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1983 03 08 PC Minutes APPR~F..i) PLANNING COMMISSION - CITY OF LA QUINTA BY [V~~ ~. A regula~ meeting held at the La Quinta Cit~z Hall, 78-10.5 Calle Es~ado, La Quanta, Califorr~a March 8, 1983 ?: 00 p.m. 1. C~T.T. ~ ORDER A. Chaizman Tho~h called the Planning Ccm~ssion Hear~ ~o order at ?:00 p.m. He ~hen called upon cc~ssioner Kljmkiew±cz to lead the flag - salute. A. Chaizman Thornburgh requested roll call. The Secretary called the roll: Present:Cc~ssioners Reilly, Goetcheus, Klimkiewicz, Imkamp and Chainman Thornburgh Absent: None 3. HEARINGS A. The first item on the agenda was a public hearing regarding Change of Zone Case No. 83-001, for property located on the west side of Eisenhower Drive, southerly fr~ Avenue 50, Landmark Land Ccmpany, Applicant. Chairman Thornburgh called upon Sandra Bonner, Associate Planner, to present the staff report explaining this request. 1. Sandra Bonner, Associate Planner, explained that the applicant has presented the C~ssion with a request to rezone the .51 acres described above frcm R-2 (Multiple Family Residential) to R-5 (Open Space Combining Zone - Planned Developments). She stated that this is excess land fr~n when the flood channel was constructed. The zoning had been recently changed, when the Specific Plan was revised, frcm - W-1 (Water Course) to R-2 (Single Family Residence). Ms. Bonner explained that the applicant intends to sell this excess land to a party owning the adjacent condominium units located within the Santa Rosa Cove develo~m~_nt. To accc~plish this, Landmark Land Cc~pany has filed Tentative Parcel Map No. 19168 in conjunction with this zoning request. The proposed purchaser plans to use the land for recreational purposes. Ms. Bonner stated that staff has requested and the applicant has agreed that the change of zone frcm R-2 to R-5 be done to guarantee that the property remains for recreational use and open space rather than be used for a single family residence. The reason for this concern is that there is no access to the site. Based upon the findings explained in the staff report, staff recc~mended that the Planning Cc~mission approve Change of Zone Case No. 83-001. Cc~missioner Thornburgh invited cc~r~n~ frcm the Applicant. Kevin Manning, Planner for the Landmark Land Ccmpany, stated that the Associate Planner had succinctly presented their request and he therefore had no further cc~nen~ other than to thank the Cc~mission for processing this application. PLANNING CC~b~ISSION MINUTES - March ,8;.,' ~983.~ ~ Page T~D. Chairman Thornburgh then opened the hearing to public cc~ment. There being none, he closed the hearing at this time. 2. After a short discussion, Chaizman Thornburgh called for a motion. Motion made by Cc~missioner Reilly to r~d to the City Council approval of Change of Zone Case No. 83-001, and approval of a Negative Declaration regarding environmental impact. Cc~n%issioner Goetcheus _ seconded the motion. Unanimously adopted. B. The second item on the agem_d_a was a public hearing regarding the following proposed Resolution: Proposed Resolution: A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING A GENERAL PLAN FOR THE CITY. Chairman Thornburgh called upon Sandra Bonner, Associate Planner, to present staff's report on this item. 1. Ms. Bonner began by stating that staff recc~x~ended that the Planning Cc~mission recc~m~_nd to the City Council adoption of the Riverside County Cove Cc~mtmities General Plan, Coachella-Thermal-Indio General Plan and Circulation Element, as amended, and adoption of the Negative Declaration. The reason for this r~dation is that the General Plan is needed as the first step toward our annexation proceedings. She went on to state that although the City has 30 months to adopt a General Plan, this is basically a requirement for annexation and it will not hinder or otherwise put off a decision to have a new General Plan done. With regard to the Circulation Element, Ms. Bonner stated that after review of Riverside County's Circulation Element, staff and the City Engineer concluded that the plan adequately addresses the needs of the - City. She noted that staff is recc~x~ending two amendments to this plan and they are: (1) Calle Tampico, west of Eisenhower Drive, be reduced frcm a major street with a 100 foot wide right of way to a local street with a 60 foot right of way. The basis for this being that traffic along this portion does not warrant a 100-foot-wide street esPecially in light of the fact that its northern boundary will remain in golf course use and not be developed into residential lots. (2) The Avenue 48 bypass from Highway 111 be totally deleted or a request be made that Avenue 48 be included in the General Plan as a 100' wide major street between Jefferson and Washington Streets. Ms. Bonner explained that an original plan of the County was to funnel traffic frcm Highway 111 via the Avenue 48 bypass. However, none of the property owners supported this and neither did Indio as they have their cc~mercial areas on Highway 111. Indio had then adopted a plan to abandon the bypass, but it never went through formal approval. Ms. Bonner went on to state that as the City is covered by both the Cove Cc~nunities General Plan Land Use Element and the Coachella-Thermal-Indio General Plan, staff recc~m~=_nds the consolidation of these tw~ land use elements with the following amendments: PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - March 8, I983 Page Three. 1. For that area west of Washington betw~e~ Fred Waring Drive and the Whitewater River Channel, change the designation frcm High, Medium and Low Density Residential to Low Density Residential. The .uurpose for this is to eliminate high density uses along Washington Street and to make La Quinta's General Plan ccmpat~le with Indian Wells' General Plan. - 2. For that area east of Washington Street to the midsection line (which is in line with Washington Street south of Highway 111), change the designation frcm High, and Very Low Density Residential to Msdium Density Residential. Staff recc~x~nds that high density uses, which may include apartments, offices and hotels, be limited to the Highway 111 corridor area. 3. That the designation be amended frcm Very Low Density Residential to Low Density Residential for the following areas: Be~ Fred Waring Drive and Miles Avenue; frcm _Ad__mms Street ali~t one-half mile to west; between Miles Avenue and the Whitewater River Channel; frcm Dune Palms Road one mile to the west; between Westw-drd Ho Drive and the Whitewater River Channel; from Dune Palms Road east to the Indio City Limits. The purpose for this is to make the General Plan consistent with existing develotm~nnt within the area. 4. For that area betw~_n Fred Waring Drive and Westward Ho Drive frcm the Ads_ms Street alignment to the Whitewater River Channel, amend the designation frc~n Very Low Density Residential to Very Low Density Residential/Planned Develotznents. The purpose for this is to ensure that future develotmnents are consistent with the adjacent Bermuda Dunes Country Club and the Indian Springs Country Club areas. 5. For that area be~ Highway 111 and the Whitewater River Channel, from Washington Street to Jefferson Street, from Medium Density Residential to General ~cial. The current designation allows - quasi-commercial uses such as offices and hotels. In addition, Riverside County has approved cc~m~rcial zoning within this area. The ccx~nercial designation would not be a substantial change frcm the previous plan and would provide a more logical and appropriate land use designation. This area will be included within the proposed "Highway 111 North Specific Plan Area". 6. For that area generally 1,000 feet south of Highway 111 between Washington Street and the Indio City Limits, amend the designation frcm Medium and Low Density Residential to General Omnnercial. The purpose for this is the same as mentioned in the above amen~t. In addition, the wider area will allow for develoFment other than strip commercial and aid in the develotmrent of a secondary road access system needed to concentrate and funnel traffic frcm ~cial businesses along Highway 111 in lieu of each lot having direct high- way access. This area will be included within the proposed "Highway 111 - South Specific Plan". PLANNING ~SSION MINUTES - March 8, 19831'. Page Four. 7. For that area south of the above mentioned ~cial area and the Avenue 48 alignment frcm Washington Street to Jefferson Street, frc~ Very Low and Lc~ Density Residential to Low Density Residential. This designation wc~ld provide for a sui%~ble bu~er be%w~_n %he cc~m_=rcial area and the lower density Figgie Corporation develo~aent to the south while still being consistent with existing area develo~aent. Ms. Bonner further advised the Planning Cc~aission that, tying in with what they ~Duld be doing at the joint meeting with the City Council on March 15, 1983, there will be a prezoning of the area we are looking at for our Sphere of Influence which is a way to implement this General Plan. This means that although we are requesting commercial zoning on both sides of Highway 111, the zoning will say that it is a Specific Plan area and no develo~aent can occur in that area until the City does an overall area plan and looks at traffic, access, etc. After discussing itsms such as building height limitations, setbacks, densities, topography, zoning, etc., with the Planning Cc~mission, Ms. Bonner restated staff's reccmaendation to adopt the Riverside County Cove ~ities General Plan, Coachella-Thenaal-Indio General Plan and the County Circulation Element, as amended, and adoption of the Negative Declaration. Chainaan Thornburgh then opened the hearing to public ~t. As there was none, he closed the hearing at this time. 2. Chainman Thornburgh called for a motion. Ccmm%~ssioner Imkamp made the motion to adopt Resolution No. P.C. 83-1, A Resolution of the Planning Ccmaission of the Ci%y of La Quinta, Caiifornia, approving a General Plan for the City. The motion was seconded by Cc~nissioner Klimkiewicz. At this point, Cc~missioner Reilly stated that she understood that this General Plan adoption is a temporary thing, but she still had a lot of -- concerns based primarily on the Cove ~ities General Plan document itself published over 10 years ago and wherein they grossly underestimated the population growth in Coachella Valley. Therefore, she wished to strongly urge that the Planning Ccmmfussion add a r~dation to the passage of this to go to the City Council requesting they begin the work of revising the adopted General Plan as soon as possible. After scme discussic~ on how to process such a request, the Planning Commission requested that staff develop a written resolution to the City Council relaying the aobve request to them in a positive manner. ~nL ~j~T,T, AYES: ~ssioners Imkamp, Reilly, Goetcheus, Klimkiewicz an~ Chairman Thornburgh NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Resolution No. P.C. 83-1 was unanimously adopted. PLANNING O05~iISSICN MINUTES - March 8, 1983 Page Five. CONSENT CAT.RNDAR MDved by Cc~missioner Goetcheus, seconded by Com~ssioner Klimkiewicz to adopt the Consent Calendar, subject to correction of the minutes of February 8, 1983, indicating an additional statement be added to Paragrat~h 5.C. stating the study sessions to be held the MDnday prior to each regular Planning CoNaission meeting were to be held to discuss the agenda for the regular meeting and also to discuss future planning concerns for the City. A. The minutes of the regular m~eting of February 8, 1983 were approved as corrected. Unanimously adopted. BUSINESS A. There being no business to discuss, Chairman Thornburgh closed this agenda it~. ADJOURNMENT There being no further items of agenda to cone before the Planning CoNaission, Chairman Thornburgh called for a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Goetcheus moved and Ccem%~ssioner Klimkiewicz seconded the motion to adjourn to the study session of March 14, 1983 at 11:00 a.m. at the La Quinta City Hall, 78-105 Calle Estado, La Quinta, California. The next regular meeting of the Planning Ccem~ssion will be a joint session with the City Council to be held in the La Cita Rocm at the La Quinta Hotel, 49-999 Eisenhower Drive, La Quinta, California at 7:30 p.m. on March 15, 1983. The regular mccting of the Planning Ccmmission of the City of La Quinta, California, was adjourned at 9:15 p.m., March 8, 1983, at La Quinta City Hall, 78-105 Calle Estado, La Quinta, California