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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOCTOBER 26, 1999 " .':' j . MINUTES . Arcadia City pianning Commission Tuesday, October 26, 1999 7:15 p.m. intbe CouncU chambers Planning Commission proceedings are tape-recorded and on file in the office of the Community Development Division. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Planning Commission of the City of Arcadia met in regular session on Tuesday, October 26, 1999 at 7:15p.m. in the Council Chambers of the City of Arcadia, at 240 W. Huntington Drive with Chairman Richard Bruckner presiding, ROLL. CALL: PRESENT: Commissioners Huang, Kalemkiarian,Murphy, Sleeter, Bruckner ABSENT: None OTHERS ATTENDING City Attorney Michael Miller Community DevelopmentAdininistrator Donna Butler Associate Planner James Kasartia . Assistant Planner Kenneth Phung Secretary Silva Vergel SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM STAFF REGARDING AGENDA ITEMS Ms. Butler distributed a petition submitted by the tenants of the center at the NW corner of Santa Anita Ave. and Duarte Rd, expressing their opposition for item 2. TIME RESERVED FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE .PLANNING COMMISSION ON NON-PUBLlCHEARINGMATTERS (5 MINuTE LIMIT PER PERSON) None 1. MINUTES of 10/12/99 MOTION It was moved by Commissioner Huang, seconded by Chairman Sleeter to approve the Minutes of October 12th as published. .i?!),"fi' " J,~-~ .....,. . .0 . ROLL CALL: AYES: NOES: Commissioner Huang, Kalemkiarian, Murphy, Sleeter, Bruckner None 2. PUBUC HEARING CUP 99-016 11 W. Duarte Rd. Chung-I Wu Consideration of a conditional use permit to operate a remedial tutoring center for students in grade school through high school from 3 :00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p,m. on Saturday. RESOLUTION NO. 1598 Aresolution of the Planning Commission of the City of Arcadia, granting CUP 99-016 for a tutoring center at 11 W. Duarte Rd. The staff report was presented. Ms. .Butler remarked.that condition 3, regarding the location where the children will be dropped off and picked up would be difficult to enforce. The applicant will be required to notify the parents by way of posting signs of the pick up and drop off location. The City would not want to red curb the areain front of the subject site unless there is a serious issue. She explained.thesign requirements. . Staff remarked that the original application was' for 10 students and this requests increases it to 16 per sessIon. The public heating was opened. Peter Wu, 11 W. Duarte Rd., said this expansion is for the benefit and the safety of the kids. By expanding the use to the back they will be able to place .their waiting room in .the back of the builaing. This will force the parents to drive up the driveway, park and pickup or drop off the kids. The.expansion will actually take away the traffic from Duarte Rd. by changing the pick up and drop off location. A portion of the additional square footage would be utilized for a waiting room. They do not want the kids to run in the parking lot. .This will provide them with better control. He did not mind moving the building back because it would provide better visibility. Depending on the class, the sessions will be between 1 Y:z to 2 Y:zhours. There will bea 15 minute break between the classes~. They anticipate having 3 classes per day. Jonathan Lu, Property Manager for 1 W. Duarte Rd. said that the petition was signed by all of the tenants. They feel this intersection is already very congested and this use will only add to that congestion because of its proximity to the intersection. It is very difficult for anyone utilizing their center to ingress and egress, especially dUring rush hours. There is a lot of pedestrian traffic right after school ends. This could be very hazardous. Anyone trying to enter their center must wait until all pedestrian traffic. is cleared prior to entering or exiting their center. They felt that any use that could increase traffic would have a negative impact. Arcadia City P1aooiog Commission 2 10/26/99 In rebuttal, Mr. Wu said that Ir'proposal will address the concerns led by Mr. Lu because it will take any traffic generated by their use to the back of the building instead of keeping it closer to Duarte Rd. They have observed the traffic and feel this is the best way of addressing that issue. He did not think that they should be penalized by any problems that Mr. Lti's center is having. No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to this item. Chairman Bruckner closed the public hearing. Ms. Butler said that the drawings included'in the petition are not accurate. They do not reflect the on-street parking along Duarte Rd. in front of the. subject site or the correct location of the bus stop. Commissioner Sleeter asked if a parabolic mirror could be placed on the driveway to help the bus driver and to show if cars are coming down the driveway hopefully avoiding possible accidents? Ms. Butler responded that this request could be forwarded to the City's Traffic Engineer for his opinion. lfhe agrees then they will require the applicant to provide a mirror. Commissioner Sleeter felt that moving the loading and unloading of students to the back of the building would mitigate any problems. The traffic problems are created by the uses at 1 W. Duarte Rd. Commissioner Murphy did not think that 6 additional students per session wouid have a negative impact. He agreed with comments made by Commissioner Sleeter. He disagreed with issues raised by Mr. Lu. The proposal is an improvement over the previously approved CUP. . In response to a comment by Chairman Bruckner, Ms. Butler said that the fllar area could be designated as the pick up and,drop off locations. MOTION It was moved by Commissioner Murphy, seconded by Commissioner Sleeter to approve CUP 99-016 and adopt Resolution No. 1598 subject to the conditions in the staff report with amendments listed above. ROLL CALL: AYES: NOES: COInmissioner.Huang, Kalemkiarian,Murphy, Sleeter, Bruckner None Chairman Bruckner noted that there is a five working-day appeal period. Appeals are to be filed by November 2, 1999, An:adia City PIarming Commissi... 3 10126/99 3. PUBLIC HEARING ~ 99-012 360 Fairview Ave. Tritech Assoc. . Consideration of revised architectural plans and tree preservation and landscaping plans for the development ofa new 4,400 sq. ft., two-story house and with 1,100 sq. ft. attached 4-car garage on each of the two new lots being createdfrolIi the one existing lot. The staff report was presented and the public hearing was opened. Tom Kao, Tritech Assoc., 735 Emerson, Monterey Park, said they would like to keep the 4-car garages. The reduction in the garage area will result in on-street parking and neighbors have already raised concerns over on-street parking. They have increased the setback from 42' to 47'. The oak tree that they would like to remove is a young tree - 8" in diameter. Even if they move the building 5' or reduce the size of the garage the tree will be too close. The arborist has recommended that the tree be removed and they are willing to replace it with 3 same species tree with locations approved by the arborist. The building will be within the drip line of the oak tree. He doubted that the tree would survive, especially after they grade the property. It is anticipated that these buildings will remain on the lot for a longtime and considering that this is not a mature tree, 50 years from now it the existing tree would be too close to the dwelling. Robert TO\1g, 141 E. Duarte Rd., said the garages are located to the back of the lot and will not, be visible from the street. They would like to have 4 car garages and are willing to remove the oak tree and plan 3 trees in replacement. There is a lot of open space to plant with replacement trees. Mike Lucki, 350W.Fairview, felt the tree sl10uld be saved and the plans need to be.redrawn to save the tree. It will bea great loss for the City. Staff said that the arborist recommends the removal of some of the trees. Most have been improperly ptuned or topped off. In rebuttal, Mr. Kao said that even if they were to reduce to a 3-car garage, the subject tree would be too close to the building. No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to this item. Chairman Bruckner closed the public hearing. Ms. Butler recommended replacing the oak with three 36" box trees. The subject tree isa coaSt live oak and iUs not'.an endangered species. She preferred removal of the one tree with the condition that the tree be replaced with three 36" boxed trees located ili the front yard area Staff does not encourage the removal of oak trees but this is a unique situation and the new trees would have a better opportunity for survival. She commented that drainage should not be onto the street. Commissioner Huang preferred removal of one tree if they would gain three oak trees. Commissioner Sleeter agreed. The plans before the Planning Commission are an improvement. He was pleased to.see the garages were located on the back and not visible from the street. This is a good demonstration that the new building codes are possible. Arcadia City PllOlDing Commission 4 10/26199 . . MOTION It was moved by CommissionerKalemkiarian, seconded by Commissioner Sleeter to approve TPM99-0 12 subject to the conditions in the staff report with the condition that the oak tree that is 8" in diameter be replaced with three 36" boxed oak trees. ROLL CALL: AYES: NOES: Commissioner Huang, Kalemkiarian, Murphy, Sleeter, Bruckner None Chairman Bruckner noted that there is a ten-day appeal period. Appeals are to be filed by November 8, 1999. MATTERS FROM CITY COUNCIL None MATTERS FROM PLANNINGCOMM!SSON Chairman Bruckner thanked Mr. Miller and said this would be his last Planning Commission meeting. Commissioner Kalemkiarian said thatithas been great working with Mr. Miller. . Commissioner Huang commended Mr. Miller's performance, He thought that. a motion should be made to commend his performance. Mr. Miller thanked the Planning Commission and said that he would miss them. Ms. Butler said that unless there are controversial items on the Planning Commission agenda, there would'not be an attorney attending their,meetings. Mr. Miller eXplained that this is experimental and they will have to see how.it works. He spoke highly of Steve.Dietsch who is very knowledgeable of the City. He said that when he was apJlointed into this position, his first meeting was a Planning Commission meeting. The City has been very fortunate to have good Planning Commissions, He has enjoyed working with all of them, especially the present Commission. In all the time that he has been the City Attorney, approximately 5-6 issues were tested in court and they prevailed all of them mostly because both the Planning Commission and the City Council have made good findings. He went on to'say that the attorney representing Golden Eyes contacted him with regard to the recent Anaheim ruling. He asked this attorney to provide him with his legal points and that he would review it. Upon review, he informed this attorney that the City wasmaintain.ing its position and they backed off. An:8dia city Planning Commission , 10/26/99 . . MOTION It was moved by Commissioner Huang, seconded by Commissioner Sleeter to commend the performance by Mr. Miller. The motion passed by voice vote with no one dissenting. MODIFICATION COMMITTEE MEETING ACTIONS Ms. Butler recapped the actions taken by the Modification Committee. MATIERS FROM STAFF 1. CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS 2. UPCOMING AGENDA ITEMS Ms. Butler said that the public hearing for the tentative map and conditional use permit for Anoakia would be held on November 9th. It is possible that additional nights of public hearings might be needed. Staff is very sensitive to the community's needs and does not want to schedule the hearings around Thanksgiving because many people are on vacation at that time. She noted that Mr. Dietsch will be present at this meeting. She also thanked Mr. Miller w;td said staff has been spoiled because whenever they needed legal counsel they just went to his office and received an opinion. ADJOURNMENT '8:15 p.m. Arcadia City PIamiing Commission 6 10126/99