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SHEET METAL AND AIR CONDITIONING, INC. The City of Santa Ana Planning Commission 20 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92702 Re: HD Supply request for variance 07-01; 1044 E. 4th St. In previous letters 1 have cited code requirements and have provided supporting information in reference to several issues which show cause for denial of this request for parking variance. March 16, 2007 I. HD Supply (lIDS) represents that this will be a distribution warehouse and that they should therefore be eligible for Industrial rather than Retail code requirements for off-street parking. Facts: Their stores in Montebello and Pomona display large signs on the exterior of the buildings which read "EVERYONE WELCOME". The stores are set up as retail establishments with retail type displays, self serve customer material handling and loading, and retail type checkout stands. HDS confirms the retail nature of this business through their parking study. In which they cite that children and couples are treated statistically different. Children and couples do not frequent distribution warehouse businesses. Additionally, HDS made it clear at the Feb. 26th meeting that everyone. without qualification. is welcomed to shop at HD Supply. HDS clearly intends to operate as a retail business and should therefore be required to provide off-street parking according to code requirements for retail establishments. 2. HD Supply has not complied with Municipal Code requirements for loading space. Regardless ofIndustrial or Retail classification., HD is required to furnish (9) designated loading spaces for large trucks to make deliveries. They have provided only (2) spaces; and these are not reasonably usable for deliveries oflumber or other bulky goods. Their plans indicate that material will be off-loaded from the back end of tractor-trailers at a back-in truck dock. Lumber, roofing supplies, bathtubs, etc. are unloaded from the side using a forklift. Side unloading requires that a single WB50 truck remain in the planned 100 ft. diameter turning circle, thereby blocking ingress and egress to the second planned loading space. Furthermore, the loading spaces are to be situated on the opposite side of the property and through another building from where the bulk of their goods are to be stored. In reality, HDS has allowed for only one impractical loading space while code requires nine loading spaces. 3. HDS plans indicate a future center median on Fourth Street, opposite the truck driveway. They say that this would "prevent left turns into and out of the site." WB50 trucks will not have the turning radius capability to make a right turn into or out of the driveway. No way in and no way out. Additionally, the truck driveway is located dangerously near the railroad crossing on 4th St.. Tractor- trailer trucks backing up west of the driveway would block the train tracks. Trucks could easily become boxed-in and be unable to avoid a fast moving train; whoo - whoo, .... wham!! Page 9 of 43 412 N. Santa Fe St., Santa Ana, CA 92701-4907 . pt3,1:~~7s6-7135 . Fax: (714) 547-4221. State Lic. #247615