Inside CITY HALL

WHAT HAPPENED: The Planning Commission on Monday approved a tentative

plan for a cooperative housing development for low-income families.

WHAT IT MEANS: The development, a collaboration between Habitat for

Humanity of Orange County and the city’s Redevelopment Agency, will

include the subdivision of two Del Mar Avenue lots into four.

The lots are owned by the Redevelopment Agency, and Habitat for

Humanity would select the owners, who would be required to fulfill

low-income qualifications and abide by maintenance and occupancy

agreements.

Three houses ranging from 2,859 square feet to 3,621 square feet will

be on three of the lots, and the remaining lot will be used for a common

driveway, guest parking spaces and part of the frontyard.

The project was approved in a development review June 22.

The City Council in June approved a moratorium prohibiting small-lot

developments, but the moratorium does not apply to project applications

filed before May 15.

The Habitat for Humanity project was submitted May 5.

WHAT THEY SAID: “I’m excited about the project,� Commissioner Katrina

Foley said. “I think other Habitat for Humanity homes built on the same

street are good examples of homes that are very well maintained and

contribute to the community.�

VOTE: 5-0 to approve

WHAT HAPPENED: The Planning Commission postponed a decision on

Lighthouse Coastal Community Church’s plans to use part of its parking

lot as a play yard on weekdays and to establish a new early childhood

development center.

WHAT IT MEANS: City staff will use the time to meet with residents,

church representatives and Commissioner Bill Perkins to try to resolve

disputes about the site.

Neighbors at the meeting expressed concerns about traffic, parking and

noise.

The preschool would be in the same location as the former Southcoast

Early Childhood Learning Center, where two children -- Sierra Soto, 4,

and Brandon Wiener, 3 -- were killed and several others injured on May 3,

1999, when Steven Allen Abrams, 39, drove his 1967 Cadillac into its

crowded playground.

The Southcoast Early Childhood Learning Center was privately run and

was open for long hours, Chairman Walt Davenport said.

The proposal includes having the church run the new learning center

with limited hours, from 9 a.m. to noon.

WHAT THEY SAID: “They are neighbors, they are going to be living

there, and they need to live in harmony, not in conflict,� Foley said.

“Hopefully everyone will make compromises to allow that to happen.�

VOTE: 5-0 to continue

NEXT MEETING:

WHAT: Regular Costa Mesa Planning Commission meeting

WHERE: Costa Mesa City Hall, 77 Fair Drive

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. March 5

INFO: (714) 754-5245