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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997/09/10 - Minutes - PC-HPC CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Regular Meeting September 10, 1997 Chairman Barker called the Regular Meeting of the City of Rancho Cucamonga Planning Commission to order at 7:00 p.m. The meeting was held in the Council Chamber at Rancho Cucamonga Civic Center, 10500 Civic Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonga, California. Chairman Barker then led in the pledge of allegiance. ROLL CALL COMMISSIONERS: PRESENT: David Barker, Rich Macias, Larry McNiel ABSENT: William Bethel, Peter Tolstoy STAFF PRESENT: Laura Bonaccorsi, Landscape Designer; Brad Buller, City Planner; Michael Estrada, Deputy City Attorney; Tom Grahn, Associate Planner; Dan James, Senior Civil Engineer; Gail Sanchez, Planning Commission Secretary; Alan Warren, Associate Planner ANNOUNCEMENTS Brad Bullet, City Planner, announced that a field tour would be held on Satu~ay, September 6, 1997, regarding Pre-Application Review 97-05. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion: Moved by McNiel, seconded by Macias, carried 3-0-2 (Bethel, Tolstoy absent), to approve the minutes of August 27, 1997. CONSENT CALENDAR A. DESIGN REVIEW 97-12 FOR TENTATIVE TRACT 15727 - GRIFFIN INDUSTRIES, INC. - The design review of the building elevations, detailed site plans, and grading plans for Phases I and 2; the master plan of walls and fences; and the landscaping plans for a previously approved tentative tract map consisting of 342 single family lots on 82 acres of land in the Low-Medium Residential Distdct (4-8 dwelling units per acre) between Fourth and Sixth Streets, adjacent to the Cucamonga Creek Flood Control Channel-APN: 210-062-02, 11, 13, 17, 18, 19, 26, 32, and 33. Related File: Lot Line Adjustment No. 404. Motion: Moved by McNiel, seconded by Macias, carded 3-0-2 (Bethel, Tolstoy absent), to adopt the Consent Calendar. NEW BUSINESS B. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW 96-34 - COCA-COLA ENTERPRISES - A request to add 63,452 square feet of building area to an existing warehouse facility on 9.2 acres of land in the Industrial Park District (Subarea 6) of the Industrial Area Specific Plan, located at the northwest corner of 6th Street and Utica Avenue - APN: 209-411-16. Tom Grahn, Associate Planner, presented the staff report. Chairman Barker invited public comment. Carlos Cadiz, Cadiz & Cadiz Architects, 940 Calle Negocio, Suite 105, San Clemente, stated he represented Coca-Cola. He indicated he had met with the adjoining property owner approximately a week ago at which time it was requested that Coca-Cola raise the wall height to 12 to 14 feet. Mr. Cadiz said he reviewed the request with Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola indicated that since they were the first property to develop in the area, the neighbor should build the wall if they want it to be 12 to 14 feet high. He observed that the odginal plans called for a chain link fence and staff had requested a wrought iron fence in June. He said Coca-Cola agreed to upgrade the fence to wrought iron. He stated that the City was now requesting a concrete wall, and again Coca-Cola agreed to the upgrade. He did not feel a 12- to 14-foot high wall would be aesthetically pleasing and asked that the wall be kept at the current height. He stated the wall will be built to match the existing front wall. He reported the wall will be built at the beginning of construction after grading and putting down the slabs. He observed that standards require a 5-foot wide landscape area adjacent to the perimeter wall but they had doubled that to 10 feet and 20 trees will be placed in the area to buffer the use from the adjoining property. He indicated Coca-Cola felt that should be sufficient and suggested the adjoining property owner could add trees on their side of the wall if they so desire. Commissioner McNiel asked if all of the suggestions from the Design Review Committee were implemented. Mr. Grahn responded affirmatively. Motion: Moved by Macias, seconded by McNiel, to issue a Negative Declaration and adopt the resolution approving Development Review 96-34. Motion carried by the following vote: AYES: BARKER, MACIAS, MCNIEL NOES: NONE ABSENT: BETHEL, TOLSTOY - carried DIRECTOR'S REPORTS C. CONSIDERATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE: DESIGN STRATEGIES TO REDUCE MAINTENANCE COSTS IN LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE DISTRICT (LMD) AREAS. Laura Bonaccorsi, Landscape Designer, presented the staff report. Chairman Barker requested further explanation on the proposal to eliminate acceptance of side yard areas. Mr. Bonaccorsi replied the City was proposing not accepting side yards into the LMDs where homeowners have access to the side yards. Planning Commission Minutes -2- September 10, 1997 Chairman Barker asked what would prevent the area from being left unlandscaped. Brad Buller, City Planner, stated if approved landscaped areas are not maintained, it would be necessary to involve Code Enforcement. He noted that the City was trying to minimize the exposure of maintaining more landscaping than necessary in the wake of Proposition 218. Chairman Barker noted that some projects have been approved which were designed without the proposed provisions. He observed the policy would be in place for new projects and he questioned if it should be considered for time extensions. He noted the City will be pushing developers to provide landscaping, but asking the developer to maintain the landscaping. He thought The City should look carefully at all projects Ms. Bonaccorsi stated several projects are in transition. She felt there is enough latitude in the policy for design variations and stated staff will look at implementation on a project-by-project basis. She indicated that the Griffin project is in LMD No. 1, which has a ratio of 114 square feet of landscape per assessment unit. She stated the City will be trying to maintain the same ratio per unit in order to keep costs stable. She noted that in order to maintain the 114 square foot ratio, Griffin would be allowed 40,000 square feet of landscaping but the project is proposing over 100,000 square feet. She said they will be adding hardscape into the landscaped area in an effort to have the square footage of landscaping entering the LMD equal to the assessment units coming in. Mr. Buller stated that based on Proposition 218, the City will become more attuned to this. He said the City previously would accept remnant landscaping but the City now wants to minimize the impacts by managing what comes into the district in an effort to avoid having to raise assessments, which would require a vote of the property owners. Chairman Barker noted that the policy calls for curb-adjacent sidewalks where possible. He feared that did not allow flexibility. He wanted to emphasize the need for creativity and allowing room for flexibility. He did not want to tie the hands of developers nor require landscaping that cannot be maintained. Ms. Bonaccorsi stated the City would try to balance money and aesthetics. Mr. Bullet stated that on the Griffin project, staff was not trying to push the percentage as much as the design, He said the wording is meant to be flexible. Chairman Barker asked if all districts would be kept to the square footage ratio existing in the respective districts. Ms. Bonaccorsi stated that was a ballpark goal. She noted the previous trend has been to increase square footage. Chairman Barker asked what would happen if an election were required because of increased costs and the property owners voted against any increased costs. Ms. Bonaccorsi replied it may depend upon the district. She stated the City may choose to pick up the shortfall from the General Fund with a Iow maintenance level. She said there would be a risk of losing landscaping in particular districts. Chairman Barker said he was not advocating a lack of responsibility. He stated he was impressed with the amount of thought which had gone into the proposed design strategies and said he just wanted to be sure that creativity is promoted. Mr. Bullet noted the City Council was asking for the Commission's comments. He stated the Commission was not being asked to approve the policy. Planning Commission Minutes -3- September 10, 1997 Commissioner McNiel observed that LMD No. 1 has the lowest ratio of landscaping per assessment unit and asked if there could be a backlash as a result. Ms. Bonaccorsi stated staff used that figure because it affects the greatest number of homes in the City and, being the smallest, would have the most easily tipped scale. She also commented that LMD No. 2, which has the highest ratio, is Victoda and is mostly built out. She remarked that people buy into cedain areas with certain expectations. Commissioner McNiel felt that people buy into the community. He said he did not want to Iow ball nor bankrupt the figures. He expressed concern about allowing the 40 percent hardscape requirement to be reduced at the discretion of the City Engineer. Ms. Bonaccorsi asked if he would be more comfortable if it were at the discretion of the City Engineer and City Planner. Commissioner McNiel agreed that would be better. Ms. Bonaccorsi felt the policy will be reevaluated in a year or two. Commissioner Macias suggested a formal recommendation from the Commission that the policy be reviewed after a certain period of time. Chairman Barker felt it would be best to review the results after construction of several projects. Mr. Buller stated the Commission would be applying this policy as projects go through the process and therefore will have a first-hand account of how it is worked out in the project's design. He supported the Planning Commission's recommendation to review the policy after a period of time. He noted the City Council has to review the policy from a fiscal viewpoint. Chairman Barker felt the Commission would also want to know if the policy is fiscally working. He thought the policy should be monitored and adjusted. Commissioner McNiel observed that 1.B calls for curb-adjacent sidewalks "where possible." He thought they would be possible anywhere, but perhaps not suitable. Commissioner Macias feared losing the Rancho Cucamonga image. He felt the fiscal realities require trying the policy and he suggested revisiting the policy after two to three developments are constructed. He suggested modifying Design Review Committee staff comments to show how the issue is addressed 'in each development. Mr. Buller asked it there is a policy for areas of transition if it is determined that the pattern of landscaping, and maybe even the dimensions of the area, is to change. Ms. Bonaccorsi stated it is a collective effort to preserve energy. She felt changing the setbacks would be wrong. She noted that spacing could be increased, plant materials can be changed, and sidewalks and hardscape can be increased. She said application will be on a project-by-project basis. Chairman Barker questioned how the policy will effect the missing section of Victoria Park Lane. Ms. Bonaccorsi indicated the width and landscape palette would not be changed, but hardscape would be widened in the middle. Chairman Barker invited public comment. Planning Commission Minutes -4- September 10, 1997 Bruce Stdckland, Gdffin Industries, 24005 Ventura Boulevard, Calabasas, felt the proposed policies will work. He noted that LMD No. 1 is the oldest and largest in the City. He thought the new design polices will reduce the maintenance cost and felt that should be a focus rather than reducing the square footage. He suggested that the City investigate setting up separate subareas within LMDs. He felt that since his company is the property owner at this point, the company could vote for an increase if a separate subarea within LMD 1 were set up for his property. He also thought it could be set up to include an annual increase within that separate subarea without going to vote each year. He thought the new homeowners would be willing to pay more for the assessment. He cautioned against having developers install landscaping which would then be turned over to homeowners associations formed merely to take care of limited landscaping in developments where there are no common amenities. He felt such homeowners associations would fail. PUBLIC COMMENTS Edward Rande, 13272 Catalpa Street, Rancho Cucamonga, raised questions and concerns about the rerouting of Highland Avenue from Etiwanda Street to East Avenue because of the Route 30 freeway. Chairman Barker suggested that Mr. Rande speak to the Engineering Division staff. He indicated that the Planning Commission had not designed the freeway. Dan James, Senior Civil Engineer, gave Mr. Rande his card and indicated he would contact him. COMMISSION BUSINESS None ADJOURNMENT Motion: Moved by McNie~, seconded by Macias, carried 3-0-2 (Bethel, Tolstoy absent), to adjourn. 8:17 p.m. - The Planning Commission adjourned to a workshop regarding Pre-Application Review 97-12. The workshop adjourned at 9:25 p.m. and those minutes appear separately. Respectfully submitted, Secretary Planning Commission Minutes -5- September 10, 1997