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NEWPORT BEACH ZONING ADMINISTRATOR MINUTES
100 CIVIC CENTER DRIVE, NEWPORT BEACH
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020
REGULAR MEETING – 10:00 A.M.
I. CALL TO ORDER – The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m.
Staff Present: Jaime Murillo, Zoning Administrator
Chelsea Crager, Associate Planner
David Lee, Associate Planner
Liz Westmoreland, Associate Planner
Patrick Achis, Assistant Planner
II. REQUEST FOR CONTINUANCES
Staff requested Item Number 6 be removed from calendar and will be re-noticed appropriately.
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
ITEM NO. 1 MINUTES OF APRIL 16, 2020
Action: Approved as Amended
IV. PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS
ITEM NO. 2 OC Chief Auto Vehicle Storage Limited Term Permit No. XP2020-002 (PA2019-239)
Site Location: 2302 Bristol Street Council District 1
Liz Westmoreland, Associate Planner, provided a brief project description stating that the application is for a
limited term permit for greater than 90 days to allow vehicles to be stored in an existing, vacant, gravel lot. The
lot includes fencing and walls, and landscaping would be installed along Bristol Street frontage to buffer and
screen the vehicles stored on site. Employees from OC Chief Auto near the subject site would visit the site a
couple times a day to retrieve vehicles as necessary. There would be no other activities onsite such as washing,
repairs, etc. No wrecked or damaged vehicles would be stored on site. Staff received written public comments
on the project and clarified that the applicant would be installing an exit grid to keep gravel from exiting the site.
Staff added a note regarding the exit grid under Finding C 4. Employees could walk to the site, but they do not
have to. Staff has required 20 feet of space in front of the rolling gate so that employees could park the vehicle,
open the gate and drive in without staging in the right of way including the sidewalk. Staff also clarified that the
applicant is listed in the indemnification condition in the resolution. The owner of the property is the applicant
in this case.
In response to Zoning Administrator Murillo’s inquiry, Ms. Westmoreland explained that the CEQA statement
in Finding A of the resolution is a required finding for limited term permits. Zoning Administrator Murillo also
pointed out the typographical errors cited by the public comments and asked that they be corrected. Zoning
Administrator Murillo also inquired about the hours of operation and if there should be a condition of approval
limiting the hours. He asked why the landscaping was only proposed for the first 10 feet along Bristol Street
and not the entire 20 feet. Ms. Westmoreland cited the code requirement for 10 feet of landscaping, but
suggested that the project could be conditioned to increase ground cover or landscaping. Staff clarified that
there is no lighting currently proposed on site, but that there are conditions of approval to limit the amount of
lighting and ensure it does not spill onto neighboring properties. Lastly, the proposed fencing would include
fabric screening.
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE
NEWPORT BEACH ZONING ADMINISTRATOR 04/30/2020
Page 2 of 6
Phillip Budovec of Knitter Architects, on behalf of the Applicant/Owner, stated that he had reviewed the draft
resolution and agrees with all of the required conditions. He stated that the lot is for online vehicle sales and
that it would be used only for vehicle storage.
The Zoning Administrator asked about installing groundcover or rock between the landscaping and the fence
and the applicant agreed.
The Zoning Administrator opened the public hearing. Seeing that no one from the public wished to comment,
the public hearing was closed.
Zoning Administrator Murillo discussed the setting for the project and how it would be a reasonable use of the
vacant lot. He asked that a condition of approval is included to install groundcover behind the landscaping. He
also added a condition of approval to regulate the hours of operation from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., daily. He also asked
that the screening be maintained in good condition to the satisfaction of the Planning Division. The applicant
agreed to the new conditions.
Action: Approved as Amended
ITEM NO. 3 Bluffs Center Pylon Sign Comprehensive Sign Program No. CS2020-004 and
Modification Permit No. MD2020-006 (PA2020-040)
Site Location: 1300 Bison Avenue Council District 4
Patrick Achis, Assistant Planner, provided a brief project description stating that the request was an amendment
to the Bluffs Retail Center’s (“Center”) comprehensive sign program to replace an existing monument sign with
a pylon sign. Included was a modification permit request to allow increases of the sign’s width up to 8 feet, 1
inch and area up to 120 square feet. If approved, all existing signage and regulations would remain with the
exception of the pylon sign. The proposed signs are intended to provide legible signage to motorists traveling
north- and southbound along MacArthur Boulevard and provide advance notice for maneuverability for those
traveling south. The MacArthur Boulevard frontage extends 780 linear feet and the central building for the
Center is set back almost 400 feet from the street. Accordingly, the proposed pylon sign, including the requests
to exceed width and area, are to be compatible with the overall massing and bulk of the Center. Sign height
measurement from the adjacent street (MacArthur Boulevard) has been deemed the appropriate baseline
considering the site’s physical characteristics. A public comment from Jim Mosher was received by staff in
regards to the size and scale of the sign and the Zoning Code’s definition of a pylon sign. Mr. Achis responded
that with the exception of the modification permit requests, the proposed pylon sign would comply with Zoning
Code standards. The proposed sign area would not result in an increase of what is allowed currently.
Shawna Schaffner of CAA Planning, on behalf of the Owner, stated that she had reviewed the draft resolution
and agrees with all of the required conditions. The main intent of the request is to add an additional tenant on
to the signage. Additionally, the large parking lot separating the Center from the street frontage makes it difficult
for motorists to identify tenants.
The Zoning Administrator opened the public hearing.
One member of the public, Jim Mosher, spoke and stated concern over the size of the proposal and other pylon
signs in the city needed to identify tenants. One of the four tenants shown in the design does not appear legible.
More commentary in the staff report about the existing monument sign that the pylon sign is proposed to replace
would have been helpful.
The Zoning Administrator acknowledged the hard time that businesses are going through at the moment and
opportunity that the increased identification could bring. The site is bordered by MacArthur Boulevard that has
high speeds and that the pylon sign is not different from others that are authorized citywide. Given that he
proposed sign area is the same as currently allowed, the request is appropriate. The Zoning Administrator
directed Mr. Achis to alter Condition of Approval No. 1 to use language that pertains to the sign proposal.
Condition of Approval No. 10 was also amended to strike “visual character” and to clarify that the sign’s