OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Huntington Beach Planning Commission Meeting – January 27, 2026

Planning Commission — Tuesday, January 27, 2026
BodyHuntington Beach, California
SessionPlanning Commission
DateTuesday, January 27, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:38:25
Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

My mother crying and my grandmother crying.

0:03

What can we do?

0:26

Planning commission meeting to order.

0:30

Welcome to the January 27, 2026 Huntington Beach Planning Commission meeting.

0:37

While the Planning Commission welcomes public involvement and free speech,

0:41

it rejects comments from anyone that are discriminatory, defamatory, or otherwise not protected speech.

0:48

Those comments will not be and will not inform or be considered by the Planning Commission

0:53

and may cause the chair to interrupt the speaker.

0:55

such comments will not be consented

0:58

to or otherwise accepted by the planning commission

1:03

in its discussions and findings for any matter tonight

1:06

thank you

1:07

all right I'd like to call on Commissioner Palmer

1:10

for lead us in the pledge of allegiance

1:15

please stand if you're able

1:18

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America

1:25

and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

1:34

Please be seated.

1:40

Okay, may we have a roll call, please?

1:43

Commissioner Pellman?

1:45

Here.

1:45

Vice Chair Bush?

1:46

Here.

1:47

Chair Theanis?

1:48

Here.

1:49

Commissioner Babineau?

1:50

Present.

1:51

Commissioner McGee?

1:52

Present.

1:53

Commissioner Palmar?

1:54

Here.

1:55

And Commissioner Goldberg.

1:56

Here.

1:57

We have a quorum.

1:58

All righty.

1:59

Okay.

2:00

Now is the time for public comments for items that are not on the agenda.

2:05

Do we have any public comments that are not on the agenda?

2:08

We currently have no one signed to speak up for items that are not on the agenda.

2:12

Thank you.

2:13

Sweet.

2:13

Okay.

2:14

Next on the agenda, we have the Code of Ethics.

2:17

Mr. Ramos, can you please provide a report on that matter?

2:21

Yes, Chair and Commission, it's time for the annual Code of Ethics review, and we're basically asking each Commissioner to once again review the city's Code of Ethics.

2:31

That's it. Thank you.

2:32

Okie dokie.

2:34

All right, next on the agenda is the nomination and election of the Planning Commission Chair.

2:39

Do we have a motion?

2:41

Yes.

2:41

I'd like to make a motion.

2:43

I'll second it.

2:44

I know what you're going to say.

2:46

I'm psychic.

2:47

I'm psychic.

2:49

We didn't discuss this, by the way.

2:51

May I?

2:54

Yes, please.

2:55

I'd like to make a motion to approve recommended action A,

3:03

and that's to nominate and elect the 2026 Planning Commission Chair and Vice Chair

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████████████████████████61%
Environmental Protection██████████14%
Procedural███████10%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████7%
Community Engagement██3%
Economic Development██3%
Public Safety█1%
Public Engagement█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Huntington Beach Planning Commission Meeting – January 27, 2026

The Huntington Beach Planning Commission met on January 27, 2026, at 1:30 PM to conduct routine business, approve a site-preparation project for the Magnolia Coast development, and, after extensive public testimony, approve a major remodel of the Huntington Club tennis facilities including construction of member-only bungalows. All votes were unanimous.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved the minutes from the November 20, 2025, and December 9, 2025, Planning Commission meetings.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Non-agenda public comments: None.
  • Magnolia Coast: No public speakers.
  • Huntington Club Remodel: 17 speakers registered. The majority (club members and nearby residents) opposed the introduction of overnight lodging (bungalows/lofts) and the removal of four tennis courts. Opponents submitted a petition containing over 680 signatures. Key concerns included:
    • Inconsistency with Open Space Recreation (OSR) zoning and the city's General Plan.
    • Inappropriate use of a Class 32 CEQA infill exemption for conversion of recreational space to lodging.
    • Loss of three lighted tennis courts, reducing evening and tournament capacity.
    • Potential precedent for other private clubs to add lodging.
    • Safety issues from a new road cutting through tennis/pickleball courts.
    • Disparity between club members being allowed short-term rentals while adjacent homeowners are restricted by municipal code 5.120.
    • Questions about whether the claimed $500,000 annual city revenue is realistic and whether the bungalows would be offered to non-members through reciprocal club networks (e.g., Palmer Advantage).
  • Several speakers supported the project, citing the need to upgrade aging facilities (40-year-old clubhouse and pool) and noting that similar lodging exists at prestigious private clubs like Augusta National. The applicant and property owner stated the bungalows are essential to fund the improvements and would be restricted to Huntington Club members and their guests.

Discussion Items

  • Code of Ethics Review: Annual presentation by staff; no action taken.
  • Election of Chair and Vice Chair (2026): Commissioner Brett Bush was nominated and elected Chair, and Commissioner Ken Babineau was elected Vice Chair, based on seniority per Planning Commission bylaws. Motion carried unanimously.
  • Advisory Board and Committee Assignments: Commissioners opted to retain their previous committee assignments for 2026.
  • Magnolia Coast (Tentative Tract Map 19331, Conditional Use Permit 25-005, Coastal Development Permit 25-003): Staff presented plans to subdivide the 29‑acre former Magnolia tank farm into seven letter lots (open space, private street) and five numbered lots (medium-density residential), and one lot for commercial/visitor use. The project includes importing approximately 133,000–425,000 cubic yards of soil to raise the site by about four feet to address future sea‑level rise, and constructing a retaining wall (10 ft plus a 7 ft block wall) along the north property line to act as a barrier against contamination from the adjacent Ascon site. No public speakers. Commissioners confirmed that the project implements previously approved entitlements (Specific Plan SP18, General Plan amendment, EIR #17001). Unanimously approved.
  • Huntington Club Remodel (Conditional Use Permit 22-011, Coastal Development Permit 22-009): Staff presented a proposal to demolish the existing 6,231 sq ft tennis clubhouse (built ~40 years ago) and construct a new 12,446 sq ft two‑story clubhouse (height 30 ft 8 in), a junior Olympic-size pool and spa, and four detached bungalows (883–1,865 sq ft) plus two loft units in the clubhouse (3,036 and 1,173 sq ft) for short‑term accommodation limited to club members and their guests. Three existing tennis courts (all lighted) will be removed; the remaining 10 courts (six of which are restricted to daytime use due to lighting conditions) and eight pickleball courts will stay. Parking will increase from 33 to 66 spaces. The project was recommended for approval by the Design Review Board. The public hearing featured extensive testimony. The commission added two conditions before voting:
    1. The applicant shall work with staff to pursue lighting of additional tennis courts through the entitlement plan amendment process, subject to neighborhood compatibility and new lighting technology.
    2. Bungalow and loft use shall be explicitly limited to Huntington Club members and their guests only – no reciprocal club access. The motion to approve with these conditions carried unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Magnolia Coast – Approved (unanimous). The Commission action is final unless appealed to the City Council within 10 days.
  • Huntington Club Remodel – Approved (unanimous) with two added conditions (lighting study, member-only bungalow restriction). Final unless appealed.
  • Consent Calendar – Minutes approved.
  • Next Meeting – No items scheduled for February 10, 2026; a cancellation notice will be posted.
  • Adjournment – The meeting was adjourned at approximately [no specific time given].

Meeting Transcript

My mother crying and my grandmother crying. What can we do? Planning commission meeting to order. Welcome to the January 27, 2026 Huntington Beach Planning Commission meeting. 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 be and will not inform or be considered by the Planning Commission and may cause the chair to interrupt the speaker. such comments will not be consented to or otherwise accepted by the planning commission in its discussions and findings for any matter tonight thank you all right I'd like to call on Commissioner Palmer for lead us in the pledge of allegiance please stand if you're able I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Please be seated. Okay, may we have a roll call, please? Commissioner Pellman? Here. Vice Chair Bush? Here. Chair Theanis? Here. Commissioner Babineau? Present. Commissioner McGee? Present. Commissioner Palmar? Here. And Commissioner Goldberg. Here. We have a quorum. All righty. Okay. Now is the time for public comments for items that are not on the agenda. Do we have any public comments that are not on the agenda? We currently have no one signed to speak up for items that are not on the agenda. Thank you. Sweet. Okay. Next on the agenda, we have the Code of Ethics. Mr. Ramos, can you please provide a report on that matter? Yes, Chair and Commission, it's time for the annual Code of Ethics review, and we're basically asking each Commissioner to once again review the city's Code of Ethics. That's it. Thank you. Okie dokie. All right, next on the agenda is the nomination and election of the Planning Commission Chair. Do we have a motion? Yes.

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