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Planning commission approves Rogue Collective event space with conditions
Summary
The Newport Beach Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit allowing Rogue Collective to operate a 750-square-foot event space at Production Place, with conditions on hours, noise, parking and alcohol service; staff noted final occupancy will be set by building/fire review.
The Newport Beach Planning Commission on April 23 approved a conditional use permit for Rogue Collective to establish a 750-square-foot assembly and event space at 852 and 858 Production Place, with offsite parking at 828 Production Place.
Staff planner Oscar Rodosky told the commission the site is in the General Industrial zoning district and that the proposed assembly use would be limited to 750 square feet within an existing roughly 10,000-square-foot professional office building. The project proposes 17 on-site parking spaces plus five off-site spaces to meet the zoning requirement of 22 total spaces. Staff recommended the commission conduct a public hearing, find the project exempt from CEQA, and adopt the draft resolution approving the CUP.
"The types of events they would be hosting would include workshops, classes, networking functions, nonprofit fundraisers, corporate gatherings and similar community-oriented activities," Rodosky said, and described conditions that would limit noise (including restricting opening windows and doors except for egress), prohibit the space from operating as a bar, lounge or nightclub, and prohibit dancing.
Applicant Matt Barnes, founder and CEO of Rogue United and Rogue Collective, described the venue as a membership-based creative and coworking hub that also hosts community events. "That uncertainty has cost us a great deal," Barnes said, urging approval to provide clarity for his business. He told the commission he estimated about $1.53 million in lost event revenue and roughly $500,000 in lost membership opportunities during prior regulatory uncertainty.
A business tenant at the space, Cara Stewart of Wonder Marks, spoke in support and said the location fosters microbusiness collaboration and community programming.
Resident commenter Jim Mosher asked that the commission include an explicit maximum-occupancy number in the conditions rather than relying only on square-foot calculations; Mosher noted marketing material that referenced larger capacities and said late-night departures could affect nearby new townhomes. Staff responded that occupancy will be determined through the building and fire code review during the building-permit process; staff's analysis indicated that at 750 square feet the code calculation could result in an occupancy up to 150, but final confirmation will come from building and fire review.
After brief commission comments and motions, the Planning Commission voted to approve the conditional use permit as drafted. The commission's approval included the conditions described in the staff report, including noise restrictions, the requirement that employees use the off-site parking to leave on-site spaces for patrons, and the requirement that alcohol, if served, be the subject of daily licenses through the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control where applicable.
The applicant may proceed to the building-permit phase, where building and fire officials will confirm occupancy limits and other code requirements. The Planning Commission recorded the approval at the meeting; staff will return any required resolution paperwork for finalization.
