Huntington Beach Planning Commission Study Session on Sea Dance Residential Development, August 28, 2018

The Huntington Beach Planning Commission held a study session on Tuesday, August 28, 2018, at 5:15 PM in Council Chambers, 2000 Main Street. The primary purpose was to review revisions to the proposed Sea Dance Residential Development, a project to transform the former Franklin School site at 14422 Hammon Lane into 51 single-family homes and a public park. The regular 7:00 PM meeting was cancelled. The commission received a staff presentation, asked technical questions, and heard public comments. No formal action was taken; the item was continued to the September 11, 2018 public hearing.

Project Review (Future Agenda Item)

• Project Overview: Staff presented the revised Sea Dance project, which includes: General Plan Amendment No. 16-001, Zoning Map Amendment No. 16-002, Tentative Tract Map No. 18147, Conditional Use Permit No. 16-031, and Mitigated Negative Declaration No. 16-002.
• Revisions from Original Proposal: The applicant increased the park dedication from 1.15 to 1.30 acres (achieving zero net loss of park area and maintaining a linear design similar to existing Franklin Park). This resulted in reducing the number of units from 53 to 51. Other changes include: on-street parking reduced from 74 to 70 spaces, average lot size decreased from 4,835 to 4,787 square feet, the water quality basin lot relocated and enlarged to 5,403 square feet, and one-story homes reduced from 11 to 8 units.
• Public Benefits: As part of the PUD, the applicant offers: 1.30-acre park (0.77 acres required), park improvements (landscaping, playground, picnic tables, public art) maintained by the HOA, public use of on-street parking on private streets for park access, and a $250,000 contribution toward Navy right-of-way trail improvements or other nearby parks.
• Environmental Review: The Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) was circulated for a 20-day public review (April 19 to May 8, 2018). Staff concluded that changes do not require recirculation. Mitigation measures address aesthetics, biological resources, cultural resources, and tribal cultural resources.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Dan Jamieson (neighborhood resident): Expressed tentative approval of the developer's changes, praising the preservation of the park layout and mature trees. He requested that the $250,000 contribution be restricted to the Navy right-of-way (Monarch Nature Trail) improvements, stating that without such restriction, the money may be spent elsewhere.
• Andrew Romer (Hacienda Drive resident): Requested that the Planning Commission require preservation of all existing trees within the proposed park footprint, noting that new trees would take 20-30 years to mature. He expressed concern that the developer may clear the land and delay park construction until after home sales.

Key Outcomes

• No formal action was taken; the item was a study session to solicit technical questions and inform the future staff report.
• The Sea Dance project will return for a public hearing at the Planning Commission meeting on September 11, 2018, at 7:00 PM.
• The Community Services Commission is scheduled to review the revised park layout on September 12, 2018.
• Staff will incorporate additional information into the staff report based on commissioner questions, including: analysis of HOA park maintenance as an alternative to the $250,000 contribution (and associated legal issues), comparison of PUD versus non-PUD development scenarios (e.g., possibility of 50 units with no park, no public benefits), tract map easement conditions and history from a similar project (Lamb School), discussion of Measure C implications, and a breakdown of one-story vs. two-story homes along Calneva.
• The commission also noted technical difficulties with downloading large attachments and requested improved file management for future meetings.