Costa Mesa City Council meeting preview

BRISTOL STREET SPECIFIC PLAN

The City Council and planning staff are gearing up for major changes

along Bristol Street.

Tonight, council members will give specific direction for the proposed

improvement of Bristol Street between the San Diego Freeway and Redhill

Avenue. According to a staff report, planning staff now has time to begin

the Bristol Street Specific Plan because other projects are coming to an

end.

In August, the council discussed several options for improvement. Some

ideas included the creation of an oversight committee and acquisition of

a consultant.

First order of business would be to recruit members for the committee

and, once their findings have been noted, start the bidding process for a

consultant, the report stated. A final contract would be awarded by the

council.

WHAT IT MEANS

The plan would be designed to focus on the specific needs of Bristol

Street like zoning standards, median landscaping, better-looking building

signs and architectural compatibility in the area.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Council members are expected to direct staff on the formation of a

committee and give further detail about the type of improvement they

would like to see.

2000 GENERAL PLAN UPDATE

The City Council will review the 2000 General Plan and decide whether

to finalize changes concerning the recently-approved Home Ranch project.

The latest general plan is an update from the 1990 General Plan and

includes proposed changes to highways, bikeways and the Home Ranch site.

Planning department staff recommends the council adopt the proposed

changes to the former lima bean field zoning to reflect their recent

endorsement of the Home Ranch project.

WHAT IT MEANS

C.J. Segerstrom & Sons asked for an amendment to the general plan to

rezone their land north of the San Diego Freeway to allow for a

308,000-square-foot Ikea property, 791,050 square feet of office space,

252,648 square feet of industrial use and 192 homes.

In October, the Planning Commission recommended the changes be

approved by the City Council. Planning staff is proposing the required

changes to the general plan to incorporate the changes the Segerstroms

are requesting.

The development’s final environmental report will also be up for

recommendation.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The planning staff has recommended the council approve the 2000

General Plan -- including the changes for the Home Ranch development --

to reflect the city’s endorsement of the project.

FEDERAL AVENUE CHANGES

The proposed 2000 General Plan also seeks council members’ approval to

change the land use on Federal Avenue from commercial to low-density

residential.

The lots at 1904 and 1900 Federal Ave. alone are too small to meet the

minimum lot size requirement for commercial development, a staff report

said. In order to meet that requirement, the parcels would have to be

combined to meet the 12,000-square-foot minimum, the report said.

However, combining the 7,650- and 7,260-square-foot lots would create

a commercial development that is too large for the surrounding

residential area, the report said.

WHAT IT MEANS

City officials concluded the lots should be zoned residential so they

will not create a land use that is incompatible with its surroundings.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The council is expected to follow the recommendations of both planning

staff and the Planning Commission and approve the zone change.