Placer Supervisors uphold planning commission's denial of 3M Event Center use permit

The Placer County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday upheld the Planning Commission's unanimous denial of the conditional use permit (CUP) for the 3M Event Center in Penryn. The building operated as a restaurant until its closure in 2017. According to Placer County Senior Planner Nick Trifiro, the county received two business license applications in 2019 for the building to operate as an event center, to which the county advised the license could not be approved before the approval of a use permit. In November 2021, Trifiro said the Planning Services Division was contacted by the Placer County Sheriff's Office regarding unpermitted events scheduled for Nov. 26 and Dec. 10, 2021. Planning Services notified the applicant, Gus Mathiopoulos, the 3M Event Center was prohibited from conducting events without the conditional use permit. According to the staff report, applications for a temporary outdoor event and to serve alcohol were submitted for the Nov. 26 event. The applications were denied due to a 60-day lead time for the temporary use application and there being no CUP for the second application. Trifiro confirmed the Nov. 26 event still took place, resulting in 200 vehicles on the property and the arrests of two individuals for illegal possession of a firearm. The current application, submitted Feb. 8, is seeking a CUP to permit daily rental of the building for indoor events such as parties, weddings, birthdays and small concerts. The staff report notes the request includes daily operation hours of 9 a.m.-midnight, and a maximum attendance of 240 be permitted for events, not including staff. Trifiro shared the Horseshoe Bar/Penryn Municipal Advisory Council reviewed the item during its May 24 meeting and unanimously recommended denial of the CUP due to concerns such as lack of event security, past events and law enforcement issues tied to those events. The Planning Commission unanimously denied the CUP on June 9 and the applicant filed an appeal on June 14. Following staff's presentation, Mathiopoulos confirmed the building previously operated as a restaurant and event center until early 2016 and the license expired in 2017. The building was then leased to another individual until Mathiopoulos took possession of the building back in 2018. Placer County Counsel Clayton Cook confirmed the county passed an ordinance that event centers needed a use permit 2014. As the 3M Event Center permit was issued before that, it had a valid non-conforming use and lost that use once the use was stopped and remained stopped for a continuous year, resulting in the need for the CUP now. The board received four comments in opposition of the CUP being issued for the 3M Event Center, noting the community's concerns and lack of faith that the applicant would follow the conditions of the permit. "This business is not a benefit to the community and the community plan says that Parkway, which is that Penryn Road area, will have 'the types of commercial activity that will meet the local residents' needs as well as visitors' … An event center is not appropriate for the Penryn Parkway," Penryn resident Muriel Davis said. District 3 Supervisor Jim Holmes, whose district includes Penryn, agreed with the residents' concerns and noted his involvement in the matter since 2018. "There's a pattern of behavior here that leaves me to believe there is no certainty that the appellant will follow the rules that are provided and if approved, I could envision many calls to the Placer County Sheriff's Office and code enforcement for follow-up …" he said, suggesting to uphold the Planning Commission's decision. The board voted unanimously to uphold the commission's denial of the CUP for the 3M Event Center. "The frustrating part was that we have processes and procedures, ordinances to protect public safety and community interests, and because there wasn't a willingness to comply, that's where we got to today," District 1 Supervisor Bonnie Gore said. "And so I'm frustrated because I wish it didn't have to be this response, to be honest. I want to see businesses be successful, but we have to work together." Mathiopoulos attempted to address the board again following Gore's comment, but the meeting was adjourned due to the vote being complete.