IRVINE : Supermarket Plan Delayed by Council

After a handful of Westpark area residents complained of being left in the dark about plans for a supermarket near their homes, the City Council voted Tuesday to delay consideration of the proposal until next month.

Many residents living in Westpark Las Palmas had no idea a supermarket was part of the planned shopping center at Harvard Avenue and Main Street, said resident David Stedman. The residents need more time to learn about the project before the city approves it, he said.

After two more residents echoed Stedman’s request, the council voted unanimously to delay considering the plan until July 24.

The supermarket would be part of a 9-acre retail center at the southwest corner of Harvard and Main. Besides requesting a supermarket, which is not allowed on the corner under current city restrictions, Diversified Shopping Centers of Costa Mesa seeks special architectural features. Among these are roof towers as high as 50 feet, exceeding the 35-foot height limit.

Stedman said most residents of Westpark Las Palmas, which is on the southeast corner of Harvard and Main, were not notified of public hearings. City planners say everyone living within 300 feet of the project was mailed notices.

Tuesday’s vote is the second time the council delayed hearing the supermarket proposal. On June 12, the council delayed the hearing for two weeks at Stedman’s request.

That delay had not been enough time to let many residents know about the project, Stedman said. He wants to arrange a large community meeting between residents, representatives of Diversified and city planners to have the plan explained, he said.