Planning Commission Approves Bone Adventure Expansion, Adds Wording Clarifications to Conditions

The Costa Mesa Planning Commission approved two conditional use permits on Oct. 27 to allow The Bone Adventure to operate a single business across two adjacent industrial parcels at 1619 and 1629 Superior Avenue, with conditions addressing hours, outdoor play-area limits and operational controls.

Assistant Planner Froylan Garcia said staff recommended approval and that the two properties require separate entitlements because they are not under the same ownership. Garcia described the project as operating as a single business from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the outdoor play areas limited to 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and site-specific dog limits of 51 dogs at 1619 Superior and 46 dogs at 1629 Superior. The project also calls for parking restriping, expanded play areas (approximately 5,090 square feet at 1619 and 2,300 square feet at 1629), updated landscaping and a total of 11 parking spaces at 1619 and eight spaces at 1629 after the proposed reconfiguration.

The permits were processed as conditional use permits, PCUP-25-0018 (1619 Superior Avenue) and PCUP-25-0019 (1629 Superior Avenue). Garcia said public notification complied with Costa Mesa Municipal Code sec. 13-29d and staff found the project categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under Guideline section 15301 (existing facilities).

Owner Diane Kuniff, who identified herself as the owner and founder of The Bone Adventure, told the commission the business has operated in Costa Mesa for 23 years and emphasized training, sanitation and neighbor outreach. "We will comply with all the government regulations," Kuniff said, adding the expansion is intended to provide career growth for long‑tenured staff.

General manager Brian Roters and manager PJ Culver described planned site changes including added shade, canine turf, perimeter walkways with a gated transfer system and specialized play groups (puppies, seniors, "rowdy" groups) designed to reduce conflict and nuisance noise.

Commissioners focused on several operational clarifications during questioning. Commissioner Martinez asked whether the term "double doors" in the conditions meant two doors side‑by‑side or a vestibule-style, sequential door system; Garcia confirmed the intent was a vestibule or other measures that prevent dogs from escaping a yard or building. Vice Chair Zick pressed staff to make the condition language flexible: vestibules are an acceptable form but not strictly required if an alternative system prevents dogs from running loose. Commissioners also asked about the origin of the dog-density metric (100 square feet per dog), and Garcia said that number came from the original entitlement and the applicant's submission; any future change to the maximum number of dogs would require a minor amendment to the use permit and administrative review by the zoning administrator.

On staffing and overnight care, the applicant said overnight personnel will be trained dog handlers rather than a private security guard. "We made a decision at the very beginning that we weren't gonna have a security guard. We need somebody that knows the dogs," Kuniff said.

A public commenter who identified themselves as a Costa Mesa resident praised the operator's long record and the voluntary noise study the applicant had submitted. The commenter said the business had "figured out the environmentals" and urged the commission to approve the permits.

Motion and amendments Commissioner Melissa Martinez moved to find the project exempt under CEQA §15301 and to approve PCUP-25-0018 and PCUP-25-0019 subject to the draft findings and conditions, with three clarifying edits: revise the condition referencing "double doors/double gates" to read "double doors, double gates, and vestibule systems" (to reflect the intended sequential door/vestibule arrangement), adjust the wording of condition numbering to fix a sentence‑structure issue, and replace the word "security" in the overnight staffing condition with "staff person on-site" so that overnight personnel are described as trained staff rather than security guards. Commissioner Raul Andrade seconded the motion.

The commission voted 7-0 to approve the permits with the amendments. Chair Harlan noted the decision is final unless appealed to City Council within the statutory appeal period.

Why it matters The approval lets a long-established local operator expand its daytime play areas and consolidate some functions across two property addresses while keeping overnight boarding at the existing site. The conditions aim to balance business operations with neighboring industrial and residential uses by limiting outdoor hours, capping on-site dog counts per site and establishing supervision and cleanup requirements. The city's review also emphasized noise controls and required the applicant to submit a final landscape plan during plan check.

Votes at a glance - Motion to approve PCUP-25-0018 (1619 Superior) and PCUP-25-0019 (1629 Superior), including CEQA exemption per §15301 and amendments to conditions: moved Commissioner Martinez; second Commissioner Andrade; outcome: approved 7-0. - Consent calendar: minutes of 10/13/2025 approved earlier in the meeting (motion by Commissioner Martinez; second Commissioner Dixon; outcome: approved 7-0).

What happens next Staff will incorporate the clarified condition language into the final resolutions and the applicant will submit final landscape plans and plan-check materials. Any substantial modification to operations (including changes to the number of dogs beyond the approved maximums) would require an amendment and administrative or commission review per the municipal process.