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PCMIN 02 23 1999 MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING A regular meeting held at the La Quinta City Hall 78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, CA February 23, 1999 7:00 P.M. I. CALL TO ORDER A. This meeting of the Planning Commission was called to order at 7:00 P.M. by Chairman Tyler who asked Commissioner Robbins to lead the flag salute. B. Chairman Tyler requested the roll call: Present: Commissioners Abels, Kirk, Robbins, and Chairman Tyler. It was moved and seconded by Commissioners Abels/Robbins to excuse Commissioner Butler. Unanimously approved. C. Staffpresent: Community Development Director Jerry Herman, City Attomey Dawn Honeywell, Planning Manager Christine di Iorio, Senior Engineer Steve Speer, Principal Planner Stan Sawa, and Executive Secretary Betty Sawyer. II. PUBLIC COMMENT: None III. CONFIRMATION OF THE AGENDA: Confirmed IV. CONSENT ITEMS: A. Chairman Tyler asked if there were any corrections to the Minutes of February 9, 1999. Commissioner. Chairman Tyler asked that Page 6, Item 2 be corrected to read, "...sills or lintels...). There being no further corrections, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Abels/Robbins to approve the Minutes of February 9, 1999, as corrected. B. Department Report: None. VI. PUBLIC HEARINGS: A. Environmental Assessment 98-372 and Specific Plan 98-033: a request of Mainiero, Smith & Associates, Inc./Ray Troll Development Company. A recommendation to the City Council for Certification of an Environmental Assessment and review of the development principles and guidelines for a 7.07 acre commercial project consisting of a 160 unit hotel and two restaurants. C:XMy Documents\WPDOCS\PC2-23-99.wpd Planning Commission Minutes February 23, 1999 1. Chairman Tyler opened the public hearing and asked for the staff report. Planning Manager Christine di Iorio presented the information contained in the staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. 2. Commissioner Abels asked staff about the shared parking. Planning Manager Christine di Iorio stated the applicant used the Urban Land Institute requirements to determine the number of spaces. 3. Commissioner Kirk asked if the Planning Commission should be taking a more comprehensive look at the City's parking standards due to the issues being raised on shared parking. Commissioners concurred and asked that staff research the issue and bring it back to the Commission. 4. Chairman Tyler asked Senior Engineer Steve Speer to discuss traffic issues at Adams Street. Senior Engineer Steve Speer explained how the street width is determined. He further stated Condition #7.A. was added to require an extra four feet in width to accommodate the street widening. 5. Commissioner Abels asked why Adams Street north and south of Highway 111 is not in the same category. Senior Engineer Steve Speer stated Adams Street and Dune Palms, south of Highway 111, are Primary Arterials. North of the Highway 111 they are Primary Arterials because of the amount of traffic. 6. Commissioner Robbins asked if the applicant was going to submit a master plan or would the developments come to the Commission in phases. Planning Manager Christine di Iorio stated it was up to the applicant. Commissioner Robbins expressed his concern that if they approved the specific plan in pieces, there was no guarantee it would all fit together. 7. Commissioner Abels stated he was still concerned if a Secondary Arterial street would be able to handle the traffic. The problems that occurred with Washington Street should not be repeated here. Community Development Director Jerry Herman stated that according to the General Plan the street is designed as it should be. During the update of the General Plan, the streets designation can be addressed. Discussion followed regarding what portion of Adams Street were left to be developed. 8. There being no further questions of staff, Chairman Tyler asked if the applicant would like to address the Commission. Mr. Marvin Roos, representative for the project stated they supported the staff recommendations. They were in the process of compiling a master plan for the entire project. C:LMy Documents\WPDOCS~PC2-23-99.wpd Planning Commission Minutes February 23, 1999 9. Commissioner Abels asked the applicant if they had considered what the parking will be in five or ten years. Mr. Roos stated as far as building trends and parking requirements, they found that their proposal is in agreement. He went on to explain what the uses would be that would be. 10. Chairman Tyler questioned the street that is proposed between this site and the storage facility. Mr. Roos stated it is a proposed roadway that is part of the overall circulation plan. Chairman Tyler stated that without this second access point, it would be difficult to get in and out of the site. He also asked about the road between the hotel and restaurant; was it to be a main thoroughfare. Mr. Roos stated no it isn't and that was the intent of the additional traffic analysis. The intent is to create a circulation plan that allows traffic flow between the hotel property and the retail property without creating a major access route. The raised decorative pavement section is a traffic calming device that also acts to deter significant traffic flow. Discussion followed regarding circulation. 11. Chairman Tyler asked if there was any other public participation. There being none, this portion of the public heating was closed and opened for Commission discussion. 12. Commissioner Robbins asked how far north the median on Adams Street would extend. Senior Engineer Steve Speer stated there is a 12 foot wide painted median that goes the length of the street. The nose of the median at the comer extends only 200 feet north. Commissioner Robbins asked how far the northerly street access was from the exit for Wal Mart. How far off- set. Staff stated if it were allowed it would be approximately 150 feet. It is enough that left mm traffic will not collide. 13. Commissioner Kirk stated he too thought the project would be a welcome use to the City. In regard to the Specific Plan, are there Specific Plan guidelines the applicant has to respond to. Planning Manager Christine di Iorio stated they must find consistency with the General Plan. Commissioner Kirk commended the applicant on his proposal and stated it was one of the most useful Specific Plan' s he has seen. It is very comprehensive. 14. Chairman Tyler asked if they could discuss drive/in restaurants on the site at this time. 15. Commissioner Robbins stated he understood the restaurants were to be sit down. C:\My Documents\WPDOCSLPC2-23-99.wpd Planning Commission Minutes February 23, 1999 16. Commissioner Kirk asked if the Planning Commission had the power to restrict drive-throughs. City Attorney Dawn Honeywell stated that in the sense that this is a specific plan, yes. As long as there is no prohibition in the General Plan, there is some flexibility. Historically, there were conditions places on the One Eleven La Quinta Center that restricted drive-thru restaurants, however, Council has since changed that condition. If the Commission wants to consider Council's direction, this is an example. The specific plan will determine any uses on the site. 17. Mr. Roos stated that at this time the restaurants they are talking to are sit down-full service. On one hand they would like to have flexibility, but there is no intent on their part to pursue any drive-throughs. The remainder of the land is owned by other people and they do not want to limit their uses. He does not believe there is any objection to the prohibition of drive-throughs. He suggested they be required to process a conditional use permit if one is proposed, without restricting them completely. 18. There being no discussion, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Abels/Kirk to adopt Planning Commission Resolution 99-019 recommending to the City Council Certification of a Mitigated Negative Declaration of Environmental Impact for Environmental Assessment 98-373. ROLL CALL: AYES: Commissioners Abels, Kirk Robbins, and Chairman Tyler. NOES: None. ABSENT: Commissioner Butler. ABSTAIN: None. 19. It was moved and seconded by Commissioner Abels/Kirk to adopt Planning Commission Resolution 99-020 recommending to the City Council approval of Specific Plan 98-033, subject to the Conditions of Approval as submitted. A. Add a new condition: Drive through restaurants would require a conditional use permit. ROLL CALL: AYES: Commissioners Abels, Kirk, Robbins, and Chairman Tyler. NOES: None. ABSENT: Commissioner Butler. ABSTAIN: None. VI. BUSINESS ITEMS: None. VII. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIAL: None. VIII. COMMISSIONER ITEMS A. Chairman Tyler gave a report on the City Council meeting of February 16, 1999. C:WIy Documents\WPDOCS\PC2-23-99.wpd Planning Commission Minutes February 23, 1999 IX. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Robbins/Abels to adjourn this regular meeting of the Planning Commission to the next regular meeting of the Planning Commission to be held March 9, 1999, at 7:00 p.m. This meeting of the Planning Commission was adjourned at 7:40 P.M. on February 23, 1999. Respectfully submitted, cutive Secretary City of La Quinta, California C:\My Documents\WPDOCS\PC2-23-99.wpd