Simi Valley planners recommend approval of 80-unit apartment and church sanctuary at Lighthouse Bible Church site

The Simi Valley Planning Commission on May 14 recommended that the city council approve a tentative parcel map and planned development permit for an 80‑unit apartment complex and approved a conditional use permit modification to build a new sanctuary and parking changes on the remaining portion of the Lighthouse Bible Church property at 4910 Cochran Street.

The project would split the church’s approximately 5.3‑acre site, keeping the existing church and parsonage on one parcel and creating a 1.97‑acre Parcel 2 for an 80‑unit multifamily development to be built by Cam Coastal. The developer proposes 16 affordable units (10 low‑income, six moderate‑income) and is using density bonus provisions to reach 80 units on the site.

Staff said the proposal includes two three‑story residential buildings, a total of 108 on‑site parking spaces, roughly 9,500 square feet of new landscaping, rooftop or third‑floor courtyards and community amenities such as fitness centers, lounges and package lockers. The new sanctuary would be a 5,588‑square‑foot prefabricated steel structure with stucco and stone siding, added landscaping and additional parking on the church parcel; the existing 3,000‑square‑foot parsonage would remain.

“The reason why we’re doing this project is so that Lighthouse can sell the property and create money then to build their church projects,” project architect Mark Petit told the commission. Petit described a mix of one‑ and two‑bedroom units ranging from about 590 to 915 square feet, in‑unit laundry, solar panels and electric‑vehicle‑ready parking infrastructure.

Staff recommended approval and said both the housing and church portions are categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under CEQA Guidelines §15332 (infill development). Commissioners adopted two resolutions, forwarding the plan development permit and tentative parcel map recommendation to the city council and approving the conditional use permit modification; the commission’s vote passed unanimously.

Key project details - Address: 4910 Cochran Street, Simi Valley - Parcel for housing: 1.97 acres (eastern portion of site) - Housing: 80 units in two three‑story buildings; 1‑ and 2‑bedroom floorplans, 590–915 sq ft - Affordable units: 16 total (10 low, 6 moderate); units are floating (not tied to specific doors) - Parking: 108 spaces provided (39 in garages/carports at ground level, 69 uncovered); project required 94 spaces - Sanctuary: new 5,588 sq ft prefabricated steel building; existing church building 17,000 sq ft remains; parsonage retained - Landscaping: roughly 9,500 sq ft new landscaping plus perimeter and courtyard planting - CEQA: Staff found the project exempt under CEQA Guidelines §15332 (infill development)

Waivers and concessions The applicant requests a series of concessions and waivers tied to density bonus and the Kadota Fix specific plan requirements. Staff and the applicant said the project meets the city’s eligibility for density bonus provisions and therefore requested design concessions and several specific waivers, including: - Reduce a required southern privacy wall height from 8 feet to 6 feet (a 6‑foot wall currently exists). - Allow three‑story buildings within the specific‑plan’s 50‑foot southern buffer (applicant proposes buildings within roughly 20 feet of the southern property line). - Reduce the southern specific‑plan buffer (required 50 feet with 25 feet landscaped) to a 20‑foot landscaped area adjacent to the property line. - Reduce front‑yard setback at the north property line from 38 feet to 20 feet. - Increase maximum walking distance between units and parking from 200 to 260 feet. - Allow 13 compact parking stalls (18x8 feet) and reduce certain landscape island widths subject to final utility (Edison transformer) placement.

Staff noted the project provides 108 spaces where 94 are required, yielding a net surplus of 14 spaces; staff said the inclusion of compact stalls should not reduce required capacity. The applicant also noted multiple trash enclosures meeting the city’s three‑bin recycling/organics requirements.

Public comments and commissioner questions Two members of Lighthouse Bible Church spoke in support. Brent Seamer, identified as a city resident and church member, said the sanctuary design is intended to accommodate future growth and classroom conversion in the existing building. Seamer described the plans as “visionary” and said the larger sanctuary would let the congregation expand.

Commissioners and staff asked detailed questions about stormwater, screening and traffic. The applicant said the project will use ribbon gutters and underground holding areas for runoff, and that trees and screening are planned along the southern boundary; the parsonage will remain unchanged. On traffic, staff said the project’s traffic study used a cumulative model that accounts for full build‑out and planned nearby development, so the adjacent approved townhouse project was included in the analysis.

Some commissioners expressed neighborhood concerns. One commissioner said the combination of the adjacent project plus this development will increase the number of residents near Cochrane Street and suggested evaluating right‑turn restrictions; another recommended the city consider speed or lane controls if safety issues arise. Commissioners generally praised design articulation, tree screening and the inclusion of affordable units, while noting the number of waivers requested.

Formal action and next steps The commission adopted Resolution SVPC09‑2025 recommending city council approval of planned development permit PDS‑2024‑0007 and tentative parcel map TPS‑2024‑0005 for the 80‑unit development, and adopted Resolution SVPC10‑2025 approving conditional use permit modification CUP‑S‑2024‑0010 for the sanctuary and parking/landscaping changes. The commission’s action was unanimous; staff said there is no appeal period for the plan development permit and parcel map and that those items will proceed to city council with the commission’s recommendation. The modification to the conditional use permit has a 14‑calendar‑day appeal period.

The city council will consider the project and the proposed affordable housing agreement at a later date, staff said.