HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Minutes 11-20-07CALL TO ORDER
CITY OF ATASCADERO
PLANNING COMMISSION
MINUTES
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, November 20, 2007 — 7:00 P.M.
Chairperson O'Keefe called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and Commissioner Jack
led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL
Present: Commissioners Heatherington, Jack, Marks, O'Grady, Slane, Fonzi
and Chairperson O'Keefe.
Absent: None
Others Present: Recording Secretary Grace Pucci
Staff Present: Community Development Director Warren Frace, Public Works
Director / City Engineer Steve Kahn, and Senior Planner Kelly
Gleason.
Chairperson O'Keefe read the decorum guidelines.
PLANNING COMMISSION BUSINESS
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOTION: By Commissioner Jack and seconded by Vice Chairperson
Fonzi to approve the agenda.
Motion passed 7:0 by a roll -call vote.
PC Minutes 11/20/07
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DISCLOSURE OF EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS:
■ Commissioner Marks stated he visited the site for Item #2.
■ Vice Chairperson Fonzi stated she spoke with Assistant City Manager Jim Lewis on
Item #2.
■ Commissioner O'Grady stated he visited the site for Item #2 but spoke with no one.
PUBLIC COMMENT
None
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION
MEETING ON NOVEMBER 6, 2007.
MOTION: By Commissioner Heatherington and seconded by
Commissioner Marks to approve Item #1.
Motion passed 7:0 by a roll -call vote.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STAFF REPORTS
PUBLIC HEARINGS
2. PLN 2007-1248, ZONE TEXT AMENDMENT PD -9
Owner•
Atascadero 101 Associates, 2925 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Applicant•
Peter Koetting, Westar Associates, 2925 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Project Title:
PLN 2007-1248, ZCH 2007-0144 Zone Text Amendment PD -9
Project
800 through 955 ECR (049-045-001, 002, 003, 012, 013, 017, 018, 019, 020, 021, 022)
Location:
San Luis Obispo County
Project
Commercial Park / PD -9 Zoning District
Description:
The proposed project consists of an application for a Zone Text Amendment to add "Hotels,
Motels" to the list of conditionally allowed uses in the Planned Development -9 Overlay
District. The PD -9 Overlay District currently allows for a variety of commercial retail and
commercial service uses to be developed in conjunction with a Master Plan of Development.
The PD -9 Overlay Zoning District is site specific for the Home Depot Center.
Proposed
Based on the initial study prepared for the project, a Negative Declaration is proposed. The
Environmental
proposed Negative Declaration is available for public review from 10/24/07 through 11/11/07
Determination:
at 6907 EI Camino Real, Community Development Department, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,
Monday through Friday.
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Senior Planner Kelly Gleason gave the staff report and with Community Development
Director Warren Frace answered questions of the Commission.
PUBLIC COMMENT — None
Commissioner Heatherington expressed concern with the number of hotels in
Atascadero at this time and questioned the occupancy rates for the existing hotels. She
stated a hotel at this location was not pedestrian friendly and believes it is premature for
this use at this time.
Chairperson O'Keefe stated she would like to see paragraph one of the draft resolution
eliminated because all the currently proposed hotels are not located in places where
pedestrians would be walking, therefore, it does not make sense to have it in the
resolution.
MOTION: By Commissioner Jack and seconded by Commissioner Marks
to adopt Resolution PC 2007-0097, recommending that the City
Council introduce an Ordinance for first reading, by title only,
to approve amendments to the conditionally allowed use for
the PD -9 Overlay Zone based on findings, with the addition of
1) adding eating and drinking places with drive-through
facilities to the list of conditionally allowed uses, 2) eliminate
paragraph 1 of the draft resolution, and 3) section F from the
PD 9 amended to read: "Any development shall be served by
a city sewer system."
Motion passed 6:1 by a roll -all vote. (Heatherington opposed)
COMMISSIONER COMMENTS AND REPORTS
Chairperson O'Keefe questioned what goes under Planning Commission Business and
what goes under Commissioner Comments and Reports. Community Development
Director Warren Frace explained the difference.
Vice Chairperson Fonzi asked staff to indicate in their reports when a project lies within
the Redevelopment District boundary. In addition, she expressed concern regarding the
format for the minutes which seem to only record dissenting opinions, and which she
feels is unbalanced. The Recording Secretary explained the format for the minutes.
Director Frace suggested this issue be raised at the quarterly meeting with the Mayor
and Mayor Pro Tem.
Commissioner Marks referred to a lot split which came before the Commission in the
past and asked how binding decisions are when based on what the property owner is
telling the Commission.
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Director Frace explained the requirements for determining if a condition were binding
and indicated staff would do some research on this specific site and report back.
Commissioner Marks asked about the requirements for first floor uses in the downtown
and business signs on trucks and trailers.
Director Frace explained first floor uses in the downtown, the code addressing business
signs on vehicles, and stated that a note had been sent to Code Enforcement regarding
the specific restaurant sign in question.
Commissioner Marks spoke about a complaint he had received from a citizen who is
continually disturbed by a crowing rooster in the morning.
Director Frace stated that crowing roosters are not allowed under the code and the
citizen should come to City Hall and file a Code Violation Complaint Form.
Commissioner Marks referred to the Mitsubishi dealership that has been closed and
remarked that the landscaping has deteriorated and looks shoddy.
Director Frace stated that the landscaping was part of the conditions and staff will notify
the owner of the concern.
Commissioner Marks requested an update on the windows at Mission Oaks that have
been painted over.
Director Frace explained there is no specific code outside of the Downtown Zone to
address this issue, and that staff is planning a visit to the site in hopes of getting them to
improve their curb appeal.
Commissioner O'Grady observed that Code Enforcement in Atascadero seems to be a
side job of the Fire Department. He would like it to be more of a priority and suggested
the City hire a contractor on an hourly basis to drive the area and discover violations.
Commissioner O'Grady also suggested the City Attorney look at and update the
documents used by the Commission at their meetings to ensure they have up-to-date
information.
DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Community Development Director Warren Frace stated there were no agenda items
scheduled at this time for the next Planning Commission meeting. He also reported
that the Commission Norms were approved by the City Council and have been
distributed.
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ADJOURNMENT
Chairperson O'Keefe adjourned the meeting at 8:03 p.m. to the next regularly
scheduled meeting of the Planning Commission on December 4, 2007.
MINUTES PREPARED BY:
Grace Pucci, Recording Secretary
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