Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Minutes 08-17-04CITY OF ATASCADERO PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Regular Meeting August 17, 2004 — 7:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Kelley called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and Commissioner Porter led the Pledge of Allegiance. Rr)l I r Al I Present: Commissioners Beraud, Peterson, Porter, Jones and Chairperson Kelley Absent: Commissioners Fonzi and O'Keefe Staff Present: Community Development Director Warren Frace, Deputy Community Development Director Steve McHarris, Deputy Public Works Director Jeff van den Eikhof, Associate Planner Kelly Gleason, Associate Planner Kerry Margason, Assistant Planner Lisa Wilkinson and Recording Secretary Grace Pucci. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: By Commissioner Beraud and seconded by Commissioner Porter to approve the agenda. Motion passed 5:0 by a roll -call vote. PUBLIC COMMENT None CONSENT CALENDAR 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING ON AUGUST 3, 2004. 2. ACCEPTANCE OF FINAL MAP 2004-0086: ESCONDIDO ROAD AND SAN GABRIEL ROAD. MOTION: By Commissioner Beraud and seconded by Commissioner Peterson to approve Items #1 and 2. Motion passed 5:0 by a roll -call vote. (Jones, Kelley abstained on Item #1) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STAFF REPORTS 3. TREE REMOVAL PERMIT 2004-0050 Applicant Bob Phillips, 3111 Falda Rd., Atascadero, CA 93422 Phone: 466-1437 Project Title Tree Removal Permit 2004-0050 Project Location 8424 Alta Vista, Atascadero, CA 93422 APN 031-112-014 Project Request to remove four (4) Live Oak trees, one of which is over 24 -inches in diameter at breast height (dbh), Description in conjunction with the development of a 2,200 square -foot single family residence with an attached 440 square foot garage located at 8424 Alta Vista Avenue. Assistant Planner Lisa Wilkinson gave the staff report and answered questions of the Commission. PUBLIC COMMENT - None MOTION: By Vice Chairperson Jones and seconded by Commissioner Beraud to approve TRP 2004-0050 the Alta Vista/Phillips. Motion passed 5:0 by a roll -call vote. 4. TREE REMOVAL PERMIT 2004-0054 Applicant Marilyn Fkiaras, 5304 Elmhurst St., Ventura, CA 93003 Phone: 642-8816 Project Title Tree Removal Permit 2004-0054 Project Location 4110 Traffic Way, Atascadero, CA 93422 APN 049-033-010 Project Request to remove seven (7) Live Oak trees, two of which are over 24 -inches in diameter, in conjunction with Description the development of a 1,888 square -foot single family residence with an attached 567 square foot garage located at 4110 Traffic Way. Access is proposed off of Seperado Avenue. Assistant Planner Lisa Wilkinson provided the staff report and answered questions of the Commission. PUBLIC COMMENT Linda Wargo, Seperado Avenue resident, stated it was her understanding that when the 40 acres were originally subdivided the City and developer agreed that the grove of oak trees between Traffic Way and Seperado would stay intact and the new lots would have Traffic Way addresses and legal access from Traffic Way. She expressed her concerns with allowing this lot to be accessed by Seperado and urged the Commission to require access off of Traffic Way and not set a precedent for properties in this area. Rosemarie Handy read from a prepared statement in favor of preserving the oak trees in this area and of following the updated General Plan policies for this project. (Exhibit A) Elizabeth Pluneda, Seperado Avenue resident, stated her concerns that the City is going back on its determination to require any houses built between Traffic Way and Seperado to exit onto Traffic Way. She indicated that the City has not made any effort to repair the road and should not expect additional homes built in that area to utilize it. Ann Fletcher, Seperado Avenue resident, presented some background information and examples of building precedents for this area and why she is opposed to allowing access onto Seperado. She questioned how access onto Seperado can be granted given that the property is part of a subdivision that was planned, approved and developed as a Traffic Way site and address. Michaela Hines, Seperado Avenue resident, reiterated that Seperado is a private road and the site under consideration tonight historically had a Traffic Way address and utilizing Seperado would require an easement onto that private road. She also spoke in favor of preserving the oak trees on the site. Peter Sotello, Seperado Avenue resident, distributed pictures showing a second potential access for the site. He expressed his concerns about the condition of Seperado including the narrowness of the road, the difficulty of access for emergency vehicles, and drainage problems, and requested that this site take access from Traffic Way. John Richardson, Seperado Avenue property owner, stated his belief that Seperado cannot handle one more driveway or any more construction vehicles. He spoke about the dangerous condition of Seperado and expressed his opposition to granting access for this site off of Seperado, which is a private road. Ladonna Sotello, Seperado Avenue resident, stated her main concern, which is safety for children on Seperado who cannot safely use the street given its poor condition and the narrowness of the road. Fred Dyste, Seperado Avenue resident, asked the Commission to uphold the property rights of the Seperado homeowners as they understood them to be and not approve the tree removals or access from Seperado. Linda Campegy, Seperado Avenue resident stated her agreement with all of the previous speakers. Marilyn Fkiaras, applicant, explained how they researched the site prior to purchasing the property. She stated they have tried to redesign the home for this location, taking out the least amount of trees, and with safety concerns in mind. The design as presented is the best configuration the architect could come up with. Esta Anderson, Seperado Avenue resident, stated that the plot map or 1927 for this site indicates that the property owners on Seperado own the land across the road and down to an existing fence line. She does not see how the City can give access to someone over the objections of those property owners. Eric Greening indicated that he was hearing contradictory opinions regarding the access to this property and asked if there was a precedent for this type of access—a lot with an address on a public, city owned and maintained street getting access by a private street—anywhere else in town and suggested the original conditions of approval be looked at. Chairperson Kelley closed the Public Comment period. Chairperson Kelley asked staff to address questions raised during the Public Comment period. Community Development Director Warren Frace indicated that Seperado is a Colony Road and that the City Engineer looked at this issue and feels this property can legally take access off of Seperado. He reiterated that the question before the Commission is limited to the tree removal. Commissioner Beraud stated that though the Commission is not dealing with access tonight, it is important in subdivisions to preserve the neighborhoods already in existence. She expressed her concern that City is setting a dangerous precedent by allowing access off of Seperado. Commissioner Porter questioned whether there were other properties in town that gained access via a different road than what the actual property address is. Director Frace stated that in the older Colony areas it is common to have streets with double frontages, and it is not unheard of to have lots take access off of a street different than where their original address was placed. Director Frace indicated that staff does not feel this is a matter of setting precedent as the Commission is only looking at a tree removal permit tonight. MOTION: By Vice Chairperson Jones and seconded by Commissioner Porter to approve Resolution PC 2004-0093 to approve the request to remove seven native oak trees subject to the guidelines and mitigation required by the Atascadero Native Tree Ordinance. Motion passed 4:1 by a roll -call vote. (Beraud opposed) Commissioner Beraud stated for the record that she voted no because she feels the access to this site should have been off of Traffic Way. PUBLIC HEARINGS 5. DOVE CREEK MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT, ZONE CHANGE 2003-0049, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 2003-0099, TENTATIVE TRACT MAP 2003- 0033. Applicant Bermant Development Company, 5383 Hollister Avenue, Suite 150, Santa Barbara, CA 93111, Phone: 964-7200 Project Title Dove Creek Mixed -Use Development, (Zone Change 2003-0049, Conditional Use Permit 2003- 0099, Tentative Tract Map 2003-0033) a single-family residential/commercial center/open space development. Project Santa Barbara Road and El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93422 (San Luis Obispo County) Location APN 45-342-03, 45-381-10, 45-381-07, 45-381-09, 45-331-02, 45-331-04, 45-331-08, 45-331-01, 45-342-05, 45-342-04, 45-342-13, 45-342-01, 45-342-08, 45-342-02, 45-352-05. Project The proposed project is a 64 -acre residential and commercial project located in the southern Description portion of the City of Atascadero at the northwest corner of Santa Barbara Road and EI Camino Real. The project includes 279 residential dwelling units clustered in five villages totaling 40 acres separated by open space areas. The three residential product types are detached single-family homes on 5,000 square foot lots, clusters of six homes on a common courtyard, and attached town homes of four and five residences per building. The commercial center includes approximately 60,000 square feet on approximately 6.0 acres in the southeastern corner of the site. There are approximately 18 acres of permanent open space that includes two seasonal creeks and associated floodways, a 1.6 -acre wetland, and wooded oak knoll adjacent to Highway 101. Recreational amenities include a centrally located one - acre park, tot -lot pocket park, and trails connecting to pedestrian walkways. Environmental Based on the initial study prepared for the project, a Mitigated Negative Declaration is Determination proposed. The proposed Negative Declaration is available for public review from 6/17/04 through 8/14/04 at 6905 EI Camino Real, Suite 6, Community Development Department, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Deputy Community Development Director Steve McHarris provided the staff report and answered questions of the Commission. An Addendum to Condition No. 25 for the CUP was distributed to the Commission. (Exhibit B) Deputy Public Works Director Jeff van den Eikhof spoke about circulation and drainage issues for the project. Bruce Buckingham, Bermant Development, applicant, introduced John Knight of RRM Design Group who gave a PowerPoint presentation on this project. (Exhibit C) Mr. Buckingham and Mr. Knight answered questions of the Commission. PUBLIC COMMENT Eric Greening stated his concerns regarding pedestrian circulation between this area and other parts of the city, and raised questions regarding the setbacks and riparian enhancements. Tina Salter stated her appreciation for the pedestrian friendliness of the design. She questioned if there would be mitigation fees for widening the overpass at Santa Barbara Road. Bruce Pierce stated a great deal of effort has been put forth on this project but he is concerned with the issue of traffic on Santa Barbara Road and questioned whether some traffic could be diverted to the San Diego Road off ramp. Casey Bryson, member of the Atascadero Firefighters Association, expressed his concerns with the reduction of square footage for commercial space and that the commercial space is actually completed. Chairperson Kelley closed the Public Comment period. Lindy Althouse, Althouse & Mead working on the riparian enhancement plan, John Knight and Bruce Buckingham addressed questions raised during the Public Comment period. John Campanella, President BDC Development Homes Division, explained the subsequent phases of this project. Commissioner Beraud referred to page 60 of the staff report and expressed concern with some of the allowed uses in the commercial center and stated the importance of retaining the tax base. Regarding the phasing of the project she strongly suggested that the Tentative Map Condition on page 45 of the staff report be recommended to the City Council. There was Commission discussion regarding the type of uses for the commercial center. It was decided to add a condition that staff will look at the uses with the applicant and get back to the City Council regarding what goes in there. There was Commission discussion regarding phasing of the project. MOTION: By Vice Chairperson Jones and seconded by Commission Peterson to adopt Resolution No. PC 2004-0095 recommending that the City Council certify Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration 2004-0026 with revised mitigation measures; and adopt Resolution No. PC 2004-0096 recommending that the City Council introduce an ordinance for first reading to change zoning code text for Planned Development #12 (Zone Change 2003-0049) based on findings and subject to the conditions that are set forth in the planning recommendations; and adopt Resolution No. PC 2004-0097 recommending that the City Council introduce an ordinance for first reading to approve Zone Change 2004-0085, a zoning map amendment of the project site to Multi Family Residential based on findings and subject to Conditions of Approval and Mitigation Monitoring; and, adopt Resolution No. PC 2004-0098 recommending that the City Council adopt CUP 2003-0099, by resolution to include the Master Plan of Development based on findings and subject to Conditions of Approval and Mitigation Monitoring; and, adopt Resolution No PC 2004-0099 recommending the City Council approve Vesting Tentative Tract Map 2003-0033, based on findings and subject to Conditions of Approval and Mitigation Monitoring and to include the comments that the City Council look carefully at the type of uses for that particular PDZ Zone. Motion passed 4:1 by a roll -call vote. (Beraud opposed) Commissioner Beraud stated for the record that she believes the phasing should have concurrent commercial and residential permits. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS AND REPORTS Chairperson Kelley referred to a recent newspaper article critical of the Planning Department and stated that the Planning Commission has great confidence in the Planning staff. DIRECTOR'S REPORT Community Development Director Frace reviewed the agenda for the next Planning Commission meeting and informed the Commission that the City Council has agendized for their September 14th meeting a review of all the Commissions that serve the City Council. ADJOURNMENT Chairperson Kelley adjourned the meeting at 8:48 p.m. to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Commission on September 7, 2004. MEETING RECORDED AND MINUTES PREPARED BY: Grace Pucci, Recording Secretary The following exhibits area available for review in the Community Development Department: Exhibit A — Rosemarie Handy, prepared statement Exhibit B — Addendum to CUP Condition No. 25 (Item #5) Exhibit C — John Knight, PowerPoint presentation on Item #5 \\Cityhall\cdvlpmnt\— PC Minutes\PC Minutes 04\PC Minutes. 8-17-04.gp.doc Adopted 9/7/04