HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/13/2010MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA
13, 2010
CALLED TO ORDER
COMMISSIONERS Present:
FRAN K ACOSTA
ERIC ALDERETE, Chairman
VICTORIA BETANCOURT
JAMES GARTNER, Vice Chairman
MICHAEL WALTERS
PATRICK YRARRAZAVAL
COMMISSIONERS Absent:
MARIO TURNER
STAFF Present:
JAY TREVINO, Ex. Dir. Ping. & Bldg. Agency
KAREN HALUZA, Planning Manager
RYAN HODGE, Assistant City Attorney
MARTHA RAMIREZ, Recording Secretary
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PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LED BY VICE CHAIRMAN GARTNER
CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS
MOTION: Approve the staff recommendations on the following consent calendar
items.
MOTION: Betancourt
VOTE: AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN
ABSENT:
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBER
22 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA
SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA
5:40 P.M.
SECOND: Acosta
Acosta, Alderete, Betancourt, Yrarrazaval (4)
None (0)
Gartner, Walters (2)
Turner (1)
A. MINUTES
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the minutes of the regular meeting of November 8, 2010.
Commissioners Gartner and Walters abstained due to their absence on
November 8, 2010.
• * * * END OF CONSENT CALENDAR * * *
Planning Commission Minutes
Page 1 of 7
December 13, 2010
BUSINESS CALENDAR
B. COMMISSIONER COMMUNICATION DISCLOSURE (REGARDING AGENDIZED
PROJECTSI
Commissioners Betancourt and Yrarrazaval held discussions with Todd and Barry
Cottle of the Orange Housing Development regarding the density bonus
• applications.
C. SITE PLAN REVIEW NO. 2010-04
Filed by Commonwealth Audi to allow an expansion to the Commonwealth Audi
auto dealership at 1425 South Auto Mall Drive located within the Specific
Development No. 60 (SD-60) zoning district.
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a resolution approving Site Plan Review No. 2010-04 as conditioned.
Principal Planner Vince Fregoso presented the staff report and recommendation.
MOTION: Adopt a resolution approving Site Plan Review No. 2010-04 as
conditioned.
MOTION: Acosta
VOTE: AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN
ABSENT:
SECOND: Walters
Acosta, Alderete,
Yrarrazaval (6)
None (0)
None (0)
Turner (1)
Betancourt, Gartner, Walters,
PROCEDURAL RULES
PUBLIC HEARING
1. ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT NO. 2010-03
(Continued by the Planning Commission: November 8, 2010 to December 13, 2010)
Filed by the City of Santa Ana to request an amendment to Chapter 41 of the
Santa Ana Municipal Code (SAMC) in order to establish a process whereby
persons with disabilities may request deviations from the City's development
standards in order to ensure that they may have equal opportunity to use and
enjoy a dwelling.
PUBLISHED IN THE ORANGE COUNTY REPORTER
RECOMMENDATION:
Continue to January 10, 2011 at staffs request.
MOTION: Continue the public hearing to January 10, 2011.
MOTION: Acosta
VOTE: AYES
NOES:
ABSTAIN
ABSENT:
Planning Commission Minutes
SECOND: Betancourt
Acosta, Alderete, Betancourt,
Yrarrazaval (6)
None (0)
None (0)
Turner (1)
Page 2 of 7
October 27. 2010
Gartner, Walters,
December 13, 2010
2. CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 2010-23
Filed by Trillium Consulting Inc. representing T-Mobile requesting to allow the
construction of a 60-foot high wireless facility stealthed as a monopine at 620
West Warner Avenue located in the Light Industrial (M1) zoning district.
PUBLISHED IN THE ORANGE COUNTY REPORTER: December 1, 2010
PUBLICLY NOTICED: December 1, 2010
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RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a resolution approving Conditional Use Permit No. 2010-23 as
conditioned.
Principal Planner Vince Fregoso presented the staff report and recommendation.
No written communications were received.
The public hearing was opened. Applicant's representative, Tim Miller, discussed
the landscape requirement indicating he would coordinate with the facility owner
and the applicant to address vine installation in order to deter graffiti, where
feasible.
No public members spoke; the public hearing was closed.
MOTION:
1. Adopt a resolution approving Conditional Use Permit No. 2010-23 as
conditioned.
2. Planning Commission modified Planning Condition No. 4 -Install vines,
with irrigation, on the exterior andlor fence of the west property line, if
feasible.
MOTION: Betancourt
VOTE: AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
SECOND: Yrarrazaval
Acosta, Alderete, Betancourt,
Yrarrazaval (6)
None (0)
None (0)
Turner (1)
3. CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 2010-24
Gartner, Walters,
Filed by Giep Van Le for Calvary Lutheran Church, requesting to rebuild a new
church at 5321 West McFadden Avenue located in the Single Family Residential
(R1) zoning district.
PUBLISHED IN THE ORANGE COUNTY REPORTER:
PUBLICLY NOTICED:
RECOMMENDATION:
Continue to January 10, 2011 at staff's request.
• MOTION: Continue the public hearing to January 10, 2011.
MOTION: Acosta
VOTE: AYES
NOES:
ABSTAIN
ABSENT:
Planning Commission Minutes
SECOND: Walters
Acosta, Alderete,
Yrarrazaval (6)
None (0)
None (0)
Turner (1)
Page 3 of 7
December 1, 2010
December 1, 2010
Betancourt, Gartner, Walters,
December 13, 2010
4. DENSITY BONUS APPLICATION NO.2010-02
Filed by Orange Housing Development Corporation and C & C Development
requesting to allow afive-unit residential development at 2034 & 2038 North
Bush Street located in the Two Family Residential (R2) zoning district.
PUBLISHED IN THE ORANGE COUNTY REPORTER: December 1, 2010
PUBLICLY NOTICED: December 1, 2010
• RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a resolution approving deviations from the Two-Story Residence (R2)
development standards contained in Section 41-246 et seq. of the Santa Ana
Municipal code (SAMC) as allowed by SAMC Section 41-606 and the State of
California government Code Section 65915-65918 as an incentive to affordable
housing production.
Senior Planner Lucy Linnaus presented the staff report and recommendation.
Commission discussion ensued regarding public outreach, parking spill over to
the neighborhood, project funding, project history requests for proposals process,
and affordable housing needs.
The public hearing was opened.
Carlos Castaneda, neighborhood resident, expressed his opposition to the
project. He stated that the project would cause parking impacts because the new
residents will use their garages for storage, rather than vehicle parking. He also
expressed concern over the project design and density. He expressed the
opinion that he would prefer to see the property kept as a vacant lot.
Eugen Andres, owner of the property containing the Green Parrot restaurant,
expressed his opposition to the project citing the project's density.
Applicant Barry Cottle responded to the speakers' concerns regarding parking
impacts, management, and over-crowding. He stated that their company owns
and manages their apartment projects throughout Santa Ana. Residents must
use garages to park cars. They are requalified each year to ensure that they are
still income eligible and units are inspected periodically to control for over-
crowding.
In response to a question regarding the project's energy and water efficiency,
Project Manager Todd Cottle stated that drought tolerant landscaping is standard
for their projects and that units use water efficient fixtures and tankless water
heaters.
Vance Graham, project architect, provided details regarding the project's building
materials.
The public hearing was closed.
The item was brought back for further Planning Commission discussion.
• Commissioner Acosta stated that the approval of the Density Bonus Agreement,
which would allow for one additional unit over that which would be allowed under
the existing density for a total of five units, was an inappropriate density for this
neighborhood based on his field review of the area. He expressed the desire to
retain the lot in its current vacant state. Although he praised the project's overall
design, he stated that it was a bad location for this project.
Planning Commission Minutes Page 4 of 7 December 13, 2010
Commissioner Walters expressed similar concerns regarding the
inappropriateness of the project's density, as well as the potential for parking
impacts should the residents not use their garages.
Commissioner Betancourt stated her support of the project given the track record
of the developers and their history of correcting existing blighted conditions with
their projects. She stated that the quality of design was very high and that this
project's location was a good place to provide affordable housing and would not
• conflict with future development in the Museum District.
Commissioner Gartner stated that the project was well designed and that
developing the vacant parcel would help to eliminate blight in the neighborhood.
Commissioner Yrarrazaval noted that the property had previously been
purchased with funds required to be set aside by the Redevelopment Agency to
fund affordable housing projects and that the project meets this requirement. He
stated that, although the City had issued numerous RFP's over the years, this
project was the one which finally was able to succeed. He stated that, at five
units, the project is appropriate for the neighborhood and for the site.
Commissioner Alderete pointed out that the neighborhood was zoned for and
contained multi-family residential projects, therefore the proposed project was not
incompatible with the existing neighborhood. He noted that the developer had
provided more parking per unit than was required by code in order to address the
neighborhood's concerns about parking impacts. He stated that the architectural
design would help to beautify the neighborhood and that the project meets the
City's requirement to provide affordable housing.
MOTION: Adopt a resolution approving deviations from the Two-Story Residence
(R2) development standards contained in Section 41-248 et seq. of the Santa Ana
Municipal Code (SAMC) as allowed by SAMC Section 41-608 and the State of
California Government Code Section 65915-65918 as an incentive to affordable
housing production.
MOTION: Gartner
VOTE: AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
SECOND: Betancourt
Alderete, Betancourt, Gartner, Yrarrazaval (4)
Acosta, Walters (2)
None (0)
Turner (1)
5. DENSITY BONUS APPLICATION NO. 2010-03 AND SITE PLAN REVIEW NO.
2010-02
Filed by Orange Housing Development Corporation and C & C Development
requesting to allow afive-unit residential development at 217 & 219 South Birch
Street located in the Specific Development No. 40 (SD-40) zoning district.
PUBLISHED IN THE ORANGE COUNTY REPORTER: December 1, 2010
PUBLICLY NOTICED: December 1, 2010
• RECOMMENDATION:
1. Adopt a resolution approving deviations from the Specific Development
No. 40 (SD-40) zoning district, as allowed by the Santa Ana Municipal
Code Section 41-1606 and the State of California Government Code
Section 65915-65918 as an incentive to affordable housing production.
2. Adopt a resolution approving Site Plan Review No. 2010-03 as
conditioned.
Planning Commission Minutes Page 5 of 7 December 13, 2010
Senior Planner Lucy Linnaus presented the staff report and recommendation.
No written communications were received.
Commissioner Yrarrazaval requested additional information on ways in which
landscaping could be used to deter graffiti on the wall along Pine.
The public hearing was opened.
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Ricardo Perez expressed concerns that the area already has existing apartments
and that this project would contribute to the density of the area. He also
expressed concerns about potential parking impacts.
Todd Cottle and the project landscape architect provided information regarding
the plan materials and ways in which graffiti will be deterred through landscaping
treatments.
The public hearing was closed.
Commissioners Acosta and Walters stated their opposition to the project based
on their concerns regarding the density bonus, which would allow for one
additional unit than would otherwise be allowed under the existing zoning, as well
as potential parking impacts where residents were not to use their garages and
other on-site parking for cars.
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MOTION:
1. Adopt a resolution approving deviations from the Specific
Development No. 40 (SD-40) zoning district, as allowed by the Santa
Ana Municipal Code Section 41-1606 and the State of California
Government Code Section 65915-65918 as an incentive to affordable
housing production.
2. Adopt a resolution approving Site Plan Review No. 2010-02 as
conditioned.
Planning Commission recommended more landscape to curb potential graffiti
along the large fence area.
MOTION: Yrarrazaval
VOTE: AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
6.
SECOND: Betancourt
Alderete, Betancourt, Gartner, Yrarrazaval (4)
Acosta, Walters (2)
None (0)
Turner (1)
Filed by Orange Housing Development Corporation and C & C Development
requesting to allow afive-unit residential development at 435 & 437 South Birch
Street located in the Specific Development No. 40 (SD-40) zoning district.
PUBLISHED IN THE ORANGE COUNTY REPORTER: December 1, 2010
PUBLICLY NOTICED: December 1, 2010
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Adopt a resolution approving deviations from the Specific Development
No. 40 (SD-40) zoning district as allowed by the Santa Ana Municipal
Code Section 41-1606 and the State of California Government Section
65915-65918 as an incentive to affordable housing production.
2. Adopt a resolution approving Site Plan Review No. 2010-03 as
conditioned.
Planning Commission Minutes
Page 6 of 7
December 13, 2010
Senior Planner Lucy Linnaus presented the staff report and recommendation.
No written communications were received.
The public hearing was opened.
Resident Jeff Diehm expressed concerns with existing density in the
neighborhood, but stated that he was entirely opposed to the project.
Resident Grant Adelaars requested information regarding any potential impacts
to an existing easement on her property that could come about as the result of
the project construction. Todd Cottle, project manager, clarified that the
easement would be maintained.
The public hearing was closed.
MOTION:
1. Adopt a resolution approving deviations from the Specific
Development No. 40 (SD-40) zoning district as allowed by the Santa
Ana Municipal Code Section 41-1606 and the State of California
Government Section 65915-65918 as an incentive to affordable
housing production.
2. Adopt a resolution approving Site Plan Review No. 2010-04 as
conditioned.
MOTION: Gartner
VOTE: AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
•
SECOND: Yrarrazaval
Alderete, Betancourt, Gartner, Yrarrazaval (4)
Acosta, Walters (2)
None (0)
Turner (1)
7. PUBLIC COMMENTS (on non-agenda items)
No public members spoke.
8. STAFF COMMENTS
Executive Director Trevino extended holiday wishes to the Commission and
announced the cancellation of the December 27, 2010 Planning Commission
meeting.
9. PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS
Chairman Alderete requested a summary of the synthetic turf discussion to be
presented to the Planning Commission along with a presentation on the process
to allow for coordination of the review of Capital Improvement Projects.
There were no other comments requiring staff follow-up.
10. EXCUSE OF ABSENCES
• Commissioner Acosta made a motion to excuse the absence of Commissioner
Turner. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Walters and unanimously
approved by the Commission by a vote of 6:0.
ADJOURNMENT 7:48 P.M.
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Planning Commission Minutes Page 7 of 7 December 13, 2010