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Record of Proceedings

Planning Commission Study Session on Bolsa Chica Senior Living Community - August 22, 2023

Planning Commission — Tuesday, August 22, 2023
BodyHuntington Beach, California
SessionPlanning Commission
DateTuesday, August 22, 2023
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Five for the champion tour, and we've already had that happen.

0:03

So that got me some kind of magic and greedy that takes you there.

0:23

I call the planning commission study session to order.

0:27

And um welcome to the August 22nd Huntington Beach Planning Commission study session.

0:33

While the Planning Commission welcomes public involvement and free speech, it rejects comments from anyone that are discriminatory, defamatory, or otherwise not protected speech.

0:46

Those comments will not inform nor be considered by the planning commission and maybe cause for the chair to interrupt the speaker.

0:55

Such comments will not be consented to or otherwise adopted by the planning commission in its discussions and findings for any matter tonight.

1:05

Thank you.

1:06

And at this point, I'd like to ask um Commissioner Wood to uh please uh do the Pledge of Allegiance for us.

1:17

Will you please stand?

1:18

Thank you.

1:23

Ready?

1:49

Maybe have roll call, please.

1:51

Yes, good evening.

1:52

Commissioner Adam.

1:54

Present.

1:55

Commissioner Acosta Galvan.

1:57

Here.

1:58

Vice Chair Twining.

2:00

Chair Pellman.

2:02

Here.

2:02

Commissioner Kennedy.

2:04

Here.

2:04

Commissioner Rodriguez.

2:06

Here.

2:06

Commissioner Wood.

2:07

Here.

2:08

We have a quorum.

2:09

Thank you.

2:10

Thank you.

2:11

At this point, um, it's public comments.

2:14

And I would like uh, do you have anybody signed up?

2:17

We do.

2:18

We have Brian.

2:19

I might mispronounce this apologies.

2:21

Thynis to come down and speak.

2:24

Is there only for clarification?

2:26

Is there only one public speaker?

2:27

Yes.

2:28

Okay, thank you.

2:29

And just for clarification, um we give uh three minutes for comments.

2:35

So thank you.

2:44

Yeah, good evening, uh commissioners.

2:46

My name is Brian Thenis.

2:48

I live at uh 4512 Ocean Ridge Drive in Huntington Beach.

2:52

We're just south of this proposed development, and uh I am actually uh not prepared to speak.

2:59

I only got a notification of this uh uh this morning, I believe, or last night, so we didn't quite have time to uh put anything together, but um you know I had a uh I built a block wall.

3:14

My first house I bought in 1986, and I went and built a block wall, and the inspector said the wall was two feet or six foot two inches.

3:24

And I said, Well, the code says six feet, so I think six feet five inches is actually six feet because it would round to six feet.

3:35

Anyway, I never I never got signed off on the on the permit, and that was in back in the 80s.

3:43

And and I thought, wow, all right, what a great city to live in.

3:48

And I've lived there since uh you know about the house when I was 23.

3:51

I've had three different houses in Huntington Beach, and I think the city does a great job with code enforcement.

3:58

Uh you know, um, but you know, little do I know all I had to do was file a specific plan for my block wall, and I could have got my permit for my six foot two-inch block wall.

4:11

I'm not sure how you do that, you know, because blocks have to step every eight inches.

4:15

And um, we have codes that we we live by that we bought into the community that um that that we we we you know we enjoy the the nature of our neighborhood.

4:31

Um I you know watched what happened at Bellaterra, I watched what happened downtown with the density of these residential uh apartments, and I and I and I get it, you know.

4:44

I understand things have to change, but I don't see why we need a zone change or a specific plan.

4:51

I I believe the project could be built.

5:00

Obviously, projects have to go through reuse process, but when you look around and you look at the other buildings, and you look, well, there are three story condos across the street, but they step up and they're set way back, and there was a lot of thought that went into the process of uh you know deciding what fits the neighborhood and and how do you fit the neighborhood.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Senior Living Development██████████████████████████████████████████42%
Planning and Zoning████████████████████████24%
Community Engagement████████8%
Environmental Protection███████7%
Transportation Safety███████7%
Water And Wastewater Management████4%
Procedural███3%
Workforce Development███3%
Engineering And Infrastructure██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Planning Commission Study Session on Bolsa Chica Senior Living Community - August 22, 2023

This was a study session of the Huntington Beach Planning Commission held on August 22, 2023, to discuss the proposed Bolsa Chica Senior Living Community. The project involves a General Plan Amendment, Zoning Map Amendment, Zoning Text Amendment, Conditional Use Permit, and Final Environmental Impact Report for a 202-unit senior living facility on a 3.1-acre site at 4952 and 4972 Warner Avenue. No votes were taken; the session was informational.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Brian Thenis (resident, 4512 Ocean Ridge Drive): Expressed concerns about the project's size and height, calling it "too big" and "like a skyscraper." He noted that while he understands change is needed, he believes a zone change or specific plan is unnecessary. He also mentioned a survey from the developer to the Brightwater community that he felt did not allow for objections, and requested that the survey be disallowed from consideration.

Discussion Items

  • Staff Presentation (Hayden Beckman, Senior Planner):

    • The project requests five approvals: a General Plan Amendment (from Commercial General to Mixed Use), a Zoning Map Amendment (to Specific Plan No. 19), a Zoning Text Amendment, a Conditional Use Permit, and a Final Environmental Impact Report.
    • The site currently has about 55,000 sq. ft. of commercial space (office and retail).
    • Proposed unit mix: 102 independent living, 72 assisted living, 28 memory care (total 202 units).
    • Subterranean parking garage with 189 spaces; code would require 209, but a parking analysis for convalescent use showed 189 meets demand.
    • Height: 65 feet (current CG zone max is 50 feet).
    • Floor area ratio: 2.42 (proposed specific plan max of 2.5; current CG zone max is 1.5).
    • The Draft EIR was circulated for 45 days, receiving 50 comment letters from agencies and interested parties.

  • Applicant Presentation (Tom Lawless, Hines; Christopher Hilbert, Clearwater Living; Natalie Ruiz, WATG):

    • Hines is a family-run development company with 70+ years; Clearwater Living is an Orange County-based operator of senior communities.
    • Presented data on senior population growth: 25% of Huntington Beach population is over 60, and the senior population is expected to double in 20 years. The city currently has 463 senior living units (average age 23 years), and projected demand is 2,000 units over 5 years. The project would add 202 units, bringing total to about 900 with the approved Sea Cliff project.
    • Site advantages: proximity to retail, pharmacies, and Bolsa Chica wetlands; subterranean parking to reduce noise and improve aesthetics; generous setbacks and landscaping.
    • Design: coastal-inspired contemporary architecture with varied roof lines, balconies, and terraces to reduce massing; first floor primarily amenity spaces (multiple dining venues, fitness, theater, art studio, salon).
    • Community engagement included an open house for 1,500 addresses (double the city requirement), a project website, individual stakeholder meetings, and engagement with local organizations (Chamber of Commerce, Council on Aging, Golden West College).
    • Benefits: freeing up single-family homes (80% of independent living residents come from single-family homes), creating 100–110 jobs, and partnerships with Golden West College.

  • Commissioner Questions and Comments:

    • Traffic: Applicant stated that trips generated by the project would be about 50% of current trips due to residents not driving; employees account for most trips (20–40 on site at any time).
    • Emergency access: Emergency vehicles would use the Warner Avenue service access; EMS calls have decreased due to changes in assisted living regulations.
    • Parking: Code requires 208 spaces, but applicant argues that memory care and assisted living residents rarely drive, and independent living residents bring cars at about 30% rate; total demand estimated at ~100–120 spaces.
    • Height and precedent: Commissioner Kennedy expressed concern that a 65-foot building (plus potential 10 feet for mechanical, totaling 75 feet) sets a bad precedent for changing land use and zoning. Applicant responded that the height is driven by the need for amenity space on the first floor.
    • Rents: Commissioner Kennedy questioned affordability; applicant estimated rents of $5,000+ per month, all resident-paid, with no affordable housing component. Commissioner Kennedy noted that residents vacating homes are not likely leaving affordable housing for youth.
    • Utilities and infrastructure: Studied in EIR; water and sewer impacts less than 1% of capacity. Subterranean parking will have groundwater management systems.
    • Bird strikes: Commissioner Pellman asked about migratory bird impacts near Bolsa Chica wetlands. Applicant noted that the building is not a glass box and has architectural details; further clarification requested for the public hearing.
    • Emergency evacuation: Each property develops a specific plan with floor captains and quadrants.
    • Specific plan drafting: Commissioner Kennedy asked if the applicant wrote the specific plan; staff confirmed the applicant drafted it but city staff iteratively reviewed and modified it, and that this is standard practice.
    • Senior center partnership: Commissioner Pellman requested coordination with the Huntington Beach Senior Center for programs; applicant agreed to incorporate.
    • Water table: Commissioner Kennedy questioned the feasibility of a subterranean garage given high groundwater; applicant stated the EIR found groundwater below the excavation level, and similar projects exist in the coastal zone.

Key Outcomes

  • No formal action was taken; this was a study session for informational purposes.
  • The project will return to the Planning Commission for a public hearing at a future date.
  • Staff and applicants were directed to provide additional information on bird strike mitigation, groundwater management, accident data at Beach and Ellis (for comparison), and utility undergrounding details.
  • The next regularly scheduled Planning Commission meeting is September 12, 2023, at 6:00 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Five for the champion tour, and we've already had that happen. So that got me some kind of magic and greedy that takes you there. I call the planning commission study session to order. And um welcome to the August 22nd Huntington Beach Planning Commission study session. While the Planning Commission welcomes public involvement and free speech, it rejects comments from anyone that are discriminatory, defamatory, or otherwise not protected speech. Those comments will not inform nor be considered by the planning commission and maybe cause for the chair to interrupt the speaker. Such comments will not be consented to or otherwise adopted by the planning commission in its discussions and findings for any matter tonight. Thank you. And at this point, I'd like to ask um Commissioner Wood to uh please uh do the Pledge of Allegiance for us. Will you please stand? Thank you. Ready? Maybe have roll call, please. Yes, good evening. Commissioner Adam. Present. Commissioner Acosta Galvan. Here. Vice Chair Twining. Chair Pellman. Here. Commissioner Kennedy. Here. Commissioner Rodriguez. Here. Commissioner Wood. Here. We have a quorum. Thank you. Thank you. At this point, um, it's public comments. And I would like uh, do you have anybody signed up? We do. We have Brian. I might mispronounce this apologies. Thynis to come down and speak. Is there only for clarification? Is there only one public speaker? Yes. Okay, thank you. And just for clarification, um we give uh three minutes for comments. So thank you. Yeah, good evening, uh commissioners. My name is Brian Thenis. I live at uh 4512 Ocean Ridge Drive in Huntington Beach. We're just south of this proposed development, and uh I am actually uh not prepared to speak. I only got a notification of this uh uh this morning, I believe, or last night, so we didn't quite have time to uh put anything together, but um you know I had a uh I built a block wall. My first house I bought in 1986, and I went and built a block wall, and the inspector said the wall was two feet or six foot two inches. And I said, Well, the code says six feet, so I think six feet five inches is actually six feet because it would round to six feet. Anyway, I never I never got signed off on the on the permit, and that was in back in the 80s.

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