Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutRCC MIN 2001/10/01 MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION COMMISSION October 1, 2001 Mercy Building Conference Room 430 "F" Street MEETING CALLED TO ORDER by Vice-Chair Doug Reid at 6:31 p.m. ROLL CALL/MOTION TO EXCUSE MSC (Thomas/Bensoussan) to excuse Chair Charles Bull and Commissioner Cindy Burrascano. Vote: (4-0) MEMBERS PRESENT: Vice-Chair Doug Reid, Commissioners Teresa Thomas, Juan Diaz and Pamela Bensoussan STAFF PRESENT: Maria Muett, Associate Planner Miguel Tapia, Sr. Community Development Specialist Linda Bond, Recording Secretary OTHERS PRESENT: Craig Frederickson, MAAC Project Jorge Luis Parra, MAAC Project Roger Caldwell, MAAC Project Harvey Souza, Village Club Card Room Michael A. Green, Village Club Card Room APPROVAL OF MINUTES: None. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None. OLD BUSINESS: None. NEW BUSINESS 1. IS..Q1-061 - Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee Center (MAAc Project), 1351-1395 Third Avenue Commissioner Thomas stated that she resides on Second Avenue behind this project and did not receive a public notice. She asked if she was over 500 feet from the project? Ms. Maria Muett (Associate Planner) indicated that she probably was outside the 500-foot radius but would double check. RCC Minutes - 2 - October 1. 2001 Ms. Muett reminded the Resource Conservation Commission (RCC) that their role was to determine the adequacy of the environmental document. The project is located on 5.79 acres at Third Avenue and Quintard Street. The site is currently developed with a vacant 71,991 square foot building and an occupied 1,164 square foot Mexican restaurant. The proposed project will consist of a Head Start Child Development Center, Community Charter High School, Health Services Center (DUI program), Weatherization Program (administrative office), general construction training and miscellaneous office space to be made available for lease. The hours of operation will be from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Total parking spaces upon completion will be 298, which exceeds the City's parking requirements by 101 spaces. Mr. Craig Frederickson (MAAC Project, 1355 Third Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91911) described the building façade, floor plan and landscape in detail. He described the various programs that would be offered by the MAAC Project inside the facility. Commissioner Thomas indicated that the environmental checklist did not address the traffic pattern, lead and asbestos in the air and noise in the back of the project. The plan does not show entities that will contribute to the traffic pattern such as the ROP Center and Castle Park Middle School on Second Avenue. The main recreational area for the children living in this community is the parking lot of the proposed MAAC Project. In fact, it is the only place for them to play. The Mitigation does not state that the City will enhance the park and recreation facilities for these children, and they need to have a place to play. There is space there to have a park and recreation area, and we need to address that. Is the City going to provide another area for them? Ms. Muett indicated that a traffic study was done of all the street segments, and they are still able to meet the City's threshold standard of LOS 'C'. Vice-Chair Reid indicated that this project is a non-residential use, so they are not generating any additional population or taking up any dedicated public park or recreational facility. The children are trespassing on this property. Commissioner Thomas should direct her concern to the Parks & Recreation Department. Commissioner Thomas noted that six parking spaces were going to be removed from behind the building to make room for trucks. There is a 4-foot high wall there separating the project and residential that would not mitigate noise. Ms. Muett indicated that it is an established 6- to 8-foot high zoning wall. Commissioner Thomas asked if the hazardous waste from previous businesses had been addressed as well as lead and asbestos. Ms. Muett indicated that these have been mitigated as stated in the environmental checklist on page 8 under HAZARDS. MS (Diaz/Reid) to recommend approval. No action. RCC Minutes - 3 - October 1. 2001 Commissioner Thomas asked to amend the motion to include a solid waste reduction plan, which means that the project would have to have a recycling program in place. She would like that to be included in every project, including business projects. MSC (Thomas/Bensoussan) that the RCC determine that the Initial Study is adequate and the Mitigated Negative Declaration be adopted with the understanding that there be a solid waste reduction plan in place for the project. Vote: (4-0-0-2) with Bull and Burrascano absent. 2. IS-01-33 - Village Club Card Room, 429 Broadway Ms. Muett indicated that the existing card room has been operating since 1963. It predates the City's conditional use permit (CUP) requirements for card rooms, which are required for all card rooms located in a commercial thoroughfare zone. This project is zoned CT. In 1996 the City Council adopted modifications to the City's Gaming Plan. In April 1996 the Village Card Room made a request to modify their hours of operation. At that time, it was necessary for them to obtain a CUP based on the City's new Gaming Plan. The CUP was approved with a condition that the permit was to expire after a period of five years. That was April 24, 2001. The City has approved several administrative amendments to the CUP since April 1996. The Village Card Room is the only card room in operation within the City. After the 1996 Gaming Plan amendments, there were card room licenses available in the City based on per capita population counts. The City Council then took action in November to cap the number of licenses available to a total of four. Issuance of more than four licenses would require an advisory vote of the people before additional licenses could be issued. In January of 2000, the applicant requested of the City to amend the Gaming Plan again to allow him to purchase the four outstanding licenses from the City. He would then forfeit two of those licenses back to the City. The two remaining licenses would be held by the applicant and would be used by the application as part of a consolidation operation. In September of 2000, the City Council approved this modification to the Gaming Plan. The project is the subject of this environmental study and that is to implement the amendment to the Gaming Plan to accommodate this applicant with up to 12 tables, which is in conformance with the Gaming Plan. Ms. Muett indicated that this site consists of two parcels on the corner of Broadway and Vance Street. Parcel 1 is developed with a 4,972 square foot building. Parcel 2 is a vacant dirt lot. The applicant proposes to expand the Village Card Room from eight tables to 12 tables and increase the operating hours to 24 hours per day, seven days a week. The expansion will result in the conversion of the cocktail lounge to an additional card room area. Eighty-four tandem-parking stalls would be located on Parcel 2. The existing chain link fence along the eastern boundary would be removed and replaced by a 5-foot high block wall. This wall will serve as a noise RCC Minutes -4- October 1 ,2001 barrier for the adjacent single-family residences. A conceptual landscape plan proposes to landscape Broadway and Vance Street frontages as well as the interior of the parking lot. For the record, staff did receive one comment letter after the Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared. They did have concerns with the alcohol usage and the pulling out from Vance Street onto Broadway. The City is in support of this project. Commissioner Bensoussan asked if the two card room licenses that were forfeited back to the City could be sold to someone else? Ms. Muett responded in the negative. Commissioner Diaz inquired about alcohol service. Mr. Harvey Souza (Village Club Card Room, 429 Broadway, Chula Vista, CA 91910) indicated that there would be no bar, only a service area that would be restricted to players only. Alcohol would be available from 5:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. There will not be any daytime alcohol service. That was part of the trade-off and a requirement of the Police Department. Commission Bensoussan inquired about security. Mr. Michael A. Green (227 Third Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91910) indicated that there would be 24-hour security. He assured the Commission that the neighbors would be very happy about that because this is a bad area. MSC (Thomas/Bensoussan) that the RCC determine that the Initial Study is adequate and the Negative Declaration be adopted with the requirement that a solid waste reduction plan be in place for the project. Vote: (4-0-0-2) with Bull and Burrascano absent. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW COORDINATOR COMMENTS: Ms. Muett distributed the Otay Ranch Village Six Draft Environmental Impact Reports and Appendices to the Commissioners. CHAIR COMMENTS: None. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Commissioner Bensoussan stated that she would be out of town for the November 5, 2001 meeting. Vice-Chair Reid stated that he would be out of town for the October 15, 2001 meeting. Commissioner Bensoussan reported that the Mills Act Workshop was successful. The RCC can expect a number of designation reports to come in. Commissioner Diaz suggested that Commissioner Thomas' comment regarding a solid waste reduction plan be placed on each project. Ms. Muett indicated that staff would get RCC Minutes - 5- October 1. 2001 some information from the planners and that way staff won't have to bring it back every time. Commissioners Bensoussan and Thomas would like to get the agendas when historic projects go up for City Council approval. ADJOURNMENT: Vice-Chair Reid adjourned the meeting at 7:59 p.m. to a regular meeting on Monday, October 15, 2001, at 6:30 p.m. in the Mercy Building Conference Room, 430 'F' Street, Chula Vista, CA. Prepared by: .~~_/~.L-- Li äa Bond Recording Secretary (A:\lIb\RCC#1\RCC1 001 01 MI NS.doc) -.