Public hearing for Costco project appeal on March 17, 2026.

PUBLIC NOTICEPUBLIC HEARING TO BE HELD BYTHE CITY OF LAKE FOREST CITY COUNCIL
Subject: Appeal of the Planning Commission’s Approval of Costco Wholesale Retail Warehouse Project (SDP 05-25-5800; UP 05-25-5801 to -5803; PSP 05-25-5804; PCN 12-25-5850)
City Council Hearing Date: March 17, 2026Hearing Time: 6:30 p.m.Hearing Location: City of Lake Forest Council Chambers100 Civic Center Drive, Lake Forest CA 92630Project Location: 26602 Town Centre Drive, Lake Forest, CA
Project Applicant: Michael Okuma, Costco WholesaleTodd Travis, Travis Design GroupProject Description: The project is for a new Costco Wholesale in the Foothill Ranch Towne Centre at 26602 Towne Centre Drive, which includes demolishing the existing movie theater building, formerly occupied by Regal/Cinemark, and associated site improvements and constructing a new 34- foot tall, 165,068 sq. ft. building (SDP 05-25-5800) with alcoholic beverage sales for off-site consumption (UP 05-25-5801 and PCN 12-25-5850), light auto repair in the tire center (UP 05-25 5802), requests for exceptions to the mixed-use development regulations (UP 05-25-5803), and a Planned Sign Program (PSP 05- 25-5804) to amend the existing Phase 4 PSP regulations.
Environmental Documentation: The project is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Article 12 – Special Situations, Sec. 15183, Projects Consistent with a Community Plan, General Plan, or Zoning, which mandates that projects which are consistent with the development density established by existing zoning, community plan, or general plan policies for which an EIR was certified shall not require additional environmental review, except as might be necessary to examine whether there are project-specific significant effects which are peculiar to the project or its site.The applicant and all persons either favoring or opposing this project are invited to present their views before or at this hearing. It is requested that any supportive documents and/or written responses be submitted prior to this public hearing.
Any petition for judicial review of a decision of the Lake Forest City Council is controlled by the statute of limitations provisions set forth in Sections 2.50.010 and 2.50.020 of the Lake Forest Municipal Code and Sections 1094.5 and 1094.6 of the California Code of Civil Procedure. Any action or proceeding to attack, review, set aside, void or annul any decision of the Lake Forest City Council shall be limited to those issues raised at the hearing, as provided in Sections 2.50.010, 2.50.020, and 2.50.030 of the Lake Forest Municipal Code.
Basis for Appeal: On February 18, 2026, Lozeau Drury LLP submitted a written notice of appeal on behalf of Supporters Alliance for Environmental Responsibility (“SAFER”) and its members. The notice states that SAFER disagrees with the City’s determination that the project qualifies for streamlined environmental review under Section 15183 of the CEQA Guidelines and is concerned that several impacts of this project, including, but not limited to, air quality, greenhouse gases, and vehicle miles traveled, preclude the use of Section 15183’s streamlining provisions. If you wish to challenge the above items in court, the challenge will be limited only to those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing or in written correspondence delivered to the City Clerk at, or prior to, the public hearing described in this notice, and must be commenced within the time limits specified in Chapter 2.50 of the Lake Forest Municipal Code.
For further information, please contact Connor Musler at 949-461-3491 or cmusler@lakeforestca.gov.
/s/Thy MerrittCity ClerkSaddleback Valley NewsPublished: 3/5/26