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1987 05 12 PC Minutes MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION - CITY OF LA QUINTA regular meeting held at the La Quinta City Hall 78-105 Calle Estado, La Quinta, California May 12, 1987 7:00 p.m. _ I. CALL TO ORDER A. Chairman Thomas Thornburgh called the Planning Commission meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. The Flag Salute was led by Commissioner Brandt. II. ROLL CALL A. Chairman Thornburgh requested the roll call. Present: Commissioners Brandt, Moran, Steding, Vice Chairman Walling, and Chairman Thornburgh. Members.absent: None. B. Staff Present: Planning Director Murrel Crump, Principal Planner Jerry Herman, and Department Secretary Mariellen Ratowski. III. HEARINGS Chairman Thornburgh introduced the hearing item as follows: A. Plot Plan 87-380 - A request by Robert C. Monroe to construct a two-story, 6,660-square foot retail/office building along the north side of Calle Estado, 250 feet east of Avenida Bermudas. _ 1. Planning Director Murrel Crump reviewed the request per the information contained in the Staff Report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning Department. . . 2. Chairman Thornburgh opened the Hearing for public comment. The Applicant, Robert Monroe, addressed the Commission. Mr. Monroe expressed agreement with the conditions of approval, but questioned the parking condition, mentioning that the County Library is interested in locating a branch in part of his building. There being no further public comment, Chairman Thornburgh closed the hearing for public comment. MR/MIN05-12 .DFT 3. Commissioner Thornburgh then opened the matter for Planning Commission discussion. The Commission members discussed the request as submitted. Commissioner Walling discussed the parking lot with respect to removing four parking spaces and replacing them with landscaping to generate more pedestrian interest. Commissioner Brandt expressed concerns for having consistency of street trees and over approving projects before the adoption of the Village Specific Plan, and expressed approval of shaded parking. The Commission then reviewed modified conditions as supplied by Staff and further discussion followed. 4. A motion was made by Commissioner Steding and seconded by Commissioner Walling to approve Plot Plan 87-380, subject to the filing of a Negative Declaration; and subject to the attached conditions, numbers one through five, with condition 4B amended to require the Applicant to submit to the Commission for Study Session review and to the Planning Director for approval, a revised landscape plan which'identifies the appropriate canopy-type shade tree forms for the street trees and other major trees within the parking area. The shade trees within the parking area (including the alley parking spaces) may be substituted with an architecturally complementary shade structure. The hardscape must conform with the adopted Village at La Quinta specific Plan; and with condition 4C amended to require the Applicant to submit to the Commission for Study Session review and to the Planning Director for approval, a revised site plan which eliminates the first three parking spaces on the west side and the first parking space on the east side of the parking area adjacent to Calle Estado. 5. The motion was unanimously adopted. IV. PUBLIC COMMENT Mr. Charles Brown of Palm Desert Greens Country Club/HMS Real Estate addressed the Commission with various zoning questions regarding property in Highland Palms vicinity. V. CONSENT CALENDAR Motion was made by Commissioner Steding and seconded by Commissioner Moran to approve the Planning Commission minutes of April 14, 1987, as submitted, and of April 28, with an added clarification. Unanimously adopted. MR/MIN05-12 .DFT VI. BUSINESS -- Chairman Thornburgh introduced the items of business as follows: A. Subdivision Ordinance Text Amendment No. 87-001, a City-initiated request to add new Section 16.7 pertaining to procedures for Parcel Mergers. 1. To facilitate Commission comment to be forwarded to the City Council, Principal Planner Jerry Herman reviewed -- the request per the information contained in the Staff Report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning Department. 2. Chairman Thornburgh opened the matter for Planning Commission discussion. Commissioner Moran suggested the possibility of fee discounts to encourage mergers. Chairman Thornburgh asked if there was any way to further expedite the paperwork involved. Planning Director Crump responded that a Parcel Merger is the expedited procedure, the alternative being a Parcel Map. There being no further comment, the discussion was closed. B. Review building architecture/design revisions of Plot Plan 86-274 (John Feld), located, generally, on the north side of - Avenida Montezuma, between Avenida Bermudas and Avenida Navarro. 1. Planning Director Crump presented background data on the matter per the information contained in the Staff Report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning Department. 2. Chairman Thornburgh opened the matter for Planning - Commission discussion. Commissioner Walling questioned the choice of street trees and shade trees in the parking lot, and suggested a buffer wall or landscaping to screen the parking. Commissioner Brandt expressed agreement with Commissioner Walling's comments. 3. A motion was made by Chairman Thornburgh and seconded by Commissioner Steding to approve Plot Plan 86-274, subject to the attached conditions, with the specification made for a clay-tile roof, and requiring the landscape plan to be consistent with the approved Village Specific Plan and Planning Commission approval. 4. The motion was unanimously adopted. C. Identification of future agenda items: None identified. MR/MIN05-12.DFT VI I. OTHER A. Discussion Item: Specific Plan 86-006, Highway 111 Update 1. A presentation was made to the Commission by Planning Director Crump, updating the status of Specific Plan 86-006. The Commission discussed various aspects of the information with the resulting consensus being to wait for the completed market study and for a staff-revised draft specific plan before further - Commission review. VIII. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Commissioner Walling and seconded by Commissioner Moran to adjourn to a regular meeting on May 26, 1987, at 7:00 p.m., in the La Quinta City Hall, 78-105 Calle Estado, La Quinta, California. This meeting of the La Quinta Planning Commission was adjourned at 8:27 p.m., May 12, 1987. MR/MIN05-12.DFT