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PCMIN 11 23 1993 MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION - CITY OF LA QUINTA A regular meeting held at the La Quinta City Hall 78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, California November 23, 1993 7:00 P.M. I. CALL TO ORDER A. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 P.M. by Chairwoman Barrows and Commissioner Ellson was asked to lead the flag salute. II. ROLL CALL A. Chairwoman Barrows requested the roll call. Present: Commissioners Adolph, Ellson, Man's, Abels, and Chairwoman Ban'ows. C. Staff Present: Planning Director Jerry Herman, Principal Planner Stan Sawa, -- Assistant City Engineer Steve Speer, and Department Secretary Betty Sawyer. III. PUBLIC HEARINGS - None IV. BUSINESS SESSION A. Plot Plan 93-511; a request of TD Desert Development (Chuck Strother) for approval of plans for a maintenance building for Rancho La Quinta project located on 48th Avenue. 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 Department. Staff informed the Commissioners that Condition #18 had to be modified to lower the height of the maintenance building to the correct maximum of 14 feet highand the fertilizer building to a maximum of 11 feet high. 2. Staff further informed the Commissioners that the immediate, adjacent, and surrounding property owners had been notified of the project. 3. Mr. Chuck Strother, representing the applicant, explained the reason for this location and described the site. 4. Commissioner Ellson asked the applicant to show the Commission the location of the building on the aerial map displayed in the Council Chambers. PC11-23 1 Planning Commission Minutes November 23, 1993 5. Commissioner Marrs inquired about deliveries. Mr. Strothers stated the only semi-trucks would be the delivery of annual rye plantings. All other deliveries would be with standard trucks. 6. Commissioner Adolph asked how many employees there would be. Mr. Strothers stated there would be 22. Commissioner Adolph asked how the gates would be operated. Mr. Strothers stated the gates would be open during the course of the work day. 7. Mr. Peter Ministrelli, developer of the projects (Painted Cove and Bajada) to the south, stated there were 14 families in his projects with homes ranging in excess of $500,000 in value and he was there to voice their objection to this project. He stated their project had experienced several problems with the children from the schools and this was an open door for more problems. He further stated that he had originally asked for his project to have an entrance off 50th Avenue and had been denied and now this project was being given approval. His objections to the project were the location, noise, odors, and the look of a commercial strip such as Highway 111 along 50th Avenue. 8. Ms. Marsha Hanover, homeowner in Painted Cove, stated her concern for the traffic on Park Avenue and the noise, health hazards, and earthquake risks with the fuel facilities. 9. Mr. Al Durrett, Bajada builder, stated his concern for the traffic on 50th Avenue, security problems with an open entry gate, and he felt the use needed to be relocated. 10. Commissioner Ellson asked where the median breaks were to be located. Assistant City Engineer Steve Speer stated the median at present ends at the entrance to the maintenance building but will be continued to the entrance to The Orchard project. Discussion followed relative to traffic circulation on 50th Avenue and other maintenance building entrances off major streets throughout the City. 11. Commissioner Abels asked the applicant to explain the fuel facility to the Commission and property owners to alleviate their concerns. Mr. Strothers explained the system and the safety factors that were incorporated into the system. 12. Commissioner Adolph asked if the future interior street would have access onto 50th Avenue. Mr. Strothers stated there was an interior loop road and eventually there would be a 50th Avenue entrance to match up with The Orchard project and it would be signalized. PC11-23 2 Planning Commission Minutes November 23, 1993 13. Commissioner Adolph asked if Mr. Strothers would be willing to close the proposed 50th Avenue maintenance facility entrance and let the maintenance people utilize the other entrance access from the orchard. Mr. Strothers stated their concern for having non-members use this entrance for security purposes. 14. Chairwoman Barrows expressed her concern about the entrance gates being open all day and the potential problem with the children. Discussion followed about having a chainlink fence to separate the building from the parking lot. Mr. Strothers stated they were considering doing this for their own security purposes. 15. Commissioner Ellson inquired about the lots on the northwest corner of the Painted Cove being limited to one story. Discussion followed regarding what had been approved for the surrounding tracts. 16. Chairwoman Barrows stated her concern for gas tanks and the odors. Mr. Strothers stated the tanks were above ground for safety purposes and they were the state-of-the-art in technology for safety purposes. The refueling would be only once a month and there should be no gas fumes. 17. Commissioner Ellson asked if leaf blowers were to be used. Mr. Strothers stated there would be no maintenance being performed in this area as all the landscaping was designed to be as maintenance free as possible. 18. Mr. Strothers stated that in order for him to relocate the maintenance yard to a different site it would be a financial burden as the remainder of the development had not been planned and it would be a hit and miss situation to determine a location to put the yard. 19. Commissioner Adolph asked if there were any plans to expand the yard at a future date. Mr. Strothers stated there should not be a need to do so. 20. Commissioner Ellson asked if the facilities could be moved easily if it were necessary. Mr. Strothers stated the building is the least of the costs, the major costs were in the infrastructures and external costs. 21. Mr. Durrett suggested the entrance to the yard be through the tract opening on 50th Avenue as it was going to be difficult to control the time the workers will begin. Discussion followed regarding work hours. 22. Ms. Hanover asked if there were any statistics regarding the location of the combustibles in regards to earthquakes. Mr. Strothers stated there were none and discussion followed regarding the safety features of the combustibles. PC11-23 3 Planning Commission Minutes November 23, 1993 23. Commissioner Ellson asked if there had been objections received from the schools. Mr. Strothers stated he had received none and none had been received from the Boys and Girls Club either. 24. Commissioner Ellson asked Mr. Strothers to show the location of the proposed entrance off 50th Avenue on the aerial. She then asked if the golf course doubled would the number of employees double. Mr. Strothers stated them are no plans to expand the golf course and he felt if it should, the number of employees would remain the same. 25. Chairwoman Barrows asked staff if there were any conditions on the project regarding safety and proximity to the school site. Staff stated Condition #28 addressed the issue. 26. Commissioners discussed the delivery truck hours as well as the work hours as they related to the hours school was in session. 27. Chairwoman Barrows stated she felt the Commission had thoroughly addressed the issued that concerned the Commission as well as the public. There being no further discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Abels/Marrs to adopt Minute Motion 93-052 approving Plot Plan 93-511, subject to conditions. The motion carried unanimously. B. Conditional Use Permit 93-007. Amendment #1; a request of McDonald Corporation for approval of an amendment to a conditional use permit which allows construction and operation of a fast food restaurant with a drive-thru lane. 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 Department. 2. Commissioner Ellson asked what the tree pallet was for the center. Staff explained. 3. Commissioner Ables asked what the spacing was on the Oleanders. Staff stated they were fairly close, three to four feet on center. 4. Commissioner Marrs stated the landscaping in between was for color and not for screening. Staff stated that was correct. 5. Commissioner Ellson asked if the Ocotillo trees could be replaced with trees to give more shade and soften the height of the building. Discussion followed relative to alternative trees. PC11-23 4 Planning Commission Minutes November 23, 1993 6. Chairwoman Barrows questioned the height of the playland structure. She requested that three additional trees be required in Condition //35 for shade on the playland structure. Discussion followed again regarding the variety of trees to be used in the southeast comer. 7. Mr. Rob Jenkins, representing McDonalds stated the glass structure for the playland structure was not a typical glass. It was designed to keep heat out. Following a discussion regarding shading the area, it was decided three Queen Palms 15-20 feet in height should be used. 8. Chairwoman Barrows also stated her request to see an additional 5-6 trees be planted on the berm between the drive-thru and the sidewalk. She suggested that Acacia, Palo Verde, and Mesquite trees be used and the Ocotillo trees be moved over. 9. Mr. Jenkins questioned who the authority was in Condition//47. Staff stated it would be the Planning and Development Department. 10. Commissioner Adolph stated he felt the 3:1 slope for the berm would be adequate, but a 2:1 would be a problem for soil erosion into the drive-thru lane. Discussion followed regarding the berm. 11. There being no further comment, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Abels/Adolph to adopt Minute Motion 93-053 approving Conditional Use Permit 93-007, Amendment//1, subject to the amended conditions and requiring a minimum of 5-6 trees and replacing the Privet tree with the Queen Palm and relocating the Ocotillo trees. Unanimously approved. VI. CONSENT CALENDAR A. There being no corrections to the Minutes of November 9, 1993, Commissioners Ellson/Marrs moved and seconded a motion to approve the Minutes as submitted. Unanimously approved. VH. OTHER Staff reminded the Commission that the joint meeting between the City Council, Planning Commission, and Design Review Board would be November 30, 1993, at 7:00 P.M. Commissioner Adolph asked that staff determine whether the Citrus development had approval for signs on 52nd and Jefferson Street. Staff stated they would investigate. PC11-23 5 Planning Commission Minutes November 23, 1993 VIII. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made and seconded by Commissioners Marts/Abels to adjourn this regular meeting of the Planning Commission to a regular meeting of the Planning Commission on December 14, 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 7:42 P.M., November 23, 1993. PC11-23 6