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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Comm min 1980/07/23 MINUTES OF A REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING OF THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION OF CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA July 23, 1980 A regular business meeting of the City Planning Commission of Chula Vista, California was held on the above date beginning at 7:00 p.m. with the following commissioners present: Smith, Pressutti, G. Johnson, Stevenson and Williams. Absent (with previous notification): Commissioners R. Johnson and O'Neill. Also present: Director of Planning Peterson, Principal Planner Lee, Senior Civil Engineer Daoust, Assistant City Attorney Harron and Secretary Mapes. The pledge of allegiance to the flag was led by Chairman Smith, followed by a moment of silent prayer. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MSUC (Stevenson-G. Johnson) The minutes of the meeting of July 9, 1980 be approved as written, copies having been mailed to the Commission. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Chairman Smith called for oral communications and none were presented. 1. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of plans for Seven Gables office building in Bonita Glen Specific Plan area - Frank Ferreira Director of Planning Peterson reported this is a proposal for a 15,000 square foot, two story office building on a parcel a little under 30,000 square feet in area, with development standards covered by the Bonita Glen Specific Plan which was adopted in 1977. He complimented the design which features some open court yard area at the ground level and above the parking level at the west side. The architecture is English-country style with brick, stucco and wood shake roofs. He expressed the opinion that the design is very appropriate for the Bonita Glen Specific Plan area and is complimentary to the Bonita Glen Apartments nearby. Mr. Peterson noted that in this proposal the front and rear yard areas do not conform with the guidelines of the Bonita Glen Specific Plan. While those guidelines are appropriate for the main portion of the Specific Plan area, located on the north side of Bonita Glen Drive, they would create a hardship in developing this relatively narrow parcel. It is recommended that the request for a modification of the front and rear setback requirements be approved. Slides were displayed showing the plot plan, noting the access to the parking area at two locations; an architectural rendering of the north and south building elevations; and a cross section showing the relationship between the subject property and the single family home to the south. Mr. Peterson noted three conditions for approval of the plan and recommended that the first condition be modified by deleting the second clause relating to the drainage system. That condition was based on the supposition that the Villa San Miguel -2- July 23, 1980 development would be completed prior to this development but that will probably not be the case. It will be the developer's responsibility to design & drainage sys- tem that will not affect the property to the north or the public right of way. This being the time and place as advertised, the public hearing was opened. Frank Drake, Architect, 2170 Fourth Avenue, San Diego, representing the developer, addressed questions raised by Commissioner Williams regarding the parking area. He advised that the parking will be at two levels, both of which are below the existing curb line, so that all vehicles will be virtually out of sight. He described the architectural treatment on the south elevation where a 65 foot portion of the building is adjacent to the rear property line and the use of planter boxes and stairways where the building is set back 18 to 24 feet. As no one else wished to speak, the public hearing was closed. MSUC (Stevenson-G. Johnson) The Commission certifies that EIR-77-2 meets CEQA requirements for the proposed project. MSUC (Stevenson-G. Johnson) The Commission approves the proposed plan for Seven Gables office building, subject to three conditions stated in the staff report with the first condition modified as recommended by Mr. Peterson. 2. Consideration of request for modification of precise plan relating to fence design and location in Vista De Otas subdivision Director of Planning Peterson advised that a letter was received today from a representative of the property management firm for this project asking that consideration of their request be continued to August 27 in order that residents of the project can be made aware of the problem. Mr. Peterson concurred with the request for continuance. MSUC (G. Johnson-Williams) Consideration of the request for modification of requirements for fence design and location in Vista De Otay subdivision be con- tinued to the meeting of August 27. 3. PUBLIC HEARING: Consideration of Basfront Sign Program Principal Planner Lee reported that the Bayfront Plan adopted in 1974 has been used as the basic document for redevelopment in the Bayfront Area; it contains some superficial sign criteria. A local Coastal Commission Program, prepared by the City in 1978 and adopted, concentrates on the issue of land use and does not address signs. The lack of sign criteria has created problems with development in the area and the City Council authorized a private consultant to prepare a sign program for the Bayfront to cover both public signs and private development signs. The Sign Program to be reviewed at this time was developed by a team of Don Reeves & Associates along with Kay Kaiser Graphics/Graphic Solutions Ltd. In addition to covering both the public and private sign sector, the program also establishes an interim sign program for early development in the Bayfront area, and sets up specific requirements for the establishment of a design review board to review the signs for esthetic quality and conformance to the standards. -3- July 23, 1980 Mr. Lee pointed out this sign program is not a sign ordinance, as the City has adopted in the past, but does establish criteria and provides §ood graphic examples for public signs which would serve as a promotional device for the Bayfront area. It is hoped that such signs would set the stage for the private sector to follow. Mr. Lee noted that the sign program calls for the establishment of a design review board. The City's Design Review Committee, established a few years ago, is now responsible for site plan and architectural review of developments in the Bayfront area. It is felt that the membership of that committee fulfills the requirements recommended by the consultant and it is recommended that the Design Review Committee become the review board for the Bayfront Sign Program. Mr. Lee noted the consultants' recommendation that each business be authorized a maximum sign area of 50 sq. ft. in total, which could be broken into smaller size individual signs. After viewing various areas in the San Diego region, such as Harbor Island, Shelter Island and Quiverra Basin, the staff came to the conclusion that what is being proposed in this program is very restrictive and that it would be more appropriate to set a maximum area of 100 sq. ft. for each with the provision that no individual sign could exceed 50 sq. ft. in area. Mr. Lee introduced Mr. Don Reeves to further elaborate on the sign program proposal. Don Reeves, 835 Fifth Avenue, San Diego stressed the need for Chula Vista to develop a particular image to set this community apart and have it not be just a series of offramps from an endless freeway. It is his belief that the sign program as offered will serve that purpose. Simon Andrews of Graphic Solutions reviewed the sign program as presented in the written report, noting that it establishes a theme for public signs as well as guidelines for the design, construction and installation of all signs. This includes a stained wood frame for each type of sign, including street name signs. In place of the identification structure previously approved by the City, they recommend placing identification signs at the offramps, or gateway intersections, which will serve to promote development in the Bayfront area. Such signs would incorporate parts of the Bayfront logo, which, they felt, in its entirety is too complex to be effective on a freeway oriented sign. The identification and promotional signs would be temporary and would be removed when development has been completed. In response to a question from Commissioner Williams as to the legality of billboard type signs, Kay Kaiser advised they were not aware of any restrictions against the type of signing proposed. Slides were presented and discussed by Kay Kaiser depicting the types of signs to be used, which include the Cal Trans generic signs with the Chula Vista name and Bayfront logo added at the top of the sign. This type of sign has been approved by Cal Trans in other localities. The slides showed examples of good signing as well as the type of signing that would be inappropriate. In response to a question from Chairman Smith as to the location of the large promotional signs, Pam Buchan of the Community Development Department reported that department has been looking at sites on private property which could be rented, leased, or used as an easement to accommodate such signing. As no one else wished to speak, the public hearing was closed. -4- July 23, 1980 Chairman Smith pointed out that the proposed sign program represents businesses on the west side of the freeway only and those businesses on the east side will not be represented along the freeway. He also questioned the criteria for changing the sign copy. Mr. Lee advised that would be the function of the Design Review Committee. The time for ultimate removal of the signs would be at the recommendation of the Community Development Department with the final judgment by the Redevelopment Agency. Commissioner G. Johnson pointed out that any program that improves the image of Chula Vista would be good for the total business community. MSUC (Pressutti-Stevenson) The Planning Commission adopts the Negative Declaration on IS-80-68 and finds that this sign program will have no significant environmental impact. MS (Pressutti-Stevenson) The Planning Commission recommends that the Redevelopment Agency approve the proposed Bayfront Sign Program subject to the condition that the total sign area for private signs for each site be increased to a maximum of 100 sq. ft., provided that no one sign exceed a maximum of 50 sq. ft. in area, and designate the Design Review Committee as the official design review board to carry out the Bayfront Sign program. The motion carried by the following vote: AYES: Commissioners Pressutti, Stevenson, Williams and G. Johnson NAY: Commissioner Smith ABSENT: Commissioners R. Johnson and O'Neill Con~nissioner Smith advised that his negative vote is based on the opinion that the City should not single out any specific area for special consideration like this. 4. Election of Officers Noting that it has been almost a year since the last election of officers, Chairman Smith asked for nominations for the position of chairman. It was moved by Commissioner G. Johnson, seconded by Commissioner Williams, and unanimously carried that Commissioner Pressutti be elected chairman for the ensuing year. Commissioner Williams nominated Commissioner G. Johnson for vice-chairman. Mrs. Johnson thanked him for the nomination but advised that her teaching schedule makes it difficult for her to arrive prior to the opening of the meeting. Due to the time constraint she declined the nomination. MS (Stevenson-G. Johnson) Commissioner R. Johnson be nominated for vice-chairman. MS (Pressutti-Williams) Nominations be closed and Roy Johnson be declared unanimously elected. -5- July 23~ 1980 DIRECTOR'S REPORT Director of Planning Peterson had no report at this meeting. COMMISSION COMMENTS Commissioner G. Johnson reported that she would be on vacation on August 13 and 20, and asked to be excused from those meetings. ADJOURNMENT Chairman Smith adjourned the meeting at 8:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Helen Mapes, Secrfitary