Ryan Burns / Monday, Nov. 6, 2023 @ 4:23 p.m. / Agendizer
Introducing ‘The Tasty Hub,’ a Proposed New Restaurant and Food Truck Headquarters in Eureka
The restaurant at 1935 5th Street has been vacant since The Chalet House of Omelettes closed in 2020. | Image via City of Eureka.
For four decades, from 1980 to 2020, the humble little brick-and-shingle building at 1935 5th Street in Eureka served up breakfast and brunch fare such as waffles, biscuits and gravy and its namesake egg dishes as The Chalet House of Omelettes.
Now, after sitting vacant for the past three years, this locale at the eastern end of the city has been proposed as the site for a new restaurant and commercial kitchen, with the latter facilities allowing local food trucks to be stored and possibly operate onsite.
This multi-faceted dining endeavor has been dubbed “The Tasty Hub,” and on Wednesday evening the Eureka Planning Commission will consider approving a design review, Conditional Use Permit and Coastal Development Permit for applicant Kash Boodjeh, a local architect, and property owner Gabrielle Long, who also owns the Caribbean restaurant A Taste of Bim in Old Town.
Boodjeh is proposing to repurpose the existing building, with its two-level roofline, and demolish an attached storage building out back, to be replaced with a new, slightly larger storage structure.
Architectural designs for The Tasty Hub include replacing the existing shingle roof with a metal one. | Images via City of Eureka.
For most of the past three years, the 1,300 square-foot building has sat vacant in the middle of its paved lot, with signs out front promising that something called The Sip Café would open soon. According to a staff report for Wednesday’s meeting, new owners purchased the building in 2021 and started the permitting project but never finished, instead selling the property again this past May.
The current applicant wants to use the existing pole sign at the corner of 5th and U for new signage advertising The Tasty Hub, which means he’ll need to obtain an administrative sign permit.
Even though this building served as a restaurant for 58 years, with The Swiss Restaurant preceding The Chalet, the owners never obtained a Conditional Use Permit or Coastal Development Permit, and since the building has now been abandoned for more than 90 days, a new restaurant cannot be grandfathered in as a legally nonconforming use.
According to the staff report, the restaurant will be open each Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and three or four food trucks would operate in the parking lot during the same business hours. At night, they’d park in a gated storage area.
This proposed project sits on the same block as the former Annie’s Cambodian location and the now-vacant Sizzler building, both of which will soon be demolished to make way for two new drive-through restaurants (a Starbucks and a new Subway, last we heard).
Behold: Parked food trucks.
The city is understandably stoked about these development plans. “The proposed restaurant will bring additional light and activity to the Hwy 101 corridor in an area currently plagued by vacancies,” the staff report says.
Both Caltrans and the county’s Environmental Health Services branch expressed concerns about traffic ingress, egress and parking — for both food trucks and customers — noting the potential for traffic to get backed up on 5th Street. Staff has asked for an updated site plan showing where food trucks will be parked and how vehicles will circulate onsite. Traffic concerns could limit the number of food trucks allowed to operate onsite.
Attempts to reach both Boodjeh and Long on Monday were unsuccessful.
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Also on the agenda for Wednesday’s meeting: a cannabis update and a report from a planning team about the city’s ongoing Name Your Neighborhood project. Staff has been engaging with residents via a new community engagement website called Talk Eureka, as well as through informational fliers and in person at Eureka Friday Night Markets.
Longtime LoCO readers may remember that we embarked on our own Eureka neighborhood-naming project nearly a decade ago, inviting readers to use mapping software and Census tract data to delineate the borders and name each distinct municipal neighborhood.
Our own Hank Sims created what should be considered the authoritative exemplar, but hey, if staff and residents want to do it themselves, have at it, we say.
The Eureka Planning Commission will meet in the council chamber of City Hall at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Online viewing instructions here. See below for more agenda details and links to staff reports and supporting documents.
Eureka Planning Commission
Nov. 8, 2023, 5:30 p.m.
A. ROLL CALL
B. SALUTE TO THE FLAG
C. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
D. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
E. PUBLIC HEARINGS - CONTINUED
F. PUBLIC HEARINGS - NEW
1. The Tasty Hub Location: 1935 5th Street; APN: 002-105-005 Projects: Conditional Use Permit CUP-23-0006, Design Review AA-23-0001 and Coastal
A tenth-grade student would read this information as follows:
The Planning Commission staff report is about a project called The Tasty Hub. The project is about converting an existing restaurant building into a new restaurant and commissary kitchen. The commissary kitchen will serve food trucks, and the food trucks will be stored and possibly operated at the site. The project requires permits for the restaurant, including a Conditional Use Permit and a Coastal Development Permit. The project also requires Design Review because the applicant wants to demolish and rebuild a storage structure. The project is located in a service commercial zone and is exempt from certain environmental regulations. The project will require a public hearing and if approved, it will be exempt from certain environmental regulations. The project site is in a safe area and will not be affected by flooding or earthquakes. The proposed project conforms with the city’s regulations and will not have a negative impact on the surrounding area. The staff contact for this project is Penelope Ponce, Assistant Planner. There are various documents attached to the report for further reference.
— LoCOBot
… or, as a Dungeons & Dragons campaign!
Title: The Tasty Hub Quest
Quest Overview:
The adventurers are tasked with investigating and resolving an issue with the newly established restaurant, The Tasty Hub. The owner, Kash Boodjeh, has encountered some mysterious occurrences and needs assistance in ensuring the success and safety of the establishment. The adventurers must navigate through the challenges surrounding the permit and development process while uncovering the truth behind the strange events that have been happening in and around the restaurant.
Quest Objectives:
1. Investigate the history of the property and the previous restaurant’s nonconforming use.
2. Gather information about the commissary kitchen and its role in serving food trucks.
3. Assess the proposed design changes and associated site improvements.
4. Explore the surrounding area and interact with neighboring businesses.
5. Discover any potential archaeological or cultural resources on the property.
6. Determine the cause of the mysterious occurrences and resolve any supernatural threats.
7. Attend the public hearing and ensure the project is approved with the necessary conditions.
8. Support the owner and staff of The Tasty Hub in creating a successful and thriving restaurant.
Encounters:
1. Research Task: The adventurers must gather information about the previous restaurant’s nonconforming use and the regulations surrounding conditional use permits and coastal development permits. They may need to search for records, interview local officials, or consult knowledgeable individuals in order to proceed.
2. Exploration Task: The adventurers explore the surrounding area, interact with neighboring businesses, and gather information about the proposed changes to the property. They may encounter rival business owners who oppose The Tasty Hub, encounter potential allies who support the project, or come across clues related to the mysterious occurrences.
3. Investigation Task: The adventurers delve into the history of the property, looking for any potential archaeological or cultural resources that could impact the project. They may need to consult with tribal representatives or archaeologists to ensure the project complies with the necessary regulations.
4. Combat Encounter: As the adventurers dig deeper into the mysterious occurrences, they come across supernatural threats that must be defeated in order to ensure the safety and success of The Tasty Hub. This could involve battling spectral entities, dispelling curses, or banishing malevolent spirits.
5. Public Hearing Task: The adventurers attend the public hearing where they may need to present their findings and advocate for the approval of the project. They may encounter opposition from rival business owners or deal with unexpected challenges during the hearing.
6. Final Confrontation: The adventurers confront the source of the mysterious occurrences, which could involve a powerful supernatural being or an individual with nefarious intentions. They must defeat or outsmart the antagonist to ensure the long-term success of The Tasty Hub.
Rewards:
- Reputation: The adventurers gain recognition and gratitude from the owner and staff of The Tasty Hub for their assistance, leading to potential future rewards and benefits from the establishment.
- Financial compensation: Depending on their negotiations, the adventurers may receive a monetary reward from Kash Boodjeh for their services.
- Magical Items: The adventurers may uncover unique magical items throughout their quest, potentially related to the supernatural elements they encountered.
- Connection: The adventurers establish a valuable connection with the owner and staff of The Tasty Hub, providing them with a resource and potential quest giver in future adventures.
— LoCOBot
DOCUMENTS:
Staff Report • Attachment 1 - Planning Commission Resolution • Attachment 2 - Site Plans • Attachment 3 - Referral Comments
G. OLD BUSINESS
H. NEW BUSINESS
I. STAFF REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS
1. Cannabis Update
DOCUMENTS:
J. OTHER REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS
K. ADJOURNMENT
L. NOTICES
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