During its August 10 meeting, Los Banos Planning Commission recommended approval to Los Banos City Council of a Type 47 alcohol license for Jungle Jim’s Adventure Lanes, approved a cottage food operation permit for a private home-kitchen and adopted a tentative parcel map for a recreational vehicle and boat storage facility,
The commission approved a categorical exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and recommended to the Los Banos City Council approval of a conditional use permit to allow for the sale of alcohol under a Type 47 alcohol license at Jungle Jim’s Adventure Lanes in the San Luis Plaza.
Associate Planner Rudy Luquin said that Jungle Jim’s Adventure Lanes currently had a Type 40 alcohol license, which permitted the sale of beer. The Type 47 alcohol license will allow the sale of beer, wine, and distilled spirits in conjunction with a bona fide eating place for Jungle Jim’s Adventure Lanes.
This eating place will be a restaurant sports bar — -an addition to the bowling alley — and will be located to the left of the current entrance in an existing building that has an access door from the exterior. There will also be a change in business hours, with the bowling alley and bar being open until 12 midnight.
Because of the residential area nearby, Planning Commissioner Katherine Uhley was concerned about rowdiness in the parking lot late at night and asked how the potential noise could be mitigated. Associate Planner Luquin replied that the business owners will enforce a no loitering rule and active security will be on the premises.
The Planning Commission also approved a categorical exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act and approved a cottage food operation permit for a private home located in a low-density residential area at 2575 Canvasback Drive. The permit will allow for the sale of low-risk foods regulated by the County of Merced Department of Public Health.
“The proposed low-risk foods,” Luquin said, “will consist of a variety of organic loose-leaves tea blends, protein bars, fruit bars, sea moss, honey and self-care items such as animal soaps and bath Epsom salts.”
The Planning Commission also approved a categorial exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act and a tentative parcel map for the subdivision of a 9.97-acre parcel into two parcels, located at 1725 West Pacheco Boulevard (west of Walmart). These parcels will be the project site for a recreational vehicle and boat storage facility with an office building.
Maria Fatima Sequeira from Central California Irrigation District (CCID) had earlier written an email explaining that the parcels for this project were still located in CCID and were not in the City of Los Banos. Having no issue with the split, Sequeira wrote, “before we can accept this project, we ask Los Banos to detach the parcels from CCID.”
Luquin clarified that the item included the detachment from CCID, so it had no impact on the commissioner’s decision to approve the tentative parcel map.
Two items regarding mobile food vending units went not discussed because of uncertain dates or because the applicant withdrew their application.
During their reports at the end of the meeting, several of the commissioners expressed excitement for the addition of the sports bar in Jungle Jim’s Adventure Lanes and congratulated the owners of the bowling alley.
Community and Economic Development Director Stacy Elms thanked Jungle Jim’s for coming to Los Banos and added during her report, “We were worried that we would lose that family-oriented business.”
