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HomeMy WebLinkAbout18-131 - Resolution RESOLUTION NO. 18-131 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CALIFORNIA, DENYING APPEAL OF PLANNING COMMISSION DECISION DRC2018-00865, AND UPHOLDING THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVAL OF HILLSIDE DESIGN REVIEW DRC2016-00672 WITH MODIFICATIONS; AND MAKING FINDINGS IN SUPPORT THEREOF A. Recitals. 1. The applicant, Andresen Architecture, on behalf of Hector and Angela Galvan, proposed a 6,175 square foot, three-story, single-family residence on Camino Predera. The project site is roughly 500 feet southeast of the intersection of Camino Predera and Red Hill Country Club Drive in the Low (L) Residential District, Hillside Overlay District. 2. On October 10, 2018, the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing for the project. The Commission approved the project in a 4-1 vote (4 in favor, 1 against) and adopted Resolution No. 18-69 that included special and standard conditions of approval. 3. On October 18, 2018, a letter was submitted to the City appealing the Planning Commission's approval of the project, as described in the title of this Resolution. Hereinafter in this Resolution, the subject Appeal of Planning Commission Decision is referred to as "the appeal." 4. On November 7, 2018, the City Council of the City of Rancho Cucamonga conducted a duly noticed public hearing on the appeal. After receiving public testimony, the City Council deferred final action on the appeal and continued the matter until the November 21, 2018 City Council meeting in order to afford the applicant and the appellants a further opportunity to discuss a mutually acceptable solution to the appeal. 5. On November 15, 2018, City staff facilitated a meeting between the applicant, the property owners and appellants at City Hall. A third-party, independent mediator, Susan Harden (Susan Jackson Harden, Inc.), was retained by the City to mediate the meeting. A mutually acceptable solution was not reached. 6. On November 21, 2018, the City Council of the City of Rancho Cucamonga conducted a public hearing on the application. After receiving public testimony, the City Council continued the matter until the December 5, 2018 City Council meeting. 7. The applicant revised the design of the residence. The new design is a 6,490 square foot, two-story, single-family residence. The revised design helps the project meets the findings required per Development Code Section 17.16.140.F for hillside development proposals. 8. On December 5, 2018, the City Council of the City of Rancho Cucamonga conducted a duly noticed public hearing on the application and concluded said hearing on that date. 9. All legal prerequisites prior to the adoption of this Resolution have occurred. B. Resolution. Resolution No. 18-131 - Page 1 of 6 NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby found, determined, and resolved by the City Council of the City of Rancho Cucamonga as follows: 1. This Council hereby specifically finds that all of the facts set forth in the Recitals, Part A, of this Resolution are true and correct. 2. Based upon all of the evidence presented to this Council during the above-referenced public hearings on November 7, 2018, November 21, 2018 and December 5, 2018, including written and oral staff reports, together with public testimony, this Council hereby specifically finds as follows: a. The project site is a vacant, rectangular lot facing Camino Predera. The property ranges from 82 to 92 feet in width and 138 to 139 feet in depth. The lot slopes upward from the street and has an elevation of approximately 1,332 feet at the south property line and an elevation of approximately 1,364 feet at the north property line. This results in a grade change of 32 feet from the north to the south property line; and b. Street improvements such as a sidewalk, curb, and gutter are present along Camino Predera; however, street trees and parkway landscaping improvements have not been installed and will be required to be constructed as a condition of approval; and C. The original application was for the site plan and architectural review of a 6,175 square foot, three-story, single-family dwelling unit on the project site. The proposed lot coverage was approximately 34 percent. The required and proposed (in parenthesis) setbacks were as follows: front and rear: 37 (53) feet and 20 (41) feet, respectively; interior sides: 5 (6.83) and 10 (10) feet. The overall building height was 30 feet as measured from the adjacent finished grade at the front of the house; and a. The revised application is now for the site plan and architectural review of a 6,490 square foot,two-story, single-family dwelling unit on the project site.The revisions to the proposed house include the removal of the third (top) floor of the home and relocation of the rooms that would have been on the third floor to the rear yard area of the project site. The modification reduced the highest point of the house by 5 feet. The redesign also shifted the garage to the southwest corner of the building and modified the exterior of the building to reflect a two-story building. b. The project complies with all the requirements of the Low (L) Residential District. The maximum lot coverage permitted is 40 percent. The proposed lot coverage is approximately 40 percent. The required and proposed (in parenthesis) setbacks are as follows: front and rear: 37 (40) feet and 20 (42) feet, respectively; interior sides: 5 (5) and 10 (10) feet. All setbacks are measured to the wall face of the house. The overall maximum building height as measured from adjacent grade is 25 feet, which is 5 feet below the maximum permitted (30 feet)within the Hillside Overlay District; and C. The proposed residence has eaves that project V-6" into both side setback areas and a chimney that extends 2 feet into the west side setback area. Per the Development Code, eaves may project into required yards a maximum distance of 3 feet, provided such appendages are supported only at, or behind, the building setback line. Chimneys may project into required yards a maximum distance of 2 feet, provided such features shall be at least 3 feet from a property line. The chimney is set back 8 feet from the property line. d. The proposed residence has a contemporary design theme, which includes a flat roof, smooth stucco finish, metal railings with glass panels, and copper roofing. The proposed Resolution No. 18-131 - Page 2 of 6 residence also incorporates stone veneer, decorative wood trims and fascia, and decorative garage doors. The new design incorporates limited terracing as required per the Hillside Design Guidelines and Standards. The revised house now has a single flat roof extending horizontally across the lot. The roof line is no longer terraced to follow the contours of the property. The single flat roof is a result of the removal of the third floor. There is also less variation in the wall planes on all four sides of the house in comparison to the previous proposal. The residence will be painted earth tone colors in compliance with Section 17.122.020.D.2. The existing dwelling units along Camino Predera consist of a variety of architectural styles. Through the use of the above- noted design elements, the dwelling unit is generally consistent with the City's 360-degree architecture requirements, and the design of the residence is compatible with the surrounding houses in the neighborhood; and e. The project also includes a revised accessory dwelling unit (ADU) at the rear of the lot. The original ADU was 824 square feet and consisted of living areas and a covered porch. The new ADU has been reduced in size to only include living space and consists of a floor area of 496 square feet. Per Development Code Section 17.42.040-1, solid roof structures located within the rear yard are permitted to be up to 5 feet from the side and rear property lines. The ADU is setback approximately 5 feet from the rear property line, and approximately 18 and 20 feet from the east and west property lines, respectively. The structure also has eaves extending 1'-6" along the side, but these eaves do not extend into the side setback. The overall height of the ADU is 15 feet and is below the maximum height of 16 feet permitted for solid roof, accessory structures in the rear yard; and f. The project also complies with the technical requirements of the Hillside Overlay District, which seeks to facilitate appropriate development of hillside areas. The maximum height of the dwelling unit is 25 feet overall as measured from the adjacent finished grade at the front of the building, thereby complying with the building envelope requirements. 3. Based upon the substantial evidence presented to this Council during the above-referenced public hearing and upon the specific findings of facts set forth in Paragraphs 1 and 2 above, this Council hereby finds and concludes as follows: a. The General Plan designation for the project site is Low Residential. The project proposes a 6,490 square foot single-family dwelling unit with a 496 square foot, detached accessory dwelling unit on a 12,044 square foot lot. The size and design of the residence is consistent with the goals of the Low Residential Land Use Designation to provide a single-family dwelling unit within the allowable density range of up to 4 dwelling units per acre. The project is also consistent with the Goals and Policies of the General Plan. The Goals and Policies recognize that the Development Code and Hillside Ordinance contain a comprehensive set of hillside development regulations. These regulations provide specific requirements that projects must adhere to and facilitate these goals and policies. The project's design is consistent with the Development Code and the Hillside Design Standards and Guidelines, the latter of which is established through the Hillside Ordinance.The house's height is limited to 25 feet and the home's design incorporated a flat roof. Both features reduce the mass and scale of the building. These design features were intended to minimize the overbuilding of hillside lots or crowding and to preserve the natural features of the land, as intended by the Goals and Policies of the General Plan. The General Plan also includes a section dedicated to overall Community Design goals. The Community Design (LU-69 through LU-73) section establish General Design Principles the encourage high quality design of new developments in the City. The Principles encourage innovative design that strive to serve a community's residents. The Principles also encourage high-quality, architectural styles that promote "novel variations" from standardized model buildings. The proposed residence has a contemporary design theme, which includes a variety of secondary materials and finishes. While the design style is different from the traditional Resolution No. 18-131 - Page 3 of 6 architectural style of other homes in the neighborhood, the style is consistent with the intent of the General Plan's Community Design Principles. The project is generally consistent with the General Plan's goals of blending development with hillside conditions and maintaining compatibility with the residential neighborhood. Therefore, the project is consistent with the General Plan. b. The proposed project is in accordance with the objectives of the Development Code and the purpose in which the site is located.The project site is located in the Low Residential (L) District, which encourages the development of low-density, single-family dwelling units on individual lots. In order to achieve the intended neighborhood density, the Development Code specifies a maximum limit of 4 dwelling units per acre (0.25 acres per lot). The proposed project is a single-family residence with an accessory dwelling unit on a 12,044 square foot (0.27 acres) lot. Therefore, the proposed project is consistent with the purpose of the Low Residential (L) District designation.The project also complies with the intent of the Hillside Overlay District, which seeks to facilitate appropriate development of hillside areas. The maximum height of the dwelling unit is 25 feet overall as measured from finished grade. Hillside Design Section 17.122.020.D.1.0 requires that dwelling units in the Hillside Overlay District be designed to fit within a 30 foot high building envelope, which the dwelling unit is in compliance with. C. The proposed use is in compliance with each of the applicable provisions of the Development Code. The project complies with all the requirements of the Low (L) Residential District. The maximum lot coverage permitted is 40 percent. The proposed lot coverage is approximately 40 percent. The required and proposed (in parenthesis) setbacks are as follows: front and rear: 37 (40) feet and 20 (42) feet, respectively; interior sides: 5 (5) and 10 (10) feet. All setbacks are measured to the wall face of the house. The proposed dwelling unit has eaves that project 2 feet into both side setback areas, and a chimney that extends 2 feet into the west side setback area. Per the Development Code, eaves may project into required yards a maximum distance of 3 feet, provided such appendages are supported only at, or behind, the building setback line. Chimneys may project into required yards a maximum distance of 2 feet, provided such features shall be at least 3 feet from a property line. The chimney is set back 8 feet from the property line. The overall height of the dwelling unit is 25 feet which lower than the maximum permitted height in the Hillside Overlay District. d. The proposed use, together with the conditions applicable thereto, will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare or materially injurious to properties or improvements in the vicinity. The proposed single-family dwelling unit is of similar scale and size to that of the surrounding neighborhood and complies with the Development Code. The home may result in view obstructions to nearby properties, but such obstructions are limited due revised design of the home. The revisions to the proposed house include the removal of the third (top) floor of the home and relocation of the rooms that would have been on the third floor to the rear yard area of the project site. The modification reduced the highest point of the house by 5 feet, as measured from the adjacent finished grade. The reduced height significantly reduces the potential for visual impact upon the neighborhood and is generally more consistent with the technical height requirements per Hillside Design Section 17.122.020.D.1.C. Therefore, given the intended residential use of the building and the overall size and design of the building, the proposed project will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare or materially injurious to properties or improvements in the vicinity. 4. The project is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the City's CEQA Guidelines. The project qualifies as a Class 3 exemption under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15303 — New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures. Section 15303 allows for the construction of a single-family residence in a residential zone. The proposed project is a single-family residence on a single lot within the Low (L) Residential District. Resolution No. 18-131 - Page 4 of 6 The residence meets all applicable development standards and zoning regulations of the Development Code. Therefore, staff finds that there is no substantial evidence that the project will have a significant effect on the environment. 5. Based upon the findings and conclusions set forth in Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, and 4 above, this Council hereby deny the Appeal of Planning Commission Decision DRC2018-00865, thereby upholding the Planning Commission approval of Hillside Design Review DRC2016-00672 as modified herein. Specifically, Hillside Design Review DRC2016-00672 shall be based upon the site plan and elevations in Attachment 5 and 6 in the December 5, 2018 staff report for this item. This includes a reduction of five feet of height and the removal of the third floor from the original project as approved by the Planning Commission. In addition, the following special condition of approval is added to Hillside Design Review DRC2016-00672: a. Prior to the submittal of building permit plans to the Building & Safety Department, the plans shall be submitted to the Planning Director for review and approval. The Planning Director shall determine whether the plans are consistent with Attachment 5 and 6 and all Development Code requirements. 6. This Council hereby provides notice to the appellants that the time within which judicial review of the decision represented by this Resolution must be sought is governed by the provisions of California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.5 and 1094.6. 7. The City Clerk of the City of Rancho Cucamonga is hereby directed to: (a) certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and (b) forthwith transmit a certified copy of this Resolution, by certified mail, return-receipt requested, to Ms. Renee Massey, at the address identified in City records. Resolution No. 18-131 - Page 5 of 6 PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 5th day of December, 2018. Y L. Dennis Michael, KAayor ATTEST: da . royan, City Clerk Services Director STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO ) ss CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA ) I, Linda A. Troyan, City Clerk Services Director of the City of Rancho Cucamonga, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly passed, approved, and adopted by the City Council of the City of Rancho Cucamonga, at a Regular Meeting of said Council held on the 5th day of December 2018. AYES: Alexander, Kennedy, Michael, Williams NOES: None ABSENT: Spagnolo ABSTAINED: None Executed this 6th day of December, 2018, at Rancho Cucamonga, California. inda . Troyan, City Clerk Services Director Resolution No. 18-131 - Page 6 of 6