San Clemente Nears Nixon Library Deal With Irvine Builder

For the first time in 18 months, San Clemente officials and the developer of the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library appeared close to agreement this week on conditions under which the controversial library and a surrounding residential and commercial complex can be built.

“We’re getting real close,” said James Holloway, San Clemente community development director. He added that there was “a good chance” the development would have his staff’s approval when the city Planning Commission considers it next Tuesday.

Holloway said Tuesday that the developer, the Lusk Co. of Irvine, made significant concessions in its 253-acre project Monday at a negotiating session with his staff.

Latest Proposal

The project was originally to have included a 16.7-acre library site, three hotels, a commercial complex and 1,500 homes. But under Lusk’s latest proposal, the number of homes would be reduced to 1,290. At the city’s request, Lusk has also agreed not to develop a four-acre canyon near the ocean that is dotted with pine trees, to create a 12-acre ocean-view park along the bluff and to set aside eight acres for a city facility, possibly a new civic center.

Holloway’s staff and Lusk representatives will discuss the project again today, but both sides said their differences are now over technical questions rather than major environmental issues, as before.

The apparent rapprochement is significant because in late April board members of the Richard Nixon Archives Foundation, which will operate the presidential library, threatened to move it to another site if Lusk and city officials did not compromise soon. Board member Anthony DiGiovanni, a San Clemente banker, has said the council must approve the project no later than July 1.

Even with the current mood of compromise, both Holloway and Lusk Executive Vice President Don Stefenson said they did not know whether the project would meet the July deadline.

‘Under the Gun’

“We’re under the gun. Everybody feels a sense of urgency,” Stefenson said Tuesday. “My hope is if we could get a resolution from the Planning Commission next Tuesday night, that will provide to the library (foundation) the assurances they need that there is progress being made.”

DiGiovanni and other key foundation leaders could not be reached for comment late Tuesday.

For months, the project was stalled while city officials and Lusk debated how much land should be developed and how much should be set aside for parks or left in its natural state.

The issue took on special significance because the site, formerly known as the Reeves Ranch, is one of the largest remaining parcels of undeveloped oceanfront land in Southern California. In keeping with city development guidelines, San Clemente planners wanted to ensure the preservation of some of its natural beauty, its canyon and its spectacular vistas.

Lusk officials initially argued they could not afford to donate any park space but have made major concessions in the last few months.

Then, in late April, board members of the archives foundation urged Lusk and the city to agree quickly. Local board member DiGiovanni said the foundation had raised $24 million of the $25 million needed to build the library. Lusk was promising a developed site for the library, but DiGiovanni said the foundation was considering other similar offers.

Carlsbad Offer

Late last month a group of Carlsbad developers announced they were offering a six-acre parcel near a lagoon as a potential site.

San Clemente residents and council members have said they still want the library. More than 100 people packed a June 2 Planning Commission hearing on the issue to urge both Lusk and city officials to compromise and not jeopardize a San Clemente site for the library.

Both Lusk and city planners said they were taking those concerns seriously.

“There is a definite effort on both sides to come up with a plan we can all support,” Stefenson said. He said Lusk officials had tried to “massage” their plan to meet city concerns.

Holloway praised Lusk officials Tuesday for “being responsible to the Planning Commission. . . . I don’t know if I would call (Monday’s changes) a breakthrough. It’s been a steady evolution all the way.”

Grading Still an Issue

Still to be resolved, possibly at today’s negotiating session, is how much grading of the cliffs should be allowed. Initially, in violation of city environmental standards, Lusk wanted to chop 40 feet off the 100-foot cliffs, but Holloway and Stefenson said they are now discussing whether to lower them by 10 to 25 feet. Holloway said: “They’re giving a good, honest look at coming up to pretty close what the staff wants.”

Also under review are technical issues, such as drainage off the cliffs. City planner James Barnes said he still needs to calculate whether Lusk has complied with the city’s open-space requirements.

Stefenson said his staff is still reviewing Lusk’s Monday proposal to make sure the developer can afford to do what it has proposed before the latest revisions are considered by the Planning Commission next Tuesday. “One thing we don’t want to have happen is to let a plan get approved that we can’t develop,” Stefenson said.

Once the project receives city approval, it still must be considered by the California Coastal Commission.