COSTA MESA PLANNING COMMISSION PREVIEW

CYBER CAFES

Planning Commissioners tonight will consider classifying cyber cafes

as amusement-based businesses, instead of research facilities, in order

to retain more regulatory power over them.

Cyber cafes, previously regarded as research facilities by city

planners, garnered a second look after a gang-related murder in December

at a similar venue in Fountain Valley.

According to a staff report, the Costa Mesa Police Department was

concerned with the two existing cyber cafes in the city: Cyber City at

3033 Bristol Street and 3rd Dimension Online at 1525 Mesa Verde Drive

East.

Planners could require cyber cafes to apply for a conditional-use

permit -- which has more stringent requirements -- by changing the

wording of an existing ordinance to classify cyber cafes as

amusement-based businesses.

What to expect: Planning Commissioners are expected to

approve the new ordinance.

Habana Restaurant

Habana Restaurant, which offers a small slice of the forbidden

Communist country in the heart of Costa Mesa, is asking for permission to

extend its hours and open an outdoor bar.

In November, Planning Commissioners approved a request to occasionally

close for private parties but refused to extend the hours because of

neighbors’ concerns about noise.

The restaurant, at 2930 Bristol St., is due for a six-month review and

as part of the process owners are asking for more concessions.

According to a staff report, no complaints about the restaurant have

been filed and planners feel the owners can be trusted to operate longer

hours, play more music and add another bar to the patio. If approved,

another review would be done in six months, at which time city officials

could examine any problems.

What to expect:

The Planning Commission is expected to allow for additional hours,

music and an outdoor bar.

Transportation Demand Management

If the city wants to receive future funding from local traffic

authorities, it must impose new transportation requirements on new

commercial, industrial or mixed-use developments.

The Orange County Traffic Authority is requiring cities that wish to

receive future funding to change existing transportation demand

strategies for businesses of 100 employees or more.

The existing strategy, adopted in 1991, encourages carpools, vanpools

and park-and-ride facilities as ways to manage traffic. It effects

various businesses with 250 to 1,000 employees. New standards would be

for any commercial, industrial or mixed-use business of 100 or more

employees.

Costa Mesa must also offer the affected businesses two transportation

improvement options and provide them with information on how to implement

both.

What to expect:

Planning Commissioners are expected to approve the changes to the

transportation demand management strategies.

FYI

* WHAT: Costa Mesa Planning Commission meeting

* WHEN: 6:30 p.m. tonight

* WHERE: Council Chambers at City Hall, 77 Fair Drive.

* INFORMATION: (714) 754-5245