INSIDE THE MEETING Here are a few...

INSIDE THE MEETING

Here are a few of the items the commission considered Monday:

GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT

The Planning Commission approved a request for a general plan

amendment and rezoning of properties at 1695 Superior Ave. and 635 W.

17th St. from Julio Gener of Studio 3 Architects, representing

property owner Eugene Stirbu. The commission also approved an

adjustment to combine the side-by-side properties into one, which

would house an expanded Growers Direct. Commissioner Dennis DeMaio

was absent.

The site’s area totals about one acre. The Superior Avenue

property formerly included a gas station, and the 17th Street

property formerly housed Keegan’s Concrete.

WHAT IT MEANS

Stirbu can now relocate and expand Growers Direct to this

location.

WHAT WAS SAID

“I think it’s a step in the right direction to improve the

entryway to the Westside,” Chairman Bruce Garlich said.

ISLAMIC CENTER EXPANSION

The commission was set to consider an application from the Islamic

Educational Center of Orange County to expand its facility at 3194

Airport Loop Drive.

But Friday, Mohammad Ghiassi, representing the center, withdrew

the expansion application because the tenant that occupies half of

this facility has two more years on its lease and wants to stay. The

center had wanted to enlarge an existing worship area by about 2,900

square feet within an industrial complex.

In the middle of June, Islamic center officials withdrew another

proposal to add a private elementary school and administrative

offices in an 8,000-square-foot space next to the proposed area

because of concerns from the other tenants, Associate Planner Mel Lee

said.

WHAT IT MEANS

The center will not be expanding presently.

PLANNING APPLICATION

The commission approved the application of Kenneth Wiant,

representing Josh and Sue Klein, for an expansion of the first story

and an addition of a second story for the Klein’s home at 219 Pauline

Place. The commission required that the Kleins delete the rear decks

that were part of the proposal, and directed planning staff members

to work with the Kleins on redesigning the project.

Commissioner Katrina Foley dissented.

WHAT IT MEANS

The Kleins can add a second story, but can’t build the decks they

wanted in the rear.

PACIFIC MEDICAL PLAZA

The commission held a public hearing on a draft environmental

report for the proposed Pacific Medical Plaza. A draft report is the

first environmental report issued for a project.

Comments taken on the report, both at the public hearing and

throughout the minimum 45-day review period, will be added to the

final environmental report, along with responses to those comments.

The project is for the sites of the El Nido and Snug Harbor

trailer parks on Newport Boulevard, which closed in June.

The applicant, Coralee Newman, representing Joseph G. Brown, is

proposing the conversion of the two trailer parks to build a

76,500-square-foot, four-story medical office building with a

three-level parking structure.

The report identifies the project’s significant effects, measures

that can be taken to lessen those effects and effects that are still

significant even after mitigation measures. To lessen the impacts,

the report suggests widening Newport Boulevard between 17th and 19th

streets to add a fourth northbound through lane.