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Planning commission approves conditional use permit for private K–12 school at Mesa Verde United Methodist Church
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Summary
The Costa Mesa Planning Commission on May 12 approved Conditional Use Permit PA-23-05 to allow a new private K–12 school to operate from existing church buildings at 1701 Baker Street, adopting conditions to limit traffic and nighttime uses. The vote was 6-0.
The Costa Mesa Planning Commission voted 6-0 on May 12 to approve Conditional Use Permit PA-23-05 to allow a private kindergarten through 12th-grade school to operate within the existing Mesa Verde United Methodist Church facilities at 1701 Baker Street.
Staff presented the request as an adaptive reuse of a 3.1-acre church site in the Institutional and Recreational zoning district, noting the proposed hours of operation would be Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with staggered student arrival groups and a circulation plan to limit neighborhood traffic impacts. Staff recommended the project be found categorically exempt from CEQA under Guideline section 15301 and that the permit be approved subject to conditions.
Commissioners focused on drop-off and pick-up circulation, parking and the potential for high-school students driving. Staff said the applicant proposes that students would not be permitted to drive and described on-site drop-off routing that directs vehicles to enter from Mesa Verde Drive East and exit to Baker Street with a right-turn-only circulation pattern intended to reduce impacts to nearby residences. Staff also noted the site currently rents 25 parking spaces to a neighboring business and concluded parking is sufficient for the proposed use, subject to the conditions of approval.
The commission approved the permit with edits to several conditions: amending Condition 11 to read that necessary school staff responsible for implementing the circulation plan shall arrive by 07:30 AM; clarifying Condition 12 so the right-turn-only restriction applies on weekdays for school operations; adding language to Condition 20 that no nighttime activity in the play yards is allowed without authorization by the Director of Development Services; and revising Condition 25 to require Director authorization for any additional off‑site uses of the parking supply. The motion to approve was made by Commissioner Martinez and seconded by Vice Chair Zick; the motion carried 6-0.
Applicant representatives told the commission that the church does not yet have a tenant signed for the school use and seeks the land-use entitlement to allow leasing the largely unused buildings during weekdays. The applicant said they are “comfortable” with the conditions as word‑smithed by the commission and asked the commission to memorialize the operational limitations in the permit.
The commission record includes operational controls intended to limit neighborhood impacts: a mandatory tutorial video for guardians describing the circulation pattern, staff-on-site to manage drop-off and pick-up (with extra staffing the first two weeks), bike racks and directional signage, review of any future playground equipment, and a prohibition on nighttime uses of play yards without director approval. Staff emphasized enforcement would largely be complaint‑driven with the city able to require affidavits or other remedies if circulation conditions are violated.
The decision is final unless appealed to the City Council within seven days.
