Huntington Beach Planning Commission Meeting - September 22, 2026

The Huntington Beach Planning Commission met on September 22, 2026, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers. The commission considered two public hearing items: a live/work project at 712-714 Pacific Coast Highway and a five-unit live/work project at 210-218 3rd Street. The first project was approved unanimously; the second was continued for redesign due to parking concerns. No consent calendar or non-public hearing items were on the agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

• 712-714 PCH Live/Work: No members of the public signed up to speak.
• 210-218 3rd Street Live/Work: Three speakers addressed the commission:
  • Dave C (applicant's agent): Expressed support for the project, noting that similar units sell for high prices and that parking is available in the nearby structure except on peak days like July 4th. He offered to work with the commission on design changes.
  • Dewey David (resident): Voiced opposition, citing existing parking shortages during special events, noise from rooftop decks, and concerns about visitor parking permits. He questioned what businesses would occupy the commercial spaces.
  • Jeffrey Hansler (resident): Echoed parking and noise concerns, and noted that the parking permit system is inconvenient. He urged the commission to consider resident impacts.

Discussion Items

1. Coastal Development Permit No. 26-003/Administrative Permit No. 26-002/Conditional Use Permit No. 26-009 (712-714 PCH Live/Work)

• Staff presented the proposal for two 2,900 sq. ft. three-story live/work units with rooftop decks and 330 sq. ft. of ground-floor visitor-serving commercial. The project required a conditional use permit to participate in the Downtown Parking In-Lieu Program for two commercial parking spaces.
• Commissioners discussed parking constraints on the 25-foot-wide lots, the ADA requirement, and the in-lieu fee program. The applicant agreed to condition the commercial space as visitor-serving and to address neighbor concerns about privacy and construction debris.
• The public hearing was opened and closed with no speakers. The commission voted to approve the project as recommended by staff. (Motion carried unanimously.)

2. Coastal Development Permit No. 25-013/Administrative Permit No. 25-004/Conditional Use Permit No. 26-017 (210-218 3rd Street Live/Work Units)

• Staff presented a proposal for five 3,000 sq. ft. three-story live/work units, each with a 650 sq. ft. accessory dwelling unit (ADU), rooftop decks, and 300 sq. ft. of visitor-serving commercial. The project sought a CUP to participate in the parking in-lieu program for five commercial spaces.
• Commissioners raised concerns about parking adequacy, especially given the ADUs which do not require additional parking under state law. They questioned the amount of parking actually provided (10 spaces vs. the 25 that would be required under city code without ADU exemptions). The applicant argued that high-end buyers typically do not rent out ADUs and that the nearby parking structure has ample capacity except on holidays.
• After deliberation, Commissioner Thenis made a motion to deny the project, but the commission instead voted 4-3 to continue the item to allow the applicant to redesign the project to address parking concerns, specifically to increase on-site parking.

Key Outcomes

• 712-714 PCH Live/Work: Approved (unanimous). The project will proceed with conditions including a requirement that the commercial space remain visitor-serving and that construction debris be controlled.
• 210-218 3rd Street Live/Work: Continued by a 4-3 vote. The applicant is directed to return with a revised plan that increases on-site parking, likely by enlarging the garages to accommodate four tandem spaces per lot. The in-lieu fee request for the commercial spaces will still be needed due to site constraints, but the commission wants to see more residential parking provided.
• The commission also requested that staff provide updated information on the Downtown Parking In-Lieu Program, including the fund balance and recent uses, at a future meeting.