HomeMy WebLinkAbout4/8/1996MINUTES OF THE CITY OF DIAMOND BAR
REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION
APRIL 8, 1996
CALL TO ORDER:
Chairman Goldenberg called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. at the
South Coast Air Quality Management Auditorium, 21865 East Copley
Drive, Diamond Bar, California.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
The audience was led in the 'Pledge of Allegiance by C/Schad.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Chairman Goldenberg, Vice Chairman Ruzicka,
Commissioners Schad, and McManus.
Also Present: Community Development Director James
DeStefano; Senior :Planner Catherine Johnson;
Assistant Planner Ann Lungu, and Recording
Secretary Carol Dennis.
Commissi;,oner Fong arrived at 7:07 p.m.
MATTERS FROM THE AUDIENCE/PU!BLIC COMMENTS:
Al Rumpilla, 23895 Golden Springs Drive, congratulated the
Commissioners on them appointments and stated he looks
forward to their continuing good work.
Craig Clute, 21217 Fountain Springs Road, requested an update
on the LA Cellular installation at Diamond Bar High School.
He further requested information regarding the enforcement of
possible Conditional Use Permit violations. He asked for an
update on the formulation of the City's Development Code.
Mr. Clute responded to Chair/Goldenberg that he would rather
not comment on specificlCUP violations at this time.
CDD/DeStefano responded to Mr. Clute that the LA Cellular
tower monopole projectas approved approximately six months
ago by the previous Planning Commission for installation along
ent to the Diamond Bar High School
Brea Canyon Road adjac
football stadium. He indicated this item will not be returned
to the Planning Commission for further review. LA Cellular is
presently finalizing their work with the Walnut Valley Unified
School District. LA Cellular is -awaiting approval from the
California State Archi-ects office in order to place the
antenna on the site utilizing the 'proposed design. Upon
installation, LA Cellular will deal with the landscape issues
on Brea Canyon Road and around the corner and back up to some
`- of the homes along Fountain Springs Road. LA Cellular has
responded to staff tha, they want to relandscape the hill
along Brea Canyon Road as requested by Mr. Clute. They wish
to accomplish this landscaping in the most cost efficient and
maintenance free mannerlas possible. The school district is
responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the school
April 8, 1996
Page 2 Planning Commission
property. CAD/DeStefano indicated the receiving device will
be, placed on one of the approximate 100 foot light poles which
is currently used for lighting the football field. Ije
indicated there are plan drawings on file with the City if the
Commission wishes to further review the project.
CDD/DeStefano responded to Mr. Clute that the City staff is
responsible for Conditional Use Permit compliance. The staff
regularly follows up to determine that the conditions of a CUP
are being met by the applicant. If compliance does not occur,
staff notifies the applicant/owner of the apparent violation.
If the violation is not brought into compliance within a
reasonable time period, staff can seek modification to the CUP
or, depending upon the grievance,, seek; revocation of the
Conditional Use Permit. In most cases „ the applicant will
make the corrections at the demand of the,Planning Commission.
In addition, the Planning Commission has the authority to
modify the conditions., If a! citizen perceives non-
compliance, he/she can bring the matter before the Planning
Commission or to the City's staff. In either event, the
City's staff is responsible for implementation and compliance
of all conditions.
CDD/DeStefano responded to Mr. Clute that Diamond Bar adopted
the Los Angeles County Development Code upon incorporation in
1989. The City has,not been able to create a Development Code
because the City has not had a General'Plan from which to
implement the City's development philosophy. With the defeat
of Measure D, the City has some assurance that the development
philosophy as set forth by the adopted General Plan can now be
invoked. Therefore, the City is now embarking upon a process
to craft a new Development Code. The City recently issued a
Request for Proposal which was distributed to 14 consulting
firms which are known to be well qualified in the creationlof
development codes for communities like Diamond Bar. The
proposal is for a joint- collaborative, with the City staff.
The process for creation of a Development; Code will likely
take 18 months to conclude and will include a public hearing
process and a public workshop process. The process will
include legal and technical staff participation. The
proposals are due back to the City by April 15. An Award of
Project recommendation is proposed for the City Council
meeting of May 21 and, upon approval, the City staff will
immediately commence the project.
CDD/DeStefano responded to C/McManus that the creation of the
Development Code will be a joint effort between the
consultant, the City staff, the Planning Commission and the
City Council. The process will be similar to the process
utilized for the creation of the General Plan.
CDD/DeStefano responded to Mr. Clute that the LA Cellular
project will be reviewed by the City's Building and Safety
April 8, 1996 Page 3 Planning Commission
Department for construction plan check and construction
inspection. The second phase of the approval is the
implementation of the Conditional Use Permit which was
approved by the previous Planning Commission. The
implementation of the CUP which will incorporate the
conditions (including landscaping) of installation 'and
compliance in accordance with the Commission approval.
C/Schad stated that other cellular companies wish to utilize
the LA Cellular tower for communications. He indicated that,
as he recalled, multiple use by different companies was
included in the approval of the tower. The difficulty with
the LA Cellular project is due to the curvature of the SR 57
and the hills blocking the line of site transmission.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
1. Minutes of March 25, 1996.
VC/Ruzicka requested that the first sentence of Paragraph
5 on Page 2 be changed to include the following: "of
their own school work" so that the sentence now reads:
"VC/Ruzicka feels additional time spent on Commission
work would be detrimental to high school studentrs
performance of their own school work unless their
participation was prescribed by, and guided by, the
school district."
VC/Ruzicka stated that he understands that the minutes of
the Planning Commission should not be verbatim, however,
he requested that his verbatim response to the City
Council request regarding the "Discussion of ex -officio
youth members on City Commissions" be included with the
minutes.'
C/Fong requested that the second paragraph, Page 3 be
changed to read as follows: "C/Fang stated he was not
involved in the prior discussion involving an ex -officio
youth member participating on the Planning Commission.
He feels it is not practical to have a Planning
Commission, City Council or other. Commissions attempt to
be made up of different people' to represent all
respective groups of society."
Chair/Goldenberg stated he would like to have a copy of
his verbatim comments regarding the discussion of ex -
off icio youth members on City Commissions attached to the
j minutes.
VC/Ruzicka made a motion, seconded by C/McManus to
approve the minutes as changed. The motion was approved
5-0.
April 8, 1996 Page 4 Planning commission
OLD BUSINESS - None
NEW BUSINESS - Cont.
1. Discussion of meeting day and time.
CDD/DeStefano stated the Planning Commissioners have
indicated a desire to discuss the possibility of changing
the,Planning commission meeting day. If the Commission
wishes to change the meeting day or time, 'a resolution
will have to be,pa'ssed. SCAQMD has responded to City
staff that beginning in May, the auditorium is available
the second and fourth Tuesdays from 7:00 P.M. to 11:00
p.m. If the Planning Commission wishes to retain the
second and fourth Monday meeting day and change the time,
a resolution would be required.
C/Schad requested the Planning Commission continue with
the second and fourth Monday meeting schedule. He
indicated he has other commitments which would conflict
with a change in the meeting day..
VC/Ruzicka stated he that by moving the meeting day from
Monday to Tuesday, the ,staff would have more time to
compile materials for the proposed Development Code and
the Commissioners would have extra time to study the
material prior to the meeting day.
C/Fong stated he prefers the Planning Commission remain
as it is currently scheduled. He indicated he has a
prior commitment for Tuesday evenings. In his opinion,
a Monday night meeting is not a problem for the City
staff.
CDD/DeStefano responded to Chair/ Goldenberg that the
Planning Commission is required to hold at least one
meeting per month. When and where is the decision of the
Planning Commission. With respect to the staff, Monday
nights are difficult only in the sense that with the
delivery of -the packets on Thursday night, there may be
a limited amount of time for the Commissioners to review
the material since weekends are usually devoted to family
events. He indicated that, in his experience,
Commissions have more commonly held meetings on Tuesdays
or Wednesdays which gives participants additional time to
review packet materials. However, if the Commission
wishes to have additional time to review material, staff
can move packet delivery up a day or so earlier.
Chair/Goldenberg suggested that because some
Commissioners have prior commitments, that the Planning
Commission revisit he meeting day and time issue prior to
the fourth quarter of the year.
April 8, 1996 Page 5� Planning Commission
Chair/ Goldenberg requested the meeting day and time
discussion be tabled to the fourth quarter of 1996 and
requested staff to again agendize the matter for a later
meeting. Without objections, the Commission concurred.
PUBLIC HEARING - None
PLANNING COMMISSION ITEMS - None
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS:
A. Update on Code Enforcement Issues - Emerald Point
Apartments.
CDD/DeStefano referred the Commissioners to the
memorandum contained in the packet updating the Code
Enforcement status. He indicated the Code Enforcement
staff is working with the property owner to resolve the
compliance issues for removal of signs and banners from
the property.
B. Traffic Study for Quail Summit Drive/Rolling Knoll
Drive/Country View Drive.
CDD/DeStefano stated that the Neighborhood Traffic Study
process will begin at the Traffic and Transportation
Commission level on April 11. The matter will come
before the Planning Commission for review and then be
referred to the City Council for ultimate disposition.
This study may or may not result in additional stop signs
and other traffic mitigation devices which have been
requested by the residents.
C. Water line on Brea Canyon Road between Pathfinder Road
and Golden Springs Drive.
CDD/DeStefano stated the water line was designed for the
Arciero project and the school district project.
CDD/DeStefano responded to C/McManus that the City responds to
Code Enforcement issues. Complaint forms are completed and
filed by staff.
CDD/DeStefano responded to C/McManus that in November or
December of 1995, the City Council allocated $10,000 toward
the traffic study for Quail Summit Drive/Rolling Knoll
Drive/Country View Drive.
Chair/Goldenberg reiterated his suggestion that the Diamond
Bar Community Volunteer Patrol members could be trained to
look for code violations and report to the City or to the
Sheriff's Department. He stated he has made this suggestion
to the City Council numerous times and would like a response.
I Id1uumu d1�. � �� 1 , --..___- ._--_.,-!
April 8, 1996 Page 6 Planning Commission
CDD/DeStefano responded to Chair/Goldenberg that he does not
know the City's philosophy regarding the utilization of the
Volunteer Patrol. He stated,he will find out and report back
to the Commission.
C/Schad suggested the City provide better communication tools
for the Volunteer Patrol.
Chair/ Goldenberg responded to C/Schad that the, Volunteer
Patrol has a portable cellular telephone and a permanent
cellular telephone installed in one vehicle. There was'a
problem with the portable cellular telephone battery which has
been cured.
NCEMENTS -.None
ADJOURNMENT:
VC/Ruzicka made a motion, seconded by C/McManus to adjourn the
meeting. There being no objections, the motion was So
ordered. Chairman Goldenberg declared the meeting adjourned
at 7:50 p.m.
At st:
r
Michael Go denberg
Chairman
Respectfully Submitted,
Jig Y'D teiano
Community Development Director
III
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