2014 07 22 PC MinutesCALL TO ORDER
PLANNING COMMISSION
MINUTES
TUESDAY, JULY 22, 2014
A regular meeting of the La Quinta Planning Commission was called to order at 7:00
p.m. by Vice Chairman Wright.
PRESENT: Commissioners Bettencourt, Fitzpatrick, Wilkinson and Vice Chair
Wright
ABSENT: Commissioner Blum
STAFF PRESENT: Community Development Director Les Johnson, Planning Manager
David Sawyer, Principal Planner Wally Nesbit, and Executive
Assistant Monika Radeva
Commissioner Bettencourt led the Commission in the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS
1 . Appointment of Planning Commission Chairperson
Motion — A motion was made and seconded by Commissioners
Wilkinson/Bettencourt to nominate Vice Chairperson Wright as Chairperson.
AYES: Commissioners Bettencourt, Fitzpatrick, Wilkinson, and Wright. NOES:
None. ABSENT: Commissioner Blum. ABSTAIN: None.
2. Appointment of Planning Commission Vice Chairperson
Motion — A motion was made and seconded by Commissioners
Wright/Fitzpatrick to nominate Commissioner Wilkinson as Vice Chairperson.
AYES: Commissioners Bettencourt, Fitzpatrick, Wilkinson, and Chairman Wright.
NOES: None. ABSENT: Commissioner Blum. ABSTAIN: None.
PUBLIC COMMENT
CONFIRMATION OF AGENDA - Confirmed
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES 1 JULY 22, 2014
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion - A motion was made and seconded by Commissioners Wilkinson/Bettencourt
to approve the Planning Commission Minutes of June 24, 2014, as submitted. AYES:
Commissioners Bettencourt, Fitzpatrick, Wilkinson, and Chairman Wright. NOES:
None. ABSENT: Commissioner Blum. ABSTAIN: None.
Motion - A motion was made and seconded by Commissioners Bettencourt/Fitzpatrick
to approve the Planning Commission Minutes of July 8, 2014, as submitted. AYES:
Commissioners Bettencourt, Fitzpatrick, Wilkinson, and Chairman Wright. NOES:
None. ABSENT: Commissioner Blum. ABSTAIN: None.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
1. Conditional Use Permit 2012-148 submitted by Verizon Wireless proposing the
placement of a fifty-four (54) foot tall monopalm tower and equipment enclosure.
Project: Verizon Wireless La Quinta Country Club. Location: La Quinta Country
Club located at the northwest corner of Eisenhower Drive and Avenue 50 (77750
Avenue 50).
Principal Planner Wally Nesbit presented the staff report, a copy of which is on file
in the Community Development Department.
Chairperson Wright declared the PUBLIC HEARING OPEN at 7:31 p.m.
Public Speaker: Mr. James Rogers, Agent for Verizon Wireless and Site
Acquisition Manager with Smartlink, LLC., Irvine, CA - introduced himself, gave
detailed description of the project, and answered the Commission's questions.
Discussion followed regarding the monopalm's aesthetic and potential design,
possible future co -location, maximum capacity for co -location, and screening for
Mr. Boone's residence.
Public Speaker: Mr. Bruce Zahn, General Manager of La Quinta Country Club, La
Quinta, CA - introduced himself and said the Country Club had very specific
requirements with regards to the carrier and aesthetics of the monopalm in terms
of height, image and how it must fit with the existing landscaping. He noted that
if the proposed plans of the monopalm were to be drastically changed the Country
Club would not be in support of it and emphasized that the Country Club would
have to approve any possible future carriers wishing to co -locate.
Public Speaker: Mr. Skip Boone, La Quinta, CA - introduced himself and
confirmed that the Commission was in receipt of his e-mail sent on July 22, 2014,
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES 2 JULY 22, 2014
at 4:08 p.m. He said his concerns were clearly stated in the e-mail and he did not
have anything further to add.
Chairperson Wright asked Mr. Boone if the adjustment of height and use of
Mexican Fan Palms instead of the proposed Date Palms was acceptable to him.
Mr. Boone said that the additional trees proposed were along Eisenhower Drive
and did not have an aesthetic effect on the monopalm from his line of sight.
Chairperson Wright declared the PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED at 8:14 p.m.
Commission discussion followed regarding the proposed request and the code
guidelines and requirements that govern this type of requests.
Staff stated that the Commission could add a condition of approval requiring
Planning Commission approval for any future consideration of co -location which
would circumvent any applicable administrative review.
Motion — A motion was made and seconded by Commissioners
Wilkinson/Bettencourt to continue Conditional Use Permit 2012-148 to the next
regularly scheduled Planning Commission meeting of August 26, 2014, in order to
give the applicant additional time to address the Commission's concerns with
regards to maximum capacity. AYES: Commissioners Bettencourt and Wilkinson.
NOES: Commissioner Fitzpatrick and Chairperson Wright. ABSENT: Commissioner
Blum. ABSTAIN: None.
Motion failed due to tie vote.
Motion — A motion was made and seconded by Commissioners
Fitzpatrick/Bettencourt to adopt Resolution 2014-018 approving Conditional Use
Permit 2012-148, as submitted with staff's recommendations and amendment to
Conditions of Approval No. 18 and 27 respectively, as identified in the submitted
Memorandum, and amending Condition of Approval No. 16 to include "any
deviation from the approved Conditional Use Permit must be brought forward for
Planning Commission approval. " AYES: Commissioners Bettencourt, Fitzpatrick,
Wilkinson, and Chairperson Wright. NOES: None. ABSENT: Commissioner Blum.
ABSTAIN: None.
BUSINESS SESSION — None
CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITTEN MATERIAL
1 . Staff distributed "Understanding the Basics of Land Use and Planning — Guide to
Local Planning" to the Commission.
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES 3 JULY 22, 2014
2. Discussion with regards to the Planning Commissioner Academy in the spring
organized by the League of California Cities.
COMMISSIONER ITEMS
1 . Report on City Council meetings of July 15, 2014.
2. Commissioner Blum is scheduled to attend the August 5, 2014, City Council
meeting.
3. The Commission is scheduled to be dark on August 12, 2014.
DIRECTOR'S ITEMS
1. Community Development Director Johnson asked the Commission to direct any
correspondence through the City for distribution to the Commission to avoid non-
compliance with the Brown Act requirements.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, it was moved and seconded by Commissioners
Bettencourt/Fitzpatrick to adjourn this meeting at 8:44 p.m. AYES: Commissioners
Bettencourt, Fitzpatrick, Wilkinson, and Chairperson Wright. NOES: None. ABSENT:
Commissioner Blum. ABSTAIN: None.
Respectfully s bmitted,
MONIKA RADEVA, 11xecutive Assistant
City of La Quinta, California
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES 4 JULY 22, 2014