MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED MEETING
OF THE CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE
PLANNING COMMISSION
September 2, 2026 @ 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 adjourned Meeting of the Planning Commission of the City of San Clemente to order at 6:00 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
Commissioner Prescott-Loeffler led the Pledge of Allegiance
3. ROLL CALL
Commissioners Present: Chair Cameron Cosgrove; Vice Chair M. Steven Camp; Chair Pro Tem Scott McKhann; Aaron Washington; Brett Freeman; and Karen Prescott-Loeffler
Commissioners Absent: Patrick Griffin
Staff Present: Adam Atamian, Community Development Director Araceli Mejia, Assistant Planner
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 the Planning Commission Regular Meeting of August 4, 2026.
IT WAS MOVED COMMISSIONER PRESCOTT-LOEFFLER, SECONDED
COMMISSIONER FREEMAN, AND CARRIED 6-0, COMMISSIONER ABSENT, TO DRAFT
Planning Commission Adjourned Meeting Minutes of September 2, 2026 Page 2 RECEIVE AND FILE THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 4, 2026.
6. ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
Amanda Quintanilla, resident provided feedback on the new parklet designs.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
None.
8. PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. Public Hearing Project (PHP) 26-336, Discretionary Sign Permit (DSP) 26- 342, and Cultural Heritage Permit (CHP) 26-386, Signage Addition and Landscape Modification, 1700 N. El Camino Real
A request for the Planning Commission to approve the installation of a seven square foot sign on the Miramar Event Center façade; the reduction of street trees along North El Camino Real and Boca de la Playa; and replacement of the southeasternmost stairway at El Camino Real and Boca de La Playa with a concrete bench.
The Planning Commission will also consider appropriate findings under CEQA, including, but not limited to, whether the project is Categorically Exempt from the requirements of the CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15311 Accessory Structures, Class 11 and §15301 Existing Facilities, Class 1.
Chair Cosgrove opened the public hearing. Commissioner Prescott-Loeffler disclosed visiting and inspecting the project site to gain context of the request.
Planning staff requested that the public hearing for this item be continued to the upcoming meeting on September 16, 2026 to all proper noticing of the public hearing.
IT WAS MOVED CHAIR PRO TEM MCKHANN, SECONDED CHAIR COSGROVE, AND CARRIED 6-0, COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN ABSENT, TO CONTINUE PUBLIC HEARING PROJECT 26-336, MIRAMAR EVENT CENTER SIGNAGE ADDITION AND LANDSCAPE MODIFICATION, 1700 N. EL CAMINO REAL TO SEPTEMBER 16, 2026.
The public hearing shall remain open until September 16, 2026.
B. Inclusionary Housing Program
A request for the Planning Commission to consider an analysis of the City’s inclusionary housing program and forward a recommendation to the City Council on the: 1) adoption of zoning code amendments to meet required objectives in the State certified Housing Element, and 2) make adjustments to DRAFT
Planning Commission Adjourned Meeting Minutes of September 2, 2026 Page 3 the inclusionary housing in-lieu fee to meet Housing Element goals and facilitate implementation. The inclusionary housing program requires developments of six or more residential units to provide a percentage of affordable housing units onsite, off-site, payment of an in-lieu fee, or provision of land.
The Planning Commission will also review the project and consider recommending that the City Council determine the project is not subject to further environmental review pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines §15060(c), §15061(b)(3), §15183, and §15378.
Cosgrove opened the public hearing.
Assistant Planner Mejia summarized a staff report. A copy can be requested by contacting the Planning Division. The staff report provided an overview of the Inclusionary Housing Program (IHP) components: threshold, in-lieu fees, setaside requirements and the affordability term and; the IHP historical timeline; and inconsistencies of the set-aside requirements stated in the Zoning Code, Housing Element and Specific Plans; review of the Technical Memorandum (TM); and a request for the Commission to recommend to the City Council to initiate Zoning and Specific Plan amendments to establish consistent set-aside requirements. Assistant Planner Mejia introduced Robert Kaine, Houseal Lavigne and Sandra Espadas, National Core as the consultants retained by a grant through the Orange County Council of Governments to prepare the Technical Memorandum.
Mr. Kaine provided a summary of the TM in presentation titled, “Inclusionary Housing Policy Review and Update, Technical Memorandum, September 2, 2026.” A copy can be requested by contacting the Planning Division. Mr. Kaine’s presentation provided a project introduction inclusive of the purpose, collaborative team and scope; the technical review process consisting of an overview, summary of the current IHP, comparative community research, analysis and key findings, and support of staff’s recommendation.
Commissions discussions with staff included:
• The Commission clarified the purpose of resolution is to resolve inconsistencies in city documents that require a zoning amendment and specific plan amendment via approval from the City Council. • Community Development Director (CDD) Atamian further stated changes to the zoning ordinance or the specific plan are required and that the only focus is the set aside percentage.
Commission discussions highlighted:
• Lack of pro-forma feasibility model to determine projections of a 15% setaside. • Raising the set-aside or fees too high functions as an economic tax, which could deter developers and stall housing production.
• Flawed peer comparisons with higher-density communities with taller buildings and large project scales.
DRAFT
Planning Commission Adjourned Meeting Minutes of September 2, 2026 Page 4 • Alternative housing strategies were excluded from the study. • Commissioners disagreed with the consultant's recommendation that affordable units must match market-rate units in interior finishes and size. • Noted that San Clemente Municipal Code Section 24.120 already allows affordable units to have a proportionate number of bedrooms compared to market-rate units.
• Staff confirmed that this study did not look at alternative housing strategies, such as motel conversions, senior housing, or specialized low-wage workforce housing.
• Majority of Commissioners supported maintaining the 4% set-aside rate, with a comment that raising because the current low rate and in-lieu fees allow developers to bypass building unit and impact affordable housing, and a declaration of not enough information to determine the optimum set-aside rate.
• Majority supported a recommendation that the City Council focus on updating the outdated in-lieu fee structure.
Public Comments:
Larry Culbertson, resident acknowledges complexities and opposed stated percentages of 15%. Supported staff’s recommendation of 4%. Opposed time limits. Supported increasing threshold.
Amanda Quintanilla, resident stated previous City Council decision and opposition to staff’s recommendation and overdevelopment.
Chair Cosgrove closed the public hearing and proceeded to Commission discussion that highlighted:
• Need of infrastructure of developing more residential properties. • Unsure what the correct set-aside percentages are for a built-out community • Expressed concern with increasing set-aside rate to 15% and no longer being attractive to developers.
• Opposed to being dictated by the state.
• Referenced a letter received by the public that stated opposition of 15%. • A development feasibility study was suggested.
• Community comparison revealed San Clemente has a low set-aside rate and in-lieu fees.
• Fees should be dependent upon the size of the project. • Conduct feasibility study of in-fill projects to understand economics.
Chair Cosgrove reviewed the comments and determined a consensus.
IT WAS MOVED BY CHAIR COSGROVE, SECONDED BY CHAIR PRO TEM MCKHANN, AND CARRIED 6-0, COMMISSIONER GRIFFIN ABSENT, TO RECOMMEND THE CITY COUNCIL DETERMINE THAT THE ACTIVITY IS NOT A “PROJECT” UNDER THE
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) AND/OR IS EXEMPT FROM
FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINES §15060(C)(2), §15378(A), AND §15061(B)(3); AND TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY DRAFT
Planning Commission Adjourned Meeting Minutes of September 2, 2026 Page 5
COUNCIL INITIATE A ZONING AMENDMENT FOR THE ADOPTION OF ZONING CODE
UPDATES TO MEET THE REQUIRED OBJECTIVES IN THE STATE CERTIFIED
HOUSING ELEMENT WITH THE FOLLOWING MODIFICATIONS AND ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS:
• REMOVE RECITAL FROM PAGE 2, PARAGRAPH 4, WHICH READS, “WHEREAS, BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
CONSULTANT’S REPORT, AND IN AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE CLEAR
AND EQUITABLE OPTIONS, AND TO ACCOUNT FOR VARYING
PROJECT TYPES, THE RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE ANALYSIS
THAT THE CURRENT HOUSING-CONSTRUCTION MARKET COULD
SUPPORT UP TO A 15% SET ASIDE REQUIREMENT IN THE IHP AND ZONING CODE, INCLUDING THE SPECIFIC PLANS; AND”; AND
• ADD “4%” TO SECTION 3 TO REPLACE “[TBD]”;
• ADD A NEW SECTION TO READ, “THE PLANNING COMMISSION
RECOMMENDS THE CITY COUNCIL ANALYZE THE IN-LIEU FEE TO
VERIFY ITS ADEQUACY AND ACCURACY, AS ERRORS WERE
REVEALED IN THE TECHNICAL STUDY CALCULATIONS”; AND
• ADD A NEW SECTION TO READ, “THE PLANNING COMMISSION
RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECT STAFF TO INITIATE
AN AMENDMENT TO THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING PROGRAM TO
DEVELOP A TEIRED-STRUCTURE PROGRAM THAT WOULD INCLUDE
MULTIPLE THRESHOLDS TO WHICH VARYING SET-ASIDE
PERCENTAGE AND IN-LIEU FEE REQUIREMENTS WOULD APPLY,
SUCH AS AT SIX OR MORE UNITS, SEVEN TO TWENTY UNITS, AND MORE THAN TWENTY-ONE UNITS.
9. NEW BUSINESS
None.
10. OLD BUSINESS
None.
11. REPORTS OF COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF
A. Commissioner Reports
None.
B. Tentative Future Agenda
Written report provided.
C. Administrative Permit Report
Written report provided.
DRAFT
Planning Commission Adjourned Meeting Minutes of September 2, 2026 Page 6 D. Staff Reports:
• CDD Atamian reported recent cyber scams and the pending case with the Orange County Assessment Center.
• Two educational opportunities: Symposium hosted by BIAOC on October 14 to be attended by Chair Cosgrove and Commissioners Washington and Freeman; and a webinar on September 17 & 22 hosted by the California Preservation Foundation.
12. ADJOURNMENT
The Planning Commission adjourned at 8:24 p.m. to the Adjourned Planning Commission scheduled for Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 5:00 p.m., and will be held at the San Clemente City Hall Council Chambers located at 910 Calle Negocio, 2nd Floor, San Clemente, California.
Respectfully submitted,
___________________________
Cameron Cosgrove, Chair
Attest:
___________________________
Adam Atamian, Secretary to the Planning Commission
DRAFT