Seal Beach to Talk Affordable Housing Sites Tonight

The Shops at Rossmoor, an RV storage area and a well on the Naval weapons station are among 25 possible affordable housing locations up for discussion tonight at Seal Beach City Hall.

At what staff expects to be a well-attended meeting, the Ad Hoc Local Coastal Program and General Plan Citizens Advisory committee will talk about the local affordable housing options in council chambers.

The issue arose after the state sent back the city’s recommendations for potential affordable housing areas and asked the city for more locations.

“There’s been a lot of interest in the sites that the city has selected previously,” said Mark Persico, city director of development services. “And there’s a lot of people watching what we do.”

City staff ranked the 25 potential sites with grades A through D, with A meaning “feasible,” B meaning “limited feasibility,” C meaning “highly constrained” and D meaning “City Parks & Recreation Facilities."

Six sites received an "A" from city staff.

Readers can scroll to the bottom for a list of Seal Beach city’s possible affordable housing sites that received an “A” from city staff.

Persico said that he’s not sure if the committee will make a recommendation to the City Council at the meeting.

After a May 10 committee meeting ended with the Shops at Rossmoor as a potential site for affordable housing, Henry Taboada, Rossmoor Community Services District Manager, said the Rossmoor community wasn’t happy about it.

“It was a third leg of a three-legged stool,” Taboada said. “The community just became outraged that Seal Beach was doing things in their best interest, but not necessarily in the interest of Rossmoor.”

David Joske, senior director for The Shops’ new property manager, said in a that the Shop’s new owner has no plans to build housing at the site.

However, Taboada said that the people of Rossmoor want more than just assurances that affordable housing won’t be built at the Shops.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. tonight in Council Chambers at 211 8th Street.

“I’m anticipating a good turnout,” Persico said. “We’re ready for anything.”

Of the 25 sites possible sites for affordable housing, these are the six locations that garnered an "A" rating from city staff.

Site

Staff Comments

Size

Possible amount of affordable housing per acre

Total units

Leisure  World

This site is on the western edge of Leisure World and is currently used for RV storage. Approximately 50 percent of the site could be used for residential purposes.

4 acres

15 units per acre

60

Shops at Rossmoor

Excess parking behind center could be converted into mixed-use. Would require a general plan amendment

2 acres

33 units per acre

66

1701 Adolfo Lopez (Accurate Storage at Seal Beach Blvd.)

Former metal fabricator currently used as vehicle storage. This site is fully utilized and there is no capacity for additional development.

4 acres

Sunset Aquatic Park

Owned by Orange County Harbor Division

20 acres

46 units per acre

92

City well site on Naval Weapons Station site

Owned by the City Water Department. Has the potential for additional development.

1.5 acres

33 units per acre

50

Former Arco Service Station (PCH & 5th)

Recently completed hazardous materials remediation.

.5 acres

33 units per acre

16

To see the full list of 25 sites, click here.