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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013/08/28 - Minutes - PC-HPC11 1 1 THE CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA THE MINUTES OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION ahlre THE PLANNING COMMISSION AUGUST 28, 2013 - 7:00 PM Rancho Cucamonga Civic Center Council Chambers 10500 Civic Center Drive Rancho Cucamonga, California 11 I. CALL TO ORDER Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call 7:04 PM Chairman Howdyshell X Vice Chairman Fletcher X Munoz X Wimberly X Oaxaca A Additional Staff Present: Candyce Burnett, Planning Manager; Jeff Bloom, Deputy City Manager/Economic and Community Development; Steven Flower, Assistant City Attorney; Steve Fowler, Assistant Planner,• Donald Granger, Senior Planner, Dan James, Senior Civil Engineer; Mayuko Nakajima, Assistant Planner; Lois Schrader, Planning Commission Secretary; Bill Wittkopf, Public Works Services Director 11 II. PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS 11 This is the time and place for the general public to address the Historic Preservation Commission or the Planning Commission on any item listed or not listed on the agenda. State law prohibits the Historic Preservation Commission or the Planning Commission from addressing any issue not previously included on the Agenda. The Historic Preservation Commission or the Planning Commission may receive testimony and set the matter for a subsequent meeting. Comments are to be limited to five minutes per individual or less, as deemed necessary by the Chair, depending upon the number of individuals desiring to speak. All communications are to be addressed directly to the Historic Preservation Commission or Planning Commission, not to the members of the audience. This is a professional business meeting and courtesy and decorum are expected. Please refrain from any debate between audience and speaker, making loud noises, or engaging in any activity which might be disruptive to the decorum of the meeting. HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION AND PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES RkNCHo AUGUST 28, 2013 C'UCA.NONOA Page 2 Luana Hernandez expressed concern about the cutting down of eucalyptus trees on Hellman Avenue, the process for determining their condition, notification to Planning as to the scheduling of trees to be cut down and the lack of checks and balances in the process. 11 III. ANNOUNCEMENTS AND PRESENTATIONS A. PRESENTATION OF THE COMMUNITY RECREATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT Francie Palmer, Community Services Marketing Manager, gave a PowerPoint presentation (copy on file). Chairman Howdyshell thanked staff for the thorough, proactive report. Commissioner Munoz noted the some data indicates our money is spent wisely and on facilities being used. He said Community Services is doing a great job identifying and meeting the needs of our residents. Commissioner Fletcher found the demographics interesting and that the item most mentioned was the completion of Central Park and if it was to be phased. Ms. Palmer said we are not reimagining Central Park as this was a topic at the July 22" workshop. She said the City Council knows it is important but with the loss of the RDA it is at a standstill. She said the only thing on the books right now is a pavilion that could be used for special events. She said this was funded by a grant and therefore is the only thing identified thus far. Chairman Howdyshell noted the responses in the survey which expressed a need forADA facilities. She asked -what comprised the 12%. Ms. Palmer said she would get that information and forward it to her. The Secretary received and filed the report. IV. CONSENT CALENDAR HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION AND PLANNING COMMISSION B. Approval of minutes dated July 24, 2013 Moved by Wimberly, seconded by Fletcher to adopt the minutes 2-0-1-2 (Oaxaca absent. 1 1 1 1 HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION AND PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES AUGUST 28, 2013 CR °NGA Page 3 Howdyshell and Munoz abstain) 11 V. DIRECTOR'S REPORTS PLANNING COMMISSION C. PRESENTATION ON THE TREE MAINTENANCE POLICY Mayuko Nakajima, Assistant Planner, introduced the topic. Bill Wittkopf, Public Works Services Director gave a PowerPoint presentation and Ms. Nakajima concluded the presentation. (copy on file). Commissioner Fletcher asked if there is a specific list of species that is used for replacement trees. Mr. Wittkopf said they do like to use similar trees as replacements when replacing a street tree, however, sometimes it is not replaced at all if the homeowner cannot handle the cost of watering it.. Commissioner Fletcher noted that old eucalyptus windrows are not urban style trees and he could understand if owners do not want to replace them as they are difficult and messy to maintain. Mr. Wittkopf said in response to Chairman Howdyshell that 100% of the trees in our right of way are inspected. He said we bring in qualified/certified arborists with expertise and some inspections are more thorough than others depending on the circumstances. In response to Chairman Howdyshell, he said they do not remove a tree without communicating with the homeowner and it is done early in process. He said he would be happy to meet with Ms. Hernandez to answer her questions. In response to Commissioner Fletcher, the trees are attacked by beetles, lerp and sometimes just overall age. He said it is not just the eucalyptus that are attacked. He said sometimes selective reforestation must occur. Chairman Howdyshell asked how long it takes to address lifted sidewalks. Mr. Wittkopf said they inspect all sidewalks every 2 years, and within 48 hourse if they are called by a resident to check it. Depending on what they find, they make it safe and then usually within 3 -4 months they come back to make a permanent repair. In response to Commissioner Munoz, he said a temporary repair is an indicator that they will be back to make a future permanent repair, however, the timeframe can be lengthened depending on where the sidewalk needs repair. He said they use GIS to track all those lifts and where they are. He said they then evaluate and prioritize them for repairs; it may take a couple of years if the lift is located in a less traveled, out of the way place. HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION AND PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES P,ANcHo AUGUST 28, 2013 C"`'&MONGA Page 4 11 VI. PUBLIC HEARINGS/PLANNING COMMISSION The following items have been advertised and/or posted as public hearings as required bylaw. The Chairman will open the public hearing to receive testimony. All such opinions shall be limited to 5 minutes per individual for each project. Please sign in after speaking. D. TIME EXTENSION DRC2013-00541 - CARTER REDISH ARCHITECTS FOR CHASE PARTNERS, LTD - A request to extend the duration of an existing entitlement approval by an additional two (2) years for an industrial warehouse/office project comprised of one (1) building with a floor area of 28,860 square feet on two (2) parcels with a combined area of about 60,550 square feet (1.39 acres) in the General Industrial (GI) District located at 9075 Rochester Avenue; APNs: 0229-283-06 and 0229-271-33. Related file: Development Review DRC2006-01012. The Planning Commission determined that the project was categorically exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the City's CEQA Guidelines pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15315 Minor Land Divisions and Section 15332 In -Fill Development Projects. Per Section 15162, no further environmental review is required as there are no changes to the project. Donald Granger, Senior Planner gave a PowerPoint presentation (copy on file). Chairman Howdyshel/ opened the public hearing. Carter Redish, the architect on the project said their plans are ready for plan check and they are glad to be moving forward. Chairman Howdyshell closed the public hearing. Moved by Fletcher seconded by Wimberly to adopt Resolution 13-37 to approve a two-year time extension. Carried 4-0-1 (Oaxaca absent) TIME EXTENSION DRC2013-00585 - DR HORTON - A request to extend the duration of an existing entitlement approval by an additional two (2) years for Development Review DRC2006-00730 the Site Plan and design review for 67 residential condominiums on 4.70 net acres of land in the proposed Medium Residential District (8-14 dwelling units per acre), located at the northeast corner of Base Line Road and San Carmela Court - APN: 1089- 581-01. Related files: General Plan Amendment DRC2006-00224, Victoria Community Plan Amendment DRC2006 00447, and Tentative Tract Map SUBTT18212, and Tree Removal Permit DRC2007-00081. On August 27, 2008, a Mitigated Negative Declaration of environmental impacts was adopted by the Planning Commission for Tentative Tract Map 18212, General Plan Amendment DRC2006-00224, Victoria Community Plan Amendment DRC2006-00447 and Development Review DRC2006-00730. The California Environmental Quality Act provides that no further environmental review or Negative Declaration is required 1 HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION AND PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES WNCHO AUGUST 28, 2013 CUCA.MONGA Page 5 for subsequent projects or minor revisions to projects within the scope of the previous Mitigated Negative Declaration. TIME EXTENSION DRC2013-00652 - DR HORTON -A request to extend the duration of an existing entitlement approval by an additional two (2) years for Tree Removal Permit DRC2007-00081 for the removal of approximately 49 trees to develop 67 residential condominiums on 4.70 net acres of land in the proposed Medium Residential District (8-14 dwelling units per acre), located at the northeast corner of Base Line Road and San Carmela Court - APN: 1089-581-01. Related files: General Plan Amendment DRC2006- 00224, Victoria Community Plan Amendment DRC2006 00447, and Tentative Tract Map SUBTT18212, and Development Review DRC2006-00730, On August 27, 2008, a Mitigated Negative Declaration of environmental impacts was adopted by the Planning Commission for Tentative Tract Map 18212, General Plan Amendment DRC2006-00224, Victoria Community Plan Amendment DRC2006-00447 and Development Review DRC2006-00730. The California Environmental Quality Act provides that no further environmental review or Negative Declaration is required for subsequent projects or minor revisions to projects within the scope of the previous Mitigated Negative Declaration. Steve Fowler, Assistant Planner, gave a PowerPoint presentation (copy on file). In response to Commissioner Munoz, he said the parking easement issue was never resolved. Commissioner Fletcher said the easement was for the existing commercial center. Mr. Fowler said the original application asked for 84 condos. The beneficiary of the easement would not relinquish it; in the meantime, the applicant scaled back their project. Patrick Potts, project manager said they are finishing the final engineered drawings. He said they will put in no parking signs on San Carmela- He said they are not making any alterations of original approvals and they hope for a complete buildout within one year. He said they recently acquired the property. He said they will also be installing a signal at Base Line and San Carmela to ease the traffic/left turn concerns Chairman Howdyshell opened the public hearing. Randy Swayd said he is a resident in the existing DR Horton Homes. He cited parking problems at the Atwood development and cited concern about overflow parking and the difficulty of making a left turn out to Base Line, and not enough guest parking spaces slated for the new development as most people use their garage for storage and not for parking. Steven Fowler said the new development will have 18 guest parking spaces. Mr. Swayd said that is not enough spaces; even with 2 -car garages, most will have 3 cars. - although there are 40 available spaces on the north lot but people won't park there. Most HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION AND PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES CWNCHO� AUGUST 28, 2013 Page 6 will not use their garages for parking Connie Patton said she lives on Victoria Park Place and her street is overwhelmed with parked cars where people leave their cars there for 3 days and then move it to avoid a ticket. She noted added trash and pollution. She said she wants single-family dwellings. She asked about the access. She said the trees are being cut at the wrong time -because Red Tailed hawks nest at the same place for life. She said condos will ruin her property. Matt Postel said he lives at San Carmela and Whitney Drive. He said he would prefer Single Family homes. He said the east end seems to have a lot of low income units. He said the Eucalyptus are part of our history/heritage and they support wildlife and they help to minimize the high winds. He said he is glad there will not be access on San Carmela. He asked if this is a "done deal'. Michelle Postel said there are many people parking on San Carmela. She said she does not want a pedestrian entrance at Base Line Road. Mr. Potts said the current fire access is still maintained but reconfigured in the project. He said with respect to the parking issue; other projects have teeth in their HOAs that require the residents to park their vehicles in the garages and guest parking is also regulated. He said with respect to low income housing; these units will be in the $400,000 range -and at market rate. Chairman Howdyshell closed the public hearing. Steven Flower, Assistant City Attorney said with respect to the tree removal request that the original approval had only one resolution for both actions but now our practice is to memorialize these entitlements with separate resolutions. He also responded to the question about this being a "done deal". He said it is not but the applicant has not requested any modifications to the originally approved plans. Chairman Howdyshell asked how other condos ensure garages are being used for vehicles not just storage. Commissioner Fletcher asked if the original approval had anything about the HOA agreement. Steven Fowler said there was nothing in the original approval. Candyce Burnett, Planning Manager said the applicants will submit their CC&Rs during plan check and any requirements for parking will be reviewed by staff. Commissioner Wimberly noted that most that expressed concerns were about some conditions that are not up for review. He said some of their concerns should be brought up 1 1 FSI HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION AND PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES I;VNC„o AUGUST 28, 2013 CUCAMONGA Page 7 to other City departments. He said the request for the time extension is straightforward. Vice Chairman Fletcher noted the parking concern and asked staff to be sure to review CC&Rs to see that they require residents to park in their garages. Moved by Wimberly seconded by Fletcher to adopt Resolutions 13-35 and 13-36 to approve a two-year time extension for the Development Review and the Tree Removal Permit. Carried 4-0 (Oaxaca absent). VII. COMMISSION CONCERNWHISTORIC PRESERVATION AND PLANNING COMMISSION Chairman Howdyshell thanked staff for sending out the Business Watch Report as it is very helpful in tracking the openings and closings of businesses. Vice Chairman Fletcher noted that while driving in a nearby city recently he fell very appreciative for our City's efforts to maintain things well. 11 VIII. ADJOURNMENT 8:30 PM