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Home My WebLink About0518 MINUTES PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MAY 18, 1976 7 P.M. - CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS I . CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the Palm Desert Planning Commission was called to order by Chairman Wilson at 7:03 p.m. on May 18, 1976, in the Council Chambers of the Palm Desert City Hall . II . PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE � III . ROLL CALL Present: Commissioners GEORGE BERKEY, GLORIA KELLY, NELSON MILLS, MARY K. VAN DE MARK, S. ROY WILSON Others Present: Paul A. Williams - Director of Environmental Services Steve Fleshman - Associate Planner Sam Freed - Assistant Planner Mr. Williams welcomed the new Planning Commissioner, Nelson Mills , and stated that Commissioner Mills had been sworn in earlier in the day by City Clerk Hurlburt. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Minutes of Planning Commission Meeting of May 4, 1976 The following corrections were made to the above minutes: Page 2, 7th paragraph from the bottom, 4th line - change an increased to read a decreased. '�""` Page 3, 4th paragraph, ROD HACKMAN should be changed to read RUDD HACKBORN. Page 3, 2nd paragraph from the bottom, under Mr. Williams suggested rewording of Condition No. 11, change Design Review Board to Design Review Process. Page 4, lst paragraph, typographical error, 2nd line, Zoning Districe should be Zonin District. Page 4, after the paragraph containing Mr. Emil Spilman' s comments, an additional paragraph should be added which should read as follows: Chairman Wilson commented that individual requirements for Variances are evaluated on their own merits and that no decision would be made on Mr. Spilman 's property at this meeting. Page 7, lst paragraph, 2nd line, change Resolution No. 147 to read Resolution No. 148. Commissioner Van de Mark made a motion to approve the minutes of the May 4, 1976 meeting with the noted corrections. Commissioner Kelly seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. � V. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS - None VI . PUBLIC HEARINGS - None VII . OLD BUSINESS - None -1- MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MAY 18, 1976 VIII . NEW BUSINESS A. Discussion of Proposed Amendments to the Palm Desert Zoning Ordinance. Mr. Williams first reviewed the Procedural Changes to the Zoninq Ordi- nance which consisted of typographical errors , c�nissions, -and clarifi- cation of items already in the Ordinance. �"" There was little discussion on this matter and the Planning Commission felt that the noted Procedural Changes were acceptable. At this time, the Planning Commission interrupted their discussion on the Zoning Ordinance amendments to discuss the Design Review Board Actions from the meeting of May 11, 1976. The only item on the DRB agenda was the discussion of the McFall Building located at the south- west corner of E1 Paseo and Highway 111. Steve Fleshman presented a �rief review of the project. The Planning Commission asked to see the Hexadome Building that was presented to the Design Review Board. Staff presented the material that was available on the project. The Commission 's reaction was generally not a favorable one. Being no further comments by the Planning Commission or the applicant, Commissioner Van de Mark made a motion to adopt Planning Commission Re- solution No. 149, approving the Design Review Board Actions of May 11, 1976. Commissioner Berkey seconded the motion which was carried unani- mously. After completing their discussion on the Design Review Board items , the Planning Commission returned to their discussion on the amendments '�""' to the Zoning Ordinance beginning with Section II - Substantive Cor- rections or Additions to the Zoning Ordinance. The first item discussed was the addition of the Professional/Office Zone. The Commission discussed this item at great length and decided to leave the Zone in but change its designation from C-2 to P-0. Mr. Williams then explained the setback change in the R-1-10,000 to R-1-15,000 building district stating that some adjustment was in order due to the problems that have arisen on lots of that size. The next item that was discussed was the addition of resort hotels to the Planned Residentia7 Zone, which the Commission concurred with. The following discussion was centered around additional uses allowed by Conditional Use Permits in the C-1 Zone District. The staff recommended the addition of an automatic car wash to the list of uses allowed with a Conditional Use Permit. There was some discussion on the addition of a Firestone Tire Center and a Veterinary Small Animal Out-Patient Clinic and a Dog Grooming Parlor. It was the general consensus of the Com- mission to add these items to the amendments and the Commission ;�, would discuss them further at their next meeting. Setbacks in the C-1 Zone were also discussed and the Ordinance currently calls for a 5 foot front yard setback. The staff recommended that this be 5 foot setback from any public street property line; the Commission concurred. -2- MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MAY 18, 1976 VIII . NEW BUSINESS (continued) A. Discussion of Proposed Amendments to the Palm Desert Zoning Ordinance (continued) The Commission then discussed the new Professional/Office District. Under the proposed section the staff had written , the Commission recommended the deletion of related retail .� uses. Under Building Height, Chairman Wilson recommended that it should read 30 feet or two stories whichever is less. The Commission also recommended that a section be added re- garding front yard setbacks and that said setbacks shall be 10 feet. Under Uses Prohibited, the staff was also instructed to add Commercial and Retail Uses. Under Special Standards of Article 25.17-5. 12, subsection #2, the words wall or fence are to be added prior to six (6) feet. Under General Standards, the Commission concurred with the ad- dition of a major trash disposal agreement with all shopping centers. Under Side and Rear Yard Requirements and Exceptions, the Com- mission concurred with the staff's recommendation that this section be reworded as follows : "On the street side yard of a corner lot, the side yard shall not be less than 10 feet. " The Commission then discussed the possibility of deleting the � parking requirements for assembly uses in shopping centers and agreed with the staff's recommendation to change shopping center parking requirements from 5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross leaseable floor area to 5.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross leaseable floor area. The staff then discussed with the Commission the parking for restaurants and recommended that a change from 15 spaces per 1,000 square feet to 12 spaces per 1,000 square feet be considered. After some discussion, the Commission decided to leave the requirement at 15 spaces. Also along with the discussion on parking, there was considerable comment made reference joint usage parking. Mr. Williams explained the use of covenants used in parking; stating that in many communities, restaurants and other uses which are open only after five or six in the evening are allowed to receive credit for parking from surrounding uses which are open primarily from eight to five. Being no further discussion on the matter, the Commission proceeded with the next item on the agenda. B. Discussion of State Law covering Location of Regional Centers for the �. Developmentally Disabled. Per the request of Commissioner Berkey at the last meeting reference the recommended denial by the County Planning Staff on the proposed FETCH Center on Country Club Drive, Mr. Williams presented a brief report on Section 38102 of the State Law governing the Location of Regional Centers. This section reads as follows: "Regional centers shall be near centers of population where most needed and wherever possible connected to or in close proximity to institutions of higher learning and research. " Mr. Williams further stated that the County Planning Staff recommended denial to the proposed FETCH center due the above noted section of the California Government Code as they felt the location was improper. -3- MINUTES PLANNING COMNIISSION MEETING MAY 18, 1976 VIII. NEW BUSINESS (continued) C. Discussion of Parameters for the C.O.D. Specific Plan. Mr. Williams discussed the upcoming work on the C.O.D. Specific Plan which included the boundaries, information to be gathered, and procedures for evaluating the area. �"' Chairman Wilson asked if the staff had considered working with C.O.D. in having them do some of the research on the student housing question and other pertinent projec�s. After some discussion on the scope of the project and the ad- vantages of completing such a project, the Commission encouraged the staff to continue with their work and to discuss this with the Commission at their next Study Session. D. Discussion of Recent Ar-tic1e on Land Development. Mr. Williams presented an article entitled "Anatomy of Land Speculation" and discussed with the Commission the type of land speculation described in the article which sometimes results in increased land prices for no apparent reason. Commissioner Berkey related several instances which had occurred in the desert where this type of speculation had taken place. IX. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - None X. COMMENTS - None ' XI . ADJOURNMENT � Commissioner Van de Mark made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Berkey seconded the motion and the meeting was adjourned at 9:45 p.m. Motion carried unanimously. /�� ; � � / \ , � C�� , \...�\�,:�'a.+..�'` �� ...r •�,`'`�_%��,�.--�� PAUL A. WILLIAMS, SECRETARY ATTEST: '`' -� �; � - E'�� S 0 WILSON CHAIRMAN � -4-