The Planning Commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit to allow AIM Sport Group to have an indoor basketball/volleyball center this week.
The permit will also allow the business to include a restaurant/cafe that sells beer and wine at the location on Apollo Court. (The street is located within the Pacific Gateway Business Center on Seal Beach Boulevard.)
“The applicant proposes to utilize the existing first floor (71,151 square feet of tenant space) mainly for a proposed basketball and volleyball center,” wrote Assistant Planner Marco Cuevas Jr. in his staff report to the council.
“The applicant proposes to utilize 48,453 square feet as open space to create 11 volleyball courts and 8 basketball courts, depending on the season,” Cuevas wrote.
District Five Commissioner Mariann Klinger was concerned that traffic could back up onto Westminster
A spokesman for the applicant, however, said that the business had never seen any traffic issues on Westminster.
Sports center
AIM Sports Group already has a facility at 1718 Apollo Court. The proposed volleyball/basketball center would be at 1709.
According to the Cuevas report, the applicant expects the court to serve as a practice/training facility for local youth sports.
“The proposed hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, practices would typically start at 2:30 p.m. with the last practice commencing at 8:30 p.m.,” Cuevas wrote.
“On weekends, the facility would be made available for local league tournament games,” Cuevas wrote.
Restaurant
“The remaining 22,698 square feet would be used as office spaces, an area for Pilates, a pro-shop, a recovery and therapy area, and a restaurant/café area,” Cuevas wrote.
According to his report, the restaurant/cafe would occupy about 2,700 square feet and would sell sandwiches, salads and snacks, as well as smoothies and alcohol.
“The alcoholic beverages sold in the restaurant/café area would only be allowed to be consumed within the café and not be allowed outside of this area,” Cuevas wrote.
According to the report, only patrons and spectators would use the restaurant.Alcohol would be served from noon to 10 p.m.
The sports center is located 200 feet from homes, according to the staff report.
Parking
“For the purpose of the parking analysis, at worst case scenario, the parking demand considers a maximum of 275 users at this facility,” Cuevas wrote.
“It should be noted that the applicant has secured access to additional 110 parking spaces at a neighboring facility located at 1799 Apollo Court for use when demand for parking is high or when additional capacity is needed during weekend tournaments,” Cuevas wrote.
According to the report, staff advised that the conditional use permit include a requirement that the director of the Community Development Department review and approve a parking analysis before a tournament or special event.
