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Council upholds approval for sober-living home at 1601 Baker Street after heated public hearing
Summary
After a long hearing marked by neighborhood opposition and questions about screening and past operations, the City Council voted 6-1 to uphold the planning commission's approval of a special-use permit allowing a sober-living home for six residents and one house manager at 1601 Baker Street.
A divided Costa Mesa City Council on Tuesday voted to uphold the planning commission's approval of a special-use permit for a sober-living home at 1601 Baker Street, allowing six recovery residents and one live-in house manager to occupy the single-family residence.
The council's decision followed a lengthy denovo hearing during which neighbors described the potential impact of a facility in a long-established single-family neighborhood and raised questions about whether the operator had been operating without city approval. Senior planner Mr. Mendes summarized the ministerial approval process for unlicensed group homes that serve up to six residents and said staff found the proposed use met the objective zoning and operational standards required by Costa Mesa Municipal Code section 13-311.
Opponents told the council they were concerned about neighborhood compatibility, proximity to a residential care facility, traffic, previous police calls, and the adequacy of screening to exclude violent offenders. Multiple neighbors, including homeowners living directly behind the site, said they had documented incidents and urged the council to deny the permit.
The applicant, George Villigette of Stephouse Recovery, said his organization holds county certifications and contracts and described intake and screening practices. Villigette told the council his company follows an intake and assessment process and works with Orange County to place clients. He said, "we have never had any violent reporting—no stabbings, no—we've not had that," and that the property was not currently being operated as a sober-living home pending city approval.
Council Member Mike Buley moved to reverse the planning commission decision and deny the permit, citing neighborhood character and land-use concerns. After public testimony and extended questioning of staff and the applicant, Mayor John Stevens made a substitute motion to uphold the planning commission's approval, stressing the ministerial scope of review and the difficulty of denying a permit that complies with the objective code standards. The council adopted the substitute motion; the clerk announced the motion carried 6-1.
The council and staff emphasized that the permit includes conditions and that failure to comply with the city's operational requirements could lead to enforcement actions or revocation of the special-use permit. The council also asked staff to confirm inspection and monitoring procedures and to return any additional compliance information requested by neighbors.
The decision leaves the special-use permit intact; the applicant may proceed in compliance with the conditions of approval. Opponents said they would continue to monitor operations and pursue code enforcement if they believe conditions are violated.
