City upholds plan to replace rundown center with homes

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- The El Camino Shopping Center could become homes after

all.

The City Council rezoned the center for single-family housing in

March, but El Camino Partners LLC developer Jeff Pratt said last month

that the approval of new residential development standards could kill his

plans to convert the center into homes.

The proposed standards -- given preliminary approval by the council

May 7 -- would have required minimum lot sizes of 4,000 square feet, with

an average lot size of 4,500 square feet throughout the development.

But the council changed its mind Monday about theresidential

development standards, giving preliminary approval to codes that would

allow smaller lots than the original proposal, although the new standards

are stricter than the ones now in effect.

“I think it was important to revise the standards because I think

[what was proposed originally] puts developers into a very difficult

situation to make the projects pencil out,” said Mayor Libby Cowan, who

had voted against the original proposal approved May 7. “That drives up

the cost of housing, and I prefer affordable housing.”

The new standards require minimum lot sizes of 3,000 square feet and

average lot sizes of 3,500 square feet.

Councilwoman Linda Dixon said she has concerns about the

3,000-square-foot lots.

“I just think that the 4,000-square-foot lots will benefit Costa Mesa

residents,” she said. “I think 3,000 is too small. I think 4,000 gives

you privacy, a backyard for kids, a garden, the benefit of not being

forced to listen to your neighbor talk and to their music or their

parties. I think it gives you space, and I think everyone needs their

space.”

In addition to bigger lot sizes, the standards will also require

larger driveways, more off-street parking, more landscaping and a more

extensive review process for new developments and major remodels, if they

are given final approval from the council June 18.

Cowan said the new standards will make it easier for the city to avoid

having out-of-scale homes built.

“This is an opportunity to look at what neighborhood compatibility

really is,” she said. “I think we’ve now strongly said to the development

community that we want our front, side and rear yard setbacks, we want

them maintained at reasonable distances, and we want open space on all

the properties.”