SAN CLEMENTE : Council to Consider Ban on Development
The City Council on Wednesday will consider adopting an emergency ordinance that would temporarily put a halt to all proposals for major development in the Pier Bowl area and block any demolition of historical buildings.
If the 45-day moratorium is approved by the council, a public hearing will be held at a later date to determine whether the ban should be extended an additional 14 months. That is the amount of time, city officials say, that is needed to develop a specific plan for the area.
Last month, the Planning Commission voted unanimously in favor of the moratorium. The temporary ban was recommended by the Pier Bowl Task Force, a commission subcommittee that is developing a plan for future development in the city.
City officials said the primary reason for the moratorium is that plans for a 123-room hotel do not fit in with the surrounding area.
The proposed moratorium is being opposed by Robert Laidlaw, owner of the Beachcomber Motel, who has submitted plans for a luxury hotel at 583 Avenida Victoria.
Laidlaw said in a letter to city officials that even a short delay would ruin his project by creating “a financial disaster that the project cannot absorb.â€
Associate planner Jim Pechous said the proposed moratorium is not meant to scare off any developers who may be interested in building projects in the city in the future.
“It’s a sensitive area and a sensitive issue,†Pechous said. “You want to plan for development right. You don’t want to say that anything can come in.â€
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