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.