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Home My WebLink About8/14/2012MINUTES OF THE CITY OF DIAMOND BAR REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AUGUST 14, 2012 CALL TO ORDER: Vice Chairman Steve Nelson called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. in the City Hall Windmill Room, 21810 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: C/Farago led the Pledge of Allegiance. 1. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Frank Farago, Tony Torng, Vice Chairman Steve Nelson Absent: Commissioner Jack Shah and Chairman Jimmy Lin were excused. Also present: Greg Gubman, Community Development Director; Grace Lee, Senior Planner; Josue Espino, Contract Planner; and Stella Marquez, Administrative Coordinator. 2. MATTERS FROM THE AUDIENCE/PUBLIC COMMENTS: 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: As presented 4. CONSENT CALENDAR: 4.1 Minutes of the Regular Meeting of June 12, 2012. C/Farago moved, C/Torng seconded, to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of June 12, 2012, as presented. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Farago, Torng, VC/Nelson NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: Shah, Chair/Lin 5. OLD BUSINESS: None AUGUST 14, 2012 PAGE 2 PLANNING COMMISSION A 7. NEW BUSINESS: 6.1 General Plan Status Report for 2012 SP/Lee presented staff's report and recommended that the Planning Commission approve the status report and forward the approved document to the City Council to receive and file. C/Farago moved, C/Torng seconded, to approve the General Plan Status Report for 2012 as presented. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Farago, Torng, VC/Nelson NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: Shah, Chair/Lin PUBLIC HEARINGS: 7.1 Development Review No. PL2012-236 — Under the authority of Diamond Bar Municipal Code Section 22.48, the applicant, Master Remodelers and the property owner, Tarif Halabi, requested Development Review approval to construct a 371 square foot addition tothe front of an existing single family residence on a 7,290 square foot (0.17) acre) lot. The subject property is zoned Low -Medium Residential Density District (RLM) with an underlying General Plan Land Use designation of Low -Medium Residential. PROPERTY OWNER: 466 Red Cloud Drive Diamond Bar, CA 91765 Tarif Halabi. 466 Red Cloud Drive Diamond Bar, CA 91765 Master Remodelers c/o Steve Kyne 610 N. Monte Vista San Dimas, CA 91773 AUGUST 14, 2012 PAGE 3 PLANNING COMMISSION CP/Espino presented staff's report and recommended Planning Commission approval of Development Review No. PL2012-236, based on the Findings of Fact, and subject to the conditions of approval as listed within the resolution. C/Torng questioned the table showing a change to the side yard setback on the street side. CP/Espino responded that the existing building line is currently non -conforming so it is actually closer than what current code allows. However, this addition, albeit compliant with current standards, would be allowed to continue along that same building line due to passage of the recent ordinance. The new addition is in compliance with current standards as well as, with the ordinance. C/Farago asked for concurrence that the front setback on the garage is already 15 feet to which CP/Espino responded "correct." The garage is 15 feet from the front property line. C/Torng asked why the 6.4 foot line becomes a 10 foot line on the side yard setback. CP/Espino responded that the 6.4 foot line is part of the existing home which was built under the County's jurisdiction. C/Torng asked if something was added to become 10 feet and CP/Espino explained that it is because of the way the street is configured. C/Torng felt the shortest distance of 6.4 feet should be used and CDD/Gubman responded that C/Torng was correct. The side yard setback is measured from the nearest distance to the property line so the table is inaccurate. The addition is farther away from the property line than the existing structure. However, the setback is always measured between the two closest points between the building and the adjacent property line. VC/Nelson opened the public hearing. Mr. Kyne, general contractor and designer of the proposed project, thanked CP/Espino and the planning staff for an excellent presentation. This addition is a 10 -foot side yard setback. The lot runs on an extreme angle and by the time one gets to the where the addition to the existing house is 10 feet and the line is continued to a little over 12 feet in the front. Mr. Kyne said he feels the project is a very nice room addition to the home. It was designed to match the existing architectural features on the house. It will have matching roof style, pitch, stucco, windows and colors. A very nice front bay window was added to break up and improve the front elevations. The project retains existing building style with a matching gable and outlookers to be consistent with the garage elevation. Mr. Kyne AUGUST 14, 2012 PAGE 4 PLANNING COMMISSION said he believed the design of the addition was compatible with the surrounding neighborhood and would be an attractive improvement to Mr. Halabi's home. Douglas Barcon said he lives across the street from the project on N. Rock River Drive to the north side. He said he has no issue with the design of the plan. However, he has a concern about the intersection at Red Cloud and N. Rock River Drive because there have been several accidents over the years with vehicles traveling both east and west on N. Rock River Drive colliding with vehicles coming down Red Cloud. He felt the addition would possibly impact the view of drivers coming down Red Cloud to N. Rock River Drive as well as cars traveling westerly on N. Rock River Drive. He felt a stop sign should be installed on Red Cloud at N. Rock River Drive so that cars would stop at Red Cloud before proceeding through the intersection. In addition, there is no stop sign at Gunsmoke and drivers are constantly pulling out in front of vehicles on N. Rock River Drive and he would like for the City to look at that issue. Mr. Kyne said that with regard to the speaker's concerns about view, there are similar circumstances with other properties up and down the street and throughout the tract that was built in the 70's. It is almost 27 feet to the bay window and 29 feet to the corner. Douglas Barcon said that the speed limit is 25 mph but some cars tend to travel in excess of 40 mph. VC/Nelson advised Mr. Barcon to contact the Traffic and Transportation Commission and inquire about speed remedies for the neighborhood. The Planning Commission has no jurisdiction on this specific issue. VC/Nelson closed the public hearing. C/Torng felt the project met all requirements and that the stop sign issue should be taken to the Traffic and Transportation Commission. VC/Nelson asked for confirmation that the stop sign and line of sight issue were separate considerations. CDD/Gubman responded that they were two different issues and that the project meets the line of sight requirements and that he will forward Mr. Barcon's comments to the Public Works Department for follow up. Approval of this project is subject to the permitting of the property and to the maintenance e of the property during and after the project is completed. AUGUST 14, 2012 PAGE 5 PLANNING COMMISSION C/Torng moved, C/Farago seconded, to approve Development Review No. PI -2012-236. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Farago, Torng, VC/Nelson NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: Shah, Chair/Lin 8. PLANNING COMMISSIONER COMMENTS/INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: None 9. STAFF COMMENTS/INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: CDD/Gubman reported that there are no pending agenda items for the August 28 meeting so that meeting will go dark and the next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 11, 2012, for which there are agenda items. 9.1 Public Hearing dates for future projects. 10. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE EVENTS: As listed in tonight's agenda. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business before the Planning Commission, Chairman Lin adjourned the regular meeting at 7:34 p.m. to September 11, 2012. The foregoing minutes are hereby approved this 9th day of October, 2012. Attest: Respectfully Submitted, Greg Gubman Community Development Director L Jimmy bA, Cha%ian