HomeMy WebLinkAbout0106 ����� MINUTES
PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION
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TUESDAY - JANUARY 6, 2009
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I. CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Tanner called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Members Present: Van Tanner, Chair
Sonia Campbell, Vice Chair
Russ Campbell
Mari Schmidt
Members Absent: Connor Limont
Staff Present: Lauri Aylaian, Director of Communiry Development
Bob Hargreaves, Deputy City Attorney
Renee Schrader, Associate Planner
Spencer Knight, Landscape Manager
Tonya Monroe, Administrative Secretary
III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Commissioner R. Campbell led in the pledge of allegiance.
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Request for consideration of the December 2, 2008 meeting minutes.
Action:
It was moved by Commissioner R. Campbell, seconded by Commissioner S.
Campbell, approving the December 2, 2008 meeting minutes. Motion carried
4-0.
V. SUMMARY OF COUNCIL ACTION
None.
VI. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
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PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION JANUARY 6� 2009
VII. CONSENT CALENDAR
A. Case No. CUP 06-15 / PP 06-18 — CANDLEWOOD SUITES HOTEL,
Applicant
Request for approval of a one-year time extension for the
Candlewood Suites Hotel.
Action:
It was moved by Commissioner S. Campbell, seconded by Commissioner R.
Campbell, approving the Consent Calendar by minute motion. Motion carried
4-0 (Commissioner Limont was absent).
VIII. PUBLIC HEARINGS
Anyone who challenges any hearing matter in court may be limited to raising
only those issues he, she or someone else raised at the public hearing
described herein, or in written correspondence delivered to the Planning
Commission at, or prior to, the public hearing.
A. Case Nos. PP 09-263/MISC OS-189 —THE LIVING DESERT, Applicant
(Continued from December 2, 2008)
Request for approval of a request by the Living Desert, located
at 47900 Portola Avenue, for a Conditional Use Permit per
Municipal Code Section 25.38 and for a Precise Plan
Amendment. The request would revise the original Living
Desert plan to construct, (in four phases), new zoological
exhibits and a new entry complex as follows: Phase 1: African
lion, meerkat, rock hyrax enclosures, Phase 2: crocodile,
tortoise, lovebird, serval enclosures, Phase 3: future entry
comp/ex/events building, Phase 4: future hyena and rhinoceros
enclosures.
Chairperson Tanner indicated that the public hearing was still open and
asked for the staff report. Ms. Schrader explained that the applicants were not
able to view their calendars until after the December 2 meeting and realized
they would not be able to attend tonighYs meeting. As all of them also looked
at the different comments made by the public at that time, they realized that it
would be best to postpone it and respectfully requested a continuance to the
February 17, 2009 Planning Commission meeting. She also noted that no
additional comments had been received from the public since the last
meeting. A very thorough staff report addressing the comments would be
available for the February 17 meeting.
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PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION JANUARY 6. 2009
Chairperson Tanner noted that the applicant wasn't present and asked if
anyone wished to speak in FAVOR of or in OPPOSITION to the proposed
project. There was no one. Leaving the public hearing o�en, Chairperson
Tanner asked for a motion.
Action:
It was moved by Commissioner R. Campbell, seconded by Commissioner
Schmidt, continuing Case Nos. PP 09-263/MISC 08-189 to February 17,
2009. Motion carried 4-0 (Commissioner Limont was absent).
IX. MISCELLANEOUS
None.
X. COMMITTEE MEETING UPDATES
A. ART IN PUBLIC PLACES
Commissioner S. Campbell reviewed the discussion items from their
last meeting.
B. LANDSCAPE COMMITTEE
None.
C. PROJECT AREA 4 COMMITTEE
Commissioner R. Campbell advised that there had been no meeting
since the last Planning Commission meeting.
D. PARKS & RECREATION
Chairperson Tanner reported on their discussion items.
XI. COMMENTS
Ms. Aylaian stated that there were no public hearing items scheduled for
January 20, so staff did not anticipate holding that meeting. And at this point
staff hadn't identified any public hearing issues for the February 3 meeting;
however, there was still time to advertise if something did arise and that
meeting would not be canceled yet, but she wanted to let them know.
The second item she wished to report on was just an advisory that on the
22nd of January at 2:00 p.m. the City Council would be holding a study
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ERT PLANNING COMMISSION JANUARY 6. 2009
session on bike lanes and how they fit in the transportation program for the �
city. They would be revisiting some of the concepts in the General Plan and
talking about how to balance the interests of the motor vehicles and traffic
throughout the city, level of service at the various intersections and on streets
against the need to provide bike lanes and alternative means of
transportation for those wishing to avoid use of a car. So they would be
putting together an informational report and asking for some dialogue and
feedback from the City. Because it is a study session, no decisions would be
made, but it is a topic that touches on several issues of interest to the
Planning Commission and they were welcome to attend if they chose. The
meeting would be January 22 at 2:00 p.m. in the ACR. She pointed out that
they were going to use one illustrative example and that would be Cook
Street. Cook Street was planned to be widened. From a traffic standpoint it
needs to be widened, but widening it could resuft in loss of bike lanes and this
project would exempl'rfy the tension we have between various interests and it
served to illustrate what they would be looking at in other parts of the city as
we build out.
Commissioner S. Campbell noted that this Thursday at 2:00 p.m. they were
meeting with the City Council. Ms. Aylaian concurred that it was a Joint Study
Session with the Ciry Council for the Westfield project.
XII. ADJOURNMENT
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It was moved by Commissioner R. Campbell, seconded by Commissioner
Schmidt, adjourning the meeting by minute motion. Motion carried 4-0. The
meeting was adjourned at 6:09 p.m.
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—LAURI AYLAIAN, Sec ry
ATTEST:
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VAN G. TANNER, Chair
Palm Desert Planning Commission
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