Huntington Beach officials are moving ahead with discussion on the much-anticipated free Vans skate park.

The city has already entered into a lease agreement with the company and approved the environmental report on the project, but Vans will have to secure permits before construction can begin.

The Planning Commission on Tuesday will discuss whether to set a public hearing for Nov. 27. The date is tentative and could change, officials said.

The “world class” skate park proposed near Center Avenue and Gothard Street would include a 14,500-square-foot skate plaza, an 11,800-square-foot elevated skate bowl area, a walking area and a 3,500-square-foot skate and snack shop.

The permit, if approved, will also allow Vans to host 15 special events a year that could draw up to 2,500 spectators, the city’s document shows.

The 2.7-acre site was originally slated for 175 affordable housing units but the city voted in May to change the designation on the land so Vans could build on the site.

Huntington Beach will need to find another place in the city to accommodate the affordable housing units.

Vans representatives said they don’t want to release a construction timeline or possible groundbreaking date until all the city business has been approved because they have no say in how quickly that happens.

When it opens, the Huntington Beach location will be the company’s first public, free facility.

Vans has a skate park in Orange at the Outlets at Orange.

Eighteen Orange County cities have skate parks, most of which are smaller outdoor arenas. The Lake Forest Etnies Skatepark may be one of the largest in the world after it constructed a 16,000-square-foot expansion of the facility.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7953 or jfletcher@ocregister.com