Commissioners vote to recommend approval of zoning and plan changes for proposed wine‑and‑beer tasting, retail, and meeting space
PASO ROBLES — The Paso Robles Planning Commission met for a regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, July 8, where a public hearing was held for a proposal to convert a long‑standing commercial building at 2508 Spring St. into a mixed‑use destination is making its way through city review.
The applicant, Veraison Wine Country Properties, LLC, is seeking to transform the 0.5‑acre site into a hub that would feature wine and beer tasting kiosks, specialty retail, a market and deli, and private meeting space. To move forward, the project requires a series of entitlements, including a General Plan Amendment, Specific Plan Amendment, Conditional Use Permit, and Site Plan Review.
The property that sits across the street from Flamson Middle School, currently designated Mixed‑Use 12 (MU‑12) within the T4‑Flex zoning district, does not allow wine tasting as a permitted use. The applicant is requesting a change to the Community Commercial (CC) land use designation and Town Centre 2 (TC‑2) zoning, which would support a broader mix of commercial activities.
According to city staff, the project qualifies for a Class 1 categorical exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it involves the reuse of an existing structure. The building, originally constructed in the late 1960s and remodeled in 1992, most recently housed offices for Western Quartz and a dance studio.
The Uptown/Town Centre Specific Plan identifies the area as part of the Uptown Neighborhood, envisioned to evolve with improved streets, plazas, and welcoming, pedestrian‑friendly frontages.
The Development Review Committee initially reviewed the concept in March, raising concerns about certain uses under current zoning. After revisions and a second review later that month, the committee recommended the project move forward to the Planning Commission for consideration.
Planning commissioners agreed the proposed redesign of the building is far more attractive than its current condition. While city staff had recommended that commissioners advise the City Council to deny the applicant’s requests — including the Specific Plan Amendment to rezone the property to TC‑2, as well as the General Plan Amendment, Conditional Use Permit, and Site Plan Review — the commission took a different position. Instead, commissioners voted to recommend the City Council adopt Resolution PC 25‑XXX (B) approving the General Plan Amendment and Specific Plan Amendment, and adopt Resolution PC 25‑XXX (C) approving the Conditional Use Permit for a private meeting facility and the Site Plan Review for the proposed site and building improvements. Among the approved changes is an update to the back patio operating hours, which will now be from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The motion was approved with a 4-0 vote from Commissioners Eric Marlow, Joel Neel, Mark Koegler, and Patrick Connally. Commissioners absent from the Tuesday meeting included Robert Covarrubias, Ty Christensen, and Sharon Roden.
The next Paso Robles Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 6:30 p.m.
