Planning commission recommends approval of 142-unit Bear Street housing project, sends item to city council

The Costa Mesa Planning Commission on July 14 voted 5-0 to recommend that the City Council approve a 142-unit ownership residential development at 3150 Bear Street, after a two-hour public hearing that drew more than a dozen speakers who voiced concerns about traffic, parking and building height.

Staff and the applicant said the project would replace the existing Trinity Broadcast property with 20 detached homes and 122 stacked townhome units for a total of 142 ownership units, including seven deed-restricted very-low-income units under the state density bonus program. "The project includes approximately 93,000 square feet of on-site open space with an approximate 13,000 square feet of additional off-site open space," said Chris Yeager, senior planner for the city.

The commission’s recommendation asks the City Council to adopt a mitigated negative declaration (MND) and to approve a package of entitlement actions: a general plan amendment to change the site from General Commercial to High-Density Residential, a rezone from the AP (Institutional and Recreational) district to R-3 (multi-family), design review, a tentative tract map to allow individual ownership, and a density-bonus entitlement that yields a 20% bonus tied to the seven very-low-income for-sale units. The motion to approve was made by Commissioner Martinez and seconded by Commissioner Andrade; the vote carried 5-0.

Why it matters: the project would add for-sale “missing middle” housing in a part of the city largely built with single-family homes and smaller residential complexes. Supporters and two commissioners emphasized the homeownership opportunity. "We quite simply need more housing," Commissioner Martinez said in support of the recommendation. Supporters also noted the applicant’s inclusion of a community benefit payment and open-space improvements.

Key project features and approvals - Units and affordability: 142 ownership units total — 20 detached single-family units…