Coventry Court

Coventry Court (a 55 and older community) represents approx. nine acres and almost a quarter of the Columbus Square development. To date only 10% of the construction has been completed and 0% is occupied.

Development within the community was originally approved for sale and ownership tenure only in accordance with Chapter 3.93J5 of the MCAS Tustin Specific Plan. On February 6, 2006 the City Council approved the project (Resolution No. 06-17) and required that "the subject project approval shall become null and void unless permits for the proposed project are issued and substantial construction is underway within 24 months" (Condition 1.3 of Resolution No. 4014). While some building permits were applied for, approved, and issued...the developer did not progress with permitting and construction of the project beyond the first building. Consequently, Design Review 05-019 and CUP 05-037 for Coventry Court have expire; thus the applicant has submitted the new design review and conditional use permit applications (DR 09-024 and CUP 09-024) for the entitlement.

If approved by the City as proposed, the owner of the Coventry Court apartment complex will become a member of the Community Association and pay assessments to on a 2:1 ratio. In other words, if annexed, the owner of the Coventry Court apartment complex would pay an amount equivalent to fifty percent (50%) of the monthly common assessments currently paid by each owner of a home in the community for each unit in the apartment complex. (Per "Addendum to Homebuyer Notification Columbus Square" dated 10.28.09). The increase in HOA dues that will create a significant annual budget deficit of approximately $200,400 or more (based on full-build out and the assessment rate in Dec 2009).

UPCOMING EVENTS:

TBD
Planning Commission Meeting #3

PAST EVENTS:

January 26, 2010
Planning Commission to revisit issue and make a recommendation to the City Counsel. Due to the complexities of the the redevelopment process City Council must take action to allow the entitlement.

[Result: With over 300 stakeholders in attendance, many of them objecting to various aspects of the plan, the Planning Commission tabled the item for another 60 days]

December 16, 2009
Item to be discussed at Columbus Square Community Association Board of Directors Meeting. The agenda states, "The Planning Commission for the City of Tustin reviewed the request from Lennar Homes on December 8, 2009 to convert the 240 units in Coventry Court (Senior Homes for 55 year or older) from for sale to rental units. It was decided by the Planning Commission that they will be reviewing this request at the Planning Commission Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, January 26, 2010. Donna Kelly from Lennar will be in attendance [at the Columbus Square HOA meeting] to make a presentation to the homeowners."

[Result: Donna Kelly from Lennar and Shaun Bradley from Meta Housing Corp made a presentation during the Columbus Square Board Meeting and answered questions from the community. The five most important issues discussed were: (1) an increase in HOA dues that will create a significant annual budget deficit of approximately $200,400 or more (based on full-build out and current assessments); (2) a change in the voting structure allowing one party 120 votes; (3) If Coventry Court residents will be allowed to participate in the parking permit program (current ratios account for 28 spaces on Charleston Street); (4) The unknown impacts or benefits on property values of having a rental community within Columbus Square; (5) If not approved, all other development in the community will stop because of the requirement to have a certain percentage of affordable housing.]

December 8, 2009
The City of Tustin's Planning Commission reviewed a request to allow for the development of 240 senior apartment homes (age-restricted for persons 55 years or older for rental tenure) including 153 affordable units (with a parking standard of 1.7 spaces per unit), a recreation center, and associated site and infrastructure improvements at Lot 265 of Tract 16581, also referred to as Coventry Court in Columbus Square at Tustin Legacy. (CUP 09-024, DR 09-024)

[Result: Tustin Planning Commission rescheduled this item for January 26, 2010 and requested additional information from the applicant regarding parking]

August 2009
Lennar filed with the City of Tustin an updated and modified applications for design review and the issuance of a conditional use permit (DR 09-024 and CUP 09-024). At this time address labels were provided to the City of Tustin for anyone listed as a property owner within 300 feet of the project site.

[Editors Note: To our knowledge no other members of the community were intended to be informed until the process was either complete at the City or scheduled for review by the City Council.]

Updated: January 27, 2010

Columbus Square Home Owners Association

Association Website: http://meritconnect.com/columbussquare

Managed by: Merit Property Management, Inc.
1 Polaris Way, Suite 100, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
Toll Free: 800.428.5588
Phone: 949.448.6000
Fax: 949.448.6400