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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/14/2015 Minutes1.0 P : •' APRIL 14,2015 Chairwoman Ruth Low called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Windmill Room, 21810 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Commissioner Mahlke led the Pledge of Allegiance. 1. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Frank Farago, Jennifer "Fred" Mahlke, Bob Nishimura, Vice Chairperson Peter Pirritano and Chairperson Ruth Low Also present: Greg Gubman, Community Development Director; James Eggart, Assistant City Attorney; Grace Lee, Senior Planner; David Liu, Public Works Director; Christy Murphey, Recreation Superintendent; and Stella Marquez, Administrative Coordinator. 2. MATTERS FROM THE AUDIENCE/PUBLIC COMMENTS: None 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA: As presented 4. CONSENT CALENDAR: 4.1 Minutes of the Regular Meeting of March 24, 201.5. kv C/Nishimura moved, C/Farago seconded, to approve the March 24, 2015, Consent Calendar as presented. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: 5. OLD BUSINESS: 6. NEW BUSINESS: COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONERS None Farago, Nishimura, Chair/Low None Mahlke, VCIPirritano None 6.1 Review of Fiscal Year 2015-2016 Capital Improvement Program_ (CIP) ConformitV with the Cit 's General Plan: CDDIGubman reported that staff will be presenting the Fiscal Year 2015-16 budget to the City Council. One significant component of the budget is the APRIL 14, 2015 PAGE 2 PLANNING COMMISSION $20 million Capital Improvement Program (CIP) prepared jointly by the Public Works and Community Services Departments. Before the City Council may approve the CIP program and thus by extension the entirety of the annual budget, state law requires that the Planning Commission first find that the program is in compliance with the goals, objectives, policies and strategies of the City's General Plan. He introduced PWD/Liu and RS/Murphy to answer any questions the Commissioners may have about the projects listed in the CIP program list. SP/Lee presented staffs report which included a summary and overview of each of the projects proposed under the CIP and recommended Planning Commission adoption of a Resolution finding the proposed Fiscal Year 2015-2016 Capital Improvements Program to be in conformance with the City's General Plan. C/Nishimura asked if the Peterson Park parking lot improvements would include enhancements to the lights to make it as bright as Pantera Park. RS/Murphey said that she believed it was enhancements to:the parking lot only. No additional lighting at this time. C/Nishimura asked if steps would be added to the upper portion of Steep Canyon Trail or will a new trail be built and RS/Murphey responded that the project is to connect Steep Canyon Trail to the Canyon Loop. Once one traverses the canyon further past the steps it is not part of the project. The portion below is steep and that is the portion that will be improved. Chair/Low asked if the City would be addressing the water shortage and the state's plan to reduce water usage in the City's CIP and General Plan. CDD/Gubman responded that in the conformity findings staff did not list any conformity with the water conservation goals, objectives and strategies in the General Plan. The General Plan has one objective regarding the wise management of resources and the objective is to reduce water use and employ low-water infrastructure usage. There are five detailed strategies on how that usage would be implemented including adoption of the Water Efficient Irrigation Ordinance which was adopted shortly after the original General Plan was adopted and updated in 2010. There are a variety; of strategies requiring California - friendly drought tolerant landscaping, etc. These are measures that are required of public and private projects. The projects in the CIP are predominately roadway maintenance, park play area resurfacing, parking lot resurfacing and renovation of the Heritage Park Community Center. None of the projects touch on whether or not they are at odds or in conformance with those policies in the General Plan. There are no projects such as installing a fountain or proposing a water park at the Diamond Bar Center or something that would clearly be inappropriate. Staff did not specifically address their conformity with those goals and objects. Nonetheless, the City needs to follow what is already mandated in the City's Code APRIL 14,2015 PAGE PLANNING COMMISSIOr: and the City has no choice but to abide by the guidelines that Walnut Valley Water District (WVWD) imposes. Chair/Low asked if the WVWD guidelines come to them from the state of California or does the state mandate the cities and CDD/Gubman said that the mandate goes to the water purveyors. There is a requirement for a 25 percent reduction so WVWD will craft the specific criteria by which the City will need to abide to meet that mandate. Chair/Low said she understood these were various- improvements that will be conducted by the City as opposed to private properties. Chair/Low asked if staff contemplated any private/public partnerships in the coming year such as Lennar Homes or the school districts. CDDIGubman said there would be some improvements at Lorbeer Middle School. The partnership with Lennar involves the Rain Garden or Botanic Garden as it is now referred to due. to the lack of water, and the landscape plan for the park is to minimize irrigation 'a water, to use nuisance water that runs off of the development off of Ambushers to provide as much supplemental irrigation as possible. RS/Murphey explained that funding was received from Lennar Homes for the Heritage Park improvements to help fund the improvements. In addition, there is a provision in the Parks Master Plan for development of the middle field at Lorbeer Middle School and possibly South Pointe Middle School which would involve updating the Joint Use Agreements. Chair/Low said that those items would not be reflected in the CIP and RS/Murphey said they would likely be included in a future CIP. Chair/Low asked if projects not completed within the designated fiscal year are carried over to the following year and continued as carryover until completed to which CDDIGubman responded affirmatively that there is a list -of carryover projects in the current CIP. PWD/Liu stated that the public/private partnership with Lennar Homes listed under the miscellaneous Public Works Improvements shows the intersection of Diamond Bar Boulevard at Brea Canyon Road is listed and the developer is required to put in a number of offsite improvements and more importantly for this particular intersection, as presented in SP/Lee's report, Lennar was responsible for one corner of that intersection and the City decided to partner with the developer to make sure that ultimately, the improvements for that intersection would contain some of the elements that will be visible in the near future at the intersections of Grand Avenue/Diamond Bar Boulevard and Grand Avenue/Longview Drive. For example, the decorative traffic signals will be a contrast to the steel posts that residents are used to seeing in the City and there APRIL '14, 20'15 PAGE 4 PLANNING COMMISSION will be an interlocking paved crosswalk which wjll also comport with the Grand Avenue Beautification projects. Eventually, the City intends to provide these streetscape improvements citywide. In addition, City staff and the developer.- have worked closely together to make sure the new park will be available to the, entire community. Chair/Low asked about the "decorative" light posts. PWD/Liu responded that the posts are a particular architectural style of distinct color as depicted in the rendering. The City is moving forward with these decorative intersections at the three locations which are intended to make a statement that these are important high volume traffic intersections and that this type of intersection will be the ultimate "branding" of Diamond Bar throughout, the City. Chair/Low said she noticed that one of the goals was for the public use and public enjoyment of the City's amenities which includes upgrading crosswalks and bicycle lanes to enhance physical fitness. If someone were interested in making suggestions for improvements to the bike lanes to make them safer, how would someone do so? PWD/Liu suggested that individuals could express their concerns and convey their suggestions to the Commission. If it is a vo'ry specific question that has to do with enhancements and improvements to the bike lanes, it should be noted that the City must adhere to certain standards. In terms of safety, staff is open to suggestions. Chair/Low asked if any of the:proposed improvements are a result of safety issues that have come to light"such as accidents. PWD/Liu responded that the ground water drainage study reveals certain hazardous issues in various areas of the City. Approximately 11 locations were identified and staff will study these locations to help the City Council make a decision in terms of priorities and order of addressing specific issues. All 11 locations are within street areas including the sidewalk are Ias and between vehicles and pedestrians, and will need to be addressed in a phased manner. Staff hopes to be able to address two or three locations at a time over the next five years similar to the City's strategy for other street. improvements. C/Nishimura moved, VCIPirritano seconded, to -adopt a Resolution finding the proposed Fiscal Year 2015-2016 Capital Improvements Program to be in conformance with the City's General Plan. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: COMMISSIONERS: Farago, Mahlke, Nishimura, VCIPirritano, Chair/Low NOES: COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: None 7. PUBLIC HEARING(S): None APRIL PAGE 5 PLANNING COMMISSION A ClMahlke invited everyone to attend the Mt. SAC Faculty Fundraiser Show "Putting on the Hits" on Friday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 25 at 3:00 p.m. (matinee) and 7:30 p.m. showing where faculty members and student volunteers lip sync, dance. and perform to music from the 50's, 00's, 70's and 80's to current. ClMahlke said she would be performing. This event raises about $10,000 for student scholarships and offers students opportunities to stay in school. Mt. SAC is a college that has independent certification programs that allow individuals to leave the institution with well - paying and benefited jobs. Join in for a lot of fun and the opportunity to make fun of a colleague. VC/Pirritano reminded the Commission about Golfing for Kids on May 11 at the Western Hills Country Club. Lunch will be available and donations can be made onsite. This event raises about $30,000 annually and the funds are used for scholarships to benefit the children in Diamond Bar. Lunch is $30 and a silent auction and raffles will be available. The event starts at 9:00 a.m. and continues to about 3:00 p.m. Dignitaries and celebrities including Congressman Royce and Scott Baio are expected to attend. C/Nishimura thanked CDD/Gubman for responding to his questions regarding subdivision maps. He complimented the City's graffiti abatement team. He hikes the City often and last week he discovered graffiti on a couple of benches on Steep Canyon Trail. The next day when he hiked the area the graffiti was gone. Today there was' a. contractor in his neighborhood who was dumping waste water into the street after plastering a pool. C/Nishimura called the City and received a quick response from the staff member who said he was educating the contractor and homeowner. C/Nishimura complimented the staff for a quick response and follow up. Chair/Low thanked staff for a great job and reminded everyone that the Wine Soiree is April 25. Everyone is invited to support the event and the library. There are amazing . wines available this year which is yet another reason to attend. STAFF COMMENTS/INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: 9.1 Public Hearing dates for future projects. CDDIGubman stated that the staff person C/Nishimura referred to is Public Works Associate Engineer John Beshay. CDDIGubman said he appreciated the kind words. AEIBeshay and staff do their best to respond to these types of incidents since protecting the storm drain system from contaminants is very important. CDDIGubman said he appreciated anyone calling in should they notice anyone draining a pool into the gutter or any kind of dumping into the gutter. APRIL 14, 2015 PAGE 6 PLANNING COMMISSION CDDIGubman explained that the scheduled meeting for April 28 will be adjourned to May 12, 2015. CDDIGubman announced that T -Mobile has filed an appeal of the Planning Commission's denial of the proposed cell tree at`°',Maple Hill Park. This item will likely go to the City Council for its first meeting in -June. CDDIGubman reported that Coco's and the Ranck House Grill Restaurants have closed. The new owner of the Coco's Restaurant chain closed about half of the sites including the Coco's and Ranch House Gril'fs that were under the Catalina Restaurant Group. If necessary, the City will talo a proactive role in marketing those properties on behalf of the property owner to attempt to get appropriate uses and tax revenue generating uses. CDDIGubman further commented on how best to discuss topics such as bike lane improvementslenhancements would be when the City embarks upon the Comprehensive General Plan update which is projected to commence during the upcoming fiscal year. The City is mandated to transform its roadway system into complete streets and the guiding principle behind this system is to not look at roadways as strictly the domain of vehicles and 'other motor vehicles, but to be the arteries of use for all modes of use and transportation including bicycle traffic. Through the "complete streets" section he advocates adding to the City's General Plan, these types of discussions could be incorporated. Also, a lot of contemporary general plans are including pub4ic health elements which go beyond the traditional scope of what a general plan covers in terms of physical development, but also address policies that promote public health. There will be significant opportunities to have some substantive dialogue on these and other topics. Chair/Low said it occurs to her that it is nice that the Commission can listen and respond to those kinds of comments and elements because the City being so financially well managed compared to other cities across the county. Again, thank you to excellent staff for good stewardship of the City's resources. ClNishimura asked what the next steps are in the T -Mobile appeal and will there be public notice. CDDIGubman responded that the public hearing process starts anew so there will be the requisite newspaper advertising, the physical posting of the park site and mail notices to residents within the same 1000 foot radius. 10. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE EVENTS: As listed in tonight's agenda. APRIL 14, 2015 PAGE 7 PLANNING COMMISSION ADJOURNMENT: With no further business before the Planning Commission, Chair/Low adjourned the regular meeting at 7:44 p.m. The foregoing minutes are hereby approved this 12th day of May, 2015. Attest: Respectfully Submitted, Greg Gubman Community Development Director Ruth Low, Chairperson