Officials may reconsider West Side building ban

Elise Gee

COSTA MESA -- Some city officials would like to reconsider a

moratorium on building on the West Side now that the revitalization plan

is closer to completion.

Various proposals for building moratoriums on the West Side failed to

pass the City Council earlier this year.

Planning Commissioner Chris Fewel asked the council to consider

revisiting the issue this week at a joint study session with the council.

Fewel said that because consultants EIP Associates are closer to

submitting a draft specific plan it was a good time to reconsider a

moratorium that would halt building on the West Side.

Planning Commissioner Katrina Foley first raised the idea six months

ago when a number of applications for projects on the West Side were

submitted for approval. Those included an application for an automotive

repair shop at 19th Street and Placentia and one for a self-storage

warehouse on Whittier Avenue near the bluffs.

A moratorium would help in instances where redevelopment projects come

in conflict with where the West Side study is going, Fewel said.

It is anticipated that the plan will come up with recommendations to

change zoning in certain areas of the West Side.

The idea once again faces opposition. Mayor Gary Monahan argued that

the Planning Commission and City Council could still review projects on a

case-by-case basis without placing a halt on all building on the West

Side.

However, Planning Commissioner Katie Wilson said she was frustrated

when it came to approving the application for the warehouse because the

commission didn’t have a legitimate reason to reject the warehouse

because it complied with current zoning.

Monahan said that’s the way it should be.

“If somebody meets those zoning laws, to deny them when they’ve met

all these is basically a form of discrimination,” said Monahan, a

proponent of private property rights.

The fear is that zoning could change after the West Side specific plan

is adopted.

The Planning Commission will discuss the moratorium at an upcoming

study session to try and come up with various tailored moratoriums for

council perusal in October.