HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - May 17, 1995 PHCITY OF LODI
COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
C4<rFot���v'
AGENDA TITLE: Communications (April 26, 1995 through May 9, 1995)
MEETING DATE: May 17, 1995
PREPARED BY: City Clerk
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Discussion and appropriate action.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The City of Lodi received a letter from Terry Knutson, on behalf
of Cottage Bakery, Inc., requesting City Council's consideration
of appeal regarding required fire sprinklers for buildings located
at 203 South School Street.
FUNDING: None required.
ac eline L. T for
ctin City Clerk
JLT
Attachment
APPROVED:
THOMAS A. PETERSON
City Manager
cc -1
We- ('Cu 'Qu:.
Cottage Bakery, Inc.
P.O. Box 1720 / 40 E. Neuharth Drive
Lodi, California 95241-1720 .7 1- E y 1
(209)333-8044 FAX: (209)333-742 `
Z F V~ 03 P!1 T 50
F A X M F M-,Q�r'1
TO: Ms. Jackie Taylor DATE: 4/25/95
FROM: TERRY KNUTSON RE: Construction Application #8670
Dear Ms. Taylor,
I am requesting the opportunity to appeal to the City Council the requirements
being placed on my business in regards to fire sprinklers for my buildings located
at 203 S. School St. at the earliest possible date.
On July 25, 1994 I submitted drawings and in writing requested from the City
Building Dept. all issues and fees in regards to my proposed Cafe' addition to my
School St. bakery (copies of the request and their response a mere ten weeks and
three phone calls later enclosed). Based on their response and our analysis of all
our costs it was determined we needed as many seats as we could comfortably fit
into the seating area to justify a capital investment of $500,000 into this project.
We developed our concept on that basis, submitted our drawings for approval,
ordered equipment and hired people to execute this plan.
Four weeks into plan check the Fire Marshall says due to the fact this project
exceeds 50 seats (which was indicated on the plan presented in July) it moves the
building into another code occupancy class therefore the City is now requiring
me to put sprinklers not only this building but the bakery building also. Why was
I not informed of this major cost when I specifically inquired in July? This will
require an additional investment of up to $30,000 and will hold up this project by
1-2 months, which will cost an additional $20,000.
I, with Larry Wenell, met with the Fire Marshall in regard to this issue on April
5 to discuss his position. In that meeting he agreed this requirement is not an
issue of protecting lives but is a local Ordinance that has been adopted to save the
city response resources IF we ever had a fire and in reality no one was there to
take immediate action. He told us he would review the plans in regard to our
position and give us an answear the following week. We received that answear
when I called 5/24 to inquire when the permits would be ready, He is requiring
that both buildings be sprinkled.
The code occupancy is ironic that we could have hundreds of people into the
space as a retail store and 50 seated in the cafe and meet the code, but only 51
seated in the cafe exceeds the code. We have been required at great expense to
provide automatic, heat sensitive double nozzle fire supression devices on every
cooking device with automatic shutdowns for both gas and electrical feeds (this
cost $27,000 for these two buildings and is already in place or included in our
current plans and budgets), plus fire extinquishers located directly in all cooking
areas and located through out all working and seating areas, we have an
abundance of exits from these buildings equipped with panic releases in case an
emergency exit is necessary and all this is in a non smoking environment. If we
have more than 50 people sit down in this Cafe we are required to spend $30,000
in addition to the $30,000 we already have spent on fire equipment not to protect
them but to protect my property. I believe this requirement which is new and
now being phased in is a violation of the agreement I moved forward on, is
unnecessary, a financial hardship, not cost effective and burdensome to me as a
taxpayer and citizen. I am requesting this Council grant a Waiver of this
provision based on the facts and good common sense.
We planned to invest a half of million MORE dollars in this property in this
declining area due to the fact we own this property and feel this is the only way
we can utilize our property and have any hope of getting a return on our
investments. It is our intention to build one of the finest Cafe's in Northern
California to complement our Bakery operation. While this has been our plan
for many years it has been necessary for us to adjust the concept and increase our
investment to make this a destination more than capture impluse sales from local
traffic to have any hope of success due to the continued declining traffic patterns
and values in this area. Our plan is consistant with what this Council says it wants
to see in this area and it is being done without any cost to the City. To increase
the costs 10% and hinder us with additional delays is counterproductive and is not
in my best interest or yours.
Sincerely,
Tj� y�Knutson
29 N. Allen Dr.
Lodi, Ca. 95242
Cottage
Bakery, Inc.
i`>�c ; .,r?., f- w.1• r r per �i
TO: Roger Houston DATE: July 25, 1994
Building Department
City of Lodi
FROM: Terry Knutson RE: Preliminary Plans Bakery Cafe'
axammasoa:axasaaaaaxaas�aaaaasxaaxeaaaaaasamaammaaaaasaamaaasa:sa.
Dear Roger,
Enclosed are the concept drawings for an addition for a Cafe' to
our Lodi Bakery at 203 S. School Street. We plan to utilize the
existing building used for Parrett's.
Please advise on what problems if any, we will encounter with the
city to get permit approval.
Please advise on what impact fees we will be charged as we are
currently running our financial analysis to see if we can make this
project pencil out. I appreciate your earliest possible response.
Sincerely,
Terry R. Knutson
CITY COUNCIL
JACK A. SIEGLOCK, Mayor
STEPHEN J. MANN
Mayor Pro Tempore
RAY G. DAVENPORT
JOHN R. (Randy) SNIDER
PHILLIP A. PENNINO
October 4, 1994
CITY OF LODI
CITY HALL, 221 WEST PINE STREET
P.O. BOX 3006
LODI, CALIFORNIA 95241-1910
(209) 334-5634
FAX (209) 3336795
Mr. Terry Knutson
Cottage Bakery, Inc.
203 S. School ST.
Lodi, CA 95240
THOMAS A. PETERSON
City Manager
JENNIFER M. PERRIN
City Clerk
BOB McNATT
City Attorney
Re: Preliminary Fees and comments for Bakery Cafe'
Dear Terry
Enclosed are the estimate of fees.
Also 1 have talked with Mr. Schroeder regarding parking and
lie says that will not be a problem.
I checked with Water/Waste-Water and as you can see, there
will be some additional sewer service units (S.S.U.'S)charged
for this project.
Also noted on the plans you provided, the exiting from the
restaurant can probably be accomplished with some
modification of the hardware on the existing doors.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to
call me at 333-6714.
Sincerely
Phil Schrock
NEW DWELLING: NO. OF BEDROOMS
RESIDENTIAL ADDITION: NO. BEDROOMS
RESTAURANTS
CENSUS NUMBER
Type III - N
437
AREA
BVD
S/AREA
VALUE
5,000
338
$25.00
$125,000.00
SQUARE FOOTAGE
SQUARE FOOTAGE
0
329
527.00
$0.00
GARAGE SQ.FT
0
171
518.30
$0.00
PATIO SQ.FT.
0
173
$13.10
$0.00
TOTALS
5,000
$125,000.00
BUILDING PERMIT FEE
$808.75
PLAN REVIEW FEE
S525.69
MECH PERMIT
5105.00
ELEC PERMIT
$170.00
PLMB PERMIT
$80.00
S. M. I. P. FEE
512.50
ZONING PLAN REVIEW
515.00
TOTAL PERMIT FEES
$1,716.94
NEW RESIDENTIAL S.S.U.'S
0.00
SEWER FEE
50.00
ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL S.S.U.'S
0.00
SEWER FEE
-s0.00-
COMMERCIAL S.S.U.'S
4.30
SEWER FEE
$9,025.70
ADDITIONAL SEWER FEES
$0.00
ADDITIONAL WATER FEES
5180.00
TOTAL FEES
$10,922.64
Cottage Bakery, Inc.
P-O.X)X tri • 10DI s CA1J )R41 fn 962 1-1720 • P110XB(W9)3$3-8M • xnx.US-7428
may 12, 1995
Toil►► 'Peterson
City Manager
City at Lodi
221 hest Pine street
P.O. box 3"fi
Lodi, CA 95241-1920
Subiects Business Conditions in the City of Lodi
Dear Toa,
I am writing to you in. regards to the continuing escalating costs
and controls being imposed on my business to continue to operate
in this city. With Janet gone, Henry Rice retired and you leaving,
I am lost where to turn to try and migrate the following list of
problemsa
1) My utility rates prohibit me from operating my plant during peak
production periods of 3200 to 7:08 P.M. daily due to a Peak Period
pricing policy by the Electrical Department . I alts trying to grow
fay business but cannot be in production during these periods. This
Makes no sense.
When I gilt this plant in 1960 you and Mr. Rice carpe to us and
asked us to be good citizens and support this City. I passed up to
8200,000 in rebates from P.G.& Z. for our ice builders and stayed
with the City of Lodi on the basis rate relief was coming for large
Industrial users In 1 to 2 years.
I met with fir. Rice in 1989 asking when this was going to happen,
he said he was working on a proposal and it would be in the next
year. It is now 1995, my electrical bill exceeds 8150,099 per year.
Is it a fact that 20% - 30% of that Dill to used to subsidize this
cities general fund? This is a tax I never intended to pay and will
not continue to pay.
We are currently studying ways to take our plant 109% off line to
try to control these costs. Not being able to operate my plant
continually on a daily basis costs us huge amounts of money and
renders us uncompetitive and unable to meet our customers needs on
a timely basis.
2) The waste treatment plant is monitoring the solid Counts in our
discharge from our School Street Bakery and Production Plant. They
Intend, to raise our costs due to the fact we use very little Hater,
thus we have high solid counts. We thought water conservation was
a priority. Shall we solve this problem by increasing our water
use? It will save me money.
MRY-12-1995 13--48 94% P. 01
I'1Fi'r- 1 1'?5
12:!:52 _.__ P. 01
Cot
tag, a Bakery, Inc. _
P.MIKK IM • LOM • CAJUR)RNIA 96f41•1720 0 PH0NR ('009) 3834M4 + IIAX =3-74228
31 My garbage rates for march 1995 are as followsi Lodi Bakery
0674.47, Stockton Bakery 5240.06 and Sacramento Bakery 8248.09 and
my plant refuse cost vas $1,052.63. Is this another eswwle of the
City using its industrial base to subsidize its residential
customers? It is to the detriment of its citizens the City has
chosen to allow one firm to control this business. My Stockton
store does 50# more volume than Lodi yet my rate is only 350 of the
cost due to having 2 companies competing for the business. The
figures speak for themselves. We used to be able to negotiate our
own rates but the City many years ago decided it had the exclusive
right to control the movement of waste across City streets and
decided to set rates for us, the results are not good.
4) The Fire Marshall in this city continues to be a problem to we
and many others. He has come to my plant and stores and placed
restrictions up to the point of requiring us to trim the trees in
front of ray plant up from the ground so that ZZ we ever have a fire
and JZ it is at night and ,Z there was someone standing under these
trees they Ii not be able to see theca. If you ever want to
understand the frustration all business people feel with the
Government intrusion into our lives. reread the last sentence.
The fire Karshall wrote me a letter on April 24, 5 weeks into pian
check, to inform me that he requires sprinklers) and it will take
6 weeks for this portion to be checked and to allow extra time for
resubmittal. Is this the 1990's or the 1950'x. t received Realth
Department approvals in i week. I can assure you I regret ever
starting this prosect and only proceeded because I have deep
financial comnaitmanta involved.
I now GA being required to spend my time, energy and money to f ight
to be relieved of a requirement to sprinkle my buildings on School
Street when I specifically went to that Planning Department to get
definitivee costs on what it will take to build my cafe in that
location. Again, I relied and acted on the Information given to me
and am now confronted with additiorikl requirements and delays Which
will cost me over *50.900 more than I had planned.
When I brought these concerns to your planning director his
attitude was lees than encouraging. I an very interested in how you
and your staff position yourselves in regard to solving this
problem in my appeal to the City Council. I will not play politica
With this and Will present my case at the meeting ubleh I have yet
to be informed. I sent a letter on 4/25 in regard to the issue to
the Acting City Clerk from which I have yet to receive
response.
Hy building permit application was filed on 3/15/93. I am still
waiting for thea to be issued. My compet it ion, Boston Chicken, was
built from the ground up in 63 days, less then it takes to get
tenant improvements approved to an existing building.
MIRY -12--1995 13:49
92% P.02
MAY- 12-19')::: f' 02
Cottage Bakery,Inc.
P.O.eOx i780 e UNN • CA>E X)RNrnaWi-1720 • PH(WS(2W):33-W44 a =- WS -7428
51 The City Council has Decided that another round of Downtown
Revitalization Will offset the continued planned rerouting of
$mopping traffic patterns within the city from the old central
business district to the new perimeter based large shopping areae.
It to interesting that now we are zoned out of business we can be
taxed back into prosperity. Wath busineee license tax increases on
one hand and assessment district taxes an the other the idea that
moving trees and building an Arch will increase my business are
not logical to me. I invested a lot of money to off site
Improvements for downtown Id years ago, do you plan to have me do
It again? I did not kill downtown and do not feel responsible to
resurrect it. I still believe that my being left alone to invest
sty money in the places I Choose to build my business is the moot
effective thing I can do for myself, my employees, customers and
neighbors. To invest my limited capital into moving trees or fire
systems to save the City response money is not.
I have listened to the people of City Hall talk about $upporting
downtown Lodi Futile watching them consistently vote to alter the
unique character of this city. I don't hear well but I see real
good. I believe when we see the Rescue Mission donating their time
to trim the trees downtown because the City does not have the money
to do it is indicative of the actual commitment to this area.
I ant writ ing you of ray concerns: in regards to the above and what
action you will take on them. it is very difficult for me to
continue to try and grown ray business under these conditions and
costs. I hear about this City wanting to maintain its job base and
attract more, yet I continue to feel the interest of the old tax
base are being traded for the interest of a new tax base. I Will
never trade an old friend for a new one, but all indications are
my best interests will be served by becoming a new one somewhere
else.
8lncerel ,
Terry R. Knutson
MAY -12-1995 13:50
I"IRY-12-1995 12:54
922
TOTAL P. 03
P. 03
DI
OF •
P. • BOX 3006
n P
LODI, CALIFORNIA•
4</FOPS`
SUBJECT: Public Hearing on June 7, 1995 to discuss appeal from Terry Knutson on behalf
of Cottage Bakery, Inc. regarding required fire sprinklers for buildings located at
203 South School Street
PUBLISH DATE: SATURDAY, MAY 20, 1995
TEAR SHEETS WANTED: ONE
AFFIDAVIT AND BILL TO:
DATED:
advins/forms
MAY 18, 1995
JACQUELINE L. TAYLOR
ACTING CITY CLERK
ORDERED BY:
n
LINDA S. NICHOLS
DEPUTY CITY CLERK
CITY Ok LODI NOTIG.._ OF PUBLIC HEARING
Carnegie Forum Date: June 7, 1995
• . 305 West Pine Street, Lodi Time: 7:00 p.m.
For information regarding this notice please contact:
Jennifer M. Perrin
City Clerk
Telephone: (209) 333-6702
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Wednesday, June 7, 1995 at the hour of 7:00 p.m.,
or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, the City Council will conduct a Public
Hearing to consider the following matter:
a) appeal from Terry Knutson, on behalf of Cottage Bakery, Inc., regarding
required fire sprinklers for buildings located at 203 South School Street
Information regarding this item may be obtained in the office of the Community
Development Director at 221 West Pine Street, Lodi, California. All interested persons
are invited to present their views and comments on this matter. Written statements may
be filed with the City Clerk at any time prior to the hearing scheduled herein, and oral
statements may be made at said hearing.
If you challenge the subject matter in court, you may be limited to raising only those
issues you or someone else raised at the Public Hearing described in this notice or in
written correspondence delivered to the City Clerk, 221 West Pine Street, at or prior to the
Public Hearing.
By Order of the Lodi City Council:
cq line L. Tay
cting ity Clerk
Dated: May 18, 1995
Approved as to form:
't';obby W. McNattt
City Attorney
JACITYCLRKIF0RM51N0TCDD.D0C 5116195