Fullerton commission directs staff to draft denial of 32‑unit Harbor/Hermosa townhome project amid safety, traffic concerns

The Fullerton Planning Commission on Feb. 25 directed staff to prepare a resolution denying a 32‑unit townhome condominium project at the northwest corner of Harbor Boulevard and Hermosa Drive after commissioners said they remained unconvinced that nearby traffic and safety issues had been resolved.

Senior Planner Lopez and planning staff had recommended approval of the proposal from City Ventures for the 1.33‑acre site (project PRJ2024‑0009 / ZON2024‑0097 / SEB2024‑0004), describing a three‑story development of 32 townhomes, including five units to be deed‑restricted for low‑income households. Staff said the application was submitted under SB 330 and invoked provisions of the Housing Accountability Act and related state law; staff also cited the project’s CEQA Class 32 infill exemption. The developer proposed 75 on‑site parking spaces, about 2,100 square feet of common open space and roughly 18,891 square feet of landscaping, and offered frontage improvements, a new ADA ramp and added street lighting.

The hearing drew more than a dozen public commenters. Neighbors repeatedly raised safety and circulation concerns for Hermosa Drive — a narrow, two‑lane roadway used by pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians — and warned of parking spillover into residential streets. ‘‘This project is a wrong project in the wrong location,’’ Jose Ulloa, who said he has lived in the area for more than 40 years, told…