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2024 10 08 PC MinutesCALL TO ORDER PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2024 A regular meeting of the La Quinta Planning Commission (Commission) was called to order at 5:01 p.m. by Chairperson Hassett. PRESENT: Commissioners Guerrero, Hernandez, McCune, Nieto, Tyerman, and Chairperson Hassett ABSENT: Commissioner Hundt STAFF PRESENT: Design and Development Director Danny Castro, Public Works Director Bryan McKinney, Planning Manager Cheri Flores, Planning Consultant Nicole Criste, Senior Planner Scott Nespor, Associate Planner Siji Fernandez, Assistant Planner Jack Lima, Deputy City Attorney Jessica Sanders (via teleconference), and Commission Secretary Tania Flores PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Commissioner McCune led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA — None. CONFIRMATION OF AGENDA MOTION — A motion was made and seconded by Commissioners Guerrero/Nieto to confirm the agenda as published. Motion passed: ayes — 6, noes — 0, absent — 1 (Hundt), abstain — 0. ANNOUNCEMENTS, PRESENTATIONS, AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS — None. CONSENT CALENDAR 1. APPROVE MEETING MINUTES DATED JULY 9, 2024 2. APPROVE MEETING MINUTES DATED AUGUST 13, 2024 COMMISSIONER HERNANDEZ SAID HE WILL ABSTAIN FROM VOTING ON CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM NO. 1 AS HE WAS ABSENT FROM THE JULY 9, 2024, COMMISSION MEETING AND ASKED THAT IT BE PULLED FOR A SEPARATE VOTE. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Page 1 of 8 OCTOBER 8, 2024 MOTION — A motion was made and seconded by Chairperson Hassett/Commissioner Guerrero to approve Consent Calendar Item No. 1, as published. Motion passed: ayes — 5, noes — 0, absent — 1 (Hundt), abstain — 1 (Hernandez). MOTION — A motion was made and seconded by Commissioners Nieto/Hernandez to approve Consent Calendar Item No. 2, as published. Motion passed: ayes — 6, noes — 0, absent — 1 (Hundt), abstain — 0. BUSINESS SESSION 1. APPROVE CANCELLATION OF REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS OF NOVEMBER 26 AND DECEMBER 24, 2024 The Commission waived presentation of the staff report, which is on file in the Design and Development Department. MOTION — A motion was made and seconded by Commissioners Tyerman/Nieto to approve the cancellation of the regular Planning Commission meetings of November 26 and December 24, 2024. Motion passed: ayes — 6, noes — 0, absent — 1 (Hundt), abstain — 0. 2. CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE SIGN PROGRAM AMENDMENT 2024-0005 (SA2002-668 AMENDMENT 5) FOR MONUMENT SIGNS FOR THE ONE ELEVEN LA QUINTA SHOPPING CENTER; CEQA: THE PROJECT IS EXEMPT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PURSUANT TO SECTION 15301 (g) OF THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT; LOCATION: 78950 HIGHWAY 111 DECLARATIONS OF COMMISSION PUBLIC CONTACT OR CONFLICTS: None. Associate Planner Fernandez presented the staff report, which is on file in the Design and Development Department. Staff answered Commission questions regarding previously installed mock-up signs and any changes that those samples prompted in the current sign design and placement; recently approved changes to the building elevations of the shopping center; design elements of the proposed monuments, including backlighting, current site conditions, and phasing of landscape improvements at the site; and any forthcoming guidelines for the Highway 111 Corridor plan regarding uniform design of monuments and signage. PUBLIC SPEAKER: Applicant Ryan Chen, Assistant Construction Manager for Milan Capital Management, Inc., answered Commission questions regarding the height and design of the monument signs; and the status of landscape improvement plans for the entire shopping center. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Page 2 of 8 OCTOBER 8, 2024 MOTION — A motion was made and seconded by Commissioners Guerrero/Nieto to adopt Planning Commission Resolution No. 2024-012 to approve Sign Program Amendment 2024-0005 (SA2002-668, Amendment 5) and find that the project exempt from environmental review pursuant to Section 15301 (g) (Existing Facilities) of the California Environmental Quality Act, as presented: A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING A SIGN PROGRAM AMENDMENT FOR MONUMENT SIGNS FOR THE ONE ELEVEN LA QUINTA SHOPPING CENTER CASE NUMBERS: SIGN PROGRAM AMENDMENT 2024-0005 (SA2002-668 AMENDMENT 5) APPLICANT: MILAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT PROJECT: ONE ELEVEN LA QUINTA SHOPPING CENTER Motion passed: ayes — 6, noes — 0, absent — 1 (Hundt), abstain — 0. PUBLIC HEARINGS 1. CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTIONS RECOMMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION (EA2022-0012) AND APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO THE JEFFERSON SQUARE SPECIFIC PLAN (SP2022- 0004), TENTATIVE TRACT MAP 38604 (TTM2022-0003) AND SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT (SDP2022-0015) FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MULTI- FAMILY RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON THE SOUTH HALF OF THE EXISTING JEFFERSON SQUARE SHOPPING CENTER; CEQA: A MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION HAS BEEN PREPARED (EA2022-0012); LOCATION: SOUTHWEST CORNER OF JEFFERSON STREET AND FRED WARING DRIVE DECLARATIONS OF COMMISSION PUBLIC CONTACT OR CONFLICTS: Commissioners Guerrero and Hernandez said that they had attended a project presentation by the applicant. Planning Consultant Criste, with Terra Nova Planning and Research, Inc., presented the staff report, which is on file in the Design and Development Department. Staff answered questions regarding the differences between the previously approved project on this site and the current proposal; noise mitigation for both commercial and residential uses; design of the proposed "tot lot;" retention basin access near proposed Buildings 5 and 6; the allowance of residential or commercial uses under the Specific Plan, and any amendments that would be required with a change of use; adjacent park access and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility; lighting and visual impacts of lighting throughout the project including parking areas; Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station requirements; process for converting the proposed apartment buildings and town homes to individual units for sale and applicant's intention to do so; proposed building height which includes the tuck -under garages; emergency vehicle and garbage truck accessibility; any affordable housing units and Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) applicability; distance and setbacks of the proposed buildings to the existing PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Page 3 of 8 OCTOBER 8, 2024 residential homes on the project's south perimeter; and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines or restrictions on private views. CHAIRPERSON HASSETT DECLARED THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AT 6:26 P.M. PUBLIC SPEAKER: Applicant Luis Gomez, principal of goUrban Development for the project, provided a brief presentation of the project, including property history, current and past market trends, project vision, community insights, site constraints and challenges, and community benefits; and answered questions regarding power supply and availability for the project; the number of EV charging stations included in the plan; location and functionality of the retention basins on the project site; "tot lot" design and programming; land easements for tribal consultation; walking trails, bicycle parking, and public transit access; park access from the site; parking lot access, restrictions, and enforcement; neighboring community input including comments from commercial business owners in the vicinity. Consulting Planner Criste provided additional information to address comments submitted by Commissioner Hundt via email, including alternative energy sources, required screening to mitigate visual impacts of rooftop mechanical equipment, and maintenance responsibility of the screening hedges along the project's south perimeter. CHAIRPERSON HASSETT CALLED FOR A BRIEF RECESS AT 6:54 P.M. CHAIRPERSON HASSETT RECONVENED THE COMMISSION MEETING AT 7:12 P.M. WITH COMMISSIONERS GUERRERO, HERNANDEZ, McCUNE, NIETO, AND TYERMAN PRESENT Commission Secretary Flores said that the City received two written comments opposed to the project and three written comments in support of the project that were distributed to the Commission prior to the start of the meeting, made public, published on the City's website, and included in the public record of this meeting. PUBLIC SPEAKER: Heidi Kemp, La Quinta — expressed displeasure about the project consultant's use of her property to place microphones used in the noise study without her permission; opposed the project due to the reduction in parking requirements which may cause increased parking in the Monticello neighborhood park area. PUBLIC SPEAKER: Nathan Mach, La Quinta — opposed the project due to the transient nature of apartment rentals; increased traffic concerns, including speeding; overcrowding and inappropriate use of the park by apartment residents; and poor management of current development by the owner/applicant. PUBLIC SPEAKER: Greg Cairns, La Quinta — opposed to the project due to the multi- story buildings decreasing privacy of his home and yard; the reduction in required parking; distrust of the developer; and likelihood of units being used for short-term vacation rentals despite the City's disallowance of permits for that use. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Page 4 of 8 OCTOBER 8, 2024 PUBLIC SPEAKER: Kevin McCarthy, La Quinta — opposed the project due to multi -story buildings and increased traffic. PUBLIC SPEAKER: David Thomas, La Quinta — opposed the project due to higher density residential and limited parking availability. PUBLIC SPEAKER: Marshall Cooper, La Quinta — opposed the project due to multi -story buildings decreasing his privacy and home value. PUBLIC SPEAKER: Robert Segal, La Quinta — opposed the project due to changes in land use; increased traffic; multi -story buildings; and noise and lighting impacts. CHAIRPERSON HASSETT DECLARED THE PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED AT 7:35 P.M. Commission discussion followed regarding the effects on the Monticello community and their ability to form a Homeowners Association (HOA) and transition to a gated community to mitigate non -neighborhood impacts of traffic; traffic management and offsite improvements for traffic management including entrance locations, signals, and wayfinding; the mixed-use zoning overlay on the site allows both commercial and residential uses; applicant's public outreach efforts and concessions made in the interest of the neighboring community, including reduction of apartment units and three-story buildings close to the site perimeter; challenges and solutions in design and site use; grading heights, building heights and lines of sight to the neighboring community; maintenance of the proposed privacy hedge at the south perimeter wall; parking availability and reduced requirements; vehicle stacking and traffic flow at the adjacent Dutch Bros. Coffee; land use options for the project site including commercial and low- income high-density units; the need for diverse housing opportunities in the city; tribal consultation and monitoring on the site; additional textured concrete or paving stones at pedestrian crosswalks within the development (three locations identified); and extending the privacy hedge along the length of the perimeter wall, set northerly from the wall to provide maintenance access. MOTION — A motion was made and seconded by Commissioners Nieto/Guerrero to adopt Planning Commission Resolution No. 2024-013 to recommend City Council adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Jefferson Square project (EA2022-0012), as presented: A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING CITY COUNCIL ADOPT MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION (EA2022-0012), FOR A SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT TO ALLOW EITHER COMMERCIAL OR MULTI -FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ON THE SOUTH HALF OF THE JEFFERSON SQUARE SPECIFIC PLAN, A TENTATIVE TRACT MAP AND A SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT TO ALLOW A TOTAL OF 89 APARTMENT AND TOWNHOUSE UNITS ON 5 ACRES OF THE 10 ACRE SITE CASE NUMBER: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 2022-0012 PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Page 5 of 8 OCTOBER 8, 2024 APPLICANT: FLORA LA QUINTA LLC PROJECT: JEFFERSON SQUARE SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 3 Motion passed: ayes — 6, noes — 0, absent — 1 (Hundt), abstain — 0. MOTION — A motion was made and seconded by Chairperson Hassett/Guerrero to adopt Planning Commission Resolution No. 2024-014 to recommend City Council approve Specific Plan 2022-0004 (SP2002-062, Amendment 3), Tentative Tract Map 2022-0003 (TTM 38604) and Site Development Permit 2022-0015, subject to conditions of approval, as amended, recommending additional conditions of approval to be added as noted in the Commission discussion above and listed below: A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING CITY COUNCIL APPROVE A SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT TO ALLOW EITHER COMMERCIAL OR MULTI- FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ON THE SOUTH HALF OF THE JEFFERSON SQUARE SPECIFIC PLAN, A TENTATIVE TRACT MAP AND A SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT TO ALLOW A TOTAL OF 89 APARTMENT AND TOWNHOUSE UNITS ON 5 ACRES OF THE 10 ACRE SITE LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF JEFFERSON STREET AND FRED WARING DRIVE CASE NUMBERS: SPECIFIC PLAN 2022-0004 (SP 2002-062, AMENDMENT 3), TENTATIVE TRACT MAP 2022-0003 (TTM 38604), SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2022-015 APPLICANT: FLORA LA QUINTA LLC PROJECT: JEFFERSON SQUARE SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 3 As amended to suggest the addition of the following Conditions of Approval: • Enhanced crosswalks will be provided throughout Planning Area 2 (including the southeast and northeast corners of the apartment building and between Buildings 2/3 and 4. These can consist of stamped colored concrete, paving stones, or similar features. • The tree screen located along the southern property line shall be extended to the southwest corner of the property. It will be located away from the existing wall, a distance of up to 3 feet, so as to provide sufficient space for maintenance. The screen shall be maintained at a height of 15 feet in a neat and healthy condition. Installation shall be monitored by a Tribal monitor to assure that the cultural resource in this area is not disturbed. Motion passed: ayes — 6, noes — 0, absent — 1 (Hundt), abstain — 0. 2. CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING CITY COUNCIL APPROVE A ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT (Z0A2024-0001) FOR ZONING AND SUBDIVISION CODE LANGUAGE CLEAN UP AND CHANGES REGARDING: RESIDENTIAL SPECIAL EVENTS, TENTATIVE MAP PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES, VILLAGE PARKING ALLOWANCES, VINYL FENCING, BED AND BREAKFAST INNS, RESIDENTIAL GARAGE SETBACKS, TEMPORARY USE PERMIT TIMING AND EXPIRATIONS, AND ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT (ADU) REGULATIONS; CEQA: THE PROJECT IS EXEMPT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Page 6 of 8 OCTOBER 8, 2024 REVIEW PURSUANT TO SECTION 15061 (B)(3) OF THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT; LOCATION: CITY-WIDE DECLARATIONS OF COMMISSION PUBLIC CONTACT OR CONFLICTS: None. Senior Planner Nespor presented the staff report, which is on file in the Design and Development Department. Staff answered Commission questions regarding the intent of the special event code changes and the effects on short-term vacation rental and large lot/estate properties; the possibility of requiring a public hearing for special event permits; public noticing requirements for special events; Temporary Use Permit (TUP) extensions, various uses, and current or past extensions granted; and the proposed changes to garage setbacks. CHAIRPERSON HASSETT DECLARED THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN AT 8:45 P.M. Commission Secretary Flores said that the City received no public comment and no requests to speak for this item. CHAIRPERSON HASSETT DECLARED THE PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED AT 8:46 P.M. MOTION — A motion was made and seconded by Commissioner Guerrero/Chairperson Hassett to adopt Planning Commission Resolution No. 2024-015 to recommend City Council approve Zoning Ordinance Amendment 2024-0001 for zoning and subdivision code language clean up and changes, and find the project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act per Section 15061 (b)(3), as presented: A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA, RECOMMENDING CITY COUNCIL APPROVE A ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FOR ZONING AND SUBDIVISION CODE LANGUAGE CLEAN UP AND CHANGES REGARDING RESIDENTIAL SPECIAL EVENTS, TENTATIVE MAP PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES, VILLAGE PARKING ALLOWANCES, VINYL FENCING, BED AND BREAKFAST INNS, RESIDENTIAL GARAGE SETBACKS, TEMPORARY USE PERMIT TIMING AND EXPIRATIONS, AND ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT (ADU) REGULATIONS AND FIND THE PROJECT EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT CASE NUMBER: ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT 2024-0001 APPLICANT: CITY OF LA QUINTA PROJECT: 2024 ZONING AND SUBDIVISION CODE UPDATES Motion passed: ayes — 6, noes — 0, absent — 1 (Hundt), abstain — 0. STUDY SESSION — None. STAFF ITEMS — None. COMMISSIONER ITEMS — None. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Page 7 of 8 OCTOBER 8, 2024 ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, a motion was made and seconded by Commissioners McCune/Guerrero to adjourn this meeting at 8:48 p.m. Motion passed: ayes — 6, noes — 0, absent — 1 (Hundt), abstain — 0. Respectfully submitted, TANIA FLORES, Commission Secretary City of La Quinta, California PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Page 8 of 8 OCTOBER 8, 2024