2013 11 26 PC MinutesCALL TO ORDER
PLANNING COMMISSION
MINUTES
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2013
A regular meeting of the La Quinta Planning Commission was called to order at
7:01 p.m. by Chairperson Barrows.
PRESENT: Commissioners Blum, Wilkinson, Vice Chair Wright, and
Chairperson Barrows
ABSENT: Commissioner Weber
STAFF PRESENT: Planning Manager David Sawyer, Principal Planner Wally Nesbit,
and Secretary Monika Radeva
Chairperson Barrows led the Commission in the Pledge of Allegiance.
PUBLIC COMMENT - None
CONFIRMATION OF AGENDA - Confirmed
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion - A motion was made and seconded by Commissioners Blum /Wright to
approve the Planning Commission Minutes of November 12, 2013, as submitted.
AYES: Commissioners Blum, Wilkinson, Vice Chair Wright, and Chairperson
Barrows. NOES: None. ABSENT: Commissioner Weber. ABSTAIN: None.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
1. Site Development Permit 2013 -930, as previously reviewed under
Environmental Assessment 2002 -457, submitted by Toll Brothers Inc.,
proposing the construction of 70 single family dwellings within Stone Creek
Ranch, a 29 -acre tract with 76 single - family residential lots and five existing
homes. Location: north side of Avenue 58, ± 1/2 mile west of Madison Street.
Principal Planner Wally Nesbit presented the staff report, a copy of which is on
file in the Community Development Department.
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES 1 NOVEMBER 26, 2013
Chairperson Barrows noted for the record that staff had distributed a
Memorandum to the Commission with e -mail correspondence from Ms. Janiffer
Baumann, a Stone Creek Ranch resident, La Quinta, CA.
General discussion followed regarding the one and two -story proposed plans
and their locations within the development.
Chairperson Barrows declared the PUBLIC HEARNG OPEN at 7:15 p.m.
Mr. Allen Janisch, Senior Project Manager with Toll Brothers Inc., Rancho
Mirage, CA - introduced himself, gave a brief description of the proposed
development, and answered the Commission's questions.
Public Speaker: Mrs. Janiffer Baumann, Stone Creek Ranch resident, La Quinta,
CA - introduced herself, spoke favorably of the project, but expressed concerns
regarding the five or six proposed two -story homes facing her back yard. She
requested the Commission reconsider the setbacks of the proposed homes, the
location of windows for privacy, the elevations, and possibly reducing the two -
story to single story homes to avoid the loss of privacy.
Public Speaker: Ms. Jenny Hwang, owner of Lot No. 41 within the Stone Creek
Ranch development, Henderson, CA - introduced herself, spoke favorably of the
project, and asked what conditions and approval processes she would be
subject to if she were to build out her lot.
Staff explained the established approval processes in general and encouraged
Ms. Hwang to contact the City and schedule an appointment during which staff
could address her questions and concerns in more detail and explain what would
be required for her particular property.
Mr. Janisch directed the Commission to the submitted Site Development
Booklet and the proposed two -story floor plans indicating that the two -story
component was very limited in space, consisting only of a bedroom and a
bathroom, and located to the front, over a portion of the home, therefore
substantially reducing the potential for loss of privacy to the adjacent properties.
Chairperson Barrows declared the PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED at 7:43 p.m.
Motion - A motion was made and seconded by Commissioners
Wright /Wilkinson to adopt Resolution 2013 -028 approving of Site Development
Permit 2013 -930, as submitted with staff's recommendations and amending
Condition of Approval No. 61 to read as follow:
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES 2 NOVEMBER 26, 2013
61. Two story units shall not be permitted on Lots 4 -18, 22, 23, 36 -38,
40, 61, 62, 64 and 68.
AYES: Commissioners Blum, Wilkinson, and Vice Chair Wright. NOES:
Chairperson Barrows. ABSENT: Commissioner Weber. ABSTAIN: None.
2. Conditional Use Permit 2013 -154 and a determination of exemption from the
California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guideline 15304.4(e),
submitted by Tait & Associates, Inc. proposing to allow the temporary
placement and use of five temporary metal storage containers during the 2013
Holiday season for the La Quinta Wal -Mart store. Location: The Centre at La
Quinta commercial center, south of Highway 111 between La Quinta Centre
Drive and Dune Palms Road, 79295 Highway 1 1 1 .
Principal Planner Wally Nesbit presented the staff report, a copy of which is on
file in the Community Development Department.
Chairperson Barrows declared the PUBLIC HEARNG OPEN at 8:00 p.m.
Mr. Greg Fick, Project Manager with Tait and Associates, Inc., Santa Ana, CA -
introduced himself, asked the Commission to consider amending Condition of
Approval No. 2 to allow for the temporary storage containers to be placed on
October 15 instead of the 31, as the store was expecting to receive deliveries
before October 31, 2013. He said the site was adequately lighted and there
was 24 hour security on site, further there was a locked chain link fence around
the storage containers. Mr. Fick answered the Commissions' questions.
Chairperson Barrows declared the PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED at 8:02 p.m.
Motion - A motion was made and seconded by Commissioners Wright /Blum to
adopt Resolution 2013 -029 approving Conditional Use Permit 2013 -154 as
submitted with staff's recommendations and amending Condition of Approval
No. 2 to read as follows:
2. This Conditional Use Permit allows a total of five (5) temporary metal
storage containers to be located at the southwest corner of the property
at 79295 Highway 111, to be used for the storage of holiday
merchandise for the following periods of time
• November 27, 2013 through January 15, 2014
• October 15, 2014 through January 15, 2015
Conditional Use Permit 2013 -154 shall expire on January 16, 2015.
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES 3 NOVEMBER 26, 2013
AYES: Commissioners Blum, Wilkinson, Vice Chair Wright, and Chairperson
Barrows. NOES: None. ABSENT: Commissioner Weber. ABSTAIN: None.
BUSINESS SESSION — None
CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIAL — None
COMMISSIONER ITEMS
1. Report on City Council meeting of November 19, 2013.
DIRECTOR'S ITEMS
1. A joint meeting between the Planning Commission and the Architectural and
Landscaping Review Board has been tentatively scheduled for January 28, 2014
at 6:00 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners
Blum /Wilkinson to adjourn this meeting at 8:06 p.m. AYES: Commissioners Blum,
Wilkinson, Vice Chair Wright, and Chairperson Barrows. NOES: None. ABSENT:
Commissioner Weber. ABSTAIN: None.
Respectfully submitted,
r ,
MONIKA RADEVA, Secretary
City of La Quinta, California
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES 4 NOVEMBER 26, 2013