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PC - Minutes - 03-02-15 Minutes of the PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING March 2,2015 The regular meeting of the Planning Commission was called to order by Chair Eng at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers,8838 E.Valley Boulevard. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE-Commissioner Herrera INVOCATION-Commissioner Lopez ROLL CALL-Commissioners Herrera, Lopez,Tang, and Chair Eng ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS PRESENT: City Attorney Murphy,Community Development Director Ramirez,Assistant Planner Hanh,and Commission Secretary Lockwood. 1. EXPLANATION OF HEARING PROCEDURES AND APPEAL RIGHTS Greg Murphy,City Attorney, presented the procedure and appeal rights of the meeting. 2. PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE None 3. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. ZONE VARIANCE 14-06 AND MINOR EXCEPTION 14.25• Frank Wah Hui has submitted an application for a Zone Variance and Minor Exception requesting an exception to the minimum setback for an attached accessory building and to make additions to an existing legal nonconforming single-family dwelling unit. The property is located at 3209 Falling Leaf Avenue, in the R-2 (Light Multiple Residential)zone. PC RESOLUTION -A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, APPROVING ZONE VARIANCE 14-06 AND MINOR EXCEPTION 14-25, GRANTING AN EXCEPTION TO THE MINIMUM SETBACK FOR AN ATTACHED ACCESSORY BUILDING AND TO MAKE ADDITIONS TO AN EXISTING LEGAL NONCONFORMING SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLING UNIT. THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 3209 FALLING LEAF AVENUE, IN THE R•2(LIGHT MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL)ZONE. STAFF RECOMMENDATION • It is recommended that the Planning Commission ADOPT Resolution No. 15-01 with findings and APPROVE Zone Variance 14-06 and Minor Exception 1425, subject to the twenty(20)conditions outlined. Assistant Planner Hanh presented the staff report. Chair Eng asked the Planning Commission if there were any questions or comments for staff. None 1 Chair Eng asked staff to clarify that one of the reasons for this Zone Variance is because it's a nonconforming lot,the lot size, and also the frontage. Assistant Planner Hanh explained that the lot width is substandard and it will be difficult for the applicant to fit the garage setback,and to have the side setback on the interior side. Chair Eng asked if the Zone Variance is for the location of the two-car garage and for the setback. Assistant Planner Hanh replied it is for the setback for the accessory building.which is the garage. Chair Eng asked if the Minor Exception is for the side setback. Assistant Planner Hanh replied yes. Chair Eng asked if the driveway is going to be relocated. Assistant Planner Hanh replied no it is being widen. Chair Eng referred to the chain link fencing that is being removed and asked if it will be replaced with another type of fencing. Assistant Planner Hanh replied a fence is not being proposed. Chair Eng asked if all the improvements and renovations made to the building structure will all be made to match. Assistant Planner Hanh replied yes. Chair Eng asked if the Planning Commission had any further questions or comments. None Chair Eng opened the Public Hearing and invited the applicant to the podium. Kamen Lai, applicants representative stated staff has prepared a very detailed staff report and he is present to answer any questions that the Planning Commission may have. He stated that he has read the Conditions of Approval and is agreeable to all of them. Commissioner Tang asked Kamen Lai if he was the property owner. Kamen Lai replied the owner is in the audience and he is the designer. Commissioner Tang asked if this home will be owner-occupied. Kamen Lai replied yes. Chair Eng asked if the floor plan will remain the same after the addition. Kamen Lai replied yes. 2 Resident Mike Maurizio expressed that when this project is completed it will look very nice. He stated he lives on this block, that it is very dark, and his vehicle has been burglarized in the past. He requested that an additional street light be installed if possible. Community Development Director Ramirez stated that she will let the Acting Public Works Director know that a request has been made for an additional street light and they can study the issue to see if another street light is needed. Chair Eng thanked the resident and asked if there were any other questions or comments. None Chair Eng closed the Public Hearing. She asked staff if the other residences in that area are about the same square footage. Assistant Planner Hanh replied the residential homes to the East are 1,500 to 1,600 square feet,to the West they are 1,541 square feet,to the North they are 1,000 square feet,and to the South they are 1,500 square feet. Chair Eng asked the Planning Commission if there were any further questions or comments for staff. None Chair Eng asked for a motion. Commissioner Lopez made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Tang that the Planning Commission ADOPT Resolution No. 15-01 with findings and APPROVE Zone Variance 14-06 and Minor Exception 14-25, subject to the twenty(20)conditions outlined. Vote resulted in: Yes: Eng, Herrera, Lopez, and Tang No: None Abstain: None Absent: None Community Development Director Ramirez explained the 10-day appeal process. 4. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Minutes of December 15,2014 Chair Eng requested a correction to page 11 (change street name from Wheeler to Willard) and a correction to page 14 in the first paragraph(add a brief sentence to"explained why")to make it clearer. City Attorney Murphy stated the PC Minutes of 12-15-14 will need to be pulled separately and approved at the next Planning Commission meeting after the corrections have been made. B. Minutes of January 5,2015 Chair Eng referred to page 6 and requested a correction to the spelling of name a(Chester not Jester). 3 Commissioner Lopez made a motion,seconded by Commissioner Herrera,to approve Minutes of January 5, 2015 with the correction. Vote resulted in: Yes: Eng, Herrera, Lopez,and Tang No: None Abstain: None Absent: None 5. MATTERS FROM STAFF Community Development Director Ramirez announced the date, time, and location of the City Wide Yard Sale and invited all to attend. She also announced the date and location of the"Lunar New Year Banquet" sponsored by the Rosemead Chamber of Commerce. She stated she is not sure of the time but will send an e-mail to all the Planning Commissioners with the information and as a friendly reminder. 6. MATTERS FROM THE CHAIR&COMMISSIONERS A. Noticing of Public Hearings Chair Eng stated she had requested this information and thanked staff for providing the staff report and survey. She commented this was very helpful and the survey shows that the City's noticing practices are similar to the neighboring cities with the exception of San Gabriel, South El Monte, and Temple City.She added as projects are coming in, this is the appropriate time to find better ways to engage and reach out to the community. She stated she also requested this information because of the uniqueness of the City's layout with commercial corridors abutting residential properties and the impacts will be more significant for intense projects. She stated she would like to do a little more to engage the public because the goal is to make sure the projects will be successful and will contribute to improve a better quality of life. She invited the Planning Commission to share their thoughts, questions, and suggestions with staff and the Planning Commission to provide guidance when looking at upcoming projects. Commissioner Tang asked staff in addition to sending out Public Hearing notices and with working with their applicants, do they encourage the applicant to do their own additional public outreach to the neighbors, to get feedback on the project. Community Development Director Ramirez replied yes, and explained that it depends on the size and scope of the project,or land use change. Commissioner Herrera announced that she will not be able to attend the March 16th Planning Commission meeting and asked if staff thought there would be a meeting on this date. Community Development Director Ramirez replied yes. Commissioner Tang announced that the Rosemead Chamber of Commerce"Lunar Dinner"will begin at 6:30 p.m. Chair Eng asked if there were any further questions or comments regarding the Public Hearing notice process. None Chair Eng stated a public speaker request has been submitted for this item and called Brian Lewin to the podium. 4 Resident Brian Lewin expressed this item is important and requested that the Planning Commission or City Council, whichever is appropriate, initiate and consider the possibility of expanding the notification area for mixed-use projects from the existing 300 foot radius to a 500 foot radius. He also requested that community workshops be required for mixed-use projects and for commercial projects in excess of 10,000 square feet. City Attorney Murphy stated this item was agenized just as Matters from the Chair and Commissioners to receive and file report. He stated if the Planning Commission would like to get substantive discussion of the matter, then it would be appropriate to agenized for a later meeting. He addressed Brian Lewin and explained what would have to happen to put either one of those types of expanded notices or notifications requirements in place (it would have to be a City Council approved ordinance that would change the mixed-use zoning code to require the additional notice). He added if it is the will of the Planning Commission and if they would like to go down that road and think about it,then it would be appropriate to agenized a discussion for later and during that discussion you can talk about what your options would be in terms of directing staff to then bring an ordinance back to the Planning Commission as a recommendation to the City Council. He explained that would be an extended process taking about three(3)to four (4) months given staffs other work and the requirements needed, such as the first meeting to discuss it, drafting the ordnance, and bringing that back for a recommendation. He added if that is what the Planning Commission would like to do,then please give direction and staff will begin that process for them. Chair Eng, after discussion with the Planning Commission, stated this item will be received and fi led this evening and agenized this for further discussion for a meeting in the future to initiate this process. She asked the Planning Commission if there were any other items to discuss. None Chair Eng announced that the League of Califomia Cities, Planning Commissioners Academy, is taking place March 4, 2015 thru March 6, 2015 in Newport Beach. She commented that if any of the Planning Commissioners would like to attend it would be educational but reminded them it is costly. Community Development Director Ramirez stated she did not receive any notification of this upcoming event. Chair Eng stated she has attended previous Planning Commission Academy's and found them instructive, informative, educational, and recommended Planning Commissioners attend if they are interested. She reminded everyone that March 3, 2015 is Election Day and encouraged everyone to go out and vote. 7. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 7:27 p.m. The next regular Planning Commission meeting will be held on Monday, March 16,2015,at 7:00 p.m. Nancy Eng (� ) Chair ATT Rachel Lockwood Commission Secretary 5