Planning Commission denies permit for medical office

0
Los Al council votes 3-2 to approve housing element resolution. Courtesy photo

Despite a detailed defense of the parking situation and two character witnesses, the Los Alamitos Planning Commission denied a local chiropractor a conditional use permit to utilize available retail space in the city.

Following a rigorous debate Jan. 22, the planning commission voted unanimously to refuse a request by Dr. Ward Henry the opportunity to move his practice to 10676 Los Alamitos Boulevard.  The commission cited the city’s long-standing concerns over parking problems associated with medical office use and its preference for greater retail utilization.

The Commission made it clear to Henry, however, that they were voting because of the city’s ongoing policy, even if they would “love to have” businesses like his in the city.

Henry tried to argue that his office will not even be open at the times cited by the city’s parking study that indicates there will be insufficient parking space.  “My office does not create a nuisance,” said Henry, “rather it improves the parking situation.”

Henry, who said has practiced chiropractic services in the city for 26 years, not only presented a detailed defense of his office’s parking situation, he presented two character witnesses. One was  a Los Al coach who noted many of Henry’s patients, which are Los Al athletes, will likely walk to Henry’s office if relocated.

Track and field coach Nathan Howard said Henry has treated numerous athletes free of charge and asked the commission to please consider granting the conditional use permit. Henry also read a list of local colleges and universities with which his practice has been associated.

This is not the first time the city’s commission has been compelled to refuse a medical office request for local retail space.

“It is very challenging for us,” said Commissioner John Riley, explaining city rules and current preferences favor retail and that  parking needs associated with medical offices makes it difficult to approve the request.

“Oftentimes, we get applicants of really good character with great businesses and we’d love to have them,” said Riley. However, “in the decision we’re being asked to make, it does not apply.” “We have to take character out of the equation because you won’t be in that site forever and the decision we make goes with the site,” said Riley.

The city has apparently been overrun with medical offices trying to serve the nearby hospital and they have routinely turned down permits for medical offices seeking to fill former retail spaces that are empty.

Commissioner Gary Loe said the concentration of medical uses means that “retail zones are getting smaller and smaller.”

Dan Garcia, the commercial real estate agent representing Henry, said while the city wants more retail business to locate here, “the mom and pops you want to fill that space are dwindling,” he said. It’s all going online.”

He expressed frustration at that the doctor had looked everywhere in the city for qualified space and now may have to move out of the city.

Moreover, while the commission appreciated Dr. Henry’s analysis of parking, Section 2 of the parking study performed by the Urban Land Institute, Commissioner Victor Sofekanik pointed out that the shopping center where he wanted to relocate already has an “overall” parking deficiency of 20 spaces. “Even if your math is correct,” he told Henry, “we’re already starting in the negative.”

The city of Los Almitos, both through the city council and the planning commission, has made it abundantly clear that they want retail businesses to locate in vartious spaces throughout the city.

With the sprawling Los Alamitos Medical Center located in the city, many physicians and other medical professionals have sought to locate their medical practices in close proximity to the medical center.

Henry acknowledged the fact that the city’s Associate Planner Tom Oliver, who preceded the discussion with a detailed analysis of why the city should deny the permit, said the city official had been straight up with him, telling him before he applied what to expect.

Before the vote, the Planning Commission voted to reorganize, electing Larry Andrade as Chairman and Wendy Grose as Vice Chairman for 2020.