SEAL BEACH : Revised Housing Plan Up for Approval

The Planning Commission will vote tonight for a third time on the city’s plan for accommodating housing needs.

The state-required plan has been sent back to the staff for revisions by the commissioners, who complained last month that it was confusing, inaccurate and conflicted with the city’s General Plan. The new plan, in part, takes into account a ruling by Superior Court Commissioner Ronald L. Bauer that the city’s agreement with Mola Development Corp. was invalid because the city lacked a housing plan at the time.

In the latest housing plan, the 149-acre Hellman Ranch Property set aside for Mola’s $200-million high-income residential housing project is described as proposed. The revision presented on April 19 referred to the property as committed.

Barry Curtis, an administrative assistant, said the new document fails to address the possibility of placing low-income housing on Hellman property, although Planning Commissioner Phillip Fife requested that this be considered.

City Manager Bob Nelson said the commissioners can recommend approval or rejection of the plan to the City Council. They then can vote on the Mola project, which also is on the agenda for tonight.

Both the housing plan and the Mola proposal then go to the City Council.

Commissioners Gwen Forsythe and Joe Rullo, both of whom are running for City Council in the May 8 runoff election, said they are prepared to reapprove the Mola plan as is.

Forsythe said she would not support the Mola plan if including low-income housing meant increasing density.