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Home My WebLink About4/11/2000MINUTES OF THE CITY OF DIAMOND BAR REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION APRIL 11, 2000 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Nelson called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. in the South Coast Air Quality Management Headquarters Building Auditorium, 21865 East,Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, California. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Commissioner Kuo. 1. ROLL CALL: Present: Chairman Steve Nelson, Vice Chairman Bob Zirbes, and Commissioners George Kuo, Joe Ruzicka, and Steve Tye. Also Present: James DeStefano, Deputy City Manager, Sonya Joe, Development Services Assistant, Linda Smith, Development Services Assistant, and Stella Marquez, Administrative Secretary. Z. MATTERS FROM THE AUDIENCE/PUBLIC COMMENTS: None offered. 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: DCM/DeStefano asked that New Business Item 6.1 be taken off calendar and re-agendized for May 9 or 23, 2000, when issues have been resolved with the Highcrest Homeowners Alliance. 4. CONSENT CALENDAR: 4.1 Minutes of 'the March 28, 2000, meeting. C/Ruzicka moved, C/Tye seconded, to approve the minutes of the meeting of March 28, 2000, as corrected. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Kuo, Ruzicka, Tye, VC/Zirbes, Chair/Nelson NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: None S. OLD BUSINESS: None 6. NEW BUSINESS: 6.1 General Plan Conformity Report for Vacation of Right -of -Way (Highcrest Drive) - pursuant to Government Code Section 64502. APRIL 11, 2000 PAGE 2 PLANNING COMMISSION PROJECT LOCATION: Highcrest Drive from Gold Rush Drive southerly approximately 1,100 feet to its terminus. PROJECT OWNER: City of Diamond Bar APPLICANT: Highcrest Homeowners Alliance Staff recommends that this matter be tabled. C/Ruzicka moved, C/Tye seconded, to table the matter of General Plan Conformity Report for Vacation of Right -of -Way (Highcrest Drive). Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Kuo, Ruzicka, Tye, VC/Zirbes, Chair/Nelson NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: None 7. CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING: 7.1 Development Review No. 99-09, Tree Permit No. 2000-02 (pursuant to Code Section 22.48 and 22.38) is a request to construct a two-story, single-family residence of approximately 16,795 square feet, with a basement, balconies, porch, patios, indoor swimming pool and five -car garage. In addition, the request includes accessory structures: Tennis court, rose garden with gazebo and trellis. A tree permit is required for the removal/replacement of preserved/protected trees. (Continued from March 28, 2000.) PROJECT ADDRESS: 23622 Ridgeline Road, (Lot 88, Tract 30091) Diamond Bar, CA 91765 PROPERTY OWNER: David Deng 2668 Highridge Drive, Chino Hills, CA 91709 I APPLICANT: S & W Development 20547 Walnut Drive #D, Walnut, CA 91709 DSA/Smith presented staff's report. Staff recommends that the Planning Commission approve Development Review No. 99-09 and Tree Permit No. 2000-02, Findings of Fact, and conditions of approval as listed within the resolution. DSA/Smith responded to VC/Tye's question regarding relocation of the tennis court as stated in staff's original report, that in the original drawings the applicant did not provide staff with the dimensions of the wall and it appeared that the height of the wall might exceed six feet which is not allowed. The applicant was able to show on the revised drawing that he was able to maintain a height of six feet which is acceptable. In addition, the mitigation of the wall with the use of shrubbery and trees is also acceptable. Therefore, there is no need to move the wall toward the street, which would cause the applicant to provide more grading. —_ __ ----_--_--___ __.-___.�l--J�i_�wW1_.uVJ�-dimL .l-Jbu.. WLL�x.�� ,.._... f..__-•+.h-44-.�....�_._I[--, ._M.,.�.u.-.. APRIL 11, 2000 PAGE 3 PLANNING COMMISSION Simon Shum, architect, concurred with staff's report. Chair/Nelson asked if it would present a problem to the applicant if he suggested that the landscape palette not include the very invasive pampas grass. Simon Shum said he would comply with Chair/Nelson's request to replace the invasive grass species with a non-invasive species to be approved by the City's staff. Chair/Nelson re -opened the public hearing. There being no one who wished to speak on this item, Chair/Nelson closed the public hearing. C/Kuo said he did not see any provision for monitoring the replacement trees in staff's report. DCM/DeStefano responded that the protection of the original trees was related to the previous project. C/Ruzicka reiterated his concern that protection should be addressed for this project as well. DCM/DeStefano indicated that even with a covenant, without regular monitoring to insure that the tree remains in place and that it is being properly maintained, there is no way to assure that the trees will permanently remain in their original location. This could be accomplished through conditions and monitoring or a covenant, which would require a change to the project's conditions for removal of the tree in the future. In either event, it would require ongoing monitoring to assure that the tree/trees are in place. C/Tye moved, VC/Zirbes seconded, to approve Development Review No. 99-9, Tree Permit No. 2000-02, Findings of Fact, and condition of approval, as listed within the Resolution with the amendment that the invasive species of pompous grass be replaced by a non-invasive species to be approved by the City's staff. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: f AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Kuo, Ruzicka, Tye, VC/Zirbes, Chair/Nelson NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: None 8. PUBLIC HEARING: None 9. PLANNING COMMISSION COMMENTS: C/Ruzicka congratulated staff and especially CSD/Rose for the excellent City Birthday Party. It was the best that he has attended. C/Tye concurred with C/Ruzicka that the City Birthday Party was, a wonderful event. C/Tye asked for an explanation of the monitoring of banners on City streets. DCM/DeStefano stated that both permanent and temporary signs are regulated by City Code. The Code Enforcement Officers monitor the signs and banners. People who post signs are required to obtain a APRIL 11, 2000 PAGE 4 PLANNING COMMISSION permit with a bond to insure removal of temporary signs. This requires constant monitoring by the Code Enforcement Officers. Chair/Nelson commented that according to the grading process, Diamond Bar's Planning Commission fared well with respect to how it is functioning as compared with other city planning commissions. 10. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: DCM/DeStefano stated that the City broke ground yesterday for the construction of the skate park at Peterson Park. The park is scheduled to be open to the public the second week of July. The Pulte project (formerly SunCal) has commenced grading operations. He invited the Commissioners to attend a tour of the site on a Friday morning about 9:00 a.m. or 10:00 a.m. Today's L.A. Times and last week's Business Journal have been reporting positively about the development of office space in Diamond Bar. Diamond Bar provides opportunities for office tenancy at rates that are lower than north Orange County. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE EVENTS: As listed in the agenda. ADJOURNMENT: C/Ruzi cka moved, C/Tye seconded, to adjourn the meeting. There being no further business to come before the Planning Commission, Chair/Nelson adjourned the meeting at 7:35 p.m. Rppectfully Sub ' tted, 7 /%�r Ay James DeStefano Secretary to the Planning Commission Attest: Steve Nelson Chairman