Zoning administrator approves second-story addition at Katz residence, conditions require relinquishing short‑term lodging permit before construction

The San Clemente zoning administrator on Oct. 23 approved a development permit for a second‑story addition at the Katz residence, and added a requirement that the property’s short‑term lodging permit be surrendered before construction begins.

Assistant Planner Alexia Grishinski told the administrator the application — development permit 25-353 for 908 South Ola Vista — seeks a 675‑square‑foot second‑story primary bedroom and bathroom and a 223‑square‑foot deck addition. The site is a 5,700‑square‑foot lot supporting a nonconforming single‑family residence; staff advised the addition does not trigger removal of the nonconforming status because it is less than 50% of the existing structure.

Grishinski said the project “complies with the zoning regulations, [is] consistent with the general plan city design guidelines,” and that line‑of‑sight photos show no negative impact on the historic house across the street. She also reported the property holds a short‑term lodging unit (STLU) permit, number 0314869, approved in March 2015; that permit is amortized and scheduled to end in May 2026.

Applicant comments described an intention to make the house a permanent residence and to end short‑term rental use while renovation is under way. The applicant said the family plans to “make some improvements to the house, make it a little bigger and then to move down” and that any short‑term rental operations would cease when construction commences.

Zoning Administrator Adam Matamian said he visited the site and concluded the addition would be difficult to see from public vantage points across the street and that the findings in the draft resolution could be met. Matamian closed the public hearing, found the project categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15301, and adopted Resolution ZA25‑020 approving Development Permit 25‑353 subject to the staff conditions with a new pre‑construction requirement.

The new condition (added as Condition 5.1 under a new Section 5) requires that, prior to commencement of construction, “the applicant shall cease operating the subject property as a short term lodging unit and relinquish the existing STLU operating license.” Matamian clarified that if construction begins after May 2026, the owner may retain the current STLU until its amortization end date; if construction commences earlier, the license must be relinquished at that time. Staff instructed the owners to email the business license specialist to request closure of the permit.

Matamian also noted a 10‑day appeal period for the public; the city council can “call up” the zoning administrator’s decision, and no building permit may be issued before the administrative minutes are received and filed (the next council meeting referenced is Nov. 4).