December 11, 2023
Department of Planning and Building
City of Huntington Beach
2000 Main Street- 3rd Floor
Huntington Beach, California 92648
RE: 4952 & 4972 Warner Avenue
Senior Housing Community Consideration
Clearwater Living & Hines
On behalf of Clearwater Living, Hines, and the entire 4952 & 4972 Warner Avenue project team, we are pleased to present the following Senior Housing project for the City’s Consideration.
Over the past several months our team has been diligently working to create a world class senior housing community for the City of Huntington Beach. The early collaboration efforts with staff have been extremely helpful to navigate various constraints, which has led to a refined site plan that we are excited to reveal to the City.
As you will see, the project has been reduced in scale from 5 stories to 4 stories (a 13-foot height reduction) and the footprint has shifted. The project now includes approximately 178 total units, consisting of approximately 77 Independent Living units, 73 Assisted Living units and 28 Memory Care units (though this is a preliminary and conceptual breakdown). The project’s total floor area is approximately 250,000 gross square feet.
In order to develop this Senior Housing project, we will need to apply for a Conditional Use Permit to: (1) include a license from the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC); (2) allow for a grade differential above three feet prior to rough grading; and (3) excavate 55,000 cubic yards of soil. In addition, we will be seeking a General Plan Amendment to change the land use designation from Commercial General to Mixed-Use, a Zoning Map Amendment to change the zoning designation from Commercial General to Specific Plan , and a Zoning Text Amendment to establish a new Specific Plan over the subject site.
This building will be licensed by the California Department of Social Services, as a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE). We will be providing services to our residents 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This building will be unique in the fact that the entire building will be licensed allowing residents to age in place and receive assistance with the activities of daily living (ADL).
As part of Clearwater’s first-class programs, amenities are anticipated to include (but are not limited to):
multiple restaurant style dining venues, fitness and wellness center, salon and studio spaces, theater, art room, golf simulator, and multi-purpose spaces, along with a full transportation program and other spaces and uses. Outdoor spaces are anticipated to include (but are not limited to): a secured memory garden, pool, dog park, and meditation spaces, among other spaces and uses.
In addition to our daily programming, Clearwater is exploring collaboration and partnerships with local businesses, including Goldenwest College and the Huntington Beach Senior Center, to create local experiences that will be unique to Huntington Beach. Once the building is at full occupancy, the community is expected to employ approximately 100 full time employees.
We believe this type of project aligns well with the surrounding uses. To the North and Northeast of the site are retail uses including Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy. To the West of the site, separated by a driving lane and parking, is Monticello Apartments. On the East side, separated by Bolsa Chica, is a retail building and residential homes. Finally, on the south of the site, separated by a 20’ driving lane, is a commercial building.
Again, our team is excited to have an opportunity to develop in the City of Huntington Beach and we look forward to receiving your comments. We have also included, as a separate attachment, an Environmental Assessment Form but please note that a few of the studies are still in progress. As you begin your initial review, please let us know if there are any studies that are needed and we will get them completed as soon as possible.
Should you have any additional questions, or need any additional information related to the operations, please don’t hesitate to contact our team at (714) 797-4186.
Sincerely,
Tom Lawless
Senior Director of Development
Hines, LLC.