Youth arts program gets OK to move into Costa Mesa business park

A request from a youth arts program to move into a business park next to John Wayne Airport won approval from the Costa Mesa Planning Commission on Monday, despite concerns from some neighboring businesses that it could strain parking in the area.

The commission’s unanimous vote clears the way for the Arts & Learning Conservatory — an educational nonprofit organization that offers musical theater and performing arts classes — to buy and move into 3184 Airway Ave., Suite A.

The space will host the organization’s summer day camp and up to six theatrical productions on weekends throughout the year. It also will be used for administrative purposes and the conservatory’s after-school programs.

“I think it’s a great vision and a great plan,” Commissioner Colin McCarthy said. “I think it’s going to work really well at this location.”

The space is currently owned and occupied by Berean Community Church, which plans to relocate. Dozens of the church’s parishioners packed Monday’s meeting to show their support for the proposal.

“It’s one of the few times we’ve had this big of a crowd and they weren’t ready to basically string us up,” Commissioner Tim Sesler quipped, to laughs from the audience.

Not everyone was cheering the proposal, though. Some business owners in the park sent letters urging the commission to deny the project, saying it would put further stress on parking in the area.

Michael Kehoe, an attorney, spoke to the commission on behalf of the Koll Irvine Community Assn., which he said “is in charge of the park and the parking.”

“It’s wonderful what they’re doing for children,” Kehoe said of the conservatory, “but it needs to be appropriately located.”

Parking concerns are nothing new to the area. Earlier this year, Berean Community Church parishioners protested a proposal from the Ismailis, an Islamic group, to open a center in the business park.

The Planning Commission denied that project, citing parking concerns. The City Council later overturned that decision.

Commissioners said the project before them Monday was very different.

“This is not an intense use that is going to create problems that I foresaw in the other project,” McCarthy said.

Rather than churchgoers taking parking spots every weekend, the conservatory will be allowed to stage performances only six weekends a year, commissioners noted.

“It’s a better option for the area as a whole as far as the parking impacts are concerned,” Commissioner Stephan Andranian said.

Commission Chairman Robert Dickson agreed, calling the conservatory project “a win for the center because you’re reducing the parking demand quite dramatically.”

The commission’s decision is final unless appealed to the City Council.