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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-07-16 PC Regular Meeting Minutes CITY OF PALM DESERT PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES • TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013 — 6:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBER 73-510 FRED WARING DRIVE, PALM DESERT, CA 92260 I. CALL TO ORDER Chair Nancy DeLuna called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Present: Absent: Commissioner Ken Stendell Vice Chair Roger Dash Commissioner John Greenwood Commissioner Sonia Campbell Chair Nancy DeLuna a Staff Present: Dave Erwin, City Attorney Lauri Aylaian, Director of Community Development Tony Bagato, Principal Planner Kevin Swartz, Assistant Planner Christina Canales, Assistant Engineer Monica O'Reilly, Administrative Secretary III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Commissioner Stendell led the Pledge of Allegiance. IV. SUMMARY OF COUNCIL ACTION None V. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None MINUTES PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION JULY 16, 2013 VI. CONSENT CALENDAR A. MINUTES of the Planning Commission meeting of July 2, 2013. Rec: By Minute Motion, approve as presented. Upon a motion by Campbell, second by Stendell, and a 4-0 vote of the Planning Commission, the Consent Calendar was approved as presented with Commissioner Dash ABSENT. VII. CONSENT ITEMS HELD OVER None VIII. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION to approve a Mitigated Negative Declaration of Environmental Impact, and Tentative Tract Map 36554 to subdivide 10 acres (two existing parcels) into 32 single-family residential lots. The project site is located on the southwest corner of Portola Avenue and Julie Lane at 36-333 Portola Avenue. Case No. TT 36554 / HTE 13-173 (GHA Communities, 30-875 Date Palm Drive, Cathedral City, CA 92234, Applicant) Mr. Kevin Swartz, Assistant Planner, reported that the two parcels are located north of Frank Sinatra Drive, south of Gerald Ford Drive, east of Shepherd Lane, and west of Portola Avenue. The property is zoned Planned Residential 5 (five dwelling units per acre), which is consistent with the surrounding area. He stated that the applicant is proposing to subdivide the two five-acre parcels into 32 single-family residential lots. He presented photos of the site and the Tentative Tract Map. The lots will range in size from 7,472 to 13,927 square feet. He said that the project will create two 550-foot long cul-de-sacs. Mr. Swartz reported that the Tentative Tract Map will be built in two phases: Phase One is Anastacia Lane, and Phase Two is Encore Lane, with improvements to be made to both phases. He also reported that the applicant is proposing to acquire .36 acres from the successor agency to the Palm Desert Redevelopment Agency, which takes approval from the State of California Department of Finance. The .36 acres would be dedicated for right-of-way purposes. The .36 additional acres allows the lot sizes within the development to be consistent with lots in the surrounding area. It also allows for Julie Lane to be modified to provide for better circulation. On August 14, 2012, the Architectural Review Commission approved the architectural and landscape plans for 16 single-family homes. The homes that are located along University Pointe Court have been built and sold. He said that the applicant is proposing to use the same product for the proposed 32 single-family homes. Mr. Swartz presented photos of the architectural elevations, and provided a brief description of the proposed homes. He stated the homes are consistent with the development standards of other tract maps in the area. Staff recommended that the Planning Commission adopt Resolution No. 2605 2 GAPlanning\Monica OReilly\Planning Commission\2013Winutes\7-16-13 min.docx MINUTES PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION JULY 16, 2013 approving the Tentative Tract Map and the Mitigated Negative Declaration of Environmental Impact. He offered to answer any questions. Commissioner Sonia Campbell asked why gates are not necessary for this development when all the other developments have them on Portola Avenue. Mr. Swartz responded that the Fire Department said that gates were not necessary. Commissioner Campbell inquired if the other developments would remove the gates and fill in with a block wall so they are all uniform, or will the gates be left as they are. Mr. Swartz replied that he believes the gates will remain at this time. Chair DeLuna clarified that it is .36 acres that the applicant is proposing to acquire. Mr. Swartz answered yes. Chair DeLuna mentioned that the acquisition is dependent upon the State of California Department of Finance approval, and Phase Two is the section that contains that parcel of land. She asked staff if they have any idea how long it will take to receive approval from the State. ONO Mr. Swartz responded that staff does not know how long it will take. Assembly Bill 1484 did not give the State Department of Finance a time frame for the approval of the Property Management Plan. Chair DeLuna inquired if the approval would take a year or two from now. Mr. Swartz replied that staff did not know. He noted that this is the first project that has been sent to the State. Commissioner Ken Stendell asked what would happen if the State does not give approval. Will the land be modified or will the land be less desirable? Mr. Swartz responded that the applicant will have to redesign Phase Two of the Tentative Tract Map. Chair DeLuna declared the public hearing open and invited the applicant to address the Commission on this matter, followed by any public testimony IN FAVOR or OPPOSITION. MR. MARIO GONZALEZ, 30875 Date Palm Drive, Cathedral City, California, thanked staff for their diligence. He stated that they have some challenges with respect to Julie Lane. He said that he is hopeful that they will be able to acquire the .36 acres. If not approved, they will work with staff to redesign the parcel so 3 G,\Planning\Monica OReilly\Planning Comm i ssion\2013\Minutes\7-16-1 3 mm.dou MINUTES PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION JULY 16, 2013 the project can continue moving forward. He also stated that they have reviewed and are in favor of the conditions of approval. He mentioned that John Rodriguez from Heitec Engineering is also present to answer any questions. He offered to answer any questions. Commissioner Stendell asked if the stucco will be painted or colored stucco. MR. GONZALEZ responded that they will use acrylic paint for the stucco. Chair DeLuna said that in the event the State Department of Finance does not approve of the acquisition, she asked if the lots will become narrower. MR. GONZALEZ replied that they would propose to leave the south section of the north tract (Lots 17 through 24) alone, and for the other lots they will modify the plan. MR. JIMMY BERRYHILL, 74098 Academy Lane East, Palm Desert, California, commented that he lives in the home on the corner adjacent to the first property. He mentioned that when they first bought the property, they were told that a Jewish Community Center was going to be built. The community addressed their concern with line of sight, and those issues were resolved. He said that they again have a concern with the line of sight with the proposed homes. He stated that they are requesting that the height elevation on the lots behind them be brought down. He mentioned that there is a lot of traffic on Shepherd Lane and out to Julie Lane. He said there is a vault on the north corner of Portola Avenue, which might need to be lined up. He asked if that has been discussed with the Planning Department. Mr. Swartz interjected that it has been discussed, and a Southern California Edison pole will have to be moved. MR. BERRYHILL expressed that the road will have to be wide enough and well maintained due to traffic. He inquired if there is a landscape agreement with the applicant. Mr. Swartz replied that there will be an agreement, and that the applicant is proposing a homeowners' association. MR. BERRYHILL said that his community wants to make sure the applicant will maintain their rights-of-way because it can become a problem. He also would like to make sure that during the development of the homes, the applicant complies with the City's noise ordinance. MR. JOHN RODRIGUEZ, 42575 Melanie Place, Palm Desert, California, remarked that the natural contour of the land falls to the northeast and drops off significantly to that point. He noted that the parcels fall towards Portola Avenue and will drain in that direction. In response to the comment regarding the elevation, the applicant has taken into consideration the elevations of the houses 4 GAPlanning\Monica OReilly\Planning Commission\2013\Minutes\7-16-13 min.docx MINUTES PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION JULY 16, 2013 adjacent to them. He believes they are two-tenths of a foot lower than the property south of Lot 1 as it currently sits, then they fall off to the east with the low grading. He mentioned that the intersection of Julie Lane and Portola Avenue is narrow in its current condition; however, they have worked with staff to make sure they are using a full width street. He offered to answer any questions. Commissioner Stendell said that the minimum setback for the front elevation is 20 feet. He asked what the maximum is, and are they going to offset some of the setbacks so that they do not have a linear look. MR. RODRIGUEZ responded that the plans are different. Some homes will have a casita or third car garage that will help with that effect. Commissioner Stendell interjected that he understood; however, that they are 70- foot narrow lots, and can become a tunnel of garage doors. He noted that the elevations are nice, but having every garage 20 feet off the street starts looking monotonous after a while. MR. GONZALEZ stated that some plans have a structure in the front to give it a different elevation. They also attempt to mound the fronts, and have movement in their contours as well as in their elevations. He mentioned that they will make some of the setbacks at 20, 23, 25, and 22 feet. At the same time, they will look at the backyard to make sure they leave a proper backyard. Chair DeLuna inquired if the location of the trees will be altered so that it does not look like a row of trees. MR. GONZALEZ responded yes. He also mentioned that they will try to bring the side property line walls beyond garages and step them down toward the street. This allows for privacy, defines the lot, and allows for some growth to go up on the walls, which will break up the front scene. He asked that the Planning Commission support the project, and support staff's recommendation. He thanked the Commission for their time. With no further testimony offered, Chair DeLuna declared the public hearing closed. Commissioner Campbell stated that she is favor of the development. She commented that she likes the consistency of the homes. She said that she would rather see homes in the area instead of a Jewish Community Center and a school. She commented that when you put a school next to homes, people complain about the noise and traffic. She stated she would move for approval. Commissioner Campbell moved, by Minute Motion, to approve a Mitigated Negative Declaration of Environmental Impact, and Tentative Tract Map 36554 to subdivide 10 acres into 32 single-family residential lots. Motion was seconded by Greenwood and carried by a 4-0 vote with Commissioner Dash ABSENT. 5 GAPlanning\Monica OReilly\Planning Commission\2013\Minutes\7-16-13 min.docx MINUTES PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION JULY 16, 2013 Commissioner Campbell moved, by Minute Motion, to waive further reading and adopt Resolution No. 2605, subject to conditions. Motion was seconded by Stendell and carried by a 4-0 vote with Commissioner Dash ABSENT. Chair DeLuna thanked the applicant for choosing to do business in Palm Desert. IX. MISCELLANEOUS None X. COMMITTEE MEETING UPDATES A. ART IN PUBLIC PLACES None B. PARKS & RECREATION None XI. COMMENTS None XII. ADJOURNMENT Upon a motion by Stendell, second by Greenwood, and a 4-0 vote of the Planning Commission with Commissioner Dash ABSENT, Chair DeLuna adjourned the meeting at 6:30 p.m. NANCY DE WNA, CHAIR ATTEST: Q- LAURI AYLAIAN, SECRETARY PALM DESERT PLANNING COMMISSION 6 GAPlanning\Monica OReilly\Planning Commission\2013\Minutes\7-16-13 min.docx