HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/17/1948The Newport Beach City Planning Commission held a regular meeting on Thur-
sday, June 17, 1948, with Chairman Longmoor presiding.
ROLL CALL. Commissioners present: Baltz, Copelin, Daniell, Johnson, Longmoor, Rudd,
`.ightman.
Commissioners absent: Ellerbroek and Pleger.
D41INUTES Commissioner Johnson made the motion, seconded by Commissioner Rudd for
the anproval of the minutes of the meeting of May 20th, as read. Motion
carried and so ordered.
PUBLIC Final hearing upon the application of Mr. C. F. RexRechs for rezoning
HEARINGS from R -2 classififfation,to C -1 for Lot 5, Block 23, (2308 West Ocean
Front), for the purpose of building an eight unit addition to the present
Ocean Front Hotel and also to build a three car garage, was declared.
Commissioner Rudd ,gave the committee report, stating that he and the com-
mittee wished to discuss the matter further with Mr. RexRechs, relative
to the present garage building being non - conforming, and accordingly Com-
missioner Rudd made the motion, seconded by Commissioner Johnson, that
the hearing be continued to the next meeting for further study. Motion
carried and so ordered.
Hearing upon the application of Mr. R. H. Files for a 50% $root yard set-
back variance for Lot 8, Block 19, First Addition to Newport Beach, was
declared, same having been duly,filed and advertised. Commissioner Baltz
gave the committee report, stating that the committee had found that the
building, for which Mr. Files is requesting this setback, is already
under construction, apparently based on the setback being granted, fur-
ther stating, "the building is in line with the house to the west, but
not with the one to the east ", adding however, that he recommended same '
be approved. Commissioner Rudd stated he "would have been in favor of
approval in the first place, if the building had not been started ". Com-
missioner Daniell argued that the building has been approved up to its
present stage of the framing. Mr. Nelson stated that he had informed Mr.
Files of the necessity of staying back the required 10 feet until he ob-
tained his variance, and that the building had apparently been approved
by some one else in the Building Department, but not by himself, and,
that the area_is one of old houses, all eut beyond the lot lines. Chair-
man Longmoor suggested that the Commission refuse to take action, due to
the building being in violation of the ordinance. 6ammissioner Copelin
made the motion for closing the hearing, which was seconded by Commission- -
er Rudd and carried, after which Commissioner Baltz made the motion that
the Commission recommend that this application be denied, in view of the
fact that this building is being erected in violation of Ordinance No. 525,.
which was seconded by Commissioner Copelin, and carried by the following
roll call vote: AYES: Baltz, Copelin, Johnson, Longmoor, Rudd and Wightman
NOES: None. ABSENT: Ellerbroek and Pleger.
Hearing upon the application of Mr. A. D. Callahan for a 50% setback var-
fiance for the northwest side of Lot 28, Tract 742, Venetian Place, was
declared, same having bsen duly filed and advertised. Commissioner John -
som gave the committee report, stating, "this is another case where the
owner is trying to use more of his lot area than the ordinance permits,
and the granting of such an application would amount to 'spot zoning' ".
Mr. Callahan was present, arguing that this lot presents a different pro- ,
blem than the usually in that the variance setback iS requested on the
northwest side, which is adjacent to the walkway, and that there would
still be 11-' feet between Callahan's house and the one across the walkway
which is more than any of the other houses on the island allows, or pres-
ents. Commissioner Daniell agreed and approved of the granting of this
application. Mr. Callahan also presented a letter of approval from his
neighbor, taYrs. Ross. After much discussion, Commissioner Copelin made the
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motion, seconded by Commissioner Johnson for the closing of the hearing
which carried, and then Commissioner Johnson made the motion, which Com-
missioner Copelin seconded, that the Commission recommend that this appli-
c ation be denied, which carried by the following roll call vote: AYES:
Baltz, Copelin, Johnson, Longmoor, Rudd. NOES: Daniell and ddightman. .
ABSEYT: Pleger and Ellerbroek.
Hearing upon the application of Mrs. Lois E. Glick for a setback variance
of 32 inches for the second story being erected on Lot 11, Block 431,
Corona del Mar, (431 Dahlia), was declared, same having been duly filed
and advertised. Mrs. Glick was present and explained t,,at the builging is
under construction, (the addition), and same is or was built in error, and
the variance is therefore being requested now, adding that she was not
advised of the required setback, that'she has lost 64 square feet, fue to
the sewer line cutting across the rear of her lot, and that the lot also
has an 8 foot drop, which further decreases the area. 1r. Nelson stid that
this addition is for two -rooms being added on the side of the present house,
and Commissioner Johnson stated, "another case of the owner wanting to use
more of the lot area than the ordinance permits ". Commissioner Baltz gave
the committee report, stating, "dont know what to recommend, as this addi-
tion is being built in violation of the ordinance ". After much discussion,
Commissioher Copelin made the motion, seconded by Commissioner Johnson that
the hearing be closed, which carried, and Commissioner Johnson then made
the motion, seconded by Commissioner Copelin that the Commission recommend
that this application be denied, which carried by the following roll call
vote, AYES: Copelin, Johnson, Longmoor, Rudd and Wightman. NOES: Baltz,
and Daniell. ABSENT: Ellerbroek and �Aeger.
' A letter of application from Mrs. Nell Cary for rezoning from R -3 to C -1 COMMUNICATIONS
of Lots 1 and 9, Block 14, Balboa Tract, (901 East Central Avenue¢, was
read, same having been received too late for advertising for hearing at
this meeting. Mrs. Cary's letter explained fhat she desires to "install
offices for professional people. I have already leased one office to a
dentist ". The secretary was instructed to contact Mrs. Cary for the filing
fee and to advertise same.
Also read, as referred from the City Council, were two applications for
self - service laundries ", one from kr. George P. Thompson, for a permit to
operate a "self- service washerette" on property described as Lot 4 and 5
Block U. Tract 323, Corona del Mar, and the other from Olive M. English
and Garland H. English for a "launderette" at 313 Marine Avenue, Balboa Is-
land. Mr. Thompson was present with his plans, and argued his point, i.e.,
that a!"self- service laundry" is not a laundry, and that accordingly same
should be permitted at this location, also presenting a petition with 132
names favoring same. Mr. Nelson, asked if the Building' Department should
or could issue a building permit for sucj a building, to which Commissioner
Copelin answered that "self- service laundries "have not been clarified in
relation to Ordinance No. 525. Chairmat Longmoor stated, (1) Commission
and /or i °`r, Thompson sould request the City Attorney to give his ruling as
to whether a "self- service laundry" is a laundry or not, (2) Commission
could maMe the move to amend Ordinance No. 525 to permit laundryettes in
C -2 zones, as until the matter is clarified the Commission eannot recommend.
Mr. Thompson agreed to contact the City Attorney and Commissioner Copelin
made the motion, seconded by Commissioner Daniell that a letter be directed
from the Commission to the City Attorney relative to thesd two letters of
applications for laundryettes, and requesting his interpretation of Ordi-
nance No. 525 on s -:me. Motion carried and so ordered.
Also read was a letter from lrvine Beach and Country Club Estates Ltd., re-
lative to its petition to the City Council, offering for annexation approxi-
mately 58 acres of uninhabited territory lying within 'range County and
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directly inland from Shore Cliffs, and requesting approval of the Com-,
mission of said plan of development and the tentative map. Mr. R. A.
Dorn and ivr. Bruce B. Hall were present, explaining the development.
air.,J. B. Webb, City Engineer, said his main suggestion would be that
the streets should be 40 feet, graded to 30 feet, and Commissioner
Daniell stated that he could see no objections, except that when annex-
ed the property would be acreage. fir. Hall stated that he and his
associates have studied this property for over two years, and if the
Commission does not approve, "then we do not want to annex ". Commis-
sioner Ccpelin stressed that the streets be 40 feet and that the lot
areas be at least 6,000 square feet.
The matter of a proposed moving picture theater on the corner of Helios
trope and Coast Highway was brought up by Commissioner xudd as having
been presented to the Architectural Committee for approval, said plans
calling for the entire lot to be used for the theater of 1,000 seats,
with no provision for off - street narking. Commissioner Baltz stated
that he thought the plans were being temporarily held up on an engin-
eering problem, which Commissioner Pleger had found, but which were
being corrected. The matter of parking and traffic hazards at this
location were discussed at length, and, Commissioner Rudd made the mo-
tion, seconded by Commissioner Wightman that a letter be directed to
the City Council relative to these proposed moving picture plans hav-
ing been referred to the Architectural Committee, that "said plans do
not provide for any off- street parking, that Ordinance No. 525 does not
require off- street parking, but, it is the recommendation of the Archi-
tectural Committee, and the Commission concurs in this, that steps be
taken by the City Council to require the party or parties contemplating
the building of this theater to provide adequate and accessible off- '
street parking for said theater, as a requirement for the issuance of
the building permit, and, further that the Commission is making this re-
commendation in line with its policy of requiring business projects
which cater to a large number of people, and which cause the congrega-
tion of a large number of automobiles, to provide off- street parking,
and, in view of the location of this proposed theater, on a major thoro-
£are, the Commission feels that for the safety of the people using the
highway, as well as the patrons of this proposed theater, that off-
street parking should be required ". Motion carried and so ordered.
Following is the proposed amendment to Ordinance No. 525, as received
from the City Attorney, and read by Chairman Longmoor, after which Com-
missioner Copelin made the motion, seconded by gommissioner Baltz, that
same be advertised for hearings. Piotion carried and so ordered: "Sub-
section 6 under Section 6 of Ordinance No. 525 is hereby amended as
follows: "6. The following uses, subject to the issuance of conditional
permits, therefor as
provided in Section 11. (a) Apartment hotels; (b)
Storage garages; (c)
Professional Offices ". Section 2. Sub- section 4
under Section 11 of Ordinance No. 525 is hereby amended by adding a new
sub - section thereto, to be-known as sub- section (i), and shall read as
follows: (i) Professional ffices, upon condition that the location and
building plans be approved by the Planning Commission, and under such
conditions which will preserve the integrity and character of the dis-
trict, the utility and value of adjacent property, and the general wel-
fare of the neighborhood, and under such other conditions and restrict -
tions as to off- street parking as the Planning Commission may in their
judgment stipulate."
PLANNING Chairman Longmoor reported that the matter of obtaining the services of
CONSULTANT the Orange County Planning Commission for the City of Newport Beach had
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been referred to the &oard o£ Supervisors, following a meeting which he and
Mayor Drake and others attended, said meeting being of these of the Orange
County Planning Commission.
Chairman Longmoor also reported that he had received a communication from
.Administrative Office John Sailors that Mavor Drake was calling a joint
meeting of the City Council and the Planning Commission, for informal dis-
cussion, on Wednesday June 23, 1948, and, requested that all of the members
of the Commission attend.
Commissioner Rudd made the motion for adjournment, sedonded,by Commissioner ADJOURNMENT
Copelin, which carried, and was so ordered.
Respectfully submitted,
Philmer J. Ellerbroek, Secretary
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