HUNTINGTON BEACH : Rezoning Clears Way for Condos, Shops

After more than two years of debate on the fate of a vacant 2-acre plot of land, the City Council last week changed the zoning of the property to allow condominiums and commercial shops to be built there.

The council’s decision paves the way for the landowners to move ahead with plans for 15 townhouses and a 10,300-square-foot commercial complex on the site, at the southeast corner of Bushard Street and Garfield Avenue. Robert Gallucci and Edward Silveri, co-owners of the property, say they expect to formally propose specific development plans to the Planning Commission soon.

The land has been zoned for single-family homes, but the landowners have pushed for either more residential units or a commercial development on the site.

Owners of neighboring single-family homes have long opposed any change in the zoning, fearing that it would increase noise and traffic in the area. In 1989, a group of residents rallied in opposition to a proposal that would have allowed up to 37 apartments to be built on the site. The Planning Commission rejected that proposal, and the council supported its decision.

When the issue resurfaced last week, however, opposition to the zoning change waned. Grace Winchell was the only council member to vote against the change at Monday’s hearing.

Winchell said she opposes “up-zoning” a property, or changing its zoning designation to allow a higher number of residential units, because of potential safety and crime concerns that densely populated areas can create.

“Some people are philosophically opposed to downzoning property; I’m philosophically opposed to upzoning property,” she said. “I say we should leave it as it is.”

But other council members agreed with Planning Director Howard Zelefsky’s argument that the zoning change strikes “a good balance” between the existing plan and other alternatives being considered. Additionally, Zelefsky said he recommended the zone change because it allows for three “affordable” housing units, designated for families whose income is between 80% and 120% of the county’s median income.