Planning commission recommends city council approve 150-unit Pearlman Apartments with tenant-priority and loading conditions

The planning commission on July 16 recommended that the city council approve a downtown permit for the Pearlman Apartments, a proposed 150-unit deed-restricted affordable housing project at 100 North Broadway, with two conditions: one elevator relocation to improve move-in/loading access and an offer of priority access for existing tenants on the south side of the adjacent Union Plaza Apartments.

The recommendation, passed by a 3-0 roll call (Commissioners Lopez and Mohajer and Chair Dickerson voting yes; Commissioners Blanco and Seaford absent), follows a staff presentation that described the project as a key element of downtown revitalization tied to the citys surplus land sale to the Vernon Group. Senior planner Carol Zuzinhenney told the commission, "Staff recommends by motion that the planning commission recommend that the city council approve downtown permit DT2025-0003 as conditioned in attachment 2 of the staff memorandum dated 07/16/2025." The applicant and staff noted a timing constraint tied to financing: the developer said missing the council meeting could require restarting tax-credit applications and delay the project by up to a year.

Why it matters: The project is fully deed-restricted affordable housing and is intended to advance the citys housing goals and the downtown specific plan. Opponents at the hearing, primarily tenants of the adjoining Union Plaza Apartments, pressed concerns about loss of park views, proximity to windows and balconies, and pedestrian/traffic safety at a busy downtown intersection.

Project details and staff findings

Staff described the site as roughly 1.1 acres at the northeast corner of Main Street and Broadway, the current location of Rosalind Pearlman Park. Zuzinhenney summarized the proposal as a downtown permit for a building that would provide 150 affordable units, with income-restricted units ranging between about 70% and 30% of area median income, and 78 on-site parking stalls. "This project provides the 25% required affordable housing, which is required as part of the city's sales of the surplus lands according to Surplus Lands Act," Zuzinhenney said.

The presentation noted the project has been reviewed in prior public meetings (city council concept review in May 2024, a downtown revitalization committee review on May 29, and a planning commission study session on June 5). Staff said the project was found to be adequately covered by the previously certified program environmental impact report for the downtown specific plan, so no additional environmental review was required.

Design and neighborhood impacts

Staff and the applicant described the building massing, materials and site layout. Staff said the projects average building height would be about 71 feet to the roof and about 83 feet at a tower element; renderings show Spanish-style stucco, tile roofs and Juliet balconies. Site plans include two resident courtyards, interior amenities (fitness center, community room, shared laundry), 15 long-term bike parking spaces and an on-site leasing office.

Because the project proposes 100% affordable housing, staff noted it qualifies for density-bonus concessions under California's density bonus law; the applicant requested a three-foot rear-yard setback reduction. Staff showed figures indicating building separation between the proposed Pearlman Apartments and Union Plaza would range from about 14 feet at the closest point to about 28 feet at the farthest, with an approximate average separation of 21 feet. Zuzinhenney said, "the project proposes an average setback of 7 feet around the entire building to the property line" and later noted roughly seven units would be in close proximity to the neighboring building.

Traffic, loading and other technical issues

Commissioners pressed the applicant and staff on move-in logistics and loading. Commissioner Lopez asked specifically about loading and whether there would be a freight elevator; the applicant and project team said there is no freight elevator but "these would be gurney elevators" as required by code, and that move-ins and loading would be shared with a trash-staging area on the northeast side. Commissioner Lopez and others expressed concern about the feasibility of moving families into larger units without a dedicated loading elevator or covered loading area.

On that point the applicant later proposed an operational change: developer Brad Vernon said one practical solution would be to relocate one elevator to the building's northeast corner to serve as a loading elevator for move-ins and move-outs. Vernon said the team had already made several design adjustments to reduce impacts on the adjacent building, noting they had "moved the building back approximately 10 feet," limited windows on the facing elevation, proposed a mural and removed private patios on that face.

Public comment and outreach

Three residents from Union Plaza and one spokesperson spoke at the public comment period. James Seidman said longtime tenants cherish the park view and worried the building would be a "monstrosity" that would remove a valued green space. Susan Sorenson and Ralph Martinez also described the park as important to residents' quality of life and expressed concerns about traffic, noise and loss of respite.

The applicant's outreach: Lucas Budget (Verde Group) told the commission the team had contacted Laurie, the Union Plaza community organizer, twice by phone and email to arrange a meeting but had not yet completed an in-person meeting since the June 5 study session: "We reached out twice. We haven't heard back on when to schedule a meeting yet, but we have had discussion with her, just not worked through." Commissioners said direct outreach and a negotiated mitigation approach with tenants would be important.

Commission action and conditions

After deliberation the commission voted to recommend approval to the city council and added two conditions the commission asked staff to forward in the recommendation: (1) the applicant will pursue a modification to elevator placement so one elevator can function as a loading elevator to ease move-ins and move-outs; and (2) the applicant will develop a plan to offer priority access to units in the new building for existing tenants on the south side of Union Plaza (the commission asked the applicant to draft proposed language for that condition and work with staff before council review). Brad Vernon said the developer would consider such measures and asked the commission to forward their recommendation to council given tax-credit timing constraints.

What happens next

The commission's action is a recommendation to city council; staff said the council will receive the commission's recommendation and the applicant is likely to appear on the council agenda in the near term. Staff also noted the developer warned of a potential one-year delay in tax-credit eligibility if the project misses the council timing window, creating pressure to move the recommendation forward.

The record

Speakers whose remarks are quoted or summarized in this report appear in the commission record for the July 16, 2025 hearing. Staff and applicant materials referenced a staff memorandum dated 07/16/2025 and an attachment with recommended conditions (attachment 2).