Jan Lucca, who owns Lucca Bar and Grill, 439 First St., received unanimous Historic Preservation Review Commission approval Thursday to make some alterations to a vacant lot at 116 West E St. so he can operate an outdoor bar and restaurant there.
The proposed project would occupy just 2 square feet less than the 3,000-square-foot limit that would have triggered parking requirements, a point raised by Sandra Shannonhouse, who lives at 110 East E St. Shannonhouse was the only member of the public to address the HPRC.
She reminded the commission that bathrooms for the new restaurant would be the those in Lucca’s existing bar and grill.
“This may all be very legal, but it is also very suspect. Is staff once again proposing ‘work-arounds’?” she asked.
Shannonhouse also had concerns about outdoor meat smoking and grilling. Lucca, who has been smoking meat outdoors for four years, has told the Bay Area Air Quality Management District he would abide by the district’s “Spare the Air” days, even though the district doesn’t ban outdoor cooking during those days.
As for his share of the lot owned by Jan Meric, Lucca said accommodations had to be made for three other businesses that also use some of the property.
The only modification the panel made before unanimously approving the design was to require Lucca to work with city staff and either Commissioner Steve McKee or Commissioner Luis Delgado to redesign the West E Street trellises so they would be a stronger component and pick up the cabana theme elsewhere on the property.
The commission also reviewed Benicia’s 37 Mills Act contracts. Associate Planner Suzanne Thorsen said one contractor, the owner of 395 West J St., had gotten behind on a mandated work plan because of a need to make emergency repairs to the house, particularly broken pipes in the cellar.
She said the homeowner will be asking for revisions to the property’s contract to accommodate adjustments needed after making those repairs.
The owner of 441 West J St. failed to file a required annual report or replace front and back windows and rear sliding doors, Thorsen said, which prompted some commissioners to recommend stronger enforcement of the contracts.
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The Commission made the right call on this. Anytime a local business can expand it is for the greater good of the community and inspires confidence in new business starts, in my opinion.
Many years ago when Lucca’s O’Leary’s Pub was rolling, I offered to remove and repaint the weatherbeaten sign on the wall out front. I added an image of a schooner with crates stacked on the deck. Under that, the words “Coastal Whiskey Schooner”, a complete historical fabrication. We put the sign back out and it didn’t last a week before it was stolen.
Great idea. I might actually give it a try upon completion.