HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Minutes 10-05-04CITY OF ATASCADERO
PLANNING COMMISSION
MINUTES
Regular Meeting
October 5, 2004 — 7:00 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Kelley called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. and Commissioner
Peterson led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL
Present: Commissioners Beraud, Jones, O'Keefe, Peterson and
Chairperson Kelley
Absent: Commissioners Fonzi and Porter
Staff Present: Community Development Director Warren Frace, Deputy Public
Works Director Jeff van den Eikhof, Deputy Community Services
Director Steve McHarris, Associate Planner Kerry Margason,
Assistant Planner Lisa Wilkinson and Recording Secretary Grace
Pucci.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOTION: By Commissioner Peterson and seconded by Commissioner
Beraud 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 SEPTEMBER 21, 2004.
2. ACCEPTANCE OF FINAL MAP 2004-0091: 2435 SAN FERNANDO ROAD
(TPM 2003-0041).
Items Pulled: Commissioner O'Keefe, Item #1.
MOTION: By Commissioner O'Keefe and seconded by Commissioner
Beraud to approve Item #1.
Motion passed 4:1 by a roll -call vote. (Peterson opposed)
Item #2: Commissioner O'Keefe stated she pulled this item to vote no because she
had previously voted no on the subdivision.
MOTION: By Commissioner Peterson and seconded by Commissioner
Jones to approve Item #2.
Motion passed 3:2 by a roll -call vote. (O'Keefe, Beraud
opposed)
Commissioner Beraud stated for the record that she voted no because she had
previously voted no on the subdivision.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STAFF REPORTS
None
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Orem
DIRECTOR'S REPORT
3. NATIVE TREE ORDINANCE REVIEW AND DISCUSSION
The Planning Commission will be discussing the Native Tree ordinance
Title 9 Chapter 11 and the accompanying guidelines. The item will be
limited to review and discussion only. No formal action or amendments to
the ordinance will be considered.
Chairperson Kelley opened a discussion of the Native Tree Ordinance. He indicated
there were different costs for tree mitigation based on zoning, and he would like the
Planning Commission to have the discretion in specific cases to adjust the fees.
Commissioner Beraud stated she would keep it as it is because it works well and is not
biased.
Commissioner O'Keefe stated that the cost of mitigation for this valuable resource is not
significant when considering how trees are valued for insurance costs and actual costs.
Commissioner Peterson stated he would like to see more discretion for staff to make
some Tree Ordinance decisions, i.e. when there is only one tree to be removed.
Commission Jones indicated he would like to see a calamity provision. He is concerned
with the 10% removal discretion and how it is measured.
Chairperson Kelley stated that the City is lacking an education program for trees and
recommended that mitigation fees be used to print up informational pamphlets for those
who come to the Planning Department to apply for a permit.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Jim Patterson, ISA Certified Arborist, addressed several issues: 1) the definition of the
term "hazardous", 2) how dead trees are an integral part of natural woodland habitat, 3)
standards used for appraisal of a tree's value, 3) possibility of a mechanism in place to
allow staff discretion in tree removals while maintaining consistency, and 4) the
importance of having a professionally qualified person on staff to do the ordinance
justice. He spoke of the need for consistency in monitoring and the use of a
standardized format to provide consistency in reporting.
Eric Greening discussed the benefits the community derives from trees, the ecological
value of dead trees, the need for a public forum for tree removals and the benefits to
taxpayers in the form of mitigations.
Rick Mathews indicated the Atascadero Native Tree Association (ANTA) would be
willing to work with City staff to put together an educational brochure for the Tree
Ordinance. Additionally, he suggested that a tree/natural resource inventory would be a
helpful tool as well as having a natural resource specialist available to assist staff.
Ann Fletcher stated that the Tree Ordinance and the public hearing process should not
be subject to changes that would weaken them. She would like to see the addition of
language indicating how trees are marked for removal and stronger language for follow-
up on newly planted trees in subdivisions.
Cindy Sazer expressed concern that arborists are not monitoring projects adequately
and she would not like to see any changes to the ordinance.
Tina Salter agreed with the need for more education, for having ANTA be part of it, and
for using the tree mitigation fund to provide it. She does not feel it is necessary to give
staff more discretion.
Steven Alvarez, arborist, made several suggestions: 1) need for identification of trees
that encroach on a lot with no trees, 2) procedure for checking off on a permit when an
arborist has been to a site, 3) monitoring is very weak and should be built up, 4) training
should be offered for developers, back hoe people, etc., 5) encourage a stronger focus
on younger trees to rejuvenate forests, 6) standardization of the 10% rule, 7)
certification for those who do grading, 8) grandfather clause for those with changes to
their zoning, 9) use of a hazard evaluation system/form, 10) better marking of trees for
removal, and 11) address issue of landscaping under trees.
Chip Tamagni, arborist, spoke about hazardous trees and their removal and suggested
determining who is at fault when making the decision on who is to pay for tree removals.
He also addressed the problems with monitoring a site and suggested including a sheet
with the tree protection plan on which the arborist can sign off. He would like to see
developers in multi family areas pass on a copy of the tree protection plan to potential
owners, and he spoke in support of better protection for young trees.
Geraldine Braser agreed with the need for more education and with using money from
the tree mitigation fund for that purpose. She stated that for the ordinance to work
monitoring is important and must be done.
Chairperson Kelley closed the Public Comment period.
Chairperson Kelley spoke in favor of uniformity, education, certification for graders, and
grandfathering for zoning changes.
Commissioner O'Keefe thanked everyone for coming out and the Atascadero News for
noticing the meeting, and stated there is a need for an arborist on staff to assist
planners in evaluating, monitoring and enforcing tree protection plans.
Commissioner Peterson agreed there should be an arborist on staff and is opposed to
having building officials inspect something they know nothing about.
Commissioner Beraud made several recommendations including having an arborist or
natural resource planner on staff, increasing notification to 300 feet for tree hearings,
and that the appeal process can effectively take the place of the Planning Commission
having discretion on fees.
Commissioner Jones suggested requiring an arborist who is certified by the city, and
sees no problem with using tree mitigation funds for education.
Community Development Director Warren Frace summed up the workshop as follows:
1. Staff will work the ANTA to come up with better public information.
2. Staff will work to establish consistency on how sites are marked, flagged, fenced,
etc., and stated that staff is working on a photographic example/handout for the
Commission, applicants, arborists to give them a common colored key to what
flagging should look like and what the colors mean.
3. Handout of Living Among the Oaks will be distributed as much as possible, and will
be attached to any project with trees.
4. Staff will do some work on these issues and report back on progress in a few
months.
COMMISSIONER COMMENTS AND REPORTS
Community Development Director Frace gave an update on the next agenda, and the
Fkiaras Tree Removal Permit appeal.
ADJOURNMENT
Chairperson Kelley adjourned the meeting at 9:05 p.m. to the next regularly scheduled
meeting of the Planning Commission on October 19, 2004.
MEETING RECORDED AND MINUTES PREPARED BY:
Grace Pucci, Recording Secretary
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