HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/28/1976 (2)46
PLAd:JING COM!IISSION
Town of Los Altos Hills
26379 Fremont Road
Los Altos Hills, California
REGULAR MEETING
Wednesday, January 28, 1976
pc. Reel 43, Track 1, Side 1, Count 261 to 976.
Chairman Carico called the meeting to order at B:00 p.m. ,In the Council Chambers,
Town Hall, Los Altos Hills, California.
A. ROLL CALL Chairman J. Carico. I•;, Perkins,
Commissioners: K. Brown, L. Hillestad,
D. Proft, T. Schick, and K. Young.
Also Present: R. E. Crowe, City tIanager; A. D. Russell, City Engineer;
K. R. Pastrof, Town Planner; D. Pennington, Secretary.
B. CONSENT CALENDAR - Approval of the Minutes of January 8, 1976.
The following corrections were made to the minutes: Letter of T. Schick -
add date it was written: January 8, 1976; Letter of L. Hillestad -
second paragraph, fourth word from end of second line, correct to read
°first" instead of "fourth". Add a final sentence to the toiird paragraph
from the bottom of Page 1 of the minutes: Commissioner Hillestad wanted to
have some input because she was going to be absent.
Chairman Carico assured Commissioners Hillestad and Schick that their
letters were a part of the minutes.
There being no further corrections, Commissioner Proft moved, seconded
by Commissioner Perkins, that the minutes of the meeting of January 8,
1976, be approved as corrected. The motion carried by the following vote:
AYES: Chairman Carico. Commissioners Brown, Proft,
Perkins, and Young.
NOES: None
ABST.AI^I: Comnissioners Schick and Hillestad.
Commissioners Schick and Hillestad asked that the record reflect that they
abstained from voting because they were not present at the meeting of January 8,
1976.
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - January 28, 1976
C. INTROGUCT ION OF SECRETAW:Y
Chairman Cari co formally ir.treducad the secrcrury, Donna Pennington, and
explained a crowded calendar at the last two maetings had prevented her
from doing this before. She asked the Commissi0nars for suggestions on
ways to Improve procedures. After the Commissioners welcomed the secretary,
they recommended the followinn: 1 -hat the agendas be timed, and that if
scheduled for a time different from the normal one, that the special time
be called to the Commissioners° attentlon; that the Chairman of the Variance
and Permit Commission be consulted prior to the agenda being published; that
the Commissioners be polled on the Monday before their ',Iodnesday meatina
to see if hat te
f rake
to assist the seccretary; be athat ble tthe tpacket tmaterialSbef aeffortn extra
labeled to correspond
with Its agenda designation.
D. STAFF REPORT - THREE FORKS LANE_'.
This was continued until Staff finished revising the subdivision ordinances.
Commissioner Schick asked whether any Planning Commissioner had attended the
meeting of the Three Forks Lane property owners on January 27, 1976, and
she was advised that none had. The secretary was asked to call the Com-
missioners and remind them of such meetings in the future.
Mr. Pastrof advised that it was a very well attended meeting, about seven
of the principal property owners came to discuss the improvements to the
Three Forks Lane entrance. What was really beneficial was that it got the
property owners together, and perhaps these people will came back with
consolidated plans when they wish to subdivide --which is the best way to
plan, in large pieces.
E. PUBLIC HEARING: Amendment to Section 9-5.301 of Chapter 5 of Title 9
of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code, and adding
thereto Article 9 entitled "Public Facilities."
MOTION: Commissioner Proft moved, seconded by Commissioner Schick, that
this item be continued to the meeting of February 11, 1976, because the
Commission had not received any supplemental information on it.
DISCUSSION
Mr. Crowe stated citizens had asked that the Council consider this type of
zoning. The draft was prepared by the City Attorney, and referred to the
Planning Commission for recommendation. Even after discussion with the
City Attorney, he really couldn't provide the list of advantages and dis-
advantages the Commissioners had asked for at their last meeting.
Commissioner Perkins thought they had enough information to permit the
Commission to have a Public Hearing and to make a decision on it. His
personal opinion was that it was very, very far from what they wanted
and that more Information and input were not going to change it much.
Commissioner Schick advised that she seconded the motion only because
(( at the last eting the Commissioners were told that
4there would be
me / more information coming which could put this proposal In a different light.
Commissioner Brown noted that the draft ordinance had been discussed at
length at the last meeting. He, too, found there was no need for
additional input or information.
- 2 -
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - Jan_iery 28, 1976
PUBLIC FACILITIES ZOJ Itl9 - Continued
PUBLIC HEARING
Chairman Carico opened the Public hearing at 8:3J P.M. She called upon
Larry Giller, 25981 Vinedo. Hg stated the intent of the proposed ordi-
nance was to limit the use, to which public tocilities can put properties
they no longer desire. The closing of trio schools in the Town adversely
affects the children and those persons who are trying to sell homes to
people who have children. The Town has not been able to change the school
th
districts' policy. However, if the districts couldn't sell their property
for residential use, the market for it would diminish, which might, in turn,
discourage the. districts from closing the Hills' schools.
Mrs. D. Saviano suggested that material on any Public Hearing be made
available to members of the audience.
Chairman Carico closeo the Public Hearing at 5:40 p.m. She commented that
she did not believe this ordinance would stop the closing of the schools.
MOTION: Commissioner Proft moved to continue this matter to no later than
9:00 p.m. Commissioner Schick seconded the motion. They subsequently
withdrew it, and Commissioner Young moved, seconded by Commissioner Perkins
that the Commission continue its discussion of this matter after Agenda
Item F had been heard. The motion carried unanimously.
F. EXEMPTION FROM THE MORATORIUM: Lands of North
Staff gave a synposis of the Staff Report of January 23, 1976. Chal man
Carl co called upon John Clegg, the applicant's engineer, who agreed with
the findings in the Staff Report. He asked that the Exemption from the
Moratorium request be granted without the condition that it must adhere
to the new proposed ordinances. He explained that the applicant had a
sale for the piece of property he was cutting off and wanted to close it
as soon as possible. He noted that it would be several months before
the ordinances would be adopted, and that basically this was only a lot
split, not a major subdivision.
MOTION: RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL
Commissioner Porkins moved, seconded by Commissioner Hillestad that the
Planning Commission recommend to the City Council that the LANDS OF NORTH
application for an Exemption from the Moratorium be approved, with the
condition that the appilcati on be subject to those changes in the
subdivision ordinances which are pertinent. The motion carried unanimously.
E. PUBLIC FACILITIES ZONING - CONTINUED
Commissioner Brown commented he had spoken to a number of concerned citizens
on this subject. The Town does face a serious situation insofar as the
closing of the Town schools is concerned. However, in analyzing the
proposed amendment, it does little or nothing more than what the Municipal
Code currently provides. Just a few years ago there was a great deal
of discussion about establishing a public facilities zoning in Los Altos
Hills and the consensus at that time was that such action could seriously
erode or Impair the zoning ordinance. He was not prepared at this time,
or at any other date, to support a change to the Municipal Code which
would in any way jeopardize the zoning ordinance.
acs
PLAPINING COMMISSION Mh�!�RES - January 20, 1976
PUBLIC FACILITIES Z},ril,JG - Continued
P10T ICN: REC01r.N'.`.DAT ICN TO TNS
Commi ssio ,cvad, seconded by C,r,,n+issi oner Schick, that the Planning
nonce entitled: Amendment to Section 9-5.301 of Chapter 5 of Title 9 of
Commission recommend to the City Council in it not adopt the draft ordi-
the Los Altos Hills tlunicipal Code, and ad -ding thereto Article 9 entitled
"Public Facilities."
DISCUSSION ON THE 1hOTI0N
Commi s5i oner Perkins pointed out that under this
would not be necessary for anyone with ore rty
to put up a modest, eighteen story structure to
facilities for the "public fact lity
The motion passed unanimously.
proposed ordinance, it
zoned "public facility°
house the necessary
Chairman Carico called for the vote
NEP! BUSINESS - Introspection
Chairman Carico turned this discussion over to Commissioner Perkins.
He commented that the founding fathers were tremendously astute. If
one acre minimum parcel.
they made a mistake, It was in establishing the
aside for streets and such.
Since the Town has 5,000 acres, with 1,000 set
that left 4,000 acres to develop --a monumenj that tal task --and, they proposed
doing it with o e ppaid emoyee. He relate, Commission had held an he "INTROSPECTIG4
of January see
Planning
NIGHT" to see where it was going and to see whether they were really
adhering to the fundamental notion under which the Town was founded.
This was done primarily because the Planning Commissioners wanted to
know if it was developing in the way they wanted it to, and if not, what
was wrong. The meeting was very well publicized, wet I -attended, and
there was a lot of good input.
back then had been that they were not really happy
The general consensus
with the way it was going. Because there is a high commitment to develop -
on
ment, things that are going to make a diffehen kindsoofh entry ry waytth atld
probably be lesser ones like road design,
goes into a subdivision, etc.
In any case, was it worth'.+h warnedle /ing Commissi\onerJ Perkins, it NIGHT
a' lot of
might be interesting, but,
work. A few of the things that would be needed were maps which show the
development to date, how much of this town is committed, how much is
actually developed, the areas which are committed but not yet developed,
the areas that are yet to be committed, as valuations and population
trends. These are the simple planning tools that the Commission needs and
should have right now.
Chairman Carico invited the Commissioners to comment.
Generally, the Commissioners appeared to support the concept and found It
and interesting idea. Commissioners eBrownand wain Schickng believed
dafter ttha report
timing was not quite right, and suggested to
division ordinances wereommadoptedttee sto have an I NTROSPECTIONthe SNIGHT. sub-
- 4 -
ow
PONA ING COMMISSION IAINIUTES - January 28, 1975
M
INTROSPECTION NIGIiT - Continued
Coemissioner Young commented that the sr,.all at tend antes at the greetings
indicated they might possibly be getting out of touch with the people.
If this thing could be organized effectively, along the lines suggested
by Commissioner Perkins, the opinions o the pecple who have never
bothered to come down to the meetings might cora as quite a shock.
Commissioner Schick responded that perhaps people weren't at the meetings
because they are happy with the job that is being done. A fed years ago
the meetings were jammed because the people weren't happy. Commissioner
Young observed that no matter how the Town Chambers over, low, 1t still
amounts to only fifty or sixty people out of seven thousand or more,
so there is a considerable apathy.
Chairman Carico moved, seconded by Commissioner Proft, that discussion
of -'INTROSPECTION NIGHT" be placed on the agenda for the meeting of
February 11, 1975, and thereafter that a vote be taken on the consensus,
and a date set,if the vote is favorable, for an INTROSPECTION NIGHT.
The motion carried unanimously.
ADJOURI1KENT: 9:55 P.M.
There being no further business, it was moved, seconded, and unanimously
carried that the meeting be adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna Pennington
Secretary
- 5 -