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Home My WebLink About2001/09/22 - Minutes - PC-HPC CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Regular Meeting August 22, 2001 Chairman McNiel called the Regular Meeting of the City of Rancho Cucamonga Planning Commission to order at 7:04 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: Rich Macias, Larry McNiel, Pam Stewart, Peter Tolstoy ABSENT: John Mannerino STAFF PRESENT: Brad Buller, City Planner, Dan Coleman, Principal Planner, Kevin Ennis, Assistant City Attorney; Douglas Fenn, Associate Planner, Dan James, Senior Civil Engineer; Gail Sanchez, Planning Commission Secretary; Ruben Warren, Planning Technician ANNOUNCEMENTS Brad Buller, City Planner, announced that the application to designate the Krysto Ranch House as a historic landmark is scheduled for City Council hearing on September 5 and that staff continues to receive calls from surrounding residents. Commissioner Tolstoy questioned what the controversy is about. Mr. Buller responded that the residents fear that landmark designation is a stepping stone to a request for other uses. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion: Moved by Macias, seconded by Tolstoy, carried 4-0-1 (Mannerino absent), to approve the minutes of August 8, 2001. CONSENT CALENDAR A. VACATION V-180—ADVOCATE SCHOOLS—A request to vacate excess street right-of-way at the southwest corner of 25th Street and Center Avenue—APN: 209-104-10 and 11. Related File: Conditional Use Permit 00-29. Motion: Moved by Tolstoy, seconded by Stewart, carried 5-0-1 (Mannerino absent), to adopt the Consent Calendar. PUBLIC HEARINGS B. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND TENTATIVE TRACT SUBTT16179 - BURNETT COMPANIES-A request to subdivide 31.5 acres of land into 11 lots for the purpose of a mixed- use master planned development of approximately 414 apartment units, lofts over retail, retail, and professional office uses in the Haven Overlay District, located at the southwest comer of Foothill Boulevard and Haven Avenue - APN: 208-331-01, 24, 25, and 26. Related Files: General Plan Amendment DRCGPA01-01 B, Development District Amendment DRCDDA01-01, Development Code Amendment DRCDCA01-01, Tentative Tract Map SUBTT16179, and Pre-Application Review PAR 00-07. A Mitigated Negative Declaration was issued on July 18, 2001. C. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW 00-79 - BURNETT • COMPANIES - A request to develop the "Rancho Cucamonga Town Square Master Plan," which will consist of a mixed use project of approximately 414 apartment units, lofts over retail, retail, and professional office uses on 31.5 acres of land in the Haven Overlay District,located at the southwest comer of Foothill Boulevard and Haven Avenue-APN: 208-331-01, 24,25, and 26. Related Files: General Plan Amendment DRCGPA01-01 B, Development District Amendment DRCDDA01-01, Development Code Amendment DRCDCA01-01,Tentative Tract Map SUBTT16179, and Pre-Application Review PAR 00-07. A Mitigated Negative Declaration was issued on July 18, 2001. Douglass Fenn, Associate Planner, presented the staff report and a power point presentation regarding the project. Commissioner Tolstoy asked how the parcels for future phases would be treated in the interim. Mr. Fenn replied they would be hydroseeded. Commissioner Stewart asked how many parking spaces are deficient. Mr. Fenn responded it is 23 short. Chairman McNiel opened the public hearing. Jason Lee, Vice President Planning and Engineering, Burnett Companies, 1300 Bristol Street,#200, Newport Beach, stated he was available to answer questions. Chairman McNiel stated he understood the applicant was trying to accomplish the maximum use,but he was baffled why the project was 23 parking spaces short. Mr. Lee stated they are short because of the Development Code requirement that parking be within 300 feet of the building. He said he understood they have to resolve the issue with the City Planner. Chairman McNiel asked where they are short. Mr. Lee replied they are only short in the area of the two restaurants and the office building. He said they propose a shared parking agreement between those parcels. He observed that the parking study estimated that the peak parking time would be noon and that 10 percent of the workers at the office building would be leaving the area for lunch, thereby freeing up space for the restaurant patrons. Commissioner Macias asked if the ultimate goal of the parking analysis is to justify the deletion of the 23 spaces. Planning Commission Minutes -2- August 22, 2001 Brad Buller, City Planner, replied the applicant wishes to share parking spaces. He said they have squeezed out all of the available parking with the sizes of the proposed building. He reported that the City has only previously allowed such a shared analysis in connection with a theater and restaurants. He thought that if the parking analysis shows that the parking requirements are too stringent, then the Development Code should be adjusted. He felt it is a policy issue that the Commission should address. Commissioner Tolstoy asked what was meant by a "Specialty Market." Mr. Lee responded it would be typical of a Trader Joe's. Commissioner Tolstoy stated he was asking because he frequents a Trader Joe's in another city. He said the store is so popular that parking is hard to find. He felt they must be careful regarding conflicts in the parking lot. Mr. Lee stated the parking for the specialty market is in its own area with three excess spaces. Hearing no further testimony, Chairman McNiel closed the public hearing. Commissioner Stewart noted that the Design Review Committee required historical plaques in the part currently designated as vineyards. Mr. Buller stated the developer has put a lot of effort into the project. He commended their team and their creativity. He reported that he and Council Member Dutton met with 40-50 realtors early in the day and received extremely favorable comments regarding the proposed project. Commissioner Stewart noted that Page 2-16 in the Design Standards showed a deficiency of 80 ' parking spaces. Mr. Fenn responded that the table had been revised and a corrected table would need to be substituted in the Design Standards. Commissioner Stewart indicated the Design Review Committee thoroughly reviewed the project. She said they worked through the parking for the residential portion. She felt the office building could be made slightly smaller to allow for all the required parking. She was not in favor of allowing shared parking. She noted the applicant had been very willing to work with the City. Commissioner Tolstoy felt that it should be possible to find room for the 23 parking spaces because there are 35 raw acres. Commissioner Stewart agreed but said it should not be taken out of the landscaping. Commissioner Macias felt the intersection may be the busiest in the City. Mr. Buller thought Foothill Boulevard at Interstate 15 may be the busiest intersection, but he noted this intersection is the core center of the City. Commissioner Macias stated he was concemed regarding a shortage of parking spaces at such a busy intersection. He noted the parking lot will be densely used. He strongly recommended that the 23 parking spaces be found. Commissioner Tolstoy echoed the need for providing adequate parking without infringing on the landscaping. Planning Commission Minutes -3- August 22, 2001 Chairman McNiel felt that a shared parking agreement would cause problems for customers and tenants. He agreed there should be no shortage of parking spaces and there should either be a reduction in the size of the buildings or an expansion of the parking. Commissioner Tolstoy felt it will be a great project. He thought the developer has done a wonderful job. Commissioner Macias noted the pedestrian bridge was proposed to be funded through the Redevelopment Agency(RDA). He asked how it would be possible to make the bridge a priority for RDA funding. Mr. Buller replied that the Commission could direct staff to forward a request that the bridge be considered in an upcoming budget cycle and staff could then report back to the Commission. Commissioner Macias noted there is no guarantee there will be a pedestrian bridge. Mr. Buller responded that staff did not feel it would be reasonable to condition the applicant to construct the bridge. Commissioner Tolstoy felt that a pedestrian bridge would be unique and would call more attention to the project. He said he would like to see the Commission request that the bridge be constructed. Commissioner Macias agreed. Mr. Buller indicated that could be done via minute action. It was the consensus of the Commission to support a pedestrian bridge to be funded by RDA. Chairman McNiel stated that the Commission had been shown a five-story office building for mass and size, not for architectural design. He encouraged the applicant to enhance the building from what was depicted. Motion: Moved by Tolstoy, seconded by Macias,to adopt the resolutions approving Tentative Tract SUBTT16169 and Development Review 00-79 with modification to provide sufficient parking without a Shared Parking Analysis. Motion carried by the following vote: AYES: MACIAS, MCNIEL, STEWART, TOLSTOY NOES: NONE ABSENT: MANNERINO - carried Oliver Cagle, President, Bumett Companies, 1300 Bristol Street,#200, Newport Beach,thanked staff and the Commission for their efforts in processing the project. He presented a reproduction of the water color of the mixed use building. PUBLIC COMMENTS • There were no public comments at this time. Planning Commission Minutes -4- August 22, 2001 COMMISSION BUSINESS Brad Buller, City Planner, noted that the Commissioners had set of plans for a Pre-Application workshop to be held following the September 12 Planning Commission meeting regarding the Colorado Pacific project between Etiwanda and East Avenues, south of Highland Avenue. ADJOURNMENT Motion: Moved by Macias, seconded by Stewart, carried 4-0-1 (Mannerino absent),to adjourn. The Planning Commission adjourned at 7:49 p.m. Respectfully submitted, - = •tiller Secretary Planning Commission Minutes -5- August 22, 2001