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2004 10 26 PC Minutes · MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING .".....--..-- A regular meeting held at the La Quinta City Hall 78-495 Calle Tampico, La Quinta, Cf.. October 26, 2004 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 Kirk who asked Assistant City Attorney Michael Houston to lead the flag salute. B. Present: Commissioners Rick Daniels, Kay Ladner, Ken Krieger, Paul Quill, and Chairman Tom Kirk. C. Staff present: Oscar Orci, Interim Community Development Director, Assistant City Attorney Michael Houston, Assistant City Engineer Steve Speer, Principal Planner StanSawa, Associate Planners Wallace Nesbit, and Executive Secretary Betty Sawyer. II. PUBLIC COMMENT: None. III. CONFIRMATION OF THE AGENDA: Confirmed. IV. CONSENT ITEMS: A. Chairman Kirk asked if there were any corrections to the Minutes of the regular meeting of October 12, 2004. There being rio corrections, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Daniels/Ladner to approve the minutes as submitted. Chairman Kirk asked if there were any corrections to the Minutes of the Special Joint Meeting of September 28, 2004. corrections, it was moved and seconded by Daniels/Ladner to approve the minutes as submitted. There being no Commissioners B. Department Report. V. PUBLIC HEARINGS: A. Site Development Permit 2004-812; a request of Chick-Fil-A for consideration of development plans and signs for a 4,694 gross square foot restaurant with a drive through lane located on the north side of G:\WPDOCS\PC Minutes\1 0-26-04.doc Planning Commission Minutes October 26, 2004 Highway 111, east of Adams Street within The Pavilion at La Quinta project. 1 . Chairman Kirk opened the public hearing and asked for the staff report. Principal Planner Stan Sawa presented the information contained in the staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. 2. Chairman Kirk asked if there were any questions of staff. Commissioner Daniels asked if the plan complied with all Code requirements. Staff stated yes. 3. Chairman Kirk asked if the master developer was providing all the landscaping or just this section prior to development or the entire landscape easement. Staff stated it is uncertain about the landscaping, but if they are not doing the entire landscaping along Highway 111, the portion in front of Chick-Fil-A will be required. Interim Community Development Director Oscar Orci noted the problem the City has with previous street landscaping. Developers have installed the entire length of the landscaping and it has not been maintained in front of areas where shops have not been developed. If the Commission determines it appropriate, this pad would only be landscaped at this time. 4. Commissioner Daniels asked if the entire street improvements had been completed for this section of Highway 111. Assistant City Engineer Steve Speer stated they are working with Caltrans to complete the improvements including the deceleration lane. 5. Chairman Kirk asked if the applicant would like to address the Commission. Mr. Greg Lawless, representing Chick-Fil-A, stated he concurred with the conditions and was available to answer any questions. They do not intend to open till some of the other shops in the Center open. 6. Chairman Kirk asked if there was any other public comment. There being no further comment, the public participation pqrtionof the hearing was closed and open for Commission discussion. 7. Commissioner Quill asked that the landscaping come back ~efore the Commission. Interim Community Development Director Oscar Orci stated Condition #58 directs staff to review the berming and landscaping to be in compliance with the Highway 111 Design G:\WPDOCS\PC Minutes\ 1 0-26-04.doc 2 Planning Commission Minutes October 26, 2004 Guidelines. Commissioner Quill asked if there was a retaining wall. Staff stated not at this location at this time. Commissioner Quill asked that it be conditioned to have the retaining wall and the berming to effectively screen the drive through. Staff stated Condition #58 could be amended to include the berming and retaining wall. Mr. Lawless stated they would prefer to see the landscaping and berm rather than the wall as it becomes a nuisance and continually has to be repaired. 8. Commissioner Ladner stated the wall creates a tunnel for the exhaust to collect for those waiting. If the berming can provide what they want then the wall is a duplication and not necessary. 9. Commissioner Krieger stated he agreed with Commissioner Ladner. 10. Commissioner Quill asked that the berm be not less than seven feet. Mr. Lawless stated a wall at this height with the landscaping will hide the entire building. Staff stated this will also cause drainage problems. 11 . Chairman Kirk suggested it be conditioned to have the Commission review the landscape plan to ensure the screening. 12. It was moved and seconded by Commissioners Ladner/Daniels to adopt Planning Commission Resolution 2004-081 approving Site Development Permit 2004-081, as recommended by staff and amended as follows: a. Condition #58: Landscaping plans will be reviewed by the Planning Commission. The plans shall show site line studies from actual elevations from Highway 111 and the proposed drive through lane. ROLL CALL: AYES: Commissioners Daniels, Ladner, Krieger, Quill and Chairman Kirk. NOES: None. ABSENT: None. ABSTAIN: None. B. Site Development Permit 2004-816; a request of K. Hovnanian Homes/Forecast Homes for consideration of architectural and landscaping plans for three new single-family prototype residential units, each with three different elevations, located at the northwest corner of Avenue 52 and Monroe Street within Tentative Tract Map 30092. G:\WPDOCS\PC Minutes\ 1 0-26-04.doc 3 Planning Commission Minutes October 26, 2004 1 . Chairman Kirk opened the public hearing and asked for the staff report. Associate Planner Wallace Nesbit presented the information contained in the staff report, a copy of which is on file in the Community Development Department. 2. Chairman Kirk asked if there were any questions of staff~ Commissioner Daniels asked how many Bottlebrush trees they were planting and if they knew how messy they can be. Staff noted the Architecture and Landscape Review Committee (ALRC) discussed the problems with the Chilean Mesquite trees, but did not require their removal. If the Commission wants them removed from the plant list, they can do so. 3. Chairman Kirk asked why staff was asking them not to hydroseed; what options do they have? Staff stated it is the seed mix that is objectionable. Staff will be asking Public Works to review the seed mix for their approval. 4. Commissioner Quill noted the grade differential on the back of the lots was up to four feet between the pads. Staff noted the differential is normally not more than three feet. The grading plan is in plan check currently and Public Works will review the grades. Interim Community Development Director Oscar Orci clarified that Public Works will be reviewing the hydrology to see that it complies with City standards. 5. Chairman Kirk asked if the applicant would like to address the Commission. Mr. Steve Chaparro, K. Hovnanian Homes/Forecast Homes, gave a presentation on the project. 6. Chairman Kirk asked if there were any questions of the applicant. Commissioner Quill asked about the seed mix. Mr. Chaparro noted the comments made by the ALRC on the wildflower problems. 7. Chairman Kirk noted there was a lot of turf and if it met with the City's Water Efficient Landscaping Ordinance. Mr. Chaparro stated it is being reviewed by the City as well as CVWD and will meet those requirements. Chairman Kirk asked if staff had seen the calculations. Staff stated they have not seen the approved plans by CVWD in order to review the calculations. G:\WPDOCS\PC Minutes\ 1 0-26-04.doc 4 Planning Comm.ission Minutes October 26, 2004 8. Chairman Kirk asked if anyone else would like to address the Commission on this matter. There being none, the public participation portion of the hearing was closed and open for Com.mission discussion. 9. Chairman Kirk stated the landscaping plans seem too lush and he does not believe they will meet the City's Ordinance. Staff noted the applicant must meet the allowance stated in the Ordinance. The Ordinance does allow them to mix and combine areas to reach those quotas. Discussion followed regarding the landscaping plan. 10. Chairman Kirk reopened the public hearing and askedMr. Chaparro if he had any objection to bringing the landscaping plan back to the Commission. Mr. Chaparro stated he would prefer to have staff approval if they meet the Ordinance. 11 . Commissioner Quill asked if the City had an outside consultant who could review the plant matedal and could give advice. Staff noted the ALRC has members who are proficient with land$caping terms and species and this is part of their review process. 12. It was moved and seconded by Commissioners Quill/Daniels to adopt Planning Commission Resolution 2004-082, approving Site Development Permit 2004-816, as recommended by staff and amended as follows: a. Condition added: The final landscaping plan shall be reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission prior to a Certificate of Occupancy. ROLL CALL: AYES: Commissioners Daniels, Ladner, Krieger, Quill, and Chairman Kirk. NOES: None. ABSENT: None. ABSTAIN: None VI. BUSINESS ITEMS: None VII. CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIAL: None. VIII. COMMISSIONER ITEMS: A. Commissioner Quill asked that discussion be agendized regarding the hiring of a horticulturalist to address plant material, their growth pattern, etc. Second, he would like to have agendized a discussion regarding G:\WPDOCS\PC Minutes\ 1 0-26-04.doc 5 Planning Commission Minutes October 26, 2004 putting together a container storage ordinance. He would like to see them put together in a very tasteful manner. Assistant City Attorney Michael Houston clarified that Wal-Mart would not be coming back before the Commission as it was appealed to the City Council by the applicant. Discussion followed regarding the action and alternatives presented to the Council regarding the appeal. Staff was directed to agendize the two items. B. , Interim Community Development Director Oscar Orci asked the status of the Commissioners attendance at council meeting. Staff would see that the Commissioners receive the schedule in the next packet. IX. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners Krieger/Quill to adjourn this regular meeting of the Planning Commission to a regular meeting of the Planning Commission to be held on November 9, 2004, at 7:00 p.m. This meeting of the Planning Commission was adjourned at 8:09 p.m., on October 26, 2004. Respe;~tuIlY sUbmit~, '._'-."~ð~.m ~ ~..,..,- ~~/ . .·w er, Ex.ecut~ecretary . {./ i' City of'a uinta, California G:\WPDOCS\PC Minutes\ 1 0-26-04.doc 6