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1986 09 09 PC Minutes ~ ..... APPROVED '" PLANNING COMMISSION - CITY OF LA QUINTA A Regular Meeting Held at the La Quinta City Hall, 78-105 Calle Estado, La Q~inta, California / September 9, 1986 7:00 p.m. - 1. CALL TO ORDER A. Chairman Thornburgh called the Planning Commission meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and called upon Commissioner Steding to lead the flag salute. 2. ROLL CALL A. Chairman Thornburgh requested the roll call; in the absence of the Secretary, Associate Planner Gary Price called the roll: Present: Commissioners Brandt, Moran, Steding, Walling, and Chairman Thornburgh Absent: None Also present were Planning Director Murrel Crump, Associate Planner Gary Price, and City Manager Ron L. Kiedrowski. / 3. HEARINGS Chairman Thornburgh introduced the item of hearing as follows: _ A. TENTATIVE TRACT MAP NO. 21880, A request to divide 417 acres into 340 lots to accommodate 324 single-family residential lots and an 18-hole golf course, with the remaining 314 acres of the entire 731-acre site remaining in natural, mountainous, open space; Sunrise Company, Applicant. (CONTINUED FROM THE 8/26/86 PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING) At this point, Chairman Thornburgh turned the meeting over to Vice Chairman Walling as he had a conflict of interest regarding this matter. Chairman Thornburgh was excused from discussion regarding Tentative Tract Map No. 21880. Vice Chairman Walling called for the Staff Report. 1. Planning Director Murrel Crump initiated the Staff Report noting that it had been continued from the August 26 Planning Commission meeting. He reiterated that the continuance had been granted to consider the relocation of the maintenance facility and the need for and access to "B" Street. Also, that the Planning Commission indicated concurrence to revise several conditions (Conditions Nos. 7, ll(c), 17(c), 20, and two revisions to #22). Director Crump advised the Commission that the Applicant has submitted a revised map on 9/5/86 with information items which are listed at the end of the Staff Report as attach- ments. _ Regarding the relocation of the maintenance facility to the southwest corner of the project, Staff is concerned that the actual entrance location (230' south of Calle Arroba) may create a traffic hazard and has recommended that the entrance be extended northward to directly line up with Calle Arroba as a means of eliminating this situation. Director Crump advised the Commission that with this modification the map may have to be adjusted to accommodate an adequately sized frontage road and a sufficient, landscaped setback area along Bermudas. He further noted that the Applicant would need to submit a separate plot plan application for review and approval by the Planning Commission. Director Crump addressed the elimination of "B" Street which enabled the Applicant to add six (6) single-family lots to the original subdivision. The only changes with regard to the lot additions are technical modifications to the original Findings (Nos. 3 and 6) and Conclusions (No. 4) of the 8/26/86 Staff Report. He also noted the addition of Conditions Nos. 44 and 45 which relate to a generalized address to the access requirements to the front of the Desert Club and detailed plans to relocate the maintenance facility entrance and associated frontage road improvements. In conclusion, Director Crump stated, with the resolution of - these matters and based on the revised Findings and Conditions, Staff recommends approval of Tentative Tract Map No. 21880, Revision #1, subject to the conditions of approval. Vice Chairman Walling requested any questions by the Commission of Staff. Commissioner Moran questioned if Staff had discussed the left turn from the street to the entrance with the City Engineer. Associate Planner Price responded that he had discussed this matter with the City Engineer who stated that Avenida Bermudas (Secondary Arterial) would probably accommodate four lanes with parking on one side and room for an adequate center turn lane. However, there was a concern with the width of the frontage road and the ability of emergency and larger vehicles to have an adequate turning radius into the project. The - 2 - actual setback required may not be adequate to provide for the frontage road, turning radius dimensions, and allow for two- way traffic. Commission Moran questioned whether a vehicle traveling at 45 mph down Bermudas would have time to stop for a vehicle turning the corner onto Bermudas at this entrance. Associate Planner Price replied that the City Engineer was not at our City offices today in order to check the site in this regard. Commissioner Steding questioned Staff regarding the newly added Condition No. 44, wondering if she understood Director Crump correctly in his statement that the resolution of what is required of the Applicant to abide by Resolution No. 85-38 does not directly impact the approval of the tentative tract. Director Crump responded stating that it would be a condition to be satisfied prior to a final map being approved. He noted it is a condition of the tentative map and it would need to be provided for you through a private agreement or the public access from realigned 52nd Avenue prior to a final map. Commissioner Steding queried if this is the same acreage as has been indicated as "B" Street. Director Crump responded that there could be a private agree- ment that would not involve "B" Street which we would have no knowledge of. If there was to be a public access provided, then that could very well be what we described as "B" Street. Vice Chairman Walling asked, if by providing this access, would not the map have to be amended as it would for the new egress/ingress for the maintenance building? Director Crump advised that this was correct. Vice Chairman Walling asked if he had heard Director Crump correctly, in the presentation of the Staff Report, that the access from 52nd to the Desert Club could be a private agreement outside the jurisdiction of the City? Director Crump replied that it would not be outside of the jurisdiction of the City, but the resolution of access could be by private agreement, acceptable to the City, but that could be something other than a public access that is required if an agreement fails. Vice Chairman Walling indicated that this language was a little confusing. He noted that at the time the Planning Commission developed this resolution, it wasn't a matter of - 3 - the street being there. The issue of whether it was to be public or private had to do with the location of the gate into the then Crystal Canyon project. He believed that the Applicant had talked about putting it 100' north of the property line and this would cut off access to the Desert Club. That is where the language distinguishing between public and private comes in. He stated that at that time it was going to be half public and half private depending on where the gate went and if the two parties could not resolve the matter, then it would all become public putting the gate - at the property line. Director Crump responded that the way it is stated in the resolution, it indicates that there shall be access provided in accordance with City requirements to the Applicant, the Desert Club owner, and City Council. It would not necessarily need to be public in that instance as is stated in the resolu- tion, but then if the agreement is not satisfactory, then it would be public roadway. Commissioner Steding, just to clarify, asked if she was correct in her understanding that the intent was to have public access at all times between the new 52nd and the old 52nd Avenues along the east border of the Desert Club. Commissioner Walling responded that her understanding is correct. Commissioner Steding asked if she was correct in her under- standing then that on the newly revised tentative map there is no room for that in the proposal. Director Crump responded that is correct as we would interpret it applying. -- There being no further questions of Staff, Vice Chairman Walling opened the public hearing at approximately 7:45 p.m. James L. Resney, Vice President, Sunrise Company, 75-005 Country Club, Palm Desert, expressed his concerns regarding the large setback requirement at the corner of Avenida Bermudas and the existing 52nd Avenue and the requirement to retain "B" Street. Mr. Resney informed the Commission that he agreed with the conditions as written; however, he felt that Condition No. 44 was unnecessary as it is already a condition of the street vacation. He requested that if the Commission wants to revise that condition, he be allowed to speak to the proposed changes. There being no further public comments, Vice Chairman Walling closed the public hearing at approximately 7:50 p.m. - 4 - Planning Commission discussion regarding access to the maintenance facility: Commissioner Moran felt the City Engineer should do a close review of this area and make a determination of what is safe. Vice Chairman Walling stated that per the Staff Report there are certain parameters in which the City Engineer must work and from the Applicant's response, they would be able to _ accommodate this so it is something that can be worked out. Commissioner Moran stated as long as it can be worked out she had no problem with it. There was a consensus in this regard. Planning Commission discussion regarding the 33% slope: Commissioner Moran stated she would like to see rolling berm rather than just straight up berms. Commissioner Brandt felt the 33% slope was all right. There was a consensus in this matter. Planning Commission discussion regarding the recess in the wall at the entrance location: Commissioner Moran noted she would like to see a recess at this location stating her reason being the same as her concern regarding the landscaping that will happen along Bermudas, in that this particular tract will have the most impact on the Cove residents. - Commissioner Brandt agreed with Commissioner Moran's comments. She further stated she would like to see the Applicant have some flexibility regarding design consideration at this site. Commissioner Brandt suggested that perhaps the condition might be reworded. Commissioner Steding agreed that they should not tell the Applicant how to design this area, but to remind them that it should be pretty. Director Crump suggested revising the condition adding wording such as; " .... and give consideration to the former site of the maintenance building." which would make it permissive, but direct attention to it. The Commission agreed to this revision. - 5 - Planning Commission discussion regarding the access from 52nd Avenue to the Desert Club: Commissioner Moran stated that the Commission approved Resolution No. 85-38 and she reiterated the discussion at the Study Session regarding how to interpret that. She commented that her interpretation is that access shall be provided from the realigned 52nd Avenue. She further commented that when she voted for the resolution that meant at the entrance where _ "B" Street is, not going down to Bermudas and giving access at the old 52nd Avenue. Vice Chairman Walling stated that was also his interpretation. Commissioner Steding stated that the additional language in Condition No. 44 does not need to be changed, but she felt the minutes should reflect that the Applicant, when called upon by her to state what their position was on the resolution, seemed to have a completely different understanding of how they would comply with the resolution. She wanted this noted in the minutes so that the City Council will know. She further noted that she was not holding the Applicant to it as the Applicant cleverly side-stepped that point. However, the Applicant did seem to think that the resolution was satisfied with traffic flowing west on the new 52nd, south on Bermudas, and then east on Desert Club. Commissioner Steding believed the Commission's response to that is that we read the resolution, and with the help of John's review of the minutes of his notes of when that was created, we read the resolution as insisting that there be access west on the new 52nd, south on the east side of Desert Club, then west across the old 52nd to the entrance of the Desert Club. Vice Chairman Walling suggested that Condition No. 44 be - revised to require a road be put in along the east perimeter of the Desert Club property. There was a consensus regarding this revision. There being no further discussion, Vice Chairman Walling called for a motion. 2. Commissioner Steding made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Brandt, to approve Tentative Tract Map No. 21880 with the conditions provided at the last meeting and the changes in these conditions provided in the second Staff Report from the Planning Department revising Conditions #7, ll(c); adding Condition #17(d) with the Commission's correction to it noting a 33% slope; revising Condition #22 as recommended; adding Condition #44 with the addition of the Commission's very clear language of the intent; and, adding Condition #45. Adopted with a 4-0 vote with one abstension. - 6 - At this time, Chairman Thornburgh returned to his seat. Vice Chairman Walling turned the meeting back to him. 4. CONSENT CALENDAR Chairman Thornburgh introduced the items of Consent Calendar, which consisted of one request for approval to construct a single-family dwelling and the Minutes from the regular meetings of August 12 and August 26, 1986. -- After a brief discussion, he called for a motion. Commissioner Steding made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Moran to approve Plot Plan No. 86-359 based on the Findings in the Staff Report, in accordance with Exhibits A, B, C-l, C-2, C-3, and subject to the conditions of approval, as amended; to approve the Minutes from the regular meeting of August 12, 1986, as submitted; and to approve the Minutes from the regular meeting of August 26, 1986, as amended. Unanimously adopted. 5. BUSINESS Chairman Thornburgh introduced the first item of business as follows: A. 1986 - GENERAL PLAN REVIEW - CYCLE III: (1) General Plan Amendment No. 86-012, a request to amend the Land Use Plan from Medium Density Residential to High Density Residential on 27.5 acres on the west of Adams Street between Fred Waring Drive and the Whitewater River; J.C.C. Enterprises, Applicant. Chairman Thornburgh requested Director Crump to explain the - General Plan Amendment procedure. Director Crump responded to this request. Director Crump then reviewed the request per information in the Staff Report. Chairman Thornburgh called for the Commission's comments. Commissioner Walling questioned Director Crump if, by complete application, he meant plot plan, tentative tract map, change of zone, etc., so that the Commission would see a pretty detailed concept of what the Applicant intends to do. Director Crump responded affirmatively. - 7 - Commissioner Walling reiterated that the basic issues regarding this particular matter are whether or not we are going to formu- late a policy on averaging zoning on large parcels of land in the community, and also how we will use the land. commissioner Steding stated she has strong feelings regarding this particular request, as well as the last item under this subject on the agenda. She stated as a resident of the geographical area north of Highway 111, she is one of those persons who came into _ the City of La Quinta by annexation. Citizens who live north of Highway 111 were tacitly, if not directly, promised by the City of La Quinta, in exchange for support in the annexation, that the density in that area, as far as residential housing, would remain low. She noted that then along came the General Plan last year and to accommodate those promises to those persons living in that area, and also in conjunction with some very serious conversations regarding traffic circulation, the Land Use Plan was created in its present form, both with compromise and serious concerns. As a result, she stated she is not at all impressed with anyone's attempt to, by averaging or by direct and overt requesting to raise that density to high density. She stated a note for the record - yesterday, Chairman Thornburgh inquired of Staff if the Applicant was encouraging small businesses/neighborhood commercial centers and Staff's reply was that this was not the request, but it was a suggestion of Staff to accommodate or minimize the increase in traffic; therefore, she would like to know, for the record, that this type of neighborhood commercial center along the three streets mentioned will be discouraged. She noted that she would not support it. Commissioner Steding further stated that because of the vagueness of this Applicant's proposal, she sensed certain issues arising; one of them the question of affordable housing. She senses that - from the fact that they are proposing a public golf course within the confines of the property in lieu of a public park requirement, that in the future there will be requests for some bonuses in exchange for that, which might include density bonuses, which would increase their request to beyond what it presently is. The next problem Commissioner Steding has with this request is the concept of averaging. She noted that the Applicant is attempting to request High Density in a smaller portion of the acreage than they did in the past and then requesting to average, which then means the overall averaging of the entire property would be High Density. Commissioner Steding stated she is not in favor of averaging, not inclined to accept a golf course in lieu of a public park and, therefore, with respect to this General Plan Amendment and whatever comes with it to the conclusion of the hearings, the justification for the use of this property at an overall High Density will have to be an enormous justification before she would approve the project. - 8 - Chairman Thornburgh reiterated that it was the consensus of the Commission at the Study Session that they were not in favor of the neighborhood commercial centers on this or any other site. There was a brief discussion regarding the density averaging concept. Commissioner Moran stated her agreement with Commissioner Steding's comments. She further noted that she is happy with the General Plan the way it is. The area under discussion was meant to be of a lower density and she would like to see it remain that way because there are some traffic concerns. Commissioner Brandt stated she is particularly interested in the traffic circulation study that will be prepared in conjunction with this project, as well as the project to the west. She would like to see specific numbers for the existing General Plan traffic circulation as well as with the proposed General Plan Amendment, and then the worst case scenario and the appropriate mitigations for each of these actions. She reiterated that she would like to see very specific numbers so that the Commission would not be making any judgments in the dark. Chairman Thornburgh felt by averaging we would be defeating our zoning and agreed with Commissioner Steding that we should stay as close as we can to the General Plan. He also felt that height limits should be something else to consider. He felt a public golf course would benefit our community and that the Applicant should be given credit for it. Chairman Thornburgh introduced the next item under Section 5.A as follows: (2) General Plan Amendment No. 86-013, a request to amend the Land Use Plan from High Density Residential to lower density designations on certain properties in close proximity to the "Village Pointe" apartment project, generally along Calle Tampico and west of Washington Street; City Initiated. Director Crump reviewed this request per information in the Staff Report. Chairman Thornburgh stated his concerns are two. First, he felt we should consider that the people who own the property have not been notified and the people around the property have not been notified and are not here tonight. He noted we should also think of how this property reacts to Village Pointe and also how it reacts to Washington, Tampico, the traffic that will be on that intersection, and to being Low Density right next to Village Pointe. He felt there should be some density consideration here. Chairman Thornburgh noted that he is not recommending anything but felt this is a very heavy intersection and that the Commission - 9 - and Staff should be concerned with access next to the other points. Associate Planner Price informed Chairman Thornburgh that in the Staff Report regarding the Village Pointe project, there is a condition of approval that requires joint access use of the main driveway entrance into that project with adjacent parcels. Commissioner Steding commented that she is sure that public opinion has motivated the City Council to cause this review and she would like to hear from the property owners. She noted a statement in the Staff Report - "In their evaluation, the Commission has the ability to pursue a range of other alterna- tives (i.e., mixing various land use categories on different parcels within the general vicinity) .... " Therefore, she stated she would be interested in some discussion about mixed use on the area north of Calle Tampico. Chairman Thornburgh stated he felt mixed residential would be appropriate here on the basis that it would be abutting a high density project and abutting a main street. Commissioner Steding commented she was not sure whether she would be in favor of it, but would be interested in some variables here. Commissioner Walling stated it seemed to him that we were creating a special zoning district here. The most amenable solution is to do something like that where we would have a mixed residential usage, which we do not have in our General Plan as it is. He felt it would be a wise solution to be able to somehow divide it up into different uses and different densities to mitigate the problems that have been brought up. Director Crump responded to these comments by informing the - Commission that they could also designate this property as a Specific Plan area. The Commission agreed that a Specific Plan consideration should be made on the property to the north of Tampico and on the corner of Washington Street. Chairman Thornburgh introduced the next item under Section 5.A as follows: (3) General Plan Amendment No. 86-014, a request to amend the Circulation Element to reclassify Miles Avenue from a Secondary Arterial to a Primary Arterial; City Initiated. Director Crump reviewed this matter per information in the Staff Report. - 10 - Commissioner Steding commented that if two of the General Plan Amendment Applicant's (J.C.C. Enterprises & C. Meisterlin) should perhaps hear the comments of the Commission and decide to with- draw their applications, then perhaps this particular request would not be necessary at the City's expense at this time. But, should the mentioned Applicants not withdraw, and the City still feels that this is necessary, then she would agree to include Dune Palms and Adams Street in the same review as this one. Commissioner Brandt agreed with Commissioner Steding and stated -- her comments made on the first General Plan Amendment request would be appropriate here also as to what the traffic study should address. Commissioner Walling felt that since Indio has decided to develop Miles Avenue as a major thoroughfare, we will be getting a lot of traffic generation not from our own doing; therefore, we should widen it irregardless. Chairman Thornburgh stated he felt the Commission's consensus is to widen the street, but they would like to see the figures first. Chairman Thornburgh introduced the next item under Section 5.A as follows: (4) General Plan Amendment No. 86-015, a request to amend the Land Use Plan from Open Space to Low Density Residential on 9.6 acres, generally south of 54th Avenue along the west side of the All-American Canal; Cody and Brady, Applicants. Director Crump reviewed the request per information in the Staff Report. There was a brief discussion regarding this matter. The consensus - of the Commission was to remove this request from the General Plan Amendment Cycle III Review schedule and request the Applicant to proceed with a change of zone and tentative tract map for the entire parcel. The Applicant was present and verbally agreed to this request. Director Crump requested the Applicant to submit a formal notice of withdrawal to the Planning Department as soon as possible. Chairman Thornburgh introduced the last item under Section 5.A as follows: (5) General Plan Amendment No. 86-016, a request to amend the Land Use Plan from Medium and Low Density Residential to High Density Residential on 71.42 acres at the northeast corner of Washington Street and Miles Avenue; C. W. Meisterlin, Applicant. - 11 - Director Crump reviewed this request per information contained in the Staff Report. Commissioner Steding stated she would adopt her comments previously made on the J.C.C. Enterprises project for this partic- ular request as they all apply. Additionally, with respect to the suggestion of an apartment development at that high density, she stated she would underline her comments regarding density and also note for historical purposes the thinking of the General Plan. When we put High Density along the Whitewater Channel to the south of this acreage, the intent was to have any type of high density, apartment type concepts have that buffer of the Channel and not the buffer of Washington Street or other resid- ential properties surrounding it. This can only bring to mind the project that is currently going up on Jefferson Street in the City of Indio behind the Circle K, which has made a tremen- dous impact on the La Quinta residents to the north. The idea of another apartment complex in that same vicinity is not appealing at this time. Chairman Thornburgh stated he felt any comments previously made on the J.C.C. Enterprises project would apply here. Chairman Thornburgh introduced the last item of Business as follows: B. Consideration of an amendment to the Planning Commission Rules and Procedures concerning the Order of Business and the inclusion of a Public Comment section. Chairman Thornburgh stated that this matter had been discussed at the Study Session and requested Staff to put the matter on the next agenda as an action item. - 6. ADJOURNMENT There being no further items of agenda to come before the Planning Commission, Chairman Thornburgh called for a motion to adjourn. Chairman Thornburgh made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Walling, to adjourn to the next regular meeting of the Planning Commission to be held on September 23, 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 9:05 p.m., September 9, 1986, in the La Quinta City Hall, 78-105 Calle Estado, La Quinta, California. - 12 -