Minutes 1990-12-11
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MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1990
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 215 EAST BRANCH STREET
ARROYO GRANDE, CALIFORNIA
The city Council of the city of Arroyo Grande met at 7:30
P.M., with Mayor Mark M. Millis presiding.
FLAG SALUTE AND INVOCATION
Mayor Millis led the Pledge of Allegiance to our Flag, and
Father Ron Shirley of st. Patrick's Catholic Church delivered the
invocation.
ROLL CALL 'I
,
Present were Mayor Millis and council Members A.K. "Pete"
Dougall, Gene Moots, Doris Olsen and B'Ann Smith. Staff members
present were City Manager Chris Christiansen, city Attorney Judy
Skousen, Deputy city Clerk Marylue Shoemaker, Current Planner Scott
Spierling and Public Works Director Paul Karp.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
CONSENT AGENDA
It was moved by Dougall/Smith, and the motion passed, to
approve Consent Agenda Items 5.A. through 5.X. , with the
recommended courses of action.
5.A. November 13, 1990, city council Minutes. Approved.
5.B. November 27, 1990, city Council Minutes. Approved.
I
S.C. December 4, 1990, city council Reorganization Minutes.
Approved.
S.D. December 5, 1990, Senior Advisory Commission Minutes.
Approved.
5.E. November, 1990, Investment Report. Information.
5.F. Purchase of Vent Fans; pUblic Works Department: Budgeted Item.
Approved.
5.G. Public Works Department Request of December 4, 1990 to
construct Deep Water Well: Project No. 60-90-4. Authorized.
5.H. Execution of Park and Ride Lot Agreement. Authorized.
5.I. Report of Planning Commission Findings and Recommendations for
Revocation of Conditional Use Permit Case No. 89-453, Liquor Store
at 320 East Branch street: Charles Doster/Carlen Landeck. .-,
Information. !
I
5.J. Award of Contract for Various Street Paving: Project No.
90-90-1. Authorized.
S.K. Award of.Bid to Refinish Community Center Floors, Baseboards,
and Handrails. 'Authorized.
6. REGISTER OF CHECKS
It was moved by Smith/Dougall, and the motion passed, to
approve the cash disbursements in the amount of $1,015,234.73, as
contained in the December 6, 1990 Staff Report of Finance Director
David Bacon.
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
DECEMBER 11, 1990
6.A. PUBLIC HEARING - CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT CASE NO. 90-478:
ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW CASE NO. 90-462: APPEAL OF A DENIAL BY THE
PLANNING COMMISSION FOR A SECOND RESIDENTIAL UNIT AND A FARM OFFICE
ATOP AN EXISTING GARAGE: 801 HUASNA ROAD: JAMES P. DOTSON.
Current Planner Scott Spier ling referred to the December 11
1990 memo of Planning Director Doreen Liberto-Blanck and said that'
on May 19, 1989 the city Building Department issued a building
permit for a 31 foot by 36 foot garage to replace an existing 20
foot by 20 foot garage at 801 Huasna Road. He said that the new
garage was to be a maximum height of 14 feet, and after the permit
,~ was issued the old garage was demolished and work started on the
new garage, but in March of 1990 the Building Department received
a citizen complaint that a second story was being constructed over
the garage. He said that on April 4, 1990, after several
investigations, the Building Department placed a "Stop Work" order
on the building and as of this date the interior of the second
story structure is unfinished but the exterior is nearly completed
with minor work to be done on the doors and windows.
Mr. Spierling said that the project was reviewed at the
Planning commission Meetings of October 2 and November 6, 1990 and
the commission voted 4 to 1 to deny the Conditional Use Permit.
After being assured that the Public Hearing had been duly
published and all legal requirements met, Mayor Millis declared the
hearing open and said all persons would be heard regarding the
matter.
SHAWNA SULLIVAN, attorney for the Dotsons, said that when the
Dotsons appiied for the permit the plans stated "designed for
future room on top" and the permit application stated building
designed to support future second story addition. She said that as
soon as the Dotsons got word that it was going to be red tagged
they stopped work on it, but removal is not the r~medy. She said
that denial is an excessive penalty for the Dotsons and that they
have already incurred substantial cost associated with building the
garage to accommodate a two story structure. She said that the
Dotsons have learned a costly lesson and asked the Council to grant
the appeal and issue the permit.
JIM DOTSON of 801 Huasna Road said that when John Richardson I
put the stop work order on, there was no more work done. He said
that if he broke the law he will tear it down and go back through
the process and apply for the permit and do everything according to
the City ordinance. He said that hooking up to the sewer will cost
him $7,000 and tearing the structure down and putting it back up
will cost about $20,000. He said that he did not want to do
anything illegal but he needs time to take it down and save
~ everything he can.
DEANIE DOTSON OF 801 Huasna Road said that she was concerned I
about the staff report and felt that a lot of things that were said
were inaccurate and one-sided. She asked what is a substantial
loss and who makes the judgement. She said that a substantial loss
could be the difference between solvency and insolvency and the
fact that the owner is a contractor would not make the cost less to
demolish the structure. She asked that the city treat this as an
ordinance violation and penalize or fine the violator and overturn
the denial of the conditional use permit by the Planning Commission
and rights which previously existed for this piece of property.
Also speaking in favor of the project were STANLEY CURTIS of
800 Plata Road who said that the Dotsons had cleaned up the mess on
the hill, RON OLSON of 515 Platino Lane who said that the penalty
was too harsh and that the building was up to code, and JOHN
MALONEY of 263 Oro who said that the project is better than some of
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
DECEMBER 11, 1990
the alternatives.
MARGARET STONE, attorney for Mr. and Mrs. Bernstein said that
many of the neighbors complained to the city about the structure
and that work did continue after the "stop work" order. She said
that she feels sorry for anyone in the situation of having to take
down something but that it appears that the Dotsons left themselves
wide open for this. She said that the City of Arroyo Grande has
the right to protect the existing rights of home owners and that it
is not the burden of the community to show the Dotsons where, on
their eight acres, they might site the second story structure. She .-..,
said that she did not feel that the City was making an example of
the Dotsons and that it is just protection of property owners
rights and the enforcement of laws. She said that the zoning laws
and planning laws were written with the idea in mind that neighbors
can live together peaceably.
ELIZABETH BERNSTEIN of 255 Oakwood Court said that attention
has been on the view and that part of the view is not so much what
has been taken away, but what has been substituted. She said that
what has been substituted is so dominating that it looms over her
home and garden and anyone who happens to go along the fitness
trail of wildwood Ranch. She said that on a practical level she
can't imagine who would want to buy her place under these
circumstances, so the property value is lowered, and by an illegal
structure at that.
Also speaking against the project was DON ROBINSON, president
of Wildwood Homeowners Association, who said that he is appalled
and surprised/that a contractor such as Mr. Dotson could make such
a terrible mistake and then try to cover it up with a lot of half-
truths. He said that this is a matter of paying attention to the
laws which are there to benefit everybody and to go through a due
process, to be honest about it. He said that he thought there was
a lot of dishonesty in the whole thing.
Jim Dotson said that he can take it down but there has never
been any dishonesty.
Mayor Millis asked if the whole structure had to be torn down
or just the granny house.
Mr. Dotson said it was only the granny house, that he had a
permit for the garage.
JOHN BECKER of Wildwood Ranch said there was no problem with
him on the one-story garage because it was to be about 15 feet high
but when the second story went on, without a permit, it ended up to
29 or 30 feet high. He said he is not complaining about the garage ~
but about the second floor going up on the garage.
Mrs. Bernstein said that she wanted to contradict some of the
testimony because the work did continue after the stop order was
issued.
Mr. Dotson said that the second story was started on a Friday
and finished on a Monday and there was never any work on it after
the red tag was put on.
MR. GAYNER of 247 Oakwood Court said that his patio is 23 feet
from the Dotson driveway and 100 feet from the new building. He
said that it took nine months to build one floor and then one
weekend the whole second floor was put on in three days. He said
that this was done because Mr. Dotson knew that no one from the
city could red tag it until Tuesday. He said that he knows what is
coming in the future if something isn't done about it today.
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
DECEMBER 11, 1990
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DAVID GRANT of 236 Oakwood Court said that his issue is doing i
work without permits. He said that when he wanted to make some !
mod~fications on his house he went to the City for advice on how to I
do 1t, followed the procedure, got permits, got inspections as it
went along and objects when anybody doesn't live by the law.
TOM WARDELL of wildwood Ranch said that the bottom line of
this thing is upholding the policies and procedures and laws of the
city of Arroyo Grande.
STAN BERNSTEIN of 255 Oakwood Court said that he had attended
meetings where the Grace Bible Church came befot'e the Planning
Commission and the Council seeking approval for their new church
and that it was fascinating to see how they wo~ked with the
Planning Department staff, the Planning Commission and their
neighbors and in that atmosphere the project went forward. He said
that in this case there has been no spirit of cooperation.
DR. JOHN PACE of 220 Oakwood Court said that he had just filed
a completion on a structure that he built and the permit process
took about six months and there were multiple inspections. He said
that the City's procedure is commendable.
When no one else came forward to speak, Mayor Millis closed
the hearing to the floor.
After discussion the Council agreed to uphOld the Planning
Commissions denial and give Mr. Dotson a reasonable period of time
to dismantle' the structure. Council Member Smith asked what a
reasonable period was and Chief Building Inspector John Richardson
said 30 to 60 days. After further discussion it was decided to
amend the resolution to include that the structure must be removed
immediately.
Mr. Christiansen read the title of the resolution. It was
moved by Dougall/Olsen (5-0-0, Dougall, Olsen, smith, Moots and
Millis voting aye) to approve Resolution No. 2433 upholding the
Planning Commissions denial of conditional Use Permit Case No. 90-
478: Architectural Review Case No. 90-462: Appeal of a Denial by
the Planning Commission for a Second Residential Unit and a Farm
Office Atop an Existing Garage; 801 Huasna Road: James P. Dotson.
Mr. spierling said that the Council will want to deny by
minute motion the appeal of Architectural Review Case No. 90-478.
It was moved by Dougall/Olsen and the motion carried to deny the
appeal of Architectural Review Case No. 90-478.
(' THg CITY COUNCIL RECESSED FOR FIVE MINUTES
I 7.B. PUBLIC HEARING URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATE:
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CITYWIDE:CITY OF ARROYO GRANQE: PAUL J. KARP. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC
, WORKS/CITY ENGINEER.
Mr. Karp referred to the draft of the plan and his memo of
December 4, 1990 and said that he would answer any questions the
Council might have. Council Member Olsen asked if the figure of
the water needed was accurate. Mr. Karp replied that it was based
on the assumptions in the report.
After additional questions by Council Members, Mayor Millis
declared the hearing open. When no one came forward to speak Mayor
Millis closed the hearing to the floor.
Mr. Christiansen read the title of the resolution. It was
moved by Smith/Dougall (5-0-0, Smith, Dougall, Olsen, Moots and
Millis voting aye) to approve Resolution No. 2434 adopting the
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
DECEMBER 11, 1990
Urban Water Management Plan Update: Citywide: City of Arroyo
Grande.
7.C. PUBLIC HEARING - AMENDMENT TO THE ARROYO GRANDE MUNICIPAL
CODE. TITLE 6. CHAPTER 1. CONCERNING ANIMAL CONTROL TO CONFORM TQ
RECENTLY UPDATED SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY CODE SECTIONS ON ANIMAL
CONTROL. AND TO COMPLY WITH THE CITY'S AGREEMENT FOR ANIMAL CONTROL
SERVICES WITH THE COUNTY: CITYWIDE
Mr.Christiansen said that he, the city Attorney and Police
D~partment have reviewed the document and that there were just
mJ.nor changes. ~
,
Mayor Millis declared the hearing open. When no one came
forward to speak Mayor Millis closed the hearing to the floor.
Mr. Christiansen read the title of the ordinance amending the
Arroyo Grande Municipal Code, Title 6, Chapter 1, concerning Animal
Control to Conform to Recently Updated San Luis Obispo County Code
Sections on Animal Control, and to Comply with the city's Agreement
for Animal Control Services with the County: Citywide.
It was moved by Dougall/Olsen, and the motion passed to
dispense with further reading of the ordinance. Mayor Millis said
that constituted the first reading of the ordinance.
8.A. HOOK RAMPS AT CAMINO MERCADO
No Report.
8. C. INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS AT WEST BRANCH STREET IGRAND AVENUEI
TRAFFIC WAY AND WESLEY STREET.
No Report.
B.C. UPDATE ON COUNTY PROJECTS AFFECTING THE CITY.
City Attorney Skousen said that we are currently appearing
before the Board of supervisors on the Mesa Drive project. She
said that Planning Director Doreen Liberto-Blanck is attending a
meeting this evening and presenting Ms. Skousen's report. She said
that if the board issues a negative declaration and approves the
project, the city will sue. She said that the developer needs to
do an Environmental Impact Report.
Because of a possible conflict of interest Mr. Christiansen, Mayor
Millis and Council Member Dougall left the room at 9:10 P.M.
8.D. PROPERTY TRANSFER - FIVE ACRES.
city Attorney Skousen said that the title company advised her
that Don MCHaney had agreed to sign if the title company would
change the papers to reflect that everything had been assigned to
Royal Oaks Estates. She said that the Council needs to adopt a ""I
resolution amending Resolution No. 2293 in which the Council agreed I
to accept the property. She said that the property will be
transferred to the City from Royal Oaks Estates and also the legal ,
,
description of the property has been changed.
Mr. Karp asked Ms. Skousen to read the legal description. He
said that the description wasn't even close. Ms. Skousen said that
she and Paul would get together with the title company and bring
the resolution back to the council at the next meeting.
Mr. Christiansen, Mayor Millis and Council Member Dougall
returned at 9:15 P.M.
9.A. APPOINTMENT OF NANCY MAYNARD TO THE SENIOR ADVISORY
COMMISSION: TERM EXPIRES JUNE 30. 1993. (REPLACING FORMER SENIOR
ADVISORY COMMISSIONER ROBERT GRUBER)
Mayor Millis said that he would like to nominate Nancy Maynard
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
DECEMBER 11, 1990
to the Senior Advisory Commission. Council, voted unanimously in
favor.
9.B. COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS LIST
Mayor Millis said that there was a typo and that the Area
Coordinating Council should list Gene Moots as rimar
representative and B'Ann Smith as the alternate. p y
9. C. ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION INITIATING THE NUISANCE ABATEMENT
PROCEDURES: APN 007-031-027: (NEWPORT PROPERTIES}
(' Mr. Karp said that he had prepared a resolution to set a
publ~c hearing to listen to evidence as to whether or not there is
a nu~sance on 221 Corbett Canyon Road. He read the title of the
resolution and it was moved by Dougall/Olsen and the motion passed
to dispense with further reading of the resolutiOn. It was moved
by 90ugall/Olsen, (5-0-0, Dougall, Olsen, Moots, Smith and Millis
votlng aye) to adopt Resolution 2435 Initiating Nuisance Abatement
procedures: APN 007-031-027: Newport Properties.
9. D. LETTER OF REOUEST FROM CASA TIERRA INVESTMENTS FOR PERMISSION
TO HOOK UP TO CITY SEWER SYSTEM: PROPOSED COUNTY ~CT MAP 1724:
PROPERTY AT END OF MESA DRIVE.
Mr. Christiansen said that this is the second time the Council
has had this request and in accordance with Council policy, it is
being recommended for denial. It was moved by Dougall/Smith and
the motion carried to deny the request.
9. E. LETTER OF REOUEST FROM NORMA RITTER TO BUILD A FENCE. 3 1/2 i
FEET HIGH. AT 398 SPANISH MOSS LANE. ROYAL OAKS SUBDIVISION '
Mr. christiansen said that essentially there is no difficulty I
in the request as lonq as it meets the City's zoning code and what
that means is if the fence is to be 3 1/2 feet it must be 20 feet
or more back of the property line. He said if it is less than
that, it must be 3 feet. It was moved by Olsen/Dougall and the
motion passed to approve the request.
9.F.1 "NO PARKING BETWEEN 7:30 A.M TO 3:30 P.M.. MONDA"( THROUGH
FRIDAY" ZONE AT 1203 AND 1207 MONTEGO STREET. (PARKING J\ND TRAFFIC
COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL\
Mr. Karp read the title of the resolution. It was moved by
smith/Dougall (5-0-0, smith, Dougall, Moots, Olsen and Millis
voting aye) to adopt Resolution No. 2436 establishing a "No Parking
Between 7:30 A.M. to 3:30 P.M., Monday Through Friday" Zone at 1203
and 1207 Montego Street.
9.F.2 REPLACING EXISTING "YIELD" SIGN WITH "STOP" SIGN. ON SIERRA
DRIVE AT ITS INTERSECTION TO HILLCREST DRIVE. (PARKING AND TRAFFIC
COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL}
r Mr. Karp read the title of the resolution. It was moved by
Dougall/Olsen (5-0-0, Dougall, Olsen, Smi th, Moots and Millis
voting aye) to adopt Resolution No. 2437 Replacing Existing "Yield"
sign with "stop" sign, on Sierra Drive at its Intersection to
Hillcrest Drive.
10. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
Mr. Christiansen said that Ms. Liberto-Blanck had been at the
California State Coastal conservancy meeting in Napa and that the
city was awarded a grant Of $25,000 for preparation of a
Coordinated Agricultural Support proqram for the Arroyo Grande
Valley.
11. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS I
Mayor Millis announced his intention to nominate Harold Moore i
to a Countywide citizens Transportation Advisory Committee. '
It was moved by Dougall/smith and the motion carried to add an
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
DECEMBER 11, 1990
emergency item to the agenda. It was moved by Dougall/Olsen and
the motion carried to cancel the Council meeting of December 25,
1990.
12. CLOSED SESSION
None.
13. ADJOURNMENT
The council adjourned at 9:30 P.M. on motion of Moots/Dougall.
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MAR SHOEMAKER, DEPUTY CITY CLERK
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