ON THE AGENDA Here are a few...

ON THE AGENDA

Here are a few of the items the commission will consider today.

OCC SWAP MEET

This is a delayed six-month review of the permit approval for the

Orange Coast College Swap Meet to operate Saturdays and Sundays. The

City Council approved the permit last December.

To date, no significant parking or traffic problems have been

observed, all the conditions of approval have been complied with, and

no complaints have been received.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Staff recommends that the commission receive and file the report.

The application will not be brought back to the commission unless

there are violations of the conditions of approval that cannot be

resolved at the staff level.

“All appears to be going well there,” Chairman Bruce Garlich said.

“I don’t think there will be any controversy about what they’re

doing.”

PLANNING APPLICATION

The site is an existing commercial building constructed in 1963.

The property is within the city’s Downtown Redevelopment Project

Area. The applicant is proposing to renovate the existing building,

which was formerly used as a furniture store and is now occupied by

an auto retailer.

As part of the renovation, a new 150-square-foot balcony/deck

would be constructed on the second floor of the building. Because the

setback of the proposed balcony/deck does not comply with code, the

applicant has requested an exception to the requirements.

The applicant prefers to use aluminum panels with painted gray

stucco accents for the building’s facade, when the primary building

material in the area is stucco. The applicant also submitted an

alternative design that incorporates stucco as the primary building

material.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Staff says the exception will provide an amenity that is

encouraged within the Downtown Redevelopment Project Area and will

provide a substantial improvement for the existing site.

“I’m a little concerned that using glass and metal frames for the

windows, then putting stucco on the front of building, might not look

that good,” Garlich said of the alternative design. “I don’t know how

it will turn out. We’ll have to wait and see.”

-- Compiled by Deirdre Newman