HomeMy WebLinkAbout16 - Planning Commission Agenda - 07-07-2005CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Agenda Item No. 16
July 26, 2005
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Planning Department
Patricia Temple, Planning Director
ptemple@city.newport-beach.ca.us
SUBJECT: Planning Commission Agenda for July 7, 2005
ISSUE: Report of the actions of the Planning Commission Regular Meeting:
Item 1: The minutes of June 23, 2005 were approved as corrected. (4 Ayes, 2
Abstain, 1 Excused)
Item 2: Master Development Corporation (MDC) (PA2004.231)
4200 Von Karman Avenue
This item is a General Plan Amendment to Statistical Area L4 (Koll Center
Newport Office Site B) of the Land Use Element to increase the maximum
allowable gross office area by 1,750 square feet, and a Planned
Community Text Amendment in Professional and Business Office Site B
by 1,367 net square feet in order to replace an existing one -story 1,330
square foot office building with a 3,080 square foot office building. This
item was recommended for approval to the City Council and is scheduled to
be heard on July 26, 2005. (6 Ayes, 1 Excused)
The discussion of the Planning Commission centered on whether the
applicant had achieved an agreement with the Koll Company regarding the
parking lot improvements needed for the project. After receiving information
from both the applicant and a representative of the Koll Company that an
agreement had been reached, the Planning Commission recommended
approval of the project.
Item 3: Orchid Plaza (PA2005 -098)
3600 E. Coast Highway
This item is for a Use Permit approval to allow a waiver of 4 off - street
parking spaces for the development of a new two -story, 3,250 square -foot
commercial building. This item was approved and is subject to appeal by
the public or City Council. (4 Ayes, 2 Noes, 1 Excused)
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The project proposed is located on a vacated service station site on the
corner of East Coast Highway and Orchid Avenue in Corona del Mar. The
applicant had previously sought approval of a different commercial project,
which was denied by the Planning Commission. As a result of comment
made by the Commission at the prior hearing, the applicant revised the
proposal and resubmitted the application. The redesigned project included
the majority of the commercial space on the ground floor, where the prior
project had all the commercial on the second floor. Because of this, the
applicant was not able to design a project which provided all the required on-
site parking, resulting in the requested waiver. However, because the project
also includes the closure of two existing curb cuts on East Coast Highway,
four new on- street parking spaces will be created.
The discussion of the Planning Commission focused on the precise meaning
of the language used in the required finding for a parking waiver contained in
the zoning code. The issue was whether the four new parking spaces being
created on Coast Highway constituted a "municipal parking facility."
It was staffs position that on- street parking is not a municipal parking facility,
but that the term meant a city parking lot. Staff was also concerned because
the City had never used the presence of on- street parking spaces as a
justification for a parking waiver. The Planning Commission, however, felt
that the term is ambiguous, and would allow for the making of the necessary
finding in this case. The Commission also believed that the situation is
unique due to the lack of an alley behind the site and the project's resulting
in additional public parking spaces.
Item 4: Hamburger Mary's Bar and Grille Restaurant (PA2005 -087)
4221 Dolphin Striker Way
This item is a request for approval of an amendment to an existing Use
Permit to allow an existing restaurant to have live entertainment and
dancing. This item was approved and is subject to appeal by the public or
City Council. (6 Ayes, 1 Excused)
In reviewing this item, the Planning Commission was concerned about the
location an operation of a proposed "smoking porch" addition, particularly
as is may affect nearby hotels. After receiving information on the location
of the nearest hotel in vicinity, the Planning Commission was satisfied that
the operation, as conditioned, would not be detrimental to the
neighborhood.
Item 5: Comprehensive Sign Code Update and Sign Design Guidelines Manual
(PA2005 -091)
Code Amendment No. 2005 -005 to amend Municipal Code Chapter 20.67
related to sign standards applicable to all signs on a citywide basis with the
exception of the Newport Coast and Ridge Planned Communities, and
where sign regulations are not referenced in the Santa Ana Heights Specific
Plan area and all other commercially -zoned Planned Communities. The
Balboa Sign Overlay and Mariner's Mile sign regulations will be repealed by
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these proposed regulations, and their provisions will be incorporated into the
proposed ordinance. A Sign Design Guidelines Manual is also included, in
order to supplement the new sign code and establish criteria for the creation
of well- designed signs and further the intent and purpose of the sign code.
This item was recommended for approval to the City Council and will be
considered by Council at the August g`" Study Session, with hearings on
August 23rd and September 13`". (5 Ayes, 1 Abstain, 1 Excused)
This third hearing by the Planning Commission on the comprehensive Sign
Code update focused on several key areas, including the definition of A-
frame signs, the sign provisions for the GEIF and Open Space Zoning
Districts, the interrelationship of Modification Permits and the
Comprehensive Sign Program, and the amount of discretion the Planning
Director should have to determine the baseline for measuring the height of a
sign when there is a significant grade differential between the grade of the
street and the grade of the sign location. With these items clarified, and
several language adjustments throughout the Sign Code, the Commission
took action to recommend approval.
Submitted by:
PO4M 1 (40
i
Patricia L. Temple, PlarYning Director