Planning commission approves variance for two Ocean Avenue homes after city staff and applicant agree revised revocation language

Seal Beach Planning Commission on Sept. 2 approved Resolution No. 25-05, granting Variance 25-001 for single-family residences at 1313 and 1315 Ocean Avenue to allow less than the code-required permeable surface in required setback areas in exchange for an on-site engineered drainage system. The motion passed 3-0; the city attorney said a 10-day appeal period begins the day after the decision.

The variance allows the property owners to use an alternative drainage system — an infiltration basin bounded by a concrete edge beam and filled with crushed rock — in place of meeting the municipal code requirement that at least 50% of the setback area be permeable. Associate Planner Patricia Garcia told the commission staff had inspected the built work and that public works reviewed the alternative drainage plan and concurred it “would serve as an alternative method that provides the same or better drainage than what is required by city standards.”

Staff said the two rectangular lots each total roughly 2,500 square feet and that, under the RHD-20 zone setback calculations, each lot has about 1,058 square feet of required setback area and…