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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014/08/13 Planning Commission MinutesCITY of CHULAVISTA uIA Vast.* I �6 -r.d ' o mmissions Plannin2 Commission MM a REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA PLANNING COMMISSION Date: August 13, 2014 6:00 p.m. CALL TO ORDER 6:01 p.m. Council Chambers Public Service Building A 276 Fourth Avenue ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Anaya, Fragomeno, Livag, Moctezuma, Vinson and Chair Calvo Absent: Commissioner Nava (Moctezuma and Vinson have termed out, but are remaining seated until replacements are announced) MOTIONS TO EXCUSE: Commissioner Moctezuma moved to excuse Commissioner Nava as requested. Commissioner Livag seconded the motion and the motion passed 6 -0 -1 -0 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND MOMENT OF SILENCE OPENING STATEMENT: 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES July 23, 2014 Motion by Vinson; seconded by Livag Motion passed: 4 -0 -1 -2 with Moctezuma and Anaya abstaining PUBLIC COMMENTS: Persons speaking during Public Comments may address the Board /Commission on any subject matter within the Board /Commission's jurisdiction that is not listed as an item on the agenda. State law generally prohibits the Board /Commission from discussing or taking action on any issue not included on the agenda, but, if appropriate, the board /Commission may schedule the topic for future discussion or refer the matter to staff. Comments are limited to three minutes. CONSENT ITEMS: The Planning Commission will enact the Consent Calendar staff recommendations by one motion, without discussion, unless a Planning Commissioner, a member of the public, or staff requests that the item be removed for discussion. If you wish to speak on this item, please fill out a "Request to Speak" form (available in the lobby) and submit it to the Secretary prior to the meeting. An item pulled from the Consent Calendar will be discussed immediately following the Consent Calendar. Planning Commission Agenda August 13, 2014 Page -2- PUBLIC HEARINGS: The following item(s) have been advertised as public hearing(s) as required by law. If you wish to speak on any item, please fill out a "Request to Speak" form (available in the lobby) and submit it to the Commission Secretary prior to the meeting. 2. PUBLIC HEARING: PCC -13 -004 Consideration of a Conditional Use Permit for a Master Plan for the Church of Joy and Lutheran High School located at 810 Buena Vista Way within the Ranch Del Rey SPA I area. Applicant: Lord Architecture Inc. Project Manager: Caroline Young INTRODUCTION The Applicant has submitted a Conditional Use Permit application for a Master Plan for the Church of Joy and Lutheran High School, which will consist of two phases of development over a 4 -8 year period. Currently, the site contains a one - story, 4,900 square -foot church building for the Church of Joy and temporary modular buildings for eight (8) classrooms and one (1) restroom building for the existing Lutheran High School. The lot includes on and off -site improvements, paved parking lot, lighting, landscaped treatments, and a trash enclosure. Pursuant to Chula Vista Municipal Code (CVMC) Section 19.14, a Conditional Use Permit is required for new structures. BACKGROUND On January 5, 1995, a master plan for the church and school (PCC- 95 -15) was approved. The master plan included classrooms for a maximum 400 elementary (K -6) and pre - school students, multi -use hall, auditorium, and 500 -seat church. In 1996, the church building and parking lot were constructed, but the elementary school was not constructed. A temporary Conditional Use Permit (PCC -09 -025) was approved on March 3, 2001 to allow temporary modular buildings for a high school, for eight (8) classrooms and one (1) restroom building. During this time period, two neighborhood meetings were held to discuss the project. On June 13, 2012 a Conditional Use Permit extension (PCC- 09 -025E) was approved to allow the school to continue to operate on the site, while awaiting submittal of a master plan for a high school. On February 19, 2013 the current application (PCC -13 -004), was submitted for a master plan to include a high school with a multi -use field. On November 14, 2013, a neighborhood meeting was conducted to discuss the master plan proposal. All in attendance supported the church project including a resident who represented the apartment complex to the west of the project site. Planning Commission Agenda August 13, 2014 Page -3- RECOMMENDATION: That the Planning Commission 1) Adopt Mitigated Negative Declaration IS -13 -002; 2) Adopt Resolution PCC -13 -004, approving a Conditional Use Permit for a Master Plan for the Church of Joy and Lutheran High School, consisting of two phases of development over a 4 -8 year period, based on the findings and subject to the conditions contained therein. Questions to Staff: Q On the side with the 6' wall, where does the top of the window come? Is it higher than the wall? Does the wall cover the 3rd floor windows? A. The noise study decided the height of the wall and the determination was made by someone sitting on their balcony. Q. When dropping off going southbound on Buena Vista, when they exit, are they forced to make a right turn, or can they turn left? A. Per the traffic study done, there will be no left turn anywhere there. Q. It is stipulated that lights will be off at 10:00 p.m. Is there any regulation regarding that? A. There's a City Ordinance that regulates noise after 10:00 p.m. for any type of usage. Q. With 109 parking spaces, is there any use of solar in the project? A. There is some on the gym, but none in the parking lot; but it could be added later. Q. Will the gym solar generated electricity be enough to power the school? A. Ben Lord, Lord Architecture: In order to make the economy work, we thought it was more feasible to use the gymnasium structure that was already there rather than to build structures to shelter cars in order to provide additional solar. Q. Is the turf going to be natural grass? A. It will be natural to begin with, but is going to be "convertible ". Q. Is the 6 foot wall just a basic brick wall or does it have some enhancement? A. First designed as a 10 foot wall, but worked with applicant to add a step feature and some plantings to make it more visually pleasing. It will also have some color and not be just gray brick. Q. What is the grown rate on the trees: 1, 3, 5 year maturity? What about natural vegetation and drought tolerant plants? A. They are per City prescribed box sizes so that growth potential is maximized and there is a quicker maturity rate. Whole plan is geared to using "not so thirsty plants ". Are minimizing grading so as not to affect natural environment. Planning Commission Agenda August 13, 2014 Page -4- Q. Public meeting was on Nov. 14th — why did it take so long to get it to the Commission? A. There were lots of studies to include environmental, noise and traffic so that staff was confident to bring it forward to the Commission. PUBLIC HEARING OPENED Duke Johnson — 355 Witherspoon Way, El Cajon — is a Lutheran High Alumni and spoke in favor of the project. John Bushong — 323 Alpine Ave, Chula Vista — did not speak, but as a past President of the Lutheran High School Board of Regents, supported the project. James Federhart — 2845 Nimitz Blvd., San Diego — was here as a traffic consultant to answer any questions and support the project. PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED Commissioner Comments /Questions Commissioner Vinson: Supports the project and hopes the church is able to work on the solar and water issues. Excited to see it move forward. Commissioner Livag: Thinks it's great for Chula Vista and commended staff for the excellent job done and mentioned the attention to traffic detail. Very well thought out project. Chair Calvo: Will the architecture for the gym come back to the Commission for approval? Associate Planner Young: No, because it is under 20,000 square feet, it will be approved by the Zoning Administrator. The classroom building, built in Phase II, is approximately 24, 000 s.f. and will be brought back for approval at a later time. ACTION: Motion to approve made by Vinson; seconded by Livag Vote: 6 -0 -1 -0 with Nava absent 3. PUBLIC HEARING: Public Hearing: GPA 14 -02 consideration of a City- sponsored technical correction Amendment to Policy E 6.4 of the Chula Vista General Plan Environmental Element Project Manager: Stan Donn INTRODUCTION Pursuant to Council direction Development Services staff reconvened interested members of the original 2005 Chula Vista General Plan Update (GPU) Environment, Open Space, and Sustainable Development Subcommittee (the "EGF Working Group "), and members of the Planning Commission Agenda August 13, 2014 Page -5- business and industry community (the "Industry Working Group ") to develop proposed regulations and siting criteria for Electrical Generating Facilities (EGFs) within Chula Vista. The efforts resulted in amendments to certain portions of the General Plan Land Use and Transportation and Environmental Elements; the Zoning Ordinance; and a new EGF Council Policy, all of which were approved by the City Council on October 15, 2013. During recent efforts to refresh the published General Plan, staff discovered that certain language had inadvertently been deleted in Policy E6.4 of the Environmental Element which should have remained. This item would reinstate the omitted language. BACKGROUND The City of Chula Vista's General Plan Land Use and Transportation Element and the Environmental Element contain goals, objectives and policies that stipulate the importance of improving air quality, and minimizing dependency on fossil fuels and exposure of sensitive uses to toxic air contaminants from facilities such as EGFs, and other major toxic emitters. In accordance with Council direction in February 2010, staff in conjunction with the EGF and Industry Working Groups prepared documents that were adopted in the fall of 2013, which established requirements and a regulatory framework for the siting of EGFs within the City of Chula Vista. General Plan Environmental Element Policy E 6.4 was amended to clarify that a minimum 1000ft separation is needed between baseload or peaking type EGFs and sensitive receptors (e.g. residential areas, schools, hospitals, child care centers). As outlined further in the Discussion section below, change in the policy's phrasing resulted in certain wording in Policy E 6.4 pertaining to "other major toxic air emitters" (separate from EGFs) being deleted in one place, and inadvertently not being reinserted where it should have remained. Thus, staff is requesting that the deleted language be reinstated. Current Amended Language E 6.4 Avoid siting new 9F Fe peweFed eneFgy geneFatiA-R far--ilities -;;Ad- A-Mher MajeF W)(06 a*F °^��Fs Do not site new or re- powered fossil - fueled baseload or peaking -type Electrical Generating Facilities within 1,000 feet of a sensitive FeeeiveT receptors, or place eAt of-, site sensitive Feeeive receptors within 1,000 feet of a majeF texie emitte such facilities. Corrected Amended Language E 6.4 Do not site new or re- powered fossil - fueled baseload or peaking -type Electrical Generating Facilities and other major toxic air emitters within 1,000 feet of sensitive receptors, or site sensitive receptors within 1,000 feet of such facilities. CONCLUSION The proposed Amendment to General Plan Policy E 6.4 to reinstate the wording "and other major toxic air emitters" will ensure that adequate separation is provided between sensitive receptors and all such uses. Planning Commission Agenda August 13, 2014 Page -6- RECOMMENDATION: That the Planning Commission adopt Resolution No. GPA 14 -02 recommending that the Chula Vista City Council approve a resolution adopting a technical correction amendment to Policy E6.4 of the Chula Vista General Plan Environmental Element. Questions to Staff Q. There was a language question: On "Conclusion" slide — it specifies "other major toxic air emitters" vs the second slide which is missing the word "air ". Recommends that a search be done and that the word "air" is included in the text. A. Will make sure air is included in all places indicating emitters. Q. Has anyone unintentionally benefit from this omission in the last couple of years where we have to go back and "clean it up "? A. Advanced Planning Manager Batchelder assured the Commission that there was no clean up needed and no violations to this policy have occurred. This omission was caught by a technician when it was time to republish the General Plan. We wanted to make sure this was clear before the next project came forward. ACTION: Moctezuma made a motion to make an amendment to the resolution to add the word "air" to all relevant areas of the resolution; seconded by Vinson Vote: 6 -0 -1 -0 with Nava absent OTHER BUSINESS 4. DIRECTOR'S REPORT: Batchelder thanked Moctezuma and Vinson for their service to the Planning Commission. Interviews for replacements are underway and should be completed soon. Hopefully the replacements will be sworn and able to attend the first meeting in September. Meeting in August is for the 5 -year plan update — no action will be needed. Gave a brief overview of things coming up in September and October. S. COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS: ADJOURNMENT: At 6:49 to the next Regular Planning Commission Meeting on August 27, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Patricia Laughlin, Board Secretary Minutes Approved August 27, 2014 Vinson /Anaya 5 -0 -2 -0 ( Moctezuma; Fragomeno absent)