Inside CITY HALL
Jennifer Kho
SIGN ORDINANCE
The Planning Commission on Monday will consider changing the city’s
sign ordinance, originally adopted in 1974.
The commission discussed the ordinance at a meeting April 23, when it
directed the city’s staff to determine whether the changes are allowed by
California’s business code.
The proposed changes would prohibit new signs with animation or moving
messages, require street addresses to be posted on free-standing signs or
on the building, and limit the number of signs allowed on businesses.
The ordinance was last revised in 1995 after a two-year process
involving a committee that reviewed the sign ordinance, the Planning
Commission, City Council and city staff.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Jerry Scheer, city attorney, investigated the business
code and wrote a memo discussing whether the proposed ordinance is legal.
The memo was not included in the staff report, but city staff continue
to recommend approval of the revised ordinance.
EXXON/MOBILE CONVENIENCE STORE
The commission is scheduled to consider a proposal to replace an
existing service station with a new one at 3006 Harbor Blvd.
The new station would include a 3,615-square-foot convenience store, a
6,544-square-foot fueling canopy and a 1,152-square-foot self-serve
drive-thru car wash.
The station currently includes four fuel pump islands and a small
convenience store underneath an existing canopy, as well as five parking
spaces.
The original proposal, submitted in January, was revised April 30 to
provide more parking. If the project is approved, the gas station will
have 15 parking spaces.
WHAT TO EXPECT: The commission is expected to approve the proposal
with the condition that the architecture of the new canopy, store and car
wash is compatible with the adjacent Costa Mesa Square.
Costa Mesa Square is the shopping center with Target Greatlands.
BLOCK WALL
The commission will review an application to legalize an existing
six-foot high block wall located two feet from the front property line of
a single-family home at 2097 Santa Ana Ave.
Maria Elena Olivera, the property owner, did not obtain a city permit
for the wall, which encloses the side and front yards.
Olivera said the wall acts as a buffer for traffic noise along Santa
Ana Avenue and as a protected play area for her children, according to
the staff report.
WHAT TO EXPECT: The commission is expected to deny the application
because the wall falls short of the 10-foot setback required.
City code allows variances where special circumstances exist, such as
unusual lot size or shape, but, according to the staff report, the Santa
Ana Avenue home does not meet those standards.
The wall could be rebuilt 10 feet behind the property line and still
provide a noise buffer and an adequate play area, according to the
report.
FYI:
WHAT: Costa Mesa Planning Commission
WHERE: City Hall, 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. today
For more information, call (714) 754-5245.
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