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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999/05/12 - Minutes - PC-HPC CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Regular Meeting May 12, 1999 Chairman McNiel called the Regular Meeting of the City of Rancho Cucamonga Planning Commission to order at 7:06 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 (ardved 7:15 p.m.), John Mannerino, Larry McNiel, Para Stewart, Peter Tolstoy ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Brad Buller, City Planner; Dan Coleman, Principal Planner; Bill Cudy, Deputy City Attorney; Nancy Fong, Senior Planner; Dan James, Senior Civil Engineer; Brent Le Count, Associate Planner; Gail Sanchez, Planning Commission Secretary; Rebecca Van Buren, Associate Planner ANNOUNCEMENTS Brad Buller, City Planner, announced that the applicant for Items F and G had requested that the items be continued until June 9, 1999. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion: Moved by Mannedno, seconded by Stewart, carded 3-0-1-1 (Macias absent, Tolstoy abstain), to approve the minutes of Apd128, 1999. Motion: Moved by Stewart, seconded by Mannedno, carded 3-0-1-1 (Macias absent, Tolstoy abstain), to approve the minutes of the Adjourned Meeting of April 28, 1999. CONSENT CALENDAR A. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW 98-33 - RYLAND HOMES -The design review of building elevations and detailed site plan for previously approved Tentative Tract 15798, consisting of 45 lots on 19.26 acres of land in the Low Residential District (2-4 dwelling units per acre) of the Etiwanda Specific Plan, located west of the 1-15 Freeway on the south side of Highland Avenue - APN: 227-071-32. B. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT REVIEW 99-10 - BUTLER - A request to construct a 72,051 square foot warehouse building on 4.4 acres of land in Subarea 8 (General Industrial) of the Industrial Area Specific Plan, located on the west side of White Oak Avenue between Arrow Route and Jersey Boulevard - APN: 209-144-27. Related file: Preliminary Review 98-16. C. DEVELOPMENT REVIEW 99-14 - PREMIER HOMES: A request to revise the previously approved design review for 77 of the 191 single family lots in Tentative Tract 15814 to provide a different architectural product on Lots 115 through 191 in the southern portion of the tract, located on 18 acres of land in the Low-Medium Residential Distdct (4-8 dwelling units per acre) within the Victoda Vineyards of the Victoria Community Plan, located on the southwest corner of Highland and Rochester Avenues - APN: 227-011-09 and 13. Motion: Moved by Mannerino, seconded by Tolstoy, carried 4-0-1 (Macias absent), to adopt the Consent calendar. Commissioner Macias arrived. PUBLIC HEARINGS D. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 99-07 - SPERR AND ASSOCIATES - A request to modify a previously approved master plan and construct a 16,747 square foot drug store with a drive-thru on a 2.86 acre parcel in the Central Park Plaza within the Neighborhood Commercial Distdct of the Terra Vista Community Plan, located on the southwest comer of Base Line Road and Ellena West - APN: 227-182-10. Related file: Conditional Use Permit 89-18. Rebecca Van Buren, Associate Planner, presented the staff report. Commissioner Stewart asked if there had been a resolution regarding the tower element. Ms. Van Buren responded that the awnings are a high maintenance item that will need to be replaced at least every three years. She observed that there had not yet been a resolution, but the proposed conditions allow the City Planner to approve an alternate material. Commissioner Tolstoy felt the wind will cause problems with the awnings. Commissioner Mannedno asked what kind of material is proposed. Chairman McNiel opened the public headng. Paul Devers, Sperr and Associates, 8001 North 7th Street, Phoenix, AZ, stated they are the architect. He agreed with the conditions of approval. He reported that the awning matedal is a synthetic canvas which is flexible but will be over a rigid frame. He agreed they would like to see something other than awnings. Commissioner Tolstoy indicated that winds can be up to 90 miles per hour. Planning Commission Minutes -2- May 12, 1999 Mr. Devers said they would definitely like to see another treatment. Headng no further testimony, Chairman McNiel closed the public hearing. He asked if the Commissioners were comfortable with having an alternate treatment be approved by staff. It was the consensus of the Commission that was acceptable. Chairman McNiel commented that the applicant had been cooperative. Motion: Moved by Mannedno, seconded by Tolstoy, to issue a Negative Declaration and adopt the resolution approving Conditional Use Permit 99-07. Motion carried by the following vote: AYES: MACIAS, MANNERINO, MCNIEL, STEWART, TOLSTOY NOES: NONE ABSENT: NONE - carried E. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP 15692 - PRUTTING - A subdivision of 4.75 acres of land into 4 parcels in the Very Low Residential District (1-2 dwelling units per acre), located on the west side of Hellman Avenue, south of Hillside Road - APN: 1061-611-02. Dan James, Senior Civil Engineer, presented the staff report. Chairman McNiel opened the public hearing. Patdcia Prutting, 8939 Sage Court, Rancho Cucamonga, concurred with the conditions. Headng no further testimony, Chairman McNiel closed the public hearing. Motion: Moved by Tolstoy, seconded by Macias, to approve the issuance of a Notice of Exemption and to adopt the resolution approving Tentative Parcel Map 15692. Motion carried by the following vote: AYES: MAClAS, MANNERINO, MCNIEL, STEWART, TOLSTOY NOES: NONE ABSENT: NONE - carded F. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 99-02 - CURRY BRANDAW ARCHITECTS - An application to change the General Plan land use designation from Low Residential (2-4 dwelling units per acre) to Low-Medium Residential (4-8 dwelling units per acre) for approximately 5.1 acres of land located on the southeast comer of Hermosa Avenue and 19th Street - APN: 1076-111-09. G. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT AMENDMENT 99-02 - CURRY BRANDAW ARCHITECTS - An application to change the Development District zoning designation from Low Residential (2-4 dwelling units per acre) to Low-Medium Residential (4-8 dwelling units per acre) for approximately 5.1 acres of land located on the southeast comer of Hermosa Avenue and 19th Street - APN: 1076-111-09. Planning Commission Minutes -3- May 12, 1999 Chairman McNiel noted that the applicant had requested the items be continued to June 9, 1999. He opened the public hearing. Motion: Moved by Mannedno, seconded by Stewart, to continue General Plan Amendment 99-02 and Development District Amendment 99~02 to June 9, 1999. Motion carried by the following vote: AYES: MACIAS, MANNERINO, MCNIEL, STEWART, TOLSTOY NOES: NONE ABSENT: NONE - carried DIRECTOR'S REPORTS H. APPEAL OF A SIGN REQUEST WITHIN UNIFORM SIGN PROGRAM NO. 134 - FUNCOLAND - An appeal of the City Planner's decision regarding a wall sign for Funcoland, a retail store within the Terra Vista Towne Center in the Community Commercial District of the Terra Vista Community Plan, located at 10730 Foothill Boulevard, Suite #140 APN: 1077- 421-75. Nancy Fong, Senior Planner, presented the staff report. Chairman McNiel asked why the applicant refiled the same application which the Commission had recently denied. Ms. Fong replied that the applicant wanted to appeal the previous denial to the City Council but missed the filing deadline. Brad Bullet, City Planner, commented that the Commission had numerous discussions with Lewis Homes regarding amending the Uniform Sign Program, at which time Lewis requested that Iogos be permitted on any size sign; however that request was not on the Uniform Sign Program application when it was submitted and that decision was not appealed. Chairman McNiel invited public comments but here were none. Chairman McNiel asked if the applicant had been notified about the meeting. Ms. Fong responded that notification had been given. Commissioner Mannedno saw no reason to find anything different from the March 10 decision to deny the appeal. Commissioner Stewart felt the applicant could comply with the sign program if they wished. She requested that the Sign Ordinance be amended to preclude like applications from being filed within one year of denial, similar to the Development Code. It was the consensus of the Commission to so modify the Sign Ordinance. Commissioner Mannedno asked if the sign was still up. Ms. Fong confirmed that it is. Planning Commission Minutes -4- May 12, 1999 Commissioner Mannedno thought it was supposed to have been removed after the denial in March. Ms. Fong confirmed that was true. Motion: Moved by Mannedno, seconded by Macias, to adopt the resolution denying the appeal and upholding the City Planner's decision to deny a sign application for Funcoland within Uniform Sign Program No. 134. Motion carded by the following vote: AYES: MACIAS, MANNERINO, MCNIEL, STEWART, TOLSTOY NOES: NONE ABSENT: NONE - carded I. GENERAL PLAN LAND USE AMENDMENT POLICY Brad Buller, City Planner, presented the staff report. He indicated he had received a telephone call from Frank Williams of the Building Industry Association, who was in Washington DC and requested that the item be continued. Mr. Bullet stated he had informed Mr. Williams that there would be more discussions which would occur before the matter is referred to the City Council and asked if he would be available to attend the General Plan Update Task Force meeting scheduled for May 19. He reported Mr. Williams indicated he will be able to attend that meeting. Chairman McNiel mentioned the item had been on the Planning Commission agenda in the past. He invited public comment. Bruce Stdckland, Griffin Industries, 9540 Spdngbrook Court, Rancho Cucamonga, stated his company developed the Hawthomes development. He supported what staff had done. He said they recently filed a request for a General Plan Amendment on their property adjacent to the Hawthomes project. He said they did an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the whole block about 1-1/2 years ago when they filed the odginal project. He requested that the area be exempted from any moratorium which may be imposed. Chairman McNiel asked when they purchased the additional property. Mr. Stdckland responded about 6 to 8 months ago. He said they plan to bdng it into their pdvate community. Mr. Bullet noted that it had been staff's recommendation that any moratorium would apply to parcels over 10 acres in any areas of the City. He noted that the Commission had previously indicated a hesitancy to consider any land use going from Commercial or Industrial to Residential. He noted that an EIR was prepared for Gdffin's odginal project. He said staff had received the new application, but it is currently incomplete because necessary studies have not been submitted to answer questions in areas such as the fiscal component. He said the application could be incorporated into the overall General Plan hearing process. He stated the proposal before the Commission would allow the project to be considered concurrently with the General Plan Update preparation of a preferred plan. He said staff was looking for some policy direction from the Commission because this is a known project area. He noted this land could have been considered when their initial project was processed; however, the applicant did not own the property at that time. He observed that the Commission and City Council debated whether the project was fiscally Planning Commission Minutes -5- May 12, 1999 responsible for the City when the first portion was processed because land which had been designated Industrial was being changed to Residential. He said the applicant prepared an extensive fiscal component, but that would need to be updated with the new application. Mr. Stdckland confirmed that staff had indicated the fiscal component would need to be updated but it had not been done as yet. John Mordsette, Amedcan Beauty Development, 16830 Ventura Boulevard, Encino, noted that the moratorium area outlined by staff would go around the Victoda Arbors project. He observed that the Commission has made it clear that additional information is needed regarding the Commercial areas. He thought their application had been officially submitted in the summer of 1997. He noted that they are in the hearing process. He thought some areas of their project could be incorporated and studied with the General Plan update but asked that other areas of their project be allowed to go forward. He asked that the Commercial portion of their project be allowed to go forward as well. Brad Mitzelfeld, Deputy Director, Building Industry Association, said he had received a telephone call from Frank Williams, requesting that he attend the meeting tonight. He asked that the matter be continued. He stated that a moratorium would require a finding that the proposed use would result in a current and immediate threat to public heath, safety, and welfare. He remarked that a General Plan Amendment is a land use designation rather than a use. He thought it may be appropriate to deny a land use entitlement if the findings on health, safety, or welfare could be found but not a General Plan Amendment. He questioned how the current use would not result in a current and immediate threat to the public health, safety, or welfare but a General Plan Amendment would. He asked why inconsistent uses could be legally grandfathered in if they constitute a threat. He thought that a moratorium should exempt any project for which a complete map application had been submitted per the Government Code. He stated that projects which would be consistent with the Draft General Plan Update should be exempt from a moratorium. He asked why 10 acres had been selected. He suggested that if the City was concerned with the additional cost to readjust consultant data gathering and analysis, applicants could provide a fee deposit to cover any additional costs. He thought cost may be the main factor and felt that would not be classified as an immediate threat to public health, safety, and welfare. He feared that establishing a moratorium would create a negative image for the City. Glen Crosby, Kaufman and Broad, 801 Corporate Center Ddve, Pomona, stated they recently processed a Pre-Application Review for approximately 20 acres at Base Line Road and Milliken Avenue with respect to Tentative Tract 15477. He asked that the Commission consider an alternative to a moratorium on General Plan Amendments. He said their site is currently zoned Medium and Medium High and they are considering lowering the density to Low Medium, which he felt would be a minimal impact. He did not feel it would be fair to group such a request in with Commercial or Industrial land use amendments. He asked the Commission to consider the time, effort, and money already spent. He said it was his understanding that the General Plan Update may be a 15-month process and that would have a large impact on the viability of the project. He thought their project would be a benefit to the site, the adjacent homeowners, and the City. He asked the Commission to consider various alternatives, including allowing the applicant to pay some of the additional costs of the consultant, or perhaps setting a deadline which would allow those projects in limbo to file a General Plan Amendment. He asked if a lot-count exclusion could be utilized. He said they are proposing a single-family detached product, similar to the adjacent tract with larger lots. He stated they are in the eady stages of the process but would welcome an opportunity to submit within a certain number of days, perhaps 30 or 60. Planning Commission Minutes -6- May 12, 1999 There were no additional public comments. Chairman McNiel reviewed the General Plan Amendment process and the need for an update. He noted that as General Plan Amendments were processed, it became evident that the City should determine if the vision of the General Plan is still valid. He observed that as soon as the City formed a Task Force to look at the possibility of updating the General Plan, applications for Amendments skyrocketed because developers feared their applications may be delayed dudng any processing of an update. He said the City is burdened with many requests at the same time it is going through a review process to be sure the City is headed in the right direction. He stated the City is concerned about taking action too quickly on amendments. He asked that staff respond to some of the comments made by the public regarding the 10 acres. Mr. Buller said that there is currently a General Plan Amendment application for the comer of 19th Street and Hermosa Avenue which is under 10 acres. He observed that staff recommended 10 acres because projects larger than 10 acres could have a more significant impact but the acreage is flexible. He said staff did not want to preclude a good project from being processed that the City may feel is beneficial and in the direction the City wishes to go. Commissioner Mannerino stated that he and Commissioner Macias are on the Task Force. He said he has been on both sides of the table, as he used to represent developers. He knew there was nothing magical about 10 acres, but felt it has to be something. He said he would feel comfortable in handling General Plan Amendment requests on a request-by-request basis. He indicated he would generally not support an amendment until the update is completed because when requests are submitted which request major changes of land use on substantial portions of property, it requires facts which are beyond what the developer can provide with regard to the overall impact on the City. He indicated he appreciated staff's concems that it would be a waste of staff time to process a request which would probably be turned down. He thought the City could focus the requests to give them higher priodty so that the developers have a guideline as to what they think the City will ultimately do. He supported staffs proposed recommendation so that staff would not be burdened with requests which would have a predictable result. Commissioner Macias concurred with Commissioner Mannedno. He supported staffs position because he wants to ensure the integrity of the General Plan Update process. He thought staffs recommendation would allow the City to have control of the process of updating the plan and control of the process of reviewing and regulating the amendment requests. He felt 10 acres is within reason. He thought update of the General Plan is paramount to the welfare of the community and the City is well within its fights to consider a moratorium if necessary. He concurred with staffs recommendation. Commissioner Stewart concurred. She agreed the General Plan needs to be studied and revised and it is needed to guide the Commission. She supported staff's recommendation. Commissioner Tolstoy concurred. Mr. Bullet indicated that the Commission's recommendation would be forwarded to the General Plan Update Task Force and the public would have an opportunity to raise issues of concern to the Task Force. He said that if anyone wished to submit additional information, it would be helpful to submit it to staff as quickly as possible so that it could be submitted to the Task Force members pdor to the meeting. He said it would be within the purview of the Commission and City Council to take action on any projects which have been submitted. Planning Commission Minutes -7- May 12, 1999 The Commission unanimously supported staff's recommendation. PUBLIC COMMENTS There were no public comments at this time. COMMISSION BUSINESS Brad Buller noted that the Commission had continued the quarterly discussion of Design Review Committee projects from the April 28 workshop to May 26 in order to schedule a field tdp to view completed projects. He noted that the May 26 and June 9 agendas are rather extensive and asked if the Commissioners wished to schedule the field tdp for either of those dates. Chairman McNiel suggested the field trip be postponed until a lighter agenda. Commissioner Tolstoy commented that it is important that all Commissioners go at the same time. Commissioner Stewart and Chairman McNiel agreed. Mr. Buller commented that Commissioners Mannedno and Stewart would be attending a conference regarding Histodc Preserva[ion later in May. Mr. Buller announced that the National Amedcan Planning Association bestowed an award on Dan Coleman, Principal Planner, for his Kids Neighborhood Workshop Internet project. He encouraged members of the audience to check out the program on the Internet. Chairman McNiel announced that tonight's workshop had been canceled because the applicant withdrew the application. ADJOURNMENT Motion: Moved by Mannerino, seconded by Tolstoy, carded 5-0, to adjourn. The Planning Commission adjourned at 8:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Planning Commission Minutes -8- May 12, 1999