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HomeMy WebLinkAbout031797 PC Minutes MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF TEMECULA PLANNING COMMISSION MARCH 17, 1997 A regular meeting of the City of Temecula Planning Commission was called to order on Monday, March 17, 1997, 6:04 P.M., at the City of Temecula Council Chambers, 43200 Business Park Drive, Temecula, California. Chairman Fahey presiding. PRESENT: Fahey, Miller, Slaven, Soltysiak, Webster ABSENT: None Also present were Planning Manager Debbie Ubnoske, Senior Planner Dave Hogan, Assistant Engineer Annie Bostre-Le, Associate Planner Matthew Fagan, and Minute Clerk Kelli Beal. PUBLIC COMMFNTS Chairman Fahey called for public comments on non-agenda items. Two requests to speak forms were submitted regarding the development plan approved at the March 13 Director's Heating. Chairman Fahey stated she would call on the speakers after hearing Item No. 3, Director' s Hearing Case Update Report. COMMISSION BUSINESS 1. Approval of Agenda It was moved by Commissioner Miller and seconded by Commissioner Slaven to approve the agenda. The motion carried as follows: AYES: 5 COMMISSIONERS: Fahey, Miller, Slaven, Soltysiak, Webster NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None 2. Approval of February 24, 1997 Minutes It was moved by Commissioner Miller and seconded by Commissioner Webster to approve the minutes of March 3, 1997, with the following amendments: Commissioner Miller requested an addition to page 5 ... the two front podocarpus trees be 36" box instead of 24" box be added as a Condition of Approval. Commissioner Miller and Chairman Fahey requested clarification to page 3, paragraph 6 - Chairman Fahey stated it is important to clarify that the staff report states the target Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for the LI (Light Industrial) designation is .4. The project proposes a FAR of .46. An increase to the FAR can be accomplished per Section 17.08.050(a) of the Development Code if the project provides exceptional architectural and landscape design amehities which reflect an attractive image and character for the City. R: \P]L~3qC0~\MINUTES\~997\3-17-97 .WPD 5/~/97 v~w i PLANNING COMMISSION MARCH 17, 1997 It is staffs opinion that this criteria has been met with the project as proposed. The motion carried as follows: AYES: 4 NOES: 0 ABSTAIN: 1 COMMISSIONERS: Fahey, Miller, Soltysiak, Webster COMMISSIONERS: None COMMISSIONERS: Slaven Director's Hearing Ca~e Update Senior Planner Dave Hogan presented the staff report for PA96-0345 for a development plan a gas station, car wash, and a KFC restaurant with drive through on the comer of Yukon and Margarita. The project was approved at the March 13, 1997 Director's Hearing. Chairman Fahey opened the public comment section. Ron Beasley, 30605 Hollyberry Ln., Temecula spoke in opposition of the project with concerns about traffic, parking, environmental impacts from the gas station fumes and chemicals from the car wash. David Micheal, 30300 Churchill Ct., Temecula spoke in opposition of the project with concerns about traffic congestion and decrease in property values. He stated he was unable to obtain a copy of the traffic study and environmental impact report. He is requested a new traffic study and environmental impact report be prepared. He also expressed concern with noise and pollutants. Chairman Fahey closed the public comment section. Senior Planner Dave Hogan explained the appeal process for the public and Planning Commission. 4. Appoint Commissioner to Southside Specific Plan Selection Panel Senior Planner Dave Hogan provided information and requested the appointment of a Planning Commissioner to the Southside Specific Plan Selection Panel. Chairman Fahey volunteered to serve on the panel. Provide Direction to the Applicant and Staff of Proposed Revisions to the Roripaugh Ranch Specific Plan Chairman Fahey stated this item is not an action item and is for information only to provide direction to the applicant and staff of proposed revisions to the Roripaugh Ranch Specific Plan. R:\PLANCO~M\MINUTES\1997\3-17-97.WPD 5/1/97 vgw 2 PLANNING COMMISSION MARCH 17, 1997 Senior Planner Dave Hogan presented the staff report requesting the Planning Commission provide direction to the applicant and staff. The Roripaugh Ranch Specific Plan project is located on 790 acres northeast of the City of Temecula. Approximately 150 acres of the project site are located in the City, with the remaining 640 acres locaW~l in the County. The project consists of a Specific Plan, Environmental Impact Report, Prezoning and Annexation. The current project is down to 2.2 units per gross acre. The Commission have conducted two previous workshops with the applicant in 1995. Tom Nievez, Keith Companies in Moreno Valley, CA representing the applicant GRC Development, provided information to the Planning Commission. The dwelling units have been reduced from 2,365 to 1,768. Chairman Fahey requested a general overview on the project for Planning Commissioners who where not on the Commission when this was previously brought before the Commission. Mr. Nievez stated the Roripaugh Ranches is approximately 800 gross acres in the eastern portion of the City, with 150 acres within the City and 640 acres outside the City limits. The City' s General Plan calls this area Roripaugh 800 and identifies three units per gross acre as a maximum. An application was submitted in August 1994 that pursued the three units per gross acre with 2,365 units. Workshops were conducted with Planning Commission, staff and residents in the area to discuss the project. Areas of concern were density/total number of dwelling units, circulation, topography and grading, and compatibility. Mr. Nievez clarified for Commissioner Slaven that Planning Area 5 the density is 1.9 units per acre, approximately 1/2 acre lots. Commissioner Slaven expressed concern on having the elementary school in the panhandle. Mr. Nievez stated the School District has said there will be two districts; one north of Muraleta and one south of Murrieta. Commissioner Slaven expressed frustration regarding traffic and asked the developor to show how the roads will connect and how the project will impact each connection next time. Commissioner Soltysiak requested clarification that other developers would not be subsidizing this developer's infrastructure cost. Mr. Nievez stated Butterfield Stage Road is slated to be an urban arterial with six lanes between Nicolas and Mun'ieta Hots Springs Road. Murrieta Hot Springs Road and Nicolas Road are slated to be a four lane urban arterials as well. The developer is asking that the City take a look at participation by means of a Fee Program that the City is considering now. Some of these facilities may be improved with the assistance of those fees, some of which will come by the Roripaugh Ranch. We are looking for additional sources of funding from the Federal Government on down to take some of the heat off the developer and future home owner. City staff indicated the CIP where the new fee schedule is to be allocated and it looks like some of that will be refunneled back into some improvements that are needed in this area. R:\PLANCO~\MINUTES\1997\3-17-97.WPD 5/1/97 v~w 3 PI,ANNING COMMISSION MARCH 17, 1997 Chairman Fahey stated the Commission should start at the beginning of the Issues Analysis and Status Report provided by the applicant. The first issues are Density/Total Number of Dwelling Units and Minimum Lot Sizes. Chairman Fahey had expressed previously the Planning Commission, due to the topography, that in addition to the reduced number of dwelling units, the Planning Commission had also asked for an increase in square footage of lots and that this is not what is proposed here. Commissioner Slaven expressed concern about the minimum lot size of 3,750 due to a decrease in property value when people live so close together. Commissioner Soltysiak expressed concem about the small lot sizes and park sizes in the area near the school site. Due to the small lot sizes, children will need places to play. Mr. Nievez stated they do not feel apartments and condos are compatible with the area. They feel small lot single family detached homes do lend to pride in ownership and would be happy to show the Planning Commission healthy examples of this. Chairman Fahey stated they would need to see these examples as is will be a hard sell due to the consensus of the Planning Commission. On the issue of Location of Schools, Chairman Fahey expressed concerns on the phasing and floating school location and asked the developer to have one option for phasing and have the school site set before the project is brought forward. Commissioner Slaven stated it is hard to respond to the school issue due to the variables. It is good to place a school in an area where activities can be extended. She expressed concem about placing a school at the end of a road (in a valley) due to only one way out in emergency situations. Mr. Nievez stated they are addressing this issue. A second access to Butterfield Stage through Area B has been addressed but this involves heavy grading. Commissioner Miller asked if the school was in the flight pattern of French Valley Airport. Mr. Nievez stated it is not in a flight pattern. Chairman Fahey opened discussion of the issue of Compatibility and Buffering from Neighboring Residential Development. Chairman Fahey stated the buffer area being approximately one acre parcels, that this could be impacted by public comments during a public hearing. She asked the developer to provide photographs, renderings, and drawings of the buffer areas when this is brought forward to a public hearing. Chairman Fahey opened discussion on the issue of Circulation. She stated the Planning Commission will be looking for a traffic study and what the impacts are to major intersections. Commissioner Slaven stated the traffic is becoming increasingly frustrating and dumping three streets into Butterfield Stage Road will create another traffic problem. R:\PIj~NCOI~\MINUTES\1997\3-17-97.WPD 5/1/97 PLANNING COMMISSION MARCH 17, 1997 Chairman Fahey opened discussion on the issue of Grading. She mentioned we are already trying to get the lot size down and the grading is an impact. Commissioner Soltysiak asked to see the proposed grading in Planning Areas 1 and 2. Mr. Nievez stated the site is not flat and areas in the south areas (with lower density) is a more forgiving broad valley. The areas in the north are more rolling hills that have been farmed. Development in some situations is going to take earthwork. The developer w'~l demonshated to the Planning Commission more clearly how those small lots will work. Chairman Fahey stated the developer needs to concentrate on the Design Guidelines and the General Plan on what the Planning Commission is looking for in topography and grading. Chairman Fahey opened discussion on Proposed Commercial Land Uses in the Panhandle, North Project Area. She suggested for guidance and expectations in this area, that the developor go over recent project minutes on similar commercial projects in sensitive areas. Mr. Nievez clarified the commercial area is a 11 -acre area that would handle a large grocery store with supporting commercial uses. Chairman Fahey asked for other discussion. Planning Manager Debbie Ubnoske stated staff will revisit this last submittal and also expressed concem about circulation and about the separation between the north and south project areas with lot sizes and intensity of uses. Chairman Fahey stated there was one request to speak form. William Vazana, 39605 Avertida Lanell, Temecula stated he is the Chairman of CSA 149 and expressed concerns about the density and he does not want Calle Contento to go through to Roripaugh. He feels there is a problem with the proximity of the project next to his home. He does not feel a 1200 to 2000 sq. ft. home should be next to his home. There should be a better transition/buffer and wants more open space. Chairman Fahey stated this is a workshop item and the Planning Commission is looking at the map in order to provide direction to staff and the developer. PLANNING MANAGFR'S REPORT Planning Manager Debbie Ubnoske stated the Planning Institute Conference she attended in Montetrey was interesting and informative and she will provide copies of the material to the Planning Commission. Ms. Ubnoske stated the Planning Commission have been provided copies of Tower Plaza Theater elevations and is looking for feedback from the Planning Commission. R:\PIj~CO~tM\MINUTES\1997\3-17-97.WPD 5/1/97 v~w 5 rLANI',n~G CO1VINII,~SION MARCH 17, 1997 PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSION Commissioner Slaven stated that with the newspaper coverage of the Old Town Project she would like to see this item again. Also, due to the change in the use of the arena, she would like to see what the impacts will be on traffic, etc. Chairman Fahey stated that on highly visible projects the Planning Commission should see these again. It was moved by Commissioner Slaven, and seconded by Commissioner Webster, to adjourn the meeting at 7:52 PM. The motion was unanimously carded. The next meeting will be held April 7, 1997, at 6:00 P.M. at the Temecula City Hail Council Chambers, 43200 Business Park Drive, Temecula, California. Linda Fahey, Chairman / Debbie Ubnoske, Secretary R:\PLANCO/~4\MINUTES\1997\3-17-97.WPD 5/1/97 vgw 6