Medical Retail Space in Tustin

What to diligence before LOI

1. 01

   Use: the Tustin City Code defines Professional Office to include dentists, doctors, optometrists, chiropractors, podiatrists, physicians and others licensed to practice the healing arts, including clinics for out-patients only. Section 9232(a)(3) permits professional and general office uses in the C1 district, subject to Section 9271(ee), and C2, C3 and CG carry the C1 permitted uses forward. C2 also permits dental and medical labs (Section 9233(a)(4)(c)).

2. 02

   Parking is the real hurdle: Section 9263 Table 1 parks clinics and medical and dental offices at 1 space per 250 sq ft for the first 4,000 sq ft of medical space within a building or center, and 6 spaces per 1,000 sq ft above 4,000 sq ft (1 per 300 sq ft in the Combining Parking District). Because the 4,000 sq ft counts across the whole building or center, ask the landlord how much medical space is already open there. A center that already has a dentist and an optometrist may push your clinic onto the 6 per 1,000 rate.

3. 03

   New buildings: under Section 9232(b)(20) and Section 9271(ee), building a new structure in C1, C2 or CG where more than 50% of the floor area, or any part of the ground floor, is designated for professional or general office needs a conditional use permit and Planning Commission findings. A ground-up medical pad needs that hearing. The text we read speaks to new construction, so confirm with Planning that a tenant improvement in an existing retail building does not trigger it.

4. 04

   Labs and diagnostics: medical and dental labs are parked at 1 space per 300 sq ft (Section 9263 Table 1). A patient service center or imaging suite should confirm with Planning whether it will be parked as a lab or as a clinic.

5. 05

   X-ray and imaging: 17 CCR 30108 requires every person possessing a reportable source of radiation to register with the state. Dental, chiropractic and urgent care tenants should confirm registration, shielding design and who pays for lead-lined walls in the work letter.

6. 06

   Building items to price before signing: ask your architect how the building official will classify the clinic's occupancy, how many restrooms the plan needs, what path-of-travel upgrades an alteration will trigger, and whether the shell has enough sewer and water capacity for sinks in each exam or operatory room. We did not read the California Building Code sections that govern these points.