Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

¦ . . . Thank you. ¦ ¦ September 9th, 2026 to order. Please join me in the salute to the flag. Ready, begin. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for

Thank you roll call please Yes, sir.

Commissioner. Yeah Commissioner brothers absent Commissioner Ascona. Yeah, mr. James not here vice chair Huebner here chair Langer here. We have a quorum sir Thank you.

Are there any supplemental communications tonight?

I believe we have one in your packets as an additional condition on one of the projects I And the planners will walk you through that. Great. Thank you.

Zoom participants wishing to address the Planning Commission can indicate through the chat feature which item you would like to speak on and click on the raise hand icon to let the administrator know you wish to speak. Anyone in the audience wishing to speak must fill out and submit a blue speaker card. The Planning Commission can take no action on this date unless the item is agendized. Anyone wishing to speak on items not on tonight's agenda may do so during public comments. Speakers on items scheduled for public hearing or non-public hearing items will be invited to speak when those items are heard. All public comments are allowed up to three minutes to speak. Anyone wishing to speak on non-agendized items may do so at this time. I have no request. All right, on to our public hearings. Before we start, I must note that it is customary for commissioners to visit applicant sites. Unless any commissioner has further disclosure statements at this time, it may be stated that no contact was made during the visit with the applicant, his or her agent or neighbors of the proposed project. So first, we have Choo-choo Dental, Precise Plan 583. VT Design Specialties, Inc. has submitted a precise plan entitlement request to construct a plus or minus 2,980 square foot building and associated parking lot located at 9080 Talbert Avenue. I will now open the public hearing.

Staff report, please. Thank you, Mr. Chair, Planning Commission. Tonight we're going to be reviewing Precise Plan 583, which is a proposal for a new building at 9080 Talbert Avenue, with the applicant being Choo Choo Dental. The project site is located at the corner of Talbert Avenue and 3rd Street, just east of Talbert Avenue and Magnolia Street. Here's the site plan of the proposed project with the proposed building on the east side of the property and parking lot on the west side of the property. And they've incorporated landscaping around all four sides of the project. The proposed site exceeds the minimum lot size requirement, exceeds or meets all setback requirements, falls below the maximum floor area ratio for the property, falls below the maximum height requirement for the property, It exceeds the landscaping requirement. There's a requirement of 15% of the site has to be landscaped. They're proposing 27% of the site has landscaping. And I want to point out along the south border, there's a requirement for eight trees along that south border, and they're proposing 11. And then it also meets the minimum parking requirement of 14 parking stalls. Here's some elevations of the proposed project. The one thing I wanted to point out on this that you can really see is the varying height of the building. It's not just a square building. There's varying heights anywhere from 14 feet tall to 24 feet tall. So it adds some height variation to the building that makes it interesting. So the proposed building will be about 2,980 square feet. It'll incorporate a contemporary architecture, stone veneer base with vertical porcelain tile accents, white stucco exterior with gray canopies over the windows. Like I said before, varying heights and varying projections and recesses along each elevation as well. And it will incorporate a 191 square foot trash enclosure within the south side of the building. Here's another look at the elevations in a color view. So you can see the stone veneer base, some vertical porcelain tile accents right in front of the front door on that west elevation, which is the top left side of your screen. The white stucco and the gray canopies over the windows. The proposed use for the building will be a dental office, which is permitted use in the C1 zone. It will incorporate seven dental chair stations, a waiting room, office, lounge area, and the proposed use will have four employees on the site, and hours of operation will be Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some traffic info for the project. The project is screened from a traffic impact analysis, a TIA, and a VMT, a vehicle miles traveled analysis. Per the city's transportation impact assessment guidelines, TIA is required if the AM and PM peak hour generation exceeds 100 vehicle trips or 1,600 average daily trips. The project before you is projected to generate 108 average daily trips with 7 a.m. peak trips and 10 p.m. peak hour trips. And the project is screened from a VMT analysis due to the fact that the project is located within a low VMT generating area. It is a local serving retail service type of use that is less than 50,000 square feet. And it generates less than 110 new daily vehicle trips. So with that, staff recommends Planning Commission adopt a notice of exemption per CEQA and approve precise plan number 583. And I'm available. I'm available if you have any questions. And the applicant is also here as well.

Any questions for staff?

I do. The hours of operation are 8 to 5, and then deliveries are permitted from 7 until 8. Is that normal with deliveries going that late?

I wouldn't think so if they're going to be closing at 5, and that's something we can, if you want, we can ask the applicant. Usually deliveries align with the operating hours of the business. The seven to eight, it's kind of more of a city standard for something like this. But yeah, we can ask the applicant if those can be adjusted.

I'm just concerned because there is that house right on the back parking lot. And while I appreciate the extra trees and stuff, it just seems kind of late.

You got the question? So as I remember, this one has been vacant for a long time. Yes. For the flowers or something. And last few weeks, there was an accident for the e-bike boy in the car. turn into the second street from Talbert or from Magnolia or something like that. So with the proposal of the new site over there, have we run the traffic analysis or any study that on the left turn from Talbert to the site has been conducted?

I believe our traffic engineers in the back, I don't know if you can speak to that.

Yeah, and can you pull up the map in the presentation just so that we can have a better idea of where that left turn is? Perfect.

Good evening, Mr. Chair, members of the commission. I'm sorry, can you repeat the question?

So have we been evaluated that left turn from Talbert to the site or any modify in the median or striping over there?

No. I think as Steve mentioned, because this generates such little trips, no traffic analysis was required for this project or triggered for this project.

But any evaluate anything on the left turn this one? No.

think what we're separately there's a project that the city engineer Public Works Department is working on which is looking at traffic data and collisions to see where there are issues I think that's the point you're getting to is that and so that's a separate area that they are working on and that may be you mentioned is the e-bike accident that happened recently and so I think they'll be taking a bet separately. If it is a concern, we can kind of look at that turn and see if it is safe or if that was a one-off or it's a larger issue that we need to look at, we can take a look at that. This site in particular, this is very difficult. You've mentioned it's been vacant for some time. It's a zoned commercial site. It's a difficult commercial site. We're happy that the applicant came in. The dental office next to the residential we think is less impactful than other types of uses and so um and like as Steven mentioned as well the there wasn't larger traffic analysis conducted because it um it doesn't require it based on the triggers but we can't look at that particular issue

Yeah I would like we explore the option here because like you mentioned this one has been vacant and no thing has been reported about this laptop to this side yet but Yeah, the bite is running, too, from the tar bird from all the magnolia going south.

And we'd have to look at that particular incident to see what happened and what occurred and if it was something that's a greater issue or if it was just one incident that happened because of, you know. So we'd have to look at that more generally to see what occurred because of that.

Yeah, if we can count on an evaluation and study, I think this would be really helpful. Okay. Yeah.

Yeah, and then, oh, go ahead.

Go ahead. If I could also see the slide that shows just like the architectural plan. Sure. Not the elevation, but just the site plan. That one, yeah. This one? Okay. Kind of along this same topic, I can see where it makes sense to have the traffic come in, the cars coming in from Talbert, but I'm concerned that you can also make that left turn from the parking lot onto Talbert and it might be again for safety purposes worth exploring only allowing the vehicles to enter off of talbert and then having them exit onto third they can't make a left out of that parking lot i mean you can only go right and then you have to make a left so is there a median there's a meeting there's a median there's a median there okay all right well then it's a non-issue

But to add on to that, so the exit onto Third Street, that's only an exit, and it's supposedly only for a trash truck?

Yes.

Okay.

Is there going to be signage there that something that...

It'll indicate that it's one-way only. Okay.

The applicant put... bars across that, that might be replaced with just signage. But there'll be something that indicates that that's an exit for trash vehicles only.

Okay. And then, sorry, there's a bug up here that's like flying around. And then if choo-choo dental decides it doesn't want to be there anymore if it's approved and another business goes in there does the parking get re-evaluated depending on what that business is that goes in there yes yes and does that come before the planning commission or does it come before you or how does that work

If it's a permitted use, it does not come before the Planning Commission, but parking and the use does get evaluated by staff. If it's a use that requires a conditional use permit, then that does come before Planning Commission.

Just to clarify that, though, so if it's a permitted use and the parking's within the available spaces, is that right? Then it's permitted. Right. But, I mean, if it's a permitted use but there's not enough spaces, then they'd have to seek a deviation.

Yes, exactly, yes.

norm so what you'll see in in the conditions is this is just for the construction of a building the precise plan but because of the proximity to residential what we try to do is add conditions talking about other aspects for any potential because you know we don't know what would happen in the future right now uh juju gentle wants to go in and they could be there forever you know something a new use could come in in the future And so we tried to condition the project, even though this is not a use permit, to try to minimize any potential negative impacts in the future, depending on the uses that could come in there based on permitted uses.

How long has the existing building been vacant? Do we know?

I don't know. It's been several years, yeah.

Forever. I live close by. But outside of the 500 feet.

OK. An indeterminate amount of time.

Yeah. OK. Any other questions for staff? All right. Is the applicant present?

Yeah.

Would you like to speak?

Unless there's a question for you.

Do we have? Sure. Why don't you come up and introduce yourself for the record?

Good afternoon, or good night. My name is Dr. James Chu. I'm the owner and the CEO, CFO, the sole owner of Choo Choo Dental, currently off of 17130 Magnolia Street. It's about a mile down. I've been there for about eight years. My lease is about to be up. However, the size of the building itself is kind of a little bit too small for me at this moment, hence the reason for this project or the proposed project so I can further service the community a little bit better. to answer the questions about the delivery time. Usually it was delivered during the business hours, but sometimes I'll be staying late to do some paperwork and stuff like that. So the lab I use is in Santa Ana. So he and I had a great relationship. The owner of the lab is actually a good friend of mine. So if anything, sometimes he'll drop things off at a later hour at his own personal time, and I'm there to be able to cater the cases that patients need just in case there's a rush case and stuff like that. But I want to say 99% of the time, all delivery is going to be within that 8 to 5 hours or 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Yeah, so anything I can do to help.

What kind of delivery vehicles service a dental office? Is it like a huge semi?

No, probably just like a regular minivan. I usually have dental suppliers come and drop things off for me, and we don't order a huge amount of supplies, but if they do come, it's usually like a minivan or... Maybe one of the smaller U-Hauls, kind of thing like that. That's the one I've seen before. We also have UPS dropping off cases, FedEx and stuff like that, but not like an 18-wheeler or anything like that. Thanks.

Do you have a question?

I just a quick question. This the landscape strip right behind the in the front of the resident area. So we have any planning future on how we maintain this landscape?

Yeah, a gardener will be there. Currently, I already know someone who was able to help out in that aspect. Usually, we try to keep as clean as I can. Same thing. We're under, well, as a dental building, we take our safety and cleanliness fairly as a priority, especially during COVID times and even after COVID times and stuff like that. So with our With our janitorial, I have no issue with that at all.

Thank you.

Any other questions for the applicant?

Thank you, sir. Thank you so much.

Do we have any requests to speak on this item? I have no requests. And on Zoom? All right. With that, I will close public hearing. Discussion? Comments? Suggestions? Anything from commissioners?

I say we move the item.

Do we have a second? Or would anyone else like to talk?

I'll second.

All right. that I hear a motion from Vice Chair Huebner and a second from Commissioner Ravisacona are we voting on the machine today or are we doing okay roll call vote please all in favor aye any opposed motion passes 4-0 All right. On to our next item, Cavita Taqueria. Conditional use permit 1945. Cavita Taqueria has submitted a request for a large format restaurant with a type 47 on sale eating place alcoholic beverage control liquor license for the existing restaurant located at 18517 Brookhurst Street. I will now open the public hearing.

I'd like to invite Thomas Carter. He's helping us out. Ron Vargas, as you know, left the city. Thomas has been filling in. He's been doing a great job. He has taken this project and managed it for you this evening. So Thomas, please.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Planning Commission. So tonight I am presenting the application for a conditional use permit for a Type 47 ABC license, which would allow the sale of beer, wine, and distilled spirits for Que Vida Taqueria, located at 18517 Brookhurst Street. Per Fountain Valley Municipal Code, large format restaurants must obtain approval of a conditional use permit to allow the sale of beer, wine, and distilled spirits. The restaurant occupies, currently occupies, a freestanding building on the southwest corner of Ellis Avenue and Brookhurst Street. Actually, let me get the slideshow going, show you where we're looking at. This would be the location, or the existing location, of the Cave Villa Taqueria. The vicinity map showing the context of the building as well as a little bit more details of the additional units around it. The freestanding building was originally approved by the Planning Commission. The property is surrounded entirely by commercial uses. It's approximately located 200 feet west of multifamily homes and 650 feet east of single-family homes. Staff feels there is sufficient buffer space provided between residential use and restaurant and the proposed project so that the proposed project will not negatively affect nearby residents. Give you a few more details about the restaurant. The restaurant currently occupies 3,160 square feet, square foot space. They currently occupy a 3,160-foot square suite within a multi-tenant commercial building. It is located in the C1 Local Business District. Hours of operation would be from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Sunday. It currently features 74 interior customer seats with 24 outdoor patio seats. The enclosed patio extends 27 feet from the storefront facade and was previously approved under the resolution 99-40 during the previous occupancy of the prior tenant Rubio's. Again, the applicant is requesting to upgrade their current type 41 license to a type 47 to allow for the self distilled spirits alongside beer and wine. Subject to the conditions of approval outlined in resolution number 2613, which includes specific operational and alcohol management oversight from planning, building, fire, public works, and police departments, staff supports the applicant's request. staff recommends that the planning commission adopts alternative number one adopt resolution number 266 2613 adopting a notice of exemption in accordance with the california environmental quality act and approving the conditional use permit 1945 to allow for a large format restaurant with a type 47 on sale general eating place ABC license for the restaurant and patio located on 1850, oh, 18517 Brookhurst Street. I also want to mention that the condition number 13 was recently updated to say that the sale of on-site beer and wine shall be permitted inside the building and within the outside dining patio area prior to alcohol sales and approved ABC permit shall be provided to the city. I believe the applicant is currently on a Zoom, is that correct? And I and the applicant are available for questions.

Thank you. Questions for staff? Couple of questions.

The first one is, if we approve for the upgrade into the Type 47 license, and if the business decide to transfer to other business, so is that the license still valid to the next business?

So typically what happens if they decide to stop business and another restaurant, like take a resident in the unit, they can do a resolution review, which would transfer the conditional use permit to that new business. So that new business, unless they're changing something significant or what their business is is significantly different than what was previously there, it would require that business to come in front of Planning Commission.

Just to add a little bit more to that. So there's two permits here. One is from the city and one is from ABC. So the city would need to approve the conditional use permit. That would allow the business to then go to ABC and get the Type 47 license. That CUP runs with the land. So as Thomas mentioned, any future user, if restaurant, new restaurant goes in there, they would be able to take advantage of the conditional use permit and operate with the type 47. They still have to go to ABC and get the type 47. They could get that from the existing business or they'd have to go get a new one, depending on how that worked out. But for our part, the city's part, we control that conditional use permit, which will allow them to go get that license.

So they don't need the obligation to go back to Planning Commissioner and apply for that 47 license again. For the conditional use permit, no. Yeah. So if they get this one, you're probably the next business, they probably get the CUP permit.

Yes, if they do the resolution review, and again, if the existing or the new business is significantly different in terms of what it provides versus what KV and Taqueria provides, then that would take a little closer look at that to review if it needs another CUP and needs to go in front of the Planning Commission, but there are like uses and nothing to how the ordinary is proposed, we would do resolution transfer.

The second question is very simple. Is that applicant, they plan to do entertainment in the outdoor?

As far as I know, that was not part of this proposal. So currently, as far as I know, the applicant's not intending to have any outdoor, indoor entertainment.

They do not have a conditional. So live entertainment requires a conditional use permit. They don't have a CUP for live entertainment, nor is that part of this application. So if they wanted to do that in the future, they would need to come back to this body for a CUP.

Okay. Thank you.

Other questions for staff? All right. Thank you. We have the applicant on Zoom. Can we have the applicant introduce themselves?

Hello. Brian Bradford with Cabia Taqueria.

Hi. Thank you. Do we have any questions for the applicant? All right. Thank you for that.

Thank you.

Okay. Is there anyone wishing to speak on this item?

I have no request, sir.

All right. With that, I will close the public hearing.

If I may, I just add that they do make a heck of a burrito.

Thank you.

I can attest for the tacos and the quesadillas, I'll say. All right. Any comments from commissioners or I'll entertain a motion.

Move the item. I'll second.

All right. Motion from Vice Chair Huebner. Second from Commissioner Asakura. And voice vote again. Yes, sir. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Motion passes 4-0. All right, moving along. I see we have no new business, no unfinished business. Do we have any comments from staff?

Just one. We had shared with the Planning Commission, the BIA, the Building Industry Association of Orange County, Hosting their first symposium for planning commissioners. It's being held on October 14th I know I think we've had one RSVP from the Planning Commission If you are interested, please let us know it's gonna be held in Irvine And I think it's about half a day from like 8 to 2.

So interested, please. Let Lisa known chill RSVP for you Thank you, are there any comments from commissioners

Just a shout out and a thank you to staff for always preparing such detailed reports for us. Second.

All right. With that, I will now adjourn to the next regular planning commission meeting scheduled for October 14th, 2026 at 6 p.m. Thank you and have a good night.

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