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Home My WebLink About06/10/2014 Minutesffl�VV! c ♦'.f • ' JUNE 1, 2014 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Frank Farago 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 Pirritano led the Pledge of Allegiance. 1. ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Jimmy Lin, .Ruth Low, Peter Pirritano and Chairman Frank Farago Absent: Vice Chairman Jack Shah was excused Also present: Greg Gubman, Community Development Director; Grace Lee, Senior Planner; Josue Espino, Assistant Planner, and Stella Marquez, Administrative Coordinator. 2. MATTERS FROM THE AUDIENCE/PUBLIC COMMENTS: None nvnmre•�� 6.1 Minutes of the April 22, 2014 Regular Meeting. C/Pirritano, C/Lin seconded, to approve the April 22, 2014, regular meeting minutes as presented. Motion carried by the following Roll Call vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: 5. OLD BUSINESS: 6. NEW BUSINESS COMMISSIONERS: COMMISSIONERS: COMMISSIONERS: None None Lin, Low, Pirritano, Chair/Farago None VC/Shah 7.1 Development Review No. PL2013-465 — Under the authority of Diamond Bar Municipal Code Section 22.48, applicant and property owners requested JUNE 10, 2014 PAGE 2 PLANNING COMMISSION Development Review approval to construct a new 9,027 square foot three- level, single family residence with an attached 757 square foot, three -car garage on a 209,524 gross square foot (4.81 gross acres) lot. The subject property is zoned Rural Residential (RR) with a consistent underlying General Plan land use designation of Rural Residential (RR). PROJECT ADDRESS: PROPERTY OWNER: APPLICANT: 1948 Flint Rock Road Diamond Bar, CA 91765 Jin-Jie and Hu -Ping Yu 2457 Country Club Drive Glendora, CA 91741 Jack Wu 10410 Lower Azusa Road, Suite 203 EI Monte, CA 91731 AP/Espino presented staff's report and recommended Planning Commission approval of Development Review No. PL2013-465, based on the Findings of Fact, and subject to the conditions of approval as listed within the resolution. C/Lin asked if it was a 100 -year flood plain and AP/Espino responded that staff is not aware that it is a 100 -year flood plain. It was identified only as a blue line stream within the flood hazard area. C/Lin asked if the LA County Flood District had jurisdiction over the flood plain and whether the applicant could someday build over the area and AP/Espino responded no, and stated that there is also a restricted use area on the property which he pointed out using the map. The proposed development is already at its limit at the rear of the property and there will not be any further structural development beyond the location of the proposed house. C/Lin asked if the Commission was asked to approve the swimming pool tonight or whether the applicant would need to come back to the Commission for further review when the applicant decided to build the swimming.pool. AP/Espino explained that the applicant is not required to come back for the swimming pool. The applicant identified the location of a future pool which is located on the site plan and is part of the package under consideration this evening. Chair/Farago opened the public hearing. James Wu, 2440 South Barrington Avenue, Los Angeles, representing the architect, said he was available to answer any questions the Commission might have. JUNE A 2014 PAGE 3 PLANNING COMMISSION EQ 4 Chair/Farago closed the public hearing. C/Low said that in her opinion, this is a very handsome project and she commended the owners and architect for the fine job they did. It is very refreshing to review plans for this structure in its simplicity and modernity as well as the compatibility with which the natural terrain is blended with the lot. C/Low moved, C/Lin seconded, to approve Development Review No. PL2013-465, 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: NOES: COMMISSIONERS: ABSENT: COMMISSIONERS: Lin, Low, Pirritano, Chair/Farago None VC/Shah • • •• - , • a C/Low thanked staff for the great report which was very thorough and comprehensive. It is great working with the Planning Commission. She stated that she would not be available for the next Planning Commission meeting. C/Pirritano thanked staff for doing such a fine job. STAFF COMMENTS/INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: 9.1 Public Hearing dates for future projects. CDD/Gubman stated that the next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for June 24. There are two items on the agenda, the first a new home at the end of Chisholm Trail, a cul-de-sac that runs somewhat parallel to Grand Avenue opposite the Target property. There is also a Conditional Use Permit application for a martial arts studio to locate inside the strip center located at the northwesterly corner of Golden Springs and Lemon Avenue. CDD/Gubman reported that on May 30 there was a trustee sale on the Shell Station at Palomino and Diamond Bar Boulevard, and the property is now officially out of the hands of the owner that caused problems for the City. Anabi Oil is the current owner and almost immediately upon closing of the sale they took possession of the site, cleaned up the weeds, are fixing the irrigation and finalizing the construction to begin pumping gas as quickly as possible after which the tenant improvements will be completed for the mini- JUNE 10, 2014 PAGE 4 PLANNING COMMISSION market. This new owner is well -funded and they are moving forward with the project. As part of the transaction, Anabi Oil reimbursed the City for its civil suit and receivership legal expenses to the tune of about $150,000. The City is happy that its efforts are being manifested through completion of the project. Secondly, the City Council approved the annual budget last month and as part of the budget, the Council approved a new special fund entitled The General Plan Update Fund and initially appropriated $500,000 into the fund so that staff can embark on a comprehensive General Plan update which will be a two to three year effort based on previous undertakings of this scope and magnitude. The City's General Plan will be 20 years old in 2015 so the time has come for an update which will likely cost upward of $1.2 million to complete the project. This update will set the blueprint for the next 20 years of growth maturity for the City. Staff is excited to move forward and welcomes the role of the City Council, all of the Commissions and stakeholders in the process. CDD/Gubman stated that the City Council adopted an Ordinance in the City's Health and Safety Code the middle of March placing a ban on medical marijuana dispensaries in the City of Diamond Bar. Within the statute of limitations following the filing of the City's Notice of Exemption from CEQA, the Union of Marijuana Patients filed a petition with the Court against the City on the grounds that the City adopted the ban without going through what they believe is the necessary environment review process. The City has completed its mandatory settlement conference as part of the process with no settlement and staff will be preparing its case as this matter moves forward. C/Low asked if there was development on the south end of Diamond Bar Boulevard by the car wash and CDD/Gubman responded that it is the new America's Tire Company which was approved by the Planning Commission shortly before C/Low came on board. C/Low asked for an update of the Ralphs space and CDD/Gubman responded that construction of the tenant improvements will probably commence toward the end of this summer. According to the property owner, the Walmart Neighborhood Market should be open for business around March of 2015. Before the market opens the owner will be doing some site improvements including landscaping, repainting the center, etc. and the timing of the refresh to the center syncs well with the Grand Avenue Beautification Project which will provide the City with a nice looking intersection in less than a year from now. JUNE 10, 2014 PAGE 5 PLANNING COMMISSION 10. SCHEDULE OF FUTURE EVENTS: As listed in tonight's agenda. ADJOURNMENT: With no further business before the Planning Commission, Chair/Farago adjourned the regular meeting at 7:19 p.m. The foregoing minutes are hereby approved this 24th day of June, 2014. Attest: Respectfully Submitted, Greg Gubman Community Development Director