CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE
DESIGN REVIEW SUBCOMMITTEE
MARCH 11, 2026
Subcommittee Members Present: Chair M. Steven Camp, Vice Chair Cameron Cosgrove, and Member Brett Freeman
Subcommittee Members Absent: Member Scott McKhann
Staff Present: Senior Planner, Christopher Wright
Chair Camp called to order the Design Review Sub-Committee (DRSC) Regular Meeting for City of San Clemente on March 11, 2026.
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. Receive and File Minutes from the February 25, 2026 Regular Meeting There being no changes to the February 25, 2026 Meeting of DRSC, the minutes were received and filed.
2. ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:
A. Public Hearing Project (PHP) 23-215, Shorecliffs Golf Course Caretaker’s Unit, 426 Via Alegre
A request to review an application for Development Permit (DP) 24-496 and Conditional Use Permit (CUP) 23-216, for the development of a caretaker’s unit on the Shorecliffs Golf Course at 426 Via Alegre within the Sector G Inland Zone of the Forster Ranch Specific Plan. The site’s legal description is T. 8S., R.7 W.
Portion S.W. 1/4, Sec. 29, T. 8S., R.7 W. and Sec. 30 Por. E ½, S.E ¼, and site’s Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) is 691-021-01.
Senior Planner Wright presented the project and several recommended design changes. Staff has other comments that are excluded from the staff report. The comments are significant but unrelated to visual design issues DRSC reviews.
These issues were communicated to the applicant but remain unaddressed.
Nick Buchanan, representative for the applicant OC Rehab 1, LLC and its principal, George Zeber, gave a powerpoint presentation. Mr. Buchanan described the site, project design, design considerations, and goal for the caretaker unit to provide affordable housing with sufficient space and facilities for a caretaker employee and their family to reside on-site as a benefit. Parking would be provided at the golf course maintenance yard with golf cart access to the site. There was openness to make architectural changes in response to comments. To minimize massing, a landscaped slope wall was presented as an option to make the building profile appear one-story from the fairway.
Design Review Subcommittee Regular Meeting Minutes March 11, 2026 Page 2 The DRSC discussed the project, and made the following comments either individually or as a group:
• Traditional Spanish Colonial Revival materials and details should be used as described in the staff report.
• The massing should be broken up, stepped down the slope, and appear more horizontal and consistent with a one-story scale.
• Walls should appear thicker with recesses and offsets to provide adequate visual support of roof and overhead elements.
• The Subcommittee was supportive of the “living wall (or green wall) concept the applicant presented at the meeting to reduce the massing. • The traditional 3:12 or 4:12 roof pitch should be used. • Gables and rotated gable are commonly primary roof elements. Hip, shed, and flat roofs can be used as described in the staff report and design guidelines.
• More trees should be planted on the slope between the proposed building and the most adjacent residence at 424 Via Alegre.
• More information should be provided on the location of the parking spaces and how they will be accessed by caretaker unit occupants. • The proposed building size is 1,563 square feet with two bedrooms and bathrooms. This building size seems reasonable if the structure is to provide a dwelling for a caretaker employee and their family. If the building were for one employee alone, then the building size could be smaller. The appropriate size depends on the use. Information on the use should be clearly described to evaluate the size and scale.
• A one-story building height of approximately 16-20 feet seems reasonable that is in character with the adjacent residences and the golf clubhouse.
The Subcommittee forwarded the project to the Planning Commission.
3. NEW BUSINESS
None
4. OLD BUSINESS
None
5. ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
None
Design Review Subcommittee Regular Meeting Minutes March 11, 2026 Page 3
6. ADJOURNMENT
It was moved to adjourn the meeting to the next Design Review Subcommittee meeting on March 25, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., San Clemente City Hall, First Floor Community Room, 910 Calle Negocio, San Clemente, CA.
Respectfully submitted,
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M. Steven Camp, Chair
Attest:
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Christopher Wright, Senior Planner