The Seal Beach council has approved an updated version of the city’s Housing Element. Although the document did not change any zoning or approve any development projects, the Housing Element did cite several potential locations for potential development. That’s because the state government is requiring cities to make plans to accommodate more housing. Seal Beach has been assigned to find 1,243 potential residential units.
An appendix of the Housing Element identified the following places that could possibly be developed to include or add housing units.
• The Accurate Storage site. The Housing Element describes this as an under used site. The property was rezoned in 2013 to allow residential development there. Nothing has actually been built. The zoning change was controversial at the time, with opponents arguing that anyone who lived in that area would object to the noise coming from the Seal Beach Animal Care Center (a non-profit animal rescue). According to the Housing Element, the location (1011 Seal Beach Blvd.) is suitable for lower income multi-family housing.
• Seal Beach Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway. The Housing Element describes this as an under used site. “This 0.25-acre parcel is developed with an older commercial building currently occupied by a liquor/convenience store,” according to the Housing Element. The current zoning would allow 20 residential units to be built there. “Because of its small size, this parcel has been listed in the moderate-income site inventory,” according to the Housing Element.
• Shops at Rossmoor (which is actually in Seal Beach). “By only utilizing 10 acres of the 19 acres devoted to surface parking, the existing development could remain in place and would not be an impediment,” according to the Housing Element.
• Old Ranch Town Center (the shopping center opposite Shops at Rossmoor). About 13 of the 26 acres is for parking, according to the document. “Allocating 5 acres of the surface parking area can accommodate residential uses with shared parking while the majority, if not all existing retail uses can remain and not pose an impediment to residential development,” according to the Housing Element.
• Old Ranch Country Club. “The property owner is considering proposal of approximately 120 units within portion of the site currently developed with maintenance facilities, parking lot, and portions of the driving range,” according to the Housing Element. However, both District Four Planning Commissioner Patty Campbell and District Four Councilwoman Schelly Sustarsic have said there is a legal restriction on development at this time.
• Leisure Word. According to the Housing Element, 150 units could be added to Leisure World.
• Seal Beach Plaza. According to the Housing Element, the existing site could be developed with retail units on the ground floor and residential units above.
• Sunset Aquatic Marina. Though legally in Seal Beach, the marina is geographically located in Huntington Beach. “Redevelopment of the site would consist of the removal of the stored boats and the removal of the maintenance building. Because existing structures will be removed, there will not be an impediment to residential development,” according to the Housing Element.
• Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach. According to the Housing Element, the 22-acre site (on PCH and Seal Beach Boulevard) could be developed with 150 residential units. During a Jan. 18 phone interview NWS Public Affairs officer Gregg Smith, the land in question could potentially include housing. However, Smith said at this point the Navy does not want to dictate what will be developed there. According to Smith, any residential housing on the site would be apartment-type housing. Smith said the site was likely years away from development.
• Seal Beach Center (home of Pavilions). “The building containing the several smaller tenant spaces could be redeveloped. The existing retail uses can be easily accommodated within a mixed-use building with ground floor retail and residential units above,” according to the Housing Element.
• Main Street Specific Plan Area. It wasn’t mentioned in the Housing Element, but city officials had begun discussing revitalization of this area shortly before the pandemic forced officials to delay many projects. “Although the area could accommodate [a] sizable number of residential units if the area is redeveloped, it’s recognized that much of the area will not be redeveloped,” according to the Housing Element.
• 99 Marina Drive: The former oil site is now home to what the Housing Element describes as an abandoned handball court. “Thus, there is the potential for environmental contamination and needed remediation efforts before this site is suitable for residential use,” according to the Housing Element. According to the document, low income housing should be prioritized at this location.
