South Gate planning commission approves CUP for medical-dental complex with urgent care at Tweedy Boulevard

The South Gate Planning Commission voted to adopt Resolution No. 2025‑11 and approve Conditional Use Permit 25‑03 for a medical and dental office facility with urgent care and an on‑site pharmacy at 4433–4437 Tweedy Boulevard.

Associate Planner Joshua Valdez summarized staff’s recommendation, telling commissioners the adaptive reuse project sits in the Tweedy Mixed Use 2 (TMU‑2) zone and occupies approximately 11,411 square feet (about 0.26 acres). Valdez said the tenant mix would include roughly 2,655 square feet of dental space, about 531 square feet for a pharmacy and approximately 371 square feet for clinic/urgent‑care services. Staff determined the project qualifies for categorical exemptions under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) — Class 1 (existing facilities) and Class 32 (infill) — and recommended adoption of Resolution No. 2025‑11 to approve CUP 25‑03.

The applicant, owner Jack Azad, told the commission the facility will accept major Los Angeles County plans, including LA Care, CareFirst, Molina and HealthNet, and that medical and dental services will be available for all ages. “It’s gonna be LA Care,” Azad said of insurance acceptance, and he added the clinic would serve children and adults.

Commissioners questioned parking, pedestrian safety near Bryson Elementary and how the city would address construction impacts. Staff noted the site is within the Tweedy Mile area, which uses a Park‑Once approach that allows businesses to rely on shared public parking; Valdez said there are five public parking spaces within roughly 0.15 miles of the site. On traffic analysis, staff and public‑works representatives explained small infill projects are often evaluated with a developer‑provided traffic memo unless project‑generated trips exceed thresholds that would trigger a full traffic‑impact study.

A three‑page letter from the Los Angeles Unified School District, received the day of the meeting and read into the record, asked the city to consider Bryson Elementary (enrollment listed in the letter as 737 students) a sensitive receptor and requested measures to mitigate air quality, noise, traffic and pedestrian impacts during construction. Staff replied that many of those concerns are typically addressed through construction best management practices and that coordination with the district is possible; staff also offered to provide the applicant with the LAUSD contact so the parties can coordinate directly.

Commissioners discussed mural approvals — staff said condition No. 11 requires that public‑art proposals (murals, sculptures or other artistic displays) be submitted to the community development department and, if necessary, reviewed by the city’s arts commission per South Gate Municipal Code chapter 11.32.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to accept staff’s recommendation to find the project exempt under CEQA and adopt Resolution No. 2025‑11 approving CUP 25‑03; another commissioner seconded. Vice Chair Prieto recused because he lives within 500 feet of the site. Roll call recorded at least three votes in favor; the motion passed and the commission took a short recess.

The resolution directs that the project be subject to the conditions of approval in the staff report, including the standard construction‑period best management practices and the mural review process. The commission did not add additional mitigation requirements beyond those recommended by staff. The applicant and staff were directed to coordinate with LAUSD as needed.