Dahan Use Permit for an RV Park

Daniel Dahan, owner of a 2.22-acre parcel located on the east side of U.S. Highway 101 near the Oregon state line, has applied for a Use Permit to establish a Recreational Vehicle (RV) park. The site is currently developed with a manager's quarters and three motel units contained within a single building. An additional structure located south of this main building is proposed to be demolished. The parcel lies within the California Coastal Zone and is governed by the County's Local Coastal Program. It carries a General Plan Land Use designation of Visitor Serving Commercial (VSC) and a zoning designation of Commercial Recreational (CR). Mr. Dahan proposes to construct a five-space RV park utilizing park model RVs to be rented as short­term visitor accommodations. Historically, the site was occupied by the Pelican Beach Motel, a multi­unit structure extending from the current manager's quarters to the northern boundary of the property. Aerial imagery from CaliforniaCoastline.org suggests the motel was demolished sometime between October 2002 and September 2005. In July 2004, a prior owner received Use Permit UP0414C for a manager's residence, art gallery, gift store, and pastry bar. The manager's quarters were subsequently remodeled, but additional improvements were limited to the demolition of the existing motel and installation of a new on-site sewage disposal system. Concerns had been raised at the time regarding the condition of the wastewater system. An evaluation concluded the site was suitable for a conventional septic tank/leach field system. A new system was installed between the highway and the proposed RV park location based on that assessment. According to Lee Tromble, a registered civil engineer who designed the system, it has sufficient capacity to serve both the existing uses and the proposed RV park. A new septic tank will be added to the existing system. The reserve area has been delineated in the improvement plans submitted with the Use Permit application. Water will be supplied by the Smith River Community Services District, which has confirmed adequate service availability for the proposed use. Site access will be provided via an existing encroachment on U.S. Highway 101. The combined existing and proposed uses are expected to generate approximately 15 to 25 average daily vehicle trips, with traffic volumes anticipated to be evenly distributed between northbound and southbound directions. A continuous center turn lane exists along the property's highway frontage. Given the low projected traffic volumes and the presence of this turn lane, no roadway improvements are recommended. As part of Use Permit UP0414C in 2004, Caltrans submitted comments indicating that commercial access must meet Caltrans standards and that any work within the U.S. Highway 101 right-of-way would require an encroachment permit. Review of historic aerial imagery does not show evidence of any subsequent modifications to the highway access. Caltrans will be notified of this project through the State Clearinghouse and will have the opportunity to comment during public review. A biological assessment for the project was prepared by Galea Biological Consulting (GBC) following unpermitted grading activity on the site. County staff were concerned that sensitive biological resources may have been disturbed or that an existing drainage feature had been altered. GBC's report identified a small drainage ditch along the eastern edge of the property, at the base of a hillslope. The ditch is lined with young red alder (A/nus rubra) and includes areas overgrown with invasive species, including English ivy (Hedera helix) and Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus). Historically, the ditch flowed northward and discharged onto the neighboring property. To prevent flooding, the flow was rerouted via a rocked surface water intercept drain to direct water southwest through the subject parcel. GBC recommended a SO-foot non-development buffer on the west side of the drainage channel at the base of the hillslope. This buffer has been incorporated into the project design and is shown on Figure 3 of the GBC report, which is attached to this Initial Study. In addition, GBC conducted a biological records search and a field survey to determine the presence of any special-status species, migratory birds, or sensitive plant species. No suitable habitat was found for any of the species identified in the records search. GBC recommended that any construction within 200 feet of the hillslope occur outside the nesting season for migratory birds (February 1 to August 15), or alternatively, that a nesting bird survey be completed immediately before construction. If active nests are found, a no-disturbance buffer of 200 feet should be maintained until nesting concludes. Both mitigation measures have been included in this study.