PCMIN 02 09 1993 PLANNING COMMISSION - CITY OF LA QUINTA
A regular meeting held at the La Quinta City Hall
78-105 Calle Estado, Im Quinta, California
February 9, 1993 7:00 P.M.
I. CALL TO ORDER
A. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 P.M. by Chairwoman Barrows;
Commissioner Adolph led the flag salute.
H. ROLL CALL
A. Chairwoman Barrows requested the roll call. Present: Commissioners Mosher,
Ellson, Marrs, Adolph, and Chairwoman Barrows.
B. Staff Present: Planning Director Jerry Herman, Principal Planner Stan Sawa,
Associate Planner Greg Trousdell. and Department Secretary Betty Anthony.
m. PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. Tentative Tract 26444. Extension ~1; a request of La Quinta Estates Partnership
for approval of a one year extension of time for a subdivision of approximately
32 acres into 98 single family lots.
1. Chairwoman Barrows opened the public hearing and stated the applicant
had requested the matter be continued to the next meeting. Commissioner
Man's moved to continue the matter to February 23, 1993. Commissioner
Ellson seconded the motion and it carried unanimously.
B. Tentative Tract 25389. Extension g2; a request of Keith Companies (formerly
Brock Homes) for approval of a second one year extension of time.
1. Associate Planner Greg Trotmdell presented the information contained in
the Staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning and
Development Department.
2. Commissioners discussed with Staff the nuisances caused by the school
lights and public address s)~atem. Commissioners asked Staff if there was
any recourse to cause the ~chool to shield the lights and tone down the
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February 9, 1993
public address system. Staff stated that the City Council will be reviewing
the lights in the near future, but they had no control over the public
address system.
3. Commissioner Ellson suggested the developers redesign the windows to
help control the amount of light entering.
4. Chairwoman Barrows asked Staff if the lights needed to be on every night.
Staff stated that in the beginning they were either all on or off. They
have since been altered so you can control which lights are on.
5. There being no further questions of Staff, Chairwoman Barrows opened
the public hearing. Mr. John Gamlin, Keith Companies, stated his
concern regarding proposed Condition g28. He further stated that due to
the property being in the possession of the RTC and undergoing the 'Due
Diligence~ process, this condition would have a ripple effect and the
project would again have to be reviewed by a number of people under the
RTC. He therefore asked that the conditions not be altered. Further this
extension was for Phases 3 and 4 which are not directly affected by the
school lights due to their distance from the school.
6. Commissioner Marrs expressed his concern that prospective property
owners needed to be alerted to the school lights, etc.
7. Commissioner Mosher expressed his concern about putting added
conditions on the project which is already suffering because of the school
problems.
8. Chairwoman Barrows asked Staff if there was any better time to add the
condition. Staff stated the project would not come back to the Planning
Commission again unless they were to apply for another time extension
or modify the design of the units.
9. Commissioner Adolph asked how the sale of the houses would be handled.
Mr. Gamlin stated they would become part of the pool of assets for
Landmark Land.
10. There being no further public comment, Chairwoman Barrows closed the
public hearing.
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11. Commissioners discussed with Staff methods of protecting the property
owners without putting undue conditions on the developer. It was
suggested that the condition be deleted and trust the tract sales persons to
disclose the problem. It was noted that the Department of Real Estate
requires disclosure of school locations to buyers.
12. There being no further discussion, it was moved by Commissioner Mosher
and seconded by Commissioner Ellson to adopt Planning Commission
Resolution ~93~4X)4, recommending approval of Tentative Tract 25389,
Extension g2, with the deletion of Condition g28, to the City Council.
ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Commissioners Mosher,
Ellson, Marrs, Adolph, &
Chairwoman Barrows. NOES:
None. ABSENT: None.
ABSTAINING: None.
IV. PUBLIC COMMENT: - None
V. BUSINESS SESSION:
A. Plot Plan 91-473; a request of Desert Hospital (Peter Bergmann) for approval of
a one year extension for a plot plan which allows construction and operation of
an out-patient medical facility.
1. Associate Planner Greg Trousdell presented the information contained in
the Staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning and
Development Department. Staff noted a modification to Condition ~60
from the Engineering Department.
2. Commissioner Mosher asked Staff if all the amended conditions from the
Engineering Department had been incorporated into the conditions before
the Commission. Staff stated they were.
3. Mr. Peter Bergmann, Desert Hospital, stated he had no objections to the
conditions as amended and their plans were to pull building permits within
the next 30 days.
4. Commissioner Adolph asked Mr. Bergmann if they anticipated any
problems with construction continuing to completion as his concern was
__ for blowing sand during any down time of construction. Mr. Bergmann
stated they did not anticipate any problems once construction began. Staff
stated they would be required to comply with any codes regarding blowing
sand.
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February 9, 1993
5. There being no further questions, Commissioner Ellson moved and
Commissioner Mosher seconded a motion to adopt Minute Motion 934)09
approving Plot Plan 91-473, extension of time. Unanimously approved.
B. Plot Plan 92-484. Amendment #1; a request of Anchovie's Restaurant to modify
the take out pizza restaurant to permit on-site dining.
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. Staff noted a modification to the conditions regarding
provision of a second restroom.
2. Commissioner Ellson asked if the applicant would be contributing to the
Downtown Parking District fund. Staff stated they would be.
3. Ms. Lisa Hicks, applicant, concurred with the recommended conditions.
4. There being no further questions, it was moved by Commissioner Mosher
and seconded by Commissioner Marrs to adopt Minute Motion 93-010
approving Plot Plan 92-484, Amendment #1 subject to conditions as
amended. Unanimously approved.
C. Sign Application 93-195; a request of Baskin Robbins for approval of a deviation
from the sign program for the One Eleven La Quinta Center.
1. Principal Planner Stan Sawa presented the information regarding additional
requested show dates contained in the Staff report, a copy of which is on
file in the Planning and Development Department.
2. Commissioners discussed with Staff the sign on the west elevation. Staff
explained the condition requiring the two signs be 20 feet apart.
Commissioners were concerned that the west sign needed to be centered
on the facia surface for appearances rather than meet the 20 foot distance
requirement.
3. Ms. Chris Kimpel, Award Signage representing the applicant, stated she
had no objections to centering the sign or not centering, as long as they
obtained the two signs.
4. There being no further discussion, it was moved by Commissioner Mosher
and seconded by Commissioner Marrs to adopt Minute Motion 93-011
recommending approval of ~, SA 93-195 subject to conditions with
the modification of condition requiting the 20 feet distance between the
two signs being changed so that the sign on the west elevation facia is
centered. Unanimously approved.
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February 9, 1993
D. Consistency Findint,; a request of the Coachella Valley Water District for General
Plan Consistency Finding for CVWD projects.
1. Principal Planner Stan Sawa presented the information contained in the
Staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Planning and Development
~ment.
2. Commissioner Adolph asked Staff how the proposed water tank projects
could be in compliance with the General Plan due to theft location. Staff
stated that utilities were exempt from complying. Staff further stated that
if the Commission so desired, a letter could be written to CVWD making
a recommendation that the water tanks be bermed, buried, or screened in
some way. Discussion followed as to what had been done in other
locations.
3. Chairwoman Barrows asked if there were any requirements on CVWD to
return the ground to its existing conditions before the construction. Staff
stated they could write a letter recommending this be done.
4. Following discussion relative to the above subjects, it was moved by
-- Commissioner Adolph and seconded by Commissioner Mosher to move
to continue this item to the next available meeting and ask CVWD to be
present to explain the location and possibility of screening and/or berming
the water tanks from view. Unanimously approved.
VI. CONSENT CALENDAR
A. Chairwoman Barrows asked if there were any corrections to the Minutes of
January 26, 1993. Commissioner Mosher asked that his comments regarding the
Change of Zone 92-073 (Page 4, Item #15) be elaborated to read:
'Commissioner Mosher addressed the proposal that would have provided
that if present owners subject to the Equestrian Overlay, should sell their
property the equestrian use would cea~ and in any event after five years
of equestrian use the property would revert to R-1 zoning. Commissioner
Mosher expressed his opinion that imposing what amounted to life estate
on property would go beyond the police power of the City and would
undoubtedly prove to be illegal."
There being no further corrections Commissioner Mosher moved that the Minutes
of January 26, 1993, be approved as amended. Commissioner Adolph seconded
the motion and it carried unanimously.
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VII. OTHER
A. Commissioner Adolph asked Staff if they required the AM/PM Market to extend
the wall and also had ARCO installed the card dispensing machines at the gas
pumps. Staff stated they had required the wall extension and the machines were
installed.
B. Commissioner Ellson expressed her concern that if cities were not allowed to
modify the colors of national trade marks on signs that there would be a circus
of colors being installed throughout the City. Discussion followed.
C. Commissioner Mosher moved and Commissioner Ellson seconded a motion to
cancel the regular meeting of the Planning Commission meeting for March 9,
1993, due to a lack of a quorum as the majority of the members would be
attending the League of California Cities Planning Commissioners Conference in
Monterey. Unanimously approved.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by Commissioner Marrs and seconded by Commissioner Adolph to adjourn -
this regular meeting of the Planning Commission to a regular meeting on February 23, 1993,
at 7:00 P.M. at the La Quinta City Hall Council Chambers. This meeting of
the La Quinta Planning Commission was adjourned at 8:24 P.M., February 9, 1993.
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