INSIDE CITY HALL The following are...

INSIDE CITY HALL

The following are decisions coming out of Monday’s Costa Mesa

Planning Commission meeting.

MORE NIGHT LIFE

Just a block away from the heart of downtown, the owners of

Player’s Pizza will provide live music until midnight, with the doors

closing at 1 a.m., thanks to a unanimous approval by the Planning

Commission.

Andrew Lee, who owns 512 W. 19th St., asked to extend his

operating hours from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week. He also

wanted to hire a four-person band to entertain his customers Thursday

through Sunday.

Commissioners compromised with Lee, agreeing on 1 a.m. as a close

time and live music until midnight. The game shop next door is open

just as late, commissioners noted, and they saw no reason to deny

Lee’s request.

City planners outlined concerns with the late-night hours in a

staff report. Because Player’s Pizza is less than 200 feet from

homes, planners said they were concerned with the potential noise.

Staffers recommended a midnight closing time, with the additional

live entertainment.

WHAT IT MEANS

Player’s Pizza will be open until 1 a.m., with live music Thursday

through Sunday.

SECOND STORY

Planning Commissioners sided with the owner of an Eastside home

and reversed the city’s initial decision, this time approving

construction of a den above a new garage in the 300 block of Walnut

Avenue.

Mike and Ann Gandi live in a tract that backs up to an alley and

therefore has an unusual situation that affects second stories,

officials said. Because of the alley, the distance of the houses from

neighboring properties -- or setbacks, as they are called in planing

circles -- is less than those in typical residential areas.

Zoning Administrator Perry Valantine initially denied the project

because the proposed second story was too close to neighbors and the

proposal lacked the required parking amendments.

A handful of residents came out in support of the construction

Monday night. Commissioners also excused the homeowners from adding

additional parking, as is required by city codes when building space

is added, because there was virtually no room on the lot to add

another concrete slab. Additional parking would have required the

homeowners to take out three trees, their children’s playground and

pour concrete over their yard.

WHAT IT MEANS

The Gandis will be able to build a den over their garage and will

not be required to add more parking to their property.

-- Compiled by Lolita Harper