San Clemente design panel backs moving revised Hanson Hotel to planning commission after review

The City of San Clemente Design Review Subcommittee on Wednesday reviewed revisions to the proposed Hanson Hotel at 1801 North El Camino Real and agreed to send the project on to the Planning Commission, with staff and commissioners asking the applicant to refine materials, the north-facing wall treatment, landscaping and documentation of historic-context analysis.

The hotel design team has modified an earlier plan to provide 61 guest rooms — up from 49 in the 2022 package — in response to the Coastal Commission's preference for 25% on-site affordable rooms, project architect Jordan said. "We first went down the road of trying to figure out do we have to do it or not because it's an environmental justice policy, not an adopted ordinance. But the client just went ahead and did it," Jordan said. He added the current proposal remains one room under the maximum allowed under zoning.

Staff said the site is an undeveloped parcel at the Avenida Pico/North El Camino Real gateway and is zoned Mixed Use 1, within the architectural overlay, the central business district and the certified Local Coastal Program (LCP). Planning staff told the subcommittee the project now proposes the same general footprint as earlier versions, with subterranean parking (41 stalls), a relocated cafe and a second-story rooftop restaurant. John, a city planning staff member, said the applicant added a front loading area and a small, screened dumpster-staging pad to facilitate servicing. "Staff felt like these…