HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003/05/14 - Minutes - PC-HPC CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
Regular Meeting
May 14, 2003
Chairman McNiel called the Regular Meeting of the City of Rancho Cucamonga Planning
Commission to order at 7:00 p.m. The meeting was held in the Council Chamber at Rancho
Cucamonga Civic Center, 10500 Civic Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonga, California. Chairman
McNiel then led in the pledge of allegiance.
ROLL CALL
COMMISSIONERS: PRESENT: Richard Fletcher, Rich Macias, Larry McNiel, Pam Stewart
ABSENT: Cristine McPhail
STAFF PRESENT: Brad Buller, City Planner, Dan Coleman, Principal Planner, Kevin Ennis,
Assistant City Attorney; Nancy Fong, Senior Planner, Dan James,Senior Civil
Engineer, Brent Le Count, Associate Planner; Debra Meier, Associate
Planner, Warren Morelion, Assistant Planner, Gail Sanchez, Planning
Commission Secretary; Ruben Warren, Planning Technician
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Brad Buller, City Planner, announced that Items A, B, C, and D should all be taken at one time.
Mr. Buller reported that Assistant Planner Donald Granger had been chosen as Employee of the
Month for May.
Chairman McNiel announced that the Chamber of Commerce selected Commissioner Fletcher as
Small Business Person of the Year and a breakfast would be held in his honor on May 28, at the
Ontario Convention Center.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion: Moved by Macias, seconded by Stewart, carried 4-0-1 (McPhail absent), to approve the
minutes of April 23, 2003.
CONSENT CALENDAR
A. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW DRC2002-00751 - RKW
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION - The development of four industrial buildings totaling
54,662 square feet on 4.86 acres of land in the General Industrial District(Subarea 13), located
at the southeast corner and southwest corner of 6th Street and Charles Smith Avenue -
APN: 229-263-05 and 229-283-04 and 05. Related file: Tentative Parcel Map SUBTPM16009.
Staff has prepared a Mitigated Negative Declaration of environmental impacts for consideration.
(Continued from April 23, 2003)
B. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW DRC2002-00750 - RKW
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION-The development of five industrial buildings totaling 117,790
square feet on 7.4 acres of land in the General Industrial District (Subarea 14), located at the
southeast corner of 6th Street and the 1-15 Freeway-APN: 229-283-08, 10, and 11. Related
file: Tentative Parcel Map SUBTPM16010. Staff has prepared a Mitigated Negative Declaration
of environmental impacts for consideration. (Continued from April 23, 2003)
Chairman McNiel observed that the items were being pulled to be heard in conjunction with Public
Hearing Items C and D.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
C. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP SUBTPM16009 - RKW
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION-The subdivision of 4.86 acres of land into 4 parcels in the
General Industrial District(Subarea 13), located at the southeast corner and southwest corner
of 6th Street and Charles Smith Avenue -APN: 229-263-05 and 229-283-04 and 05. Related
file: Development Review DRC2002-00751. Staff has prepared a Mitigated Negative Declaration
of environmental impacts for consideration. (Continued from April 23, 2003)
D. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP SUBTPM16010 - RKW
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION - The subdivision of 7.4 acres of land into 5 parcels in the
General Industrial District (Subarea 14), located at the southeast corner of 6th Street and the
1-15 Freeway - APN: 229-283-08, 10, and 11. Related file: Development Review
DRC2002-00750. Staff has prepared a Mitigated Negative Declaration of environmental impacts
for consideration. (Continued from April 23, 2003)
Warren Morelion, Assistant Planner, presented the staff report.
Chairman McNiel asked if the proposed resolutions include the conditions objected to by the
applicant.
Mr. Morelion confirmed they do.
Richard Wagner, RKW Development Corporation, 13622 Rushmore Lane, Santa Ana, stated his
architect and engineer were present to answer questions. He said he did not object to the conditions
for the eastern parcel but they had requested continuances on both projects in an effort to mitigate
the impacts on both parcels and perhaps use some of the savings from the eastern parcel to
alleviate the burden on the western parcel. He stated the western parcel is small and shallow and
the improvements and impact fees prevent the project from penciling out. He thought they would
probably have to discount the price of the land and find someone with an in-house construction
company with greater economies to buy the property. He noted he discussed the problem with staff
over a 5-month period and hoped there was a way the problems could be mitigated but staff
indicated the conditions could only be eliminated by changing the Code. He said he doesn't have the
money to facilitate changing the code and he asked the City to look at a way to make things work for
smaller projects. He asked the Commission to approve the project and to allow retroactive relief for
him if the City should change the Code in the future.
Chairman McNiel asked if the property had been all one parcel before the freeway was built.
Mr. Wagner confirmed it was. He said his family has owned the property for almost 40 years.
Chairman McNiel speculated that Caltrans paid fairly for the property they took.
Mr. Wagner responded he didn't know because he had been in school at the time. He
acknowledged there had been some payment for the land.
Planning Commission Minutes -2- May 14, 2003
Commissioner Fletcher said he read Mr. Wagner's letter and was sympathetic to his concerns;
however, he did not see what the Commission could do because of the policy in effect.
Hearing no further testimony, Chairman McNiel closed the public hearing. He said it was his
understanding that Mr. Wagner was requesting approval and would like to be able to participate in
any relief if the Code is changed. He observed that there have been many projects that suffer
restrictions and don't pencil out at one time but they oftentimes pencil out in the future. He said the
Commission may be sympathetic to the Mr. Wagner's plight, but the standards established in the
community have made the community what it is today. He felt that violating those standards would
diminish the community.
Brad Buller, City Planner, stated staff found the applicant very pleasant to work with and staff
pursued as many options as possible to see if relief could be found. He said staff believes that it
would be necessary to change policy resolutions or the Code and it would affect far more than just
this property. He explained an analysis would have to be completed. He said staff could bring back
a general discussion of the issues, whether it be undergrounding, street improvements, or freeway
landscaping. He reported that the freeway landscaping master plan is being worked on and will be
coming before the Commission in the future and he suggested that may be the time to look at
funding. He commented staff heard Mr. Wagner's concerns very carefully.
Chairman McNiel stated it would be a good idea for staff to look at the issues. He noted that
Ordinance changes would affect thousands of other properties in the community.
Mr. Buller believed that once the project is entitled, a value goes with that entitlement and he was
confident that the market would see the benefit of the project and Mr. Wagner could find a buyer to
go forward with the project.
Commissioner Stewart concurred that it would probably be prudent to bring the issues back under a
Director's Report, but she noted that there have been other projects with similar conditions that
pencil out and she felt they may be opening Pandora's box by changing the resolutions or
ordinances.
Motion: Moved by Stewart, seconded by Macias, to issue Negative Declarations and adopt the
resolutions approving Development Review DRC2002-00751, Development Review
DRC2002-00750,Tentative Parcel Map SUBTPM16009, and Tentative Parcel Map SUBTPM16010.
Motion carried by the following vote:
AYES: FLETCHER, MACIAS, McNIEL, STEWART
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: McPHAIL - carried
E. MODIFICATION NO. 2 TO DEVELOPMENT REVIEW DRCDR01-04 —AMERICAN BEAUTY
DEVELOPMENT CO-A request to modify the pattern of residential uses for the planning area
west of Day Creek Boulevard and south of Church Street, modify various graphics, and add
Design Guidelines for multi-family development within the Victoria Arbors Master Plan,generally
bounded by Base Line Road, Church Street, Day Creek channel, Foothill Boulevard, and
Etiwanda Avenue—APN:0227-161-28, 31, 33, 35, 36 and 38; 0227-171-08, 11, 12,20,22, 23,
and 25; 0227-201-04, 13 thru 18, 22, 28 thru 31, 33 and 36; and 0227-211-40.
Nancy Fong, Senior Planner, presented the staff report.
Chairman McNiel asked if the proposed action would mean losing some single family and gaining
some apartments.
Planning Commission Minutes -3- May 14, 2003
Ms. Fong responded that some commercial acreage would become multi-family.
Brad Buller, City Planner, noted that more single-family acreage has also been added by previous
approvals. He said the only action before the Commission tonight was multi-family, and it would
redistribute units but would stay within the multi-family range that has already been approved. He
noted the action would not add more density than the original master plan. He said that while
analyzing this request, staff found that prior approvals have raised the single-family ratio higherthan
what was originally planned.
Chairman McNiel asked how soon the General Plan Amendment would be forthcoming.
Ms. Fong replied it would probably be in July because of environmental assessment may be
necessary.
Chairman McNiel opened the public hearing.
John Morrisette, American Beauty Development Co., requested approval. He noted that the
changes will allow greater flexibility to provide adequate buffering for the single-family units north of
Church Street in transitioning to the higher density to the south. He said the project planner, Bob
LaCoss was available to answer any questions.
Chairman McNiel asked how quickly projects will be submitted.
Mr. Morrisette believed the mixed use commercial project just north of Foothill Boulevard and the
high density in the middle have been filed. He said the northerly project will be submitted within the
next few weeks. He observed the projects will be developed by Regency Centers for the
commercial, Fairfield for the apartments, and D.R. Horton for the multi-family.
Hearing no further testimony, Chairman McNiel closed the public hearing.
Commissioner Stewart stated that some modifications were made to the master plan as it went
through the Design Review Committee. She felt the proposed changes are appropriate in line with
the master plan.
Commissioner Fletcher asked for confirmation that the change will not increase the density for the
area.
Mr. Buller confirmed that was correct.
Motion: Moved by Stewart, seconded by Fletcher to adopt the resolution recommending approval of
Modification No. 2 to Development Review DRCDR01-04. Motion carried by the following vote:
AYES: FLETCHER, MACIAS, McNIEL, STEWART
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: McPHAIL - carried
F. DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT DRC2003-00348-CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA-
A request to amend Section 17.08 (Residential Districts) of the Development Code regarding
second dwelling units within the Very Low, Low and Low-Medium (.1-2, 2-4, and 4-8 dwelling
units per acre, respectively) Residential Districts to comply with State Assembly Bill 1866.
Ruben Warren, Planning Technician, presented the staff report.
Planning Commission Minutes -4- May 14, 2003
Chairman McNiel asked for confirmation that the action was to bring City Code into compliance with
State law.
Mr. Warren confirmed that was correct.
Chairman McNiel observed the matter is being taken out of the City's control. He said it was his
understanding the applicants still have to get City permits and asked if Planning staff would have any
opportunity to review the proposals.
Brad Buller, City Planner, stated applicants will have to secure building permits, and staff will be able
to look at setbacks and architectural compatibility with the primary structure and with the
neighborhood during the plan check review process. He said it would be similar to the review of
other single-family homes.
Chairman McNiel asked if the City has any enforcement capabilities; i.e., requiring anything above a
minimum structure which may be allowed under Code but would not be in keeping with the
neighborhood.
Mr. Buller stated that compatible architectural features and roofing materials can be required under
Code. He said the structures would still have to meet the criteria of the Hillside Development
Ordinance or the Equestrian Overlay District when in those areas. He noted the structures can be
rentals but they cannot be used as a business, the same as other single-family structures in the City.
Chairman McNiel opened the public hearing. There were no comments, and he closed the hearing.
Commissioner Stewart noted it was a clean-up item in order to be in compliance with State law.
I Motion: Moved by Stewart, seconded by Macias, to adopt the resolution recommending
Development Code Amendment DR2003-00348. Motion carried by the following vote:
AYES: FLETCHER, MACIAS, McNIEL, STEWART
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: McPHAIL - carried
NEW BUSINESS
G. DEVELOPMENT REVIEW DRC2003-00237- ROBINSON'S MAY-A request to construct a two
story, 180,080 square foot department store (Robinson's May) within the Victoria Gardens
Regional Center in the Mixed Use District of the Victoria Community Plan, located north of
Foothill Boulevard, south of Church Street, between Day Creek Boulevard and the 1-15 Freeway
-APN: 0227-161-48 and 49; 0227-171-36; 0227-201-35 and 45 thru 48; and 0227-211-30 and
39 thru 43. This action is within the scope of the project reviewed in an Environmental Impact
Report (EIR) (State Clearinghouse No. 20010301028) prepared for Development Agreement
01-02, Victoria Community Plan Amendment 01-01, and Tentative Parcel Map SUBTT15716.
Said EIR was certified by the City Council on February 20, 2002, and no additional
environmental review for the discretionary actions mentioned in this notice is required pursuant
to Public Resources Code Section 21166.
Brent Le Count, Associate Planner, presented the staff report.
Chairman McNiel opened the public hearing.
Donald Linane, Linane/Drews Architects, 150 East Olive Avenue, Suite 212, Burbank, indicated they
were happy to be processing the project.
Planning Commission Minutes -5- May 14, 2003
Chairman McNiel stated it is a nice looking building, even though it is typical.
Mr. Linane stated staff had quite a bit of input on the building and he felt the building was better than
when they started.
Hearing no further testimony, Chairman McNiel closed the public hearing. He stated this was the
first major tenant building for the new Victoria Mall.
Motion: Moved by Macias, seconded by Stewart, to adopt the resolution approving Development
Review DRC2003-00237. Motion carried by the following vote:
AYES: FLETCHER, MACIAS, McNIEL, STEWART
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: McPHAIL - carried
PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were no public comments.
COMMISSION BUSINESS
There was no additional Commission business.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion: Moved by Macias, seconded by Stewart, carried 4-0-1 (McPhail absent), to adjourn. The
Planning Commission adjourned at 7:38 p.m. to a workshop. The workshop adjourned at 9:50 p.m.
and those minutes appear separately.
Respectfully submitted,
B - u ller V'
Secretary
Planning Commission Minutes -6- May 14, 2003