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Planning commission approves Truly Pizza’s outdoor‑focused restaurant at 320 North Coast Highway with pergola condition
Summary
The commission approved design review, CUP and CDP for a new outdoor-first restaurant at the historic bungalow at 320 North Coast Highway, including a condition formalizing the applicant’s pergola design and wrapping vegetation; the commission also recommended that City Council approve related CUP/CDP items tied to parking credits.
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve a series of entitlements for Truly Pizza’s proposed restaurant at 320 North Coast Highway, including Design Review 25-0963, Conditional Use Permit 25-0964 and Coastal Development Permit 25-0965. The commission also recommended City Council approval of related CUP 25-1046 and CDP 25-1047 associated with sidewalk-cafe parking credits.
Associate planner Kate Kazama presented the application for a two-story historic bungalow listed on the city’s historic register. The proposal keeps the house principally intact and concentrates all dining outdoors: expanded front and perimeter outdoor dining, two freestanding cedar pergolas (9.5 feet tall) placed about 8.5 feet from the building, and refurbished paving and landscaping. The applicant requested the maximum five sidewalk cafe parking credits under the city’s parking ordinance based on the site’s pedestrian location near the downtown, Main Beach and Heisler Park; staff recommended the commission recommend the credits to City Council.
Applicant owner Donna Baldwin and her design team described an outdoor-first dining concept with treated maple posts, live lemon trees and hanging plantings to create a compact, shaded dining environment. The Heritage Committee suggested narrowing the right-side pergola to improve visibility of the primary structure; the applicant explained a design preference for a slightly asymmetrical, organic composition and agreed to provide the pergola foliage tied to the supporting structure rather than freestanding elements. Planning manager Viera proposed a condition to allow the pergola structure as presented at the hearing and to permit vegetation wrapped around the pergolas to extend beyond the footprint as long as the plants are affixed to the structure; the commission added that condition.
Commissioners asked questions about delivery timing, ADA access, landscape plan details, and trash/delivery operations in the rear alley. The applicant said most deliveries (including dough and perishables) will be scheduled in the morning before the 11 a.m. opening; building code review confirmed an accessible route via an existing ramp at the rear and staff stated the project met accessibility requirements. The applicant confirmed they will satisfy the Art in Public Places obligation and suggested a piece by local artist Michael Kalish.
Public comment was supportive; several residents and condo owners at the nearby Laguna Real complex urged timely action to complete delayed deck repairs at their site and voiced support for allowing applied bird-safe treatments on a related agenda item (not specific to Truly Pizza). After deliberation and the additional pergola condition, the commission unanimously voted to approve the design review, CUP and CDP and to forward the parking-credit items to City Council. Chair Sadler noted the 14-day appeal period.
