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ON THE AGENDA Here are some of...

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ON THE AGENDA

Here are some of the issues the Planning Commission will consider

tonight.

BIRCH BAYVIEW PLAZA II

Three office buildings are planned for five parcels in between

Acacia Street in Santa Ana Heights, pending a traffic study and a use

permit that the Planning Commission will consider. The project, Birch

Bayview Plaza II, will be on the site of what are now three vacant

lots at 20322 Acacia St. and two not-yet vacant lots directly behind

them at 20341 and 20351 Birch St. The houses now there are slated for

demolition soon.

The office buildings will have 46,000 square feet and will include

172 parking spaces.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Normally, this project wouldn’t come before the Planning

Commission at all -- the Planning Department director is charged with

considering use permits of this nature. But the city’s traffic

phasing ordinance requires that a traffic study be done on this

project, which is why it must go before the Planning Commission. The

Santa Ana Heights Project Advisory Committee has already weighed in

on the project and doesn’t have any serious concerns. Don’t expect

much controversy on this item.

COAST HIGHWAY CHEVRON

The Chevron station at 301 E. Coast Highway will be demolished and

replaced with a new station and food mart if the Planning Commission

approves a permit request. The project would be the first service

station to fall under the city’s service station guidelines, which

were approved several years ago to govern the design of new service

stations. The new Chevron is designed to blend in with the area.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The station’s predecessor inspired a few complaints from neighbors

who said that employees parked in the street. Commissioner Ed Selich

said that he plans to suggest that employees of the new station can

only park on service station property.

ANNEXATION ZONING

The commission will consider whether to recommend a plan for

formal zoning of West Santa Ana Heights, the Santa Ana Country Club

and a small parcel nearby called the Emerson Tract. The county

requires the city to create formal zoning for the area before

annexing it, to avoid any confusion or dispute later about what the

land can be used for.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The recommended zoning doesn’t change the county’s land

designations for the area. Because the new zoning is for

administrative purposes, it’s likely it will win easy approval at the

commission and then move on to the City Council.

-- Compiled by

June Casagrande

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