Planning Commission to Discuss Hotel, Residential Project

The Council Chambers are expected to be filled tonight as the Planning Commission holds another public hearing on a proposal to build a hotel, 88 homes and retail space on 8.6 acres of land behind the Fountain Valley Civic Center.

The Fountain Valley Civic Center Specific Plan project has been in the planning stages for nearly two years by the Olson Co. of Costa Mesa. It would encompass a four-story, 127-room Ayres Hotel, 27 gated single-family homes and 61 townhomes, and 2,300 square feet of retail space on the southeast corner of Brookhurst St. and Slater Ave.

Currently, the property consists of a vacant SAFECO Insurance building, a building used by Coastline Community College and storage units that belong to the police department.

At the last public hearing on Feb. 8, the planning commission voted to postpone any decisions until its next meeting on Feb. 22 to further review the proposal. But a dozen local residents voiced their concerns for the project, citing increased traffic congestion, available parking and pedestrian safety along Los Alamos St. and the surrounding streets that border the project on two sides.

On Tuesday evening, the City Council postponed its hearing on the exchange of property and development agreements between Olson Urban Living and Ayres Hotel for property at 17570 Brookhurst St. until its next meeting on March 6.

The pubic hearing begins at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.