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PCMIN 06 11 1991 MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION - CITY OF LA QUINTA A regular meeting held at the La Quinta City Hall 78-105 Calle Estado, La Quinta, California June 11, 1991 7:00 P.M. I. CAI, I, TO ORDER A. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 P.M. by Chairperson Steding. The Flag Salute was led by Commissioner Mosher. II. ROLL CALL A. Chairperson Steding requested the roll call. Present: Commissioners Mosher, Dowd, and Chairperson Stealing. It was moved by Commissioner Dowd to excuse Commissioners Ladner and Barrows from the meeting due to person problems. Unanimously approved. B. Staff Present: Planning Director Jerry Herman, Principal Planner Stan Sawa, Associate Planner Glenda Lainis, and Department Secretary Betty Anthony. Commissioner Mosher moved and Commissioner Dowd seconded the motion to reverse the order of the Public Hearing for Items #3 and #4. Unanimously approved. III. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. Variance 91-015 for Tentative Tract 26524 and Tentative Parcel Map 26525; a request of Chuck Strother for a perimeter wall exceeding six feet in height. 1. Associate Planner Glenda Lainis presented the information contained in the Staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning and Development Department. 2. Chairperson Stedi~g opened the public hearing. The Applicant, Chuck Strother, addressed the Commission and gave his reason for asking for the variance. There being no further comments, Chairperson Steding closed the public hearing and opened the matter for Commission discussion. 3. Commissioner Mosher stated he felt the request of the Applicant was reasonable and greatly appreciated the design of the tract to save as much of the orchard as he had. 4. There being no further comments, Commissioner Dowd moved and Commissioner Mosher seconded the motion to adopt Resolution 91- 013 approving VarianCe 91-015 to allow a wall higher than six feet for Tentative Tract 26524 along 50th Avenue and around the Coachella Valley Water District well site. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Commissioners Dowd, Mosher, & Chairperson Steding. NOES: None. ABSENT: Commissioners Barrows & Ladner. ABSTAINING: None. B. Tentative Tract 26853; a request of A & H Desert Properties '90 for approval of a tentative tract map to subdivide 19.3 acres into 52 custom single family lots. 1. Associate Planner Glenda Lainis presented the information contained in the Staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning and Development Department. An additional condition regarding the Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard was recommended. 2. Commissioner Mosher asked Staff what the minimum lot size was. Associate Planner Lainis stated they were 12,000 square feet. 3. Chairperson Steding opened the public hearing. Mr. John Mugni, 80-556 58th Avenue, a neighbor of the project addressed the Commission stating his concern regarding losing so much agricultural land, the water table dropping, and asking why he had not been notified of the project. Chairperson Steding explained that his residence was outside the 300 foot radius that the City is required to notice landowners. She further stated that the Coachella Valley Water District had written a letter to the City stating that there was enough water to handle this project. 4. Mr. Greg Halliday, engineer for the project, addressed the commission regarding concerns the Commission had pertaining to the utilities. Mr. Halliday noted that ff Landmark Land did not finish their project north of the project site, they had alternative plans for providing the utilities. 5. Commissioner Mosher asked ff the streets were to be private and if there would be a homeowner's association. Mr. Halliday stated they would be private streets and there would be a homeowner's association but there would not be a 24-hour manned guard gate. Discussion followed regarding access routes and the original parcel map across 58th Avenue that had been approved in March, 1990, which had prior rights for the access routes. 6. Commissioner Dowd inquired how this property would be affected by the Equestrian Overlay. Planning Director Jerry Herman stated that no one in this area had horses and therefore would not be affected by the Overlay. 7. There being no further questions, Chairperson Steding closed the public hearing. Commissioner Mosher moved and Commissioner Dowd seconded the motion to adopt Resolution 91- 014 recommending to the City Council concurrence with the Environmental Analysis and approval of Tentative Tract 26853, PCMIN6-11 2 subject to the attached conditions with the addition of Condition #53, that a biological assessment shall be prepared by a qualified biologist to determine existence of any Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard on the site. Mitigation measures as recommended by assessment shall be complied with. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Commissioners Dowd, Mosher, & Chairperson Steding. NOES: None. ABSENT: Commissioners Barrows & Ladner. ABSTAINING: None. C. Zoning Text Amendment 91-018; a request of the City of La Quinta to amend Chapter 9.160, Off Street Parking, to permit mitigation payment for parking space deficiencies in the Village Zoning District. 1. Planning Director Jerry Herman presented the information contained in the Staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning and Development Department. Mr. Herman indicated that a legal opinion from the City Attorney had been received. 2. Chairperson Steding asked Staff if the City had established any policies in regard to when they would spend the money to establish these parking spaces. Planning Director Jerry Herman stated that at present the City had no policies in place. He further stated what the City's options were in regard to this issue. 3. Chairperson Steding opened the public hearing. Mr. Ben Urmstrom, architect for Plot Plan 91-458, asked the Commission if the City knew when they would set the amount for providing parking spaces. Discussion followed between Staff, Commission and Mr. Urmstrom as to the solutions and options Mr. Urmstron and Mr. Barnes had. 4. Chairperson Steding closed the public hearing and opened the matter for Commission discussion. Commissioner Mosher stated that the logical solution would be to proceed with the development of the parking district for the Village. 5. There being no further discussion, it was moved by Commissioner Mosher and seconded by Commissioner Dowd to adopt Resolution 91-015 amending Chapter 9.160, Off Street Parking, by permitting mitigation payments for parking space deficiencies, amending the various Commercial Village Subzones to permit said flexibility and concurring with the environmental determination that a Negative Declaration is appropriate for filing. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Commissioners Dowd, Mosher, & Chairperson Stealing. NOES: None. - ABSENT: Commissioners Barrows & Ladner. ABSTAINING: None. PCMIN6-11 3 D. Plot Plan 91-458; a request of Robert A. Barnes for approval of a building addition at 51-370 Avenida Bermudas. 1. Planning Director Jerry Herman presented the information contained in the Staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning and Development Department. 2. Planning Director Jerry Herman then explained where City ; parking was planned and the options that were available to the developer to provide the necessary parking. 3. Commissioner Dowd asked Staff if the residences on the east side of this building are zoned for commercial. Planning Director Jerry Herman stated the entire area is zoned commercial. Discussion followed as to Condition #Sb requiring street improvements. Planning Director Jerry Herman stated the Applicant would only be responsible for improvements adjacent to his building. 4. Chairperson Steding asked Staff if Condition #11 required the Applicant to pay parking mitigation fees on only 8 parking spaces because the original conditions bind him to 5. Planning Director Jerry Herman stated that an agreement was already in place binding him to the original 5. He then pointed out what the Commission's options were in regard to this. 5. Chairperson Steding opened the public hearing. Mr. Benjamin Urmstrom addressed the Commission regarding Condition #Sb. Chairperson Steding asked Mr. Urmstrom if he had discussed this with the Engineering Department. Commissioner Mosher asked if the Applicant had a problem with the wording or was he clear with what the Engineering Department was asking. Mr. Urmstrom stated that the Applicant would abide by the condition as it relates to the improvement of his property. 6. Chairperson Steding asked if the Applicant had a concerns with the conditions requiring the parking. Mr. Urmstrom stated they had no problem with the solution the City had worked out. Chairperson Steding asked whether the Applicant approved of the mitigation measures to provide the parking or the proposal to have the Applicant actually construct the parking spaces on City land. Mr. Urmstrom stated that an entire lot was needed and if parking was provided behind the Chamber building they would probably not be used by the tenants of the Barnes building. 7. Chairperson Steding asked if Mr. Urmstrom understood that the City was only asking the Applicant to improve the drainage swale on the frontage of the property not solve the water problem on Avenida Bermudas. Mr. Urmstrom asked if Avenida Bermudas south of the alley was 32-foot half width. Planning Director Jerry Herman stated that it is 32-feet half width. Mr. Urmstrom then asked if the other 12-feet was the swale. Mr. Herman stated PCMIN6-11 4 that this 12-feet was nOt dedicated to the City and the Applicant would be expected to improve that portion. 7. Mr. Robert A. Barnes, the owner of the building, addressed the Commission regarding the off-site parking spaces. 8. Chairperson Steding closed the public hearing and opened the matter for Commissioner discussion. Commissioner Mosher stated he felt the proposal made economical sense and commended the Applicant for taking such a economical risk. 9. Commissioner Mosher stated his concern that a solution for the parking needed to be addressed and addressed in such a way as to not be a burden to the Applicant. Commissioner Dowd felt that Commission impress on the City Council's mind that this parking problem needed to be addressed immediately and possibly this project should be the means by which this could be addressed now. Discussion followed as to the options available to Mr. Barnes for the provision of parking spaces. 10. There being no further discussion, it was moved by Commissioner Mosher and seconded by Commissioner Dowd moved to adopt Minute Motion 91-016 approving Plot Plan 91-458 subject to the attached conditions with the amendment to Condition #11 to read: "The Applicant/Owner shall build 13 parking spaces on City owned property subject to City approval. Failure to receive City approval for the construction of 13 parking spaces, the Applicant/Owner shall pay parking mitigation fees for eight parking spaces as provided in the Off Street Parking Chapter in the Municipal Code subject to Zoning Text Amendment 91-018 adoption." and that a Negative Declaration be filed in conjunction with the project. UnaDirnously approved. IV. PUBLIC COMMENT: - None V. BUSINESS SESSION - None VI. CONSENT CALENDAR Approval of Planning Commission Minutes of May 28, 1991. Commissioner Dowd moved by Commissioner Mosher the motion to approve the Minutes of May 28, 1991, as submitted. Unanimously approved. PCMIN6-11 5 VII. OTHER Planning Director Jerry Herman stated the information before them was Staff's consensus of what concerns the Commission had expressed regarding the Draft EIR's for Specific Plans 90-015, 90-016, 90-017. Commissioners expressed their approval of the comments. VIII. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Commissioner Mosher and seconded by Commissioner Dowd to adjourn to a regular meeting on June 25, 1991, at 5:00 P.M. in the La Quinta City Hall, 78-105 Calle Estado, La Quinta, California followed by a joint meeting with the City Council at 7:00 P.M. at the La Quinta Middle School. This meeting of the La Quinta Planning Commission was adjourned at 8:30 P.M. PCMIN6-11 6