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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission Minutes 2008/03/12 DRC Workshop Planning Commission Minutes - 2 - March 12, 2008 JOINT WORKSHOP MEETING OF THE DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE AND PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA City Council Chambers 276 Fourth Avenue Wednesday, March 12, 2008 Chula Vista, CA 5:08:32 PM CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE Members Present: Bringas, Calvo, Martinez Members Absent: Hogan, Balvaneda PLANNING COMMISSION Members Present: Tripp, Felber, Moctezuma, Bensoussan, Spethman Members Absent: Clayton, Vinson Workshop Topic: Responsibilities and procedures for all participants in our decision-making process. Nancy Lytle, Assistant Planning Director and David Miller, Deputy City Attorney II made a co- presentation on the roles and responsibilities, protocol, and procedural rules found in the Brown Act and Roberts Rules of Order. 5:49:59 PM Commission/Committee Comments. 5:50:20 PM Cmr. Bensoussan stated that having an open and transparent government promotes people's trust. Simple things like having meetings held in venues that are accessible and have a setting that is conducive to receiving public input is important. Depending on its availability, the use of the Council Chambers is optimal. 5:56:29 PM Cmr. Spethman stated there is value in having DRC's comments on a project before it goes to the Planning Commission; it aids the Commission in making a more informed decision and expedites the process because the project doesn't need to be referred back to DRC if the Commission feels they need their expertise. Nancy Lytle stated that when the Code requires a project go through Design Review, staff will make every effort to have it go first to DRC before it goes to the Planning Commission. However, there are exceptions when there is question whether a certain land use will be permitted, due to a financial hardship the applicant may request not to go through the expense of DRC and would first like to go to the Planning Commission to know if the use will be permitted. Planning Commission Minutes - 3 - March 12, 2008 Member Calvo concurs with Ms. Lytle's comments that when there is an unresolved land use issues, it would be advantageous for the project to first go before the Planning Commission to see if the use is even permitted before the DRC reviews the architectural elements. Chair Tripp stated that Ms. Lytle's and Member Calvo's comments have merit and would recommend that in those rare occasions when land use is questionable and a project needs to go first to the Planning Commission, that staff be diligent in adding an exception clause in their staff report explaining the reason why the project did not go to DRC first. 6:09:49 PM Cmr. Felber asked for clarification if Roberts Rules allows for changing a motion that has already been voted on and passed. Nancy Lytle stated that it is allowed and is called a Motion to Reconsider, however, there are certain parameters; 1) the request can only be made by a member who voted on the side of the majority, and 2) it needs to be made expeditiously, soon after the motion has been voted on, especially when it involves a public hearing; the audience who was present for public testimony and during the deliberation of the item has the right to hear the new comments under the Reconsideration of the Motion. Cmr. Tripp asked for clarification if email is a proper means for a Commissioner to communicate with staff or the Commission collectively. Ms. Lytle stated that one needs to be cautious on what the topic of discussion is and certainly discouraged any collective communication that is project-related because that could be in violation of the Brown Act. Member Calvo asked for clarification as to whether there would be any change to the existing process other than what staff agreed to in adding a comment paragraph in the Planning Commission staff report explaining the reason why the project was exempt from going before the DRC. Ms. Lytle responded affirmatively to Ms. Calvo's comment and added that as part of the budget review process, staff is looking into making some permit streamlining recommendations to eliminate redundancy in overlapping roles that some of the land use boards and commission currently have. By doing so, the goal is to reduce expense, provide quality service and expedient review of projects. 6:19:03 PM Adjourned to a regular Planning Commission meeting on March 26, 2008. Submitted by Diana Vargas Secretary to the TningCommission