HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000/04/12 - Minutes - PC-HPC CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
Regular Meeting
April 12, 2000
Chairman McNiel called the Regular Meeting of the City of Rancho Cucamonga Planning
Commission to order at 7:03 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, John Mannerino, Larry McNiel, Pam Stewart, Peter
Tolstoy
ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Brad Buller, City Planner; Dan Coleman, Principal Planner; Kevin Ennis,
Assistant City Attorney; Nancy Fong, Senior Planner, Rick Gomez; Community
Development Director, Dan James, Senior Civil Engineer; Brent Count,
Associate Planner; Debra Meier, Contract Planner; Lois Schrader, Planning
Secretary; Rudy Zeledon, Assistant Planner
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Brad Buller, City Planner, announced that Consent Items A and B have companion Items shown as
Public Hearing Items C and D and that the Consent items would be presented by staff in conjunction
with their related public hearing applications. Mr. Buller added that Items E, F and G would also be
heard together. Mr. Buller announced that there would be an oral report in regard to the Central Park
presented by Mr. Rick Gomez, Community Development Director following the General Plan Update
report.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion: Moved by Mannerino, seconded by Stewart, carried 4-0-1 (Macias abstained), to approve
the minutes of March 22, 2000.
Motion: Moved by Mannerino, seconded by Stewart, carried 4-0-1 (Macias abstained), to approve
the minutes of the Adjourned Meeting March 22, 2000.
CONSENT CALENDAR
A. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW 99-72— RYLAND HOMES
—The design review of building elevations and detailed site plan for 78 homes within Tentative
Tracts 15911 and 15912 in the Low-Medium Residential District (4-8 dwelling units per acre)
of the Etiwanda Specific Plan, located on the southwest and northeast corners of East Avenue
Planning Commission Minutes -1- April 12, 2000
and the Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way - APN: 227-131-05 and 227-141-11 and 12.
Related File: Variance 99-11.
B. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW 00-07 — FORECAST
HOMES —The design review of building elevations and detailed site plan for recorded Tract
13759 consisting of 56 single-family lots on 14 acres of land in the Low Residential District (2-4
dwelling units per acre), located on the west side of Haven Avenue, east side of Center Avenue,
and north of the Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way - APN: 1076-301-20 through 75.
Related files: Variance 00-01 and Tree Removal Permit 00-07.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
C. VARIANCE 99-11 - RYLAND HOMES - A request to construct perimeter tract walls up to
approximately 17 feet high where a maximum height of 6 feet is permitted for freeway noise
mitigation purposes for Tracts 15911 and 15912 in the Low-Medium Residential District (4-8
dwelling units per acre) of the Etiwanda Specific Plan, located on the southwest and northeast
corners of East Avenue and the Southern Pacific right-of-way - APN: 227-131-05 and
227-141-11 and 012, Related File: Development Review 99-72.
Brent Le Count, Associate Planner, presented the staff report.
Chairman McNiel asked if some of the proposed wall runs along the Rails to Trail connection.
Mr. Le Count responded affirmatively and explained that the maximum wall height at that point would
be 11 feet.
Chairman McNiel asked for a description of the treatment that would be used for the wall.
Mr. Le Count explained that to mitigate the appearance of the wall, certain materials would be
required such as split faced/fluted block, a two-tone color scheme to break up the visual height of
the wall and vine pockets.
Chairman McNiel asked if the vine pockets would be sufficient for graffiti coverage.
Commissioner Stewart concurred that she definitely wanted vine pockets.
Mr. Le Count stated it would be enough if the little bunnies don't eat them all.
Commissioner Tolstoy suggested that Mr. Le Count call RBF Associates and let them know that the
freeway should be referred to as State Highway 15, not 31.
Chairman McNiel opened the public hearing.
John Melcher, P.O. Box 1085, Rancho Cucamonga, representing Ryland Homes, stated that they
had worked closely with staff and had read all the conditions and are requesting approval from the
Planning Commission.
Chairman McNiel hearing no further comments, closed the public hearing.
Planning Commission Minutes -2- April 12, 2000
Commissioner Tolstoy commented that as a rule, he hates high walls and he hates to see people
walled in, but that since it is required for the comfort of the people living there, he has no problem
with it.
Chairman McNiel commented that the problem in this case is that in order to have enough berm
height that would reduce the height of the wall, valuable land would be consumed which is intended
for a linear park. He noted that they had to take the approach of the lesser of two evils by providing
the wall height, but to disguise it in the best way possible.
Commissioner Tolstoy noted that in 1977, Rancho Cucamonga was known as the "walled city."
Motion: Moved by Mannerino, seconded by Macias to issue the Negative Declaration and adopt the
Resolutions and Conditions approving Development Review 99-72 and Variance 99-11. Motion
carried by the following vote:
AYES: MACIAS, MANNERINO, MCNIEL, STEWART, TOLSTOY
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE - carried
D. VARIANCE 00-01- FORECAST HOMES-A request to increase the wall height to 12 feet along
the southern boundary of recorded Tract 13759 where the Development Code allows a
maximum wall height of 6 feet for Development Review 00-07 located on the west side of Haven
Avenue, east side of Center Avenue and north of the Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way-
APN: 1076-301-20 through 75. Related files: Development Review 00-07 and Tree Removal
Permit 00-07.
Rudy Zeledon, Assistant Planner, presented the staff report. Mr. Zeledon reported that several
telephone calls had been received from residents on the north side of the proposed project with
complaints that their walls had been damaged by the rough grading taking place on the site. Mr.
Zeledon further explained that the applicant has been working with the residents on a case by case
basis to repair or replace the damaged walls.
Chairman McNiel asked if there were any questions.
Commissioner Tolstoy asked if most of the water runoff from the project would drain to Haven
Avenue.
Mr. Zeledon stated that the lots will drain to a catch Basin.
Chairman McNiel opened the public hearing.
Jimmy Previty from Forecast Homes, 10670 Civic Center Drive in Rancho Cucamonga, stated they
are anxious to do business in Rancho Cucamonga.
Commissioner Stewart asked how the negotiations with the residents are progressing in relation to
the damaged walls.
Mr. Previty stated it is going fairly well and that they had already replaced one homeowner's wall and
making repairs to another. He continued by noting that they were in an unusual situation because
the map was 10 years old and previous agreements had been made with the homeowners in regard
to the common wall. He commented that some of the homeowners were dissatisfied with the
original agreement, others wanted a new wall and some others did not. He added that from their
marketing standpoint, they would prefer to replace the entire wall, but some of the homeowners were
Planning Commission Minutes -3- April 12, 2000
not in favor of that, therefore, they would deal with each case individually.
Chairman McNiel asked for clarification as to what the applicant planned to do with respect to the
wall.
Mr. Previty said that it would be handled on a case by case basis. He noted that they were resistant
to the idea that the developer would have "deep pockets" and that the residents could get all that
they could from them. He noted to the contrary that they would be good corporate citizens and repair
any damage and that they would go above the expected level to have good relations in the
neighborhood.
Chairman McNiel asked that if it was a free-standing, isolated project, would an entirely new wall be
built around the entire project.
Mr. Previty confirmed that would occur .
Chairman McNiel strongly stated that he did not want to hear any"flap" about dissatisfied or unhappy
adjacent homeowners residing adjacent to his project because the integrity of their wall has been
compromised and replacement or repair is needed.
Mr. Previty noted that so far, if a homeowner has had a problem with their wall, they are repairing
or replacing it.
Chairman McNiel opened the public hearing.
Chairman McNiel heard no comments and therefore closed the public hearing.
Chairman McNiel asked what was being done to mitigate the visual impact of the high wall.
Mr. Zeledon stated that the conditions of approval include the use of two-toned color scheme, split
faced/fluted block and vine pockets. He noted that on Haven Avenue it would include split faced
block with pilasters and precision block in a two-tone color. He added that the walls would be
decorative and consistent with the neighborhood.
Chairman McNiel thanked Mr. Previty for his willingness to go through the design review process,
in spite of a few moments of disagreement. He added that he felt that he has at the conclusion of
the process a fine product that will be a good addition to the neighborhood.
Motion: Moved by Tolstoy, seconded by Mannerino to issue the Negative Declaration and adopt
the Resolutions of Approval with Conditions for Development Review 00-07 and Variance 00-01.
Motion carried by the following vote:
AYES: MACIAS, MANNERINO, MCNIEL, STEWART, TOLSTOY
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE - carried
E. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND PARCEL MAP 15453- LEWIS OPERATING CORP.
- The request for a parcel map to create three parcels totaling 62.71 acres within the northeast
quadrant of the Terra Vista Community Plan. The parcel map is intended for financing and
conveyance purposes only between Lewis Operating Corp. and Kaufman and Broad -
APN: 227-151-22, 32, and 34. Staff has prepared a Negative Declaration of environmental
impacts for consideration
Planning Commission Minutes -4- April 12, 2000
F. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND PARCEL MAP 15454- LEWIS OPERATING CORP.
- The request for a parcel map to create four parcels totaling 102.13 acres within the southeast
quadrant of the Terra Vista Community Plan. The parcel map is intended for financing and
conveyance purposes only between Lewis Operating Corp. and Kaufman and Broad -
APN: 227-151-26, 30, and 52. Staff has prepared a Negative Declaration of environmental
impacts for consideration.
G. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND PARCEL MAP 15455- LEWIS OPERATING CORP.
- The request for a parcel map to create three parcels totaling 43.27 acres within the southeast
quadrant of the Terra Vista Community Plan. The parcel map is intended for financing and
conveyance purposes only between Lewis Operating Corp. and Kaufman and Broad -
APN: 227-151-51 and 53. Staff has prepared a Negative Declaration of environmental impacts
for consideration.
Debra Meier, Contract Planner, presented the staff report.
Chairman McNiel asked if they would be hearing Variance requests in the future because of the
oddly shaped, and poorly configured lots.
Ms. Meier noted that all of the parcels are vacant and are adjacent to previously developed areas
of the Terra Vista Community Plan and that they are consistent with what is in the plan and that they
were agreed upon with the applicant. She continued and said they are consistent with the land uses
in the Terra Vista Community Plan. She added that they believe they have resolved any issues that
they are developable as they are shown and that they are not expecting Variance requests.
Chairman McNiel asked if she believed then that there would be no need for any Variances.
Ms. Meier stated that requests for Variances was not the intent.
Brad Buller, City Planner, noted that the point was well taken because this issue arose in a previous
project with Lewis Homes. He added that during the process, the applicant committed to staff that
these lines would be workable and that they did not foresee the need for a future Variance request.
Mr. Buller noted that the applicant is well aware of the concem about this issue.
Chairman McNiel asserted that he wanted to make it clear that neither he nor anyone else on the
Planning Commission is anticipating any Variances because of the way the lots have been divided.
Chairman McNiel opened the public hearing.
Mr. Jai)/Cockroft of Kaufman and Broad, 801 Corporate Center Drive, Pomona, confirmed that it is
not their intention to introduce a Variance request and that they are conditioned to do the Master
Planning and that they do not anticipate the need for a Variance.
Chairman McNiel asked if he anticipated being the representative that would work with staff to the
completion of the projects.
Mr. Cockroft stated that he hoped to be with them through their completion as far as the Kaufman
and Broad projects are concemed specifically the single family development. He added that Lewis
Homes would be developing the multi-family portions.
Commissioner Tolstoy noted that because of the large size of the pieces of property, he felt the
developer should be able to adjust and there should be no need for any Variances.
Chairman McNiel closed the public hearing.
Planning Commission Minutes -5- April 12, 2000
Motion: Moved by Stewart, seconded by Tolstoy, to issue the Negative Declaration and adopt the
Resolutions of Approval for Parcel Maps 15453, 15454 and 15455.
AYES: MACIAS, MANNERINO, MCNIEL, STEWART, TOLSTOY
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE - carried
DIRECTORS REPORTS
H. PRELIMINARY REVIEW 00-04—CUCAMONGA SCHOOL DISTRICT-A courtesy review of the
proposed site acquisition of approximately 10 acres of land for an elementary school, located
at the southeast corner of Sixth Street and Hellman Avenue -APN: 210-061-05 and 06.
Mr. Dan Coleman, Principal Planner gave the report noting the issues to be considered such as
decorative fencing as opposed to chain link, a courtesy review of the building elevations, the
inclusion of design elements used by the Hawthorne development and access issues and the flood
plain issue.
Chairman McNiel asked what portion of the property is located in the flood plain.
Mr. Coleman replied that about one third of the property is in the flood plain.
Chairman McNiel asked if that area was buildable.
Mr. Coleman stated that with the flood protection walls, it is buildable.
Chairman McNiel asked if the school would be using the park.
Mr. Coleman responded negatively and noted the street separation and the related safety issue to
students.
Chairman McNiel asked if there would be a bridge across so that students could use the park.
Mr. Coleman stated that a bridge was not going to be constructed.
Brad Buller, City Planner, noted that in the past, the City has allowed schools and parks to share
acreage and that a park and a smaller school site together could meet the needs of the
neighborhood and that one of the goals of the General Plan is to get schools and parks close
together so that they can be shared. He continued by saying that they now believe it is best to
require both the school and park to provide their own required acreage with the understanding that
on occasion the parking at the school may be used by the park and the school may use the park
facilities. He noted the school district has been very open to reciprocal use and access, and staff
is encouraged that there will be a good working relationship there.
Chairman McNiel asked about the "sliver" of land along the channel and if it was ever acquired by
the adjacent housing development.
Mr. Coleman stated that they did not acquire that land but that the tract map does show a stub-street
access that could allow for future development of that land that is currently fallow.
Mr. Buller noted that the school district is aware of that street and that if they do open access there
they will have to address the flood issue.
Planning Commission Minutes -6- April 12, 2000
Chairman McNiel asked if they would ever acquire that land.
Mr. Coleman replied that he had doubts about that because it is unusual for a school district to
develop a site larger than 10 acres for an elementary school.
Commissioner Tolstoy expressed concern that the school district should be fully aware of the flood
issues there.
Chairman McNiel indicated that he thought they would be aware of the flooding at this point. He then
asked what action, if any should be taken by the Planning Commission on this issue.
Mr. Coleman replied that the comments of the Commission would be forwarded in writing to the
school district.
Chairman McNiel asked if any plans for the buildings were available for review or if the discussion
was limited to the acquisition of the property.
Mr. Buller replied that there are no elevations to review at this point and that this was a preliminary
review.
Kevin Ennis, Deputy City Attorney, suggested the Planning Commission could make a motion to
approve the staff recommendations.
Motion: Moved by Mannerino, seconded by Stewart, to forward staffs written recommendations to
the school district.
AYES: MACIAS, MANNERINO, MCNIEL, STEWART, TOLSTOY
ABSENT: NONE
ABSENT: NONE - carried
I. A STAFF REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO INITIATE AN AMENDMENT TO THE
DEVELOPMENT CODE TO ADD A MIXED USE ZONING DISTRICT
Brad Buller, City Planner, presented the report.
Chairman McNiel asked if there would be a "worse case scenario."
Mr. Buller emphasized that this would be a "win-win" situation. He cited the patterns of the current
development indicating that this would close the final point of a quadrant of an area that has been
revitalized as a senior enclave with people walking and shopping in the area which includes a new
99 Cent Store, Dairy Queen, and other shops. He added that this is an opportunity to have a new
senior project close to an elementary school, abutting a Rails-to-Trails corridor that encourages
alternative modes of movement such as walking and biking.
Commissioner Mannerino commented that it was important to him that the City did not allow"Mixed
Use" as a general rule instead of a well thought out plan. He clarified that although it does not apply
in this case, but, as he had stated to the General Plan Task Force, it should not be viewed as a
"short term, quick fix."
Chairman McNiel, and Commissioners Macias, Stewart, and Tolstoy voiced their agreement with
Commissioner Mannerino.
Planning Commission Minutes -7- April 12, 2000
Motion: Moved by Stewart, seconded by Mannerino to approve the staff recommendation to initiate
the amendment to the Development Code to add a Mixed Use zoning district.
AYES: MACIAS, MANNERINO, MCNIEL, STEWART, TOLSTOY
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE - carried
PUBLIC COMMENTS
No public comments were received
•
COMMISSION BUSINESS
J. GENERAL PLAN UPDATE PROGRESS — Oral report.
Brad Buller, City Planner, gave the progress report offering good news from Sanbag in regard to the
traffic issues, noting that they are moving forward with the traffic numbers. He also reported that
documents for tentative review are beginning to arrive and that the tentative date for review is in
June. He explained that the documents will be presented in a "Super Element" format, which should
allow for an easier review.
CENTRAL PARK UPDATE—Oral report
Brad Buller, City Planner, prefaced the report by noting the Planning Commissioners would be
attending a special meeting with the Parks and Recreation Commission on April 20, 2000, to hear
a presentation on the historical background of the design elements of the park and the current
physical design.
The report was presented by Rick Gomez, Community Development Director.
Mr. Gomez offered to answer questions noting that the previous week they had viewed a video on
the park which gave a history and process of the Central park concept and gave an overview of the
involvement of the previous task forces that oversaw the Citywide survey and the packages that
have been sent out to the citizens for the $129 yearly fee. He noted the fee includes lakes, an
aquatic center, tennis complex, open space areas and the off-leash dog area. He reported that there
is a group supporting Measure "J" (Central Park on the ballot) headed up by Eric Vail of Covington
and Crowe, who are gathering support for the measure. Mr. Gomez added that the role of the City
is to provide the ballot information, the fee structure, and the components of the park.
Chairman McNiel asked what other methods are being used to communicate the park concept.
Mr. Gomez replied that numerous showings of the video are on RCN-Channel 3. He also indicated
they are speaking before service club groups and other groups that invite them to come. He stated
that they are to be an advocacy group, but they present the information so the public understands
the issues.
Chairman McNiel commented that regardless as to how people vote, it is crucial that people
understand what they are voting on and that they understand how long this issue has been around.
Planning Commission Minutes -8- April 12, 2000
•
Mr. Gomez mentioned that nothing is being imposed on the voters and that the City is giving the
community the opportunity to decide.
Chairman McNiel stated that he hopes for approval for the park because he feels it would be a huge
asset to the community.
Mr. Brad Buller, City Planner noted that the flyer includes a phone number for Rick Gomez as well
as an e-mail address for the community members to use for questions or comments.
ADJOURNMENT
Motion: Moved by Mannerino, seconded by Stewart. The Planning Commission adjoumed at
7:50 p.m. to a Workshop to discuss Pre-Application Review 00-06. The workshop adjourned at
9:45 p.m. and those minutes appear separately.
Respectfully submitted,
ri ,u ii
Br.117 ler
S-cretary
Planning Commission Minutes -9- April 12, 2000