Planning Commission Meeting Preview

A FULL AGENDA MONDAY NIGHT On Monday, April 25, 2016, the Costa Mesa Planning Commission will meet beginning at 6:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers at City Hall.  The complete agenda may be viewed HERE.

CONSENT CALENDAR
There are two items on the Consent Calendar - the minutes of the previous meeting and a review of the planning application for the Boathouse Collective, HERE.  It's unlikely either item will be pulled for separate discussion, but will be passed on a single vote.

CREATING FOUR LOTS FROM ONE
Public Hearing #1, HERE, is a Tentative Parcel Map for a four-lot single-family residential subdivision at 410 Walnut Place, replacing an 80-year-old single family home.  This is a second shot taken by the property owners.  The first time around the Planning Commission inexplicably rejected their plan for five (5) lots on this three-quarters of an acre lot, which met all the code requirements but the nearby neighbors showed up enmasse to complain about the development "ruining the character of our neighborhood".  So, the owner is back with a plan to divide the lot into four equal-sized lots - each of which exceed the existing neighborhood lot size - at 8,128 square feet each.  If the parcel map is approved the lots could be individually sold and homes built that would be subject to our codes and restrictions.  In a neighborhood with mostly single-story homes, it's VERY likely we will see four two-story homes.  It will be interesting to see how this time at bat goes for the owners.

CREATING TWO LOTS FROM ONE
Public Hearing #2, HERE, is another Tentative Parcel Map for a two-lot single-family residential subdivision at 2242 Pacific Avenue, at the corner of Pacific and Wilson.  The property is zoned R2-MD and the division of this property produces two lots that exceed the minimum requirements.  The staff recommends approval of this map.  A two-unit small lot project was approved in January for two homes each exceeding 2250 square feet is size.

GENERAL PLAN AND DRAFT EIR
Public Hearing #3, HERE, is another hearing on the 2015-2035 General Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Report.  The staff report is more than 250 pages long and includes responses to many of the oral and written inquiries on this issue made by the public during the comment period which expired April 18th.  This report summarizes the inquires and responses from several previous meetings and will make for some interesting weekend reading for all you interested parties.  The staff recommends that the Planning Commission recommends to the City Council that it certify the EIR and adopt the 2015-2035 General Plan.

EXPANDING HOURS OF OPERATION
The final Public Hearing - #4, HERE - is a request to amend the planning application for The Hub restaurant at 1749 Newport Boulevard to modify the operating hours to permit it to be open from 7:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. every day.   Presently their CUP permits operation from 9:00 a.m. - Midnight Friday and Saturday and 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. Even though this business operates within 200 feet of a residential neighborhood, the staff recommends approval subject to the conditions required.