Brea council approves 120‑unit Brea Plaza apartment project with density‑bonus waivers amid parking, traffic debate

The Brea City Council on April 1 approved resolutions and zoning actions to allow Brea Plaza Living, a four‑story residential project at 1639 East Imperial Highway that would add 120 units to the Brea Plaza Shopping Center and provide six on‑site units set aside for extremely low‑income households.

Senior Planner Jessica Newton presented the staff recommendation and the entitlements: a General Plan amendment, zone change to MU‑2, density‑bonus approvals, a precise development plan and three conditional use permits. Newton told the council the application requests density‑bonus parking standards, one density‑bonus incentive and five waivers of development standards — including an increase in height to 64 feet 4 inches and reductions to rear setbacks and open‑space requirements. Staff reported the project was analyzed via an addendum to the certified 2019 EIR and concluded the changes would result in no new significant environmental impacts under CEQA.

The applicant and consultants told the council the project is a mixed‑use infill effort designed to support retail tenants and add housing near jobs. An applicant representative said the shopping‑center owner invested in the property over decades and that converting underused retail and former theater space to housing would boost foot traffic and support local businesses. Arthur Black of LSA, the parking consultant, described multi‑year parking counts and said the study showed sufficient parking for peak demand most of the year; the project team said the parking plan includes a 2‑level parking structure plus reconfigured adjacent stalls and a parking‑management plan.

Councilmembers asked detailed questions about density‑bonus law and the council’s discretion. Staff and the city’s legal/management team explained that because the project proposes extremely low‑income units, state density‑bonus statutes permit certain concessions and the city must make very specific evidence‑based findings to deny those requests. Multiple council members described legal constraints and the practical risk of a developer later pursuing ministerial, by‑right pathways that could yield much greater density if the city denies eligible requests.

The public hearing drew dozens of speakers. Business owners and Chamber of Commerce representatives testified in favor, saying the project would provide housing for employees and help retail; housing advocates pressed for more affordable units but welcomed the six extremely low‑income on‑site units. Nearby residents and others raised concerns about building height, loss of trees, privacy and whether the proposed parking would be adequate or would spill into adjacent neighborhoods. Staff said the city received 48 written comments as of the 3 p.m. cut‑off: 18 in support and 30 expressing concerns.

After discussion, a council member moved to approve the staff‑recommended resolutions and to introduce the zone‑change ordinance for further reading. The motion carried with four council votes in favor and one member recused from the item; the transcript records the approval as "Motion passed with 4 council members and 1 absent or abstained." The record shows prior recusal for related items by the council member identified earlier in the meeting as needing to step aside for proximity reasons.

What happens next

The council’s action authorized the necessary entitlements and set the ordinance for adoption at a subsequent reading; staff also identified follow‑up conditions including a required parking‑management plan, a plan‑review step to ensure emergency access and additional plan checks tied to the EIR mitigation and conditions of approval. The project team said it will continue outreach and work with staff on conditions prior to returning for ordinance adoption.

Speakers quoted in the meeting

"The project is about filling a need, about housing, opportunity and access for everyone," the applicant representative said during his presentation. Senior Planner Jessica Newton summarized the entitlements and CEQA addendum. Parking consultant Arthur Black summarized survey work dating to 2022, saying counts show lower parking demand now than pre‑COVID levels.

Ending

Council approved the project entitlements after two hours of presentations and public comment, with staff and the applicant returning to refine conditions and the parking‑management plan ahead of ordinance adoption.