Council to look at Seacoast Inn project
Rebuilding on the agenda Monday in Imperial Beach
By Janine Zúñiga
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
April 29, 2006
IMPERIAL BEACH - The City Council will review the progress of a project to redevelop the aging Seacoast Inn at a special meeting Monday.
The City Council will review a draft of a development agreement for the expansion of the city's only beachfront hotel. The city plans to enter into an agreement with the hotel owner, Pacifica Cos., to redevelop the 38-room, three-story hotel into a 78-room, four-story hotel with underground parking.
The hotel will be torn down and replaced with two curved buildings that give each room an ocean view. The architectural style will be "contemporary Mediterranean" and feature a grand entrance, an indoor-outdoor bar and a swimming pool.
Council members also plan to discuss specific concerns about the project, which are outlined in a memo from the project manager, Darrell Gentry, to the council. They include requiring Pacifica to guarantee that the property will remain a commercial hotel despite each room being a for-sale condominium.
The city wants Pacifica to limit an owner's length of stay to a maximum of 29 consecutive days and to not more than six weeks during a one-year period. Pacifica also should restrict the number of owner-occupied rooms to no more than 20 percent during the peak season, according to the memo.
The city may require Pacifica to reimburse it for any loss of hotel taxes during construction and to pay a fee that would offset the hotel tax lost when owners occupy their rooms.
All hotel room owners may be required to belong to the Seacoast Inn Owners' Association, which would be responsible for room and maid services and a centralized reservation system.
In return for these considerations, among others, the city would allow Pacifica to build to a height of 40 feet, which allows a fourth floor and the 78 rooms. The city also is requesting a full-service dining room, open to the public, and conference and meeting rooms.
City officials also may require Pacifica to provide a copy of the development prospectus, which outlines how much each room will cost and other details of the sale.
The City Council also may consider charging Pacifica a number of fees, for expenses such as environmental studies or lost revenue if the hotel were to fall short of projected hotel taxes.
City Manager Gary Brown said council members at Monday's meeting also may review the status of Pacifica's application to build the project. They also may review Pacifica's design plans, permits and tentative maps.
The city hopes to enter into a development agreement with Pacifica in the coming months. Construction could begin by early next year. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 825 Imperial Beach Blvd.



Janine Zuniga: (619) 498-6636; janine.zuniga@uniontrib.com












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