ON THE AGENDA Here are a few...

ON THE AGENDA

Here are a few of the items the City Council will consider today:

RECONSIDERATION OF 1901 NEWPORT CONDOMINIUMS

On April 14, the City Council approved the project, which calls

for 161 upscale condos to be housed in four four-story buildings that

are about 50 feet in height.

Since the project is in the Downtown Redevelopment Zone, the

Redevelopment Agency approved an affordable housing plan for the

project. The council considered rehearing applications from

Councilman Allan Mansoor and Costa Mesa Citizens for Responsible

Growth on three occasions and approved the request on June 2.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Staff is recommending continuing the issue to a joint session of

the City Council and the Redevelopment Agency on Aug. 4. This will

allow staff and the environmental consultants time to prepare the

final environmental report to reflect the revisions to the site plan

by the applicant, Rutter Development. This revision consists of

increasing the building setback by about 2 to 3 1/2 feet from Bernard

Street. It will also give them more time to prepare a report to

evaluate alternatives for providing affordable housing on-site, if

directed by the council. The requirements for the project are to

provide 14 affordable housing units within the Redevelopment Area or

28 affordable units outside the Redevelopment Area.

“I have an interest in seeing [affordable housing] on-site,”

Councilwoman Libby Cowan said. “And in conversations with the

developer and staff, one of the reasons for the continuance is to

figure out how to do that. And I think that’s an important piece.”

HUSCROFT HOUSE

On June 9, the Planning Commission approved a relocation permit to

allow the Huscroft House to be moved by John Morehart to his property

at 548 Bernard St. But it denied the request to subdivide the

property into three lots. Morehart appealed the decision because he

said he believes the subdivision is necessary to ensure the Huscroft

House is properly maintained and for it to succeed financially.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Staff is concerned that Morehart’s plan to subdivide the property

will result in a project that does not add opportunities for home

ownership in the city. It is also concerned that a subdivision could

obstruct the four units on the three properties from being maintained

in a unified way.

“The council really indicated to [Morehart] that we were very

interested in his efforts to preserve the house, and I anticipate

being able to help him do that,” Cowan said. “I have not read the

staff report yet, so I don’t fully understand how the Planning

Commission came to its decision. ... I think home ownership is a very

important piece of the possibilities by actually dividing it as

opposed to creating another rental situation.”

CITY PROPERTY AT HAMILTON AND CHARLE STREETS

On May 5, the City Council rejected all bids for the construction

of a community garden on the city property at 523 Hamilton St. On

June 2, the council approved a rehearing of the proposed community

garden and requested that staff report back with a variety of

possible uses for the site, including sale of the property.

WHAT TO EXPECT

“I certainly hope that it will be a community garden,” Cowan said.

“I think it’s a tremendous use of the property. The infrastructure is

such that if the city ever needed it in 10 years for something else,

it would be easily converted. With all of the safety issues about a

skate park, I think a community garden appeals to adults and families

and is a better choice than a tot lot.”