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HomeMy WebLinkAbout0817 MINUTES PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING WEDNESDAY - AUGUST 17, 1977 1 :00 PM - CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS I. CALL TO ORDER The regularly scheduled meeting of the Palm Desert Planning Commission was called to order by Chairman Berkey at 1 :00 p.m. in the Council Chambers in the Palm Desert City Hall . II. PLEDGE - Commissioner Kryder III. ROLL CALL Present: Commissioner KELLY Commissioner KRYDER Commissioner READING Commissioner SNYDER Chairman BERKEY Also Present: Ralph J. Cipriani - Acting Director of Environmental Services Sam Freed - Assistant Planner e Kathy Shorey - Planning Secretary IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. MINUTES of the regular Planning Commission meeting of August 2, 1977 Commissioner Kelly requested that it be noted in the minutes that her absence from the meeting of August 2, 1977 be noted as an excused absence, also Com- WSW missioner Readings absence should be noted as excused. Discussion followed regarding the completeness of the minutes and whether or not controversial cases should be presented in the minutes verbatium. It was decided that the tapes be kept indefinetly on cases that any Commissioner feels necessary and it will be so noted in the minutes. The Commission requested that the tape of the August 2, 1977 meeting regard- ing Case No. TT 5565 and CUP 10-77 be retained indefinetly. A motion of Commissioner Kryder, seconded by Commissioner Kelly, to approve the minutes of August 2, 1977, as amended, carried unanimously. B. MINUTES of the special Planning Commission meeting of August 9, 1977 Commissioner Kelly requested that the following change be made: Page 1 , 2nd paragraph from the bottom, add the following sentence "To achieve this goal a density higher than PR-10, possibly PR-14, is requested. " A motion of Commissioner Kelly, seconded by Commissioner Reading, to approve the minutes of August 9, 1977, as amended, carried unanimously. �.. V. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS A. Memorandum from the Design Review Board regarding the possibility of authorizing the Board to require approval of colors to be used prior to the repainting of any existing commercial structure. The Commission discussed the issue and made the following points : developers already have enough demands to meet, bring the issue before the public, is it legal to do so or would it take away property rights, would it give the DRB to much control , have available suggested color list, and if the problem arises of an existing building being painted an outrageous color handle it by speaking to the owner and usually the problem can be solved in most cases. Minutes Palm Desert Planning Commission August 17, 1977 Page Two V. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS (Continued) A. Memo from DRB (Continued) In conclusion the Commission requested that the item be put on a later agenda for further consideration or at such time as the issue becomes a proble Motion by Commissioner Kryder, seconded by Commissioner Kelly; carried unanimous (5 r B. Article from APWA Reporter regarding urban growth management in Fresno. Discussion followed on the article and the following was noted: Situation is simi- lar to Palm Desert; the need to consider additional costs to the city for a new devel- opment and put the responsibility of the additional cost on the developer; relates to the Ironwood problem; developer should provide the City with a study on the additional cost to the City of new projects. Commissioner Kryder pointed out that this is the type of study that CVAG should be doing. Commissioner Kelly noted that the Conference in Los Angeles had covered much of this information. Chairman Berkey suggested that this article be put on the agenda for the joint study session with the City Council . C. Memorandum from Martin J. Bouman, City Manager, regarding an account at the Community Blood Bank Center. It was noted that individual signatures are needed. VI . PUBLIC HEARINGS - None VII . OLD BUSINESS - None VIII. NEW BUSINESS A. Discussion of proposed C.V.C.W.D. Booster Station and Water Line Extensions. Mr. Cipriani reviewed the proposal stating that the Coachella Valley County Water District proposes construction of a 1400 GPM booster station in Monterey Avenue, approximately 2700 feet of 12 inch transmission main in Monterey Avenue from Avenue 44 across Highway 111 and 2000 feet of 12 inch domestic water pipeline from Haystack Road to Silver Moon Trail , Silver Moon Trail to Corral Trail , Corral Trail to Little Bend Trail and in Little Bend Trail 6-0 feet west to an existing 12 inch water main and it is in conformance to the adopted Palm Desert General Plan. The staff is recommending approval by Planning Commission Resolution No. 275. Some discussion followed regarding the location of the proposed project, the additional water pressure it will provide, the need for the same thing on the north side, the need for a report on the water situation on the north side as proposed devel- w.. opments will be affected by the problem, and the responsibility of the City to supply adequate services to the citizens. Mr. Freed stated that staff is putting together facts in the EIR being done for the project area that will cover most of the problems regarding water flow on the north side. Also, he noted that the main difficulty is in changing County Ordinances and the requirement for water flow. The area serviced by the C.V.C.W.D is getting adequate service but the area serviced by the Community Services Dis- trict is not. Mi n utes Palm Desert Planning Commission August 17, 1977 Page Three VIII. NEW BUSINESS (Continued) A. C.V.C.W.D. Booster Station Discussion (Continued) It was suggested that the process of filing an application be studied and try to simplify the process to save staff and applicant time and trouble. It was also suggested that the Commission draft a letter to the various service agencies covering the various problems in the area and ask for the their assistance in �.. solving the problems and possibly the different heads of these agencies could be asked to speak to the Commission in a joint study session with the City Council . Chairman Berkey indicated that a feasibility study be done on new projects and if they are not feasibile to the City and the services it can provide, they should be rejected and the reasons noted so that the public and the developers become aware of the issues. He also suggested that Mr. Weeks of the C.V.C.W.D. be asked to attend the next meeting in September. A motion was made by Commissioner Kelly, seconded by Commissioner Kryder to find that the proposed projects are in conformance with the adopted Palm Desert General Plan and approve Planning Commission Resolution No. 275; carried unanimously (5-0). IX. DESIGN REVIEW BOARD ITEMS A. Review of Cases acted on by the Design Review Board at their meeting of August 9, 1977. Mr. Cipriani reviewed the cases: Case No. 77MF - PALM DESERT VENTURE, applicant request for approval of fencing plan for Shadow Mountain Resort and Racquet Club. Commissioner Snyder pointed out that the fence is supposed to be wrought-iron mesh, small enough that a golf ball cannot go through ft. The Commission rejected the case until the correct fence plan is submitted. Case No. 57C - CLARENCE SABA, applicant - request for approval of preliminary site, floor and elevation plans for a commercial complex. Commissioner Kelly requested that Conditions No. 19 and 20 be deleted. Commissioner Kryder noted that Condition No. 15 creates an economic hardship for the developer. The Commission .approved the case with the deletion of Condition No. 19 and 20 and the revision of Condition No. 15 to read: "Applicant should investigate various colors and materials to be utilized for paved areas" . Case No. 83MF - DEEP CANYON, LTD. , applicant - request for approval of pre- liminary site, floor and elevation plans for 212 single family residences. Discussion followed concerning the landscaping and whether the developer or the owner would be responsible, also some question as to the elevations. The Commission requested that the case be continued until the developer could be present to discuss the landscaping issue. Case No. 48MF - AFFILIATED CONSTRUCTION, applicant - request for approval of a landscaping concept for Parkview Subdivision. Minutes Palm Desert Planning Commission August 17, 1977 Page Four IX. DESIGN REVIEW BOARD ITEMS (Continued) Case No. 48MF (Continued) Discussion followed regarding the developers plan to have the individual owners do their own landscaping with a choice of ten different plans which were not submitted for review. The Commission rejected the case until the plans for the 10 different concepts or one total concept for the landscaping were submitted. Case No. 78MF - AMERICAN WEST DEVELOPMENT, applicant - request for approval of preliminary site, floor and elevation plans for a duplex. Mr. Cipriani noted that the site plan needs reworking and that denial was re- commended or approve and ask for new plans prior to review by the Planning Commission. The Commission rejected the case until a revised site plan is submitted. A motion was made by Commissioner Kelly, seconded by Commissioner Kryder to approve Planning Commission Resolution No. 276 with the deletion of Case No. 48MF, 77MF, and 78MF, the continuance of Case No. 83MF and the approval of Case No. 57C with the deletion of Condition No. 19 and 20 and the revision of Condition No. 15; carried unanimously (5-0). X. DISCUSSION ITEMS A. Staff Summary of the Draft Growth Impact and Evaluation Report prepared by the Coachella Valley Association of Governments. /and/ B. Staff Summary of the Draft Blowsand Control and Protection Plan prepared by the Blowsand Ad Hoc Task Force of the Coachella Valley Association of Governments. Mr. Freed asked if the Commissioners had any questions. Chairman Berkey indicated that it was his understanding that Staff was going to prepare Resolutions regarding the two CVAG reports which would be forwarded to the City Council giving that body an indication of the Commission 's feelings re- garding the two documents. Mr. Freed stated that Staff could forward a copy of the Planning Commission Min- utes to the City Council and accomplish the same ,objective since the Resolutions had not been prepared. Commissioner Kryder stated that he objected to many areas of the reports from CVAG. In addition, he said that he believed the thrust behind the documents is at odds, philosophically, with the main stream of thought of area residents and expressed doubt as to whether the City of Palm Desert had anything to gain by future participation in CVAG. Mr. Cipriani indicated that he understood the Commissioner's concerns and that he had witnessed similar relationships between local governments and regional councils of government in other areas of the country. He noted that, quite often, regional councils of government find it difficult to respond to their local govern- ments' problems as most of their funding is from the State and Federal governments and they are heavily involved in projects and programs required of them in order to retain their funding. Futhermore, regional councils of government quite often become too academic and lose touch with reality and the basic problems local jurisdictions are confronted with. Minutes Palm Desert Planning Commission August 17, 1977 Page Five X. DISCUSSION ITEMS (Continued) Mr. Cipriani also stated that he believed the Commission sees CVAG's role as one of providing local governments with information and data from which to make decisions. Commissioner Kryder and other Commissioners agreed that the agency should be providing information, but that many of CVAG's own statements in its reports indicate the agency sees itself as an implementing body and that this role is not in keeping with local governments' wishes. Commissioner Snyder indicated that CVAG's reports are repetitious and that they keep restating problems without ever presenting local governments with ways of dealing realistically with problems. He suggested that perhaps the Commission ought to send CVAG a copy of the previously discussed article regarding urban growth management in Fresno as a fine example of an informative document which has some use for local decision-makers. Mr. Freed noted that CVAG exists to help solve regional problems and that the agency desires comments from both the Planning Commission and City Council re- garding their reports. Chairman Berkey directed staff to prepare a Resolution indicating the Commission's general dissatisfaction with CVAG and also containing those issues and feelings discussed by the Commission tonight. XI. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - None 4-9 7 XII . COMMENTS A. City Staff - Mr. Cipriani informed the Commission that the City would like the Commissioners to have business cards and he requested that they notify the secretary of how each would like their name printed. Also Supervisor McCandless would like someone to represent Palm Desert on a citizens' transportation advisory group. Commissioner Snyder indicated he might be interested. B. City Attorney - Not present C. Planning Commissioners - Commissioner Kelly asked why a restaurant in town that was recently bought by new owners was not required to pave the parking lots when they did their re- modeling. Mr. Freed stated that they had only applied for a sign permit, and that the Zoning Ordinance does not require additional permits if the use remains the same, also permits are not required on interior remodeling. Commissioner Reading asked about the Double R sign and its status. Mr. Freed noted that it was opened one day and then the request withdrawn. XIII. ADJOURMENT A motion by Commissioner Snyder, seconded by Commissioner Reading to adjourn the meeting carried unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 p.m. �J RALPH J. CIPRIANI , Acting Secretary ATTEST: GEORGE BERKEY, Chairman /1 _