HomeMy Public PortalAboutMinutes - 1971/02/10 - Special"
P A R K I N G C O M M I S S I O N
C I T Y O F T E M P L E C I T Y
S p e c i a l M e e t i n g
F e b r u a r y 1 0 , 1 9 7 1
C h a i r m a n A r m s t r o n g c a l l e d t o o r d e r t h e s p e c i a l m e e t i n g o f t h e P a r k i n g
C o m m i s s i o n o n F e b r u a r y 1 0 , 1 9 7 1 , a t 1 0 : 1 0 a . m . i n C o u n c i l C h a m b e r s o f
C i t y H a l l .
C o m m i s s i o n e r C l a r k l e d i n t h e P l e d g e o f A l l e g i a n c e t o t h e F l a g .
R o l l C a l l : P r e s e n t : C o m m i s s i o n e r s C l a r k , M i l l h a m , N u n a m a k e r , A r m s t r o n g ,
T r a f f i c E n g i n e e r E n v a l l , P l a n n i n g D i r e c t o r D r a g i c e v i c h ,
C i v i l E n g i n e e r i n g A s s i s t a n t L i n a r e s , P u b l i c W o r k s
A b s e n t : C o m m i s s i o n e r K e t t l e
I t w a s m o v e d b y C o m m i s s i o n e r N u n a m a k e r , s e c o n d e d b y C o m m i s s i o n e r M i l l h a m ,
a n d c a r r i e d , t o e x c u s e t h e a b s e n c e o f C o m m i s s i o n e r K e t t l e f o r c a u s e .
P u r p o s e C h a i r m a n A r m s t r o n g s t a t e d t h a t t h e s p e c i a l m e e t i n g w a s
c a l l e d f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f r e v i e w i n g a r e q u e s t f r o m
M r . A . W . D r i v e r , P r e s i d e n t o f D r i v e r F u r n i t u r e C o m p a n y ,
I n c . , f o r u s e o f p a r k i n g s p a c e s i n P a r k i n g L o t N o . 5 ,
P a r k i n g D i s t r i c t N o . 3 , a n d m o d i f i c a t i o n s t o M a l l 3 ,
l o c a t e d b e h i n d t h e b u i l d i n g a t 9 6 1 1 L a s T u n a s D r i v e .
A p p l i c a n t ' s P l a n n i n g D i r e c t o r D r a g i c e v i c h s t a t e d t h a t M r . D r i v e r ,
R e q u e s t i n a l e t t e r d a t e d J a n u a r y 2 1 , 1 9 7 1 , a d d r e s s e d t o t h e
a n d S t a f f R e p o r t C i t y M a n a g e r , r e q u e s t e d t h a t t h r e e p a r k i n g s p a c e s
b e h i n d t h e b u i l d i n g a t 9 6 1 1 L a s T u n a s D r i v e , i n L o t
N o . 5 , b e m o d i f i e d f r o m p r e s e n t m a r k e d p a r k i n g s t a l l s
t o a l o a d i n g z o n e ; t h a t t h e e x i s t i n g t r e e w i t h i n t h e
t h r e e - s t a l l a r e a b e m o v e d e a s t e r l y ; a n d a r a m p c u t i n
t h e c u r b t o c o r r e s p o n d w i t h t h e w i d t h o f t h e e x i s t i n g
l o a d i n g d o o r a t t h e r e a r o f t h e b u i l d i n g ; a n d t h a t
t h i s b e a c c o m p l i s h e d a t t h e e x p e n s e o f t h e C i t y .
T h e r e a s o n s f o r t h e r e q u e s t a s o u t l i n e d i n M r . D r i v e r ' s
l e t t e r a r e t h a t t h e l o a d i n g z o n e i s n e c e s s a r y t o
a c c o m m o d a t e t r u c k d e l i v e r i e s w i t h l a r g e f r e i g h t ; t r e e
r e l o c a t i o n i s n e c e s s a r y f o r f u l l c l e a r a n c e f o r l o a d i n g
f r o m t h e l o a d i n g z o n e ; t h e c u r b b u t i s t o a c c o m m o d a t e
" D r i v e r ' s c o m p a n y v e h i c l e i n g r e s s a n d e g r e s s i n t o t h e
l o a d i n g r a m p w i t h i n t h e c o n f i n e s o f t h e b u i l d i n g .
M r . D r a g i c e v i c h a d v i s e d t h a t a l l p r o p e r t y o w n e r s a n d
t e n a n t s i n P a r k i n g D i s t r i c t N o . 3 h a d b e e n i n f o r m e d o f
M r . D r i v e r ' s r e q u e s t a n d o f t h e s p e c i a l h e a r i n g , i n a
n o t i c e m a i l e d o n J a n u a r y 2 7 , 1 9 7 1 . S u b s e q u e n t t o t h i s
n o t i c e , a l e t t e r f r o m M r . J e r e M a r t i n , F r e e T r a v e l
S e r v i c e , 9 6 0 1 L a s T u n a s D r i v e , h a d b e e n r e c e i v e d ,
e x p r e s s i n g o p p o s i t i o n t o t h e D r i v e r r e q u e s t ; a n d a
p e t i t i o n s i g n e d b y f i v e p r o p e r t y o w n e r s w i t h i n P a r k i n g
D i s t r i c t 3 e x p r e s s i n g o p p o s i t i o n h a d a l s o b e e n r e c e i v e d
T h e P l a n n i n g D i r e c t o r a s k e d f o r a r e p o r t f r o m T r a f f i c
E n g i n e e r E n v a l l r e l a t i v e t o a n i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f t h e
s u b j e c t l o c a t i o n b y t h e T r a f f i c E n g i n e e r a n d S t a f f
m e m b e r s .
"
M r . E n v a l l r e p o r t e d t h a t a n o n - s i t e i n v e s t i g a t i o n
i n d i c a t e d m e r c h a n d i s e w i l l h a v e t o b e l o a d e d t o t h e
m a l l s i d e w a l k l e v e l a s t h e r e i s n o l o a d i n g d o c k a t a n
e l e v a t i o n d i f f e r e n t i a l w i t h i n t h e b u i l d i n g i t s e l f ;
t h a t t w o p a r k i n g s p a c e s w o u l d s u f f i c e f o r a c o m m e r c i a l
l o a d i n g z o n e t o b e u s e d b y D r i v e r F u r n i t u r e C o m p a n y
a n d o t h e r b u s i n e s s e s i n t h e i m m e d i a t e a r e a , w h i c h c o u l d
b e a c c o m p l i s h e d b y t h e s e m i - t r u c k a n d t r a i l e r j a c k -
k n i f i n g t h e i r r i g , b l o c k i n g o n l y o n e a i s e l w a y w i t h i n
t h e m a l l a r e a ; t h a t r e m o v a l o f t h e t r e e w i t h i n t h e t w o
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P A R K I N G C O M M I S S I O N M I N U T E S
S t a f f
R e p o r t
A p p l i c a n t ' s
P r e s e n t a t i o n
I n F a v o r
0 p p o s e d
A p p l i c a n t ' s
" A d d i t i o n a l
C o m m e n t s
- 2 - F E B R U A R Y 1 0 , 1 9 7 1
p a r k i n g s p a c e a r e a i s u n n e c e s s a r y . S u m m a r i z i n g t h e s e
f i n d i n g s , M r . D r a g i c e v i c h s t a t e d t h a t t h e S t a f f
r e c o m m e n d s t o t h e C o m m i s s i o n : ( a ) a p p r o v a l o f t w o
p a r k i n g s p a c e s b e h i n d t h e s u b j e c t b u i l d i n g f o r l o a d i n g
p u r p o s e s , w h i c h m a y b e u s e d b y D r i v e r a n d o t h e r m e r c h a n t s
i n t h e i m m e d i a t e a r e a ; ( b ) t h e r e q u e s t f o r r e m o v a l o f
c u r b a n d f o r p r o v i d i n g a r a m p b e d e n i e d .
M r . A . W . D r i v e r a d d r e s s e d t h e C o m m i s s i o n s t a t i n g t h a t
t o a l l o w t h e t r e e t o r e m a i n i n i t s p r e s e n t l o c a t i o n
w o u l d b e d a n g e r o u s a s s e m i - t r u c k s b a c k i n g i n t o t h e
. b u i l d i n g w o u l d k n o c k t h e t r e e o v e r , t h a t i t s h o u l d b e
r e l o c a t e d o n e f u l l s p a c e e a s t e r l y . T h e s u b j e c t b u i l d i n g ,
w h i c h h e o w n s , h a s a n e x i s t i n g l o a d i n g d o o r s o t h a t
s m a l l t r u c k s c a n b e t a k e n i n t o t h e s t o r a g e a r e a ; t h a t i n
h i s t y p e o f b u s i n e s s t h e r e i s a n e e d t o l o a d s m a l l e r
p i c k u p t r u c k s f r o m t h e s t o r a g e a r e a w i t h i n t h e b u i l d i n g ,
a s l o a d i n g i s d o n e t h e n i g h t p r i o r t o d e l i v e r i e s ; t h a t
i t i s e s s e n t i a l t o l o a d f r o m w i t h i n t h e c o n f i n e s o f
t h e b u i l d i n g d u r i n g t h e r a i n y s e a s o n ; t h a t t h e s t o r a g e
a r e a i s n e e d e d t o h o u s e t h e s m a l l p i c k u p t r u c k ; t h a t
f o r t h e s e r e a s o n s h e w a s r e q u e s t i n g a r a m p .
T r a f f i c E n g i n e e r E n v a l l a s k e d t h e a p p l i c a n t i f t h e r e w a s
s o m e m o d i f i c a t i o n w i t h i n t h e d o c k a r e a b e i n g p l a n n e d
a s t h e r e i s i n s u f f i c i e n t r o o m t o m a n e u v e r a s m a l l
t r u c k w i t h i n t h e s t o r a g e a r e a b e c a u s e o f t h e l o c a t i o n
o f t h e p l a t f o r m w h i c h w o u l d l e a v e t h e t r u c k h a n g i n g
o u t o f t h e d o c k a r e a . M r . D r i v e r r e p l i e d h e t h o u g h t
t h e r e w a s s u f f i c i e n t r o o m f o r a p i c k u p t r u c k b u t t h a t
h e w o u l d c h e c k t h e d i m e n s i o n s o f t h e d o c k a r e a .
C h a i r m a n A r m s t r o n g i n v i t e d t h o s e i n t h e a u d i e n c e w h o
w i s h e d t o s p e a k t o a d d r e s s t h e C o m m i s s i o n .
S p e a k i n g i n f a v o r o f M r . D r i v e r ' s r e q u e s t , M r . D o m i n i c
M o r t e l l a r o , 9 6 2 9 L a s T u n a s D r i v e , s t a t e d t h e m e r c h a n t s
w o u l d l i k e t o h a v e a s u c c e s s f u l b u s i n e s s i n t o w n , t h a t
M r . D r i v e r ' s r e q u e s t f o r t h r e e p a r k i n g s t a l l s f o r u s e
a s a l o a d i n g z o n e s h o u l d b e g r a n t e d ; t h a t t h e r e w o u l d
b e n o l o s s o f p a r k i n g s t a l l s i n L o t 5 i f t h e p l a n t e r
a n d r a m p i n t h e c e n t e r s e c t i o n o f t h e l o t w a s r e m o v e d
w h i c h w o u l d a l l o w f o r t h r e e p a r k i n g s p a c e s ; t h a t , i n
h i s o p i n i o n , M r . D r i v e r s h o u l d n o t b e a s k e d t o p a y f o r
t h e m o d i f i c a t i o n s t o t h e p a r k i n g l o t i n a s m u c h a s h e
h a d p a i d f o r h i s s h a r e o f t h e m a l l w h e n h e p u r c h a s e d
t h e b u i l d i n g .
M r . E r w i n S o k o l , r e p r e s e n t i n g h i s f a t h e r w h o i s a
p r o p e r t y o w n e r i n P a r k i n g D i s t r i c t N o . 3 , s t a t e d h e h a d
c i r c u l a t e d t h e p e t i t i o n o p p o s i n g M r . D r i v e r ' s r e q u e s t
p r i m a r i l y b e c a u s e h e f e l t t h a t c u t t i n g i n t o t h e c u r b
i n t h e m a l l w o u l d d e s t r o y t h e a e s t h e t i c v a l u e o f t h e
m a l l ; a n d t h a t h e w o u l d n o t l i k e t o s e e t h e p e d e s t r i a n
w a l k w a y b l o c k e d i n a n y w a y . H o w e v e r , a f t e r h e a r i n g
M r . D r i v e r s p e a k , h e f e l t t h a t t h e r e q u e s t f o r a l o a d i n g
z o n e f o r d e l i v e r i e s w a s l e g i t i m a t e f o r t h e f u r n i t u r e
b u s i n e s s i n w h i c h M r . D r i v e r w a s e n g a g e d , a n d h e w a s
p a r t i c u l a r l y f a v o r a b l e t o a l o a d i n g z o n e w h i c h c o u l d b e
u s e d b y o t h e r m e r c h a n t s w i t h i n t h e i m m e d i a t e a r e a .
H e a d v i s e d t h e C o m m i s s i o n h e w i s h e d t o g o o n r e c o r d
a s w i t h d r a w i n g h i s o p p o s i t i o n t o M r . D r i v e r ' s r e q u e s t
f o r t h e l o a d i n g z o n e .
A t t h i s t i m e , M r . D r i v e r a d v i s e d t h e C o m m i s s i o n h e w o u l d
b e w i l l i n g t o p r o v i d e , a t h i s e x p e n s e , a r e m o v a b l e r a m p
f o r h i s c o m p a n y t r u c k t o c r o s s o v e r t h e m a l l , a n d t h a t
a c c e s s o v e r t h e m a l l w o u l d b e o n l y f o r t h i s l i g h t e r t r u c k .
PARKING COMMISSION MINUTES
-3- FEBRUARY 10, 1971
Applicant's Referring to an article in a recent issue of the Los
• Additional Angeles Times regarding the City's interest in
Comments attracting new businesses to the community, Mr. Driver
stated that the City should expect to make some con-
cessions if it wishes to bring business to its doors;
and inasmuch as he will be bringing a built -in
clientele to Temple City he felt the cost to the City
for placement of loading zone and relocating a tree
is compar'itively small. Continuing, the applicant
stated that he will continue to operate his store
in Alhambra, that he has the option of either
occupying his building at 9611 Las Tunas Drive if
conditions are met, or of leasing the building.
In conclusion, Mr. Driver stated he will not pay for
the modifications to the parking lot which he is
requesting.
•
•
I n Favor of
Applicant
Commission
Discussion
Commissioner Nunamaker stated that new business is
needed in the City but questioned if exception should
be made for Mr. Driver relative to his request for
modifications at the expense of the City, and that loss
of parking spaces in this particular lot should be
considered carefully because of the limited number of
parking stalls at the present time.
Mr. John Gates, Manager, Chamber of Commerce, stated
that recent studies by an engineering firm of existing
and projected use of this lot, showed that it was
primarily used by all day parkers, employees and
tenants of adjacent businesses, which could be controlled
by enforcement of posted two -hour parking restrictions.
He indicated that Mr. Driver's request for a loading
zone would not affect any deficiency of available
parking space; that the applicant should not have to
pay for the modifications being requested because the
City will recover any costs involved in the proposed
modification through increased revenue from business
generated from Driver's Furniture Company.
Mr. Carl Ludlow, Stoppel's of California, 9615 Las Tunas
Drive, spoke in support of Mr. Driver, concurring with
statements made by Mr. Mortellaro. He noted that while
furniture stores are not necessarily a "down town" type
of business primarily because of delivery problems, and
inasmuch as Mr. Driver has agreed to furnish his own
portable ramp, he felt the City should agree to the
other modifications, Emphasizing that he would not
want to have the sidewalk area in the mall blocked for
periods of time, or trucks parked all day in the loading
zone which would block adjacent frontages, he felt
Mr. Driver should be given the amount of space he needs
for flexibility in the management of his business.
Commissioner Millham stated that much time and monies
had been expended by the merchants and the City to
create the mall concept, and removing the sidewalk
for ingress and egress to Mr. Driver's building would
not lend itself to the mall concept, that a portable
ramp would be more acceptable. Taking exception to
the request for three spaces to be allocated as a
loading zone, Mr. Miliham stated he favored only two
spaces for this purpose, based on the Traffic Engineer's
investigation and report.
The Commission discussed each portion of Mr. Driver's
request separately, taking into consideration all of
the information and testimony which had been offered,
with some disagreement about the amount of space
required for the loading zone, and the City's responsi-
bility for assuming the costs for the modifications.
PARKING COMMISSION MINUTES -4— FEBRUARY 10, 1971
Commission
Recommendation
Time for
Those in
Audience
to Speak
Adjournment:
Following Commissioner Millham's recommendation that
two parking spaces be allocated as a loading zone, the
motion dying for lack of a second, Commissioner Nunamaker
moved to recommend to the City Council: (a) three
public parking stalls behind the business located at
9611 Las Tunas Drive in Lot No. 5 of Parking District
No. 3, be designated as a loading zone with marked time
limits; (b) the existing tree in the mall within the
three spaces be relocated at the City's discretion and
expense; (c) the planter and ramp in the center of
Lot No. 5 be removed and three stalls provided in this
area; (d) access over the pedestrian . mall be granted
to Mr. A. W. Driver, the applicant to furnish at his
expense portable ramp over the pedestrian mall if he
so desires; (e) the applicant accepts all liability
for personal injury and for any damage done to public
property. The motion was seconded by Commissioner
Clark and carried by the following roll call vote:
Ayes: Commissioners Armstrong, Clark, Nunamaker
Noes: Commissioner Millham
Commissioner Millham stated his only opposition to the
motion was on the basis that he felt two parking stalls
should be recommended for a loading zone, a third stall
if it proved necessary.
The Commission emphasized that only the smaller company
owned truck would be permitted ingress and egress over
the mall.
Planning Director Dragicevich advised Mr. Driver that
the Parking Commission recommendation would be con-
sidered by the City Council at their regular meeting
held on February 16, 1971.
Mr. Dominic Mortellaro, 9629 Las Tunas Drive, thanked
the Commission for their recommendation for use of
public parking lots for the Children's Pet Zoo which
was open to the public for a two -week period, reporting
that it had been a successful undertaking.
There being no further business, the meeting was
adjourned at 11:35 a.m. to the next regular meeting on
February 17, 1971, 3:00 p.m., at City Hall.
ATTEST:
City Clerk