HomeMy WebLinkAbout20190822_PC_MinutesPlanning Commission Minutes
August 22, 2019
Vice Chair Weigand remarked that the Planning Commission could approve the current application and later
deny the restaurant application. The applicant will probably not construct the two projects separately. He
suggested the applicant present the projects together.
Motion made by Chair Koetting and seconded by Commissioner Rosene to continue PA2019-023 to
September 19, 2019 with staff to provide notice of the new date.
AYES: Koetting, Weigand, Lowrey, Ellmore, Klaustermeier, Kleiman, Rosene
NOES:
RECUSED:
ABSENT:
ITEM N0.4 COAST BUSINESS CENTER PARKING WAIVER (PA2019-101)
Site Location: 2121 East Coast Highway
Summary:
A coastal development permit and conditional use permit for a reduction of 18 of the required 160 off-
street parking spaces to allow the entire 31 ,806-square-foot Coast Business Center building to be
occupied by medical office uses. Coast Business Center is an existing office building currently occupied
by a mix of professional office and medical office uses and a tutoring center. The existing on-site parking
is provided in a two-level, subterranean, 142-space parking structure accessible from Avocado Avenue.
Recommended Action:
1. Conduct a public hearing;
2. Find this project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section
15301 under Class 1 (Existing Facilities) of the CEQA Guidelines, because it has no potential to have
a significant effect on the environment; and
3. Adopt Resolution No. PC2019-025 approving Coastal Development Permit No. CD2019-025 and
Conditional Use Permit No. UP2019-025.
Associate Planner Chelsea Crager reported the Coast Business Center is an existing office building. The
application requests an 18-space parking wavier, which requires a conditional use permit and a coastal
development permit. The office building was constructed in 1984 and contains 31,804 square feet of gross floor
area. A two-level, subterranean parking garage provides 142 parking spaces on-site. The zoning district for the
site is General Commercial Office (CO-G). Office buildings are located adjacent to and across the street from the
project site. Residential zoning and a gas station are located across Avocado Avenue. The applicant would like
the ability to convert all uses in the office building to medical office, which would require a total of 160 parking
spaces. A parking study for the project concluded that the maximum demand would be 123 parking spaces if the
entire building was medical office. Current tenants include medical office, general office, a tutoring center, and
outpatient surgery. The entrance to the parking garage is not gated. Staff recommends approval of the project.
In response to Chair Koetting's inquiry, Associate Planner Crager indicated the medical office building located at
Hospital Road and Superior Avenue has a gross floor area of 45,100 square feet and provides 183 parking spaces,
which is approximately one space per 246 square feet. Chair Koetting felt a parking rate of one space per 200
square feet is not sufficient for medical office.
Commissioners disclosed no ex parte communications.
Steve Mensinger, Mesa Management President, advised that the medical offices would be oriented to cosmetic
medicine, which is very light and non-intensive. The building offers an abundance of parking.
In reply to Commissioner Kleiman's question, Mr. Mensinger indicated the building is approximately 87 percent
occupied. The vacant space was occupied by a retail use and would be divided into smaller medical offices.
Chair Koetting remarked that the parking study did not explore the parking need for a 100-percent leased medical
building. Therefore, the parking study did not accurately find 123 parking spaces are sufficient. In answer to Chair
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Planning Commission Minutes
August22,2019
Koetting's queries, Mr. Mensinger stated there are no plans for a pharmacy in the building. Cort Ensign of Mesa
Management reported the building is occupied 79 percent by medical uses and 21 percent by office uses. The
office space contains 6,400 square feet, which requires 6.5 parking spaces. Staff utilized a parking ratio of five
spaces per 1,000 square feet. The building was constructed on a parking ratio of 4.6 spaces per 1,000 square
feet, and the City grandfathered 18 parking spaces. With 100 percent medical office, the building needs 6.4 parking
spaces per 1,000 square feet. The property manager screens tenants for high-value-per-visit activities. Most of
the medical offices support their staff on five to seven visits per day. Leases restrict the number of parking spaces
available to tenants. A general medical designation is generic when there are many medical subspecialties.
Associate Planner Crager explained that general office is parked at a rate of one space per 250 square feet, and
medical office is parked at a rate of one space per 200 square feet. In a building with a mix of uses, up to 20
percent of the building can be occupied by medical offices that are parked at one space per 250 square feet.
Parking is based on gross square footage of the building. The building is currently required to have a minimum of
6,695 square feet of general office without approval of a parking waiver. Approval of a parking waiver would
remove the general office minimum and allow the entire building to be used as medical office. Community
Development Director Jurjis added that medical office is required to provide a higher ratio of ADA spaces. The
number of ADA spaces will be reviewed during the building plan review process. Even though an ADA space is
counted as a parking space, the total number of parking spaces could decrease.
In answer to Vice Chair Weigand's inquiry, Associate Planner Crager indicated 142 parking spaces are provided
on-site, but many of the spaces are unoccupied.
In response to Commissioner Lowrey's question, City Traffic Engineer Tony Brine reported counts were conducted
in the existing parking lot. The existing demand was calculated on occupied uses, and Code requirements were
applied to vacant uses. The existing demand and the Code requirement totals 123 spaces.
In reply to Commissioner Rosene's query, Associate Planner Crager could not think of a similar parking situation
in the City. Principal Planner Ramirez added that real-time parking demand varied based on the medical practice
and proximity to Hoag Hospital.
Chair Koetting opened the public hearing.
Jim Mosher suggested Condition of Approval No. 8 state "surrounding businesses or residences" as residences
are located on two sides of the project site. Some buildings in Corona del Mar with surplus parking agree to allow
other businesses to utilize the surplus parking for employees. The indicator for north on the aerial photographs is
wrong.
Chair Koetting closed the public hearing.
Motion made by Commissioner Lowrey and seconded by Vice Chair Weigand to adopt Resolution No.
PC2019-025 approving Coastal Development Permit No. CD2019-025 and Conditional Use Permit No.
UP2019-025.
AYES: Koetting, Weigand, Lowrey, Ellmore, Klaustermeier, Kleiman, Rosene
NOES:
RECUSED:
ABSENT:
ITEM NO. 5 TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS LCP AMENDMENT (PA2019-154)
Site Location: Citywide
Summary:
Local Coastal Program Amendment (LCPA) to include policy and regulations pertaining to the transfer of
development rights. Specifically, the proposed LCPA would: 1) include a policy in the Coastal Land Use
Plan allowing transfers; and 2) provide regulations within the LCP Implementation Plan (Newport Beach
Municipal Code Title 21 ).
Recommended Action:
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