Peninsula Community Planning Board Puts the Brakes on “Point Loma Village”

By Tony de Garate/ Special to the OB Rag

An architect may have been mistaken about zoning regulations when he drew up plans for a three-story, mixed-use project with 17 luxury condos and retail space in Roseville, the Peninsula Community Planning Board (PCPB) decided June 19 at its monthly meeting.

Tony Cutri, architect and vice president of Martinez + Cutri Corp., said the project provided 42 parking spaces – 11 for retail, 31 for condos. But a resident, Marian D’Angelo, said she had researched zoning ordinances and spoken to city planners who told her parking requirements were higher.

By a 9-1 vote, the board decided enough doubt existed about whether Point Loma Village, a 40,231-square feet proposal in the 1100 block of Rosecrans Street south of Shelter Island Drive, was consistent with the city’s land development code. It postponed consideration of the project until next month’s meeting – July 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Point Loma/Hervey library, 3701 Voltaire St.  Pete Nystrom cast the lone dissenting vote.

Board member David Dick, who made the motion to postpone, pointed out the city had not completed its initial review of the project in time for the meeting. The review would have included the city’s determination as to whether the proposal contained the required level of parking.

“It may be unfair to the applicant, but this is the first time we’ve seen this project,” Dick said.

Like the other 40-plus community planning boards, the PCPB is sanctioned by the city to make recommendations on land use and quality-of-life issues.

The project calls for the the demolition of two existing businesses – Gus’s Subs and Pizza and Ipanema Watch & Jewelry – and a third building, a former Blockbuster Video, which has been vacant since 2011. The building to the south, Cabrillo Inn and Suites, is the only structure in the block that would remain.

Of the total footprint, 4,976 square feet would be dedicated for up to three retail outlets on the ground floor. One would probably be a coffee shop facing the corner, where Shelter Island Drive becomes Byron Street. The corner would have a curved facade resembling the bridge on a tuna boat to reflect the community’s nautical history, said Rudy Medina, development advisory for Next Space Development.

Each condo would have two bedrooms and sell for “up to $1 million,” Medina said.

Cutri said 14 of the condos would have two parking spaces each with one space each for the other three. Several residents balked, reasoning that buyers with enough income for the condos would need more than one or two spaces for their vehicles and their visitors.

Korla Eaquinta, who described herself as a 28-year resident, said parking is already insufficient for surrounding employees and sport fisherman, causing them to park where they can and walk to their destinations.

“I think it’s a beautiful project. I think what’s there is a blight. But there’s just not enough parking – I don’t care if you’re in code or not. I’m not going to be able to park in front of my own house,” Eaquinta said.

“I think you people should get on the stick and change your zoning ordinance,” Cutri said.

D’Angelo had a retort.

“I absolutely agree – I think we should put up a moratorium until we change it,” she said, drawing applause.

During the discussion, resident John Pedersen posed a question to the applicants:

“Why do you want to change the whole look of Roseville?”

“Adding some vibrance and energy to the village is going to be great for the community,” replied Medina, who said his family’s roots in the community were deep, including a grandmother who was the third-ever house buyer on nearby Armada Terrace in 1932.

Cutri said,

“Our population is going to increase. In order for this city to survive, in a sustainable manner, we have to do pedestrian, transit-oriented development along transit nodes.”

Petersen replied,

“I get that – downtown. Point Loma is not that.”

Geoff Page, one of two former PCPB chairmen in attendance, suggested the one-month delay was in order, when approached during a lull in the meeting.

It’s not uncommon for staffers in the Development Services Department to make errors or be overly generous to developers when determining the obligations or restrictions that come with a site development permit, Page said in response to a question.

“That’s why I don’t trust the city,” he said.

After the meeting, Cutri said he had no doubt the proposal complied with regulations. He said he too has received incorrect information from the city in the past and therefore read the code himself.

“I’ve been in this business for 30 years,” said Cutri, who also said he has taught graduate urban design courses at UC Berkeley and several other universities.