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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/24/1990CITY OF DIAMOND BAR MINUTES OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION SEPTEMBER 24, 1990 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Schey called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Walnut Valley School District Board Meeting Room, 880 South Lemon Street, Walnut, California. PLEDGE OF The audience was led in the Pledge of Allegiance ALLEGIANCE: by Vice Chairman Harmony. ROLL CALL: Commissioner Grothe, Commissioner Lin, Commissioner MacBride, Vice Chairman Harmony, and Chairman Schey. Also present were Assistant City Engineer Jack Istek, Interim Planning Director Irwin Kaplan, Planning Director James DeStefano, Associate Planning Director Robert Searcy, and Secretary (contract) Liz Myers. MATTERS FROM THE There were none. AUDIENCE: CONSENT CALENDAR: No items appear. PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS: (cont. from Sept. Chair/Schey asks for a staff report. 10) Tentative tract 47722 and James DeStefano, Planning Director, provides the Conditional Use Commission with a request for continuance until an Permit/Oak Tree appropriate meeting date. Staff has met twice 89-338 with the Consultant since the last hearing. They are in the process of preparing additional material for the continued hearing. In anticipation of a continuance, the staff has deferred mailing out notices to the neighbors, as requested by the Commission, until notification of the next hearing date. It is recommended the Commission take advantage of the continued hearing to discuss concerns to be addressed in the EIR arising from the Hillside Symposium. The applicants request for a continuance was not in writing. Don King, representative of Frank Piermarini, residing at 1254 Berrying St., Claremont, requested a continuance, to give both staff and applicant more time to prepare.- Chair/Schey asked staff to outline the items to be discussed. James DeStefano gave the Commission some concerns to be discussed. They include ways to reduce grading, the length of time the earth movers will - 7 -- ���������� �,,, September 24, 1990 Page 2 w be required, the absence of response from important agencies to needed documents, and the questioning of a record of the change in site, in reference to the Blue Line Stream. Don King states one item staff felt to be important was the visual analysis identifying the characteristics of the site when viewed from a distances. This will require, from the applicant, an additional photo survey and a verbal analysis of what the changes would be subsequent to the development. In answer to the concern of records kept, in an event of a change, Don King responds their intent to replace the page completely, date it, and copy it on different colored paper whenever there is an addition or text change in the EIR. Irwin Kaplan, Interim Planning Director, states one of the issues implied was to come up with a plan with minimal grading and some visual protection of the ridgeline. C/Grothe wants the whole project to fall into conformity with The Country. The general feeling, received from the General Plan Committee, was to develop separate design guidelines and general plans for residential and rural residential. Chair/Schey stated the Hillside seminar, on September 21, addressed methods of minimizing grading: 1. Land. form grading - recreate more natural forms on manufactured slopes. 2. Construction methods - minimize size of the path 3. Architectural designs - minimizes the visual impact of the home against the hillside. Chair/Schey would like the applicant to follow the aforementioned guidelines. C/Grothe pointed out the Commission unofficially adopted oak tree replacement standards, and would like to verify the requirements. James DeStefano states the requirement is a 2 to 1 ratio with 1 -5 -gallon -or 24" box replacement. The applicant has offered a 3 to 1 ratio with 24" boxes. In replacing the trees, it is proposed to use a variety of trees in both sizes and types. I VC/Harmony is concerned about the elevation differentials, the notification of the gas company, the size of the grading, and the visual ��,--.-. ,�_� ...m-a--iix: a_�.. ei..l IWI •'.' • .�NuxdiWiLNu4Yi�n.luu lrJkMi =__ _ _— — .__ ._ a .. _- „___ _-_ _ September 24, 1990 Page 3 impact of the project. He also wanted to know what steps the applicant will take to prevent the negative effects of the earthmovers. VC/Harmony noticed the Piermarini development at the front gate at Grand Ave. appears dense, and is concerned with the concept of permeability. He also indi- cated the need for contour maps. Irwin Kaplan concurred the present maps are indistinguishable and requested applicant for easier to read maps. He suggested to the Commission to consider a single standard for all streets,lallowing for future developments. Chair/5chey felt it shows prudence in keeping the good faith with the maintenance of the street in the future. He agreed the single street standards are an appropriate condition of approval. C/Lin requested a report from the applicant on which trees will be replaced in order to project future appearance. C/Grothe stated, in his opinion, the Diamond Bar Boulevard entrance development to The Country, is detrimental to the Community because of its' density. He felt the City may need separate codes for individual tract homes. Chair/Schey questioned how to reconcile the review for the creation of similar projects in the future. He stated the City is operating under the old County codes no longer appropriate, and uncomfortable preceding with the project in the Hillside without standards to develop continuity. Chair/5chey asked staff how the Commission can proceed with the creation of the developmental code. i Irwin Kaplan, in response to Chair/Schey, stated there are several ways to proceed: 1. Condition Use Permit 2. Deny the applicant 3. Develop an Interim Ordinance 4. Develop a Permanent Ordinance Irwin Kaplan suggested to the Commission to institute a code under an interim bases thereby giving the needed time to later tailor a Permanent Ordinance to Diamond Bars' needs. C/MacBride wanted to pursue the Interim Ordinance because it creates a sense of discipline. September 24, 1990 Page 4 Chair/Schey understands the Interim Ordinance deals with the hillside development, in this case The Country, and wouldn't impact the City in general. C/Grothe thought the people working on the General Plan Committee were very distinctive on having a separation of residential and rural areas. He felt The Country is nice but out of the price level for most people, and he is not sure, very large estate homes, is totally Diamond Bar. He recommended building to the varying levels of economics and suggests two (2) distinctive plans in the Interim Ordinances. Irwin Kaplan reminded the Commission the objective of the Interim Ordinance is to do it quickly and buy time for the Commissioners to tailor the Ordinance at a future date to various projects. Chair/Schey asked staff the length of time needed to draft an Interim Ordinance. Irwin Kaplan responded any tailoring -of the Ordinance is more difficult, therefore longer, but will bring something for consideration quickly. Irwin Kaplan then informed the Commission that though we have a task policy not to issue permits without a plan reviewed by the Commission, it is not an explicit policy. He stated grading permits could be issued without having any plans for development and suggest the policy be written explicitly. There being no one wishing to speak further, the Chairman closed the public hearing. Motion --was • matte --by. VC -/Harmony,- seconded by Chair/Schey and CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY to continue, with the concurrence of the applicant, till the next regular Planning Commission hearing on October 8, 1990. Chair/Schey noted the issues, the Commissioners seem to concur on, for the Interim Ordinance: 1. minimize grading 2. minimize path sizes 3. utilize grading techniques 4. utilize construction methods 5. utilize architectural designs compatible with the hillside 6. utilize landscape plans that approximate nature ITT _7 777717" September 24, 1990 Page 5 Ecological Area 7. no grading permit issued without a company Technical Advisory development permit properly approved Committee (SEATAC). 8. single street standards without regard to public or private status 9. erosion control methods will'be made a part of the plan approval 10. the plan be subject to an aesthetic review to include any man made structures 11. to include any item staff may include Motion was made by VC/Harmony, seconded by C/MacBride and CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY to make a recommendation to the City Council that the City adopt an Interim Ordinance controlling the development of the Hillside areas and incorporating the certain issues identified earlier. INFORMATION ITEMS: Tentative Public Chair/Schey asked for the staff report. Hearing Dates for Tentative Tracts James DeStefano reported the staff has tentatively 47850,47851,48487, outlined the schedule of events leading up to and 45290 for a public hearing review. These include the Proposed creation of the SEATAC to review significant Subdivisions. ecological concerns existing where the projects are proposed; the change in the November 19, 1990 hearing date to November 26, 1990; and a companion memo 'from Mr. Kaplan to discuss the components of the SEATAC. Rob Searcy, Associate Planning Director, in response to Chair/Schey, identifies the tracts: 47850, 47851,and 48487 to be a total of 120 units adjacent to The Country including a remnant tract located in the same EIR; and 45290 to be a total of 28 units, to include the Arsearo, Marlborough, Burn Hallow, and Autumn Glow projects. Significant Irwin Kaplan summarized the SEATAC. He stated the Ecological Area SEA (Significant Ecological Area) existing in Technical Advisory Diamond Bar, is the Citys responsibility and Committee (SEATAC). requires a SEATAC review in conjunction with a development application. The recommendations delivered by the SEATAC, serve as advisory elements to the Planning Commission. There is no formula for the composition of a SEATAC, therefore we need to develop our own mechanism. The County has designated the Tonner Canyon/Chino Hills- an SEA area. As of now, there is a proposal for the development of 120 dwelling units on 160 acres in Tonner Canyon. Mr. Kaplan has been assembling names of technical experts in various disciplines which relate to the ecology of Tonner Canyon. He _ p, September 24, 1990 ANNOUNCEMENTS: ADJOURNMENT: Page 6 asked, of the Commission, suggestions of people who might serve on SEATAC, and felt a 5 person committee would provide an appropriate range of talent. There were none. Motion was made by Vice Chairman Harmony, seconded by Commissioner MacBride and CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY to adjourn the meeting at8:255 p.m. `avid Schey Chairman At est: Ja s DeStefa zo Secretary/Planning Commission i, II ---771' I