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PC Minutes 1999-03-161 1 MINUTES ARROYO GRANDE PLANNING COMMISSION MARCH 16, 1999 The Arroyo Grande Planning Commission met in regular session with Acting Chair Greene presiding. Present are Commissioners Parker, Keen, Costello and London. Staff members in attendance are Community Development Director Jim Hamilton, Associate Planner Kelly Heffernon. Acting Chair Greene welcomed Martin London to the Planning Commission. MINUTE APPROVAL Commissioner Parker requested that Craig Campbell's answer to her question (located on page 3) be added to the March 2, 1999 minutes. Acting Chair Greene requested that the minutes reflect that he was absent on the January 19 meeting due to a conflict of interest with the Rodeo Heights project. The minutes of the regular meetings of January 19, February 16 and March 2 were unanimously approved as amended on motion by Commissioner Costello, and seconded by Commissioner Parker. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - None WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS 1. Memorandum from Community Development Director Jim Hamilton dated March 16, 1999 concerning letter to all project applicants. 2. Letter from Edward and Alice Reinhard dated March 9, 1999 concerning the proposed Rodeo Heights project. 3. Letter from George D. Halls dated March 9, 1999 concerning the proposed Rodeo Heights project. 4. Letter to Nanci Parker from the Environmental Defense Center, dated March 9, 1999 concerning the Rosemary Lane Extension, Tract 1998. Item 1. was not included in the packets and will be included in the agenda for the next Planning Commission meeting. Jim introduced Associate Planner Kelly Heffernon to the Planning Commission. PUBLIC HEARING - PRESENTATION OF THANK YOU PROCLAMATIONS TO SANDY LUBIN AND DEL HANEY. Acting Chair Greene stated that the Public Hearing Item for this evening was one that gives him great pleasure because he had had the . chance to work with Del and Sandy in the capacity as an associate commissioner since March of 1997. Following the reading of the Proclamations Acting Chair Greene commented that when he joined the Commission in 1997 he had zero experience in issues relating to planning, land use and the administration of local government. It was his pleasure for those two years to work with Commissioners Lubin and Del Haney. He stated that these gentlemen had brought wisdom, vision, intellect and good judgment to Arroyo Grande Planning Commission March 16, 1999 Page 2 every decision they participated in and also demonstrated an abiding devotion to the rule of law, to the Development Code and to the General Plan. It has been his great pleasure to be part of a group that was led by these gentlemen. He stated that the Community has been very lucky to have these individuals to serve as volunteers in the capacity as members of the Planning Commission. He further stated that there were not words to express his respect and admiration for the leadership they have provided. He also presented Del with a plaque, which was created and provided on behalf of the City Council. NON- PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS — None DISCUSSION ITEMS — None PLANNING COMMISSION ITEMS AND COMMENTS Jim Hamilton stated that it is the staffs' recommendation that they adopt a resolution that amends Section 11 B. 1. a. of the Planning Commission Rules and Procedures to designate the second regular meeting in March as the date for the annual election of a Chairperson and Vice- Chairperson and that they elect a Chairperson and Vice - Chairperson. Acting Chair Greene questioned if the wording in Resolution 98 -1687, Section 11 B. 1. a. should be changed from "At its first regular meeting in July..." to "At its second regular meeting in March..." Jim Hamilton responded that the change should be made. Acting Chair Greene suggested an informal discussion among Commissioners to change the traditional start time of the Planning Commission meetings from 7:30 P.M. to an earlier time. Mr. Hamilton stated that it was up to the Commission to decide if they want to change the meeting time. The Commission decided it would be best to discuss this issue in the future. Hearing no further comments on this issue, the following action was taken: RESOLUTION 99 -1687 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE PLANNING COMMISSION AMENDING RULES AND PROCEDURE On motion by Commissioner Keen, seconded by Commissioner Parker, and by the following roll call vote, to wit: AYES: Commissioner Costello, Keen, London, Parker, and Acting Chair Greene NOES: None ABSENT: None 1 1 1 1 1 Arroyo Grande Planning Commission March 16, 1999 Page 3 the foregoing resolution was adopted this 16 day of March 1999. Election of Officers Acting Chair Greene called for nominations for Chairperson of the Planning Commission, City of Arroyo Grande. Commissioner Keen nominated Acting Chair Greene for Chairperson. Commissioner Costello seconded the motion. The motion was approved by the following vote: AYES: Commissioners Costello, Keen, London, Parker and Acting Chair Greene NOES: None ABSENT: None Chair Greene called for nominations for Vice - Chairperson of the Planning Commission, City of Arroyo Grande. Commissioner Keen nominated Commissioner Parker for the Vice -Chair position. Commissioner Costello seconded the motion. The motion was approved by the following vote: . AYES: Commissioners Costello, Keen, London, Parker and Chair Greene NOES: None ABSENT: None DISCUSSION ITEMS: Jim Hamilton requested that the Commission hold a special meeting on March 30 for the Public Hearing to consider the Village Glen (James Way Annexation) project. The Commission had discussed holding the Public Hearing on March 24 however this would not be possible because Commissioner Parker would be attending the Commissioner's Institute in Monterey, which begins on March 25 Mr. Hamilton also suggested that it would be appropriate to consider starting the special meeting on March 30 earlier, maybe at 6:30. He also informed the Commission that, as they had requested, a block ad would be placed in the newspaper to advertise the March 30, 1999 meeting. Chair Greene asked when the materials would be ready for the Commission's review and Mr. Hamilton responded that staff expected to have the final EIR Friday, March 19 in the afternoon and they would be distributed to the Commissioners the same day. Chair Greene asked Mr. Hamilton if he expected that they would need more than one meeting for this issue. Arroyo Grande Planning Commission March 16, 1999 Page 4 Mr. Hamilton responded that it was a very good possibility it . would require more than one meeting. He stated that what the staff would be looking for in the Commission's action would be certification of the EIR, and a determination on the General Plan Amendment and pre - zoning of the property. Commissioner Keen moved to set a special meeting of the Arroyo Grande Planning Commission on March 30, 1999 starting at 6:30 p.m. to consider the Village Glen Annexation EIR and Development Code Amendment. Commissioner Parker seconded the motion. The motion was approved by the following vote: AYES: Commissioners Costell, Greene, Keen, London, Parker and Chair Greene NOES: None ABSENT: None COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR COMMENTS AND FOLLOW -UP REPORTS. Jim Hamilton provided the Commission with information that was given out at the March 8 Long Range Planning Committee and the General Plan Core Outreach Team. At this meeting they were provided a Synopsis of Comments and an analysis of the results from the General Plan Update, Citizens' Planning Survey. He stated that Commissioner Parker was generous in her time and did a great job compiling the comments. It is the intent of the Long Range Planning Committee to go back to the City Council with this information and seek their direction as to where the process should go next. Commissioner Keen also commended Commissioner Parker on a job well done and stated that he felt it was very informative. He asked what percentage of the surveys returned had comments. Commissioner Parker responded that she randomly selected four books of surveys out of a total of sixteen books. She said approximately one -third of the surveys returned had comments on them. She said it was difficult to compile the comments. To insure the integrity of the comments, she had transcribed them word for word. Commissioner Keen was concerned by the use of the word "mandate" with regards to the survey results. He stated that to him a mandate means everyone in town wants this. In reality he felt this was just a small cross section of the community. Commissioner Parker responded that this same issue had been brought up at the Long Range Planning Committee meeting; several people had a problem with the word mandate. She said Otis Page said the reason he put that in was because, when you are having a general election and 67% of the voters agree on something that causes it to be a mandate. Otis didn't mean that the City Council needed to take action on this but rather the use of a word was his attempt to give the numbers some meaning. 1 1 1 1 1 Arroyo Grande Planning Commission March 16, 1999 Page 5 Commissioner Keen reiterated that he still has a problem with the word mandate. He felt the whole process was great, he just had a problem with the evaluation of it. Chair Greene said that they might want to define the word mandate for the City Council. He suggested that it might be helpful to identify those items in survey that were approved or disapproved by a supermajority of the respondents. He also said it is important to make it clearer to those who review the survey results that even though only 1,000 surveys were counted and returned that it represents more than a 1,000 city residents. In using his household as an example he explained that, although only one survey was turned in, it represented the views of four people. Commissioner Parker asked that when the survey is presented to the City Council will the comments from the Long Rang Planning Committee and the Core Outreach Team be included in that presentation. Jim Hamilton responded that Councilman Tolley will be presenting the findings to the Council but staff reports will be providing comments made from the different committees. Commissioner Parker asked how many families are in the city. Mr. Hamilton responded that the average household size is 2.5. He said there are a little over 5,000 equitable households in the city. Of the surveys returned about 25% were families with children while the remainder were single or two person households. Commissioner Costello asked if Mr. Hamilton knew when the Rodeo Heights project would come before the Commission. Mr. Hamilton responded that he did not know for sure at this time, but probably sometime in April. Mr. Hamilton said that hopefully an Interim Director would be identified by the end of the month. The Planning Commission will be notified when that decision had been made Chair Greene said it had been a pleasure working with Jim Hamilton. He said Mr. Hamilton has provided outstanding leadership as the Community Development Director and extraordinary support to the Commission in meetings as well as outside of meetings. Commissioner Greene said he is sorry to see him go and that the City will suffer in his absence, but he wished him the best of luck in his new job. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Commission, the meeting was adjourned by Chair Greene at 8:15 p.m. Arroyo Grande Planning Commission March 16, 1999 Page 6 ATTEST: es Hamilton, AICP ommunity Development Director /aauMc Gimme, Kathleen Fryer, Acting Comm ssion Clerk Laurence Greene, Chair s: / /CDD /Planning Commission Agenda /March 16, 1999/PC Min 3- 16- 99.doc