2010 - November 15Planning Commission Meeting November 15, 2010
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Minutes
Planning Commission November 15, 2010
City of Orange Monday 7:00 p.m.
PRESENT: Commissioners Cunningham, Imboden, and Steiner
ABSENT: Commissioners Merino and Whitaker
STAFF
PRESENT: Ed Knight, Assistant Community Development Director
Robert Garcia, Associate Planner
Doris Nguyen, Associate Planner
Gary Sheatz, Assistant City Attorney
Sandi Dimick, Recording Secretary
ADMINISTRATIVE SESSION:
Vice Chair Cunningham opened the Administrative Session at 6:47 p.m. with a review of
the Agenda.
Commissioner Imboden stated there would be only two Commissioner's voting on the
minutes from the October 18, 2010 Planning Commission meeting, as he had been absent
from that meeting.
Vice Chair Cunningham asked if there were any questions on the Agenda items. There
were none.
Assistant Community Development Director, Ed Knight stated there was nothing further
to add.
There was no further discussion
Administrative Session adjourned @ 6:50 p.m.
REGULAR SESSION:
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: None
Planning Commission Meeting November 15, 2010
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Consent Calendar:
(1) APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR PLANNING
COMMISSION MEETING OF OCTOBER 18, 2010
Commissioner Steiner made a motion to approve the minutes from the regular Planning
Commission Meeting on October 18, 2010.
SECOND: Commissioner Cunningham
AYES: Commissioners Cunningham and Steiner
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: Commissioner Imboden
ABSENT: Commissioners Merino and Whitaker
MOTION CARRIED
Planning Commission Meeting
NEW HEARINGS:
November 15, 2010
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(2) CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT N0.2790-10; MAJOR SITE PLAN NO.
0630-10; AND DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE N0.4483-10-SANTA
INES SENIOR VILLAS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT N0.2790-10;
MAJOR SITE PLAN NO. 0630-10; & DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE
N0.4483-10 -SANTA INES SENIOR VILLAS
A proposal to demolish two buildings previously used as a preschool in order to construct
44 apartments where 43 of the units would be rented to seniors (62 and older) with
extremely low, very low, or low-incomes. The 44th unit would be a manager's unit.
LOCATION: 184 N. Prospect
NOTE: This project is categorically exempt from the provisions of the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per State CEQA
Guidelines Section 15194, because it provides Affordable Housing
and meets the required criteria.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt Planning Commission Resolution No. 40-10
recommending approval to the City Council for construction of 43
senior affordable housing units and 1 manager's unit.
Associate Planner, Doris Nguyen presented a project overview consistent with the Staff
Report.
Vice Chair Cunningham opened the item for any questions to Staff. There were none.
Vice Chair Cunningham invited the applicant to address the Commission.
Scott Chopin, address on file representing the Irvine Pacific Group of Companies. He
thanked the Planning Commission for hearing him. He had time to read through the
Staff Report and Ms. Nguyen was incredibly thorough and he could not add much to
what she had already shared. The proposed project would be the third senior community
project that he had worked on in the City of Orange. When he was with Kaufman and
Broad they had built Harmony Creek off of Tustin and La Veta many years ago and next
to the subject property there was Stone Gate Senior Villas and his company had been the
developer on that property that had been completed in 2003. He was excited to be back
in Orange and it was his favorite City to work in.
Generally the property was a 44 unit senior property. Certainly in the City of Orange
they had had much experience in the affordable housing world and the project would
expect to be a 9% loan to housing tax credit project. His company was working closely
with the redevelopment agency to subsidize the project and they hoped to get into the
Planning Commission Meeting November 15, 2010
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project around March 2011 and gain funding around June. Those types of projects took
a longer time to come to fruition, but it had been a great working experience so far.
Vice Chair Cunningham asked if there were any questions for the applicant. There were
none.
Vice Chair Cunningham opened the item for Public Comment.
Louis Flores, address on file, stated he lived a couple doors down from the proposed
project. He was the person who had suggested having the crosswalk going across with a
flashing light. There would be three different units with seniors and they all walked
across the street because going down to Chapman or Spring Street was too far to walk.
He suggested putting some type of flashing light so pedestrians could get through. With
the construction being done he was in the walk-in tub business, the Safe Step Walk in
Tub, and it was the only senior tub manufactured in the United States; which would
create jobs and be easier for seniors to get in and out of. He had another comment but
had forgotten; he looked to Ms. Nguyen.
Ms. Nguyen stated the third comment was that he had wished that he had been able to
purchase the property himself, but the asking price was too high. He would have
considered redesigning the sites with 2 bedrooms and 2 '/z bathrooms, or a 1 bedroom
with 1 '/2 baths to allow access to an alternate restroom if one was occupied.
Vice Chair Cunningham closed the Public Hearing and brought the item back to the
Commisiion for further discussion or a motion.
Commissioner Steiner asked what was the rationale for the crossing signal not being
provided.
Ms. Nguyen stated the Public Works Department had a policy going forward that they
would not install mid-block crossings unless they were signalized or had a stop sign.
There was an un-signalized crossing at Maple that had been there for over 20 years.
There had been a traffic study that had been conducted. Originally there had been 4
pedestrian crossings, Maple, Vine, Spring and Chapman. In a span of a '/4 mile, there
had been four crossings and there had been a lot of accident. There had been rear end
collisions where the first car would stop for a pedestrian; but the following car would not
realize the car had stopped and then rear end the stopped car. There had been a traffic
study in relationship to the apartments. The crossing at Vine had been removed. The
one at Maple had been kept.
Commissioner Steiner made a motion to adopt PC 40-10, recommending approval to the
City Council of CUP No. 2790-10; MSPR No. 0630-10 and DRC No. 4483-10-Santa Ines
Senior Villas, subject to the conditions contained in the Staff Report; noting the item was
categorically exempt from CEQA.
SECOND: Commissioner Imboden
Planning Commission Meeting November 15, 2010
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AYES: Commissioners Cunningham, Imboden, and Steiner
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Commissioners Merino and Whitaker
MOTION CARRIED
Planning Commission Meeting
November 15, 2010
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(3) CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT N0.2797-10 - MARISCOS MOCORITO
A proposal for an Alcoholic Beverage Control Type 41 (On-Sale Beer and Wine -Eating
Place) License to have on-site consumption of alcohol for the guests of the eating
establishment.
LOCATION: 320 E. Katella Avenue, Unit H
NOTE: This project is categorically exempt from the provisions of the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per State CEQA
Guidelines Section 15301 (Class 1 -Existing Facilities) because
the project consists of the operation and licensing of an existing
restaurant.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt Planning Commission Resolution No. 41-10 approving an
Alcoholic Beverage Control Type 41 License (On-Sale Beer and
Wine for a Bona Fide Eating Place).
Associate Planner, Robert Garcia presented a project overview consistent with the Staff
Report.
Vice Chair Cunningham opened the item for any questions to Staff. There were none
Chair Whitaker invited the applicant to address the Commission. They had nothing
further to add.
Commissioner Steiner stated he wanted to ensure the applicant accepted a1135 Conditions
of Approval. The applicant acknowledged, yes.
Chair Whitaker closed the Public Hearing and brought the item back to the Commission
for further discussion or a motion
Commissioner Imboden made a motion to adopt PC 41-10, approving CUP 2797-10-
Mariscos Mocorito, subject to the conditions contained in the Staff Report, noting the
project was categorically exempt from CEQA.
SECOND: Commissioner Steiner
AYES: Commissioners Cunningham, Imboden and Steiner
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Commissioners Merino and Whitaker
MOTION CARRIED
Planning Commission Meeting
(4) ADJOURNMENT:
November 15, 2010
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Adjournment to the next regular Planning Commission Meeting scheduled for Monday,
December 6, 2010.
Commissioner Steiner made a motion. to adjourn to the next regular scheduled Planning
Commission Meeting on December 6, 2010.
SECOND: Commissioner Imboden
AYES: Commissioners Cunningham, Imboden, and Steiner
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Commissioners Merino and Whitaker
MOTION CARRIED
Meeting Adjourned @ 7:13 p.m.