PC Minutes 1986-06-17ARROYO GRANDE PLANNING COMMISSION
June 17, 1986
The Arroyo Grande Planning Commission met in regular session with Vice Chairman Carr
presiding. Present are Commissioners Olsen, .Moore, Soto and Flores. Cormrissioner Boggess and
Chairman Gerrish are absent.' 'Planning Director Eisner and Special Projects Engineer Dwayne
Chisam are also in attendance.
MINUTE APPROVAL
Hearing no additions or corrections, the minutes of the regular meeting of May 6, 1986
were approved as prepared on motion by Commissioner Olsen, seconded by Commissioner Soto,
and unanimously carried.
ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW CASE NO. 86 -370, SUN PORCH ADDITION, "THE ALDER
HOUSE ", 295 ALDER STREET IN THE "R -3" DISTRICT. (RON STOB).
Planning Director Eisner advised this is a request for architectural review of a minor
addition of a sun porch. He noted that normally this kind of review would not come before the
Planning Comnisssion, but because the facility is used for institutional purposes, it does require
review of the Cbrmission.
After a brief discussion, Architectural Review Case No. 86 -370 was approved on
notion by Commissioner Soto, seconded by Cormuissioner Olsen, and unanimously carried, subject
to the conditions listed in the staff report dated June 17, 1986.
COMMISSIONER BOGGESS ENTERED THE MEETING DURING THE ABOVE DISCUSSION.
ARCTIITECIURAL REVIEW CASE NO. 86- 365, SIGN PLAN, VILLAGE CREEK PLAZA ON
STATION WAY IN THE "0-2" GENERAL OOMMERCTAL DISTRICT. (MID OAST LAND
CO./CN SIGNS & GRAPHICS).
Planning Director Eisner advised the request is for a comprehensive sign program for
the shopping center at Village Creek Plaza. The request is for an architecturally integrated
sign enclosure to be installed to the face of the building above the entrance to each individual
premises. The maximum size of sign will be 15" by 14 ", with the exact size to be determined by
the number of square feet of floor area. The plan also includes a specific signing request for
Miler's Hardware, which includes a 2' x 12' lettered name, and two 4' x 6' signs on either side
of the entry identifying the premises as an "Ace Hardware" outlet. The third part of the
application is for a pair of pedestal entry signs to the shopping center itself at Traffic Way
and Fair Oaks Avenue, and are consistent with the overall design and materials of the shopping
center.
Mr. Eisner asked, with regard to the third portion of the application, that should the
Planning Commission approve the plan, it be conditioned to read "subject to the 'motional
approval of the Public Works Department ". He explained that in their submission, the
applicants did not submit a site plan with the dimensions, and staff is concerned about the visual
aspect of traffic into Station Way.
Planning Director Eisner advised that the request has been reviewed by. the Staff
Advisory Committee and is forwarded to the Connrnssion with the two conditions listed in the
staff report dated June 17, 1986.
In answer to Vice Chairman Carr's question regarding typical signs being a maximum of
15" by 14', Planning Director Eisner advised that the restuarant sign is 40 sq. ft. and asked
that this be taken into account.
Mr. Moerman, CN Signs & Graphics, commented that Condition No. 2 is not germain
because that information has now been provided. Mr. Eisner suggested that the approval be
conditioned that the maxim urn ° height will be no more than 4' 6 ", and that the location of the
monument sign be subject to the approval of the Public Works Department.
After further discussion, Architectural Review Case No. 86 -365 was approved on
notion by Commissioner Boggess, seconded by Commissioner Soto, and unanimously carried,
subject to conditions listed in the staff report, dated June 17, 1986, deleting Condition No. 2,
and replacing that condition with the following:
2. Monument signs shall be no more than 4'6" in overall height. Location of
monument signs subject to approval of the Public Works Director.
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Arroyo Grande Planning Q an, 6 -17 -86 Page 2
PUBLIC HEARING - LOT SPLIT CASE NO. 86 -429, (TAT LINE ADJUSTMENT), AND LOT
SPLIT CASE NO. 86-430," 345 SUNRISE DRIVE IN THE "R -3-D" MULTIPLE FAMILY
RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. ' (SUNRISE TERRACE HOMES, LID.).
Planning Director Eisner advised that the first request is for a minor lot line
adjustment. He stated in preparing the staff report, the conditions recommended by the Staff
Advisory Committee were listed for both the lot line adjustment and the .lot split. Staff is
recommending that . the conditions be deleted from the lot line adjustment, and the only condition
would the the requirement that a final map be prepared for recordation.
The second lot split application is a request to divide what is now a single parcel with
a mobilehome park, a neighborhood shopping center and a paved piece . of property, into three
separate parcels: He ,noted that .there was an error made on the map showing the property, in
that the Rase Victorian Inn is not included in the proposed split. He pointed' out that, if the
Lot Split is approved, only the land is being divided on the map; no changes are contemplated
or will be approved, nor are we approving any use for the vacant parcel adjacent to. the Rose
Victorian Inn.
Upon being assured by the Planning Commission Secretary that public hearing for Lot
Split Cases No. 86 -429 and' 86 -430 had been duly published and property owners notified, Vice
Chairman Carr declared the hearing open.
Mr. Dan Lloyd, Engineering Development Associates in . San . Luis _ Obispo, stated the
action on the lot line adjustment is being taken in response to a surveying error made back in
1958. He stated that the existing property line runs through a parking area where there is
currently some curbing, planting, etc., so actually the lot line will now exist where everybody
thought it existed for the past 20 years. Mr. Eisner noted that.. the lot line . adjustment is
agreed upon by both property owners in question.
Regarding Lot Split Case No. 86 -430, Mr. Eisner stated there were some questions
regarding the conditions of approval. He introduced Dwayne Chisam, Special Projects Engineer
with the 'Public Works Department, to discuss those conditions. Mr. Chisam advised that north
of Parcel 1 where the block wall was constructed for the commercial facility that is there now,
and with the adjacent farm land being as flat as it is, the wall acts as a dam causing the water
to pond on the farmland. ° He stated by mitigating this, you can get the .water into the channel
and get it along the way. Commissioner Moore commented that in 1978 and 1981 . was got a lot
of water behind that wall and John Taylor almost lost his house. Mr. Chisam stated that, as
part of the mitigating measures, the applicant will have to do a drainage study including' an
analysis of the block wall between Parcel 1 and the farmland. Regarding the drainage channel
for dedication, the channel lies directly east of Parcels 1 and 2 and is bridged . by the access
road to the mobilehome park. The reason for the dedication is to assure that the City will
maintain that channel; the channel eventually runs southerly into the creek.
Mr. Lloyd stated the applicants have no problem with Condition No. 1, but would like
to modify Condition No. 4 regarding access from Valley Road. He stated there is a service
access there now and it is their feeling it . poses no problem to cross traffic. With regard to a
question regarding the trees that appear to be almost on the property line, Planning Director
Eisner noted that Condition No. 7 requires that no trees be removed without prior approval of
the Parks and Recreation Department. Mr. Lloyd noted that the trees are . on private . property
and he believes they will be . maintained as they have been in the past. .
Hearing no further comments for or against the proposed lot splits, Vice Chairman Carr
declared the hearing closed.
After further discussion, the following action was taken. Lot Split Case No. 86 -429
was approved on motion by Commissioner Soto, seconded by Commissioner Flores, and unanimously
carried, deleting the • 7 conditions recommended in the staff report, and adding the following
condition: .
1. Final map to be prepared for recordation.
Lot Split Case No. 86 -430 was approved on motion by Camission Soto, seconded by
Conmissioner Moore, and unanimously carried, subject to the 7 conditions listed, modifying
Condition No. 4 to read: "Parcels 1 and 2 shall have no new access from Valley Road ".
PUBLIC HEARING - GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. GPA 85-2, CHANGING
CLASSIFICATION FROM HEAVY COMMERCIAL/LIGHT INDUSTRIAL TO CENTRAL
BUSINESS DISTRICT, MID FROM HEAVY COMMERCIAL/LIGHT INDUSTRIAL 'PO MEDIUM
HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, EAST BRANCH STREET. (CITY OF ARROYO
GRANDE /PLANNING C]OMMLSSION RESOLUTION OF INTENTION).
Arroyo Grande Planning Air, 6 -17 -86 Page 3
Planning Director Eisner recommended that, because of the lack of an environmental
assessment, that the public hearing' on this matter be opened and then continued to allow staff
time to complete the environmental assessment. He advised that the request is for a general
plan amendment that was discussed by the applicants, E. C. Loomis & Son, and the City
approximately a year ago and, at that time; the applicants themselves applied for a General Plan
Amendment. Subsequent to that, the Planning Commission ission passed a Resolution of Intention to
examine the General Plan for this area. The Planning Commission also passed a Resolution of
Intention to examine uses on the west side of the City across from Williams Bros. Market. As a
part of the preliminary review of our Land Use Element, State law requires that the General
Plan be amended no more than 4 times a year, and ; the Planning Commission has established
February, June and October as the three periods for processing any collection of General Plan
Amendments. The fourth period was left as a floater in case of some special circumstance or
direction from the City Council. Mr. Eisner pointed out that, under the provisions of the
California Environmental Quality Act, a preliminary environmental assessment must be prepared.
This assessment has been completed on this property and there are two areas to �be examined;
the first was traffic generation. A preliminary traffic review has been prepared by Omni-
Means, using a preliminary site plan as a basis. The traffic generation materials were based on
floor area proposed and took into account the circumstances on East Branch Street. That
material will be reviewed and will be a part of the continued public hearing presentation. The
second item that came out of 'the preliminary review had to do with a chemical,/organic
contamination of the site. A report prepared by Holguin and Associates indicated that there
were problems to be mitigated on the north side. Once that information was made available to
the City, it was fairly clear that no environmental assessment could be completed until the
mitigation measures could be determined and those mitigations .carried out. A third study was
conducted in detail, and the mitigations have been carried out. There has been a subsequent
review of the site and we now have received from Holguin & Associates, a memo indicating that
it would be acceptable for the Planning Commission to . find that a negative declaration on this
site is in order. He stated it is anticipated that a final report leading to a mitigated negative
declaration can be completed by August 5th.
Mr. Eisner noted that both sides of the street are included in this application and, as a
part of opening this for discussion, staff requests that the Commission separate the two sides of
the street into two separate cases. The reason for that is because the detailed environmental
review has not been completed on the south side of the street.
Upon being assured by the Planning Commission Secretary that public hearing for
General Plan Amendment No. GPA 85 -2 had been duly published, Vice Chairman Carr declared
the hearing open.
Mr. Rob Strong, representing the applicants, stated he doesn't have anything to add at
this time, and that the staff report explains the situation. The environmental conditions on the
north side have been corrected. On the south side we have a more complex situation that will
probably take 4 to 6 months to resolve. He noted that it is the Loomis' intent to remove the
industrial uses from both sides of the street within the next 6 months. Vice Chairman Carr
inquired if the contaminants could be removed and evaluated. Mr. Strong stated that on the
north side the materials were not the type that could be neu alined; the solution was to remove
them entirely; and the exact mitigation program is what they have been unable to resolve. He
stated there is a third round of testing which is scheduled to commence in July or August.
Mr. Eisner stated that the recommendation in the General Plan is an extension of the
Central Business District. The suggestion for the Commission's consideration is to change all or
part of the south side from "P-M" to a medium high density residential designation. Staff's
consideration of that as a possibility had to do with adding some density close to the Village
for people to live who work there.
Louis Dyke, stated he owns property at 408 and 410 East Branch Street. He pointed
out that there are at least three additional parcels on the north side that do not come under
the Loomis ownership. All three of those parcels are on the flat area between the creek and
where the Crown Hill area terrain starts to rise. He stated he objects to the change in the
General Plan for the property that he owns. Mr. Eisner commented that, as a part of a General
Plan Amendment, the applicant is not necessarily the property owner. He stated that all of the
properties that were planned for Heavy Commercial/Light Industrial were taken. If, after the
public hearing, the Planning Commssion feels certain properties should be deleted, it is their
decision to drop any portion out and change the line as they see fit. What staff is asking is
that the Commission consider what the best possible future use is for this area, deal with the
General Plan, and then deal with the zoning when the time is appropriate. Dr. Manfred Shower
stated he owns a piece of the property that is included in the General Plan Amendment, and he
objects to the change. He stated he bought the property because it is Light Industrial and
because of the flexibility under the Light Industrial uses in the City of Arroyo Grande. He
further stated that his long range plans are to use that property for light industrial use.
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Arroyo Grande Planrdrg Cbamissian, 6 -17 -86 Page - 4
After discussion, on motion by C anrissioner Moore, seconded by Corm issioner Flores,
and unanimously carried, the north side of East ]ranch Street was designated as Case No. GPA
85-2 and the south side of the street was designated as Case No. 'GPA 86 -2, and the public
hearing was continued to the first meeting in - -August.
PUBLIC HEARING - GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 'NO. GPA 86-1, CHANGING
CLASSIFICATION FROM MEDIUM HIGH .DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AND "OPEN SPACE TO
PROFESSIONAL O »IMER.CIAL AND LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, PROPERTY LOCATED
ON SO. HALCYON ROAD NORTH ; OF THE ARROYO. GRANDE COMMUNITY 'HOSPITAL
(GENERALLY REFERRED TO AS "THE : GRIEB PROPERTY"). . (Jr E. AND S. H.
JpRGENSEN).
• Planning Director Eisner reviewed that the Planning Cbnn fission,' and subsequently the
City Council, reviewed and approved a General Plan Amendment that changed the designation. on
this property. Since that time the property has been sold, and the new owners have applied,
again for a General Plan Amendment. The request, before the Conn»ssion now is to modify the
General Plan to 'extend the Office and Professional uses to the entire :property, . with the
exception of that portion that was originally identified as a 100 ft. strip of Open Space. The
current° recommendation is that the strip be General Planned low • density residential, which is
consistent with the property to the north and on Alpine Street. The Planning Department is, at
the present time, also holding the subsequent zone change and tentative tract map on • the lots.
This is not part of the consideration at this time. -
Mr. E isner stated that, in reviewing this application, staff feels comfortable with the
environmental assessment that has been done, with one exception; the reason for holding that
one strip out as open space was' that there had been an archaeological survey done as a part of
the consideration for low density single family. residential. It is felt that the applicant has .
addressed that • concern in a detailed assessment of that strip of 'property. As a mitigation,
staff asks that a condition requiring that a qualified anthropologist be present on the site when
any digging and trenching takes place. He stated staff feels that, considering the expansion of
the hospital and the connntment to Office and Professional, there is some justification for
consideration of this General ,Plan Amendment.
Upon being assured by the Planning "won Secretary that public hearing for
General Plan Amendment 86 -1 had been duly published and property owners notified, Vice
Chairman Carr declared the hearing open..
Jerren Jorgensen, applicant, spoke regarding the archaeological findings on the
property. He stated that the hospital is having some problems right now and, as a physican, he
sees this area growing and he sees the need, for a viable hospital. He asked that the
Cannission take action on the request .tonight, stating he is willing to go along with any
recommendations the C onmvssion makes' regarding the project.
Vice Chairman Carr stated that without the environmental assessment, which is
necessary for the General Plan Amendment, the Corrmussion can't move ahead at this time. . Mr.
Eisner stated that staff would ask for continuance at least to the July 1st , meeting to look at
the traffic impacts and, at that time, the zone. change request and tentative map could also be
reviewed. Commissioner Olsen ce mented that the indian . remains were found closer to the
creek many years ago. In answer to Vice Chairman Carr's question, Mr. Eisner advised that a
preliminary archaeological review has been done, and the Commission could .re-affirm the
acceptability of that preliminary review.
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After further discussion, on motion • by Commissioner .Olsen, seconded by Oaranissioner
Soto, and unanimously carried, the matter was continued to the meeting of July 1, 1986, with
directions to staff to prepare the necessary document for °environmental review, particularly
addressing the traffic and archaeological concerns, for completion of a mitigating negative
declaration •
DISCUSSION - GREENBELT SYSTEM RECOMMENDATION
After discussion, the Planning Commission directed staff . to schedule a date for late
July for a walking tour of the Arroyo Grande and Tally Ho Clreeks, and discuss the matter again
after they have a working knowledge from the tour.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the Commission, the meeting was adjourned by
Vice Chairman Carr at 9:30 P.M.