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1986 08 12 PC Minutes PLANNING COMMISSION - CITY OF LA QUINTA A Regular Meeting Held at the La Quinta City Hall, 78-105 Calle Estado, La Quinta California August 12, 1986 7:00 p.m. 1. CALL TO ORDER A. Chairman Thornburgh called the Planning Commission meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. and called upon Community Development Director Larry Stevens to lead the flag salute. 2. ROLL CALL A. Chairman Thornburgh requested the roll call; Director Stevens called the roll. Present: Commissioners Brandt, Moran, Steding, Walling and Chairman Thornburgh Absent: None Also Present was Community Development Director Lawrence L. Stevens. 3. HEARINGS Chairman Thornburgh introduced the first hearing item as follows: A. TENTATIVE TRACT MAP NO. 21640, A request to divide 198.4 acres within the PGA West project into 17 lots for land sale -- purposes only; Landmark Land Company, Applicant. He called for the Staff Report. 1. Director Stevens described the proposed request and its location, advising that this is not a proposal to develop any of the site, except the golf course sites which are already developed. He advised that the Commission and Staff would see tract maps on each of these parcels for development purposes. Sunrise Company has already submitted an application to develop the majority of these parcels to Staff. Director Stevens informed the Commission that 22 acres of this property is located outside the PGA West boundaries and are zoned A-i-10. Staff has imposed conditions which would defer any approvals for development purposes on that acreage until such time as a Specific Plan Amendment and Change of Zone are processed. The Applicant has been consulting with Staff in that regard. Director Stevens advised that Landmark had recently purchased this 22 acres from the Bureau of Land Reclamation after a long procedure with the Federal Government. Director Stevens reiterated discussion from the Study Session wherein the Commission felt that the portion of Lot 18 upon which the maintenance facility stood should be a separate lot from the undeveloped or development portion _ of Lot 18. It was felt that the undeveloped portion of Lot 18 should be added to Lot 16 or created as a separate parcel. Staff recommended that the Commission add a condition to their recommendation to so state this. Director Stevens stated that the only other issue was not really directly related to the tract map, but is the completion of landscaping improvements along 54th Avenue, primarily in front of the maintenance building and to the east of that site. He noted that additional landscaping is required in that the number and size of trees is not consistent with the remainder of 54th Avenue improvements. Landmark has agreed to make these modifications. He advised the Commission that it is not necessary to impose that landscaping condition here, as we have other avenues to guarantee this is accomplished satisfactorily. Director Stevens concluded the Staff Report stating Staff is recommending approval of Tentative Tract Map No. 21640, subject to the conditions of approval, with the addition of a condition requiring that the maintenance facility be a separate lot with the remainder of the acreage to either be separate or added to Lot 16. After a brief discussion, Chairman Thornburgh opened the public hearing at approximately 7:15 p.m. John Curtis, Landmark Land Company representative, 7999 52nd Avenue, La Quinta, spoke in favor of the request. There being no further public comments or written corres- pondence pertaining to this matter, Chairman Thornburgh closed the public hearing at approximately 7:16 p.m. The Commission had no further comments; therefore, Chairman Thornburgh called for a motion. 2. Commissioner Brandt made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Walling, to approve Tentative Tract Map No. 21640 subject to the conditions of approval with the following revisions: - 2 - - Delete reference to Lot 24 in Condition No. 15. - Add Condition No. 16 as follows: "16. Lot 18 shall be revised to establish the Golf Course Maintenance Facility as a separate lot from that portion proposed for future residential development. The residential development lot may be part of Lot 16 or be a new, separate lot." The motion was unanimously adopted. Chairman Thornburgh introduced the next three (3) items of hearing, to be heard concurrently, as follows: B. SPECIFIC PLAN NO. 86-007, AMENDMENT #1, A request to amend Specific Plan No. 86-007, the Washington Street Corridor Specific Plan, relating to access requirements; Drew Wright & Associates, Applicant. C. CHANGE OF ZONE NO. 86-021, A request to rezone approximately 40.3 gross acres from R-3*, R-2-8000, and R-l, to R-l; Drew Wright & Associates, Applicant. D. TENTATIVE TRACT MAP NO. 21555, A request to subdivide approxi- mately 40.3 gross acres into 151 single-family lots; Drew Wright & Associates, Applicant. He called for the Staff Reports. 1. Director Stevens reviewed the specific plan request stating that the Applicant's request is to amend the cul-de-sac locations specified within the adopted Washington Street Corridor Specific Plan relative to the existing Desert Club Manor Tract. The Washington Street Corridor Specific Plan currently designates Sagebrush and Saguaro as cul-de-sac streets with Bottlebrush remaining as an access to Washington Street with no median opening. The Applicant is requesting that the cul-de-sac locations be amended to Saguaro and Bottlebrush, and that the direct access be Sagebrush Avenue. Director Stevens then reviewed several alternatives noted in the Staff Report relative to access to easterly adjoining properties. He reviewed some discussion regarding signalization at both entrances to the project noting that should, in the future, traffic be sufficient to warrant a traffic signal, one would be considered at least at Sagebrush, where it is likely that the only median opening would occur. However, the preliminary reaction is that this is not likely to occur anytime in the near future. - 3 - Director Stevens concluded this report stating that Staff recommends approval of this specific plan amendment with the modifications to the exhibit on cul-de-sacs in that area and the addition of text to the plan that allows roadway access for new development proposals to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, but to also be consid- ered for General Plan consistency. Moving on to the Change of Zone, Director Stevens advised that the Applicant's request is to place one zone on the property (R-I). Presently, there are three (3) zoning categories on the site (R-3*, R-2-8000, R-l). He stated that the requested R-1 Zone is generally consistent with the General Plan. Director Stevens then reviewed the current zoning designations and what types of development they would allow. He explained that the Commission could consider other zoning designations as well, such as the "SR" Zone (Special Residential) for this property. Concluding this report, Director Stevens stated that Staff has recommended approval of this Change of Zone request subject to Exhibit A of the Staff Report. With regard to the tentative tract map request, Director Stevens stated that the tract map is intended to implement the zoning and has been reviewed in light of Staff's recommendations on the specific plan amendment and the change of zone. This proposal is for 151 single-family lots on the site and there are two additional stormwater retention lots on the site also. He further described the proposal using the wall renderings. The Applicant has submitted five (5) different building plans proposed for the development ranging from 1270 sq.ft, to approximately 2170 sq.ft, in size. There are two-story units proposed with the highest being approximately 24-1/2 feet. Director Stevens reiterated concerns raised at the Study Session as follows: - private vs. public streets issue; Staff recommends public streets and the Applicant has requested that the streets be private. - building heights issue; Staff recommends no two-story units on any lot located within 75' of the perimeter of the tract boundary. Director Stevens discussed this issue extensively. - establishment of a greater rear yard requirement, since the majority of the Applicant's parcels exceed the current 10' requirement. - 4 - - interior fencing; the Applicant will be providing interior fencing. - how front yard landscaping for individual units would be handled. Concluding this report, Director Stevens stated that Staff has recommended approval of the tentative tract map subject to the conditions of approval. There being no questions of Staff at this time, Chairman Thornburgh opened the public hearing at approximately 7:30 p.m. Speaking in favor of the project: Drew Wright, President - Drew Wright & Associates, P. O. Box 1876, Indio, CA 92202 Speaking in opposition to the project: Bob Lotito (KWL Associates), 712 Eugene Road, Palm Springs, CA - representing Dr. Judd Marmor, owner of property abutting to the east. Dr. Judd Marmor, 655 Sarbonne Road, Los Angeles, CA Art Gault, 400 Elkhorn Trail, Palm Desert, CA - representing "The Grove" developers. Mr. Wright spoke in rebuttal to those in opposition. Chairman Thornburgh advised that the Commission had also received a letter of opposition from Montero Estates, _ which has been acknowledged and is on file. There being no further public comments, Chairman Thornburgh closed the public hearing at approxi- mately 7:50 p.m. As a result of the Planning Commission's discussion on these matters, the Applicant was requested to provide information regarding the following: - results of contact with Dr. Marmor, owner of the neighboring property to the east. - revise the site plan to show a reduction in the height of houses located along the project perimeter. - preliminary pad elevations along the perimeter. - 5 - - revise floor plans showing a more finished design schematic. Chairman Thornburgh called for a motion. 2. Commissioner Steding made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Walling to continue Specific Plan No. 86-007, Amendment #1, Change of Zone No. 86-021, and Tentative Tract Map No. 21555, to their next regular _ meeting of August 26, 1986. Unanimously adopted. 4. CONSENT CALENDAR Chairman Thornburgh introduced the items of Consent Calendar, which consisted of three requests for approval to construct single-family dwellings and the Minutes from the regular meeting held July 22, 1986. There being no discussion, he called for a motion. Commissioner Moran made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Steding to approve Plot Plans No. 86-352, 86-353, and 86-354, in accordance with Exhibits A, B and C, subject to the conditions of approval attached to each request; and to approve the Minutes from the regular meeting of July 22, 1986 as submitted. Unanimously adopted. 5. BUSINESS 6. ADJOURNMENT There being no further items of agenda to come before the Planning Commission, Chairman Thornburgh called for a motion to adjourn. _ Commissioner Steding made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Walling to adjourn to the next regular meeting of the Planning Commission to be held on August 26, 1986, at 7:00 p.m., in the La Quinta city Hall, 78-105 Calle Estado, La Quinta, California. The regular meeting of the Planning Commission of the City of La Quinta, California, was adjourned at 8:40 p.m., August 12, 1986, in the La Quinta City Hall, 78-105 Calle Estado, La Quinta, California. - 6 -