The Livermore Planning Commission will consider easing the city’s rules regarding cardroom operations at its regular meeting Tuesday during a hearing about the Parkwest Casino 580 Expansion Project.
The casino, located at 968 North Canyons Parkway, is requesting operational changes including increasing its number of card tables from 10 to 16, increasing the hours of operation from 24-hours a day six days a week with a nine-hour closure on Mondays to 24/7 operations, increasing the maximum bet limit from $200 to $1,000, permitting limited backline betting and permitting new card games not prohibited by state law — including Pai Gow with tiles, according to the city staff report.
In order for the project to move forward as proposed, the city would need to amend its municipal code along with other planning documents to allow for increasing the total number of card tables permitted citywide from a population-based calculation to 32 card tables, modifications to tournament noticing requirements, changes to the number of cardroom licenses permitted per person and other miscellaneous amendments made for clarification.
Parkwest Casino 580 is one of two existing cardrooms operating in the city. Livermore Casino, located at 3571 First St., could be affected by amendments to the city code if it were to apply for a new or amended development agreement or conditional use permit, which would be subject to a separate environmental review and discretionary approval.
In addition to the operational changes, the Parkwest Casino 580 proposal includes the construction of a new 230-space surface parking lot which would be located on a vacant parcel east of the existing casino.
The new parking lot would increase the available spots from 131 to 361.
It would consist of 178 standard stalls, 26 EV-capable spaces, 26 EV charging stations and racks for up to 36 bikes.
Additionally, five existing stalls would be converted to four ADA stalls, for a total of 9 ADA spots on-site, and one ADA-compliant EV charging station.
“The proposed parking lot would alleviate the existing parking deficit and accommodate the anticipated increase in parking demand resulting from the operational changes at the casino,” according to the staff report.
The project also includes construction of a new driveway from North Canyons Parkway and off-site improvements along North Canyons Parkway such as development of a new Class IV bike lane with a landscaped buffer and restriping of traffic lanes.
The planning commission will offer its recommendation to the city council for their decision on the Parkwest Casino 580 proposal and citywide cardroom operations.
Following the casino discussion, commissioners are also set to nominate and elect a chairperson and vice-chair person.
The Livermore Planning Commission meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m. on Jan. 7 at the Civic Center Meeting Hall.
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