After nearly a year of discussions at various commissions, amendments design guidelines in the Downtown Historic Conservation Plan (DHCP) will go for a second round of votes at Thursday’s Planning Commission meeting. The guidelines were previously adopted at a Historic Preservation Review Commission meeting, and— if approved by the Planning Commission— will go before the […]
Candidate Spotlight: Planning Commission Chair Kari Birdseye sees council as next step
After three years on the Planning Commission, including a year and a half as its chair, Kari Birdseye is ready to continue serving the city in a bigger way, hence why she is running for the City Council. “(It’s) the natural next step in my service to Benicia,” she said. Birdseye received a bachelor’s […]
Planning Commission to hear update on cannabis ordinance, next steps
The Planning Commission will hear a presentation from the city providing an update on the adoption of cannabis ordinances as well as further steps for implementation at its Thursday meeting. In the wake of the passage of Proposition 64 in November 2016 which legalized cannabis use in California, the Benicia City Council spent much of […]
Proposed in-law unit regulation changes to go before Planning Commission
Following approval by the Historic Preservation Review Commission at its May 24 meeting, the Planning Commission will be the next governmental body to take up the issue of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) at its Thursday meeting. ADUs, also called secondary or in-law units, are additional units added on the same property as regular residential units. […]
Planning Commission approves vacation of part of N Street
A portion of East N Street being vacated took one step closer to becoming a reality after the Planning Commission voted to approve two applicants’ requests. In order to facilitate the development of a single-family home, applicants Daraius and Judith Tata are requesting the city vacate portions of unimproved right-of-way adjoining two sides of the […]
Planning Commission to consider request to vacate part of residential street
The Planning Commision is tackling whether or not to vacate a portion of East N Street at its Thursday meeting. Applicants Daraius and Judith Tata are requesting the city vacate portions of unimproved right-of-way adjoining two sides of the property located at 121 East N St. In order to facilitate the development of a single-family […]
General Plan report, takeout service approved by Planning Commission
Seven minutes was all it took for the Planning Commission to wrap up its Thursday meeting. The lone action on the agenda was to approve the consent calendar, which contained a number of items all approved by the commission in one motion. The first item on the consent calendar– apart from approving the draft minutes […]
Takeout ordinance, use permit application on Planning Commission agenda
The Benicia Planning Commission meets Thursday, and on the agenda are a use permit for nonconforming outdoor storage of construction equipment and materials, and a Variance for takeout service. The commission held a public hearing on Nov. 9 to discuss the application of the use permit for nonconforming outdoor storage of construction equipment and materials. […]
Planning Commission to vote on West K Street land application
A discussion on a proposed tentative parcel map to create four lots on a 1.38 acre parcel located at 1201 West K St. will ring in the new year for the Planning Commission for their first meeting of 2018 Thursday. David Bates filed an application with the city to renovate a small parcel of land […]
Jim Lessenger: The continuing story of the Pine Lake Reservoir
The site of the former Pine Lake Reservoir, seen from the freeway to the right as one drives west on Highway 780, will remain as it is for the immediate future. That didn’t sit well with the Planning Commission on Nov. 9. Their questions indicated that the planned use for the vacant field is not […]