INSIDE CITY HALL Here are a few...

INSIDE CITY HALL

Here are a few of the issues the council considered Monday.

APPEAL OF BAR-OPERATION EXTENSION

The council postponed consideration of a permit to allow a

restaurant with a bar and nightclub at 2831 Bristol St. to serve

alcoholic beverages after 11 p.m., allow live entertainment and

dancing within 200 feet of residences and use 2801 Bristol St. for

off-site parking. The applicant is Stan Sax, representing John

Saunders and Doug Morehead.

Councilwoman Libby Cowan is appealing the Planning Commission’s

denial of the permit. Commissioners were concerned patrons of the

restaurant would be too noisy in the parking area, thereby disrupting

nearby residents. The Police Department also worried that the

proposed use could increase calls for police services for noise,

loitering and security problems.

WHAT IT MEANS

The council will consider the issue on Nov. 15

PACIFIC MEDICAL PLAZA

The council approved a four-story medical office building at the

site of the former El Nido and Snug Harbor trailer parks in the 1600

block of Newport Boulevard. Councilmen Allan Mansoor and Chris Steel

dissented. Council members also approved an environmental report on a

4-1 vote with Steel dissenting, a general plan amendment on a 3-2

vote with Mansoor and Steel dissenting, a law rezoning the property

on a 3-2 vote with Mansoor and Steel dissenting and a permit to allow

the conversion of the two trailer parks to a medical office land use

on a 3-2 vote with Cowan and Steel dissenting.

WHAT IT MEANS

Applicant Joe Brown will be able to build a four-story medical

office building on the site.

WHAT WAS SAID

“This is a question of what we see as the vision of the city,”

Mayor Gary Monahan said. “Hoag [Hospital] is bursting at the seams,

and we have an opportunity to build a state-of-the-art project in

Costa Mesa -- not Newport Beach -- in a location where there’s not a

lot we can really do there.”

OUTSIDE COUNSEL AGREEMENT

The council approved an agreement with the law office of Jones and

Mayer -- the firm the city will be outsourcing its legal work to.

Council members also approved appointing Kimberly Hall Barlow as the

new city attorney as of Nov. 1. Mansoor dissented.

WHAT IT MEANS

The city’s legal work will be done by Jones and Mayer starting in

November.