Art Studio Gets OK to Move, Will Add Adult Classes

A Rancho Santa Margarita art studio will be painting the walls of a new location after the city's planning commissioners gave it the OK to change locations.

Mission Renaissance, which offers art instruction for children, will move from a 900 square foot storefront in Plaza Antonio to one that's 1,219 square feet near the Wood Ranch BBQ, nestled between Cinnamon Productions and Spa Gregories.

“We have had no issues with the existing location of the business and don’t anticipate any issues with the new location of the business,” city planner Nate Farnsworth told the five planning commissioners.

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They voted 5-0, and without much discussion, in approving the move. In fact, it appeared they wanted to give applicant Oscar Carmareria more than he was asking for. Jim Eakin asked about expanding the limit of students that can be taught at one time, but was told that Carmareria wanted to continue to limit classes to six with one instructor.

One change that will be made, however, is that adult instruction will be added to the curriculum at the new location. Adult classes will last three hours, twice as long as children's classes.

In addition to art instruction, Mission Renaissance also sells art supplies.

The move seemed to be a popular one with commissioner Jack Leonard.

"We always are delighted when we can retain any business and we want to recognize there are differences between landlords and locations, so we hope this is a very valued positive move for them," Leonard said. "On a secondary note we would hope at some point in time they will consider teaching chalk art. We may have an opportunity to have that grow in our community and it might be best if it could be done internally with a business in Rancho Santa Margarita."

Leonard, who has been a sitting commissioner for more than 11 years, was making a reference to the Fun With Chalk Festival that made its debut over the summer at the Bell Tower Regional Community Center—within view of the new studio location.