INSIDE CITY HALL Here are some of...

INSIDE CITY HALL

Here are some of the items the commission considered Monday:

MOBILE HOME PARK

INTERIM ORDINANCE

The Planning Commission considered an interim ordinance that would

determine how to deal with the closures of Snug Harbor and El Nido

trailer parks. At the Nov. 3 study session, the option of an

agreement between the city and Joe Brown, who owns the trailer parks,

was floated as an alternative to the interim ordinance. Both would

serve the same purpose -- to set a procedure for closing the mobile

home parks and define what kind of parks Snug Harbor and El Nido are

-- RV parks, trailer parks or mobile home parks. That determination

will help determine how residents are relocated. Officials say the

agreement would benefit the city and Brown. It would also protect the

city from any constitutional challenge that might be launched against

an ordinance and expedite the time it takes to approve an interim

ordinance.

WHAT HAPPENED

The commission voted unanimously to continue any decision on an

agreement or interim ordinance until its next meeting, on Nov. 24.

They made this decision for two reasons. First, Acting City Atty.

Tom Wood suggested that the City Council monitor the direction the

commission was heading since the planning staff originally

interpreted the council’s intent as wanting one ordinance that would

be retroactively applied to Brown, Chairman Bruce Garlich said.

Second, Brown’s attorney submitted a letter to the city with some

legal challenges to an interim ordinance and how it would apply to

Brown. The city attorney’s office has not had the chance to fully

examine the letter and advise the commission on its ramifications.

MOBILE HOME PARK ORDINANCE

The commission considered an ordinance to replace and expand the

current zoning code for mobile home park conversions. It would also

include mobile home park closures. The city is now limited in how

much authority it has over conversions and closures by state law.

This ordinance would apply to conversions and closures after Snug

Harbor and El Nido.

WHAT HAPPENED

The commission voted unanimously to continue this issue to its

next meeting on Nov. 24. The commission decided to postpone because

there have been a lot of meetings on this issue and the planning

staff is trying to incorporate all of the information into the draft

ordinance, Garlich said. The commission is not anticipating voting on

the ordinance on the 24th, Garlich said. Instead, it will see where

it stands with the interim ordinance and consider whether to have a

town hall meeting, a working group or an ad hoc committee give input

on this broader ordinance.

WHAT WAS SAID

“We continued both matters for one hearing, and when [each] comes

back, I hope we can act in some fashion on the interim ordinance

and/or agreement,” Garlich said. “I hope that is the path we’re on.”

RESTAURANT APPLICATION

The commission considered a request from Shaheen Sadeghi, owner of

the Lab Anti Mall, who wants to add a Japanese sushi restaurant at

the rear of the complex at 2930 Bristol St. A permit is required

because the restaurant would serve alcoholic beverages, would be open

past 11 p.m. and would be within 200 feet of residentially zoned

property.

WHAT HAPPENED

The commission voted unanimously to approve the application and

allowed the restaurant to be open until 1:30 a.m. seven days a week,

with the condition that the commission will re-evaluate these hours

in six months to make sure no problems have arisen.

WHAT WAS SAID

“We did the same thing when Habana wanted to expand,” Garlich

said. “At the end of six months, there were no problems. This one is

a little bit different, though.”

TOWN CENTER DRIVE

MASTER PLAN

The commission considered the Town Center Drive Master Plan, which

conceptualizes the future improvements of the portion of Town Center

Drive between Park Center Drive and Avenue of the Arts as a

pedestrian-oriented public plaza linking the major arts venues within

the South Coast Plaza Town Center Theater Arts District.

The applicants for the plan are the Orange County Performing Arts

Center, South Coast Repertory and South Coast Plaza.

WHAT HAPPENED

The commission unanimously approved the plan.