Commission decision may end up as Greenlight vote

Mathis Winkler

NEWPORT BEACH -- Setting in process a motion that could lead to a

Greenlight election and new homes for two churches, the city’s planning

commissioners voted Thursday to recommend the City Council begin three

general plan amendments.

Commission Chairman Edward Selich explained at the outset that he and

his colleagues rarely denied applicants a chance to explore their

proposals further.

“It’s this commission’s position that applicants should be allowed to

process their requests,” Selich said.

Initiating a general plan amendment simply means city officials don’t

see a project as completely unworthy. Once council members add their

approval, the proposals enter a monthlong review process before a final

decision is made.

For one of the three amendments -- a request to build two eight-story

office buildings on MacArthur Boulevard that would require the city to

add 225,000 square feet to what is allowed -- the city’s residents

probably would have the final say through the slow-growth initiative they

passed in November.

Under Greenlight, any general plan amendment that adds 40,000 square

feet or more than 100 dwelling units, or 100 peak-hour car trips, on top

of what is allowed in the general plan must go before a citywide vote.

The two other proposed amendments would allow Our Lady Queen of Angels

Catholic Church to build a new, larger sanctuary at the site that now

belongs to St. Mark Presbyterian Church.

A separate amendment would enable the St. Mark church to build a new

home at the corner of San Joaquin Hills Road and MacArthur Boulevard.

That site, owned by the Irvine Co., is open space.

Selich cautioned Our Lady’s proponents that he would look carefully at

increased traffic caused by the larger church and an expansion of its

elementary school.

“I suffered through 12 years of driving kids to school in that area,”

Selich said, referring to Corona del Mar High School, which sits just

across the street from the church. “It’s something that I’ll be concerned

about.”

On St. Mark’s proposal, Commissioner Anne Gifford told the applicants

she could not support the project.

“I don’t want to mislead anyone,” Gifford said, adding that she has a

strong commitment to the preservation of open space.

“I think that we have many places designated for development,” she

said, before voting against the recommendation to initiate the general

plan amendment. “But only few for open space.”

Commissioners also decided to delay a decision on a request for

outdoor dining areas at the Riverboat Restaurant until August. After

listening to several neighbors complain about noise, commissioners

extended a temporary permit under the condition that a plexiglass wall of

at least 6 feet would be installed around the ship’s outdoor areas.