Inside CITY HALL

Jennifer Kho

WHAT HAPPENED: The City Council on Monday gave final approval to a

rezoning that would pave the way for the rundown El Camino Shopping

Center to be converted into single-family houses.

The council rezoned the Mesa Del Mar site on El Camino Drive from

neighborhood commercial to medium-density residential, allowing the

owners to build between 19 and 29 homes on the site, which is surrounded

by single-family homes, apartment buildings and an office building.

WHAT IT MEANS: Developer El Camino Partners LLC has not yet submitted

a specific plan, and the design for the site will depend on new housing

development standards the city is working on.

The council extended a moratorium last month on new, two-story,

single-family developments and second-story additions in all residential

areas in the city while it works on the new housing development codes.

Final designs for the El Camino project will be reviewed by the

Planning Commission and the City Council after the standards are

approved.

The Mesa Del Mar Homeowners Assn. fervently favors the plans, and

representatives spoke in support of the project at the council meeting,

saying it will beautify the neighborhood and make it a safer place.

Supporters have previously submitted a petition to the city.

Apartment renters and shop owners have petitioned against the project

and have said they rely on the center for food, supplies and laundry

services.

VOTE: 5-0 to approve

WHAT HAPPENED: The council decided not to hire a company to negotiate

with the California Coastal Commission to get a permit to allow the city

to trim or remove trees in Canyon Park.

WHAT IT MEANS: The city has been trying to get permission to trim or

remove ocean-blocking eucalyptus trees in Canyon Park as part of the

proposed Canyon Park Tree Growth Management and Maintenance Plan.

City staff has been working to try to get a permit from the commission

for months and the council has postponed the adoption of the management

and maintenance plan to give the staff more time to work with the

commission.

The council in February directed staff to trim the taller eucalyptus

trees in the park at the direction of a state-certified arborist.

VOTE: 5-0 to deny

NEXT MEETING:

WHAT: Regular Costa Mesa City Council meeting

WHERE: City Hall, 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. April 16

INFORMATION: (714) 754-5223