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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Comm Reports/1983/10/12 AGENDA City Planning Commission Chula Vista, California Wednesday, October 12, 1983 - 7:00 p.m. City Council Chambers PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - SILENT PRAYER APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Meeting of September 14, 1983 ORAL COMMUNICATIONS 1. Consideration of request for extension of Tentative Subdivision Map for Bonita Vista, Chula Vista Tract 80-12, 4243 Bonita Road 2. Consideration of request for extension of Tentative Subdivision Map for Gateway Townhouses, Chula Vista Tract 80-31, 100 block East Flower Street 3. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of an amendment to precise plan sign guidelines established for the development of a 1 acre site located at the northeast quadrant of 1-805 and Bonita Road - Burger King Restaurants DIRECTOR'S REPORT COMMISSION COMMENTS ADJOURNMENT AT to the Regular Business Meeting of October 26, 1983 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. To: City Planning Commission From: Bud Gray, Director of Planning Subject: Staff report on agenda items for Planning Commission Meeting of October 12, 1983 1. Consideration of request for extension of Tentative Subdivision Map for Bonita Vista, Chula Vista Tract 80-12, 4243 Bonita Road A, BACKGROUND In October 1982, the Planning Commission approved a second one-year extension of the tentative subdivision map for Bonita Vista, Chula Vista Tract 80-12, for the conversion of a 60-unit apartment complex located at 4243 Bonita Road, into a one-lot condominium project. The extension will expire on October 29, 1983 and the developer is requesting the third and final one-year extension. B. RECOMMEDATION Adopt a motion approving a one-year extension of the tentative subdivision map for Bonita Vista, Chula Vista Tract 80-12; the map to expire on October 29, 1984. C. DISCUSSION There have been no significant changes in the immediate vicinity which affect the original findings of approval of the tentative map. It is therefore appropriate to grant the extension as requested. If the final map is not filed with the City of Chula Vista prior to October 29, 1984, the map will expire and no further extensions may be approved. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of October 12, 1983 Page 2 2. Consideration of request for an extension of the tentative map for Gateway Townhouses, Chula Vista Tract BO-31, 100 blocl~-of East Flower Street A. BACKGROUND 1. In September 1980, the City Council approved the tentative subdivision map for Gateway Townhouses, Chula Vista Tract 80-31 for the development of a 205-unit townhouse condominium projects in two lots located on both sides of the 100 block of East Flower Street, between Bonita Road and 1-805 in the R-3-P-13 zone. In 1982, the Planning Commission granted a one-year extension which was scheduled to expire on September 23, 1983. 2. Prior to the expiration date, the developer requested a two-year extension of the tentative map citing additional planning and architecture design as reasons for the request. B. RECOMMENDATION Adopt a motion approving a two-year extension of the tentative subdivision map for Gateway Townhouses, Chula Vista Tract 80-81. The map will then expire on September 23, 1985. C. DISCUSSION There have been no significant physical changes in the immediate vicinity which affect the original conditions or findings of approval. Therefore, the approval of the extension is appropriate. No further extension is permitted and if the map is allowed to expire, a new tentative map will have to be submitted. City Planning Commission Agenda Items for Meeting of October 12, 1983 Page 3 3. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of an amendment to precise plan sign guidelines established for the development of a 1 acre site located at the northeast quadrant of 1-805 and Bonita Road - Burger King Restaurants A. BACKGROUND 1. The purpose of this item is to consider a request to amend the precise plan guidelines established with the C-V-P zoning for the development of approximately 1 acre of property located on tne north side of Bonita Road between 1-805 and Bonita Mesa Road by deleting the prohibition of freestanding pole signs in order that the applicant (Burger King) be allowed to erect a 50' high, 150 sq. ft. pole sign which would be visible from the freeway. 2. The project is exempt from environmental review as a Class ll(a) exemption. B. RECOMMENDATION Adopt a motion recommending that the City Council not amend the precise plan guidelines as requested by the applicant. C. DISCUSSION 1. Freeway-oriented signs Freeway-oriented freestanding signs on the west side of 1-805 have been allowed to provide limited tenant identification whereas the subject site is restricted to monument signing. The differences in circumstances are: (a) The subject property is less than 1 acre in size whereas the freeway-identified properties are 3-8 acres in size. (The northwest quadrant was permitted to erect a 43 ft. high, 300 sq. ft. joint identification sign. The southwest quadrant was permitted to erect a 20 ft. high, 100 sq. ft. sign with an additional 150 sq. ft. future sign area.) (b) The subject property is located on the east side of 1-805 and thus physically connected to Bonita Valley and the County park. (c) The site was rezoned with an emphasis on developing signing which would be compatible with the Sweetwater Regional Park. City Planning Commissi - ~ Agenda Items for Meetin: of October 12, 1983 Page 4 2. Previous Applications A previous application for a freeway sign on this site took place approximately five years ago when Brian's Restaurant was considering construction and then withdrew their application before the City Council hearing due to the Planning Commission's opposition to a freeway sign and other site development conditions. At that time Brian's was requesting a 40' high 288 sq. ft. sign. 3. General Plan The 1-805/Bonita Road interchange has been designated a "gateway" into the city by the Scenic Highways Element of the General Plan and requires that special attention be given to signing, architecture, landscaping, etc. on all projects adjacent to the gateway by the attachment of the Precise Plan Modifying District and development of guidelines addressing those issues. D. ANALYSIS 1. In past cases involving requests for freeway-oriented signs at this interchange, the Planning Department presented arguments against such signs which basically consisted of the following: a. The signs are contrary to the goals and objectives of the Scenic Highway Element of the General Plan. b. For both north and southbound traffic, motorists must begin to exit long before the signs were visible and, therefore, freeway signs would only serve to alert the motorists when they pass by the site; and c. It has been Council policy to minimize the proliferation of freestanding pole signs along the freeways through the city by encouraging joint usage. 2. The applicant has cited several reasons in support of the proposed amendment (see attached letter) which are summarized as follows: a. The types of businesses (motels, restaurants, etc.) in the C-V zone need freeway sign identification; b. Land and construction costs require the anticipated additional revenue generated by such signs; c. The site is not visible from the freeway (it lies below the freeway); and d. Freeway business is not spontaneous and is dependent on a previous awareness of the business through the identification of a freeway-oriented sign. City Planning Commiss~ Agenda Items for Meeti,,~ of October 12, 1983 Page 5 3. The arguments presented by the applicant certainly have merit, but the City's policy requiring gateway entrances to be attractive and as uncluttered as possible is the central argument for the past actions to encourage joint sign usage and modest sizing and height of freeway signs. 4. The applicant has not addressed the City's Scenic Highway policy regarding the impact of the proposed freeway sign on the visual quality of this particular gateway entrance to the City of Chula Vista. (The requested sign exceeds the height standards for signs in the Visitor Commercial zone by fifteen (15) feet.) The Planning Department has requested the applicant have the site flagged at various heights to determine the actual height of the sign needed for visibility from the freeway by north and southbound motorists. At the time of this writing the site had not yet been flagged but is expected to be before the Planning Commission meeting. A verbal report of the staff's findings and possible suggestions will be made at the hearing.