HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission Minutes 2002/03/13
MINUTES OF THE
CITY PLANNING COMMISSION OF
CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA
Council Chambers
6:00 p.m. Public Services Building
Wednesday, March 13, 2002 276 Fourth Avenue, Chula Vista
ROLL CALLI MOTIONS TO EXCUSE:
Present: Chair O'Neill, Commissioners Castaneda, Hall, Cortes,
Thomas, McCann, Willett
Staff Present: Jim Sandoval, Assistant Director of Planning and Building
John Schmitz, Principal Planner
Kim Vander Bie, Associate Planner
Rick Rosaler, Principal Planner
Martin Miller, Associate Planner
Mary Hofmockel, Landscape Architect
Elizabeth Hull, Deputy City Attorney II
PLEDGE OF AllEGIANCE/SILENT PRAYER
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: Read into the record by Chair O'Neill
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: No public input.
1. RESOLUTION: Overturning Zoning Administrator decision to deny PCC 02-
21 for a weekend pet adoption facility at 875 East H Street.
MSC (McCannlThomas) (7-0) that the Planning Commission approve resolution PCC 02-
21 granting an appeal overturning the decision of the Zoning Administrator denying a
Conditional Use Permit for a weekend pet adoption facility in the parking lot at 875 East
H Street incorporating the following amendments to the resolution:
0 that the individual name of the applicant be removed from the resolution stating
that it be "a non-profit pet adoption facility",
0 that the term of the permit expire after three years, with the possibility of
renewal, and
0 that yearly reviews of the project be conducted by staff .
Motion carried.
Planning Commission Minutes - 2 - March 13, 2002
2. PUBLIC HEARING: PCC 02-43; Amendment to Conditional Use Permit and
Precise Plan PCC 74-27 to add 12,900 sf to existing building
and to relocate and enlarge (from 6,000 to 12,000 gallons)
an existing underground fuel storage tank. Applicant:
Pacific Bell.
Commissioners O'Neill, McCann and Hall excused themselves from the dais.
Background: Kim Vander Bie, Associate Planner reported that the 2.79 acre project site is
located on the northwest corner of Telegraph Canyon Road and Apache Drive and is
currently developed with a two story building enclosing a telecommunication switching
facility. The project site contains a 6,000 gallon capacity Underground Storage Tank (UST)
, landscaped area and a partially paved six-stalled parking area. The site is adjacent to
open space and/or residential developments in all four directions.
The project consists of a 12,900 sf two story building addition along the west end of the
existing building and will be used for an equipment room on the first floor and record
storage on the second floor.
The project also proposes to remove a 6,000 gallon UST and replace it with a 12,000
gallon UST in a different location. The tank is necessary to provide fuel to the emergency
electric generator system required for such facilities.
Staff recommendation: That the Planning Commission approve Resolution PCC 02-43
recommending that the City Council adopt the resolution approving the Mitigated
Negative Declaration (IS 02-17) and approve a conditional use permit to amend
conditional use permit and Precise Plan PCC 74-27.
Commission Discussion:
Commissioner Castaneda stated that in his opinion the project lacked visual appeal and
inquired if the project had gone through Design Review.
Jim Sandoval responded that the project would not trigger Design Review because its not a
new structure and is not a substantial increase to require it. Furthermore, the goal is for it
to be a non-descript building.
Public Hearing Opened and Closed 6:45:
Commissioner O'Neill stated he disagreed with Cmr. Castaneda's comment on the
aesthetics of the building. He further stated that the way Pac Bell designs these building;
they either blend in with their surroundings or disappear and are not there to make an
architectural statement.
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Planning Commission Minutes - 3 - March 13, 2002
Rafael Garcia, 3880 Murphy Canyon Road, San Diego, representing Pac Bell stated that
as of September 11, their desire to be as non-descriptive as possible is even greater. When
they removed the existing red and white sign, what was then exposed was the old Pacific
Bell Telephone and Telegraph Bell. Their goal is to blend in and be as non-descript as
possible.
MSC (Willett/Thomas) (4-0-0-3) that the Planning Commission approve Resolution PCC
02-43 recommending that the City Council adopt the resolution approving the Mitigated
Negative Declaration (IS 02-17) and approve a conditional use permit to amend
conditional use permit and Precise Plan PCC 74-27.
3. PUBLIC HEARING: PCM 02-20: Consideration of Amendments to the Village
Six SPA Plan to adjust boundary between Neighborhood R-
7a and R-7b, re-designate Neighborhood R-7a from SF-4 to
RM-2 and re-allocate 47 dwelling units from Neighborhood
R-Oa to Neighborhoods R-7a and R-7b.
PCS 02-05; Consideration of a Tentative Subdivision Map
creating 1,392 single-family and multi-family dwelling units
on 201.1 acres of Village Six of Otay Ranch. Applicant:
Otay Ranch Company
Background: Rick Rosaler, Principal Planner reviewed the proposal as described in the
staff report and stated that what is being considered tonight is Otay Ranch's portion of
Village 6; the Commission having recently reviewed McMillin's portion of the Tentative
Map for Village 6.
The proposal calls for amending Village Six SPA Plan to redesignate Neighborhood R-7a
Single-family to Residential Multi-family and to reallocate 47 dwelling units from
Neighborhood R-9a to R-9a and 7b. Additionally, the Tentative Subdivision Map creates
1,392 single-family and multi-family dwelling units on 201.1 acres.
The McMillin project had an access provided in Neighborhood R-3 to R-7b when it was a
Single Family neighborhood. Since this is being changed to a multi-family, staff believes
that that access should be deleted on McMillin's Final Map to eliminate multi-family traffic
traveling through the single-family neighborhood. There will be two accesses to
Neighborhood R-7 off of View Park Way.
The Otay Ranch Company is proposing both a guarded and gated entrances on the two
Core Promenades, which are 36 feet wide. The gated entrance is proposed on Magdalena
Street and the guarded entrance on View Park Street.
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Planning Commission Minutes - 4 - March 13, 2002
In 1996 the Otay Ranch Company proposed gating in Villages One and Five. Staff
prepared the Gated Communities Policy Paper to analyse the issues; the findings were: 1)
that gated entrances create a sense of exclusivity with a community, 2) increased property
values, 3) gave residents a false sense of security, and 4) created response problems for
emergency vehicles. Council decided during the SPA One Plan process to prohibit
physical barriers across any road but allow guarded entrances. Furthermore, access could
only be restricted from dusk to dawn.
Guarded entances in Otay Ranch Company's portion of Village One and Five have had
mixed results. The guarded access on Santa Lucia between Heritage Elementary School
and Neighborhood R-21 has restricted exiting out of the elementary school to right turns
only because of the amount of traffic and proximity of the entrance into Neighborhood R-
21 which is directly across from the main entrance from the school.
Staff recommendation: That the Planning Commission recommend that the City Council
approve amendments to the Village Six SPA Plan to adjust boundary between
Neighborhood R-7a and R-7b, re-designate Neighborhood R-7a from SF-4 to RM-2 and re-
allocate 47 dwelling units from Neighborhood R-Oa to Neighborhoods R-7a and R-7b, and
approve Tentative Subdivision Map creating 1,392 single-family and multi-family dwelling
units on 201.1 acres of Village Six of Otay Ranch.
Commission Discussion:
Chair O'Neill inquired if the streets behind the gated/guarded entranced are private or
publ ic streets.
Mr. Rosaler, responded that the City's policy is that if you restrict access through a street,
the streets behind it then become private. If there is full publ ic access, they are then
publ ic streets.
Commissioner Thomas stated that previously when the McMi II in project was reviewed, his
main objection was the manner in which the affordable housing element was addressed.
He asked if the same situation applies to Otay Ranch's project.
Mr. Rosaler responded that, in fact, the SPA Plan for McMillin granted them 100 units of
secondary accessory units to satisfy their affordable housing requirements. However,
Otay Ranch Company has satisfied their affordable housing obligation in the mixed-use
project in Village I.
Commissioner Castaneda asked for clarification on the hours that the guarded/gated
entrances would be restricted.
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Planning Commission Minutes - 5 - March 13, 2002
Mr. Rosaler responded that according to the existing Council Policy, the entrances would
be restricted only from dusk to dawn; any other time would be open to the public.
Commissioner Castaneda further stated that the restricted hours would take effect after the
peak 5:00 hour when residents are coming home from work and was concerned with
potential impacts on East Palomar Street with vehicle queing. Cmr. Castaneda asked if any
traffic analysis was done.
Alex AI-Agha, Senior Civil Engineer, responded that there are design standards for gated
entrances. Additionally another look will be taken at the traffic plan when it comes time to
approving improvements and final plans.
Cmr. Castaneda suggested implementing specific hours, instead of dusk to dawn.
Commissioner Hall inquired about the status of the Park Master Plan. He further asked if
there are any new elements contained within the Plan that could potentially impact the
developers where the City would then be placed in a predicament where they would need
to go back to the developers and re-negotiate parks development within the Planned
Communities.
Mary Hofmockel, Principal Landscape Architect, responded that the Draft Parks Master
Plan, excluding the financial portion, will be presented to the Parks and Recreation
Commission on March 21, 2002, and it will then follow its course, ultimately for Council
approval.
Ms. Hofmockel further stated that a Needs Assessment was conducted and an allocation of
facilities based on that assessment. This park site will take into consideration what was
identified as the program elements that we would like to see incorporated into that site.
Public Hearing Opened 7:25
Kent Aden, Otay Ranch Company, 350 W. Ash Street, San Diego, CA stated that the
project compliments McMillin's Tentative Map. The project provides:
0 the site for the 7-acre park,
0 the balance of the site for the 10-acre elementary school,
0 the commercial core to serve the Village,
0 the right-of-way and transit station for the future lite-rail transit,
0 the pedestrian bridge, which gives access to Village V to the north,
0 the right-of-way for a portion of future SR-125,
0 a funding mechanism for the balance of the first three phases of Olympic Parkway,
0 additional access to the private high school site approved on the McMillin Plan, and
0 this project is accommodating the excess dirt from Eastlake for the balance of Olympic
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Planning Commission Minutes - 6 - March 13,2002
Parkway that will complete the length from 1-805 to the the Olympic Training Center
by the end of this year.
Mr. Aden stated that out of 183 conditions of approval, the only one where this is
disagreement with staff's recommendation is the guarded/gated entrances. Their
experience is that there is overwhelming approval from the communities where they exist
and to their knowledge there have not been any complaints. Furthermore, for clarification
purposes, the gate design is proposed to be like the old-fashioned wooden traffic arms that
I ift up and down, not an ominous gate, but rather another method of slowing down traffic
in the community.
Mr. Aden further stated that a better generic Condition #39 would be to provide two
access points to R-8 and R9b, which are acceptable to staff. If that condition cannot be
met, than clearly the guarded/gated entrances would be removed.
Close public hearing 7:30.
Commissioner McCann stated that while walking precincts and speaking with residents
that live within a gated/guarded community, their comments were favorable and they were
supportive of gated/guarded entrances.
MSC (Willett/Cortes) (6-1-0-0) that the Planning Commission recommend that the City
Council approve the Village Six SPA Plan Amendment to adjust the boundary between
Neighborhoods R-7a and R-7b, re-designate Neighborhood R-7a from Single-family SF-4
to Residential Multi-family RM-2, and to reallocate 47 dwelling units from Neighborhood
R-9a to Neighborhoods R-7a and 7b. Motion carried.
MSC (Willett/Castaneda) (6-1-0-0) that the Planning Commission approve Tentative
Subdivision Map C.V.T.02-05 in accordance with the findings and subject to the
conditions contained in Resolution PCS 02-05 modifying Condition #39 recommending
approval of the guarded/gated entrances subject to approval of a site plan that depicts
two points of access to the multi-family neighborhood and is consistent with the
additional conditions imposed on Village 1 and 5 which are pertinent guarded entrances.
Motion carried.
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Diana Vargas,
Secretary to Planning Commission
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