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1998 02 24 CC Minutes^"1 U LA QUINTA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING FEBRUARY 24, 1998 Special meeting of the La Quinta City Council was called to order at the hour of 1:30 p.m. by Mayor Pena, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. PRESENT: Council Members Adolph, Henderson, Perkins, Sniff, Mayor Pena ABSENT: None PUBLIC COMMENT None CONFIRMATION OF AGENDA Council Member Perkins wished to have the following two items agendized for discussion at a future Council meeting: 1) the City's Code Enforcement Ordinance, and 2) placement of Chamber of Commerce Village Directional Signs. BUSINESS SESSION None STUDY SESSION 1. DISCUSSION OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS CONTAINED IN THE ZONING CODE. Mr. Herman, Community Development Director, advised that prior to 1 996w developers applying for 20 or more approvals had to go before the Planning Commission for review and approval. Developers were allowed a maximum of five unsold houses at one time and the architectural styles had to vary if the houses were within 250 feet of each other. When the development standards were modified in 1 996, the minimum house size requirement in the Cove was set at 1,200 sq. ft., while elsewhere in the City it was 1,400 sq. ft. In addition, lots of 6,000 sq. ft., or less, were allowed and affordable housing units with four or more bedrooms were not required to have three-car garages. He advised that the purpose of this discussion is to see if Council wishes to amend the zoning regulations dealing with architectural style and size of houses, number of permits allowed to be pulled by one contractor, and/or standards varying exterior elevations. BIB] 03-20-1998-U01 11:27:08AM-U01 ADMIN-U01 CCMIN-U02 02-U02 24-U02 1998-U02 ^"1 I * City Council Minutes 2 February 24, 1 998 In response to C6uncil Member Henderson, Mr. Herman confirmed that the development standards listed on Page 1 of the staff report remained in effect after the 1 996 update and of the five items listed at the top of Page 2 of the staff report, only one remained in the update, which is the 1 200 sq. ft. minimum house size which applies only to houses in the Cove. Mayor Pena asked how the planning Commission review of 20 or more approvals would apply if the same floor plan was sold by an architect to different owner/builders yet constructed adjacent to each other. Mr. Herman advised that under the precise plan procedure, staff would review surrounding properties before allowing a building permit to be issued and if the architectural design was the same as another property within 250 feet, staff required the owner/builder to change the elevations. Council Member Perkins asked about zero-lot-line setbacks for sideyards. Mr. Herman advised that they are allowed in specific plans. Audrey Ostrowsky, P.O. Box 351, felt the minimum house size in the Cove should be increased because of the affect it has on surrounding property values. She questioned the legality of clustering low-income houses in the Cove and felt affordable housing should be spread throughout the City. Joanna Huddy, 41-500 Trinity Circle, Bermuda Dunes, owner of two rental houses in the Cove, expressed concern about the low-income houses being built in the Cove and how they might affect property values. Mayor Pena pointed out that the City has no control over where Coachella Valley Housing Coalition chooses to build their houses. In response to Council Member Perkins' question about zero-lot-line setbacks, Mr. Herman advised that the zoning code allows single-family detached homes in all zones, except high-density zones, with a specific plan and single-family attached units zero-lot-line setbacks) are permitted with a specific plan. A zero-lot line in the Cove is not allowed for one unit a person would have to have more than one unit and file for a Specific Plan in order to do so. Council Member Sniff felt the standards should be broad-based and generic and not directed toward any specific builder. He supported increasing the minimum house size in the Cove to 1 400 sq. ft. to be compatible with the rest of the City and didn't have a problem with the five unsold homes restriction. He suggested modifying floor plans as well as architectural styles of houses within BIB] 03-20-1998-U01 11:27:08AM-U01 ADMIN-U01 CCMIN-U02 02-U02 24-U02 1998-U02 ^"1City Council Minutes 3 February 24, 1 998 1 50 feet of each other. He felt the regulations could be valuable in upgrading the Cove without being restrictive and suggested the possibility of restricting clustering of houses by one builder within one block. In response to Mayor Pena, Ms. Honeywell, City Attorney, advised that the City's control is limited to what is being built. Architectural design can be regulated based on aesthetics and the number of unsold homes can be restricted, but prohibiting one organization from building is not enforceable.. Council Member Henderson suggested looking at the items that were eliminated from the development standards to find out if they should have been modified instead of eliminated. Otherwise, she supported reinstating them and increasing the minimum house size to 1 400 sq. ft. She didn't see any reason for regulating the interior floor plans. Council Member Perkins has a problem placing limitations on construction in the Cove, except for lot sizes. He didn't have a problem with four or five homes being built the same within one block as long as the other requirements are met. He supported a minimum house size of 1 400 sq. ft., but felt the restriction. should be based on lot size, not area and he was opposed to architectural standards that are too restrictive. Council Member Adolph felt there's a misconception as to what compatibility means, noting that the intent was not to set architectural standards, but rather to protect existing homeowners from development that would economically downgrade their property. He felt something is needed in the Cove to help protect the homeowners' properties from being downgraded and agreed that the minimum house size should be based on lot size. Council Member Perkins supported compatibility standards if they protect existing property owners from development that would downgrade their properties. Council Member Henderson pointed out that, unlike gated communities which many times have similar designed homes, there's been a strong emphasis in the Cove to have some variance in design. In the past, a number of homes were built exactly alike which she felt might have initiated the regulations. Mayor Pena felt it was initiated for a number of reasons, small lot sizes in the Cove being one. He supported a minimum house size of 1,400 sq. ft. He asked what maximum house size would be allowed on a 5,000 sq. ft. lot to which Mr. Herman advised 2,800 sq. ft. BIB] 03-20-1998-U01 11:27:08AM-U01 ADMIN-U01 CCMIN-U02 02-U02 24-U02 1998-U02 ^"1 5 * City Council Minutes 4 February 24, 1 998 Mayor Pena didn't have a problem with reinstating the previous standards such as modifying architectural designs if within 250 feet of the same design and was intrigued with the idea of requiring floor plans to be modified as well. He suggested looking at wall treatments on existing fencing to increase property values and reduce the maintenance problems of wood fencing. He also suggested reimplementing the lot merger incentive program. Council Member Sniff suggested the possibility of the Redevelopment Agency purchasing lots in the Cove for the purpose of merging and reselling them. It would reduce the density in the Cove and possibly encourage construction of larger homes. In response to Mayor Pena, Mr. Herman advised that the Cove is at 6-8 units per acre which is medium-density residential. Council Member Perkins advised that he didn't see a proliferation of same style houses, nor a lot of vacant lots when he drove through the Cove and felt the problem is more of a code enforcement problem. Mayor Pena noted that there's fewer same style houses because of the City*s requirements for variety. Council Member Perkins supported reinstating some of the standards and a minimum house size of 1 400 sq. ft. Council concurred on directing staff to look at the following changes: increase the minimum house size to 1 400 sq. ft.; require developers with 20 or more approvals, to submit design guidelines for Planning Commission approval specifying the method in which the exterior appearance of the single-family homes would be varied and with subsequent homes to comply with those standards approved by the Planning Commission; allow a maximum of five unsold houses to be under construction by a single applicant at any one time; * require homes with similar architectural styles within 200 feet of each other, to have exteriors varying in color, style, and roof, window, and garage treatments, or similar methods; floor plans can remain the same as long as the exteriors are different); * reimplement a precise plan procedure to insure that all single-family homes comply to development standards; fencing to be dealt with a later time); BIB] 03-20-1998-U01 11:27:08AM-U01 ADMIN-U01 CCMIN-U02 02-U02 24-U02 1998-U02 ^"1 I City Council Minutes 5 February 24, 1 998 create incentive or have the Redevelopment Agency to purchase parcels for merging and resale to be presented to the Redevelopment Agency); and create a handout for development standards. Mr. Herman advised that a major revision of the zoning ordinance will be presented to the Planning Commission on March 25th Council concurred on having this issue separated and processed more rapidly. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS' ITEMS 1. DISCUSSION REGARDING TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION IN JOINT MEETING WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION. Council Member Henderson understood the Planning Commission is concerned about how much time and effort they should spend on the design review issue and she hoped staff might prepare some alternatives for Council to look at in preparation of that discussion. Council Member Sniff advised that he has a few items in mind, with the primary one being design versus redesign. He suggested Council meet shortly before the joint meeting to confer. 2. DISCUSSION REGARDING THE UNITED WAY DINNER. Mayor Pena suggested the City buy a table at the V.I.P. United Way dinner on March 2nd Council concurred. 3. DISCUSSION OF CELL PHONE REIMBURSEMENTS. Mayor Pena commented on reimbursements for use of personal cell phones and asked staff to bring it back at a later date. BIB] 03-20-1998-U01 11:27:08AM-U01 ADMIN-U01 CCMIN-U02 02-U02 24-U02 1998-U02 ^"1 z 1 City Council Minutes 6 February 24, * 998 There being no further business, it was moved by Council Members SniffiPerkins to adjourn the meeting. pectfully submitted, SAUNDRA L. HOLA, City Clerk City of La Quinta, California BIB] 03-20-1998-U01 11:27:08AM-U01 ADMIN-U01 CCMIN-U02 02-U02 24-U02 1998-U02