Planners hatch chicken and egg restaurant in Costa Mesa
A chicken-and-egg-themed restaurant can set up shop on Costa Mesa’s Eastside — but only if its owners can crack possible parking issues in the area, members of the Planning Commission decided Monday.
On a 3-2 vote, commissioners approved a proposal to open the eatery, Crack Shack, in a former bank building at 196 E. 17th St.
“We really like this community, we love the location,” said restaurant owner Mike Rosen. “We think this is a real asset to the community to have a family friendly restaurant that’s not just geared toward one demographic.”
Rosen said the restaurant makes use of high-quality ingredients, including organic, free-range chicken. The venue also plans to offer beer, wine and cocktails.
Though they were complimentary of the plans for Crack Shack —a fast-casual chain that includes a location in San Diego and a planned site in Encinitas — some commissioners had heartburn over the parking plans.
City standards require 75 spaces on the property, but submitted plans called for providing 62 using free on-site valet parking.
Commissioners decided that the restaurant’s owners need to hammer out an agreement to tap into extra parking on neighboring properties to make up the difference. Chairman Robert Dickson and Commissioner Tim Sesler voted against that motion.
“At some point we have to say our parking requirements are parking requirements,” said Commissioner Colin McCarthy. “I don’t know how much we can under-park 17th Street. I think we’re paying the price now for under-parking 17th Street.”
Commissioner Stephan Andranian described the project as “grossly under-parked.”
“The overflow from this project, if it’s as successful as I’m sure the applicant wants it to be, is going to affect neighboring businesses and also the neighboring community,” he said.
Dickson expressed his support for the project without the shared-parking requirement, saying he’s excited about the concept and thinks “it will be a great addition” to the community.
“I’m very comfortable that either this is going to work or it’s not,” he said, “and if it’s not, then we have conditions of approval to address that.”
Officials representing Crack Shack said the proposed operation is different from your typical restaurant. An average eatery might devote 60% of its total floor area to dining and seating space, but Crack Shack would use closer to 40%, according to a parking study submitted to the Planning Commission.
Because of that, the parking needs wouldn’t be as high as the city calculates, the study states. The restaurant proposes having about 150 seats.
The need for parking at the property would top out at around 60 spaces, according to the study, and the restaurant could hit the city’s 75-space target using extensive valet parking.
The commission instead opted to require the restaurant’s operators work out a shared parking agreement to meet the city’s requirements.
Rosen balked somewhat at that, pointing out that he has no control over whether his neighbors will allow him to tap into their parking.
“I much prefer it being a condition that if there are problems we will reduce seat count, we’ll change operations, we’ll provide even more free valet,” he said.
The commission’s decision can be appealed to the City Council within seven days.
The approved operating hours for the restaurant are from 8a.m. to midnight Sundays through Thursdays, and 8a.m. to 12:30a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Twitter: @LukeMMoney
