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Home My WebLink About04-13-2016 PC MinutesPlanning Commission Minutes i SAN LUIS OBISPO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, April 13, 2016 A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Planning Commission was called to order on Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, located at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, by Chairperson Larson. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chair Larson led Pledge of Allegiance. Commissioners Present: Michael Draze, Ronald Malak, Charles Stevenson, and Chair John Larson. Commissioners Absent: John Fowler, William Riggs, Hemalata Dandekar City Staff Present: Deputy Community Development Director Doug Davidson, Contract Planner Dave Watson, Transportation Operations Supervisor Jake Hudson, Assistant City Attorney Jon Ansolabehere, Interim City Clerk Lee Price and Recording Secretary Brad T. Opstad. QATH OF OFFICE Interim City Clerk Lee Price administered the Oath of Office to newly appointed Commissioner, Charles Stevenson. ELECTION OF CHAI!3NICE CHAIR Commissioner Draze nominated Commissioner Stevenson for Chairperson; consensus vote was unanimous. Commissioner Draze nominated Commissioner Fowler, in absentia, for Vice -Chairperson; consensus vote was unanimous. Planning Commission Minutes of April 13 2016 Page 2 Chairperson Stevenson assumed the role as Chair. Actions: 1) Commissioner Malak February 10, 2016 with seconded; approved 4-0. 2) Commissioner Malak February 24, 2016 with seconded; approved 4-0. motioned for approval of Minutes for no amendments; Commissioner Larson motioned for approval of Minutes for no amendments; Commissioner Draze 3) Commissioner Malak motioned for approval of Minutes for March 9, 2016 with no amendments; Commissioner Draze seconded; approved 4-0. 110 K! 11135iii Bob Lucas, San Luis Obispo, extended an invitation to the Community Water Forum to be held April 21St at which the 2010 Water Plan will be updated and other literature of significant concern will be unveiled for the first time. David Brodie, San Luis Obispo, urged the Commission and the public to become better informed about climate change. Mila Vujovich-La Barre, San Luis Obispo, thanked Staff for recent Neighborhood Compatibility Workshop and the upcoming Water Forum. She also requested that the City take steps towards mandating a pause in development that demand increase in water allotment while also placing global warming more firmly into the dialogue. Joi :14 rev: Iwo - 1. 1299 Orcutt Rogd. SBDV-1769-2015: Review of a Vesting Tentative Map (Tract 3083; "West Creek") to create 79 lots, and consideration of a CEQA Initial Study -Mitigated Negative Declaration environmental determination; R-2, R-4 (SP) zones; Robbins / Reed, applicants. Deputy Director Davidson introduced Dave Watson, Consulting Planner managing the project, who provided the Staff Report. In response to Commission questions, he stated that the proposal had been presented to Parks & Recreation Commission (PRC). The PRC supports the concept subject to review of the final design and with a recommendation that a partial credit of improvement fees be addressed by the City Council at some future date. Aaryn Abbott, representing the Applicant, indicated that the Applicant is willing to continue to hold properties' titles and maintain them through the Homeowners' Planning Commission Minutes of April 13, 2015 Page 3 Association and open them through easements for public access, as recommended by the PRC. He provided an overview of the history of the Orcutt Area Specific Plan (OASP) and concluded that the West Creek is a highly constrained site having undergone multiple design iterations and additional traffic, soils, and hydrology studies. Randy Russom and Pam Ricci, RRM Design Group, presented the project details and responded to Commission questions regarding residential parking. Transportation Operations Supervisor Jake Hudson responded to Commission questions regarding the circulation analysis of the OASP, including plans for both interim and ultimate secondary access routes and how the Plan envisions a restriction for emergency vehicles only. Pam Ricci, RRM Design Group requested that the Commission consider alterations to Condition #112 to provide additional flexibility. Applicant Representative Abbott indicated Applicant's comfort with removing mention of $250,000 specifically from Condition #112, noting that the figure arose initially with Parks & Recreation's mention of a credit being available. Assistant City Attorney Ansolabehere reminded the Commission to take Public Comment before deliberating. PUBLIC COMMENT The following San Luis Obispo residents spoke in opposition to the project because of concerns regarding the size of the development and potential impacts to the environment, including water resources, and on traffic in the Orcutt Road area: Dia Hurd Mila Vujovich-La Barre David Brodie The following residents of San Luis Obispo spoke in support of the project: Erik Justesen, CEO of RRM Design Group David Gray, as representative of site property's land ownership Baylin Vreeland, Cal Poly student Steve Delmartini Donna Lewis Matthew Hames, Los Osos, endorsed the project ---End of Public Comments --- Following a brief break, Commission discussion and questions to staff followed, with a focus on bicycle and vehicle circulation, bus and transit service, secondary access, the type and number of affordable units and conservation efforts. Planning Commission Minutes of April 13, 2016 Page 4 Planner Watson stated that part of the approved plan for the Righetti Subdivision was to extend reclaimed water from the Tank Farm Road Area north. He added that each project will install their share of a total system and, as they ultimately connect, recycled water would be available for appropriate uses, i.e. parks. Commissioner Larson indicated that he was not comfortable with changing language in Condition #112, as requested by the Applicant. Commissioner Malak questioned the wisdom of constructing a pool on-site given the current water situation. Deputy Director Davidson stated that the affordable -by -design concept is a major premise of the Housing Element before providing a fundamental background explanation of the calculation which showed that the Applicant, following it to the letter, provided more affordable units than required. Chair Stevenson added that the project mix of housing covers a wide income stratum, that studio housing itself is affordable - by -design, and is achieving Housing Element and OASP goals. Commissioner Malak discussed conservation policy guideline consistency as it pertains to the provision of solar power in a development and whether the integration of it in the Avila Ranch Project was a precedent or an anomaly. Assistant City Attorney Ansolabehere shared that, at a policy level, legislation had not been implemented yet to insert solar panel policy into specific program and City's environmental document does not yet identify it as a mitigation measure, so the program is peripheral on General Plan level and pointing out inconsistencies regarding mandatory integration within it could be problematic. Commissioner Larson commented that there are a variety of options for additional energy conservation procedures in order for West Creek to meet, or even exceed, a particular performance standard identified in the more generic energy efficiency mitigation measure, but stated that the project, in his estimation, is consistent with policies in the given code. Chair Stevenson added that the energy efficiency requirement is 10% above Title 24 analysis. Commissioner Draze proposed approving the project as recommend by the Staff, which includes a number of minor changes in the revised Resolution including the addition of a requirement to Condition 10 that secondary access points be open full- time. Commissioner Malak voiced disappointment with the number of affordable housing units and his desire for a solar panel policy being made available for project integration. For these reasons, he emphasized, he cannot support approval. Planning Commission Minutes of April 13, 2016 _Page 5 Commissioner Draze requested that the project engineers consider reducing the heights of some of the retaining walls. Chair Stevenson suggested this request could be placed under a second motion as a recommendation to the ARC. Chair Stevenson shared empathy with Public concerns for traffic impacts and potential water but also indicated satisfaction with project's evaluation of water usage through EIR and OASP. He stressed that this project is the type the City needs to provide for more affordable housing stock for younger demographic looking for starter homes and viable employment simultaneously; and commended the Applicant for implementing all the sustainable features it was able to include. ACTION: UPON MOTION BY COMMISSIONER DRAZE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER LARSON, the Commission adopted a Resolution approving Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 3083 creating 77 lots for property located at 1299 Orcutt Road ("West Creek"), as amended (Condition 10 — Transportation and Subdivision Improvements. Include a requirement that secondary access be open to through traffic in a design approved by the City Engineer and Director of Public Works). Motion passed 3:1:3 on the following roll call vote: AYES: Draze, Larson, Stevenson NOES: Malak ABSENT: Fowler, Riggs, Dandekar OMMISSION COMMENTS Commissioner Draze, attending his final meeting, provided farewell comments. Chair Stevenson thanked Commissioner Draze for his wisdom, demeanor and service. Commissioner Malak thanked Commissioner Draze for his guidance and mentorship. "]I lalfl;` injiglial The meeting was adjourned at 9:03 P.M. Respectfully Submitted, Brad T. Opstad Recording Secretary Approved by Plan ning•Commission on May 25th 2016. r�- X e Lee Price ` Interim City Clerk