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Laguna Woods approves conditional use permit for urgent‑care clinic at former Wells Fargo site
Summary
The city approved CUP 2025‑0005 to allow an urgent‑care medical clinic and revised parking provisions at 24301 Paseo De Valencia; conditions prohibit ambulance emergency‑room service and limit hours to 7 a.m.–8 p.m. daily. Staff found 82 conforming parking stalls after re-striping. (Resolution adopted.)
Laguna Woods City Council voted Feb. 18 to approve a conditional use permit (CUP 2025‑0005) allowing a medical clinic—characterized by staff as an urgent‑care outpatient facility—at the former Wells Fargo building, 24301 Paseo De Valencia.
Planning staff told the council the site currently houses an optometrist and a pharmacy and that the CUP would convert a third vacant unit to urgent care. The proposal includes alternative off‑street parking provisions: the site has 83 existing spaces, and after re‑striping staff concluded 82 conforming spaces would remain available. One irregular stall would be striped out rather than physically reconfigured.
Conditions of approval restrict the clinic from offering dental services, operating as an emergency room that receives ambulance‑transported patients, or housing patients overnight. Staff also recommended hours of operation limited to 7 a.m.–8 p.m. daily and the designation of passenger loading/drop‑off zones near accessible parking stalls (plans identify spaces 150–151).
A member of the public asked whether the emergency‑care prohibition would bar treatment of severe walk‑in injuries; staff clarified the prohibition is intended to prevent the facility from functioning as an emergency room receiving ambulance patients, not to bar urgent‑care clinicians from stabilizing or transferring patients.
Councilmembers praised the building refurbishment and confirmed entrances for each tenant, then moved and approved the staff‑recommended resolution to amend CUP 00‑02 and allow the medical clinic use. The resolution also included a CEQA finding that the project is categorically exempt under Title 14, section 15301 of the California Code of Regulations.
The adopted resolution authorizes the use and the alternative parking provisions, with conditions to ensure code compliance and identify a loading zone for patient pick‑ups and drop‑offs.
