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Council approves revised 401 Mission mixed‑use project after plaza enlargement and unit reduction
Summary
The council approved a modified mixed‑use redevelopment at 401 Mission Avenue that expands a public plaza to 15,439 sq ft, reduces total units slightly (332→326) and keeps 33 affordable units; staff said the design continues to meet state density bonus law and parking requirements.
The Oceanside City Council voted 5‑0 on Oct. 1 to approve a revised mixed‑use development at 401 Mission Avenue after staff and the applicant reworked the plan to expand a central public plaza and reduce unit count.
Principal planner Manny Baez told the council the modified design eliminates a central tower, increases the publicly accessible plaza from 9,449 to 15,439 square feet, reduces total residential units from 332 to 326 (affordable units falling from 34 to 33), reduces overall parking from 591 to 554 stalls, and increases commercial floor area to 26,490 square feet. Staff said the project still complies with state density bonus laws and meets required parking stalls (554 provided vs. 545 required in staff analysis).
During council Q&A, members pressed the applicant about leasing office relocation, bicycle parking counts, public art programming and whether the proposed plaza easement language preserved passive public use. Deputy Mayor Joyce sought a friendly amendment to restore earlier language on condition 94 to ensure the space remains a public plaza rather than a space subject to enclosure for private dining; the applicant said the proposed easement extended the public access term for several decades while preserving current use. SAFER (Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility) urged additional environmental review on air quality grounds in public comment, asking staff to prepare a mitigated negative declaration or EIR focused on construction diesel particulate emissions and indoor formaldehyde from building materials; staff and applicant said they had addressed technical conditions in the staff memo and recommended approval.
Council member Weiss moved to approve staff recommendation; the motion passed unanimously. Council also rejected a late motion to reopen the public hearing after clarifying that the item had been continued from Aug. 6 for limited deliberations on plaza changes.
Next steps: the resolution approving the development (with modified condition 94 language) was adopted and the project will proceed to building permit and implementation steps per the city's standard approvals.
