Design-review panel questions Miramar theater changes as tenant seeks larger event space

San Clemente City planning staff and the Design Review Subcommittee heard proposals July 23 from Wedgwood Weddings and its architect for tenant-driven changes at the Miramar theater and adjoining bowling-alley property, an adaptive-reuse project first approved by the city in 2017.

Jonathan, city planner for San Clemente, said the applicant seeks interior alterations (a bridal staircase, removable demising curtains and added Moorish-style wall arches/fresco treatment) and exterior revisions that would extend a perimeter wall, relocate the primary pedestrian gate to El Camino Real and add a street-facing fountain and a fireplace feature in the courtyard. Jonathan told the committee the changes depart from the 2017 approved plan and therefore need design review input; staff is continuing technical review of egress calculations and traffic line-of-sight at the El Camino Real frontage.

The changes matter, residents and historic-preservation advocates told the subcommittee, because the Miramar theater and the former bowling-alley building are on the city's historic resources list. Larry (public commenter) said he was "shocked" by the scale of the proposed changes and urged that the alterations go beyond administrative review: "Any decisions this significant need to go past Jonathan. We should have a historic preservation specialist look at these," he said. Wayne (public commenter) and others asked the city to return major design changes to the Planning Commission for public hearings; they cited a city-funded historic-structures report that recommends preserving the integrity of the theater''s audience chamber.

Tenant representatives said the changes respond to operational needs for a full-service wedding and events business. Troy Stevens of Wedgwood Weddings said the approved courtyard and circulation as-built are too small for the venue's typical ceremony-and-reception workflow and that enlarging and gating the courtyard would allow an indoor ceremony to transition outdoors for cocktails without disrupting the indoor event setup. The design team'represented by Aaron (studio architect) described the curtains as a temporary, self-supporting element to conceal preset tables during a ceremony and said the proposed arches and plasterwork would reference historic decorative elements removed during earlier rehabilitation.

Neighbors raised operational questions about deliveries, storage and parking. Linda Sudeibi, owner of Casita San Clemente, asked whether Wedgwood would keep furniture on-site or receive frequent rental deliveries, and warned that simultaneous large events at adjacent properties could create pedestrian safety and parking conflicts on El Camino Real. Troy and the design team said Wedgwood plans to store tables and chairs on-site (they said storage exists behind the stage area) and that their operations team would coordinate deliveries and staging.

Technical and regulatory points also remained open: Jonathan said amplified outdoor sound would require a minor use permit under the city's zoning rules and that the zoning administrator is authorized to handle such permits; he also said the building official and fire marshal must confirm final occupancy and egress before any change in use is finalized. During the meeting a preliminary interior area figure of roughly 4,600 square feet and historical references to the former 450-seat theater were discussed; Jonathan and the tenant said final occupant loads would be set by the building and fire departments during plan review.

Committee members and members of the public offered alternatives to the proposed solid fountain-and-wall treatment on the El Camino Real corner. Some supported securing the courtyard with a perimeter that would be closed during events to limit nuisance activity; others urged a more transparent, decorative screen or wrought-iron paneling so the marquee and the rotated, pedestrian-oriented entry remain visually prominent from the sidewalk.

Next steps described by Jonathan: staff will meet with the applicant team to resolve engineering questions (egress, traffic sight lines) and then determine whether the proposal should proceed to a zoning-administrator hearing or to the Planning Commission. Jonathan told the subcommittee he expects to refer some items to zoning (zoning administrator) and to coordinate review with building and traffic engineering staff.

No formal decision on the Miramar design changes was taken at the July 23 meeting; the subcommittee provided advisory comments and public testimony that staff will carry into subsequent zoning and building reviews.