the game. While the team plays the game, a game guide monitors the teams from a separate control room using a series of cameras and a live audio feed. The game guide can also speak to the team during the game through a microphone system if needed and is able to control all game components remotely from a digital touchscreen.
Development Standards
No new construction is proposed, and no development standards analysis is warranted
7. analysis and statement of the issues
The project complies with all of the development standards of Title 17, Zoning, of the Orange Municipal Code. Staff believes that the use is compatible with the mix of uses at the Outlets at Orange and does not anticipate impacts to surrounding businesses or residents.
8. public notice
On January 4, 2024, the City sent a Public Hearing Notice to a total of 453 property owners/tenants within a 400-foot radius of the project site.
9. environmental review
Categorical Exemption: The proposed project is categorically exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per State CEQA Guidelines 15301 (Class 1 - Existing Facilities) because the request consists of the establishment of a commercial recreation facility within an existing commercial building and results in no expansion of area beyond that existing at the time of the City’s determination.
10. ADVISORY BOARD ACTION
None.
11. ATTACHMENTS
• Attachment 1. PC Resolution No. 24-02
• Attachment 2. Vicinity Map
• Attachment 3. Project Description Letter
• Attachment 4. Project Site Photographs
• Attachment 5. Project Plans