PC Minutes 2016-02-16ACTION MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2016
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 215 EAST BRANCH STREET
ARROYO GRANDE, CALIFORNIA
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chair George called the Regular Planning Commission meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
Planning Commission: Commissioners John Keen, Glenn Martin, Terry Fowler -Payne, John
Mack, and Lan George were present.
Staff Present: Community Development Director Teresa McClish, Associate Planner
Matt Downing, City Engineer Matt Horn, and Secretary Debbie
Weichinger were present.
3. FLAG SALUTE
Commissioner Keen led the flag salute.
4. AGENDA REVIEW
None
5. COMMUNITY COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS
None
6. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
The Commission received the following material after preparation of the agenda:
1. Memo dated February 16, 2016 from Associate Planner Matt Downing regarding Agenda
Item 8.a.
2. Memo dated February 2, 2016 from Administrative Secretary Debbie Weichinger regarding
the Commissioner liaison revised schedule for Architectural Review Committee and
Historical Review Committee meetings in 2016.
7. CONSENT AGENDA
7.a. Consideration of Approval of Minutes.
Recommended Action: Approve the minutes of the Regular Planning Commission Meeting of
January 19, 2016 as submitted
Action: Commissioner Mack moved to approve the minutes of the Regular Planning Commission
Meeting of January 19, 2016, as submitted. Commissioner Keen seconded, and the motion passed
on the following roll call vote:
AYES:
Mack, Keen, Fowler -Payne, Martin
NOES:
None
ABSENT:
None
ABSTAIN:
George
8. PUBLIC HEARINGS
8.a. CONSIDERATION OF LOT MERGER 15-004, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 15-007, AND
MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION; CONSTRUCTION OF A 54 -ROOM BOUTIQUE HOTEL;
LOCATION — 325 EAST BRANCH STREET; APPLICANT — NKT COMMERCIAL;
REPRESENTATIVE — STEVEN PUGLISI ARCHITECTS
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FEBRUARY 16, 2016
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Commissioner Fowler -Payne stepped down from the dais due to living within 500' of the proposed
project.
Associate Planner Downing presented the staff report and recommended that the Planning
Commission adopt a Resolution adopting the Mitigated Negative Declaration and approving Lot
Merger 15-004 and Conditional Use Permit 15-007.
Associate Planner Downing and Community Development Director McClish responded to questions
from the Commission regarding the proposed project.
Steve Puglisi, architect, spoke in support of the project, addressed the Commission's and audience
concerns/comments from the Commission meeting of December 1, 2015 including the architectural
character of the proposed building, signage, parking, trash containers, and responded to questions
from the Commission on the proposed project.
Chair George opened the public hearing:
Ms. Welsh, Arroyo Grande, stated this proposal looks better than the last proposal. She expressed
concern with trash cans in the parking lot, shared parking with the restaurant, the pool due to the
current drought, traffic on East Branch Street, and asked that the fees collected from the developer
be used on a traffic solution before the project goes through.
Richard Waller, spoke in support of the proposed hotel and asked that Tally Ho Creek be removed
from the records and replaced with Corbett Creek.
Bob Lund, stated he did a survey of businesses in the Village regarding the proposed hotel and all
spoke in support of the proposal.
Angela Plummer, Greg Moore, East Branch Street, Ron Meier, James Way, Daryl Cope, partner of
Rooster Creek, Henry Gonzalez, Arroyo Grande Meat Company, Denise Andreini, East Branch
Street spoke in support of the project.
Shirley Gibson, Halcyon, presented pictures of architectural details in the Village, spoke in support
of the hotel concept, and stated the following: the hotel will bring in traffic for the merchants; at one
time there were four hotels in the Village, the mass and length of the hotel negates the cottage look,
asked where are the design elements of the hotel building, feels parking in the front makes a
negative impact, and there should be a relationship to the hotels with the other Village buildings.
Dillon Ryan, expressed concern with parking and parking for hotel workers.
Mike McConville, East Branch Street, agreed with Ms. Gibson on that the parking and roof line
needs to be changed. He added traffic and water needs to be addressed.
Susan Flores, East Branch Street, expressed concern with the proposed project being under
parked, need better signage, and said traffic needs to be mitigated then look at big project.
Barbara Freel, Le Point Street, asked how the proposed project will benefit the people that live in
Arroyo Grande and stated school traffic is an issue.
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FEBRUARY 16, 2016
PAGE 3
Dave Ross, La Cresta Drive, stated traffic is a problem already without the proposed hotel, the City
needs to monitor people driving in this area, and spoke in support of the proposed hotel.
John Vandenburg, addressed parking for the proposed hotel and stated the hotel can ask for the
identity of the guest's vehicle and spoke in support of the proposed hotel.
Hearing no further comments, Chair George closed the public hearing.
Community Developer Director McClish explained the General Plan build -out projections with
regard to water and explained the grey water option for the project.
Commissioner Keen provided the following comments: encourage grey water, in favor of the new
wall in front but does not want the landscape and trees to hide the mural on the Mason Bar building;
likes the trellis feature, and stated the project is 100% better.
Commissioner Mack provided the following comments: stated the architecture is outstanding,
issues are internal and working of hotel itself, the parking lot is a dead end, the hotel is the right
use, disappointed not a boutique hotel, would of have liked to see a meeting room, suggested
taking out the back of the building to make turning movement easier, would like to see refinement of
parking lot with the rooms, and said there is an issue with no parking of oversized vehicles.
Commissioner Martin provided the following comments: the project is in compliance with the
zoning, traffic is less for a hotel than market, support the use, likes the architectural design, the
traffic is not going away as the traffic through the Village is impacted by Paulding School, additional
traffic will be incidental, and stated this is a great project and has no issues with it.
Chair George provided the following comments: is in support of the hotel, likes the covered trellis,
need to address the height of the fence so not to impede the mural.
Action: Commissioner Keen moved to adopt a resolution entitled "A RESOLUTION OF THE
PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE ADOPTING A MITIGATED
NEGATIVE DECLARATION AND APPROVING LOT MERGER 15-004 AND CONDITIONAL USE
PERMIT 15-007; LOCATED AT 325 EAST BRANCH STREET; APPLIED FOR BY NKT
COMMERCIAL", with the following modification to add Conditions of Approvals: 1) the maximum
height of the fence adjacent to Branch Street shall be 42", 2) maintain the landscape to be low
profile to not block the mural, 3) add a fully equipped and functional electrical vehicle charging
parking space, and 4) implement grey water for ozone laundry system. Commissioner Martin
seconded and the motion passed on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Keen, Martin, Mack, George
NOES: None
ABSENT: Fowler -Payne
9. NON-PUBLIC HEARING ITEM
None
Chair George called for a break at 7:55 pm and reconvened at 8:00 pm.
PLANNING COMMISSION
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FEBRUARY 16, 2016
In KinTirc nc AMIRIK11eTRAT11M nPr1¢1nK1Q QlMrF F:FRRI IARY 9 9n1A
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Case No.
Applicant
Address
Description
Action
Planner
ARCH 15-012 &
DeBlauw
Paulding Circle
Construction of two (2)
A
K.
MEX 15-008
Builders
(East Village
three-story mixed use
Heffernon
Plaza)
buildings on adjacent
lots and a three foot (3')
deviation in building
height.
ARCH 16-001
William
303 East Branch
Commercial fagade
A
M.
Hales
Street
modifications to an
Downing
existing commercial
building
Community Development Director McClish reported that ARCH 15-012 and MEX 15-008 has been
appealed and will be scheduled for a public hearing.
11. COMMISSION COMMUNICATIONS
Commissioner Martin reported that work is under way at the Medical Office Building on Fair Oaks
Avenue including removing trees.
In response to Chair George's question, Community Development Director McClish stated that the
Director of Public Works is looking into the tree being removed at the Ash Street development.
In response to Commissioner Mack's question, Community Development Director McClish stated
that the use of water in the basin are used for storage and it allows for percolation to the
groundwater basin and that she will look into if water could be used to water the sports field.
12. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS
None
13. ADJOURNMENT
On motion by Commissioner Keen, seconded by Commissioner Martin and unanimously carried,
the meeting adjourned 8:04 p.m.
ATTEST:
DEBBIE WEICHINGER 0
SECRETARY TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION
(Approved at PC Meeting March 1, 2016)
LA"rOF qE, CHAIR