[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6511734,"mediaKeyId","5134233-299eb538ef677b85f3f3d62237fc7e08","parentId",5134233,"title","Public commenter alleges corruption after April denial of business license; asks council to act","audioSeconds",156,"startMs",276000,"endMs",432000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5134233-299eb538ef677b85f3f3d62237fc7e08&start=276&end=432","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5134233-299eb538ef677b85f3f3d62237fc7e08/thumbnail_276000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6511734/Lake-Forest-City/Orange-County/California/Public-commenter-alleges-corruption-after-April-denial-of-business-license-asks-council-to-act","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6511734-75652904e48da6768af124bf4dcde731/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442835&Signature=AbTuH~-ZysFfncoPC31wnifYyYI0VMwaS-6ofhS-PzwF4PQi9eOetVGD5NcX6FJ-EcDPFCyZD3ngY3DG2b4zCe5FYbTYteOZLnsrkiUmQN9zA3LHYR0MJckyd13-WPDjcUSV7JbPtD45Z-s1P4M-0leufnoUwjJ-lGli-Dhq0VWA9eE~JKW94urn8cCAZ-wuPmJMgMywIIgYmFifQfky~0eK-0bCjzk3O22TOHEjSBbvTzftwlELJGfa8fe2epfh0lskaFf3JoPoc148TdWfpx2440Is~2DDz-hLPOsg8JDr6F~Mlu6dd0PAp-BwKoV3sP1ckQBCuy3m8m11lEAFug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Lake Forest, CA","date","2025-07-04T01:22:34Z","article","During the meeting’s opening public-comment period, Brian McMillan addressed the commission about a prior action. McMillan said the planning commission unanimously denied a business license and use permit in April to a business he identified as Hypnotic Wellness and described the denial as “corrupt and unconscionable.”

McMillan alleged commissioners had based the denial on inaccurate or misleading statements about neighboring tenants and proximity. He told the commission that the distance to the store that was referenced at the April hearing is roughly 2,000 feet, not the 300 feet that was represented at that time, and said the commission’s actions had harmed the business and its owners. He urged the city council to enforce ordinances to address what he described as illicit businesses and asked the commission not to “put businesses out of business.”

The commission acknowledged McMillan’s comments. No formal action was taken on the comment and there was no follow-up presentation or response from staff at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Commission Meeting July 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the start of the meeting a member of the public, Brian McMillan, told the commission it acted corruptly when it denied a business license and permit in April and urged the city council to enforce ordinances; commissioners made no formal response beyond acknowledging the comment.","taxTitle","Lake Forest City, Orange County, California","taxId",4518,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6511739,"Planning commission approves outdoor hookah lounge permit with conditions after neighbor objections",2379,1549000,3928000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5134233-299eb538ef677b85f3f3d62237fc7e08&start=1549&end=3928","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5134233-299eb538ef677b85f3f3d62237fc7e08/thumbnail_1549000.jpg","/articles/6511739/Lake-Forest-City/Orange-County/California/Planning-commission-approves-outdoor-hookah-lounge-permit-with-conditions-after-neighbor-objections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6511739-f49ad0ec3c9aa3b6613bf00abef77015/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442835&Signature=E5hydQR1JYPS-GeVX2ZibLVcQ6GD8UQoQyiaRUNOzqM9m~QSxpwtp6TeXr36HF-PhvFxuIv00U6TVHR7nh0t4i-H2PycB3r~Hzu~9GASK5k7mLGralTioxaCPZRyZ0Skb7CWjDbhRLNAnTgXFawf-X~B0KZWgVsDQTkJtoKweKcdU9kBlLlATi98O1wVk-VazMI8jvuk5-SMaMovsjciWRFPEVKLqC14wWs0R6oVFrB6u0hl4PV-meYzH6v2h0pgSNKZdBrSQP9a6l0p5W0htqGJu0M5bZiqL2PBm32xDEC7fqe3S~7MyS7MGDyXmXpeAXbltuvUpqPwQI6CIP1QbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lake Forest City Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve a use permit allowing hookah smoking on a 300-square-foot outdoor patio at Oliva restaurant in Forest Plaza Center, subject to conditions intended to limit smoke impacts on neighboring businesses.

Staff presented the application and noted California law prohibits most indoor smoking in workplaces and that outdoor smoking is permitted for those 21 and older; the city has required use permits for hookah lounges since 2012. Ron Santos summarized that the patio holds up to 12 seats, no additional parking is required for outdoor dining under 16 seats, and Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) recommended conditions for safe handling of coals and related fire-safety measures.

Neighbors Rudy and Emma Garcia, who operate an adjacent spa, opposed the permit at the hearing. Rudy Garcia said the patio was previously shared and is now used exclusively by the restaurant; he told commissioners, “And there's a lot of smoke.” He added the smoke had entered their business and said it could harm customers, noting his wife’s history of asthma.

The applicant's land-use consultant, Max Amari, told the commission staff had worked with the applicant and that the business proposed to operate hookah service from 5 p.m. to midnight daily. Amari said new industry equipment — an air suction device positioned above each umbrella — reduces detectable vapor and odor.

Commissioners discussed potential impacts on the adjacent nail salon and other tenants. Several commissioners expressed concern about overlapping hours and neighborhood compatibility and proposed additional conditions. The commission imposed the following key conditions before approval:

- Shift hookah service to begin at 7 p.m. daily (instead of the originally proposed 5 p.m.).
- Require installation of a smoke-collection/air-suction device at each patio table; devices must be installed, maintained and remain operational.
- Limit patio occupancy to a maximum of 12 patrons at any time (three tables, maximum four patrons per table).
- Require written confirmation from the property owner consenting to the use and conditions.

Santos said OCFA’s recommended conditions, focused on fire safety (safe handling of coals, ashes and hookah equipment), remain part of the approval. Commissioners noted there is no city code metric to quantify outdoor smoke or a simple enforcement metric; staff explained revocation of the use permit remains a possible remedy if findings for revocation (for example, repeated violation of conditions) can be demonstrated through a formal process.

After hearing public comment and deliberation, a commissioner moved to approve the use permit with the added conditions; the motion passed unanimously.

The permit legalizes a patio that staff confirmed had been constructed without permits and adds operational restrictions intended to reduce smoke impacts while allowing the restaurant to offer hookah service in the evenings.","The commission approved a use permit allowing hookah service on a 300-square-foot patio at Oliva restaurant, imposing conditions: require per-table smoke-collection devices, limit patio seating to 12 patrons, shift start time to 7 p.m. daily, and obtain written property-owner consent; the decision passed unanimously.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6511743,"Planning commission approves subdivision to allow commercial condominiums at Spectrum Center Business Park",971,569000,1540000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5134233-299eb538ef677b85f3f3d62237fc7e08&start=569&end=1540","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5134233-299eb538ef677b85f3f3d62237fc7e08/thumbnail_569000.jpg","/articles/6511743/Lake-Forest-City/Orange-County/California/Planning-commission-approves-subdivision-to-allow-commercial-condominiums-at-Spectrum-Center-Business-Park","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6511743-317ebfb4fc53dd157d8edf51c3c238cb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442835&Signature=hKiT82nkgtYlGaD9Jy5aeO4Db-hOv7mn48Km9fIgv0WHVkobh-UzJxuKFONaJebGddjz1pC2dQ~jMzrDmJ~KHomAx8tgxS04-zheNMCnCXUS4hGYShdzAQc6ypCkdfJ6fonNKC-a3TJZuVSlGad6mW~Rnc4elMqTtS~Ilgp2O0et4OBKZfwjmSln0fVZAYg-U58XMOTHVVoWhEbMmCKa~47xumzrgBDDDdevst83g~LLnBvJBhzjqxcX8hZ8fRoHw0E4v-IUv4In23l4su3MpYBh9joPZ0vA~m5ETIi1~IHyCitebMav6EV--CfhGST8wPd1PHiQxqwq62rvCeBX1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lake Forest City Planning Commission on July approved a tentative parcel map that would subdivide the 17-acre Spectrum Center Business Park into four parcels and allow up to 80 commercial condominium units to be created within existing buildings.

Commission staff said approval of the tentative map would allow tenant spaces within the existing 16 buildings (about 228,000 square feet) to be made condominium units through a separate process administered by the California Department of Real Estate. Ron Santos, who presented the staff report, said no new construction or site alterations are proposed and that the parcels would share existing driveways and parking through recorded reciprocal access and parking agreements.

Staff recommended approval based on findings required by the State Subdivision Map Act and Title 7 of the city’s municipal code, and listed conditions of approval that include dedications to the city for street and public utility purposes along Bay Parkway, submittal of CC&Rs for city review, and irrevocable reciprocal parking and access easements across the four parcels.

Applicant Matt Haugen, representing the current owner, told commissioners the project renews an earlier application and offers small businesses an opportunity to own 2,500–3,500-square-foot commercial condominium units in a market where similar ownership options are limited. Haugen said some tenants will continue to occupy multiple adjacent suites, but the map establishes a maximum of 80 condominium units for the subdivision.

Commissioners asked about shared parking and whether the map would change parking obligations. Ron Santos and Director Gail Ackerman responded that the tentative parcel map would not change the existing shared-parking arrangement; parking would remain common and the map does not designate exclusive stalls. Santos noted the municipal code’s shared-parking procedures have been revised in recent years to make the process easier for small businesses — for example, allowing photo documentation instead of an engineer-prepared parking study in many cases.

After public comment limited to the applicant, a commissioner moved to approve the item as recommended by staff and the motion passed unanimously.

The approval authorizes the tentative map only; final map approval by the city council and the separate condominium-unit conversion process handled by the California Department of Real Estate are additional steps before individual units could be sold or otherwise separately owned.","The Lake Forest City Planning Commission unanimously approved a tentative parcel map to subdivide a 17-acre business park into four parcels and allow up to 80 commercial condominium units, subject to conditions including dedications, recorded reciprocal access agreements and CC&Rs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public commenter alleges corruption after April denial of business license; asks council to act

Planning commission approves outdoor hookah lounge permit with conditions after neighbor objections

Planning commission approves subdivision to allow commercial condominiums at Spectrum Center Business Park