60-Unit Affordable Housing Project Faces Irvine Planning Commission

Today the City of Irvine Planning Commission will consider a proposal to develop a 60-unit affordable apartment complex located at 17861 Cartwright Road in the Irvine Business Complex Planning Area. 

The Cartwright Apartments, proposed by C&C Development, would be a 60-unit entirely affordable project made up of 44 base units and 16 density bonus units. The development would be located on a 1.62-acre project site where a one-story building currently stands.

The residential product type of the apartments would consist of a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, and will be affordable to extremely low- very low- and low-income households. The residential units would remain affordable in perpetuity.

The project qualifies for two concessions or incentives per State Density Bonus Law. C&C Development is requesting approval for one development concession/incentive–that it be allowed to provide only 21 covered parking spaces instead of the 60 spaces that would otherwise be required.

Recreational amenities in the project would include a small lap pool, a multi-purpose room with a kitchen, a fitness room, age separated tot-lot, barbeques, plantings, seating areas, and shade structure. All of the recreational amenities would be provided in a centrally-located pool courtyard, surrounded on three sides by residential units and landscaping to the south. 

The building designed by KTGY Architecture features a contemporary architectural style, characterized by a series of stepped flat roofs contrasted with horizontal projections from the face of the building. Additionally, elevations include color breaks at the stair towers, blue accent panels at stair windows, and the continuation of a darker, more pronounced cornice band along the upper section of the building. 

City staff has determined that the project is consistent with Irvine’s General Plan, Municipal Code, and Zoning Ordinance. On that basis, the staff recommends the Planning Commission’s approval of the proposal.