8911-13 SUNSET BOULEVARD - ROCK N' REILLY'S EXPANSION APPLICANT CRAIG LEY AND ADAM FRANK LORE GROUP 8853 W. SUNSET BLVD. WEST HOLLYWOOD. CA 90069 (0) 323-984-9838 (C) 31 0-663-601 7 (F) 323-31 9-4202 CONTACT: JEREMY FINDEL BACKGROUND In 2011, the LORE Group purchased the former Cat Club Nightclub on the Sunset Strip and remodeled the space operating it as Rock N' Reilly's Irish Pub. The Cat Club was operating under Conditional Use Permit Amendment 2003-01, as approved by Resolution No. PC 04-522. Rock N' Reilly's did not propose any modifications or intensification in use to the approved conditionally permitted uses, nor plan to make any changes to operating hours or conditions of approval. The business has been operating under and in compliance with CUP 2003-01 for nearly two years. It should be noted that the original CUP and the amendment to the CUP for this space originally allowed for late night hours until 4 a.m. The current CUP 1 ITEM 10.B. EXHIBIT C
allows for live music. LORE Group has operated the business primarily as a restaurant/bar, with the bar use become primary later in the evening and nighttime hours. In July 2013, the LORE Group secured the lease for the tenant space immediately adjacent and to the west of Rock N' Reilly's at 8913 Sunset Boulevard. This small storefront had been occupied by a palm reader for a number of years. Not only was this use incompatible with the City's goals for economic viability of Sunset Boulevard, it was also visually detrimental to the pedestrian character of the street. A few feet inside the window, a wall had been installed preventing anyone on the street from seeing into the space. There was evidence that an area at the rear of the space may have also been used illegally for residential purposes. PROJECT DESCRIPTION LORE Group is requesting to amend the existing CUP 2003-01 to expand the area of the restaurant/bar into the adjacent lease space at 8911. A floor plan is attached showing the existing restaurant/bar on the right, and the plan for the new space on the left. Both spaces are in the same building on the same property under the same ownership. Therefore, the plan would include a new passageway between the two existing spaces, thus creating a single lease space that would be occupied entirely by Rock N' Reilly's Irish Pub. In their two years of operation, the applicants have developed a significant following and loyal customer base. Many of their clientele are members of the entertainment industry who live in the area. The new 8913 space will be designed as a dining room and viewing area for sporting and entertainment events. It will be marketed to guests wishing to have private parties, and will likely only be open to the public during peak business times. The primary entrance of the business will remain at 8911, with the door at 8913 only being used for private events and emergency exiting. The following chart indicates the most recent information about 8911 and 8913 Sunset Boulevard, in addition to what is being requested in this application: Existing 8913 Proposed 8913 Existing 8911 Total including 8911-13 Use Personal Restaurant/bar Rock N' Reilly's Bar/restaurant Service - Palm space including Irish Pub with ability to Readerand Private Party have private residence area/sporting dining rooms event viewing overflow 2
Square 765 sq. ft. 765 sq. ft. 1,465 sq. ft. 2,220 sq. ft. Feet (approx) Permits None known Amend existing CUP 2003-01 as Amend existing CUP for approved by Res. CUP for bar/nightclub at PC 04-522 bar/nightclub 8911 Off-street No parking. PUP request: Code required Expand va let Parking Grandfathered Participation in parking parking program in at 5 per Reil ly's Valet grandfathered in. to include both 1,000, or 4 Parking Program; City approved day and evening spaces. Use of parking valet parking plan hours. behind 8919-23 in 2012 with on- Sunset street shared PUP for net 3 Boulevard. valet stand required parking during the spaces (7 req. -4 Gross new evening hours. grandfathered = parking required 3). PUP phased at 9 per 1,000 or out and 7 spaces. converted to Parking credits in 2014. Hours of unknown 11:30 a.m. to 2 11:30 a.m. to 2 11:30 a.m. to 2 operation a.m. a.m. a.m. Project Benefits - Restaurant/Bar Use The former palm reader storefront was derelict in appearance and had no pedestrian appeal. There was no parking for the space. This project will renovate the storefront as well as interior of this existing building. The new design will provide windows and pedestrian activation of the space. The existing pub is popular and it is anticipated that an expanded business will attract more local business people and neighbors at lunchtime and provide an additional restaurant/late night option for patrons of area nightclubs in the evenings. There is not currently a "sports" bar along this area of Sunset. Sports bars often become community congregating places where not only friends agree to gather to watch their favorite teams play, but singles feel welcome as well. Proposed parking strategy Parking Use Permit transitioning to Parking Credits. An application is included for a parking use permit. It is the request of the LORE Group that a temporary PUP be granted for the use of three parking spaces at the rear of their vacant building 87 68 3
Sunset until such time as the City's parking credit program is in place on Sunset. Boulevard. At that time, they would Sunset the PUP and purchase parking credits for any required parking under this approval. These spaces would either be used by employees for self-parking, or they would be utilized by the valet company under contract to the business. Continued and expanded shared valet parking. Jn addition, LORE is requesting that the current valet service be extended to day as well as evening and weekend hours as the need arises. This will actually result in better parking options for this area than there are currently. Findings: Access to the site is adequate to accommodate the proposed off-site parking and adequate for the amount of traffic that the business will generate. The restaurant/bar site is just two doors down from the parking location and behind a building that the applicants own/control. This parking will be either employee self-park or valet only. The design, location, size and operating characteristics of the proposed off-site parking are compatible with the exiting and future land uses onsite and in the vicinity of the subject property. The parking spaces are currently unused by anyone other than the applicants for their personal use. It is the intention of the applicant to remodel or redevelop the site in the future, but the planning and development process for that will not occur sooner than the 8-month time frame proposed by the City to establish parking credits, and will likely be over 12 months. The establishment, maintenance, or operation of the proposed parking at the location proposed does not endanger, jeopardize, or otherwise constitute a menace to the public convenience, health, interest, safety, or general welfare of persons residing or working in the neighborhood of the proposed parking lot. The parking spaces already exist and are adjacent to a parking lot that is controlled by valet parking companies. Where the off-site parking spaces are new... The off-site parking spaces are not new. Any proposed valet parking use will not generate excessive traffic on surrounding public streets and shall not utilized any residential street. As stated above, these spaces already exist and are adjacent to a much larger private off-street parking Jot controlled by one or more valet parking operators. Conditional Use Permit - additional amendments The LORE Group is asking that the CUP be extended to the additional lease space only. No other changes to hours or other operating requirements are requested at this time. 4
Environmental Review Categorical Exemption 15303 (c) - restaurant not exceeding 2,500 square feet (10,000 square feet in an urban area) "Conversion of a small structure." ABOUT THE APPLICANTS LORE GROUP CAME TO WEST HOLLYWOOD ONLY TWO YEARS AGO, AND HAS ALREADY OPENED ROCK N' REILLY'S IRISH PUB AND ESTABLISHED CORPORATE OFFICES ON SUNSET BOULEVARD. RECENTLY, THEY HAVE LEASED ADDITIONAL OFFICE SPACE ABOVE THE PUB IN THE 8911-13, HAVE ACQUIRED THE LEASES FOR THE PALM READER AT 8913 SUNSET AND THE FORMER MIRABELLE RESTAURANT AT 8768 SUNSET BOULEVARD. FINALLY, LORE GROUP HAS PURCHASED THE BUILDING AT 8919-23 SUNSET BOULEVARD. THESE OPERATORS ARE COMMITTED TO THE SUNSET STRIP AND WEST HOLLYWOOD NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE. AS A COMPANY, THEY HAVE SUCCESSFUL PRODUCED SEVERAL ANNUAL PUBLIC EVENTS IN BOTH SPRING AND FALL INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE TEAM HAVE SERVED AS VOLUNTEERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. FOUR OF THE FIVE PARTNERS ARE W EST HOLLYWOOD RESIDENTS AS WELL l 5
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