DOWNEY - A local motel received permission from the Planning Commission this week to build an 85-square foot front entry porch.According to planning documents, the porch will provide a "dramatic entryway" to the Regency Inn & Suites, located at 9050 Imperial Hwy. The porch, to be constructed outside the motel's administration building, will measure 17 feet wide by five feet deep. "The proposed architectural style can best be characterized as contemporary," city planners wrote in a report to planning commissioners. The porch will feature a Spanish tile roof and a stucco finish, with corbels painted in Navajo white. Stacked stone veneer will be placed along the bottom of the porch's columns to match the motel's existing buildings, according to the report. City planners recommended the Planning Commission approve the porch construction on grounds that it will "promote architectural design of the highest quality," "promote quality design for new, expanded and remodeled construction" and "attract and retain businesses." "In summary, staff is pleased with the architectural style selected for building, its colors and accent materials," city planners wrote in the report. "Staff feels the selected colors and materials will work well with the building's architectural features. Staff also feels that the architect has designed an attractive entry porch that will substantially complement the existing surroundings." The motel's lot measures more than 39,000 square feet, including two detached buildings and a stand-alone convenience store.

********** Published: January 5, 2012 - Volume 10 - Issue 38