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Home My WebLink About2021-06-15 PC Regular Meeting Minutes CITY OF PALM DESERT PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES • TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 2021 — 6:00 P.M. ZOOM VIRTUAL MEETING I. CALL TO ORDER Vice-Chair Nancy DeLuna called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Present: Absent: Vice-Chair Nancy DeLuna Chair John Greenwood Commissioner Ron Gregory Commissioner Lindsay Holt Commissioner Joseph Pradetto Also Present: Robert W. Hargreaves, City Attorney Craig Hayes, Assistant City Attorney Eric Ceja, Interim Director of Development Services Jessica Gonzales, Senior Management Analyst Nick Melloni, Associate Planner Melinda Gonzalez, Management Specialist I III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Vice-Chair DeLuna led the Pledge of Allegiance. IV. SUMMARY OF COUNCIL ACTIONS Interim Director of Development Services Eric Ceja summarized pertinent City Council actions from the meeting of June 10, 2021. V. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None MINUTES PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION JUNE 15, 2021 VI. CONSENT CALENDAR A. MINUTES of the Regular Planning Commission meeting of June 1, 2021. Rec: Approve as presented. Upon a motion by Commissioner Gregory, seconded by Commissioner Holt, and a 3- 0-1 vote of the Planning Commission, the Consent Calendar was approved as presented (AYES: DeLuna, Gregory, and Holt; NOES: None; ABSENT: Greenwood; ABSTAINED: Pradetto). VII. CONSENT ITEMS HELD OVER None VIII. NEW BUSINESS None IX. CONTINUED BUSINESS None X. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION to amend Condition of Approval No. 7 of Amendment No. 1 to Precise Plan 14-170 and Tentative Tract 36351 to allow additional two-story homes and approval of architecture for a new single-family residential plan type. Case No. PP 21-0006 Amendment No. 2 (Ponderosa Homes II, Pleasanton, California, Applicant). Associate Planner Nick Melloni presented the staff report (staff report(s) is available at https:Hwww.cityofpalmdesert.org/our-city/committees-and-commissions/planning commission-information-center). After staff answered questions from the Planning Commission, Vice-Chair DeLuna declared the public hearing open and invited public testimony FAVORING or OPPOSING this matter. Rick Rosenbaum, the applicant, Franklin Drive, Pleasanton, addressed the Planning Commission. The following individuals provided comments on the location and liability of the emergency gate entrance, congestion in the area is creating issues, current covenants in place, and dust and sand from the Sage property blowing into The Gallery. Neal Victor, The Gallery homeowners' association president, Palm Desert Mitchell Wichter, Mondrian Place, Palm Desert David Hughes, Rafael Drive, Palm Desert Ronald DeGeonva, Vermeer Way, Palm Desert 2 MINUTES PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION JUNE 15, 2021 Jeremiah Johnson, Rafael Drive, Palm Desert Michael Kline, Picasso Drive, Palm Desert Sheila Schultz, Vermeer Way, Palm Desert Joseph Nelson, Rafael Drive, Palm Desert Ida Nieuwenhuizen, Da Vinci Court, Palm Desert Hamlet Davidian, Picasso Drive, Palm Desert Tom Lorphanpaibul, Vermeer Way, Palm Desert The applicant provided additional information on the emergency gate. With no further testimony offered, Vice-Chair DeLuna declared the public hearing closed. Commissioner Gregory moved to waive further reading and adopt Planning Commission Resolution No. 2792, approving Case No. PP 21-0006 Amendment No. 2, subject to the conditions of approval. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Pradetto and carried by a 4-0 vote (AYES: DeLuna, Gregory, Holt, and Pradetto; NOES: None; ABSENT: Greenwood). B. REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION of a recommendation to the City Council for the construction of a 269-unit affordable apartment project with a clubhouse, recreational amenities, and roadway improvements located on a 12-acre vacant parcel at the southwest corner of Gerald Ford Drive and Rembrandt Parkway; and adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Case No. PP/CUP 21-0004 (Pacific West Communities, Inc., Eagle, Idaho, Applicant). Commissioner Ron Gregory recused himself due to a conflict of interest with his place of employment and left the Zoom meeting. Mr. Melloni presented the staff report. City Attorney Robert W. Hargreaves briefly spoke on affordable housing statutes. Darren Berberian, the applicant, and Alan Darpini, the architect, presented a PowerPoint presentation. Beverly Anaya, the representative with the property management firm, spoke about their experience managing properties, including affordable housing properties. After staff answered questions from the Planning Commission, Vice-Chair DeLuna declared the public hearing open and invited public testimony FAVORING or OPPOSING this matter. The following individuals were in opposition to the proposed project due to the following concerns: an increase in traffic and congestion, an increase of crime and violence, an increase of noise, decrease in home values, the high-density project, lack of communication or notice from the City and the developer, too much affordable housing in their community, the location of the bus stop(s), the project is too close to the Sheriff's Department, provide senior affordable housing and not low-income housing, and Rembrandt Parkway association with the project. 3 MINUTES PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION JUNE 15, 2021 Bridget Livingston, Palm Desert Neal Victor, Kandinsky Way, Palm Desert Robert and Dana Baker, Vermeer Way, Palm Desert Margaret Rheinberger, Chagall Lane, Palm Desert Heather Behman, Cezanne Drive, Palm Desert Vanessa Capriles, Vermeer Way, Palm Desert Mitchell Wichter, Mondrian Place, Palm Desert Jeremiah Johnson, Raphael Drive, Palm Desert Susan Lowell, Scholar Lane West, Palm Desert Lori Lira, Scholar Lane West, Palm Desert Ken Lira, Scholar Lane West, Palm Desert Dudley Moses, Van Gogh Drive, Palm Desert Robert Baker, Vermeer Way, Palm Desert Brian Bell, Monet Drive, Palm Desert Joseph Nelson, Raphael Drive, Palm Desert Robert Morgan, Scholar Lane West, Palm Desert Vicky McClellion, Scholar Lane West, Palm Desert Carolyn Peterson, Scholar Lane West, Palm Desert Tom Fisher, Kandinsky Way, Palm Desert Don and Carla Lindsay, Matisse Drive, Palm Desert Fred and Sheila Schultz, Vermeer Way, Palm Desert David Hughes, Raphael Drive, Palm Desert Sarit Saig, Chagall Lane, Palm Desert Ron de Genova, Vermeer Way, Palm Desert Hamlet Davidian, Picasso Drive, Palm Desert Jada Rigg, Renoir Place, Palm Desert Brandon Rigg, Renoir Place, Palm Desert Richard Yett, Vermeer Way, Palm Desert Visha Jakkaraju, Okeefe Way, Palm Desert Jim Field, Matisse Drive, Palm Desert Caroline Davidian, Picasso Drive, Palm Desert Len Saichair, Cezzanne Drive, Palm Desert Michael Seto, Van Gogh Drive, Palm Desert Neal Victor, Kandinsky Way, Palm Desert The following individuals were in favor of the proposed project for the following reasons: promotes economic well-being for families, it is important to have safe and stable affordable housing in Palm Desert, and affordable housing needed in the community. Joyce Silver, Palm Desert Diane Morales, Warner Trail, Palm Desert Augustine, Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert Taylor Libolt Varner, Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert Rubyd Olvera, Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert Greg Rodriguez, Palm Springs Heather Vaikona, Michigan Court, Indian Wells Tony Mize, Haven Avenue, Rancho Cucamonga 4 MINUTES PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION JUNE 15, 2021 At this point, City staff and the developer answered questions asked by the Planning Commission. With no further testimony offered, Vice-Chair DeLuna declared the public hearing closed. Vice-Chair DeLuna reopened the public hearing to ask the developer if they could commit to meeting with the community face-to-face. The developer committed to the meeting, and Vice-Chair DeLuna closed the public hearing. Commissioner Pradetto moved to, by Minute Motion, continue Case No. PP/CUP 21- 0004 to July 6, 2021, to hear an update on the Sheriff's input, the feasibility of a turn pocket, and the results on the meeting between The Gallery residents and other nearby residential developments and the developer. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Holt and carried by a 3-0 vote (AYES: DeLuna, Holt, and Pradetto; NOES: None; ABSENT: Greenwood and Gregory). XI. MISCELLANEOUS A. INFORMATIONAL ITEM ON CHAIR/VICE-CHAIR TERMS by Eric Ceja. Mr. Ceja provided an update on terms for committees and commissions. XII. COMMITTEE MEETING UPDATES A. ART IN PUBLIC PLACES Commissioner Holt reported that the Commission selected three finalists for the San Pablo roundabout art piece. The recommendation would go before the City Council for review and approval in July. If the Planning Commission has a favorite art piece, she would be happy to share it with City staff. When selecting an art piece for the north end of San Pablo Avenue at Magnesia Falls Drive, Vice-Chair DeLuna recommended a substantial art piece to slow down traffic. B. PARKS & RECREATION None XIII. REPORTS AND REMARKS None 5 MINUTES PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION JUNE 15, 2021 XIV. ADJOURNMENT With the Planning Commission concurrence, Vice-Chair DeLuna adjourned the meeting at 9:38 p.m. OHN R EFK050 , CHA ATTEST: ERIC CEJA, S C TARY MONICA O'REILLY, RECO ING SECRETARY 6