Planning Commission approves tech center

Mathis Winkler

NEWPORT BEACH -- Despite some concern over an increase in traffic, the

Planning Commission unanimously approved plans last week for a

415,493-square-foot technology center at the corner of Superior Avenue

and Dana Road.

Commissioners, who had first discussed the proposal for the Newport

Technology Center at their Jan. 4 meeting, said they worried that

office-type businesses, rather than those involved in research and

development, would move into the complex. Such offices are generally

occupied by more employees, increasing the need for parking spaces and

bringing more traffic to surrounding streets.

Hughes Aircraft Co. occupied the site until several months ago.

“I want to mirror the impact of Hughes,” Commissioner Michael Kranzley

said. “I don’t want to make it any worse than Hughes.”

Outdated city definitions for research and development projects seemed

to cause concern with commissioners. While such companies used large,

factory-style buildings in the past, the commission discussed how the

nature of the field has changed to involve more office-type settings than

before.

“Yes, there will be offices,” said Carol Hoffman, a consultant for The

St. Clair Co., which owns the site. “Just as there were previously.”

Mark C. Barker, director of commercial development for the company,

said it wasn’t his company’s fault the city might lag behind in its

definitions.

“Research and development has changed,” he said. “And if the [city]

code hasn’t kept up, something needs to be figured out. But we shouldn’t

be held responsible.”

In the end, commissioners agreed to look at the problem while giving

the project the go-ahead.

“We have to deal with research and development” definitions, said

Edward Selich, the commission’s chairman. “But we should not burden the

applicant.”

Limiting the number of employees at the center to 1,965, commissioners

asked the developers to return with plans for signs and landscaping.

Community activist Allan Beek, who attended the first hearing on the

project, said he hoped City Council members would review the commission’s

decision. Beek added that city officials would have difficulty enforcing

the conditions imposed on the project.

Councilman John Heffernan, who received a letter from Beek regarding

the issue, said he has not looked at the commission’s final decision.

“I don’t know, quite frankly, if this is an issue for the general plan

review or something that we’re going to have to deal with [in a shorter

period] than that,” Heffernan said.

The city is preparing to update its general plan, a document outlining

Newport Beach’s future face.

Unless council members decide to review the commission’s decision or

someone files an appeal within 14 days from Thursday’s approval, Barker

said his company expects to begin construction of the project by next

month and complete the center within eight months.