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1984 05 08 PC Minutes BY ~/-c, DATE / MAY 8, 1984 -- A. Chairman Klimkiewicz called the Planning Cc~lnission meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. He then called upon ~ssioner Salas to lead the flag salute. 2. ROLL CALL A.Chairman Klimkiewicz requested the roll call. The Secretary called the roll: Present: Ccmmissicmers Goetcheus, Imkamp, Thornburgh, Salas and Chairman Klimkiewicz Absent: None Also present were Planning Director Lawrence L. Stevens, Principal Planner Sandra L. Bonner and Secretary Donna Velotta 3. HEARINGS Chairman Klimkiewicz advised that the following tw~ hearings before the Planning Cc~nission were regarding the Horizon Palms project, General Management Corporation dba "Horizon Palms", Applicant. He noted that the hearings would be held concurrently as follows: ' _ A. Change of Zone Case No. 84-008, a request by General Management Corporation dba "Horizon Palms" to change the existing zoning from R-i-12,000/PD to R-i-10,000/PD to allow for a planned residential development in accordance with a proposed tentative tract. B. Tentative Tract Map No. 19903, a request to subdivide a 40.4 gross acre site into 168 lots for the purpose of constructing a 160-unit, single-family, planned residential development, located at the south- west corner of Fred Waring Drive and Dune Palms Road alignment; General Management Corporation dba "Horizon Palms", Applicant. Chairman Klimkiewicz then called upon staff for their reports. 1. Larry Stevens, Planning Director, advised the CcTm~ssion that the request of the Applicant was to change the zoning frcm 12,000/PD to 10,000/PD so as to change the planned residential development density. This change is necessary in order to approve the tentative tract 19903, which is the second portion of the Applicant's request. The general plan designates the area as Very Low Residential and existing zoning is R-l-12,000. The general plan technically limits the property to 3 units per acre or less. However, after reviewing this situation, the County, in adopting its general plan recently, has increased the densities to the north in the Bermuda Dunes area to 2 to 8 units per acre. There are also several county approved - projects in the area that generally run about 5 units per acre. As a result, after discussing this matter with the Applicant, staff has concurred that it would be appropriate to change the zoning without a general plan amendment, in that the adjustment would be a minor increase in density generally consistent with surrounding projects and generally consistent with other goals and policies of the plan. In return for this adjustment, there has been a fairly significant increase above the min/mum open space requirements fr~m the 40% required to approximately 70%. Also, some increase in set- backs, both within and along the perimeter of the project, to facilitate the appearance of a low density project. MINUTES - PLANNING ~SSION May 8, 1984 Page 2. Staff is r~ding that the change of zone be approved as requested, subject to the four findings in the staff report and subject to Exhibit "A". Planning Director Stevens moved on to the second portion of this hearing, which was the Tentative Tract Map No. 19903. He noted that this tentative map establishes the Planned Residential Development for 160 units. There are t%~ minor concerns raised in the Environmental Assessment. ~ne first relates to the fringe- toed lizard and the second relates to the Desert Sands School District's overcrowding. Both of these concerns are being mitigated through the cc~ditic~s of approval. Planning Director Stevens briefly described the design of the project. He further stated that staff sees little probl~ with the proposed plans. There are a couple of minor concerns in the interior road syst~ design and location of driveways and the emergency access road, which can be adequately resolved within the conditions of approval and any changes would be minor. The proposed unit sizes are less than the standard specified in Ordinance No. 38, in that more than 40% of the units are less than 1000 square feet. The proposed project appears to meet the additional criteria specified by Ordinance No. 38, in that the small units be dispersed, and that the open space be substantially increased, and that the unit design be reasonably compatible with the surrounding area. The one excep- tion is that the Unit #1 design needs to be modified either to increase its size to the 900 square foot minimum or to reduce it to one bedroom. Planning Director Stevens noted he w~uld make a minor adjustment in the r~dations relative to the latter reference. Planning Director Stevens stated that staff is r~ding approval of the Tentative Tract Map No. 19903 based upon the nine findings in the staff report, with the following adjustments. Based upon comments at the study session held on May 7th, staff prepared two additional conditions. One is that there be a plan for a non- autc~otive means of transportation within the project, and the other is to encourage use of desert plant species and drought- resistant plant materials for landscaping within the project. It is also necessary to make a modification in Condition No. 6 to show that the Applicant could go to a one-bedroc~ unit if they wish to maintain something close to the 900 square feet. Condition NO. 10 should be corrected to read: " .... part-width right-of-way standards." The remaining conditions are unchanged. Staff reccm~_nds approval of Tentative Tract Map NO. 19903 subject to the nine findings in the staff report and subject to the conditions, as amended. Chairman Klimkiewicz requested cc~ments frcm the Planning Cc~mission. ~ssioner Imkamp requested an explanation of the "PD" notation after the zoning designations. Planning Director Stevens explained that this notation means "Planned Develo~r~nt" and it has been applied to all of the annexation area. He advised that he felt this meant the City was encouraging planned residential develo~m~_nts there via the zoning, as opposed to standard single-family subdivisions. There was further discussion regarding lighting inside the project, the entryway into the project, size of streets in the interior and emergency exits. Chairman Klimkiewicz requested the Applicant' s presentation. Bob Saunders, Hallmark Engineering, 1071 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA, spoke as representative for the General Management Corporation who is the Applicant. Mr. Saund~rs stated that they concur with staff's report MINUTES - PLANNING COMMISSION May 8, 1984 Page 3. regarding the request for the zone change and its approval. In regard to conditions of concern for the tract map, he stated the Applicant has no problem with staff's modification of Condition No. 6. ~ney are favoring the 900 square foot unit.. Also, the Applicant has no problem with the request for acceleration/deceleration lanes and is agreeable to working out the design and approval of same with the City Engineer. He stated that the e~ergency exit on Dune Palms would be handled as a crash gate _ for ~mergency use only. qTnere will be only one primary ingress/egress to the project. Mr. Saunders requested an expanded explanation of Conditions Nos. 26 and 28, to which Planning Director Stevens responded. Mr. Saunders then turned the podium over to the Applicant's landscape architect. Michael Buccino, Landscape Architect for the Applicant, 340 S. Farrell, Palm Springs, CA, presented a brief background resume of his cc~pany. In response to the request that native materials be used in this project, Mr. Buccino stated they want to use such materials all along the outside ring between the road and the property line, with palm trees, flowers, etc., to be used inside the project. He stated that the Applicant feels the loop road going all around the project could be used as a bike path, walking path, etc. They do not see a need to create a new syst~ for that use which w~uld weave through the unit clusters, as it would cc~p~se what the Applicant was trying to achieve for this project. ~ne entryway has been designed so that, in future, a gatehouse and gates can be added if desired. At present, the Applicant does not wish to install gates/gatehouse, but w-ants a broad, welcc~ing entry. Chainn~n Klimkiewicz opened the meeting for public ~t. L. E. Harrington, 79-040 Montego Bay Drive, Bermuda Dunes, CA, infon~ed the Planning Cc~nission that he owned the 40 acres to the east of this project. He ~ted on the traffic situation on Fred Waring Drive and asked questions regarding a security wall around the project and the water/sewage source. -- Mr. Harrington's questions were ans%~red by Planning Director Stevens and the Applicant. Mr. Harrington was satisfied with the responses and stated he felt the project was very attractive and wished the Applicant success. As there were no further public ~ts, Chairman Klimkiewicz closed the public hearing. The Plannin~ Commission had several questions for the Applicant regarding th~ pedestrian walkways and lighting within the project, and the number of pools/jacuzzis throughout the project. At the end of this discussion, Chairman Klimkiewicz called for a motion. 2. Commissioner ~nornburgh made a motion to approve Change of Zone Case No. 84-008, based upon findings in the staff report and in accordance with Exhibit A. Cc~m%issioner Imkamp seconded the motion. Unanimously adopted. Cc~nissioner Imkamp made a motion to approve Tentative Tract Map No. 19903 based upon findings in the staff report and subject to the conditions of approval, as revised. Commissioner Salas seconded the motion. Unanimously adopted. C. Chainm3n Klimkiewicz explained the next public hearing to be Tentative Tract Map No. 19987, a request to subdivide a 32.3-acre parcel into -- 163 lots for the purpose of constructing a 162-unit, single-family, planned residential develo~nent, located in the southwest corner of Westward Ho Drive and Dune Palms Road; Don Young/Barry Schloss et al, Applicants. He then called for staff's report. 1. Planning Director Stevens advised the Cc~mission that the project is a 32-acre site designated in the general plan as Low Density Residential, and is zoned R-1. Conditions have been incorporated to resolve concerns over the fringe-toed lizard habitat and the Desert Sands schools current overcrowded situation. He noted that MINUTES - PLANNING ~SSION May 8, 1984 Page 4. the Applicant is proposing 162, 2 and 3-bedrocm units with attached garages. There will be two units per structure using zero lot line concept with the "postage stamp" subdivision design. Planning Director Stevens stated that staff had discussion with the Applicant to make clear the fact that the internal roads were, in fact, private streets and the City did not want them offered for dedication nor would they intend to accept them. With regard to the entryway into the project, the Applicant states there is - adequate provision for stacking. It was noted that the Applicant is requesting a lesser setback for the perimmter wall than staff has r~ded. Staff is recc~r~nding that the t~o-bedrocm units' elevation be upgraded along the street frontage, eliminating the flat roof. It was noted here that the Applicant is willing to make that adjustment. There was discussion by staff with the Applicant regarding the use of the Whitewater Storm Channel as recreation area and also what ~ould be the appropriate number of swim~ing pools for the project. Planning Director Stevens stated that staff's recc~mendation, based on the seven findings in the staff report, is that the Tentative Tract Map be approved subject to the 27 conditions in the report, with the addition of the land- scaping condition and the condition regarding internal c~rculation system for pedestrians, etc., and with the adjus~t to Condition No. 6. There was a short discussion between staff and the Conmtission regarding staff's request for two additional pools in the project, and traffic concerils. Chairman Klimkiewicz then called upon the Applicant for his presentation. Harry Schmitz, Planning Consultant, 45-900 Paseo Coronado, Indian Wells, spoke as representative for the Applicants, Don Young/Barry Schloss. - Mr. Schmitz began his presentation by ~ing staff for the excellent job they did on the conditions of approval. It was felt that a great deal of thought had been put into them. He went on to advise the Cc~ntission that the Applicants were in concurrence with the modification of Condition No. 6. Mr. Schmitz responded to Cc~nissioner Thornburgh's concern of a possible traffic problem being created if the entryway was too close to the one going into the mobile hcmm park across Dune Palms Road. He noted that they have complied with City standards, therefore no traffic problems should be incurred. Mr. Schmitz stated that the Applicant has no objections to the t~o new conditions regarding landscaping and an internal non-automo~ve means of transportation within the project. He stated that they have permission frc~ CSfWD, under permit, to use the portion of the Stormwater Channel adjacent to the project for recreational purposes. Therefore, they feel that Condition No. 27 should be deleted. Chairman Klimkiewicz opened the hearing to public cc~nent. As there were no ~ts, he closed the public hearing. There was a short discussion between the Cc~mtissioners regarding the number of pools that should be required in the project, the use of the wash as recreational area - especially the use by motorcyclists and four-wheelers, which causes a lot of dust to fly, etc. Chairman Klimkiewicz then called for a motion. - 2. Conmtissioner Thornburgh made a motion, based upon the Findings in the staff report, to approve Tentative Tract Map NO. 19987, subject to the conditions of approval, as revised. Cc~mtissioner Salas seconded the motion. Unanimously adopted. 4. CONSENT CAT.~XDAR ~btion made by Cc~ssioner Thornburgh, seconded by Cc~sioner Imkamp to approve the minutes of meetings held March 13, 1984, March 27, 1984, and April 10, 1984. MINUTES - PLANNING CC6~4ISSION May 8, 1984 Page 5. A. The minutes of the regular meeting of March 13, 1984 were approved as ~tted. Unanimously adopted. B. The minutes of the adjourned meeting of March 27, 1984 were approved as sutm~tted. Unanimously adopted. C. The minutes of the regular meeting of April 10, 1984 w~re approved _ as submitted. Unanimously adopted. 5. BUSINESS A. Chairman Klimkiewicz introduced the item of business as Plot Plan No. 84-058, a request to construct a single-family house at 53-395 Avenida Juarez, a single lot along the east side of Avenida Juarez, 200 feet north of Calle Colima; Poser Donley, Applicant. He requested tbs report frc~ staff. 1. Planning Director Stevens stated that the dwelling is in cc~pliance with applicable develo~r~nnt standards if constructed in accordance with plans sutm%itted and the conditions of approval, and the design is cc~patible with existing develo~_nt in the surrounding neighbor- hood. Therefore, staff r~ds that the Planning ~ssion approve this request. 2. ~ssioner Thornburgh made a motion, based upon the Findings in the staff report, to approve Plot Plan No. 84-058 in accord~nce with Exhibits A, B and C, subject to the condi~s of approval. ~ssi~ner Salas seconded the motion. Unanimously adopted. 6. ADJO~ There being no further items of agenda to ccme before the Planning Cc~mission, - Chairman Klimkiewicz called for a motion to adjourn. ~ssi~ner Imkamp made a motion to adjourn to a regular meeting on June 12, 1984, at 7:00 p.m., in La Quinta City Hall, 78-105 Calle Estado, La Quinta, CA. The regular meeting of the Planning Cc~mission of the City of La Quinta, California, was adjourned at 8:35 p.m., May 8, 1984, at the La Quinta City Hall, 78-105 Calle Est,_o, La Quinta, CA.