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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011/03/09 - Workshop Minutes - PC-HPC CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Adjourned Meeting March 9, 2011 Chairman Munoz called the Adjourned Meeting of the City of Rancho Cucamonga Planning Commission to order at 9:45 p.m. The meeting was held in the De Anza Room at Rancho Cucamonga Civic Center, 10500 Civic Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonga, California. ROLL CALL COMMISSIONERS: PRESENT: Richard Fletcher, Frances Howdyshell, Lou Munoz, Francisco Oaxaca; Ray Wimberly ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Lois Schrader, Planning Commission Secretary; Mike Smith, Associate Planner; (James Troyer recused himself from this meeting - see regular meeting minutes of the Planning Commission) * * * * * ANNOUNCEMENTS ' None • NEW BUSINESS A. PRE-APPLICATION REVIEW DRC201 1-00041 -GENSLER(FOR CHASE BANK) -A request for a Planning Commission Workshop review of a proposed bank of 4,207 square feet with remote drive-thru ATM kiosks that will replace an existing retail building of 6,600 square feet at 10598 Base Line Road, located within an existing shopping center in the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) District, Terra Vista Community Plan (TVCP) located at the northeast corner of Haven Avenue and Base Line Road -APN: 1076-481-35. Mike Smith,Associate Planner, presented the report. He said there would not be the typical"wrap around" drive aisle-the kiosks will be at the north terminus of the drive-thru. He said staff did a preliminary look at the parking and staff does not believe that to be an issue at this time. He said the architecture is generally in keeping with the existing architecture of the center. He noted that the existing buildings are close to the front setback but the building that was approved in the 1980s was actually closer than the current setback in relation to Base Line Road. He said it may have been related to the width of the street at that time and that all of the proposed buildings are within the accepted setbacks now. He suggested there may have been some"grandfathering"in this regard. Chairman Munoz asked if any reason was given for the different setbacks for this proposed development rather than what was used for the existing buildings. • Mr. Smith said none was really indicated. He said the applicant's concern related to why the setback for the building is so close to Base Line Road when the Terra Vista Community Plan provides a different number. Staff researched it and determined that staff said it was OK in the 1980s, so staff has said we would accept a 38 foot setback or greater now. He said unfortunately, the original plans are old and illegible and staff is unable to verify what was on the plans. He confirmed that their current proposed plans meet or exceeds what is there now and that is fine. He said with respect to the landscape depth between Base Line Road and the drive aisle, the applicant was asked to provide a buffer from the intersection so as to provide the domination of buildings into the street scene. He said the applicant will present why they are proposing this particular layout. He said the proposed architecture(Exhibit F) incorporates many of the features present on the existing buildings of the center. Vice Chairman Howdyshell said it should look almost seamless between the existing and future development. Mr. Smith said that is important and staff wants the architectural features and continuity. Commissioner Wimberly emphasized that they also want 360 degree architecture. Mr. Smith commented that the colonnades are not as wide or large as the existing one currently found in the center. He said there is a usability factor for the applicants but staff does not Want a flat wall plane. He said staff suggests a colonnade on the west and north elevations to provide a focal point and an enhancement to the building and on the east side (because it faces the street) we would suggest additional materials like spandrel glass or an alternative. He said we also asked that the drive aisle be screened. He noted that the project site is slightly elevated and the drive aisle may create impacts to the residents to the east. He said the light standards are15 feet high and considering the elevation will be higher. He noted that the drive aisles most typically wrap around building and the kiosks are attached to the building. He said nothing in the Code prevents them from doing it this way and so staffs focus is on the design and the potential impacts to the surrounding community. Commissioner Wimberly asked if there will be mitigations for light impacts. Mr. Smith said there is no photometric plan yet, but there would have one at the time of formal submittal. He said he has also discussed with the applicant the potential for an air quality study and potential for a traffic study; these issues will be part of the ongoing review and analysis. Commissioner Wimberly noted that there are already traffic and speeding concerns on Valencia. Mr. Smith added that they could enhance the landscaping but because the site is already elevated; it would be difficult to berm because as it may create light impacts already. He said a possible solution would be to add a wall (height would have to be determined) but that may not fit into the applicants security plan. Jorge Cely of Gensler, said he is the Architect for Chase Bank. He said the shape of the parcel drove the design. He said they have tried to maximize the parking. He said with respect to the concern about the architecture, specifically the colonnades,-they can work on this, but for now they have matched Coco's. He said they are viewing this more as a pad building rather than a shop building. He said this building is for just one tenant and that is why they had the columns attached to the building. In response to Vice Chairman Howdyshell, Mr. Cely pointed out on the plans where the trash enclosure is located. He said they could go with a corridor behind the colonnades. He said they also recognize that the architecture of the canopy needs to match the building. He said they PC Adjourned Minutes -2- March 9, 2011 placed the building considering the geometry of the site and for better visibility for marketing. He .said regarding the concern of glare from cars going through the drive-thru, he said they may propose a combo-screen wall with landscaping, but they would wait to see what is acceptable. Jody Robbins, Project Manager for Chase Bank,24085 El Toro Road,2nd Floor, Laguna Hills,said it is a challenging site because the parking requirements, locations of the utilities,an easement, and a transformer in the way as well. • Commissioner Fletcher asked what the stacking cap is in the drive-thru. • Mr. Cely said 6-7 cars plus the bypass lane. Vice Chairman Howdyshell pointed out that it is a narrow bypass and may cause backup of cars and may prove to be inconvenient. Mr. Cely said it could possibly be widened to a double.lane if the City would allow it. Mr. Robbins said they have done previous studies on this and they could work to widen it. He said traffic studies for these new ATM's are new to the marketplace and could provide some numbers with respect to heavy usage days and times. He assented that this is a valid concern. Chairman Munoz said they should do their homework and make sure they bring those numbers with them when they come back. Vice Chairman Howdyshell asked where else this type of ATM kiosks have been installed nearby. Mr. Robbins, stated they are in Irvine, Corona, Norco, Fontana, and Anaheim Hills. Vice Chairman Howdyshell noted that at a bank located in the center at Milliken Avenue and Foothill • Boulevard (southwest corner) it is hard to maneuver through considering the layout of the drive-thru at the bank there. Mr. Cely said they can fix anything architecturally related to the building and the canopy. He said he thinks this is the best solution for the site and they are looking for the resolution of the possible impacts to the residents near the.site. - Vice Chairman Howdyshell said she looks forward to the development and said she has expressed her concerns and she is looking for the aesthetics to mirror what is already there. Commissioner Wimberly said he also has expressed his thoughts and said they need to know how they will handle the light mitigation and security there with respect to the entry and exit there. He asked what the measures are for that. Chairman Munoz agreed that it is probably pretty dark there and may have originally been designed that way intentionally to help shield the adjacent neighborhood. He said they may have to add light but focus in on that one spot with no glare spillover. Mr. Cely said there are two financial codes they have to meet for ATM's and they will have to produce a photometric study radius around the ATMs. Commissioner Fletcher confirmed that it is ATM machines only and no tubes for deposits. PC Adjourned Minutes -3- March 9, 2011 Mr. Robbins confirmed that it is ATM only. Commissioner Fletcher said with respect to architecture, they should take the best architectural features of the complex and apply them. He said the drive-thru looks weird and it is so close to the entrance off of Valencia. He said there should be some shielding along Valencia. Mr. Cely said they would need screening and landscaping taking the elevation into consideration. He said this is a critical corner. Mr. Smith said when sitting in a vehicle, you are actually below the steps;you look up at the steps on the corner. He said enhanced landscaping could be considered but it will be a challenge with the berming. Commissioner Fletcher asked if a berm would be sufficient. Mr. Smith said he did not think that would be practical because of the raised elevation; it would be raised even more and then it would have a dramatic drop down to the street level. Mr. Cely said it will probably be best to do a combination of a screen wall and landscaping. Commissioner Fletcher noted that they would have to be careful with the screening because it is so close to the corner; traffic going in and out would need visibility. Commissioner Oaxaca said the lines of site are important. Commissioner Fletcher said with respect to the pass-thru lane-he asked if there would be enough demand for 3 kiosks. He expressed concern about the stacking and blocking of cars. Mr. Cely said they could widen it and revise the landscape area. Chairman Munoz said that could magnify their problem and noted that they do not want changes that would then increase the headlight glare. Commissioner Oaxaca said he shares the concern about the screening and said a combination wall with landscaping might be a practical way to take care of this. He said the idea of the colonnades and not necessarily the corridor/walk-under make sense for this building and the use and that to burden them with a requirement for that may not be needed. He said he would like the development to create consistency. He said the design needs more architectural elements to add to the visual character such as the roof lines. Chairman Munoz emphasized that they are not telling the applicant what to do and their design should address their needs, but they have to design it, we won't tell them how to design it. He said the best template is what is there already. He said we want at least what is there today. He said he did not necessarily agree about the arches and walkunder. He said they need to pencil it out first for DRC but give us quality design. He said there is a beautiful corner now and with the current design we are getting a flat landscape with a driveway and ATM's; there is not even a berm. He said they need to punch up architecture. Commissiioner Wimberly asked if there is a canopy over the kiosk. Mr. Cely said there is. PC Adjourned Minutes -4- March 9, 2011 Mr. Smith confirmed that we do not want it to look like what is shown on drawing. I Vice Chairman Howdyshell said it looks like a patio cover. Commissioner Fletcher suggested the drive aisle should be a sufficient width so people are not driving into the kiosks. Chairman Munoz said the problem with widening the drive aisle affords less opportunity to pump up the landscape. He said the garbage enclosure design needs to be punched up/the standards have been in place since 1987. Mr. Robbins said he would like the opportunity to present their traffic study and let that information speak to the concern about the stacking of cars in the drive-thru. He said they would speak to the neighbors as well. Vice Chairman Howdyshell referred to a bank at the corner of Milliken Avenue and Foothill Boulevard. He said the ATM drive-thru is adjacent to the building. She said that when pulling into the drive-thru, the patrons don't know until after turning the bend that there are several cars ahead and it is impossible to get out of line at that point if they are stacked up. Chairman Munoz said he likes quatrefoils. He said we need them, but he did not see them indicated on the plans. He said the other orientation worked better with respect to their neighbors across the street. He said we want to help bring folks into the center and retain those that are there and we want the applicant's business but we need these items to be addressed. He said he did not want them to spend needless dollars presenting things that don't work. He said the orientation of the building is presenting some problems but how they resolve that will be up to the applicant. He said it is all up for grabs and he is not telling them this is a good orientation. The applicant was encouraged to work with Mr. Smith and it was noted that approved minutes would be available after . the next Planning Commission meeting on March 23. 2011. PUBLIC COMMENTS None . . . . . COMMISSION BUSINESS None PC Adjourned Minutes -5- March 9, 2011 • ADJOURNMENT The Planning Commission adjourned at 10:30 p.m. Respectfully submitte mes R. Troyer, AICP Secretary Approved: March 23, 2011 1 1 PC Adjourned Minutes -6- March 9, 2011