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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMARCH 8, 2005 -~ ii ~J'~ . MINUTES . Arcadia City Planning Commission Tuesday, March 8, 2005 7:00 p.m. in the Arcadia City Council Chambers PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Planning Commission of the City of Arcadia met in regular sesSion oil Tuesday, March 8, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. in the Arcadia Council Chambers of the City of Arcadia, at 240 W. Huntington Dr. with Chairman Baderian presiding. ROLLCALL: PRESENT: ABSENT: Commissioners Hsu, Lucas, Olson, Wen, Baderian None ' OTIIERS ATTENDING Community Development Administrator Donna Butler Associate Plarmer Tom Li Senior Administrative Assistant Silva Vergel SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM STAFF REGARDING AGENDA ITEMS Ms. Butler indicated that a petition and photos were submittedJor item no, 2 on the agenda in opposition to the proposed request. TIME RESERVED FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON NON-PUBLIC HEARING MATI'ERS (5 MINUTE LIMIT PER PERSON) None MOTION: It was moved by Commissioner Hsu, seconded by Commissioner Olson to real all resolutions by title only and waive reading. the full body of the,resolution, The motion passed by voice vote with none dissenting, 1. PUBLIC HEARING CUP 2004-15 1012 S. Baldwin Ave., Unit #8 Cheyenne Chen, representing L. A. Institute Consideration of a conditional use permit for a tutoring center with 30 students in an existing 1,200 sq. ft. commercial unit. The staff report was presented. Mr. Li indicated that staff's recommendation for this project is for approval of the use. . . In answer to questions from Commissioner Lucas, Mr. Li said that only the parking on the subject parcel was included and not ones from the contiguous properties. Chairman Baderian wondered if there would be 30 students at anyone time or would 30 students be the entire enrollment? Mr. Li answered that it would be 30 students at anyone time or per session, He remarked that staff has attempted to contact the applicant regarding the number of sessions but was not successful. He commented that the CliiefBuilding Official has reviewed the plans and did not have any problems with the occupancy limits,based on currentinformation from the owner. The public hearing was opened. No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to. this item. MOTION: It was moved by Commissioner Olson, seconded by Commissioner Hsu to close the public hearing. The motion passed by voice vote with no one dissenting. Chairman Baderian felt there should be a clarification of how many students would be enrolled? Commissioner Lucas asked if they have to poslthe occupancy limit and Ms. Butler was not sure of the requirement, which is. mandated by the Fire Department. Chairman Baderian was concerned about the daily traffic that this use would create and the possible congestion from the students Who would be coming and going. Ms. Butler suggested continuing the hearing so that staff could get more information from the applicant. Since the applicant was in the audience, the Commission decided to re-open the hearing. MOTION: Olson move to re-open the public hearing, it was seconded by Wen. The motion passed by voice vote with DOne dissenting. Suki Chow, 5022 Peck Rd., El Monte, stated that she is the applicant and that they will have no more than 30 students at anyone time: They will have morning, afternoon and possibly evening,sessions with a maximum ofJO students at each session. They have three classrooms and feel that they can SUpport 30 students comfortably. The morning session will be from 10:30-12:30, afternoon from 3:45 to 5:45 and the evening from 6:00-8:00. They will be open Saturdays 10:30-4:30 and Sundays from 10:00-3:30. The evening session was not included in the original request but they added it later. In reply to a question from Commissioner Lucas, .Ms. Chow indicated that during the times where there will be no sessions, staff will be doing the administrative duties as well as preparing for classes. It is possible that some students may be there at that time to speak with the teachers and get help after hours. It is conceivable that one student may be there for all the sessions. Arcadia City Planning <''''''''''..... 2 31815 . . In answer to a question from Commissioner Wen, Ms. Chow indicated that currently they have less than 30 students but they will assist any student who stays after. However. if at that moment they have 30 students on-site. they will request that the student.return the next day with his questions. They will be employing 1 full time teacher and 1 part time assistant. She anticipated that thepm:t time teachers would work 20 hours a week. Commissioner Olson asked how they could have 3 classrooms and only 2 employees onsite and wondered if the classrooms would be unsuperVised? Ms. Chow replied thatthe students will be training themselves on computers and will not,need constant instructions. There will be times that there is,no supervision in the class but both the teacher and the assistant will be going from one class to another. She indicated that the students would be working on the computer and using prograrnsthat are online. They will not have access to the Internet and will only be able to go to a couple of sites. She indicated that this will be a year around program and they will be offering classes during the Summer. The only time that there will be no class would be during national holidays and spring break. With regard to the conditions of approval. Ms. Chow asked that condition 2, relative to age of the students be removed because they could have students as young as5 years old, In answer to a question Ms. Chow said that the classes would not be separated by'age group. so a 5 year old could be in the same class with an 18-year-old student. Commissioner Olson expreSsed concerns about haVing 5-year old children unsupervised with access to the Internet and Ms. Chow replied that they would try to have them supervised. She said they would have 3 employees there at all times; 1 full time and 2 part time employees. She asked that condition 3, relative to tlieir hours of operation be revised to M-F 10:00 am. 8:00 p:m., Saturdays 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 . p.m., Sundays 10:30 a.m to 3:00 p.m Jinka Korpeper, 4503 Woodmar, said she is the owner of the building. She indicated that many of the uses in the building are professional offices that close by 5:00p.m. so the parking lot will be empty after these offices close and only two of the offices are open on Sundays. MOTION: It was moved by Commissioner Lucas. seconded by Commissioner Hsu to close the public hearing. The motion passed by voice vote with no one dissenting. Ms. Butler indicated thatcondition2'would be eliminated regarding the age limitation. MOTION: It was moved by Commissioner Olson, to deny CUP 2oo4..{)} 5 based on Findings 1. The motion died to due lack of a second. MOTION: It. was moved by Commissioner Lucas. seconded by Commissioner Wen to approve CUP 2004- 015 subject to the. conditions in the staff report with the amendment on the hours of operation and the elimination of condition 2 relative to the age of the students. Arcadia City Planning Commission 3 3/8/5 . . ROLL CALL: AYES: NOES: Commissioners Hsu, Lucas, Wen Commissioner Olson, Baderian Chairman Baderian noted that there is a five working day appeal period. The resolution will be adopted on March 22. Appeals are to be filed by March 29,2005. 2. PUBLIC HEARING CUP 2005-02 19 E. Live Oak Ave. David YuanXie Consideration of a conditional use permit for a job-training center with 6 students in an existing 650 sq. ft. commercial office space. The staff report was presented. Mr. Li indicated that staffs recommendation for this project is denial of theusc. In response to a question from Commissioner Lucas, Mr. Li said that the existing art school has been there for 18 years and they have expanded to 30 students. The City's Code Enforcement Officer discovered this non-compliance. Their original CUP will need to be amended and staff has been informed that they are working on the application. However, their current operation must cease immediately until such time as a new CUP is approved. If not approved, they would have to cease operation. Mr. Li indicated that the applicant fOT the card school is currently operating the business at the subject site without a bUSiness license or an approved CUP. Again, the Code Enforcement Officer discovered this upon an inspection and observed 4 employees with 5-6 students. Their request is for 1 employee and 6 students; Ms. Butler explained that the art school is being take ,care of by staff If they do not comply with their current CUP, staff can initiate revocation of the CUP. The operators have been advised to cease the usage, except for what they were originally approved for, i.e., 6 students. The problem she saw with the proposed CUP is that the site is congested and to have a school where all the students could potentially drive to the site would compound,the existing parldng problem. She thought this might be too intense of a use for the site. There seems to be an overflow of parking on Louise, Which has impacted the neighbors. Mr. Li further stated that the overflow of parking has been observed by staff in the vicinity. In answer to a question from Commissioner Wen, Mr. Li said that the students for the art school are school aged children, whereas, the students for the proposed use are adults. The parents would be the ones that would be picking up and dropping off the art school students. He indicated thatthe parents are utilizing the driveway and not the parking lot. Based on the other tenants, it appears that the parking shortage is as a result of the proposed school at the site because their students drive to the school. The public hearing was opened. An:adiaCity PIanniDg c~ 4 31815 . . Harold Witt, 2614 Louise Ave., gave a brief history of the sjteandthe intended use of the building when it was originally developed. He said that the photos that were submitted clearly show the situation. He hoped that the City would be supportive of the neighbors and will not let this problem grow. They did not object to the school but they were against having the existing bad situation compounded by the proposed uSe. He stated that he discussed the traffic with the Police Chief who said he would confer it with the City's Traffic Engineer. The applicant indicated that he did'not wish to speak. No one else spoke in favor of or in opposition to this item. MOTION: It was moved by Commissioner Olson, seconded by Commissioner Lucas to close the public hearing. The motion passed by voice vote with no one dissenting. Commissioner Olson said this use is next to residential and there are a lot of issues with parking and traffic. He felt this is a good business. but not at this location. If it was granted it would be detrimental to public health and welfare because the site is inadequate. MOTION, It was moved by Commissioner Olson, seconded by Commissioner Lucas to deny CUP 2005-02. ROLL CALL: AYES: NOES: Commissionera Hsu, Lucas, Olson, Wen, Baderian None Chairman Baderian noted that there is a five working day appeal period. The resolution will be adopted on March 22. Appeals are to be filed by March 29, 2005. CONSENT ITEMS 3. TIME EXTENSION CUP 2003-13 Consideration. of a one-year time extension for an eating establishment at 29 E. Huntington, -- Unit #8. . Ms. Butler presented the staff report. She expl~ed that the applicant can request another extension. if they feel they need to because they are not done with the project. Their request, however, will need to be accompanied with a valid reason. Staff feels that in this case a six-month time extension is appropriate. If the time extension' is not granted, the CUP would expire and they would need to reapply. Chairman Baderian pointed out that this project has been going on for 4 yeara. He was in support of a six-month time extension. MOTION: Araodia cay Plannmg C'.....m..... 5 31815 . . It was moved by Commissioner Lucas, seconded by Commissioner Hsu to approve 6-month time extension. ROLL CALL: AYES: NOES: Commissioners Hsu, Lucas, Olson, Wen, Baderian None RESOLUTION NO. 1722 A resolution of the City of Arcadia, granting CUP 2005-03 for a tutoring center with 30 students in an existing 1,800 sq. ft. commercial unit at 21 W. Duarte Rd., Unit.#B. MOTION: It was moved. by Commissioner Lucas, seconded by Commissioner Hsu to adopt resolution 1722 and to formally affirm the decision ofFebrual'j 22, 2005 and the votes thereon. ROLL CALL: AYES: NOES: Commissioners Hsu, Lucas, Olson, Wen, Baderian None Chairman Baderian indicated that there is a five .working day appeal period. Appeals of the resolution are to be filed.by March 15 . MINUTES OF 2/22/5 MOTION: It was moved by Commissioner Olson, seconded by Commissioner Wen to approve the Minutes of2l2215 as published amended. ROLL CALL: AYES: NOES: Commissioners.Hsu, Lucas,. Olson, Well; Baderian None MATTERS FROM CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION None MODIFICATION COMMITIEE M1:ililiNG ACTIONS Commissioner Olson summarized the Modification Committee actions. MATTERS FROM STAFF Arcadia City I'bnniug Commission 6 3181' . . 1. CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS & PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA ITEMS Ms. Butler indicated that Joe Lambert will be leaving the C:ity and has been offered a position with the City of Temple City. ADJOURNMENT 8:15 p.rn. IsIDonna Butler Secretary, Arcadia Planning Commission An:adJa city Planning Commission 7 31815