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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/06/2014Approved December 4, 2014 1 Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes November 6, 2014 Minutes of a Regular Meeting Town of Los Altos Hills PLANNING COMMISSION Thursday, November 06, 2014, 7:00 P.M. Council Chambers, 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022 ______________________________________________________________________________ 1. ROLL CALL AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Present: Commissioner Abraham, Commissioner Couperus, Commissioner Partridge, Commissioner Tankha, Chair Mandle Staff: Suzanne Avila, Interim Planning Director; Nicole Horvitz, Assistant Planner; Jaime McAvoy, Planning Secretary 2. PRESENTATIONS FROM THE FLOOR There were no presentations from the floor. 3. PUBLIC HEARINGS 3.1 LANDS OF VAHDAT; 26520 PURISSIMA ROAD; FILE #156-14-ZP-SD; (CONTINUED FROM THE OCTOBER 2, 2014 PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING) A request for a Site Development Permit of a landscape screening plan for a two story new residence with a basement, a detached secondary dwelling unit, and a swimming pool approved at the April 4, 2013 Planning Commission meeting. CEQA review: Categorical Exemption per Section 15304 (b) (Staff-N. Horvitz). Ex Parte Communications: There were no Ex Parte Communications. Assistant Planner Nicole Horvitz presented the staff report. Commissioner Partridge asked for clarification on what items the Commission was to discuss this evening, and expressed concern with the amount of water that would be required to maintain the proposed landscape. Chair Mandle opened the PUBLIC HEARING. Rick Stover, Landscape Architect, spoke to different aspects of the landscape plan, and answered questions posed by the Commission. Applicant Amin Vahdat spoke on behalf of his project. Approved December 4, 2014 2 Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes November 6, 2014 Chair Mandle closed the PUBLIC HEARING. Commission discussion ensued. Commissioner Tankha stated that she appreciated that neighbor input was being taken into account on this project. Commissioner Partridge stated that he could not support an extensive lawn during the drought. Commissioner Couperus stated that all his concerns had been alleviated with the revised plans. He then said that the Commission needed to distinguish between establishing new landscape and the long term needs for water, and that it was probably not as bad as it looked. Commissioner Abraham said that the applicant had done everything asked by the Commission and neighbors, and agreed with Commissioner Couperus' estimate for the water usage. Chair Mandle thanked the applicant for listening to the concerns of the neighbors, and agreed that they need to be careful with water usage, but stated that she supported the project. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Commissioner Abraham moved to approve the requested site development permit for a landscape screening plan for Lands of Vahdat, 26250 Purissima Road, subject to the recommended conditions of approval in Attachment 1, and to include the recommended amendments to the fencing plan. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Tankha. AYES: Commissioner Abraham, Commissioner Couperus, Commissioner Tankha, Chair Mandle NOES: Commissioner Partridge ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None MOTION CARRIED 4-1. 3.2 LANDS OF LU; 14696 MANUELLA ROAD, FILE #218-14-ZP-SD-CDP-VAR; A request for a Conditional Development Permit and a setback variance for a new 232 square foot addition to an existing 4,111 square foot single story residence. CEQA Review: Categorical Exemption per Section 15303 (a) (Staff- N. Horvitz). Ex Parte Communications: There were no Ex Parte Communications. Approved December 4, 2014 3 Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes November 6, 2014 Assistant Planner Nicole Horvitz presented the staff report. Commissioner Partridge asked if this was a road or an easement that they were looking at. Ms. Horvitz confirmed that this was not a road, but an access easement along the north property line that is used by the neighbor behind the property. Commissioner Abraham said that the setback being measured from the easement causes extra hardship on the homeowners, and without that methodology there would be no need for this variance. Chair Mandle opened the PUBLIC HEARING. Michael Ma, Architect, spoke on behalf of the project. Applicant Ms. Lu spoke on behalf of her project. Chair Mandle closed the PUBLIC HEARING. Commissioner Abraham had no objections to the project. Commissioner Couperus stated his appreciation for the applicant keeping the original house, and stated his support of the project. Commissioner Partridge expressed concern that they were setting a precedence, but agreed that the setback ordinance change created hardships for these older lots. Commissioner Tankha said she felt the variance was justified in this case. Chair Mandle had no objections to the project. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Commissioner Tankha moved to approve the requested site development permit and requested setback variances for additions, subject to the recommended conditions in Attachment 1 and the revised findings submitted by staff, with the added sentence "without the ingress/egress easement, this property would have satisfied the setback requirements". The motion was seconded by Commissioner Abraham. AYES: Commissioner Abraham, Commissioner Couperus, Commissioner Partridge, Commissioner Tankha, Chair Mandle NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Approved December 4, 2014 4 Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes November 6, 2014 MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 3.3 LANDS OF MUELLER; 26075 DUVAL WAY, FILE #375-13-ZP; A request for a fence height variance of up to 8' where 6' is allowed. CEQA Review: Categorical Exemption per Section 15303 (e) (Staff- N. Horvitz). Ex Parte Communications: Commissioner Tankha and Chair Mandle said that they had both spoken with applicant Kathy Mueller. Commissioners Abraham, Couperus, and Partridge had nothing to disclose. Assistant Planner Nicole Horvitz presented the staff report. Commission asked questions of staff. Chair Mandle opened the PUBLIC HEARING. Applicant Fritz Mueller spoke to his project and his reasoning for requesting this variance. Seeing no one else wishing to speak Chair Mandle closed the PUBLIC HEARING. Commissioner Partridge stated that there was a lot of supporting evidence to allow the variance. Commissioner Tankha did not feel the fence would have a big impact on neighbors and stated her support of the project. Commissioner Abraham was impressed with the amount of noise reduction the fence provided the applicant, and stated his support of the project. Commissioner Couperus stated his support of the project. Chair Mandle stated the variance request was justified, and the height was needed to block out the freeway noise. She stated her support of the project. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Commissioner Tankha moved to approve the proposed fence height variance, subject to the conditions of approval in Attachment 1, and the findings of approval in Attachment 2. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Abraham. AYES: Commissioner Abraham, Commissioner Couperus, Commissioner Partridge, Commissioner Tankha, Chair Mandle NOES: None ABSENT: None Approved December 4, 2014 5 Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes November 6, 2014 ABSTAIN: None MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 3.4 LANDS OF MATHUR; 27299 BYRNE PARK LANE, FILE #140-14-ZP-SD-CDP- VAR; A request for a Conditional Development Permit and a setback variance for a 1.398 square foot addition to an existing 2,000 square foot two-story residence and removal of a heritage oak tree. CEQA Review: Categorical Exemption per Section 15303 (a) (Staff- S. Avila). Ex Parte Communications: There were no Ex Parte Communications. Interim Planning Director Suzanne Avila presented the staff report. Commission asked questions of staff. Chair Mandle opened the PUBLIC HEARING. Applicant Saroop Mathur addressed the Commission. Seeing no one else wishing to speak, Chair Mandle closed the PUBLIC HEARING. Commissioner Couperus said that he did not believe these variances would have any impact on the neighbors, and therefore did not see any issue with approving this request. Commissioner Tankha stated her support of the project. Commissioner Abraham suggested reducing the contour of the open space easement to 700 or 705 feet for fire safety reasons. Commissioner Partridge suggested staff note in the findings that the plot map describes a 20 foot setback, and agreed with changing the contours. Chair Mandle stated her support of the variance. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Commissioner Abraham moved to approve the requested conditional development permit and variances for the reduced side yard setback subject to the conditions of approval in Attachment 1 and the findings in Attachments 2 and 3, with the added sentence that "the parcel map for the property shows a 20 foot side set back", and with the amendment that the easterly boundary of the conservation easement be defined by the 705 foot contour line. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Partridge. AYES: Commissioner Abraham, Commissioner Couperus, Commissioner Partridge, Commissioner Tankha, Chair Mandle NOES: None Approved December 4, 2014 6 Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes November 6, 2014 ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 4. OLD BUSINESS 4.1 Status of 25531 W. Fremont Road (Staff- S. Avila) Interim Planning Director Suzanne Avila provided the Commission with an update on this application. 4.2 Ordinances, Policies, Guidelines, Variances and Exceptions (Staff- S. Avila) Interim Planning Director Suzanne Avila provided the Commissioners with a Memorandum defining these terms. 5. NEW BUSINESS - none 6. REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS 6.1 Planning Commission Representative for October 16 - Commissioner Tankha Commissioner Tankha presented a report on this meeting. 6.2 Planning Commission Representative for November 10 - Chair Mandle 6.3 Planning Commission Representative for December 11 - Commissioner Abraham 6.4 Planning Commission Representative for January 15 - Commissioner Couperus 7. MINUTES 7.1 Approval of October 2, 2014 Minutes MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Commissioner Partridge moved to approve the October 2, 2014 minutes. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Tankha. AYES: Commissioner Abraham, Commissioner Couperus, Commissioner Partridge, Commissioner Tankha, Chair Mandle NOES: None Approved December 4, 2014 7 Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes November 6, 2014 ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 8. REPORTS FROM FAST TRACK MEETINGS - OCTOBER 28, 2014 8.1 LANDS OF SHAH AND CHAWLA; 12364 PRISCILLA LANE, FILE #20-14-ZP- SD-GD; A request for a Site Development Permit for a new 6, 002 square foot residence (Maximum height 27') with a 3,524 square foot basement, a 616 square foot cabana, 1,064 square foot sports court, and a 480 square foot swimming pool. CEQA Review: Categorical Exemption per Section 15303 (a) & (e) (Staff- N. Horvitz). 9. REPORTS FROM SITE DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS - OCTOBER 8, 2014 9.1 LANDS OF VANDERBEEK; 26400 PURISSIMA ROAD, FILE #231-14-ZP-SD; A request for a Site Development Permit for a landscape screening plan for a new 6,054 square foot single story residence, detached garage and carport, detached accessory building with a basement, and a swimming pool approved at the August 20, 2013 Fast Track hearing. CEQA Review: Categorical Exemption per Section 15304 (b) (Staff- N. Horvitz). 10. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:46 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Jaime L. McAvoy Jaime L. McAvoy Planning Secretary The minutes for the November 6, 2014 Regular Planning Commission Meeting were approved with corrections on December 4, 2014.