HomeMy WebLinkAbout20 - Planning Commission Agenda - 11-2-2006CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Agenda Item No: 20
November 14, 2006
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Planning Department
Patricia L. Temple
949 -644 -3225; ptemple @city.newport- beach.ca.us
SUBJECT: Planning Commission Agenda for November 2, 2006
Report of the actions of the Planning Commission Meeting:
Item 1: The minutes of October 19, 2006 were approved as corrected. (6 Ayes, 1
Abstain)
Item 2: Newport Bay Marina (PA2001 -210)
2300 Newport Boulevard
Site Plan Review, Use Permit, Modification Permit and Vesting Tentative
Tract Map to allow the construction of a mixed -use development on a 2.4
acre site located north of the intersection of Newport Boulevard and
Balboa Boulevard. The project consists of the demolition of all structures
on site and the construction of approximately 36;000 square feet of
commercial uses and 27 dwelling units (condominiums). Eleven three -
story buildings are planned to be built over a subterranean parking
garage. The reconstructionlreconfiguration of the existing bulkhead,
boatways and docks is also planned. The Site Plan Review application
would authorize the entire project and the Vesting Tentative Tract map
would permit a subdivision map to allow for the residential units to be
individually sold. The Use Permit would establish a building height limit of
up to 35 feet and the Modification Permit would allow portions of the
proposed buildings to encroach within the 5 -foot front yard setback.
Finally, consideration of a Draft Environmental Impact Report (SCH#
2003071144) including mitigation measures.
This item was continued to the Planning Commission meeting on November
16, 2006. (6 Ayes, 1 Abstain)
Item 3: Holiday Inn Express (PA2006 -182))
2300 West Coast Highway
A Use Permit to allow a 19 room expansion of a 64 room existing motel. The
two -story addition is fully compliant with applicable standards and will be
located at the rear of the existing two -story motel building.
Planning Commission Agenda for November 2, 2006
Page 2
Discussion of the Planning Commission focused on the design of the roof
and the methods available to improve it's aesthetics as viewed from above,
and the vehicle by which to assure the future possibility of an access way to
the rear of the property through the existing City parking lot. With direction to
staff on the type of easement to be requested in this regard, the Planning
Commission approved the Use Permit. (6 Ayes, 1 Abstain)
Item 4: Planning Director's Use Permit No. 2006 -021 (PA2006 -193)
2372 Bristol Street, Unit 3
Appeal of the Planning Director's approval of a Use Permit for a
medical /dental office use. The request is to allow the utilization of an
approximately 2,625 square foot office area for medical /dental office use
within an existing 10,500 square foot office building complex.
The discussion of the Planning Commission focused on the language of the
Santa Ana Height Specific Plan, and whether the use classification of
Professional and Administrative Office included medical office as a permitted
use. It was the staffs determination that medical office were permitted as
one type of professional office, the same as the use classifications in the
City Zode. This appeared to be consistent with the County's administration
of the Specific Plan, because there are medical offices withing the office
complex that had been approved by the County. The Planning Commission
disagreed with this determination because. the Business Park classification
in the Specific Plan lists medical offices separately as a permitted use. With
this conclusion, the Planning Commission upheld the appeal and denied the
Use Permit. (7 Ayes)
Item 5: Thirty First Street, LLC (PA2006 -031)
407, 409, 411 & 413 31 st Street
Use Permit to establish a height limit of 31 -feet, exceeding the base height
limit of 26 -feet, for the construction of four mixed -use buildings and approval
of a commercial floor area ratio (FAR) less than the minimum 0.25 FAR
required for mixed use development projects. In addition, the applicant is
requesting the approval of a modification permit to allow parking spaces to
encroach within the front and rear setbacks and a lot line adjustment to
adjust the interior property lines of four lots into four equally sized parcels.
The Planning Commission's discussion focused on the design of the retail
space, the orientation of the residential units in relation to existing
commercial parking areas and the setback encroachments. It was felt that
the entries to the retail spaces needed to at the front of the buildings in order
to meet the intent of the specialty retail zoning designation. Additionally,
while there might be some advantage to "reversing" the units in such a
manner that the project would "turn its back" on the adjoining commercial
Planning: sharedVanning CommissionVcagendarpt.doc
Planning Commission Agenda for November 2, 2006
Page 3
parking lots, the cost to the City related to the overall aesthetics from
Newport Boulevard was not desireable. Also, the advantage in having all the
commercial parking independently accessible could justify the rear yard
setback encroachment. With this guidance to the applicant, the item was
continued to the Planning Commission meeting of November 16, 2006. (7
Ayes)
Item 6: Isla Vista Homes (PA2004 -123)
1499 and 1515 Monrovia Avenue
General Plan Amendment, Zone Code Amendment, Tract Map and
Modification Permit to develop 44 detached residential condominium units
on a 3.25 acre site. The general plan designation would be changed from
General Industry to Multi - Family Residential and the zoning district would
be changed from M -1 -A (Controlled Manufacturing) to MFR (Multi - Family
Residential). A:Modification Permit has been requested to allow setback
encroachments, decreased distance between structures and increased
wall height in. required setbacks.
Discussion of the Planning Commission focused on the design .of the site
plan, and the adequacy of the parking arrangements, both in terms of the
number of guest parking spaces and their dispersion throughout the
project. Also of concern was the magnitude of the setback modifications
required by the proposal, particularly the fence heights in required
setbacks. The applicant was directed to explore design alternatives to
address these concerns and the item was continued to the Planning
Commission meeting of December 7, 2006. (7 Ayes)
Item 7: Planning Commission Rules of Procedures
The Planning Commission discussed their established Rules of
Procedures and desired modifications. Several changes were necessary
to have the rules better reflect the actual procedures currently in use by
the Planning Commission,.which the Commission adopted. (7 Ayes)
Submitted by:
P�U;l
Patricia L. Temple
Planning Department
Planning: shared\Ptanning CommissionVcagendarpt.doc