This project was reviewed pursuant to the guidelines of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and determined to be categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15301, Class 1: “Existing Facilities” of the CEQA Guidelines. Class 1 consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use. The project involves interior improvements to an approved restaurant space within an existing building. The project involves a negligible expansion of the existing use to allow a restaurant to provide alcohol sales and services under a Type 41 ABC License (on-sale of beer and wine - eating place).

The project is not subject to any of the exceptions for exemption under Section 15300.2 of the CEQA Guidelines. The cumulative impact of this project, and the approval of other projects like it in the vicinity, is not expected to have any significant environmental impact. The project is not located along any state-designated scenic highway nor within any designated hazardous waste site. The project will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of any historical resource because the building and property where it is located are not listed on any National, California, or local registers. Staff does not expect any significant impacts or unusual circumstances related to the approval of the project. Therefore, the project is categorically exempt from CEQA.

That the Planning Commission adopt and approve: 

RESOLUTION NO. 26-05 – A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA, CALIFORNIA, MAKING THE REQUIRED FINDINGS AND APPROVING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 25-0018 (CUP 25-0018) TO ALLOW ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES SALES AND SERVICES UNDER A TYPE 41 ALCOHOLIC AND BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) LICENSE (ON-SALE OF BEER AND WINE - EATING PLACE) AT A RESTAURANT LOCATED AT 1331 WEST IMPERIAL HIGHWAY, SUITES B AND C (ASSESSOR'S PARCEL NUMBER: 018-391-38), SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS, AND MAKING THE DETERMINATION THAT THE PROJECT IS EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) PURSUANT TO SECTION 15301, CLASS 1: “EXISTING FACILITIES” OF THE CEQA GUIDELINES

The Applicant, Ricky Ramirez of Genesis Consulting, Inc., on behalf of the Property Owner, La Habra Association LLC, is requesting approval of a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) (CUP 25-0018) to allow alcoholic beverages sales and services (the "Project") under a Type 41 Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) License (on-sale of beer and wine - eating place) at a restaurant (Cocori K-food and Pub) located at 1331 West Imperial Highway, Suites B And C (Assessor's Parcel Number: 018-391-38) in a vacant tenant space (the "Project Site") that was formerly occupied by Panera Bread.  ABC issues Type 41 licenses to restaurants for the sale of beer and wine for consumption on or off the premises. Distilled spirits may not be on the premises (except brandy, rum, or liqueurs for use solely for cooking purposes). The restaurant must operate and maintain the licensed premises as a bona fide eating place, with suitable kitchen facilities, and must make actual and substantial sales of meals for consumption on the premises. Minors are allowed on the premises. This license type is subject to Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) requirements and requires alcohol servers and managers of alcohol servers to be RBS certified.

The Project Site is a vacant 3,489 square-foot tenant space located within a multi-tenant commercial building at the northeast corner of Imperial Highway and Market Place, outlined in green and identified as Building J in Exhibit 1 below and Attachment 2. This building is part of the La Habra Marketplace, a shopping center that spans approximately 35 acres on the north side of Imperial Highway, between Beach Boulevard and Idaho Street, and comprises multiple parcels. 
      

Exhibit 1: Vicinity Map 

The Project Site is designated by the General Plan for Community Shopping Center 2 land use, which is characterized by a variety of commercial uses serving the larger citywide area as well as the immediate surrounding communities, with centers typically having a principal outlet or anchor that includes a variety store, supermarket, or home improvement store and a range of food, convenience goods, and specialty retail/merchandise commercial uses. The maximum floor area ratio (FAR) permitted for this land use designation is 0.8. The Project Site is located within the Community Shopping Center High Density (C-2sH) Zone, which implements the General Plan Community Shopping Center 2 (0.8 FAR) land use designation. Pursuant to La Habra Municipal Code (LHMC) Chapter 18.06 (Zones Established - Zoning Map Boundaries and Land Uses), restaurants and alcoholic beverage sales and services within the C-2sH Zone are subject to the approval of a CUP by the Planning Commission.

The General Plan land use designation, zoning, and existing land use for the Project Site and each of the surrounding properties are summarized in Table 1 below:   

Table 1: Project Site and Surrounding Properties 

Location	General Plan Designation	Zoning	Existing Land Use
Site:	Community Shopping Center 2	Community Shopping Center High Density (C-2sH)	Vacant Tenant Space
North:	Community Shopping Center 2	C-2sH	Restaurant (Pick-Up Stix)
East:	Community Shopping Center 2	C-2sH	Restaurant (Wetzel's Pretzels)
South (across Imperial Hwy):	Community Shopping Center 2	C-2sH	Palm Court Shopping Center
West:	Community Shopping Center 2	C-2sH	Multi-Tenant Commercial Building (The Kebab Shop and Verizon Cell Phone Store)

As noted above, the Project Site is located within the La Habra Marketplace shopping center. This shopping center comprises 17 buildings (labeled A-Q in Exhibit 1 and Attachment 3) across 10 parcels (APN: 018-381-60, 62, 63, 64, 66, 67, 69, and 71, and 018-391-37 and 38). These parcels share a reciprocal parking and access agreement with each other, which enables vehicular access from Idaho Street to the east, Imperial Highway to the South, and Beach Boulevard to the west. As described below, the subject restaurant will operate under the previously-approved CUP 22-12.

On January 11, 2010, the Planning Commission approved CUP 09-19 for the operation of a restaurant (Panera Bread) on the Project Site. The restaurant was approved with a 43-seat indoor dining area and a 38-seat outdoor patio area, for a combined total of 81 seats. In June 2020, Panera Bread closed this location and its business license expired on December 31, 2020. At the time Panera Bread closed, Chapter 18.66 (Conditional Use Permits) of the LHMC stated that: "If the use authorized by any conditional use permit is or has been unused, abandoned or discontinued for a period of one year, the conditional use permit shall become null and void and of no effect." Therefore, since no other restaurant occupied the space within the year after Panera Bread's business license expired, CUP 09-19 became "null and void and of no effect" on December 31, 2021.

On April 25, 2022, the Planning Commission approved CUP 22-12 for the operation of a new restaurant (Dave’s Hot Chicken) at the Project Site. The restaurant was approved with a 42-seat indoor dining area and a 34-seat outdoor patio area, for a combined total of 76 seats. The findings included in Resolution 22-19 (Attachment 4) for CUP 22-12 identified that the proposed hours of operation, which were not specifically identified in the conditions of approval for Resolution 22-19, but were identified in the staff report for CUP 22-12 (11:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 11:00 a.m.-12:00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays), were consistent with the hours of operation of other businesses found within the center. While the restaurant had an anticipated opening date in early 2023, internal business decisions led to the location never opening and the suite remaining unoccupied since.

On June 16, 2025, the City Council approved Ordinance No. 2025-03, amending Chapter 18.66 (Conditional Use Permits). Section 18.66.110 (Period of Validity-Extensions) states: "Unless a different period is established as part of the approval, a permit issued under this chapter shall expire and become void two years following the effective date of the permit unless utilized. For purposes of this section, 'utilized' means: 

1. Construction has commenced as evidenced by issuance of a permit necessary for implementation of the project, including a demolition permit, grading permit, or building permit, and work is being diligently pursued toward completion; or
2. A certificate of occupancy is issued; or
3. The site is occupied and being operated in accordance with the permit and conditions of approval; or
4. An extension has been granted in accordance with this section; or
5. As may otherwise be specified in the original approval."

Because Dave’s Hot Chicken had been issued building permits and completed interior tenant improvements to the Project Site within the two years following the approval of CUP 22-12, staff determined the CUP was “utilized” and thus, remains an active entitlement on the Project Site. The subject restaurant (Cocori K-Food and Pub) will operate under CUP 22-12. Although there is a previously-approved CUP to operate a restaurant at the Project Site, there is no CUP approved to allow alcohol beverages sales and services. Therefore, the Applicant has applied for the subject CUP. 

The Applicant is proposing for the subject restaurant to sell beer and wine under a Type 41 ABC License (on-sale of beer and wine - eating place). This license is issued by the State of California and not the City. Under a Type 41 ABC License, distilled spirits may not be on the premises (except brandy, rum, or liqueurs for use solely for cooking purposes). The restaurant must operate and maintain the licensed premises as a bona fide eating place, with suitable kitchen facilities, and must make actual and substantial sales of meals for consumption on the premises. Minors are allowed on the premises. This license type is subject to Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) requirements and requires alcohol servers and managers of alcohol servers to be RBS certified.

As identified in the Applicant's Letter of Business Operations (Attachment 5), Cocori K-Food and Pub will be a bona fide eating place offering "K-Food" (Korean Food), with the sale of alcohol being incidental to the business establishment. The restaurant is modeled after the Applicant's restaurant “Luv Dduk” in Cerritos. Cocori K-Food and Pub will specialize in signature Korean dishes such as tteok-bokki (spicy rice cakes), budae-jjigae (army stew), and Korean fried chicken. Other menu items will include bulgogi cheese fries, kimchi fried rice, and various noodle dishes. The restaurant anticipates employing approximately 8 to 10 individuals, including kitchen staff, servers, and management.

Cocori K-food and Pub will operate from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 (midnight) seven days a week. Staff does not believe that the proposed hours of operation will bear any issues with their request for a CUP to allow alcohol sales and service under a Type 41 license, especially in light of the fact that other nearby tenants in the same shopping center, including, but not limited to, Regal Theater and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, maintain similar late hours of operation. In addition, the proposed hours of operation remain consistent with the findings included in Resolution 22-19, which identified that the restaurant's hours of operation would be consistent with the hours of operation of other businesses found within the center.

The floor plan for the restaurant is shown below in Exhibit 2 and Attachment 6. The dining area provides seating for up to 76 customers with no outdoor seating proposed. Although CUP 22-12 includes approved outdoor patio seating, Cocori K-food and Pub will confine on-site alcohol consumption to the interior dining space in accordance with ABC regulations. Alcoholic beverages will be stored in the display refrigerator behind the service counter as well as in an existing walk-in cooler located in the storage area. No exterior tenant improvements are being proposed that would result in additional square footage to the existing restaurant.

ABC identifies the subject property as located within Census Tract 13.01, and authorizes the issuance of a maximum of 10 on-sale licenses within the subject tract (Exhibit 3 and Attachment 7). As of January 2026, ABC has issued seven licenses, as shown in Table 3 below. Therefore, the addition of the requested Type 41 ABC license at Cocori K-food and Pub does not exceed the maximum and thus, there is no requirement for a finding of Public Convenience or Necessity to be made. 

Table 3: On-Sale ABC Licenses issued in Census Tract 13.01 

Address	Business Name	Status	Type
2061 West Lambert Rd	El Rinconcito Bar	Active	Type 42 – beer & wine - public premises
1901 West Imperial Hwy	Board & Brew	Active	Type 41 – beer & wine - eating place
1933 West Imperial Hwy	Shibuya 107 Izakaya	Active	Type 41 – beer & wine - eating place
1631 West Imperial Hwy	Red Robin	Active	Type 47 – beer, wine, & spirits - eating place
1351 West Imperial Hwy	Regal Cinemas	Active	Type 41 – beer & wine - eating place
1301 West Imperial Hwy	IHOP	Active	Type 41 – beer & wine - eating place
1841 West Imperial Hwy	Active	Active	Type 41 – beer & wine - eating place

 

The Applicant has paid for the processing costs associated with the Conditional Use Permit, which totals $7,455.00.

The Applicant’s proposal has been reviewed pursuant to the requirements of the City’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Permit, the Local Implementation Plan (LIP), and the Model Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP), Section 7.2. Since no disturbance of soil will occur, the project is exempted by the Water Quality Ordinance from the preparation of a WQMP.

The project is consistent with the following General Plan policies:

- The subject restaurant space (Cocori K-Food and Pub) is situated within the La Habra Marketplace shopping center, which presently features a variety of food, retail, and fitness offerings. By adding beer and wine to its menu, the restaurant will further be able to meet customer needs and contribute to the variety of dining choices in the La Habra area. This enhancement caters to a broader base of consumer demand for a more comprehensive dining experience. By providing a higher-tier amenity within La Habra, the Type 41 ABC license helps capture local spending that might otherwise leave the City for surrounding communities, making La Habra's commercial corridor more competitive.

- The subject restaurant space (Cocori K-Food and Pub) is conveniently located near existing multi-unit residential complexes to the north of the commercial retail center. The addition of beer and wine to the existing menu expands the restaurant’s offerings to these residences within walking distance as well as the greater La Habra area. 

The project is consistent with the following City Council goals and objectives: