Planners recommend West Side moratorium

-- Susan McCormack

The Planning Commission approved a recommendation for a selective

moratorium on development on the West Side at its Monday night meeting.

The moratorium focuses on 19th Street between Federal and Pomona avenues

and Placentia Avenue between 18th and Victoria streets.

The recommendation will now go to the City Council. This year the council

has rejected several moratorium proposals, with Mayor Gary Monahan being

the most adamant opponent. Monahan has questioned what development

projects the city will be turning down if a moratorium is imposed, and

has said the area needs investment.

The commission also approved an application by the Mekambe Development

Group to sell separately six homes the company is building on Orange

Avenue. If the homes were to be packaged together, they likely would have

ended up as rentals.

The commission continued an appeal by the Assistance League of

Newport-Mesa to overturn a decision to allow an addition to a nearby car

wash. The league says the addition will block its view of the street.