MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE
PLANNING COMMISSION
August 6, 2025 @ 6:00 p.m.
San Clemente City Hall Council Chamber
910 Calle Negocio, San Clemente, CA 92673
Teleconference via www.san-clemente.org
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair Cosgrove called the Regular Meeting of the Planning Commission of the City of San Clemente to order at 6:12 p.m. The meeting was offered in person at San Clemente City Hall Council Chambers, 910 Calle Negocio, San Clemente, California, 92673, and also via live stream from the City’s YouTube Channel.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Chair Cosgrove led the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. ROLL CALL
Commissioners Present: Scott McKhann; Karen Prescott-Loeffler; Brett Freeman; Patrick Griffin; Vice Chair M. Steven Camp; Chair Cameron Cosgrove;
Commissioners Absent: Gary P. McCaughan, M.D.
Staff Present: Jonathan Lightfoot, City Planner
Brendan Hanley, Planning Technician
Gena Burns, Deputy City Attorney
Tamara Tatich, Recording Secretary
These minutes reflect the order in which items appeared on the meeting agenda and do not necessarily reflect the order in which items were actually considered.
4. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS/SPECIAL PRESENTATION
None.
5. MINUTES
A. Receive and file Minutes from Planning Commission Regular Meeting of June 18, 2025.
IT WAS MOVED BY VICE CHAIR CAMP, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER PRESCOTT-LOEFFLER, AND CARRIED 4-2-1, CHAIR PRO TEM MCCAUGHAN DRAFT
Minutes of Regular Planning Commission Meeting of August 6, 2025 Page 2
ABSENT, COMMISSIONERS FREEMAN AND GRIFFIN ABSTAINED, TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 18, 2025.
6. ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
None.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
None.
8. PUBLIC HEARING
None.
9. NEW BUSINESS
A. Selection of Planning Commission Chair, Vice-Chair, and Chair Pro Tem Chair
Outgoing Chair Cosgrove was nominated to serve as Chair of the Planning Commission. On a majority vote, Cameron Cosgrove was selected Chair of the Planning Commission.
Vice Chair
Outgoing Vice Chair Camp was nominated to serve as Vice Chair of the Planning Commission. On a majority vote, M. Steven Camp was selected as Vice Chair.
Chair pro tem
Commissioner McKhann was nominated to serve as Chair pro tem of the Planning Commission. On a majority vote, Scott McKhann was selected to serve as Chair pro tem.
B. Selection of Design Review Subcommittee Members
Appoint four (4) Commissioners to serve on the Design Review Subcommittee; three (3) to serve as active members and one (1) as an alternative member. The Design Review Subcommittee (DRSC) meets the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 3:00 p.m.
Chair Cosgrove, Vice Chair Camp and Chair pro tem McKhann volunteered, were nominated, and selected by majority vote to serve as the DRSC.
Commissioner Freeman was nominated and on a majority vote, Brett Freeman was selected to serve as the alternate on the DRSC.
DRAFT
Minutes of Regular Planning Commission Meeting of August 6, 2025 Page 3 B. Interpretation (INT) 25-213, Development Standards for Planned Residential Districts (PRD)
A request for an interpretation from the Planning Commission regarding administrative review of projects in Planned Residential Districts.
Chair Cosgrove opened the public hearing.
Planning Technician Brendan Hanley summarized the staff report in a presentation titled, “Planned Residential Districts (PRD) Interpretation,” that is available by contacting the Planning Division. The item was agendized at the request of the Commission in the February meeting to provide history and background on PRDs and to provide staff and applicants with a clear path to approval of projects within PRD areas without Development Standards.
Staff identified four options in the report to provide direction how projects in PRDs should be reviewed:
• Option one: Relies heavily on HOA approval and administrative review.
• Option two: Retains staff discretion for significant deviations. • Option three: Presumes additions were not planned in original entitlements and will not be permitted unless the PRD is amended. • Option four: Similar to option three but allows staff approval if the HOA adopts their own standards.
Staff recommended adopting Resolution PC25-009 with the Commission's preferred interpretation inserted into Section Two of the Resolution.
Chair Cosgrove facilitated the discussion by calling on Commissioners to ask questions of staff:
• Confirmed that there are approximately 15 PRDs in the community without Design Standards or Guidelines, and a few more with standards.
• City Planner Lightfoot stated that there has been inconsistency historically with many planners allowing a project if the applicant received approval from their Homeowner Association, while some staff review consistencies within the neighborhood or identifying other similar projects that were approved when no Design Standards are available. City Planner Lightfoot also stated that the majority of properties in PRDs that have gone through the process were developed in the 1970’s and 1980’s with changes over time. • Staff is asking for a consistent process when receiving applications in PRDs.
• Chair Cosgrove explained the meaning of a “permissive standard” in our process, and acknowledged the staff’s objective to implement a process that will alleviate the need for a public hearing.
DRAFT
Minutes of Regular Planning Commission Meeting of August 6, 2025 Page 4 • Chair Cosgrove disclosed a meeting with City Planner Lightfoot and suggested an alternate Resolution that was presented to the Commission that proposed a framework for an administrative review by staff.
• A recommendation was presented to contact the PRD HOAs to initiate standardized Development Standards for their community that was followed by a discussion regarding staff time in managing that ask and cost for HOAs to hire a design professional create standards.
• A recommendation for DRSC to provide assistance to HOAs was discussed and determined HOA Design Standards are not in the committee’s purview.
• There was a consensus that HOAs should maintain their responsibility to their homeowners and managing the approval processes.
• Chair Cosgrove led a discussion on each option presented in the staff report that concluded by polling each option.
• Based on the role of the DRSC, assuming responsibility of HOAs and underlying liability issues, the inability to enforce Design Standards on HOAs, and given that zoning ordinances would still apply to PRDs without an HOA, the Commission selected Option 1 to be inserted into the Resolution.
IT WAS MOVED BY CHAIR COSGROVE, SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR CAMP, AND CARRIED 6-0, COMMISSIONER MCCAUGHAN ABSENT, TO ADOPT RESOLUTION PC25-009 INTERPRETION (INT) 24-233 THE PLANNED RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS TO
CLARIFY HOW PROJECTS SHOULD BE PROCESSED WHEN PROPOSED IN A
PLANNED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
AVAILABLE AND FINDING THAT PER CEQA GUIDELINES THAT THIS ACTION IS NOT DEFINED AS A PROJECT WITH THE FOLLOWING INSERTION: PLANNING
STAFF CONDUCT PLAN CHECKS FOR DEVELOPMENT IN PLANNED RESIDENTIAL
DISTRICTS USING ANY AVAILABLE EXPLICIT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS IN
APPENDIX A OF THE ZONING CODE AND VERIFY COMPLIANCE WITH THE STRUCTURAL HEIGHT LIMIT OF THE UNDERLYING ZONE. PLANNING STAFF WILL
APPROVE ADDITIONS AND/OR ALTERATIONS TO STRUCTURES SO LONG AS THE
APPLICABLE HOA HAS APPROVED THE DEVELOPMENT PLANS THAT WERE SUBMITTED TO THE CITY.
10. OLD BUSINESS
None.
11. REPORTS OF COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF
A. Commissioner Reports
B. Tentative Future Agenda
DRAFT
Minutes of Regular Planning Commission Meeting of August 6, 2025 Page 5 City Planner Lightfoot reminded the Commissioners that there is a mandated Ethics Training on Monday, August 18, 2025 at 3:00 p.m., and to let the Clerk’s office know your attendance.
The next Planning Commission meeting has two significant projects. One is the Hanson Hotel at North Beach; and the other is Luminar Business Park.
C. Administrative Development Permit Report
D. Staff Reports
City Planner Lightfoot provided an update on the Miramar Theater and Bowling Alley project at North Beach and shared photos from that day, showcasing the progress on the bowling alley and theater buildings. The bowling alley area will be a food hall, and some of the original bowling alley floor was salvaged for use in the bar area. The theater building's exterior is nearing completion, with final finishes being applied. New plaster has been applied and the lights are on. There were no surviving light fixtures, but there were enough pieces to replicate them. The chandelier element was in the exterior covered roof portico. Moorish style arches flank the stage area. Moorish relates to the pointed style and dimensions of the arch.
Gothic relates to the honed wood bars at the top of the arch. The honed wood bars, location, and dimensions are all original to the building. The woodwork above is also original, simply repaired and painted.
A discussion continued with respect to a public comment letter received by Larry Culbertson, representative of the San Clemente Historical Society with respect to the use of the space no longer being a theater, preserving the exterior character of the building, and the fountain feature that covered the view of the marquee.
City Planner Lightfoot mentioned a meeting with the City Assistant Engineer that may alter the plans to allow perimeter walls consistent with the County’s safe line of sight for vehicular traffic and pedestrians. Next steps for approval have not yet been determined.
City Council Member Rick Loeffler made a comment that he would have preferred a theater, and commended everyone on maintaining the historical integrity and features as much as possible.
12. ADJOURNMENT
THERE BEING NO OTHER BUSINESS BEFORE THE COMMISSION, IT WAS MOVED BY CHAIR COSGROVE, SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR CAMP AND CARRIED 5-0, COMMISSIONER MCCAUGHAN ABSENT, TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 8:06 P.M.
TO THE REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING TO BE HELD IN-PERSON ON AUGUST 20, 2025, AT 6:00 P.M., AT THE SAN CLEMENTE CITY HALL COUNCIL DRAFT
Minutes of Regular Planning Commission Meeting of August 6, 2025 Page 6 CHAMBERS LOCATED AT 910 CALLE NEGOCIO, 2
nd FLOOR, SAN CLEMENTE,
CALIFORNIA.
Respectfully submitted,
Cameron Cosgrove, Chair
Attest:
Jonathan Lightfoot, Secretary of the Planning Commission DRAFT