Costa Mesa / Central Orange County
The two national pet anchors sit on the west and central sides of town: PetSmart at 620 West 17th Street (with PetSmart Veterinary Services, grooming and training) and Petco at 1815 Newport Boulevard (with grooming, dog training and a vaccination clinic). East 17th Street is the local services pocket, with The Dog Spaw in DMP Properties' Mesa Center East next to Target. The zoning is the bigger filter than the market: a veterinary clinic is permitted by right only in C2, C1-S and PDC, and kennels, boarding or animal training schools are allowed in only one commercial zone (C2) and only with a conditional use permit.
Population
110,330
Median HHI
$111,505
Median age
36.7
Homeownership
39.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates.
Primary retail corridors
Harbor Boulevard · Bristol Street · 17th Street · Newport Boulevard · Sunflower Avenue
Specific shopping centers in Costa Mesa that already carry credible co-tenancy for this use. Listed in approximate order of fit.
17th Street, eastside Costa Mesa
Anchors / key tenants: independent boutiques, dining, and specialty retail
Walkable eastside Costa Mesa shopping corridor. Tenants include Sidecar Doughnuts and Coffee, Garduno's Italian, Almond Surfboards, Erin Cole bridal, and No Rest for Bridget. Strong neighborhood-and-Newport crossover.
Existing operators are the most honest comp for whether a use can support Costa Mesa rents. These are publicly visible pet service space businesses currently trading in the market.
PetSmart Costa Mesa (Store 1161)
620 West 17th Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
PetSmart's store page lists grooming, training, adoptions and PetSmart Veterinary Services, with veterinary care open until 6 p.m. It is the only PetSmart the locator shows in Costa Mesa.
Petco Costa Mesa
1815 Newport Boulevard, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Petco's locator shows one Costa Mesa store, offering full-service grooming, dog training, a vaccination clinic and an aquatics department.
The Dog Spaw
Mesa Center East, 277 to 291 E 17th Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Named by the owner, DMP Properties, as one of the local tenants of this Target-anchored center, alongside StretchLab, European Wax Center and Yogurtland. Suite number not confirmed.
Purrs in Paradise (cat lounge)
The CAMP, 2937 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Listed under Coming Soon on The CAMP's own store list, which calls it Costa Mesa's first cat lounge. The same list marks most CAMP restaurants as having pet-friendly patios. Opening status not confirmed.
01
Veterinary clinics: Table 13-30 row 47, 'Animal hospitals; veterinary services (kenneling only when incidental to principal hospital use)', is permitted in C2, C1-S and PDC, needs a conditional use permit in CL, C1 and TC, and is prohibited in AP. A clinic in an AP-zoned office building is out, and in a C1 center it means a Planning Commission hearing under Section 13-29.
02
Boarding, daycare and training: row 48, 'Animal shelters, pounds, kennels, training schools', is prohibited in AP, CL, C1, C1-S, TC and PDC and allowed only by conditional use permit in C2 (and in the MG and MP industrial zones). Confirm the zone of the parcel before touring for a dog daycare or boarding concept, and ask Planning whether overnight boarding or daycare is treated as a kennel.
03
Grooming and pet supply: Table 13-30 has no grooming row. Under Section 13-30(d) the development services director decides which listed use a grooming salon most resembles, and if none is similar a conditional use permit is required. Pet supply stores fall under 'Retail: general' (row 130), permitted in CL, C1, C2, C1-S, TC and PDC. Get the grooming determination in writing, especially for a store that mixes retail with grooming or self-wash.
04
Parking: Table 13-89 has no row for veterinary clinics, kennels or groomers, so under Section 13-90 the Planning Division sets the requirement from the most comparable use. For comparison, the table sets retail at 4 spaces per 1,000 sq ft and medical and dental offices at 6 per 1,000 (both with a minimum of 6). Ask for the number before you finalize the space plan.
05
Noise: Section 13-280 limits noise measured on any residential property to 55 dB(A) from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and 50 dB(A) overnight, and Section 13-281 limits noise inside nearby dwellings to 55 and 45 dB(A). Daycare play yards, outdoor runs and dryer or HVAC equipment near homes, or under apartments in a mixed-use building, should be designed around those limits.
06
Veterinary premises: Business and Professions Code 4853 requires every veterinary premises to be registered with the Veterinary Medical Board, and the registration does not transfer to a new owner or operator. 16 CCR 2030 requires a reception room and office, an exam room separate from other areas, compartments and separation of contagious animals if animals stay on site, radiology available on site or through an outside facility, and a separate room for aseptic surgery if the practice does surgery. Build those rooms into the test fit.
Zoning, licensing, and demographic figures on this page come from the public records below. Codes and licenses change, so confirm with the city and the licensing agency before you sign.