Planning Commission approves Salty Turf mini golf and snack concession at Vista Hermosa Sports Park

The San Clemente Planning Commission unanimously approved permits for a commercial mini-golf facility and snack concession proposed inside Vista Hermosa Sports Park on Wednesday, concluding a months‑long design-review process with conditions addressing parking, lighting and landscaping.

City staff recommended the commission find the project categorically exempt from CEQA under Class 1 (existing facilities) and Class 3 (small new construction) and to approve Development Permit 24-590 and Conditional Use Permit 24-591 for Salty Turf Mini Golf, a 20‑year lease to build two 18‑hole courses, a single-story Spanish Colonial–style clubhouse with a pro shop, kitchen and restrooms, outdoor dining and themed landscaping within the lease area.

David Carrillo, Associate Planner for the City of San Clemente, told the commission the site is in the park's open-space area adjacent to an existing fire station and a vacant neighborhood-commercial parcel. The project will include drought‑tolerant landscaping, an eight‑foot perimeter fence, bollard and low‑height pole lighting (with a required photometric plan to control spillage), and a trash-enclosure amendment to the lease to expand an existing enclosure elsewhere in the park. Hours of operation in the lease are limited to park hours, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Carrillo said.

Carrillo said a prior lease-review and council process established a lease to construct and operate the facility and that the project had two prior design-review subcommittee hearings. "The project is consistent with general plan policies, the design guidelines and the park master plan," Carrillo said, recommending approval subject to conditions.

Commissioners focused much of their discussion on parking and access. Staff's parking table showed an existing supply of 742 parking spaces across the entire sports park and calculated the golf facility would require 86 spaces, leaving a surplus of 25 spaces in aggregate. Commissioner questions noted that much of that parking lies on the opposite side of the park and that golfers likely will walk from other areas when peak programs (for example soccer games) occupy nearby lots. Zachary Freeman, who joined staff during the hearing, said the original Vista Hermosa parking study anticipated shared parking across park uses and that, in aggregate, the park has enough spaces, while acknowledging that users might need to park and walk during busy times.

Architect Michael Luna and team members told the commission the design evolved during review: the project originally proposed two buildings but was reconfigured into a single clubhouse to meet Orange County Fire Authority hose‑reach (hydrant) requirements and to improve operations. Luna described the concept as "Spanish Colonial Revival of San Clemente meets Disneyland," blending local coastal and surf references into themed holes and landscaping. Landscape designer Aaron Sevilla and branding lead Kendra Dand described a planting palette and coastal color scheme; Dand said front seating and benches are intended as durable, prefabricated concrete rather than short‑lived metal furniture.

Several members of the public spoke in favor of the project, representing a cross section of residents and youth‑sports leaders. Chris Culbertson, San Clemente Little League president, said the park lacks family‑oriented commercial amenities and that the mini‑golf would provide a local alternative for birthday parties and youth activities. Dr. Brad Baker, principal at San Clemente High School, and other residents also urged approval as a family‑friendly use.

Staff noted that the lease and prior council review included environmental review in March 2024 and earlier 2006/2009 mitigation/negative-declaration documents for the wider sports-park work; staff concluded no supplemental CEQA review was necessary for the mini‑golf use. The commission also reviewed and accepted a staff amendment to Condition 7.15 (a parking‑management condition) that narrows the triggers for required mitigation or a parking‑management plan to impacts specifically attributable to the golf facility rather than general park parking issues.

Commissioner comments praised the applicant's responsiveness to design‑review suggestions, including removal of some earlier wrought-iron elements, added landscaping, relocation of service elements to improve the public frontage and an updated ADA parking stripe plan. The commission voted to approve the CEQA findings and to adopt the resolution approving the development and conditional‑use permits with the attached conditions, including the revised Condition 7.15. The approval is final unless appealed within the 10‑day appeal window.