The Planning Commission of the City of La Habra reviewed a proposal to redevelop a 1.36-acre parcel at 300 South Walnut Street into a 22-unit townhome complex, with the applicant seeking relief under the state density bonus law and staff recommending the commission recommend approval to the City Council.

Senior Planner Ash Saeed said the project would replace an existing legal nonconforming industrial building and create 22 for-sale two- and three-bedroom townhomes organized in six buildings, with the applicant opting to use a 10 percent state density bonus and allocating four units to be sold to moderate-income households. Saeed said the applicant proposes two attached garage spaces per unit, three dedicated guest parking spaces and one ADA-accessible guest space, about 9,300 square feet of common open space and private patios that range from about 126 to 149 square feet depending on the unit.

The project drew sustained public comment focused on neighborhood privacy and parking. Patricia Gaetan, a nearby resident, said the proposed buildings would be “too close” to existing yards and that privacy and parking were her main concerns. Tim McEntee, who said he lives about 100 feet from the site, told the commission that “when we have our kids come over, we have already a problem with parking” and that additions of new units would increase on‑street parking pressure.

Chris Seguisman, a partner with Benanti Development Company and the applicant, told commissioners the developer is “really excited about this project” and said the project "provides 15% of affordability," noting the two‑story design and side‑by‑side garages. In his remarks Seguisman also said the development will be governed by CC&Rs and that those CC&Rs include language intended to require garages to be used for parking rather than for storage. Seguisman added that the design orients windows and limits window sizes on the south side to reduce overlooking.

Staff described additional project details: the landscaping plan lists climate‑appropriate species along Walnut Street and within common areas; the existing 7‑foot CMU wall on the eastern boundary will remain and deteriorated 6‑foot fences on the north and south boundaries would be replaced with new 6‑foot CMU walls; the applicant requested a waiver to reduce minimum private patio depth from 8 feet to 5 feet but the proposed 5‑foot depth still meets the minimum patio area requirement of 96 square feet; EV charging outlets (240V) are planned in each garage. Saeed recommended the commission approve the tentative tract map and recommend City Council approval of the planned unit development.

Commissioners thanked residents for attending and asked staff to continue tracking housing work. Commissioner Roy asked staff to provide the annual progress report on the city’s housing element when it is prepared for submittal to the California Department of Housing and Community Development.

No final action on the tract map or planned unit development is recorded in the transcript provided; staff recommended approval and the applicant and staff remained available to answer follow‑up questions.