HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-09-2016 PC Minutes
Minutes
PLANNING COMMISSION
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Regular Meeting of the Planning Commission
CALL TO ORDER
A Regular Meeting of the Planning Commission was called to order on Wednesday, November
9th, 2016 at 6:01 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, located at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo,
California, by Chair Stevenson.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Chair Stevenson led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL
Present: Commissioners Hemalata Dandekar, John Larson, Ronald Malak, and Chairperson
Charles Stevenson
Absent: Commissioner Daniel Knight & Vice-Chairperson John Fowler
Staff: Deputy Director of Development Review Doug Davidson, Assistant City Attorney Jon
Ansolabehere, Public Works Engineer Bryan Wheeler, Natural Resources Manager Bob
Hill, and Recording Secretary Brad T. Opstad
Chair Stevenson introduced sitting members of Staff.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
None.
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. 4433/4435 Octagon Way. GENP (GPI 30-13): Review of the proposed alignment for a
connection of the Bob Jones City to Sea Pathway, connecting existing and future segments,
and Mitigated Negative Declaration of environmental impacts; City of San Luis Obispo,
applicant. (Bryan Wheeler)
Public Works Engineer Wheeler made Staff Report and presented PowerPoint on the proposed
pathway alignment.
Planning Commission Minutes of November 9th, 2016 Page 2
--Start of Public Comment—
Lea Brooks, San Luis Obispo, spoke on behalf of Bike SLO County in support of Staff
Recommendation for the pathway as link to the Octagon Barn.
Myron Amerine, San Luis Obispo, spoke in support of Staff Recommendations, describing it as
a well-conceived, well-documented and well-executed project.
--End of Public Comment—
Commissioner Larson asked questions of Staff in regards to the Conservation and Open Space
Element and the defining of creek setbacks as they apply to a placement of a public facility;
inquired about State Department of Fish and Wildlife and other resource agencies’ concerns within
the project’s riparian area.
Chair Stevenson requested explanation for the determination on pathway being of 12-foot wide as
opposed to 10-feet wide; noted that the Findings for making creek setback exception are strenuous
and exhaustive, and emphasizing discomfort with the Exception that this is “not constituting a
grant of special privilege”
Assistant City Attorney Ansolabehere indicated that the specific Finding [c) v.] is written in
language approximating a Variance Finding, but is unique in the sense that it strictly and
specifically applies to a City facility as opposed to private land ownership.
Natural Resources Manager Hill provided the distinction that this project accrues public benefits
and is not a case in which a private landowner gains private benefit of property value enhancement
that the public would not receive.
ACTION: UPON MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LARSON, SECONDED BY
COMMISSIONER DANDEKAR, the Planning Commission adopted, as recommended by the
Bicycle Advisory Committee, the Resolution approving the Bob Jones Trail Octagon Barn
Connection Study, with preferred alignment of the trail along the creek and creek setback
exception based on findings with the following amendments:
c) v. to read, “The exception will not constitute a grant of special privilege because other
sections of the Bob Jones City-to-Sea trail are located within the creek setback; and the exception
will not be detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to other property in the area of the project
or downstream; and because the Bob Jones Trail is a unique project by the City with public
benefit”; and
c viii. to read, “Relocation of the trail outside the creek setback would further the impact
on agricultural lands limit the use of the property by the owner.”
And determined that the Mitigated Negative Declaration adequately addresses the potential
significant environmental impacts associated with the preferred alignment; on the following 4:0:2
roll call vote:
Planning Commission Minutes of November 9th, 2016 Page 3
AYES: Larson, Dandekar, Malak, Stevenson
NOES: None
ABSENT: Knight, Fowler
COMMENT AND DISCUSSION
1. STAFF
a. Review Planning Commission Recommended Budget Goals
Chair Stevenson referenced, and cited sections of, the Memorandum written by Deputy Director
of Development Review Davidson, Deputy Director of Long-Range Planning Xzandrea Fowler,
and the Planning Commission’s appointed Sub-Committee members, regarding the Commission’s
recommended priorities for City Council to consider implementing into its 2017-19 Financial Plan.
Chair Stevenson requested that the Commission review, revise and approve the list of the four
prioritized goals.
Commissioner Malak pointed out that the four goals were not submitted in priority order but,
rather, were accumulated as individual and remote bullet points; questioned the inclusion of the
wording “parking in neighborhoods” as an emphasized encouragement to the Infill Development
and Multi-Modal Circulation goal.
By straw vote, and consensus of Planning Commission Members, four (4) budget goal
priorities were discussed and recommended to the City Council for consideration in the
2017-19 Financial Plan:
1.) Housing: Increase Affordable and Workforce Housing and Address
Homelessness
2.) Land Use: Focus on LUCE Identified Special Focus Areas and Specific Plan
Areas
3.) Energy Efficiency in City Built Environment
4.) Infill Development and Multi-Modal Circulation
The Commission reviewed the Memorandum developed by the Sub-Committee appointed
on October 12th and made the following amendment:
4. to read, “Implement the Circulation Element and the City’s Multi-Modal objectives with
emphasis on parking in neighborhoods to encourage in-fill development and non-automobile
alternatives by rebalancing, innovation, pricing, guidance, and parking structures. Support non-
auto related transportation alternatives in plan and project approvals and program implementation.
b. Agenda Forecast
Deputy Director Davidson presented the Agenda Forecast:
November 23rd & December 28th: No Meetings scheduled.
Planning Commission Minutes of November 9th, 2016 Page 4
December 14th: Planning Commission as Public Forum for the Avila Ranch Draft EIR
Informal discussion ensued on Chair Stevenson and Commissioner Dandekar’s having attended
the California Chapter of the American Planning Association’s recent conference in Pasadena and
indicating willingness to share presentation materials garnered from it.
ACTION: UPON MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MALAK, SECONDED BY
COMMISSIONER LARSON, the Planning Commission requested the agendizing of a Study
Session on the State Density Bonus Law and the Housing Accountability Act.
ADJOURNMENT: 7:17 PM
APPROVED BY PLANNING COMMISSION: 1/11/2017