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September 23, 2025
Agenda Item No. 20
NEWPORT BEACH PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS – 100 CIVIC CENTER DRIVE
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2025
REGULAR MEETING – 6:00 P.M.
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
III. ROLL CALL
IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Public comments are invited on non-agenda items generally considered to be within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Planning Commission. Speakers must limit comments to three (3) minutes. Before speaking, please state your name for the record and print your name on the blue forms provided at the podium.
V. REQUEST FOR CONTINUANCES
VI. CONSENT ITEMS
ITEM NO. 1 MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 4, 2025
Recommended Action: Approve and file
VII. PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS
Speakers must limit comments to three (3) minutes on all items. Before speaking, please state your name for the record and print your name on the blue forms provided at the podium.
If in the future you wish to challenge in court any of the matters on this agenda for which a public hearing is to be conducted, you may be limited to raising only those issues, which you (or someone else) raised orally at the public hearing or in written correspondence received by the City at or before the hearing.
ITEM NO. 2 SOL MEXICAN COCINA RESTAURANT (PA2023-0144)
Site Location: 251, 151 and 201 East Coast Highway and APNs 050 -451-03 and 050-451-57
Summary:
A request for a conditional use permit and coastal development permit to permanently retain a 641-square-foot outdoor dining patio for an existing restaurant (Sol Mexican Cocina) and construct an approximately 7-foot, 6-inch-tall glass/acrylic guardrail along the front of the outdoor dining patio. The existing outdoor dining patio consists of a platform deck with seating that was permitted on a temporary basis. The project requests to expand the existing Type 47 (On-Sale General – Eating Place) Alcohol Beverage Control License to include the outdoor dining area and reauthorize the off-site parking located on the adjacent lots at Balboa Marina (151 and 201 East Coast Highway and APNs 050-451-03 and 050-451-57). The hours of operation for the
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restaurant and outdoor dining patio are between 10 a.m. and 11 p.m., daily. No live entertainment, dancing, or late hours (after 11 p.m.) are proposed. If approved, this Conditional
Use Permit and Coastal Development Permit would supersede Use Permit Nos. UP621 and UP651 and Accessory Outdoor Dining Permit Nos. OD49 and OD49A.
Recommended Actions:
1. Conduct a public hearing;
2. Find this project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15301 under Class 1 (Existing Facilities) and Section 15303 under Class 3 (New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures) of the CEQA Guidelines, because it has no potential to have a significant effect on the environment; and
3. Adopt Resolution NO. PC2025 -019 approving the Conditional Use Permit and Coastal Development Permit filed as PA2023-0144.
ITEM NO. 3 MONROVIA TOWNHOMES (PA2025-0062)
Site Location: 1580-1598 Monrovia Avenue and 865-899 West 16th Street
Summary:
A request to authorize the development of a for-sale residential townhome community with 89 dwelling units on a 4.34-acre property at the southeast corner of Monrovia Avenue and West 16th Street. The development includes four single-unit residences, 17 duplex buildings, and 51 attached townhome-style dwelling units ranging in size from approximately 2,000 gross square feet to 3,000 gross square feet. The single-unit and duplex buildings are located on the southern half of the site and will be a maximum of four stories, with a height up to 47 feet, 8 inches above finish grade. Townhome style units are located on the northern half of the site and will be a maximum of three stories, with a height up to 38 feet, 8 inches above finish grade. Private resident-serving amenities include a community pool and pedestrian walking paths with picnic tables and benches. Each unit will have an attached two -car garage with an additional 47 uncovered parking spaces distributed throughout the site for a total of 225 parking spa ces.
Vehicle access to the site is provided through two driveways on Monrovia Avenue and one driveway on 16th Street. The following approvals are required to implement the project:
• Major Site Development Review: Required for any project proposing five or more residential units with a tract map. The Major Site Development Review additionally allows for deviations from specific multi-unit objective design standards pursuant to Section 20.48.185 (Multi-Unit Objective Design Standards) of the Newport Beach Municipal Code (NBMC); and
• Vesting Tentative Tract Map: Requested to merge two properties to create a single building site and allow for an airspace subdivision of the individual residential units for individual sale (i.e., for condominium purposes).
Recommended Actions:
1. Conduct a public hearing;
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2. Find that this project is not subject to further environmental review pursuant to Section 21083.3 of the California Public Resources Code (PRC) and Section 15183 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines because the Project is
consistent with the previously certified Program Environmental Impact Report (SCH No. 2023060699); and
3. Adopt Resolution No. PC2025 -020, approving the Major Site Development Review and Vesting Tentative Tract Map filed as PA2025-0062.
ITEM NO. 4 FIRE STATION NO. 1 AND BALBOA BRANCH LIBRARY LANDSCAPE CHANGES APPEAL (PA2025-0130)
Site Location: 100 East Balboa Boulevard
Summary:
An appeal of the Community Development Director’s July 3, 2025, decision to approve minor changes to Coastal Development Permit (CDP) No. PA2024 -0140. The proposed changes include replacement tree plantings to further support nesting birds, such as great blue herons.
Additionally, the revised landscape changes will alter the parking layout and result in the loss of one surplus parking space. No alterations to the CDP’s approved floor area, height, or land use are being requested.
Recommended Actions:
1. Conduct a de novo public hearing;
2. Find this project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15302 under Class 2 (Replacement or Reconstruction) of the CEQA Guidelines, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3 because it has no potential to have a significant effect on the environment; and
3. Adopt Resolution No. PC2025-021 denying the appeal and affirming the Community Development Director’s approval for Staff Approval filed as PA2025-0130.
VIII. STAFF AND COMMISSIONER ITEMS
ITEM NO. 5 MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION
ITEM NO. 6 REPORT BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR OR REQUEST FOR
MATTERS WHICH A PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBER WOULD LIKE PLACED
ON A FUTURE AGENDA
ITEM NO. 7 REQUESTS FOR EXCUSED ABSENCES
IX. ADJOURNMENT