The San Clemente City Council on Wednesday continued an appeal hearing of the Hanson Hotel project and directed staff to work with the applicant and nearby residents on proposed rooftop design changes rather than immediately finalizing approvals.

The Council’s action follows repeated neighborhood concerns about potential noise and lighting from a proposed rooftop restaurant and deck. Residents said the fifth‑floor roof deck, as approved earlier in the permit process, could create new noise and visual impacts on adjacent properties and sought a design-review subcommittee review before the project returns to the council.

City staff and the applicant told the council they have held meetings with nearby homeowners and the project architect and that those discussions have produced possible mitigation strategies. Among the ideas discussed were partial enclosure (three-sided or retractable walls), acoustic treatments, and operational controls to limit amplified sound and closing times. City staff recommended continuing the item while the applicant prepares revised plans; the applicant indicated a willingness to redesign to address neighbor concerns.

Neighborhood speakers including Denise Zavolich and others urged the council to delay final action and allow design-review input rather than risk later litigation. The project’s opponents said a design-review hearing would allow visible renderings and technical detail to be vetted publicly. The applicant’s representatives and some councilmembers said they preferred to keep the process moving and urged a short, focused continuation to resolve details quickly.

After comment and brief council discussion, a motion to continue the item was put forward and carried 3-2 (Mr. Wu and Councilmember Loeffler voted no). The council’s action keeps the previously approved project entitlements in place but asks the applicant to return with revised materials and a possible written agreement addressing noise, light and operations; staff said the final design would be returned to the council for review and approval.

What this means: The rooftop deck approval is not rescinded; rather staff and the applicant will continue negotiations and may bring revised drawings and possible operations limitations back to the council (or to design review first, depending on the council’s final direction). Residents requested specific outcomes including lower sound dispersion, re‑evaluation of amplified sound, hours of operation, and visual screening. Staff noted that any enforceable agreements must be adopted by the council in a subsequent action.

The council also discussed the timing of design-review involvement. City staff advised that design review typically issues recommendations to the council rather than final approvals, so sending the project to design review now could add an additional step but might produce constructive, design-specific mitigation before a final council action. Councilmembers asked staff to keep the timeline as short as practical to avoid protracted litigation and to return options for a possible special meeting if revised materials are ready quickly.

Votes and motions: Council continued the de novo appeal for the Hanson Hotel project to a date uncertain to allow for further design revisions and neighborhood meetings; motion passed 3-2.