Here are some items the council will...

Here are some items the council will consider Tuesday.

WALNUT AVENUE PARKING RESTRICTIONS

Residents living near St. Joachim Catholic Church and School

requested a “residents only” parking restriction on Walnut Avenue

between Orange and Westminster avenues, because they say church

visitors take up too much parking on their street. A staff survey

showed on a Sunday, church visitors used a majority of the 33 spaces

on the street, though 11 of those are adjacent to the church

property.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The council must decide whether the church falls under the

criteria for a facility “unrelated to the neighborhood,” in which

case the council could restrict the parking to residents only.

Another option is to wait until after a discussion of changes to the

parking restriction guidelines, which is expected in the next few

months.

NEWPORT RESTAURANT ZONING

The planning commission in January rejected a proposal for a

restaurant and martini bar at 1777 Newport Blvd. with off-site valet

parking, and the applicant appealed. Residents had complained that

the restaurant would generate noise and traffic. The applicant

claimed the assessment of the project was unfair, because the

original proposal included live entertainment and dancing until 2

a.m., but those were taken out of the request before it was rejected.

WHAT TO EXPECT

It’s unclear what the council will decide, but one of the

commission’s concerns was that the off-site valet parking would cause

traffic problems, and the police department expected more calls to

the area if the restaurant is built.

STATE PROPERTY REZONING

The state wants to sell a 5-acre piece of its property at the

Fairview Developmental Center on Harbor Boulevard, which is zoned for

high-density residential development. Since 2004 the city has been

interested in rezoning it for “public/institutional” use, which would

significantly lessen its commercial value. The planning commission in

January recommended the rezoning.

By Tuesday’s council meeting, the state may have a potential

buyer, and it also has offered the property to the city for $15

million. The city would like the property for a recreational use, but

the state’s asking price is likely too high.

WHAT TO EXPECT

A previous council initially requested the zoning change and the

planning commission recently endorsed it, but since three of the

council members -- Linda Dixon, Katrina Foley and Eric Bever -- are

new, it’s unclear how they’ll lean on the rezoning.