SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : Bank Building Switch to Tire Shop Is OKd

Over objections of nearby property owners, the Planning Commission this week approved the conversion of a bank building into a tire and brake shop.

The panel approved a plan Tuesday in a 3-1 vote that aims to make the business less conspicuous. The shop will be located amid retail shops and offices in the 32000 block of Camino Capistrano.

Two of the conditions of approval were a wall to be built along Camino Capistrano and increased landscaping.

Several property owners implored planning commissioners to deny the project, even though the use is allowed under the city’s zoning code.

“I think it’s a very difficult issue,” said Diane Bathgate, one of the members who voted to approve the project.

Commissioner Cheryle Hodge said she supported the project but didn’t feel it was the best use for the property, which was once a Security Pacific Bank.

Henry Kumagai, the property’s owner, told the panel he had spent considerable money and time trying to design a business that would be sensitive to the surrounding area but not an impossible one from which to work.

According to the city’s approval, the business, Goodyear Tire Center, must use the most advanced air wrenches available to reduce noise and close its doors during service operations.