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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999/07/17 - Minutes - PC-HPC CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Adjourned Meeting July 14, 1999 Chairman McNiel 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 Rains Room at the Rancho Cucamonga Civic Center, 10500 Civic Center Ddve, Rancho Cucamonga, California. ROLL CALL COMMISSIONERS: PRESENT: John Mannedno, Para Stewart, Rich Macias, Peter Tolstoy, Larry McNiel ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Brad Buller, City Planner, Dan James, Senior Civil Engineer, and Rebecca Van Buren, Associate Planner NEW BUSINESS A. PRE-APPLICATION REVIEW 99-04 - GRABIEL - Review of grading concepts for 21 lots within approved Tentative Tract 10035 on 15.7 acres of land in the Low Residential District (2-4 dwelling units per acre), located on Camino Predera south of Red Hill Country Club Ddve - APN: 207-641-01 through 10 and 207-631-01 through 11. Rebecca Van Buren, Associate Planner, stated the purpose of the pre-application review. Tom Grabiel identified the project site on the south side of Camino Predera. He stated the tract map was recorded in 1985 and that there are 21 existing legal lots of record. He presented photographs of the site, and said there is an ongoing issue of weeds and trash accumulation. He indicated there is a significant quantity of uncompacted fill, illegally dumped on the site over many years. He said preliminary reports indicate about 20,000 cubic yards of uncompacted fill, but this number is expected to be much greater when they actually start the remediation process. He explained the uncompacted fill essentially causes any developer to perform a mass grading effort just to remove, recompact, and provide soil stability for houses and yards. He proposed mass grading the site, but in a way that is sensitive to the natural landform features and view corridors. He reported he had already met with some neighbors and revised his grading concepts to be sensitive to the view corridors of existing homes, He indicated neighbors are supportive of a 4-way stop at Camino Predera and Predera Court to encourage drivers to respect the speed limits and stop sign. Mr. Grabiel indicated the toughest lots are Nos. I through 5, where the slope is the most extreme, He proposed a reinforced fill using a geo-grid technology to create pad sites. He explained the technology and indicated there would be a 1:1 slope. He said the middle lots PC Adjourned Minutes I July 14, 1999 involve a pdvate access road with a new fire main, fire hydrants, and spdnklering of houses beyond the 600-foot road distance. He observed the last five lots are near street level. Ms. Van Buren stated there are different approaches to hillside grading, noting that these lots were approved using a "no grading" or minimal grading approach. She presented the split-level house plans approved for the lots in the late 1980s. She indicated the houses are split a full story height, yet there are still stem walls needed to reach natural contours. She noted that the rear elevations are for houses with only 2,000 square feet. With the current market conditions, she felt the City is likely to receive applications for much larger homes on these custom lots. She noted that there may be some merit to exploring a contour grading approach, which involves mass grading to create natural-appearing hillside contours with undulating slopes and logical plateaus. She presented exhibits showing contour grading concepts. She stated the lower lots show a 6-foot high retaining wall across the south boundary, which indicates these lots need to be refined further to be consistent with contour grading concepts. She observed the upper lots use a 1:1 fill slope and technology that is new to staff and said the applicant would have to provide certified soils and technical reports which would be checked by outside agencies expert in the field. She suggested that these lots may be creating too much flat pad, and the slopes may be alleviated somewhat by reducing the pad area. She requested direction from the Commission regarding the change in approach from no grading to contour grading, the use of 1-1/2:1 and 1:1 slopes, and site-terracing versus split-level pads on individual lots. Commissioner Macias stated the outside consultant review would have to be presented and demonstrated effective before the Commission takes it into consideration. He asked if the turn- around on the access road meets Fire specifications and stated all of the houses should have sprinklers. He emphasized that the Foothill Boulevard view corridor will be a major consideration in the review of the project. Commissioner Stewart concurred with Commissioner Macias regarding outside consultant review and added that drainage is a concern. She stated the 6-foot high retaining wall is not acceptable in a hillside area. She commended the applicant for working with neighbors to address the middle lots, but suggested the applicant work more with the neighborhood to address the upper and lower lots. Commissioner Mannedno said a contour grading approach may be okay. He noted that Lots 1 through 5, the toughest lots, are also the premier lots with exceptional views. He encouraged the applicant to spend time on these lots. He favored sprinklering all the houses. Commissioner Tolstoy said he likes the hillside grading ordinance in regard to a minimal grading approach. He preferred split level houses on the upper five lots, which may reduce the slope issues. He was not convinced a plastic grid would work. He stated plastic becomes brittle over time and did not think it will work in the Red Hill fault zone. He noted that many mass graded banks are not well maintained. He questioned the steepness of the access road. He stated he will not support a 1:1 slope. Chairman McNiel said he was not enthralled with flat pad concepts. He expressed concern with slope failures, such as recent incidents in Laguna and the golf course in the Pacific. He emphasized the site is within the Red Hill fault zone and that plastic technology must have solid proof of its ability. He was concerned with the view from the street into the rear yards and associated privacy measures. He concurred that drainage is an issue. He said it was a tough site, PC Adjourned Minutes 2 July 14, 1999 but a gem of a property. He favored split-level pads which more closely follow the natural contours of the land. He was not inspired by the proposed concept. Mr. Buller summarized the discussion and indicated the Commission noted their willingness to consider the concept further but said it will be important to validate the soil stability technology. PUBLIC COMMENTS There were no comments at this time. ADJOURNMENT. The Planning Commission adjourned at 10:45 p.m. Respe~ctfully submitted, Secretary PC Adjourned Minutes 3 July 14, 1999