AROUND TOWN:Neighborhood appeals city’s approval of CarMax

Plans to open a CarMax Auto Superstore on the old Wickes Furniture property on Harbor Boulevard have hit a snag. Homeowners in Costa Mesa’s French Quarter neighborhood have appealed the city planning commission’s approval of the new and used auto dealer, claiming their concerns about traffic, noise, property values and other issues haven’t been fully addressed.

Wickes recently moved to the new South Coast Home Furnishings Centre, so C. J. Segerstrom and Sons hoped to redevelop the land with a 20,470-square-foot CarMax. The planning commission agreed to allow a building 11 feet taller than the legal 30-foot height and required the developer to do a number of things, including work with residents on screening homes from the business.

The Costa Mesa City Council will hear the appeal at a 6 p.m. meeting tonight at 77 Fair Drive. For information on the appeal visit the city website at www.ci.costa-mesa.ca.us.

— Alicia Robinson