Westminster Ca Zoning

The City Council, facing a lawsuit by the owner of a nude cabaret, has passed an urgency ordinance that changes the way adult businesses are regulated. On Tuesday night, the City Council aestablished requirements for nude bars and massage parlors and passed an urgency ordinance outlining an appeals process. But Roger Jon Diamond, representing Shangri-La, a nude dance business, called the revisions no better than the city's previous law.

Council members voted last week to approve the Planning Commission's recommendation to rezone 1.5 acres of land from light industrial to general business, but with a planned development overlay condition. Residents had expressed concerns about the impact of retail businesses on that property. The condition would require a public hearing on any proposed changes, and residents within a 500-foot radius would be notified. A small sliver of the site, at 14731 Goldenwest St.

The owner of a Westminster restaurant closed by police because of its nude dancers said Thursday he will take the issue to court. Shangri-La, a restaurant on Garden Grove Boulevard near Golden West Street, had been open about a month when police raided it Wednesday night. Police said it was the only place in Orange County offering live, all-nude performances. "They don't have a conditional-use permit, and they don't have a live-entertainment permit," said City Atty. Richard P. Jones.

A change to the city's municipal code to allow a planned Wal-Mart and other large retail businesses to have long-term, outdoor parking lot sales has been approved by the City Council. The issue was first raised during discussions with Wal-Mart, which will soon begin construction on the former Hi-Way 39 drive-in movie property on Beach Boulevard and Trask Avenue.

The Lexus dealership on Beach Boulevard can move forward with building an addition and service advisor offices after the City Council granted it an extension to comply with the city's trash enclosure regulations. The dealership had been required to build a trash bin enclosure as a condition of its permits, but asked the council for the one-year extension because of problems in coming up with the design, Community Development Director Don Anderson said.

The city has rezoned a 1 1/2-acre property at Westminster Boulevard and Hoover Street to allow construction of a care facility for seniors. The property is near four apartment buildings for more active senior citizens. The new building, which will have 81 units in three stories, will be designed for seniors who need more living assistance on a daily basis, officials said.

A plan to build 127 houses on Milton Street won City Council approval this week despite objections by some industrial property owners and residents. The project by CenterStone Development Co. of Santa Ana will be on three parcels totaling 16 acres on the west and east sides of Milton, north of Westminster Boulevard and east of Springdale Street. The development plans call for one- and two-story single-family homes, private streets and for maintenance to be done by a homeowners' association.

The City Council this week delayed voting on a proposed zoning change after receiving written and verbal protests from dozens of residents opposing it. Developer Frank Jao is requesting a change to allow for some warehouse and storage facilities at a six-acre site along Bolsa Avenue. The property, at 9223-9225 Bolsa Ave., is undeveloped and borders a residential area.

Approval of the city's general plan has been delayed because of objections from property owners and local church leaders. Some property owners are objecting to limits on traffic that future developments will be allowed to generate. And church leaders are against a new zoning designation for churches that they say could reduce the value of church properties. City planners and consultants have been working on the document for the past 18 months.

A change to the city's municipal code to allow a planned Wal-Mart and other large retail businesses to have long-term, outdoor parking lot sales has been approved by the City Council. The issue was first raised during discussions with Wal-Mart, which will soon begin construction on the former Hi-Way 39 drive-in movie property on Beach Boulevard and Trask Avenue.

The city has rezoned a 1 1/2-acre property at Westminster Boulevard and Hoover Street to allow construction of a care facility for seniors. The property is near four apartment buildings for more active senior citizens. The new building, which will have 81 units in three stories, will be designed for seniors who need more living assistance on a daily basis, officials said.

The City Council has upheld a controversial Planning Commission decision to allow the owner of Seafood World to expand his restaurant at 15351 Brookhurst St. The move was strongly opposed by Renato Longordo, owner of a nearby Italian restaurant, who said the proposed expansion would cause tremendous parking problems and traffic hazards that would unfairly impede his operation.

After a three-hour public hearing, the City Council rejected a family home day-care provider's bid to double her program from six to 12 children, citing neighbors' fears of increased traffic, noise and lower property values. Christine Ogden, who operates the facility on Edinburgh Drive, said she will take her case to court. About 50 residents turned out to oppose Ogden's request at last week'scouncil session, while about two dozen came to support it.