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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/02/2017Approved May 4, 2017 Minutes of a Regular Meeting Town of Los Altos Hills PLANNING COMMISSION Thursday, March 02, 2017, 7:00 PM Council Chambers, 26379 Fremont Road ______________________________________________________________________________ 1. ROLL CALL AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Present: Commissioner Basiji, Commissioner Couperus, Commissioner Mandle, Commissioner Partridge, Chair Tankha Absent: None Staff: Planning Director Suzanne Avila, Consultant Planner Steve Padovan, Administrative Technician Frances Reed, Administrative Technician Veronica Flores 2. PRESENTATIONS FROM THE FLOOR Chair Tankha opened presentations from the floor Seeing no one wishing to speak, Chair Tankha closed presentations from the floor. 3. PUBLIC HEARINGS Ex parte disclosures: There were no ex parte disclosures. 3.1 LANDS OF SEIDEL; 26642 PURISSIMA ROAD; A Request for a Site Development Permit for a Landscape Screening Plan for a Previously Approved Secondary Dwelling Unit; File #324-13-ZP-SD; CEQA review: Categorical Exemption per Section 15304 (b) – new landscaping (Staff: S. Padovan) – Continued from the February 2, 2017 Planning Commission meeting. Planning Consultant Steve Padovan presented the staff report. The Commission asked questions of staff and received responses. Applicant Linda Seidel spoke in regards to her project. Commissioner Partridge asked whether Ms. Seidel was supportive of the landscape screening plan that was being submitted. Ms. Seidel said that she believed the landscape was more than what was necessary. She would prefer 1 Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes March 2, 2017 Approved May 4, 2017 smaller plants and the minimum required by the municipal code. She stated that she was open to the Commission's suggestions. Chair Tankha said it might be in Ms. Seidel's best interest to work with her landscape architect to come up with another plan that would better satisfy her needs. Chair Tankha asked the landscape architect if she would like to speak in regarding the project and the landscape screening plan being presented. Jenna Bayer, landscape architect, spoke about the landscape screening plan. She stated that the plan satisfied ninety percent of the neighbors’ concerns, but she did think it was a lot more screening than the applicant originally wanted. She said she did not know what more she could do to satisfy everyone involved. Commissioner Mandle asked Ms. Bayer whether she believed that some of the trees planted could be smaller and still take care of the off-site view in two to three years. Ms. Bayer stated that the olive trees could be smaller than twenty-four inch box size. She said that in her professional opinion, the screening is ten percent more than is what is really needed. Commissioner Couperus spoke about brush density and asked whether plants could be reduced in certain tiers. Ms. Bayer explained the reasoning for layering the trees and plants. Commissioner Mandle asked to clarify the administrative process after the project is approved. Staff responded, and stated there is significant incentive to ensure the applicant keeps the plants alive. Chair Tankha inquired about maintaining the trees in order to protect the applicant’s views. Staff explained that topping trees is not recommended. Commissioner Mandle asked Ms. Bayer for her recommendation on maintaining a view given the proposed plan. Ms. Bayer provided tips. Commissioner Partridge asked about the number of years that it would take for neighbors to see noticeable screening. Ms. Bayer went through each plant and suggested timelines. Commissioner Basiji asked if the composition of plants would mitigate concerns of screening. Ms. Bayer confirmed it would. Commissioner Basiji also inquired about the length of time it would take for a fifteen gallon olive tree to reach the size of a twenty-four inch box olive tree. Ms. Bayer stated it would take approximately three years. Chair Tankha opened the PUBLIC HEARING. Rodger Barkoff, Los Altos Hills, spoke against the project. He expressed concern over drainage. 2 Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes March 2, 2017 Approved May 4, 2017 Angela Yen, Los Altos Hills, stated concern with having the applicant submit a plan she does not agree with. She spoke against the project. Robert Wheatley, Los Altos Hills, spoke against the project. Applicant Linda Seidel responded to comments from the public. Commissioner Mandle asked Ms. Bayer why she thought there was ten percent more plant material on the new plan than was necessary. Ms. Bayer clarified that she was referring to the mass of the plants. Commissioner Mandle then asked whether she believed the proposed plan was the minimal amount of screening for the neighbors or if it could be reduced in any way. Ms. Bayer stated that, professionally, this was the minimum and optimal amount from all views and the size of plants is reasonable. Chair Tankha asked if Ms. Bayer considered planting anything besides the olive trees. Ms. Bayer stated that the olive trees are a good option due to the fact that they grow well in Los Altos Hills and deer tend to not eat them. Chair Tankha asked whether the irrigation plan was included in this new submittal and whether it was detailed enough. Ms. Bayer confirmed it was. Further, Chair Tankha asked if there would be a professional vendor that would do the installation. Ms. Bayer stated that she could provide options but that she was not a landscape contractor. Commissioner Basiji asked staff about the process to ensure an approved plan is properly implemented. Staff responded and explained the process. Further, Commissioner Basiji asked Ms. Bayer if she believed that pruning would provide the non-obstructive view Ms. Seidel is seeking. Ms. Bayer stated she believed it would, with some exceptions. Chair Tankha asked whether there was any concern regarding the engineered slope. Ms. Bayer stated that the Engineering Department requirements mitigate any concerns. Staff said that the engineering staff had already been on site due to recent concerns of neighbors and would inspect the site again before the project was finalized. Chair Tankha closed the PUBLIC HEARING. Commission discussion ensued. Commissioner Mandle expressed her contentment with the proposed solution and said she was satisfied with the amount of plant material. She stated that she had no concern of the applicant neglecting the plants once they were installed. She said she sympathized with the applicant regarding the cost and did not know how to mitigate that issue but she was fully supportive of the current proposal. 3 Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes March 2, 2017 Approved May 4, 2017 Commissioner Basiji said he was in total agreement with Commissioner Mandle. He suggested reducing the size of the olive trees from a twenty-four inch box to fifteen gallon. He stated his belief that this would help alleviate the cost of the project. Commissioner Couperus expressed his satisfaction with the proposed plan. He agreed with Commissioner Basiji regarding the fifteen gallon versus the twenty- four inch box olive trees. He said the amount of olive trees on the plan seem more than the minimum amount and would not object to reducing the requirements on the olive trees. Commissioner Partridge said the current proposal is more like the type of landscape screening plans the Commission usually sees. He stated that he is also open to lowering the olive tree requirement to fifteen gallon. Further, he said he would have suggested extending the deposit to three years but agreed with the two year requirement. Chair Tankha agreed with her fellow Commissioners regarding their approval of the proposal and was satisfied with the plan as presented. Commissioner Mandle said she was willing to reduce the size requirement for seven of the ten olive trees and the remaining three should be twenty-four inch box. Chair Tankha re-opened the PUBLIC HEARING. Chair Tankha asked Ms. Bayer about the height difference between the twenty- four inch box and the fifteen gallon olive tree. Ms. Bayer said they were approximately the same height but a fifteen gallon olive tree was eighteen to twenty-four inches wide whereas the twenty-four inch box olive tree was closer to three feet wide. Timothy Tang, Los Altos Hills, spoke against the project and stated he wanted more screening on his side of the property. Mrs. Tang, Los Altos Hills, spoke against the project due to drainage concerns. The Commission asked questions of staff regarding drainage. They concluded that the Commission could not sufficiently address the issue and believed Mr. Tang should engage the Public Works Director regarding his concerns. Chair Tankha closed the PUBLIC HEARING. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Commissioner Mandle moved to approve the request for a Site Development Permit for a Landscape Screening Plan subject to the recommended conditions of approval in Attachment 1, with the added condition that seven of the ten olive trees be reduced to fifteen gallons in size. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Couperus. 4 Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes March 2, 2017 Approved May 4, 2017 Motion Carried 5-0: AYES: Commissioner Basiji, Commissioner Couperus, Commissioner Mandle, Commissioner Partridge, Chair Tankha NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None The meeting went into recess at 8:11 p.m. The meeting reconvened to open session at 8:13 p.m. 4. OLD BUSINESS - None 5. NEW BUSINESS Commissioner Mandle and Chair Tankha said they met regarding some outdoor lights that received complaints. They said they would send staff a list of the properties in question so staff can review the approved plans and proceed accordingly. 5.1 Introduction of the Administrative Draft of the Subdivision Ordinance (Staff: S. Padovan) – Continued from the February 2, 2017 Planning Commission meeting. Planning Consultant Steve Padovan asked the Commission for their feedback on the proposed administrative draft. Discussion ensued and the Commission provided comments to staff. 6. REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS Commissioner Mandle reported on the February 16, 2017 City Council meeting. The Commission discussed the grading moratorium with staff. 6.1 Planning Commission Representative for March 8 – Commissioner Couperus 6.2 Planning Commission Representative for April 20 – Commissioner Basiji 6.3 Planning Commission Representative for May 18 – Commissioner Partridge 6.4 Planning Commission Representative for June 15 – Chair Tankha 5 Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes March 2, 2017 Approved May 4, 2017 7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 7.1 Approval of November 3, 2016 minutes. Commission Partridge and Commissioner Couperus made corrections to the ex parte disclosures. 7.2 Approval of December 1, 2016 minutes. Commissioner Basiji made a correction regarding heritage oak trees versus volunteer oak trees. 7.3 Approval of February 2, 2017 minutes. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Commissioner Partridge moved to approve the minutes of the November 3, 2016, December 1, 2016, and February 2, 2017 Planning Commission meetings with corrections made to the November 3, 2016 ex-parte disclosures and the December 1, 2016 comment from Commissioner Basiji regarding oak trees. The motion was seconded by Chair Tankha. Motion Carried 5-0: AYES: Commissioner Basiji, Commissioner Couperus, Commissioner Mandle, Commissioner Partridge, Chair Tankha NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None 8. REPORTS FROM FAST TRACK MEETING – FEBRUARY 28, 2017 8.1 LANDS OF SUNDARARAJAN; 27844 Black Mountain Road; File #437-16-ZP- SD; A request for a Site Development Permit to demolish an existing 864 square- foot shed and construct a new 1,396 square foot two-story addition (23’ maximum height) on the existing slab foundation. CEQA review: Categorical Exemption per Section 15303(a) – additions to existing single family residential property (Staff: M. Moseley). 9. REPORTS FROM SITE DEVELOPMENT MEETING – FEBRUARY 28, 2017 9.1 LANDS OF WOLAK; 14511 DeBell Road; File #32-17-ZP-SD; A request for a Site Development Permit for a landscape screening and fencing plan for a previously approved new residence. CEQA review: Categorical Exemption per Section 15304(b) (Staff: S. Avila). 6 Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes March 2, 2017 Approved May 4, 2017 10. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 9:02 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Veronica Flores Veronica Flores, Administrative Technician The minutes for the March 2, 2017 regular Planning Commission meeting were approved as presented at the May 4, 2017 regular Planning Commission meeting and adjourned meeting from April 6, 2017. 7 Regular Planning Commission Meeting Minutes March 2, 2017