Planning commission approves revised color and material review for Lift Station No. 2 with staff review required

The Planning Commission unanimously approved design review 25-0266 for the South Coast Water District’s Lift Station No. 2 replacement at 31104 Country Club Drive, with a requirement that the applicant submit a revised color and material board for director-level review.

Staff reported the request addresses final color and material selections for three primary structures: a generator building, a control building and a storage garage. The applicant proposed cool earth tones—taupe stucco and siding with dark bronze metal roofing—and synthetic stone veneer accents on the generator and control buildings. The landscape plan will return to the commission at a later date.

Taryn Kolesing, engineering manager at South Coast Water District, said the colors were chosen to match surrounding ranch property tones and offered to remove or modify the simulated stone if the commission preferred a more natural appearance. Commissioners who visited the site favored matching the ranch’s brown and bronze palette and questioned the simulated stone; the applicant said they had no strong attachment to the gray tones and were willing to revise materials.

Commissioner comments asked the applicant to work with staff on a revised board reflecting trim and siding colors closer to the ranch, to remove the simulated stone veneer and to match the roof color to the adjacent ranch metal roofing specification. Planning manager Viera summarized a condition requiring the applicant to prepare a revised color and material board for staff review and approval.

A motion adopting the resolution approving design review 25-0266 and finding the action exempt from CEQA passed unanimously on a roll call vote (Commissioners Goldman, Whiting, Dubin, Chair Sadler voting yes). The decision is subject to the 14-day appeal period.