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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994/02/23 - Minutes - PC-HPCCITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Regular Meeting February 23, 1994 Chairman Barker 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 Barker then led in the pledge of allegiance. ROLL CALL COMMISSIONERS: PRESENT: David Barker, Heinz Lumpp, Larry McNiel, Peter Tolstoy ABSENT: John Melcher STAFF PRESENT: Shintu Bose, Deputy City Engineer; Brad Buller, City Planner; Dan Coleman, Principal Planner; Nancy Fong, Senior Planner; Rick Gomez, Community Development Director; Ralph Hanson, Deputy City Attorney; Dan James, Senior Civil Engineer; Betty Miller, Associate Engineer; Diane O'Neal, Management Analyst II; Gail Sanchez, Planning Commission Secretary , , , , , ANNOUNCEMENTS Brad Bullet, City Planner, announced that each Commissioner had been given a memorandum regarding the Metrolink schedule. , , , , , APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion: Moved by McNiel, seconded by Lumpp, carried 3-0-1-1 with Melcher absent and Tolstoy abstaining, to adopt the minutes of the Adjourned Meeting of December 8, 1993. Motion: Moved by McNiel, seconded by Lumpp, carried 3-0-1-1 with Melcher absent and Tolstoy abstaining, to adopt the minutes of January 26, 1994. Motion: Moved by McNiel, seconded by Tolstoy, carried 4-0-1 with Melcher absent, to adopt the minutes of the Adjourned Meeting of February 8, 1994. Motion: Moved by Tolstoy, seconded by Lumpp, carried 3-0-1-1 with Melcher absent and McNiel abstaining, to adopt the minutes of the Adjourned Meeting of February 9, 1994, as amended. Motion: Moved by McNiel, seconded by Tolstoy, carried 4-0-1 with Melcher absent, to adopt the minutes of February 9, 1994, as amended. CONSENT CALENDAR Ae MODIFICATION TO CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 79-01 - UNOCAL - A request to modify the color scheme for a gas station within the Rancho Town shopping center, in the Community Commercial District (Subarea 2) of the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan, located at 9082 Foothill Boulevard - APN: 208-101-17 through 20, 49, and 50. Motion: Moved by Lumpp, seconded by McNiel, carried 4-0-1 with Melcher absent, to adopt the Consent Calendar. , , , , PUBLIC HEARINGS Be DRAFT SUBSEOUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT - GENERAL DYNAMICS - A public hearing on a Draft Subsequent EIR for the General Dynamics Rancho Cucamonga Subarea Specific Plan 93-01, General Plan Amendment 93-02A, and Industrial Area Specific Plan Amendment 93-03 for the redevelopment of 380 acres of land that would include recreational, commercial, and retail facilities surrounding an 18-hole golf course, bounded on the south by 4th Street, on the east by Milliken Avenue, on the north by the A. T. & S. F. (Metrolink) Railroad, and on the west by Cleveland Avenue and Utica Street. (Continued from January 26, 1994) DIRECTOR'S REPORTS C. SPECIFIC PLAN 93-01 - GENERAL DYNAMICS - A plan for the development of 380 acres of land that would include recreational, commercial, and retail facilities surrounding an 18-hole golf course, bounded on the south by 4th Street, on the east by Milliken Avenue, on the north by the A. T. & S. F. (Metrolink) Railroad, and on the west by Cleveland Avenue and Utica Street. Dan Coleman, Principal Planner, presented the staff report. He reported that staff had received the screen check copy of the Mitigation Monitoring Program and it would be forwarded to the Commission prior to the final review on April 27, 1994. Me stated that revised proposed language on master plans was before the Commissioners. He said the applicant proposes providing a master plan at the time the property is subdivided and once the Planning Commission approved the master plan, subsequent reviews would be handled at staff level by the City Planner. He said an example of such a master plan was the recent Olive Garden Master Plan in which the Commission had approved a conceptual site plan, general building locations, access points, circulation, and some representation of where office and retail uses might go. He said the second level of master plan proposed by the applicant and staff is a more detailed master plan which would deal with specific buildings. He showed the Bixby Ranch Business Park guidelines, which include detailed design guidelines for architecture, theme of materials, massing, colors, landscaping, etc. Planning Commission Minutes -2- February 23, 1994 Chairman Barker opened the public hearing. Commissioner McNiel noted the proposal is a departure from what has been done in the past in that the Planning Commission currently reviews the buildings and the proposal would have the Commission approving a master plan. He said he did not oppose such a plan so long as the master plan is definitive in identifying the materials and architectural elements the Commission would normally handle. He questioned who would be the arbitrator of disputes between staff and the applicant regarding implementation of the master plan. Brad Buller, City Planner, stated the City Planner would make a decision which could be appealed to the Planning Commission or the matter could be heard by the Commission by mutual consent. He said any decisions by the Commission would be appealable to the City Council. Commissioner McNiel asked if the master plan would identify by example the type of architecture, etc. which would be presented. Mr. Bullet said the applicant was also proposing a tiered master plan review so that a portion of a planning area could be developed prior to completing the detailed level of that master plan. He said staff supports that flexibility to provide the applicant a chance to market the property in the planning areas. Commissioner McNiel stated he appreciated what the applicant was trying to accomplish, but he was concerned that the City not write a blank check in the interest of flexibility. Chairman Barker opened the public hearing. Jeff Kudlac, Kudlac Associates, 10900 East 4th Street, Rancho Cucamonga, stated he and others on the planning team were available to answer questions. He said they have had a variety of productive meetings with staff and he was pleased with the progress. Chairman Barker stated he had read market studies from two development groups citing the need for additional retail. He asked if General Dynamics had prepared such a study. Mr. Kudlac stated they have done a lot of analysis regarding the market for golf. He said they were trying to create some synergy and activity related to the golf course and this would be an all new market. Chairman Barker asked if they had done a market study on retail uses. Mr. Kudlac replied they have done a fiscal analysis which was included in the Specific Plan. He said they have tried to provide flexibility because they believe they can create a market. Chairman Barker asked if the master plan would include standards for mixing different types of land uses. Planning Commission Minutes -3- February 23, 1994 Mr. Kudlac said it would and noted that design details would also be part of the master plan. He said staff had shared some master plans and discussed the level of detail and he understood the level of detail that would be expected by the Commission in the master plan process. Chaiman Barker asked if professional golf tournaments were anticipated. Mr. Kudlac replied they had not come to any conclusions in that respect. He felt it will be a championship quality course but said they had not determined what future activities would be occurring there. Chairman Barker felt any tournaments or other large events could cause parking problems. Mr. Kudlac responded they expected to have reciprocal access easements and parking. He felt such instances could be acco~unodated and thought it would be addressed within the master plans for the planning areas. Commissioner McNiel felt there is some risk because of the unique aspect of the project as compared to typical golf courses. He noted that the proximity of the Metrolink station could be an asset. Mr. Bullet noted the applicant had prepared a composite of development activity and land uses around the project. Mr. Kudlac showed the exhibit identifying existing and proposed projects as well as designated land uses. He said they wanted to take advantage of the changing land uses to the south. He observed the project has great freeway access. He felt the proposed flexibility and mixed-use concept would allow them to respond to market changes as the changes continue to happen over the next 10 to 15 years. Commissioner Lumpp questioned if there was enough justification in the EIR for the Council to make a determination regarding the overriding consideration relating to the loss of agricultural land. Tom Smith, Michael Brandman Associates, 2530 Red Hill Avenue, Santa Aria, felt there is sufficient language. He felt there was adequate evidence in the record because the finding had already been made with the certification of the EIR for the Industrial Area Specific Plan and said they had referenced that certification action by the City. Commissioner Lumpp asked for clarification on a program versus a focused EIR. Mr. Smith responded that a program EIR is intended to be comprehensive enough to allow development to occur without the need for preparation of another EIR. He said in that respect, this document was intended to be a program EIR for the Specific Plan. He said individual master plans under the specific plan would have environmental review and would be compared against the specific plan and the evaluation in the EIR for consistency. He said their program EIR was focused because during the initial study, certain issues were determined not to have potential for generating environmental impacts and the Planning Commission Minutes -4- February 23, 1994 EIR focused on the issues which were thought to have potential impacts. said the initial study documentation was included. He Commissioner Lumpp questioned why the traffic analysis concentrated on the p.m. peak. He thought the trip generation factors used for various uses appeared to be low. He thought perhaps factors should be based on number of parking spaces provided or number of rounds on the golf course rather than the acreage. He also noted the factor for the theatres used the number of screens rather than the number of seats or parking spaces. He thought the total project trip generation factors appear low. He noted that the traffic mitigation measures for 2010 indicate significant improvements will be necessary to certain surrounding streets. He asked who would pay for those improvements. Dan James, Senior Civil Engineer, stated that transportation fees are collected with development and those fees are used to pay for improvements throughout the City. Mr. Smith said the consultant who had prepared the traffic analysis would respond to staff with answers on the traffic issues. He said they used a process which complies with the Congestion Management Plan framework established by SANBAG. He reported they are having continuing discussions with SANBAG and City staff to be sure they are comfortable with the analysis. He stated they had used the standard trip generation factors established by the Institute of Traffic Engineers based on uses throughout the country. Commissioner Lumpp said he was not questioning the rates in the analysis but he was more interested in the multiplying factor being used; i.e. acreage and screens. Mr. Kudlac said the traffic analysis had taken a conservative approach considering maximum build-out with 100 percent occupancy. Hearing no further testimony, Chairman Barker closed the public hearing. asked for comments on the land use flexibility and master plan proposal. He Commissioner McNiel noted the Commission had once entertained the concept of a blanket conditional use permit and it was a terrifying concept. He said he did not want to resist progress, but he was having a hard time getting comfortable with the concept. Mr. Buller agreed with the applicant that there are no other similar projects and said staff believes it deserves the flexibility in order to be successful. Commissioner Tolstoy asked what would happen if the process did not work. Mr. Bullet said changes can be made if the process does not work. Chairman Barker said that if the Commission could agree on a master plan as the checkpoint system, then the process could be streamlined. He expressed faith the applicant had the skills to prepare a master plan which would be Planning Commission Minutes -5- February 23, 1994 vastly superior to the Bixby Ranch one. He said he understood the concept, but in looking at the Bixby Ranch Master Plan there were gigantic holes where things could go wrong. He commented the master plan would have to be detailed enough to allow the Commissioners to be comfortable with relinquishing control. Commissioner McNiel supported the concept; however, he noted the master plans would be subject to interpretation. He said he wanted to be sure the master plans are tight enough to protect staff and the City would not suffer. He wanted to be sure all documents are carefully reviewed. Commissioner Tolstoy concurred. Commissioner Lumpp said he was comfortable with the process. He felt the only thing which will be developed initially will be the golf course. Commissioner Tolstoy said it was his understanding that a master plan would be required for any subdivision. Mr. Coleman confirmed that was correct. Chairman Barker said he would like to see a master plan so clear and perfect it can be used as a guide for the rest of California. Commissioner Tolstoy was concerned that there is not enough staff to handle the additional burdens of this project. Mr. Buller said that it is not known at this time if deferring more matters to staff will place an extra burden because staff would be relieved of some activities necessary to forward the matters to the Commission. He said that time saved would then be used to review the matters which had been delegated to staff. He said it is hoped the time will balance out. Commissioner Tolstoy observed that every year the Commission reviews the Planning Division work program and there are many things which cannot be accomplished because of lack of time. He was concerned that all other activities in the City might suffer because of a new process being used for the General Dynamics project. Chairman Barker concurred. , , , , , PUBLIC COMMENTS There were no additional public comments. , , , , COMMISSION BUSINESS There was no additional Commission business. Planning Commission Minutes -6- February 23, 1994 ADJOURNMENT Motion: Moved by McNiel, seconded by Tolstoy, carried 4-0-1 with Melcher absent, to adjourn. 8:15 p.m. - The Planning Commission adjourned to a meeting at 5:00 p.m. on March 2, 1994, at the Tolstoy residence regarding Planning Commission priorities. Respectfully submitted, Secretary Planning Commission Minutes -7- February 23, 1994