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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/29/19911 1 City Council Minutes Tuesday, January 29, 1991 - 7:00 p.m. Page 2 PUBLIC COMMENT P.C.I. John Merriam, 235 Chaplin Lane, submitted a list of suggestions and commented on ways to better provide water conservation through heavy pruning of trees. P.C.2 Scott Bird. San Luis Recycling, spoke in support of private enterprise continuing to provide City recycling needs rather than to be government funded. CONSENT AGENDA C -1 YELLOW RIBBON DAYS (File No. 112) Council considered proclaiming "Yellow Ribbon Days" to show support of the men and women currently serving in the armed forces. Moved by Raona /Pinard. Resolution 6925 was adopted (5 -0) proclaiming "Yellow Ribbon Days" as recommended. Councilwoman Rauua made some brief statements relative to the support needed for the Armed Forces and had a basket of yellow ribbons available for the audience and City staff. BUSINESS ITEM 1. The City Council and Architectural Review Commission considered ways to facilitate implementation of adopted city ordinances and policies in the following areas: A. APPEALS OF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION ACTIONS (File No. 402) Commissioners expressed concern that ARC actions heard by the Council had increased lately. In 1990 there were eleven appeals of ARC actions, all but two were filed by the applicants, one filed by the Cultural Heritage Committee and one by neighbors. Of the eleven appeals, six were upheld by the Council, overturning the ARC's action. The Commission was concerned that many times the Council was presented with a project that had changed significantly since the time ARC had acted upon it; that design issues, such as colors, materials, details, and landscaping had changed so that less attention was given to them; and that Council approved projects were not referred back to the Commission to implement design issues. Council and the Commission held lengthy discussion and upon general consensus agreed that if a project was appealed to the Council and included a substantial amount of revisions since first reviewed by the ARC, that the appeal be heard and acted upon by Council, and then referred back to the ARC for final determination of architectural characteristics. It was also suggested that the ARC approve projects with additional conditions as deemed necessary, so that the appeal is not on the entire project, but only on identified specific conditions. B. HILLSIDE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS (File No. 402) It was expressed that the adopted Hillside Development Standards were not being interpreted with consistency. They were originally adopted in October 1984 as par of the general plan land Use Element. The Hillside Development Standards include four statements: 427 City Council Minutes Tuesday, January 29, 1991 - 7:00 p.m. Page 3 A) Houses to be built in step levels to conform to the slope of the hill and keep a low profile. The use of prominent stem walls and foundation piers should be avoided. B) Grading on individual lots should be minimized. Houses should generally be built close to the street. The grading of visible driveways should be minimized. C) Landscaping, which is visibly compatible with existing hillside vegetation should be used to screen building foundations and provide a landscaped transition between housing areas and adjacent open space. D) The color and texture of building materials should blend as much as possible with the natural landscape and avoid the creation of high contrast situations. Suggestions included having the ARC review the Hillside Standards, or having standards for difficult sites and making recommendations for change to the Council. Also, support was voiced for the staff project of preparing standards in the form of graphics which would make it an easier way to understand various regulations. 8:50 p.m. Mayor Dunin declared a recess. 9:00 p.m. City Council and. ARC reconvened. All members present except Mr. Cooper. C. CREEK SETBACK POLICIES (File No. 402) The Council and Commission had expressed concern that setbacks from creeks were not being required or when required were not being applied without consistency. There is no Council adopted policy on Creek Setbacks, but there is an administrative policy. After discussion and on general consensus, it was agreed that the administrative policy currently used to come back to the Council in the form of an ordinance proposal. D. COMMUNICATION The ARC felt it was important to have improved communication with the Council. After discussion, suggestions included 1) ARC to recommend ordinance amendments when appropriate; 2) having an ARC representative attend Council meetings; 3) Council liaisons to attend ARC meetings more often; 4) use of the telephone between Councilmembers and ARC members. 955 pm. There being no further business to come before the City Council, Mayor Dunin adjourned the meeting of the City Council to its next regular meeting. Chairman Morris adjourned the ARC to its regular meeting on February 4 at 5:00 p.m. _ i APPROVED BY COUNCIL: 3/5/91 ' PV :cmh Pa Voges, City Clerk 1 ['I