DESIGN GUIDELINES The City Council upheld an...

DESIGN GUIDELINES

The City Council upheld an earlier Planning Commission approval of

a drive-through Walgreen’s drugstore to replace a Washington Mutual

Bank at the corner of Brookhurst Street and Garfield Avenue.

The project’s permit was brought before the council after

Councilwoman Connie Boardman appealed the commission’s original

approval, arguing that the project did not meet the city’s design

guidelines because the drugstore would be located at the back of the

property with the parking lot next to the street. Boardman and Paul

Da Viega, a senior planner for the city, said they’d rather see the

building brought closer to the street to hide the parking lot and

create a consistent street scene.

The remaining council members disagreed with Boardman and Da Viega

and said they thought it would be safer for nighttime customers if

the parking lot could be seen from the street.

WHAT IT MEANS

Walgreen’s will now get to build its drugstore using the same

design it has in place at two other Surf City locations.

Monday’s ruling could also set a precedent for the way the city

treats its own design guidelines. Instead of being locked in stone,

the City Council reiterated several Walgreen’s developers’

contentions that design guidelines are mere suggestions for

construction and can be altered if a practical argument can be made.

MUNICIPAL FINES

The council returned civil fines to their pre-June 2003 levels

after Police Chief Ken Small found that the price spike was causing

more people to appeal their fines. That, in turn, was taking more

time away from police duties, making legal costs of prosecuting the

fines more expensive than the revenue brought in.

WHAT IT MEANS

Police fees for municipal violations like excessive noise or using

one’s cellphone in the library will now be reduced. The fee for a

first offense will go from $250 back down to $100, a second offense

will go from $500 to $250, and a third offense will be reduced from

$1,000 to $500.

HOUCHEN REPLACEMENT

The council delayed deciding how it would replace Councilwoman Pam

Julien Houchen, who recently resigned from office. The council must

decide if it wants to appoint someone to fill Houchen’s seat, or call

a special election.

Mayor Cathy Green pulled the item because Councilwoman Debbie Cook

was absent and said she thought the issue should be brought before

the entire council.

WHAT IT MEANS

The council will decide how it wants to tackle Houchen’s

replacement at its next meeting, but with only four meetings left for

the year, time is running out. According to the City Charter, the

city has until Nov. 3 to take action.