1996 was the last time a hotel was built in Grover Beach. Several have been approved and planned by city council members since then and another two could be added to that list.
Grover Beach city council members will consider a plan that includes two four-story hotels and seven single-family market rate homes on a 7.3 acre lot located at 1598 El Camino Real.
"We believe that Grover Beach is undeserved in the hotel market. We believe there is a shortage of rooms in that city particular," said Akash Patel, a local co-developer who will present the proposal to city council members.
The dual hotel project proposes:
- a 4-story, 91 room hotel totaling 50,995 square feet (Hotel “A”) with a total building footprint of 12,510 square feet, totaling 40-feet in height as measured from natural grade, with an additional 5.5-feet for screening of mechanical equipment
- a 4-story, 85 room hotel totaling 56,650 square feet (Hotel “B”) with a total building footprint of 14,560 square feet, totaling 45-feet in height as measured from natural grade with an additional 10-feet for screening of mechanical equipment
- An outdoor swimming pool for each hotel
- Construction of three separate parking areas with a total of 181 parking spaces and five motorcycle spaces for shared use between the two hotels
- Preservation of up to 20 Coast Live Oak trees between Hotel A and Hotel B
- Removal of 22 Coast Live Oaks trees totaling 396-inches in diameter breast height
Owners of 8575 Perfetto Cafe can look over at the proposed site from their business. They hope the potential development brings more customers.
"There are a lot of small businesses like us in the area so more tourists can be more business," said Laura Zuffi, owner of 8575 Perfetto Cafe.
City leaders said the project is attractive because it could help meet long term housing goals and generate roughly $800,000 a year in a Transient Occupancy Tax.
"We see hotel development as one piece of our economic puzzle in making sure we have a strong and vital economy for our residents," said Matthew Bronson, the Grover Beach city manager.
The developers said they hope their potential investment in the city will boost its economic vitality.
"We're looking at bringing in upwards of 40 jobs to support the hotels as well as improving the frontage along El Camino Real that includes re-striping the roads and resurfacing parts of the roads in addition to preserving 1.5 acres of open space," said Darshan Patel, a local co-developer.
But for others, it's big developments like these that make their hometown unrecognizable.
"Everything that comes up here now-a-days is either a bank or a hotel, it's not something fun for the kids to do and it just makes it all more a reason I moved away," said Nicholas Nichols, a former Grover Beach resident.
Nearby residents have also expressed concerns about potential noise and blockage of views.
While planning, developers added a 35-foot landscape buffer to separate the homes and hotels, took out a proposed restaurant and rearranged the buildings to preserve oak trees.
If approved, the construction would happen in two phases. Phase one includes building one hotel which developers say could be complete by 2022.
The Grover beach Planning Commission is recommending approval of the project which city council members will consider at their meeting Monday, March 16th.
To read the full proposal and its California Environmental Quality Act review, click here.
