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Home My WebLink About04/09/2019MINUTES OF THE CITY OF.DIAMOND.BAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION APRIL 9, 2019 CALL TO ORDER: Chair/Mok called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Windmill Room, 21810 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Chair/Mok led the Pledge of Allegiance. 1. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Frank Farago, Jennifer "Fred" Mahlke, William Rawlings, Vice Chair Naila Barlas and Chair Kenneth Mok Also present: Greg Gubman, Community Development Director; James Eggart, Assistant City Attorney; Grace Lee, Senior Planner; Mayuko Nakajima, Associate Planner; Natalie T. Espinoza Assistant Planner; and Stella Marquez, Administrative Coordinator. 2. REORGANIZATION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION — Selection of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. C/Rawlings nominated C/Barlas to serve as Chairperson of the Planning Commission. C/Farago seconded the nomination. There were no other nominations offered. C/Barlas was unanimously elected to serve as Chairperson of the Planning Commission by the following Roll Call vote: C/Farago Aye C/Mahlke Aye C/Rawlings Aye C/Barlas Aye C/Mok Aye C/Mok nominated C/Rawlings to serve as Vice Chair of the Planning Commission. C/Rawlings declined the nomination. C/Mahlke nominated C/Farago to serve as Vice Chairperson of the Planning Commission. Chair/Barlas seconded the nomination. There were no other nominations offered. C/Farago was unanimously elected to serve as Vice Chairperson of the Planning Commission by the following Roll Call vote: APRIL 9, 2019 PAGE 2 PLANNING COMMISSION C/Farago Aye C/Mahlke Aye C/Rawlings Aye Chair/Barlas Aye C/Mok Aye 3. MATTERS FROM THE AUDIENCE/PUBLIC COMMENTS: None 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: As Presented. 5. CONSENT CALENDAR: 5.1 Minutes of the Regular Meeting: January 22, 2019: C/Mok moved, C/Mahlke seconded, to approve Consent Calendar Item 5.1 as presented. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: NOES: COMMISSIONERS: ABSTAIN: COMMISSIONERS: ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: 6. OLD BUSINESS: None 7. NEW BUSINESS: None 8. PUBLIC HEARING(S): Mahlke, Mok, VC/Farago, Chair/Barlas None Rawlings None 8.1 Development Review No. PL2018-221 — Under the authority of Diamond Bar Municipal Code Section 22.48, the applicant and property owner requested Development Review approval to construct a 2,520 square foot addition at the front and rear of an existing 2,224 square foot residence on a 70,781 net square foot (1.63 net acre) lot. The subject property is zoned Rural Residential (RR) with an underlying General Plan land use designation of Rural Residential. PROJECT ADDRESS: 23440 Ridgeline Road Diamond Bar, CA 91789 APRIL 9, 2019 PAGE 3 PLANNING COMMISSION PROPERTY OWNER: Juliet Chung 2475 Indian Creek Road Diamond Bar, CA 91765 APPLICANT: Diana Cheng 2705 S. Diamond Bar Boulevard Diamond Bar, CA 91765 AP/Espinoza presented staff's report and recommended Planning Commission approval of Development Review No. PL2018-221, based on the Findings of Fact, and subject to the conditions of approval as listed within the draft resolution. Chair/Barlas opened the public hearing. Diana Cheng, applicant for the addition, explained that as a senior citizen, she needs to increase the side of her one-story home for better living accommodations and to conform to the size and style of her neighboring residences. C/Mok said he understood the applicant's need for a larger one-story dwelling unit. He asked if her neighbors had indicated any concerns and Ms. Cheng responded that both of her neighbors were very happy about the project. C/Mok said it looked like a very nice project. Chair/Barlas closed the public hearing. C/Rawlings moved, C/Mok seconded, to approve Development Review No. PL2018-221, based on the Findings of Fact, and subject to the conditions of approval as listed within the Resolution. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Mahlke, Mok, Rawlings, VC/Farago, Chair/Barlas NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: None 8.2 Development Review No. PL2018-186 —Under the. authority of Diamond Bar Municipal Code Section 22.48, the applicant and property owner requested Development Review application approval for two new single- family homes on two separate lots: APRIL 9, 2019 PAGE 4 PLANNING COMMISSION Residence 1: 10,932 square foot single family residence with a 1,928 square foot garage, 2,691 square feet of porch/balcony/storage areas and 1,427 square feet of accessory structures on a 65,326 square foot (1.5 gross acre) lot; and, • Residence 2: 8,302 square foot single family residence with a 2,105 square foot garage, 2,730 square feet of porch/balcony/storage areas and a 400 square foot accessory structure on a 53,580 square foot (1.23 gross acre) lot. The subject properties are zoned Rural Residential (RR) with an underlying General Plan land use designation of Rural Residential. No protected trees are being removed as part of the project. PROJECT ADDRESS: 22528 and 22532 Lazy Meadow Lane Diamond Bar, CA 91765 PROPERTY OWNER: Timbertop Holdings, LLC 150 E. Colorado Boulevard #3028 Pasadena, CA 91105 APPLICANT: Edwin Agabao 556 N. Diamond Bar Boulevard #305 Diamond Bar, CA 91765 AP/Nakajima presented staff's report and recommended Planning Commission approval of Development Review No. PL2018-186, based on. the Findings of Fact, and subject to the Conditions of Approval as listed within the resolution. C/Mok asked if both projects would be constructed at the same time and AP/Nakajima responded "most likely, yes." C/Mok said that if that is the case, does each property need a notice display board or will the one that is currently on-site suffice. AP/Nakajima explained that the one board references the two properties and the two projects which are being processed under one application. Chair/Barlas opened the public hearing. Edwin Agabao, applicant, stated that it was a significant opportunity for him to design two big beautiful homes at the same time. His client is very discriminating and the client wants to make sure that this project will provide good value in terms of the future and for their family's use. It has been a APRIL 9, 2019 PAGE 5 PLANNING COMMISSION pleasure working with the Planning Department and especially, AP/Nakajima, to work through all of the issues. Staff is very supportive and very helpful. He believes they have a good construction team and part of the strategy was to save money by commencing grading and construction at the same time. However, if the City had required something else, they were willing to comply. Oliver Fink, 22538 Lazy Meadow Drive, said he was unaware the property. had been split into three parcels and he is just now learning about this proposal. This is quite an elaborate project and.he believes there are more than two protected trees on the lot and believes there is no way the applicant can build two homes and not disturb the trees shown in a photograph he provided to the Commission. C/Rawlings asked for staffs comments regarding the concern about protected trees. AP/Nakajima responded to C/Rawlings and the speaker that a lot of the trees on the property are large Canary Island Pines which are not protected tree species. The only trees classified as "protected" (a coast live oak and black walnut) based on the size (8" inches or more in diameter) are being protected and preserved in-place. Staff is also requiring a barricade to protect what can be preserved so that the grading does not encroach into the rest of the trees. C/Mok asked for verification that no protected trees would be removed and AP/Nakajima responded "correct". Chair/Barlas closed the public hearing. C/Mok moved, VC/Farago seconded, to approve Development Review No. PL2018-186, based on the Findings of Fact, and subject to the conditions of approval as listed within the draft resolution. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: NOES: COMMISSIONERS: ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: Mahlke, Mok, Rawlings, VC/Farago, Chair/Barlas None None APRIL 9, 2019 PAGE 6 PLANNING COMMISSION 91 UA PLANNING COMMISSION COMMENTS/INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: C/Rawlings thanked staff for their diligent work. This is his first meeting and he is trying to get up to speed on the planning work within the City. As he read through some of the agenda packet he had questions pop up but by the time he read the entire document he had his answers. As he tends to be thorough in his approach, he believes it is a testament to staff's work. He thanked his colleagues for the work they have done over the years including Commissioner Wolfe who he replaced. He looks forward to serving the community. C/Mok welcomed C/Rawlings to the Commission and said he looked forward to working with him in the coming months. It has been awhile since the Commission met and in the interim he saw some of his colleagues at The Habit soft opening/Grand Opening. It looks like the restaurant will be hugely successful and, he is looking forward to the storefronts on either side of Sprouts being developed. This Saturday is Diamond Bar's 30th Birthday Party and he hopes to see everyone there. STAFF COMMENTS/INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: 9.1 Project Status Report. CDD/Gubman said that he and staff welcome C/Rawlings to the dais and looks forward to several years of working with him. The next Planning Commission meeting date is scheduled for April 23 for which there is one agenda item, review of the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Capital Improvements Plan. State law requires that the Planning Commission make a finding of consistency with the General Plan for the work itemslisted in the CIP prior to City Council adoption of the CIP budget. CDD/Gubman congratulated Chair/Barlas on attaining the chairmanship and for doing an excellent job conducting the meeting this evening. 12. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE EVENTS: As listed in the agenda with emphasis on the City's 30th Birthday Party on Saturday, April 13th APRIL 9, 2019 PAGE 7 PLANNING COMMISSION ADJOURNMENT: With no further business before the Planning Commission, Chair/Barlas adjourned the regular meeting at 7:05 p.m. The foregoing minutes are hereby approved this 14th day of May, 2019. Attest: Respectfully Submitted, Greg Gubman Community Development Director Naila Barlas, Chairperson