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PC - 06-16-08CITY OF ROSEMEAD PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES June 16, 2008 CALL TO ORDER: The regular meeting of the City of Rosemead Planning Commission was called to order by Chairman Lopez at 7:00 p.m. in Room 8 of Rosemead Community Recreation Center at 3936 N. Muscatel Avenue, Rosemead. Chairman Lopez led the Pledge of Allegiance. Vice - Chairman Kunioka delivered the invocation. I:Z67111w9_\111I PRESENT: Vice- Chairman Kunioka, and Chairman Lopez, Commissioner Vuu, Commissioner Cam ABSENT: None EX OFFICIO: Everling, Lockwood, Bermejo, and Yin 1. EXPLANATION OF HEARING PROCEDURES AND APPEAL RIGHTS: Attorney Yin explained the public hearing process and the right to appeal Planning Commission decisions to the City Council. 2. PUBLIC COMMENTS Chairman Lopez asked if anyone would like to speak on any items not on the agenda, to step forward. Mr. Jim Flournoy, residing at 8655 Landis View, a resident, stated last year the Planning Commission approved a project at 3220 and 3224 addresses on Del Mar over north of Emerson. Prior to submittal of plans they were suppose to turn in a geotechnical report. Plans got submitted last week he believes and they turned in a geotechnical report dated "2004 ", which covers a different project. This is condominiums, 13 condos with no basement this project was a mix use for the basement. This geotechnical report has nothing to do with reality at all. We have a project coming through with the new regime here, where your conditions is being blown off, ignored, or not being noticed by the developer. We need to figure out a way for the commission to assure these conditions get recognized. This condition says prior to city plans not prior to building official. So this should have been approved prior to plans being submitted. Jim Flornoy stated Matt Everling and building official received plans at same time. A lot of work went into this and apparently the developer put a lot of site criteria when he really does not have a lot to work on here. The criteria from 1998 building Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting: Monday, June 16, 2008 Page 1 of 16 code and 2007 building code project has nothing to do to support that project. Jim Flournoy is urging the Commission to take control of this situation because no one else will. Building officials are not and maybe you can get the new engineering staff on board you can work with them. Chairman Lopez questioned if the plans have been submitted and approved City Planner, Matt Everling replied they have been submitted. Chairman Lopez stated so they have only been submitted and if we don't stop them at this point. Jim Flournoy stated we need to stop them before they do all this work. Comments were said by a few of the Commissioners. City Planner Matt Everling stated building official will not issue permit unless proper plans and report is submitted. Jim Flournoy stated that Matt Everling would have to get County on board and referred to the 2004 Report and why wasn't included in your package, when you looked at this thing back in October or November, we could've stopped this back then. City Planner Matt Everling stated that the Draft Professional Services Agreement has been reviewed by the City Attorney and we are waiting on signatures. Once all signatures are acquired on the agreement we can meet and start sending the reports down to verify. Once that document is completed he is going to use it as a boiler plate to get a geotechnical consultant on board too. So we will have a geological consultant which deals with the earthquake seismic issues with the project and we will also have a geotechnical consultant which deals with soil reports and Lique Faction studies. Chairman Lopez questioned will this be turned in along with the planning or before? City Planner Matt Everling replied he gets this before he gets construction drawings. Chairman Lopez replied that Matt Everling should get this at the same time. Jim Flournoy stated that there is a cover sheet with check boxes and things are just check off and believes that this is not good for anybody involved. Chairman Lopez asked if there were any other questions for items not on the Agenda. See None. 3. CONSENT CALENDAR — These items are considered to be routine actions that may be considered in one motion by the Planning Commission. Any interested party may request an item from the consent calendar to be discussed separately. A. Approval of Minutes — June 2, 2008 Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting: Monday, June 16, 2008 Page 2 of 16 Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated there were some items needing corrections on page 1 Correction of Chairman Lopez delivering invocation not Vice - Chairman Kunioka, page 2 Correction of Law Firm, and page 3 Motion listed under "3. Consent Calendar ": The motion would be by VICE - CHAIRMAN Kunioka and seconded by COMMISSIONER Vuu. There was a correction on page 5 and page 9 also. All corrections have already been made prior to meeting. Chairman Lopez asked for a motion for approval of the other items on the Consent Calendar. MOTION BY VICE- CHAIRMAN KUNIOKA, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER VUU, TO WAIVE FURTHER READING AND ADOPT CONSENT CALENDAR. Vote results: YES: KUNIOKA, LOPEZ, VUU NO: NONE ABSENT: NONE ABSTAIN: CAM Chairman Lopez declared said motion duly carried and so ordered. 4. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. Tentative Parcel Map 069946 - & CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 07.1110 —Anna Chow has submitted an application to subdivide one existing parcel totaling 18,637 square feet (0.43 acres) into two parcels; and one Conditional Use Permit for the development of a new single - family residence on the rear lot greater than 3,000 square feet of living area. The subject site is located at 3139 Burton Avenue in the R -1 (Single - Family Residential) zone. Resolution 08 -16 — A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA APPROVING TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP 069946 AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 07 -1110 REQUESTING TO SUBDIVIDE ONE EXISTING PARCEL INTO TWO PARCELS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ONE (1) NEW SINGLE - FAMILY RESIDENCE HAVING MORE THAN 3,000 SQUARE FEET OF LIVING AREA, TO BE LOCATED AT 3139 BURTON AVENUE IN THE R -1 (SINGLE- FAMILY RESIDENTIAL) ZONE (APN: 5289 - 004 -053). Presentation: Planner Sheri Bermejo Staff Recommendation - Staff recommends that the Planning Commission APPROVE Tentative Parcel Map 069946 and Conditional Use Permit 07 -1110 for a period of two (2) years and adopt Resolution 08 -16, subject to conditions outlined in Exhibit "B" attached hereto. Associate Planner Bermejo, made her presentation Chairman Lopez stated this matter is now open to the public, applicant, or designer. Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting: Monday, June 16, 2006 Page 3 of 16 Kamen Lei, 8748 E. Valley Blvd., Suite K, Rosemead, designer stated this project is one of the biggest in this area and has been working with staff for several months. We have made substantial changes to meet the Planning Department expectations and meeting the guidelines. On the third page, as you can see we are exceeding the minimum requirement's. On page 4 of 20 there are multiple units right next to this property an on the south side there is an existing 2 unit development and on the west side there is an existing 3 unit development. As you can see these are rental units. But on the contrary our development will promote home ownership, which will lead to very good maintenance and home ownership pride. We believe this is a very good project for this neighborhood and will encourage people to do better projects. We have no problem with those additional conditions for this project. We will accept all conditions of approval and is here to ask your approval of this project. Thank you. Chairman Lopez stated are there any questions and proceeded to ask Kamen Lei from the second property to the wall to the next property behind it, what's on the other side of the wall? Kamen Lei replied this is R2 property and there are 3 units over there. It's fronting Walnut Grove. Chairman Lopez asked the distance from the wall to the back of the house? Kamen Lei replied we have 25 feet coming from the patio and another 10 feet coming from the wall. So from the building wall to this property line is 35 feet. Chairman Lopez questioned, what kind of windows are you putting up on that back side porch? Kamen Lei replied, typical first story windows. There is no big two -story palladium window they cut that into two- story. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated the general concept behind the design standards, he thinks is made to make houses appear smaller than they are and the problem with this house that I have is that it appears larger than the living area it would suggest, so in other words in the back of your house in addition to the 3670 sq. ft. of living space there is about 1000 sq. ft. of not planning square footage but you have a covered patio on the first floor and then you have a covered patio on the second floor and that may cause a privacy issue on the west side. On the east side there is also a walkway out to the master bedroom and he is also concerned that may be a privacy issue as well. Kamen Lei replied we have discussed this with the Planning Department from the beginning; the second floor balcony actually extends all the way to flush with the first floor area. It is also 10 feet deep but we discussed it with the owner (John) to reduce the second floor back area to half and now it is about five (5) feet. From the back area the boundary from the back area to the property line is thirty (30) feet. In the front this is facing the driveway. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated he understands the houses to the north what is directing north of your property, it looks like that building is off towards the street and then you have a yard is that correct? Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting: Monday, June 16, 2008 Page 4 of 16 City Planner Matt Everling replied can you use the photo board? Does the photo board show the property to the north? Kamen Lei asked for assistance on which photo board was the north he also commented on how he downloaded an aerial picture to show you this area. Vice - Chairman Kunioka commented he saw an aerial picture and he couldn't tell. Kamen Lei stated he forgot the picture. Kamen also brought another illustration that he downloaded and described that this is a single family home and they have a large lot and they have houses around this area. In the front yard of 3127 is next door and as you can see one number higher than our subject property because numbers are going higher to the north. You can see the small house is so close to the front yard and pointed the empty space. Vice - Chairman Kunioka questioned if the property was owner occupied or a rental that Kamen Lei was referring too? Kamen Lei replied he has no idea. He pointed out to one that was owner occupied Vice - Chairman Kunioka commented his concern is it if it's a rental unit the people actually living there may not have been informed of your proposal and that's what he is worried about and he doesn't think they are here for the meeting. Kamen Lei replied this is something the property owner is not concerned about. Vice - Chairman Kunioka also noticed during the presentation that they may want to keep buffer zone on the right side, which apparently you have but you may want to leave the trees there. Kamen Lei replied yes they are going to keep the trees Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated that he felt they were invasive trees and if he was the neighbor to the left he would want those cut down because they are so invasive, they drop their seeds and they come up in stubs. Kamen Lei replied they can work with staff and neighbors. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated these are fast growing trees and that's nice but that is why they are so invasive. That may be why you want to leave them there because you know how it is to eliminate them and that is a concern as well. Kamen Lei stated his concern was to keep the trees also provide privacy for the neighbors. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated he likes trees he just has a problem with this particular tree they are a problem. There was a humorous comment about Palm Trees and everyone laughed. Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting: Monday, June 16, 2008 Page 5 of 16 Chairman Lopez commented the property to the north is further away from the direct line of somewhere (someone spoke over his comment). Kamen Lei replied especially out field we have this two story addition finished and pretty much property here. Chairman Lopez stated the fact that you have 25 feet width of trees here and an additional 15 or 20 ft. on the other yard so the long side is quite a distance. Kamen Lei replied yes and described view from angles. Chairman Lopez stated he understands the property is large enough to accommodate the size of the home. I am concerned with how large it is but I'm o.k. on the set because it can take it and not put real strain on neighbors as far as privacy issues so I'm alright with it. My first concern was on how large the house as for what we were looking for this city but you did well. Kamen Lei replied the Planning Commission also did a good job last year. Last year this project only had 55 feet on side yard. Chairman Lopez stated that he appreciates that and that's the only reason why I am o.k. with it because you make these changes and we're looking for what can be an issue on privacy and so far you haven't shown me this will be an issue and I'm o.k. with that and so far you have done a great job. Kamen Lei replied thank you. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated that he had trouble visualizing which part of the library wall are you going to remove? Associate Planner Sheri Bermejo is looking for conditions to read for reference. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated it is 32 on page 17. Associate Planner Sheri Bermejo read the conditions to the audience and Planning Commissioners. Her comment was actually any sufficient opening which is 50% of a wall area it doesn't matter if it's going to be on the north wall or west wall staff is going to be satisfied. Vice - Chairman Kunioka replied good, you don't want it to be a bedroom. I'm a little bit concerned on bedroom number one on the first floor because it has a separate entrance and that is going to make convenient for rental and that is not what I want. City Planner Matt Everling replied you mean because of the sliding glass door? Vice- Chairman Kunioka replied yes that has a separate entrance and looks suspicious: it strikes him that it looks like a nicely designed studio apartment which I don't want in these Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting: Monday, June 16, 2008 Page 6 of 16 single family projects. Would it be possible to and he would be happier if this wasn't a separate entrance for that room is this going to be a safety issue? City Planner Matt Everling replied that there is a window so fire and rescue can get in there. Vice - Chairman Kunioka realized there is a window but still does not understand why they want to put a separate entrance there because there is an entrance from the kitchen area. Kamen Lei commented on the patio door if this was his home he would not rent this room especially after spending all this money to build this big home and big yard I would enjoy this home myself. In this area it is a family of three generations with elderly parents and they live downstairs. They wake up in the morning and do some exercise, they have the bed on one side and want to enjoy outdoor and indoor with patio door. If it were intended for a rental room people would be a single spring door with an easy lock rather than a patio door. I hope the Planning Commission will let us keep this patio door because it really is for the homeowner's enjoyment. It is not intended for a rental. If it was a rental we would put single door with a lock for security. Vice - Chairman Kunioka questioned if in the future if the homeowner wanted to change the door would they have to get a permit to do so. Associate Planner Sheri Bermejo replied yes they would. City Planner Matt Everling also replied they would need a building permit to do that they would go from a slider to a single door. Kamen Lei stated our city has been using a limit of a single family home is how many exterior doors can you have. That is an effective way he is suggesting we may need to do that as an option. Vice - Chairman Lopez stated it would probably need to be an ordinance and a process. Kamen Lei replied he knows, another city just did it and put a limit on no more than 4 exterior doors because of this concern. Kamen feels this is fair to the homeowner and city, rather than thinking a door was a rental unit. Chairman Lopez stated that Kamen Lei has brought a lot of designs to our city and he feels they are very good. He knows how Kamen designs them and thinks that the slider door is o.k., you're right people do like to go walk out on to the patio with a slider. Hopefully it doesn't come back later to haunt us. Commissioner Lopez also stated he himself would like to approve this but he understands the other commissioners concerns. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated he understands transitions are going to be first but Kamen Lei's project is much larger than anything else in the area, it's a big house and second of all it appears even bigger than it is because of the design with the patio and covered walkway. It seems to have potential for rental unit with all those extra entrances and he is not sure but he thinks there may be privacy issues because of the second walkways and covered patios. He wants to clarify the backyard measurements again. Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting: Monday, June 16, 2008 Page 7 of 16 Associate Planner Sheri Bermejo replied yes, the resident should have 35 feet if there are 5 bedrooms and 2000 square feet of living area in the home. There is a conversion to the library and we will have to make sure it is a library so that this is considered a 4 bedroom home. They will not have to meet that 35 feet if it is a 4 bedroom. Vice - Chairman Kinioka stated he didn't see that on the plans and he voiced his concerns and stated he had no additional questions. Chairman Lopez stated anyone else wishing to speak on behalf of this applicant please do so at this time. Jim Flournoy residing at 8655 Landis View stated he had a couple of concerns. The patios are on the west side not the north side correct? Kamen Lei replied yes west side. Jim Flournoy stated that is the sunny side so cutting down second story patio back would not have any shade at all in the afternoon and feels that is not a good idea at all and he would rather see it go all the way out or see that the revisions for some shade prop to cover that north patio or else you have an un- useable patio and you also have light coming in on your west side wall. It is going to get very hot and we should come back to the city to see if we could do something to preserve that second story shade and the same for the other verandas on the other side they are great ideas. Secondly you gave it up about a foot and a half and there must have been a good reason but if that is necessary you can preserve it by cutting down the roof slope to mitigate that foot and a half that you just gave up. That is a lot of height and if there is some way to break it up and lower it down so it doesn't appear to be there go back to these guys and see if you can have it. Another thing we have problems with water size and water mains are the water mains big enough here do we have 8 inch mains or are we still on 4 inch? City Planner Matt Everling stated the building department handles this. Associate Planner Sheri Bermejo stated because this is a parcel map we did route this out to our agency reviews and we do have water. Jim Flournoy replied good and another thing we need to lose those "Trees of Heaven" the city has some guidelines on substitutes and named a few trees that are on the invasive list of Rosemead. It will be expensive to get rid of them but we need to get rid of them and put something else and we need to think of the flood control and San Gabriel River Channel because that is where it all ends up. They are all over the city and we have to do something to get rid of them. Chairman Lopez stated anyone else wishing to speak. Hear None Chairman Lopez stated anyone wishing to speak against this project. See None Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting: Monday, June 16, 2008 Page 8 of 16 Vice - Chairman Kunioka moved to continue. He does not support this project and would like to see something done about trees and he also would like to at least like to see reconsideration of the second floor, walkways and covered patio. It's a beautiful house and if I could live in that house I would love it. If it were set up in a different location or if there were similar houses to it I would say I am all for it and if the neighbors were just like it, it would fit into there. It's a beautiful house and it would be a great place to live and I like the patio and the covered patios on both levels and it would be a nice place to relax but I don't know if it fits in this particular neighborhood at that size and that is why I will not support this project for the moment and that is why I move for it to be continued. Chairman Lopez stated he will need a second for that to move it so that the applicant can speak with staff to talk this over. Chairman Lopez stated if not he will need a motion to override. City Planner Matt Everling stated with the concerns and issues can we take care of it with conditions of approval with removal and replacement of the trees, we can do something like that if the commission was interested. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated on the patios he was he was a little torn because he does think they are a little overly imposing but he understands the temperature issue and it would make the house a lot cooler temperature wise if you could have that coverage out there and that's a nice thing but arguably it would make it appear larger I could be persuaded that breaking up that wall facing the west could make it appear smaller but he is not persuaded yet. He would like to see pictures and if he could be persuaded that these patio features will not be as imposing as he thinks they may appear to be to him. He still is not sold on the idea it just seems a little big for that location. Chairman Lopez stated he needs a second to continue to the next meeting on July 7, 2008. Kamen Lei designer stated as you can see if we cut the first floor patio away we have 35 feet set back we could put a 5 th bedroom. The reason we didn't put a 5 th bedroom you can have a library, entertainment room, or study area instead. We wanted to bring outdoor and indoor together. When you look at the floor plan this is a family room area. This is a family oriented plan for gatherings. If you cut this way this house will appear bigger because of the slab wall. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated he did not have a problem with the first floor patio it was the second floor walkway that he has a bigger issue with. Kamen Lei stated that the owner Ms. Chow that she was not here today because she has a busy schedule. We have worked with staff and we convince homeowner to reduce the 10 foot deck to 5 foot. He also described some other details to they did to the balcony. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated the measurement of 8' X 6' is the width of the second floor of the covered wall deck is this correct. Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting: Monday, June 16, 2008 Page 9 of 16 City Planner Matt Everling replied yes he thinks the reason the masonry may seem so large is because of the extended eaves on the second floor. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated he understands why it we it would be desirable to break up this wall as well. Kamen Lei stated this wall is over 10,000 square feet and is also surrounded by other homes and we have set backs from the side, front, back, and the front unit has 20 some feet set back and the back house has another 20 feet. We feel this house is so secluded, it is not intrusive to the neighborhood and the staff has been warning us from the beginning this is the first new CUP with the new code so we have worked diligently with staff to work this out. We have spent more than double the time than to do a regular project. I really hope you look into these added conditions and reconsider you motion to approve this project. Thank you. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated the plans we have for the deck are 8 feet 6 inches is that correct. City Planner Matt Everling stated correct 8' x 6' x 35'/2, but it is actually smaller than the ground floor patio. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated the ground floor is 11' x 6' he guesses. City Planner Matt Everling stated right. Vice - Chairman Kunioka is still concerned with the second floor and questioned if there was an apartment building in the back. City Planner Matt Everling stated there was a triplex there and they are single story. Vice - Chairman Kunioka questioned if it was R2 zoning? Associate Planner Sheri Bermejo replied its R3 and then corrected herself and told them it was R2. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated is there open space there are actually people there spending time in their back yard that would make me feel a little safer. If it was just a parking lot then there is nothing to look over. Associate Planner Sheri Bermejo stated she walked onto the site last week with the applicant's son and those Trees of Heaven are very tall and thick. Not being able to see into the neighbor's yard was very good. Kamen Lei the developer stated there was not very much activity in this backyard because there is no room. He feels they are not really intruding on privacy because all you can see is their roof. Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting: Monday, June 16, 2008 Page 10 of 16 Chairman Lopez stated the trees that are there are they thick enough that it blocks enough and your intentions are to leave the trees or are your attentions on removing them and putting new trees. Kamen Lei replied either way we can work with the Planning Department. The trees are a secondary concern to us. We want to protect the neighbor's privacy. Chairman Lopez states that the trees have been there and if they want to stay they can stay. I understand what Todd is doing but you have to protection of blocking out the neighbors so the second story doesn't have a concern with me anymore. I guess it's convincing Commissioner Kunioka that that's o.k. It's not a matter of trees it's a matter if they change it or not they can work with staff on the matter of cutting the trees if needed. He realizes that Commissioner Kunioka has a taste of trees. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated his back yard neighbor has one of those, "Tree of Heaven" tree and the people who live there will have to deal with these weeds coming up in their yard every spring as long as those trees are there. He will have to talk to Jim Flournoy to find out about what pesticide or herbicide he is talking about. I sprayed mine and they grew back and nothing has changed you can't kill these things. Chairman Lopez stated he is going to argue this point again, the trees have been there and I don't think it is up to us to decide whether or not they need to be removed. They do give them the protection and give them the blockage to see into the yard. Last statement is going to be the applicant will be working with staff. Sometimes we have to watch how far we go and what we see and how we like something but we have to look at exactly at what is being done. Staff has shown me that they have worked their tails off and he has accomplished everything around him. Chairman Lopez understands everything Commissioner Kunioka has told him but applicant has done everything staff has told him. Whether we like the trees or not he will work with staff and put it into the conditions to work with staff and either keep the trees or put new trees that will act in the same way and keep up that same blockage or what the neighbors are going to see. I think it should be fine. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated that he suggest it gets referred to as continued because I'm not sure if taking out the tree's would be better he thinks. It's something he would like to have considered. Chairman Lopez stated at this point is there anyone else that would like to comment you may do so if not I am closing it off and I guess we will discuss if we continue and if we continue are we going to come back and decide to continue again. That is what I am looking at. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated let's get another member here. Chairman Lopez stated I am o.k. with contingent if we need a couple of more weeks and they can talk it over and staff can go over conditions and accept those trees or come up with something that is comparable to the same coverage and again he is not concerned about what trees are there and is the choice of the applicant on what they want on their property and we just have to look at if it is protecting the other neighbors for privacy. Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting: Monday, June 16, 2008 Page 11 of 16 Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated that it's not the privacy issue he would like to protect neighbors from the trees. Chairman Lopez stated but the trees have been there. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated he knows but part of the conditional use is now if you want us to grant you this then we can ask you for something. Chairman Lopez stated that is not what our job is he thinks it's a little bit more we need to do. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated what is our city policy on these "Trees of Heaven "? City Planner Matt Everling stated that it is within the Commission purview to create a condition of approval that would require removal and replacement of the trees with a better species of the same size. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated that's o.k. with him as long as far as using that as a basis. City Planner Matt Everling stated we can add a condition that the applicant shall remove the existing trees on the west property line and replace with a species acceptable to the City Planner and we can require them to be 24" Box Trees or 36" whatever the Commission feels more comfortable with. Vice - Chairman Kunioka questioned if that was a 6' wall in the backyard? City Planner Matt Everling replied yes it is, and if we added something like that to the conditions of approval then maybe this item can be moved forward. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated he sees the trade off and that's a problem. He sees the trade off between the privacy and the invasiveness of the trees he also sees the trade off of the property owners rights and the rights of the neighbors. Kamen Lei stated that the property owner has no problem with replacing the trees and I can see how busy the city is and staff has to much work and if we can take this back to staff level and go back to take care of conditions of trees. I would really like to see the Planning Commission approve this tonight with conditions that we work with staff. He does not want staff to have to do another report and come back here. He is aware there are other big projects coming in next week. City Planner Matt Everling stated if the Commission decides to add a condition that may resolve both issues the one with the invasive tree species as well as the privacy issues. We can take care of both of those issues with one condition. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated he has concerns with first floor bedroom #1 wall door still. Comissioner Vuu suggested adding a condition that the sliding door becoming a window. There was conversation with this topic but very faint could not hear. Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting: Monday, June 16, 2008 Page 12 of 16 Chairman Lopez stated he was fine with adding this condition with the slider becoming a window. Chairman Lopez questioned if Commissioner Kunioka was alright with the trees as far as putting in the conditions. Vice - Chairman Kunioka replied yes because he is not sure if he is 100% right about it. Chairman Lopez stated this is why we are here talking about it. So we are going to ask you to put in the conditions for working on the trees. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated he has concerns but he doesn't want to force the trees out. They may be better the way they are. City Planner Matt Everling stated we can add a condition that states applicant shall revise the conceptual landscape plan to show removal of the existing trees on the west elevation and replace with 24" Box Trees needed species. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated we want something that's tall. City Planner Matt Everling suggested an Italian Cypress. Vice- Chairman Kunioka was not sure what type of tree we should plant but he does not care for the "Trees of Heaven ". City Planner Matt Everling stated that the other condition would be to revise the floor plan to show that the sliding glass door in bedroom #1 in parcel 2 to become a window. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated he thought that would be a good idea and he doesn't know about everybody else. Everyone replied they would be o.k. with that. Chairman Lopez stated. public comments are over do I hear a motion with approval of these two added conditions to change. This is for approval with small changes. MOTION BY VICE - CHAIRMAN KUNIOKA, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CAM TO APPROVE Vote results: YES: CAM, KUNIOKA, LOPEZ, AND VUU NO: NONE ABSENT: NONE ABSTAIN: NONE Chairman Lopez declared said motion duly carried and so ordered. Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting: Monday, June 16, 2008 Page 13 of 16 B. CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 01.820 (MOD) & DESIGN REVIEW 07.145 — 888 Montebello Boulevard - Sue Lee of CHCS has submitted applications to expand the existing Double Tree Hotel located adjacent to the Montebello Town Center. The subject site is located at 888 Montebello Boulevard in the C -31D (Medium Commercial with a Design Overlay) zone. RESOLUTION 08 -13 -A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA APPROVING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 01 -820 (MOD) AND DESIGN REVIEW 07 -145 FOR THE ADDITION OF 54 GUEST ROOMS WITH A LOBBY TOTALING 54,739 SQUARE FEET, A 12,440 SQUARE -FOOT BALLROOM AND AN ATTACHED 86,527 SQUARE -FOOT PARKING STRUCTURE TO AN EXISTING HOTEL LOCATED AT 888 MONTEBELLO BOULEVARD IN THE C -3D (MEDIUM COMMERCIAL WITH A DESIGN OVERLAY) ZONE (APN; 5271 - 002 -061). Staff Recommendation - Staff recommends that the Planning Commission CONTINUE Conditional Use Permit 01 -820 (MOD) and Design Review 07 -145 to the July 7, 2008 Planning Commission meeting due to a public noticing error. Jim Flournoy 8655 Landis View, a resident wished to comment on this item. Chairman Lopez stated can it wait till next meeting. Jim Flournoy replied he would like to do it now. City Planner Matt Everling stated because this was a Public Hearing item he could be permitted to speak. Jim Flournoy stated here is a geotechnical report for the Double Tree Hotel but this has a 1998 building code instead of a 2007 building code and they only went 25 feet deep and got 100 feet of fill, this needs to go to Tanya and get reviewed and come back. I don't see any way it's going to go full circle and come back in time for your Public Hearing so don't plan on having a Public Hearing unless you get these items fixed. Chairman Lopez asked City Planner Matt Everting if he knew of these items. City Planner Matt Everling stated yes Jim Flournoy brought it to my attention. Jim Flournoy stated he did it about a week ago. It was written on the paperwork and then he is ready to go on it but he told City Planner Matt Everting this could change your next hearing. Chairman Lopez stated this could lead to legitation and how much time is needed to look into this. City Planner Matt Everling replied it depends on how I need to look into it further, the applicant has already had delays and they were suppose to be here tonight but you may want to just table this instead of continuing it. If we retable the item we will just have to re- notice it. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated is there notices in the mail. Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting: Monday, June 16, 2006 Page 14 of 16 City Planner Matt Everling stated yes as far as the notice on the 10 on the CEQA item the notice of Public Hearing was sent out for the July 7 meeting. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated if it is already noticed then we still will be allowed to not table the item and continue to the next meeting in July 7th Chairman Lopez stated do we want to continue the item and then at that time table it. City Planner Matt Everling stated that is a good idea because there may be people that show up to speak. Jim Flournoy stated he may have more detailed comments at the next meeting than he just had. Chairman Lopez may I have a motion to continue until July 7, 2008 and at that time we will discuss if we will table to a later date. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER VUU, SECONDED BY VICE - CHAIRMAN KUNIOKA TO APPROVE Vote results: YES: CAM, KUNIOKA, LOPEZ, AND VUU NO: NONE ABSENT: NONE ABSTAIN: NONE Chairman Lopez declared said motion duly carried and so ordered. 5. MATTERS FROM THE CHAIRMAN & COMMISSIONERS Chairman Lopez stated he has something for Matt Everling and staff, since he has Chairman for the last 3 years we might start looking for Vice - Chairman Kunioka to move in shortly. Chairman Lopez will give it a few more months but he would like Vice - Chairman Kunioka to take over. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated he doesn't mind Chairman Lopez staying as Chairman for as long as he wants but if he would like him to step in he would. Chairman Lopez stated he loves doing it but he thinks its time for someone else to do it. He would not mind coming back at a later time. We will talk about it some more at a later time. Commissioner Vuu questioned Matt Everling, when are they going to start advertising for the Planning Commissioner position? Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting.' Monday, June 16, 2008 Page 15 of 16 City Planner Matt Everling stated that at the last week's City Council Meeting the council directed staff to starts advertising for a new Commissioner. They are only going to run the advertising for two weeks. So if you know anybody that wants to be a commissioner just have them go to the City Clerks office for the application. Vice - Chairman Kunioka stated are they asking for Traffic Commission and Planning Commission. City Planner Matt Everling stated yes they are accepting applications for both. Brian Lewin, 9501 Ralph Street speaking as Traffic Commissioner, basically his understanding of the issue at this point is that Joan Hunter's term is ending in July so she has the option of signing or submitting a statement of intent to continue and at the same time council has opened it up for other applicants that wish to apply. If she chooses to express her intent to continue then the other applicants would be competing against her for her seat. The same is likely to happen in one month for Howard Masuda. Neither of them has expressed their intent to me so he will not pretend to speak for them. He does not know what is in their heads whether they want to continue or not. But they are not actually leaving because the City Council has not actually stated that the seat is completely open. That has not happened, we will see. Chairman Lopez stated that Joan Hunter needs to reapply. Brian Lewin stated in Joan Hunters case she needs to only submit a letter stating that she wishes to continue with her current position or something like that he's not sure. He has not had to do it so he is not sure. 6. MATTERS FROM THE CITY PLANNER AND STAFF a I►�" 7. ADJOURNMENT Chairman Lopez adjourned the Planning Commission Meeting at 8:03 p.m. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER VUU, SECONDED BY CHAIRMAN LOPEZ TO ADJOURN UNTIL THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING. ME /RL Rosemead Planning Commission Meeting: Monday, June 16, 2008 Page 16 of 16