Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCBOA-02-21RESOLUTION NO. CBOA 02-21 A RESOLUTION OF THE CONSTRUCTION BOARD OF APPEALS OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA, DENYING THE APPEAL OF SHANE KRAMER, ON BEHALF OF SQUARE DEAL RECORDINGS AND SUPPLIES, INC., AND UPHOLDING ADMINISTRATIVE CITATION NO. 22649. WHEREAS, the Construction Board of Appeals of the City of San Luis Obispo conducted a public hearing via teleconference at 1:00 p.m. on April 26, 2021, on the appeal of Shane Kramer of Administrative Citation No. 22649 issued to the Square Deal Recordings and Supplies, Inc. (the “Appellant”) on October 15, 2020, for violations of Municipal Code 15.02.010, California Building Code Section 105.1 (Permit Required), and Municipal Code Section 17.36.020 (Service Commercial (C-S) Zone) (“Administrative Citation”); and WHEREAS, notice of said public hearing was made at the time and in the manner required by law; and WHEREAS, Section 1.24.100 of the San Luis Obispo Municipal Code establishes a right to appeal an administrative citation issued by the director; and WHEREAS, the Construction Board of Appeals of the City of San Luis Obispo (the “Board”) duly considered all documents and information, including the Administrative Citation; the City’s staff report and accompanying presentation; the Appellant’s appeal; oral argument by the Appellant’s representative; all written or other evidence; and evaluation and recommendations by staff presented at such hearings. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Construction Board of Appeals of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows: SECTION 1. Findings. The Construction Board of Appeals finds: Resolution No. CBOA 02-21 Page 2 1.The above statements are true. 2.The names of all people participating in the hearing and their capacity: a.Appellant: Square Deal Recordings and Supplies, Inc.; b.Representative of the Appellant: Shane Kramer, attorney (the “Designated Representative”); c.City staff: Mark Amberg, Assistant City Attorney, legal advisor to City Code Enforcement staff; Markie Jorgensen, Assistant City Attorney, legal advisor to the Board; Rodger Maggio, Fire Marshal/Chief Building Official, liaison to the Board; Cassia Cocina, Code Enforcement Supervisor; and John Mezzapesa, Code Enforcement Officer; d.Witnesses (either for or against appellant): none. 3.The hearing was recorded by simultaneous audio and video recording, and such recordings are in the custody of the City Clerk. 4.The Appellant or Designated Representative was present for the public hearings. 5.Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 1.24.110(E), the Board received the Administrative Citation and supporting information (documents, exhibits, or materials prepared by city staff) concerning the Appellant’s violations of San Luis Obispo Municipal Code Sections 17.36.020 and 15.02.010 (for violation of California Building Code Section 105.1) as prima facie evidence of the Appellant’s code violation and of the facts stated in such documents. 6.The following submissions were submitted to the record, including, but not limited to photographs, drawings, and documents: a.City staff report, dated March 31, 2021, and accompanying Attachments 1-21; b.Agenda correspondence from Appellant’s Designated Representative, received April 16, 2021; c.Agenda correspondence from Appellant’s Designated Representative, received April 21, 2021. 7.The Board has decided to uphold the Administrative Citation issued to Appellant for violation of Municipal Code Sections 17.36.020 and 15.02.010 (for violation of California Building Code Section 105.1). Resolution No. CBOA 02-21 Page 3 8.The Board found the following information credible in support of its decision to uphold the Administrative Citation and deny the appeal: a.San Luis Obispo Municipal Code Section 15.02.010 incorporates by reference the California Residential Code and California Building Code into the City’s Municipal Code. b.The 2019 California Building Code defines a “Building” as “Any structure utilized or intended for supporting or sheltering occupancy.” (California Building Code § 202) c.The California Building Code provides that “any owner or authorized agent who intend to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish or change the occupancy of a building or structure, or to erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system, the installation of which is regulated by this code, or to cause any such work to be performed, shall first make application to the building official and obtain the required permit.” (California Building Code § 105.1.) d.In 2019, pursuant to the interpretive authority reserved for the City’s Chief Building Official in Section 104.1 of the California Building Code, the City amended Section 101.2 of the California Building Code to clarify existing law that shipping or storage containers with a floor area of over 120 square feet are considered structures under the California Building Code, and therefore, require a permit per the California Building Code and by extension, the City’s Municipal Code. e.San Luis Obispo Municipal Code Section 17.36.020, Table 2-20, provides in relevant part that within the Service Commercial Zone there is “no setback unless adjacent to zone with minimum setback requirement, in which case the adjoining setback shall be provided in zone of adjacent lot.” f.Appellant’s property located at 2146 Parker Street, San Luis Obispo, California 93401 (“Property”) is in the Service Commercial Zone adjacent to the Medium- Density Residential Zone, which has a minimum setback of five feet per San Luis Obispo Municipal Code Section 17.18.020. Therefore, Appellant’s Property is subject to an interior side and rear setback of five feet. g.On April 17, 2019, San Luis Obispo Fire Marshal and Chief Building Official, Rodger Maggio, contacted City Code Enforcement staff regarding potential violations of the California Building Code and the City’s Municipal Code relating to unpermitted electrical, shelving, and use of metal shipping containers as rented personal storage on Appellant’s Property. h.On June 4, 2019, City Code Enforcement staff inspected the Property and observed unpermitted interior shelving racks and storage containers on the south and east property lines within the required setback. i.On June 17, 2019, Code Enforcement staff issued a Notice of Violation to the Appellant for violations of San Luis Obispo Municipal Code Sections 17.36.020 Resolution No. CBOA 02-21 Page 4 and 15.02.010 (for violation of California Building Code Section 105.1), specifically for unpermitted installation of shelving racks on the interior of the Property and utilization of shipping containers over 120 square feet as an S-1 Storage occupancy without a permit and within the required rear and side setbacks. j.Code Enforcement Staff postponed the issuance of citations based on the June 4, 2019 inspection to allow Appellant to submit plans to address the identified Municipal Code and California Building Code violations. Appellant submitted permit submittal plans for the shelving racks only on September 27, 2019. k.After a temporary hold on issuance of administrative citations due to the COVID- 19 pandemic and after no attempt by Appellant to bring the shipping containers on the Property into compliance with the Municipal Code and California Building Code, Code Enforcement staff issued Administrative Citation No. 22649 to Appellant on October 15, 2020 for the violations observed on June 4, 2019. l.The City Attorney’s Office received an appeal for Administrative Citation No. 22649 on October 27, 2020 for Appellant’s violations of the Municipal Code and California Building Code related to its use of shipping containers on the Property only. m.The Administrative Citation, together with the attachments contained in the staff report, admitted as prima facie evidence under Paragraph 5 above, demonstrate that the citing Code Enforcement Officer personally observed Appellant’s violations. n.Appellant failed to submit any information that the violations did not occur and failed to submit any credible information that there is a defense to the citation. 9.The due date for payment of the fine shall be thirty (30) days after the date the decision is mailed. SECTION 2. Action: Based on the above findings, documentation, and information submitted in support thereof, the Construction Board of Appeals does hereby deny the appeal of Square Deal Recordings and Supplies, Inc., and upholds the Administrative Citation. Resolution No. CBOA 02-21 Page 5 SECTION 3. Appeal or Review by Writ. This Resolution is the City of San Luis Obispo’s final administrative decision, under Municipal Code Section 1.24.140(A), on the Administrative Citation. A person contesting this decision may do so in either of two ways. First, pursuant to California Government Code Section 53069.4(b)(1), within 20 days after the service of this Resolution, a person contesting this decision may seek review by filing an appeal to be heard by the Superior Court of the County of San Luis Obispo. Alternatively, a person contesting this decision may file a petition for writ with the Superior Court of the County of San Luis Obispo. The time within which the petition must be filed, and the applicable requirements are governed by the California Code of Civil Procedure. Either the appeal or the petition for writ filed with the court must contain proof of service showing a copy of the appeal or petition for writ was served upon the city clerk. The petitioner must pay the superior court the appropriate court filing fee when the appeal or petition is filed. Upon motion of Board Member Vice Chair Eckrich, seconded by Chair Dilworth, and on the following roll call vote: AYES: Board Member Wiedeman, Board Member Graves, Vice Chair Eckrich, and Chair Dilworth NOES: None ABSENT: Board Member Martinez, Board Member Garza RECUSED: Board Member Vessely The foregoing resolution was adopted this 11th day of May 2021. ____________________________________________________ Niel Dilworth, Chairperson Date of Signature