HomeMy Public PortalAboutPlanning Commission - Minutes - 2010-11-09 - RegularPLANNING COMMISSION
MINUTES
NOVEMBER 9, 2010
INITIATION:
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
3. ROLL CALL:
Commissioners: 0' Leary, Valenzuela, Chen, Seibert
Also Present: City Attorney Vega, Community Development Manager Lambert, Associate
Planner Gulick, and Planning Secretary Venters
Commissioner Seibert - Made a motion to excuse Commissioner Horton for due cause seconded by
Vice - Chairman Valenzuela and unanimously carried.
4. TIME FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WISH TO SPEAK:
No one came forth at this time.
5. CONSENT CALENDAR:
A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: OCTOBER 26, 2010
RECOMMENDATION: APPROVE AS SUBMITTED
Commissioner Seibert — Stated that he would like to abstain from the Planning Commission Meeting
minutes dated October 26, 2010 as he was not present.
Vice - Chairman Valenzuela - Made a motion to approve the Planning Commission Meeting minutes
dated October 26, 2010 with a minor correction, seconded by Commissioner Chen and unanimously
carried.
6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: NONE
7. NEW BUSINESS:
A. PUBLIC HEARING: THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING TO REMODEL AN
EXISTING SINGLE STORY RESIDENCE, ADD A
736 SQUARE FOOT SECOND STORY ADDITION,
AND ADD A NEW ATTACHED 2 -CAR GARAGE FOR
THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 6231 MUSCATEL
AVENUE, SAN GABRIEL, CALIFORNIA 91775
(WITHIN TEMPLE CITY'S CITY LIMITS). THE
APPLICANT IS REQUESTING THE FOLLOWING
ZONE VARIANCES: 1) 9333.C.2.A- TO HAVE A
SECOND STORY COMBINED SIDE YARD
SETBACK OF 10 FEET, INSTEAD OF THE
REQUIRED 15 FEET, 2) 9333.F- TO HAVE 9 FEET 8
INCHES OF HOUSE WIDTH, INSTEAD OF THE
REQUIRED 25 FEET, AND 3) 9336.A.5.D- NOT
HAVING AT LEAST 50 PERCENT OF THE SECOND
Planning Commiss;on Minutes
Date of Hearing: November 9. 2010
SUBJECT SITE:
CASE NUMBER:
PROPERTY OWNER/
APPLICANT:
DESIGNER:
2
FLOOR FRONT ELEVATION BEING SETBACK
FURTHER THAN 10 FEET FROM THE FIRST
STORY'S FRONT ELEVATION WALL. THE
SUBJECT PROPERTY IS ZONED R -1 AND IS
DESIGNATED AS LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL BY
THE GENERAL PLAN.
6231 MUSCATEL AVENUE
ZONE VARIANCE 10 -1770
SU -E AND ELAINE TAN
6231 MUSCATEL AVENUE
SAN GABRIEL, CALIFORNIA 91775
GENERAL CIVIL ENGINEERING & DESIGN, INC.
217 CAROLWOOD DRIVE
ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA 91006
RECOMMENDATION: 1) HEAR STAFF REPORT
2) HEAR THOSE FOR AND AGAINST
3) FIND THAT THIS PROJECT IS CATEGORICALLY
EXEMPT FROM CEQA PURSUANT TO SECTION
(15303)
4) ADOPT RESOLUTION FOR APPROVAL
Chairman O'Leary — Asked for a Staff Report.
Community Development Manager Lambert — Gave the Staff Report dated November 9, 2010.
Associate Planner Gulick — Gave a PowerPoint presentation.
Chairman O'Leary — Asked if there were any questions or comments from the Planning
Commissioners for the Staff. The Planning Commissioners did have questions at this time.
Vice - Chairman Valenzuela - Asked City Attorney Vega if the design of a residence could affect the
terms of a Zone Variance.
City Attorney Vega — Stated that there are four findings that need to be made in order to approve a
Zone Variance. Stated that if one had a concern regarding the design of a structure it would be under
finding "C" of the Zone Variance.
Community Development Manager Lambert — Stated that he would like to point out that the R -1 design
guidelines states that if someone wants to build a house of architectural significance but it may result in
a design that does not meet the articulation requirements, the applicant could apply for a Conditional
Use Permit if the design merits. Stated that in this case the applicant was required to apply for a Zone
Variance due to a setback deficiency and other issues. Stated that the proposed design is
contemporary, consisting of features that are commonly seen on modern houses. Stated that this
request meets the current design guidelines for the R -1 Zone and that the findings for this Zone
Variance are solely for physical relief from the current R -1 standards to accommodate the design.
Chairman O'Leary — Asked if there were any additional questions or comments from the Planning
Commissioners for the Staff. The Planning Commissioners did not have questions at this time.
Invited the applicant to speak.
George Chen, General Civil Engineering & Design, Inc., 217 Carolwood Dr., Arcadia, CA 91006 —
"
P l a n n i n g C o m m i s s i o n M i n u t e s
D a t e o f H e a r i n g ' . N o v e m b e r 9 . 2 0 1 0
S t a t e d t h a t h e i s t h e d e s i g n e r f o r t h i s p r o j e c t a n d w o u l d l i k e t o d e v e l o p t h e p r o p e r t y a s m u c h a s p o s s i b l e
w h i l e m i n i m i z i n g t h e a m o u n t o f d e m o l i t i o n t o t h e p r o p e r t y b y p r e s e r v i n g t h e f o u n d a t i o n .
V i c e - C h a i r m a n V a l e n z u e l a - A s k e d M r . C h e n i f h e i s a l i c e n s e d A r c h i t e c t .
G e o r g e C h e n , G e n e r a l C i v i l E n g i n e e r i n g & D e s i g n , I n c . , 2 1 7 C a r o l w o o d D r . , A r c a d i a , C A 9 1 0 0 6
S t a t e d t h a t h e i s n o t a l i c e n s e d A r c h i t e c t , h o w e v e r , h e i s a n E n g i n e e r .
C h a i r m a n O ' L e a r y - A s k e d i f a n y o n e f r o m t h e p u b l i c w o u l d l i k e t o s p e a k i n f a v o r o r a g a i n s t t h e
p r o p o s e d r e q u e s t . O n e p e r s o n c a m e f o r t h a t t h i s t i m e .
W i l l i a m S l o a n , 6 2 0 7 M u s c a t e l A v e . , T e m p l e C i t y , C A 9 1 7 8 0 S t a t e d t h a t h e c o u l d a p p r e c i a t e t h a t
t h e a p p l i c a n t w o u l d l i k e t o u p g r a d e t h e i r p r o p e r t y a n d t h a t i t i s d i f f i c u l t t o d o s o d u e t o t h e
n a r r o w n e s s o f t h e p r o p e r t y , h o w e v e r , h e d o e s n o t f e e l t h a t t h e a r c h i t e c t u r a l s t y l e b l e n d s w i t h t h e r e s t
o f t h e n e i g h b o r h o o d .
C h a i r m a n O ' L e a r y - A s k e d i f a n y o n e e l s e f r o m t h e p u b l i c w o u l d l i k e t o s p e a k i n f a v o r o r a g a i n s t t h e
p r o p o s e d r e q u e s t . N o o n e c a m e f o r t h a t t h i s t i m e .
V i c e - C h a i r m a n V a l e n z u e l a - M a d e a m o t i o n t o c l o s e t h e p u b l i c h e a r i n g s e c o n d e d b y C o m m i s s i o n e r
C h e n a n d u n a n i m o u s l y c a r r i e d .
C o m m i s s i o n e r S e i b e r t - S t a t e d t h a t h e h a s m i x e d f e e l i n g s r e g a r d i n g t h i s p r o p e r t y . S t a t e d t h a t h e
u n d e r s t a n d s t h a t i t i s d i f f i c u l t t o d e v e l o p a n a d d i t i o n o n a 4 0 w i d e l o t , h o w e v e r , t h e a p p l i c a n t i s
p r o p o s i n g t o d e m o l i s h m o r e t h a n 5 0 p e r c e n t o f t h e c u r r e n t s t r u c t u r e . S t a t e d t h a t t h i s s t r u c t u r e n o w
h a s t o b e t r e a t e d a s a n e w d w e l l i n g . S t a t e d t h a t t h e a p p l i c a n t d o e s n o t n e c e s s a r i l y h a v e t o b u i l d a
s e c o n d s t o r y t o t h e d w e l l i n g i n o r d e r t o a c h i e v e a d d i t i o n a l s q u a r e f o o t a g e a n d f e e l s t h a t t h e r e a r e
o t h e r o p t i o n s t h a t t h e a p p l i c a n t h a s t o e x e r c i s e t o b u i l d a d d i t i o n a l s q u a r e f o o t a g e t o t h e d w e l l i n g .
S t a t e d t h a t h e i s n o t i n f a v o r o f t h i s r e q u e s t .
C o m m i s s i o n e r C h e n - S t a t e d t h a t h e i s l e a n i n g t o w a r d S t a f f ' s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n , h o w e v e r , h e w o u l d
l i k e t o h a v e c l a r i f i c a t i o n r e g a r d i n g t h e c o d e r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r n e w d w e l l i n g s . S t a t e d t h a t h e i s i n
f a v o r o f t h i s r e q u e s t , b u t w o u l d l i k e t o k n o w t h e r a t i o n a l e w h y s o m e o f t h e s e m e a s u r e s a r e
n e c e s s a r y .
C o m m u n i t y D e v e l o p m e n t M a n a g e r L a m b e r t S t a t e d t h a t i n o r d e r t o e l i m i n a t e t h e Z o n e V a r i a n c e
r e q u e s t , t h e C i t y ' s c o d e r e q u i r e s t h a t t h e s e c o n d f l o o r h a v e a 1 5 f o o t s e t b a c k w i t h a t o t a l o f 2 5 f e e t
w i d t h o f l i v i n g s p a c e o n t h e f i r s t f l o o r . S t a t e d t h a t t h e a p p l i c a n t w o u l d l i k e t o d e v e l o p a v e r t i c a l
e l e m e n t , a n d S t a f f d o e s n o t f e e l t h a t e v e r y t h i n g n e e d s t o b e a l i k e a r c h i t e c t u r a l l y . S t a t e d t h a t i f o n e
c o m p l i e d w i t h t h e c o d e a n d m e t t h e d e s i g n g u i d e l i n e s , a d e v e l o p e r c o u l d c o n s t r u c t a r e s i d e n t i a l
s t r u c t u r e w i t h a c o n t e m p o r a r y d e s i g n . S t a t e d t h a t i t i s a t e c h n i c a l i t y t h a t t h e r e s i d e n t i a l s t r u c t u r e h a s
t o b e 2 5 f e e t w i d e . S t a t e d t h a t s o m e p l a n n e r s m a y i n c l u d e a g a r a g e i n t h e t w e n t y f i v e f e e t o f l i v i n g
s p a c e r e q u i r e m e n t , h o w e v e r , t h e C i t y d o e s n o t i n c l u d e a g a r a g e a s l i v i n g s p a c e .
A s s o c i a t e P l a n n e r G u l i c k S t a t e d t h a t t h e a p p l i c a n t w a n t e d t o h a v e a n e w g a r a g e i n t h e b a c k ,
h o w e v e r , t h e y d i d n o t c o m p l y w i t h t h e d r i v e w a y w i d t h w h i c h i s a c o n s t r a i n t .
C o m m u n i t y D e v e l o p m e n t M a n a g e r L a m b e r t S t a t e d t h a t i f t h i s r e q u e s t i s d e n i e d t h e y m a y s t i l l b e
r e q u i r e d t o c o m e f o r t h t o t h e P l a n n i n g C o m m i s s i o n f o r a s i n g u l a r Z o n e V a r i a n c e f o r t h e d r i v e w a y .
V i c e - C h a i r m a n V a l e n z u e l a - S t a t e d t h a t h e u n d e r s t a n d s t h a t t h i s l o t i s 4 0 f e e t w i d e , h o w e v e r , h e
f i n d s t h e s t y l e i s p o o r a n d d o e s n o t f e e l t h a t i t m e e t s t h e i n t e n t o f t h e d e s i g n g u i d e l i n e s . S t a t e d t h a t
"
h e c a n n o t m a k e t h e f i n d i n g s t o a p p r o v e t h i s r e q u e s t .
Planning Commission Minutes
Dale of Hearing'. November 9, 2010
Chairman O'Leary — Stated that can make the findings to vote in favor of the project and does not
feel that that the structure would be too obtrusive.
Commissioner Seibert - Made a motion to deny Zone Variance 10 -1770, seconded by Vice - Chairman
Valenzuela and a Roll Call Vote was taken:
ROLL CALL VOTE
Commissioner Chen Nay
Commissioner Seibert Aye
Vice - Chairman Valenzuela Aye
Chairman O'Leary Nay
City Attorney Vega — Stated that since the Planning Commission vote made is tied, this matter will be
referred to the City Council if no action has taken place after forty days.
Commissioner Seibert — Made a motion to continue Zone Variance 10 -1770 to the Planning
Commission Meeting of December 14, seconded by Commissioner Chen and unanimously carried.
City Attorney Vega — Stated that this item will be continued to December 14, that the City does not have
to re- notice the public hearing request, and that this item will be heard again and voted upon again.
8. COMMUNICATIONS: NONE
9. MATTERS FROM CITY OFFICIALS: NONE
10. ADJOURNMENT:
411
Chairman O'Leary — Adjourned the meeting at 8:06 p.m. to the next Planning Commission meeting
of December 14, 2010 at 7:30 p.m.
Next Scheduled Meeting of:
City Council:
Parks & Recreation Commission:
•
November 16, 2010
November 17, 2010