Planning commission approves El Cholo patio expansion with parking waiver and entertainment limits

The Newport Beach City Planning Commission on Jan. 22 approved El Cholo restaurant’s outdoor patio expansion at multiple Coast Highway and Narcissus/Orchid Avenue addresses, granting a 17-space parking waiver and several operational conditions.

Assistant planner Daniel Kopshever summarized staff’s recommendation and findings, saying the proposed patio would expand from 734 square feet to 1,709 square feet and the seating count would be 283 (a staff report typo listing 328 seats was corrected). He told commissioners the expansion would not change the building’s gross floor area, and staff supported a Class 1 CEQA exemption for existing facilities. “The outdoor patio would be expanded from 734 square feet to 1,709 square feet,” Kopshever said, and staff recommended approval with conditions.

Kopshever said the project requests a 17-space parking waiver: 66 spaces are required and 49 are provided at all times. The applicant submitted parking surveys showing average availability of roughly 14 spaces on Saturday peak intervals and about eight spaces on Wednesdays; the worst observed count included eight spaces at the Narcissus lot and four at the Orchid lot at peak time. Staff’s recommended conditions include requiring a recorded parking agreement guaranteeing permanent availability of the off-site lots, a requirement that the restaurant either provide substitute parking, apply for a new waiver, or reduce operations if off-site spaces become unavailable, limiting the ABC license to Type 47, and an 11 p.m. closing hour with live entertainment and dancing prohibited.

Architect and applicant representative Scott Laidlaw introduced himself as the project architect and said he reviewed the staff report and conditions. “We have no issue with those conditions,” Laidlaw said. Laidlaw identified the applicant/operator as Ron Salisbury and stated that building owner Walter Boyse had approved the application and the conditions of approval.

After closing the public hearing, commissioners said they had seen other patio approvals and found the parking study acceptable. The Chair moved to approve PA2025-0042 with the conditions recommended by staff; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously.

The approval allows the applicant to expand the outdoor dining area subject to the recorded parking agreement and the listed operational limitations. No further schedule for appeals or subsequent city-council review was announced at the meeting.