2020-06-23 Planning Commission Q&A1
Nichole Romane
From:Cheri Flores
Sent:Tuesday, June 23, 2020 11:13 AM
To:Wanda Wise-Latta
Cc:Danny Castro
Subject:Planning Commission Agenda Packet - June 23, 2020 | Questions-Comments.
Dear Planning Commissioners,
Please see the questions from Commissioner Bettencourt below with staff’s
responses. Please let us know if you have any other questions.
Cheri L. Flores | Planning Manager
City of La Quinta
78495 Calle Tampico La Quinta, CA 92253
Ph. 760-777-7067
www.laquintaca.gov
PLEASE NOTE: City Hall is now open on a limited basis by advanced appointment only.
Information on types of appointments being accepted, how to schedule and City-implemented
safety measures are available at HUB Appointments.
From:Cheri Flores
Sent:Tuesday,June 23,2020 11:10 AM
To:Philip Bettencourt philip@bettencourtplans.com>
Cc:Danny Castro dcastro@laquintaca.gov>;Carlos Flores cflores@laquintaca.gov>;Wanda Wise Latta
wlatta@laquintaca.gov>;P.F.Bettencourt'pbcourt2018@gmail.com>;Bryan McKinney
Bmckinney@laquintaca.gov>;Steve Libring SLibring@willdan.com>
Subject:RE:Planning Commission Agenda Packet June 23,2020 Bettencourt Questions Comments.
Good day Commissioner!
Thank you for your questions. Please see the responses below in green. We will be
forwarding these over to other commissioners as well for their enlightenment. See you
this evening!
Cheri L. Flores | Planning Manager
City of La Quinta
78495 Calle Tampico La Quinta, CA 92253
Ph. 760-777-7067
www.laquintaca.gov
PLEASE NOTE: City Hall is now open on a limited basis by advanced appointment only.
Information on types of appointments being accepted, how to schedule and City-implemented
safety measures are available at HUB Appointments.
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From:Philip Bettencourt philip@bettencourtplans.com>
Sent:Sunday,June 21,2020 4:42 PM
To:Cheri Flores clflores@laquintaca.gov>
Cc:Danny Castro dcastro@laquintaca.gov>;Carlos Flores cflores@laquintaca.gov>;Wanda Wise Latta
wlatta@laquintaca.gov>;P.F.Bettencourt'pbcourt2018@gmail.com>
Subject:RE:Planning Commission Agenda Packet June 23,2020 Bettencourt Questions Comments.
EXTERNAL:This message originated outside of the City of La Quinta.Please use proper judgement and caution when opening
attachments,clicking links or responding to requests for information.
Colleagues, and for Cheri especially as instructed, here are my
questions/comments for the Tuesday 06-23-2020 meeting of the Commission
from 5:00 p.m.
No printed agenda collateral available? Not sure what to make of the
decision not to have printed collateral materials available, particularly after
the dustup we had on the last SilverRock matter. Sort of challenging as a
civilian of La Quinta to have any meaning due diligence dialog about project
specifics while participating in the Zoom segment and then wanting to
reference specifies in the staff report and design drawings as well. Talk
about multi-tasking. Alas. The concern is understood and please note that
staff did not come to this decision lightly.
Absences or conflicts from voting. Do we have any information at this
time? No we do not.
Minutes: There was a commissioner request for an update on the SilverRock
venue site and the La Quinta Auto Center. Status? Public Works staff will
give update during Staff Items
Marriott: Final Landscape Plans.
o So I take it the staff is satisfied. Correct, staff is satisfied with
their plan.
o I believe I will defer to our distinguished commissioners more
experienced in these matters, and assuming the necessary CVWD
approvals ae already in place
Winged foot Matter. A little Google Earth picture would have been helpful
for context. During commissioner items I would like to ask what steps we
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would need to take to have a simple photograph available in the package with
all discretionary applications. Pretty easy to come by these days An aerial
view of the house will be shown in the presentation. Staff will note to make
sure these are included in packets when applicable, if they aren’t already
within the plan set.
VMT Rules. Other Cities seem to be adopting the newest rules as well.
o Our package is on City of La Quinta letter but what is the genesis of
the document. League of Cities, or OPR, or? Staff followed the
guidance found in the OPR Technical Advisory that is part of the
packet.
o Did we hear from the Chamber or the builder’s group? Staff has not
received any comments from anyone at this time.
o What will happen to projects already on file and under review? Any
projects that have had their environmental documentation completed
and circulated for public review do not have to analyze impacts based
on VMT. Projects that are still working on their environmental
documentation and will circulate for public review after July 1 are
required to analyze impacts based on VMT.
Commissioner items.
o I would like to hear about staffing and allocation of resources
before” and “after” council budget adjustments The budget was
passed at last week’s Council meeting which will shed some light on your
inquiry. You may access the video
here. https://laquinta.12milesout.com/video/meeting/7cd443e4-83c7-
41fe-bc1e-4538daf67e27 It is business item 1. We can have further
discussion at the meeting tomorrow. We do have staffing reductions
that directly affect the Planning Division.
o Also, would the inclusion of photographs with site specific project be a
good idea? Yes, staff can provide this going forward.
o Finally, what are next steps on the Cove, et al RV storage analysis?
Staff will need to prepare a survey for the community.
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Project Update. Thank you so much:
o Pavilion Palms…..Your comments note that”…revisions to the site plan
do not require recirculation to the commission.” Just what sort of
revisions would have warranted - or still could - warrant recirculation
to commission? Is the determination not to refer to commission again
a matter of law or staff policy, or…? (I could not locate any revised
drawings in our official Commission records.) Staff is relying on State
law, Government Code Section 65356 to make this determination. The
section states that the legislative body may make modifications to the
recommendations of Planning Commission but that substantial
modifications must be referred back to the Planning Commission. I will
ask if our City Attorney can also provide some clarification in this
regard.
o The Wave at Coal Mountain. What sort of environment review is
planed if the project is expected to be before the Commission in late
2020. Sound like a tall order. The year is almost half-over A Mitigated
Negative Declaration is being prepared for the project. Staff is
working with the applicant at this time to make sure their technical
studies are thorough and contain the proper mitigation for the
project. Late 2020 is the applicant’s target and staff is working with
them to reach that goal, understanding that there may be delays in
that date.
o Travertine. I believe we understood you to say that no further
environmental scoping meetings are planned although neighborhood
outreach is, or will be , underway by the Applicant. (I personally find it
off putting to have activists give us accounts of community meetings
they have attended in which the commission is in the dark. It
undermines our status as public servants and makes it appear we are
not engaged on matters important to their particular neighborhoods.)
That is correct. They are not required under CEQA to do any further
scoping meetings. The neighborhood outreach they are proposing is not
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considered a scoping meeting and they are holding the meetings as a
courtesy to the neighboring communities. I understand the frustration
of not being notified of community meetings. In some instances in the
past, staff has also been unaware of community meetings. Not sure
why some applicants do that. Staff makes every effort to inform the
Commission of any planned outreach, when we know about it.
o Cell Towers: Are the latest applications for 5-G transmission or do we
know? As we have noted before, 5-G applications bring out detractors
and generate their own drama. ( I believe the city attorney has
offered guidance before.) As far as we know, none of them are for 5-g
transmission.
Thank you always - and please feel free to share message as you see fit, if at
all.
See you Tuesday!
Philip F.Bettencourt,Commissioner
City of La Quinta Planning Commision
78 495 Calle Tampico
La Qunta,CA 92253 2839 760 777 7188
From:Wanda Wise Latta wlatta@laquintaca.gov>
Sent:Thursday,June 18,2020 5:30 PM
To:Wanda Wise Latta wlatta@laquintaca.gov>
Cc:Danny Castro dcastro@laquintaca.gov>;Cheri Flores clflores@laquintaca.gov>;Carlos Flores
cflores@laquintaca.gov>
Subject:Planning Commission Agenda Packet June 23,2020
Dear Planning Commissioners,
Attached is the agenda for Tuesday’s Planning Commission meeting.I have also provided below the link to the
agenda packet on the Calendar on the City’s website.Due to budget and personnel constraints arising from
the COVID 19 situation,we will no longer be providing paper agenda packets.We will do everything we can to
provide you with high quality plan images so that you are able to review them properly.Thank you for your
understanding.
https://www.laquintaca.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/13298/287
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