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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Minutes 01-22-08MINUTES REGULAR MEETING TUSTIN PLANNING COMMISSION JANUARY 22, 2008 7:04 p.m. CALL TO ORDER Given PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ROLL CALL Present: Chair Pro Tem Puckett Commissioners Kozak, Murray, Thompson Absent: Chair Nielsen Staff present Elizabeth Binsack, Community Development Director David Kendig, Deputy City Attorney Dana Ogdon, Assistant Community Development Director Terry Lutz, Principal Engineer Justina Willkom, Senior Planner Scott Reekstin, Senior Planner Alice Tieu, Associate Planner Reina Kapadia, Assistant Planner Eloise Harris, Recording Secretary None PUBLIC CONCERNS Approved CONSENT CALENDAR 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - JANUARY 8, 2008, PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING. 2. TUSTIN COMMENDATION NOMINATION - 335 SOUTH C STREET. It was moved by Murray, seconded by Kozak, to approve the Consent Calendar. Motion carried 4-0. Puckett Mentioned what an asset to Tustin the McCharles House has been; and, thanked Brett Ferdig for bringing forward the nomination as a commended property in Old Town. PUBLIC HEARINGS Adopted Resolution 3. CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 07-022 REQUESTING No. 4081 AUTHORIZATION TO OPERATE A WOMEN'S WEIGHT LOSS AND FITNESS HEALTH CLUB WITHIN AN Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-08 -Page 1 EXISTING SHOPPING CENTER TENANT SUITE. THIS PROJECT IS LOCATED AT 17251 SEVENTEENTH STREET, SUITE B, IN THE COMMERCIAL GENERAL (C-G) ZONING DISTRICT. RECOMMENDATION: That the Planning Commission adopt Resolution No. 4081 approving Conditional Use Permit 07-022. 7:06 p.m. The Public Hearing opened. Kapadia Presented the staff report Thompson Asked for clarification regarding the parking requirements and how the ratio is justified if the site is full to capacity. Kapadia Indicated that the purpose of conditioning a project based on the existing parking is to avoid such a problem; the use restriction is based on the available parking for a maximum of instructors and clients as listed. Thompson Suggested that the ratio of parking for 30 clients and three instructors would not allow for 33 cars at the site. Director Noted that the center is parked at a retail ratio; the proposed use is more of an assembly-type occupancy which would be calculated based on the number of instructors and clients, i.e. one space per three clients, and on the square footage of the tenant suite. Kozak Referred to the two other similar uses mentioned in the staff report that were approved in 2002 and 2003; and, asked if similar occupancy standards were used and how those are working. Director Replied in the affirmative; and, added that similar uses would be karate studios, churches, etc. which generally work well. Murray Questioned whether there should be something included to allow for modifications if necessary. Director Responded that Condition 2.6 allows staff to work administratively with the applicant to modify the hours of operation or reduce the client enrollment to offset any impacts that might occur at the center. Puckett Asked if the applicant wished to speak. Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-08 -Page 2 Ms. Selders Answered in the negative. Puckett Asked if there were other speakers. None came forward. 7:15 p.m. The Public Hearing closed. Commission It was the consensus of the Planning Commission that the use would be appropriate; the Commissioners welcomed the applicant to Tustin. It was moved by Thompson, seconded by Kozak, to adopt Resolution No. 4081. Motion carried 4-0. Adopted Resolution 4. CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONDITIONAL No. 4079, denying USE PERMIT 07-020, A REQUEST TO ESTABLISH A the project without DENTAL OFFICE WITHIN AN EXISTING BUILDING prejudice FRONTING ONTO EL CAMINO REAL. THIS PROJECT IS LOCATED AT 740 EL CAMINO REAL IN THE CENTRAL COMMERCIAL (C-2), WITH COMBINING PARKING DISTRICT (P) ZONING DISTRICT. RECOMMENDATION: That the Planning Commission adopt Resolution No. 4079 denying Conditional Use Permit CUP 07-020. 7:16 p.m. The Public Hearing opened. Kapadia Presented the staff report. Thompson Requested the dimensions of the frontages for this lot; and, asked if the side or front was longest as pertaining to the definition provided in the staff report. Kapadia Indicated that staff referred to the Assessor's Parcel Map and the Title Report submitted and determined that the frontage along EI Camino Real was approximately 20 feet shorter than the frontage along EI Camino Way. Thompson Suggested that, based upon the Tustin City Code definition, the longer frontage would be at the side. Kapadia Answered in the affirmative. Thompson Indicated the staff report referred to the access being off of EI Camino Real; the applicant's letter stated there is a driveway off Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-08 -Page 3 of EI Camino Way; and, asked if there is any other way to get on to EI Camino Way than using EI Camino Real. Kapadia Stated the property has two access driveways, one on EI Camino Real and the other on EI Camino Way. Thompson Asked how someone would get onto EI Camino Way without using EI Camino Real. Director Answered that access is from EI Camino Real to get to EI Camino Way. Thompson Asked if there were relevant cost comparisons with other properties being developed, such as the reuse of the Tustin Garage from a garage to a restaurant. Willkom Stated that the plans submitted for renovations to Beach Pit Barbecue indicated the cost would be approximately $470,000. Thompson Asked if it is customary on these types of applications to postpone the design review component and obtain approval for a conditional use permit or more appropriate that such applications always be approved together. Director Stated that the design review and conditional use permit are typically considered concurrently; however, at the last Planning Commission meeting the Commission was considering the use and a subsequent design review application after. Puckett Asked if the applicant wished to come forward. Kendig Indicated a letter was received today from the applicant. Puckett Noted that the review of the letter was the reason for the delay in starting the meeting. Dr. Sid Mirrafati, the Presented photographs of his building showing the two frontages property owner referred to by the City staff; the vehicle access to his building is from EI Camino Way with an exit onto EI Camino Real; the property owner also presented photographs supporting his point of view relating to the City's fronting definition, picturing various businesses that have an EI Camino Real address but whose businesses have doors opening onto parking lots; when you stand at the front entrance to his building, all you see is EI Camino Way. Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-08 -Page 4 Thompson Mentioned the discussion at the previous Planning Commission meeting regarding the August 2004 letter; and, asked the property owner again exactly when he purchased the property. Dr. Mirrafati Stated he did not recall the exact date but thought it was August 24. Thompson Asked if the purchase was after the letter the City sent to him advising him of the requirements for retail. Dr. Mirrafati Reiterated that he received the letter after he purchased the property. Thompson Noted that the letter from the City was dated August 2, 2004. Dr. Mirrafati Stated that he must have closed it before that; when he bought the building, he went to the City and asked them if a medical use would be acceptable at that location; he was told that it would be as long as the parking requirements were met; escrow closed; he submitted his plans and was told medical would not be allowed. k Thompson Indicated that he was still confused; the letter enclosed in the packet was dated August 2. Dr. Mirrafati Stated that the person from whom he purchased the property leased back for six months; the actual recordation date was August 20, 2004, but the closing of escrow was before that. Thompson Asked for clarification regarding the August 20th date. Dr. Mirrafati Answered that was the date of recordation. Thompson Suggested that typically escrow closes and documents are recorded the same day. Dr. Mirrafati Insisted that the City's letter was written after the close of the escrow. Thompson Suggested that some of the shopping centers Dr. Mirrafati showed in his photographs have access to streets other than EI Camino Real; Jamestown Village is off of C Street. Dr. Mirrafati Indicated that C Street is a residential street, and the businesses front onto the parking lot. Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-08 -Page 5 Thompson Stated his remark was in reference to Dr. Mirrafati's statement regarding only access off of EI Camino Real. Dr. Mirrafati Responded that reference was to Quinn's Restaurant which has only EI Camino Real access. Thompson Suggested that Quinn's can also be accessed from Main Street. Dr. Mehta Reiterated his desire to relocate to this property and his hope applicant that the Planning Commission would act appropriately and approve this application. 7:51 p.m. The Public Hearing closed. Thompson Stated the building address has always been EI Camino Real; the only way to access the building is from EI Camino Real; the City provided a letter dated August 2 which was very clear regarding the requirements for retail and architecture; the property closed escrow after that notification; a dentist in Old Town would be welcome if there were a proposal from the applicant that would include some form of retail within that building consistent with the August notification and the guidelines; given these requirements, he would be conflicted in supporting approval of this conditional use permit. Kozak Echoed Commissioner Thompson's comments and concerns which he shares; he understands the difficulty in developing this site; he would like to see a proposal that would be consistent with the City Code and General Plan; from a public policy standpoint the Planning Commission must apply the City Code for the larger public purpose; the map that was shared in the PowerPoint showed the different overlays and made it clear whether the door faces one direction or the other; whether the longest side is one side of the property or the other, this property and this building are part of the EI Camino Real retail corridor that the City and the Commission is trying to achieve; given these issues, he cannot support this conditional use permit; if the project is denied, he would suggest it be denied without prejudice and would welcome a proposal for this piece of property consistent with developing astreet-level, walkable, retail corridor along EI Camino Real. Murray Thanked the applicant, property owner, and staff; this has been an arduous task; he is in favor of promoting every business possible within this community; the Planning Commission would be negligent if they were to overlook the information that has been provided; based upon the staffs research and the other Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-OS -Page 6 Commissioners' comments, he would agree .with staff's recommendation for denial. Puckett Noted that this has been an extremely difficult project with which he has struggled more than any other project; given staff's recommendation, he would not be able to support the proposal; it is important not to set a precedent to change the frontage of the Old Town businesses. It was moved by Thompson, seconded by Murray, to approve Resolution No. 4079 denying the project. Motion carried 4-0. Director Asked if the Commission wished to deny the proposal without prejudice. Commission Answered in the affirmative. Director Stated that this is an appealable item. Continued to the 5. CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONDITIONAL February 26, 2008, USE PERMIT 07-014 AND DESIGN REVIEW 07-015, A Planning Commission REQUEST TO CONSTRUCT A 7,650 SQUARE FOOT meeting MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT (OFFICE AND RESIDENTIAL). THIS PROJECT IS LOCATED AT 170 EL CAMINO REAL IN THE CENTRAL COMMERCIAL (C-2), WITH COMBINING PARKING DISTRICT (P) AND CULTURAL RESOURCES (CR) OVERLAY ZONING DISTRICT. RECOMMENDATION: That the Planning Commission adopt Resolution No. 4080, recommending that the City Council approve Design Review 07-015, Conditional Use Permit 07-014, and a waiver of in-lieu parking fees to authorize the construction of a mixed-use development. 8:00 p.m. The Public Hearing opened. Tieu Presented the staff report. Director Stated that the applicant's architect wished to address some of the concerns with the architecture and would offer a short presentation. Paula Meyer, Indicated that she formerly practiced law across the street from applicant City Hall and has always wanted to return to Old Town Tustin to Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-08 -Page 7 live and work; she plans to practice in Tustin for the next 20 years; she understands the Old Town requirements and believes that Susan Secoy is the architect who can make it happen; her building in Old Town Orange fits perfectly in that location; this is their intention for the proposed structure; staff made good suggestions which have been incorporated into the design. Susan Secoy, Presented the architecture through a PowerPoint show and architect explained the compatibility of the project, how it conforms to the design standards, and the design treatments and materials that will be used. Murray Asked if the architect has designed other projects similar to this one regarding historic issues. Ms. Secoy Answered that she has designed at least a dozen structures in Old Towne Orange, a lot of them residential in nature, including a career project that was originally a tire retreading plant and is now her office, her apartment, and artists' studios and office space. Thompson Asked for clarification regarding the parking spaces and the fee program that was summarized in the report, specifically where the five spaces that are not provided will come from. Director Explained that this is an in-lieu program cited in the City's Zoning Code; the applicant has the ability to pay into a fee program so that the City would be able to use those dollars for future parking; the spaces do not exist today. Thompson Suggested the inventory does not need to be made up somewhere else. Director Responded in the affirmative. Thompson Asked for an verification that the water quality management fee is a deposit of $2700. Director Answered in the affirmative. Thompson Referred to Condition 6.2 stating the property owner would waive all right of contest of fee programs; and, asked what programs would be involved. Director Stated the intent was related to a parking assessment district. Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-08 -Page 8 Thompson Asked for an explanation of the guidelines for retail on the ground floor and how this project fits within those guidelines. Director Responded that the guidelines were explained in the January 8, 2008, staff report to the Planning Commission; this property is within the Cultural Resources Overlay District; there were avenues that could have been explored for this property because it is a mixed-use proposal; the applicant could have requested a planned community such as Prospect Village or used the City Code section related to unlisted uses; since the property is such a small in-fill development, the applicant chose to use the provision that states if there are no standards the City Council establishes the standards for development; the Planning Commission is the recommending body to the City Council related to the design review and the conditional use permit. Thompson Questioned whether it would be flexible within the guidelines not to have retail on the ground floor and only provide parking as shown in this application. Kendig Specified that would be within the Cultural Resources Overlay distinction. Thompson Asked if there had been any input from the property owner to the south regarding the massing. Director Replied that it was her understanding the properly owner attempted to meet with that property owner; perhaps the question should be directed to the applicant. Ms. Meyer Indicated she had tried to meet with the property owner to the south but was unable to do so; she wants to be very sensitive to that property owner and is considering a water feature there that will be good for both buildings. Thompson Referred to his days on the Cultural Resources Advisory Committee and the differences of opinion regarding the architecture; and, asked if there has been any third party dialogue regarding this architecture. Director Responded that there have been no peer reviews in this case. Puckett Invited members of the public to the lectern. Brad Fisher Stated he is one of the owners of the property immediately north of the site, 150 EI Camino Real; the applicant did not contact him regarding this project; he reached out to the applicant; a notice Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-08 -Page 9 was received from staff; staff was informed of his opposition to the project; at the meeting with the applicant, a hierarchy of changes was outlined; the architect and applicant committed to getting back to him before this hearing but did not. Explained that he respects the applicant's right to develop the property and is not suggesting this should stay a vacant lot; any development, however, must be appropriate to the Tustin City Code; this property fails because it is too large a project for a 7,000 square foot lot; it is 7,500 square feet of improvements over parking, requires a zero lot line, and is built to all the limits; he disagrees with the suggestion that the building would appear to transition north to south from a three level building to a two story building; his building has two levels of office over parking; the applicant has two levels over parking; the buildings would be essentially the same; the staff report incorrectly calculates the parking required; the office would require 16 spots, not 14; the addition of retail would require 18 spots; the property would be seven spots deficient; parking is significant because it acts as a natural limit to the size of a development; this project is 38 percent short of its required parking; it is hard to understand why staff is recommending the in-lieu parking fees be waived; the inclusion of a swimming pool adjacent to offices would be inappropriate; retail is more consistent with the EI Camino retail corridor, not parking with an office upstairs; his property has exterior corridors on the north and south faces of the building and the tenant spaces have windows which overlook the corridors; the rear 20 percent of his building abuts another zero lot line property; there is no problem leasing that space because the entry is on the back facing the park and gets light two-thirds of the day from the west; if this building is allowed as designed, his building will have a prison wall four or five feet from the face of his corridors which will make them very dark; the Realtor who handles his leasing estimates this would impact his rents for a third of the building; a letter was presented with this information. Stated that he suggested to the applicant that she flip the building and put the zero lot line on the other side which would create more light for his building from the south; the development is too large for the lot; an office development of 3,000 square feet with 2,400 square feet of residential on one floor over parking would be more appropriate and would require only 12 parking spaces; this would achieve a better visual transition from the two story to the one story and would not impact his building's third floor in terms of light and would minimize the impact on the second floor; the articulated north elevation showing the landscaping looks very nice, but there is nowhere for that Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-08 -Page 10 landscaping to go; photographs were submitted showing the tight space issues. Kozak Asked if the trees shown in the photographs were on Mr. Fisher's property. Mr. Fisher Answered in the affirmative; and, added that the trees need to be replaced or removed because of the problems the leaves cause and the difficulty in keeping the trees trimmed, a situation which could be negotiated with the applicant. Ms. Meyer Indicated a willingness to work with Mr. Fisher regarding the trees. Markus Brown, Stated he was speaking on behalf of the Tustin Preservation resident of Old Town Conservancy; the Conservancy is in favor of in-fill development in Old Town; a vacant lot is a detractor and Old Town would benefit from some sort of project; the architect demonstrated an incredible amount of talent and skill in her PowerPoint presentation; the Mustard Cafe is a beautiful building that is appropriate for the City of Orange; the proposed Tustin building is beautiful but is not appropriate for the historic district; adding brick to the outside does not make it historically appropriate; there is also a ground floor concern; retail would be more appropriate than parking; the Acorn Naturalists building is a model for what can be done in Old Town Tustin. Leonard Nettles, Stated he owns the small bungalow at 180 EI Camino Real south 180 EI Camino Real of the proposed building; the bungalow was built in 1913 and is one of the original buildings in Tustin; the building was restored with period materials; the building is 1,700 square feet and was a teahouse; now it is an office for a realty corporation he owns; his objection to the proposed structure is its size; he submitted photos of the lot where the building is proposed which is about 50 feet wide by 150 feet deep. Puckett Asked for confirmation that the building is now being used as his office. Mr. Nettles Answered in the affirmative; and, added that his major concerns are having the large building dwarf his structure, block the horizontal view, and render the patio useless; the patio was originally designed for the tea house to allow people to sit outside and enjoy the street front; the value of the structure is its being declared an historical building that would allow the use of the State historical building codes to meet all the commercial codes when he upgraded it from a residence to commercial; the Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-08 -Page 11 tea house is in limbo right now, but he hopes to reopen it when he retires in four years; the proposed large structure will diminish his property value and is not conducive to the view from his property; the design does not meet the Cultural Resources Overlay District which was intended to preserve Old Town; the project should be redesigned to approximately 2,000 square feet to fit the land size and to include ground floor retail. Linda Jennings Stated she is a resident of Old Town, 350 South B Street, and the President of the Tustin Preservation Conservancy; the Conservancy sent a letter to the Planning Commission which included the following points: The modern design of the proposed building does not fit into the historical context of the Cultural Resource Overlay District; Tustin was not blessed with a Frank Lloyd Wright building to emulate; Old Town buildings are primarily Craftsman bungalows, California bungalows, and a few Victorians; the predominant material on these buildings is wood siding. • Other recently constructed buildings include the Acorn Naturalists building, the Armstrong Nursery, and Helms, all of which went through rigorous design review to reach a design that worked within the historic urban fabric of Old Town; the proposed building does not fit into that fabric. The use of a small amount of brick on the front facade does not substitute for historic sensitivity. It took many weeks for the Acorn Naturalists building approval, redesigning and coming back to the Planning Commission to create the building that exists today; it was worth it; the building has won Outstanding New Building in the Conservancy Preservation awards. The claim that the proposed building is responding to neighborhood context is flawed; the historical building to the south has been completely ignored and would be overwhelmed by the style and scale of this proposal; the 1960s building to the north is anon-contributing building and was built prior to the existence of the Overlay District; this is exactly the style and the scale of building that was to be prevented along EI Camino by the creation of the Overlay District. The project has no retail element, contrary to the 2006 ordinance passed by City Council, on all ground floors. Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-08 -Page 12 Ms. Jennings, The Conservancy supports the idea of a mixed-use building in continued Old Town; mixed use is based on an historic pattern of development; the design, however, should exhibit some historic influence. Based on all of the above points, the Tustin Preservation Conservancy opposes granting the design review and conditional use permit. Kay Nettles, Stated she had circulated a petition which contained 17 180 EI Camino Real signatures from neighbors objecting to this project; and, presented the petition to the Planning Commission. Puckett Asked within what distance of the proposed structure the petitioners are located. Ms. Nettles Responded that all are within one block of the site; and, indicated that the applicant and architect did stop to talk with her when she was in year-end close and she had no time available; no further contact was made by the applicant to make an appointment. Murray Asked if any of the other individuals who signed the petition had talked with the applicant. Ms. Nettles Answered that she only knew of the gentleman from 150 EI Camino Real speaking with the applicant; the other neighbors have not had a chance to do so. Martin Rigby, one of Stated it had been six years since he stood before the Planning the owners and Commission; it took at least a year of rigorous back and forth to Director of Acorn come to an agreement with the City regarding the design of the Naturalists building and the retail requirement for first-floor retail; the building has won many national and local awards; business has increased every year. Complimented Secoy Architects on the beautiful work on the Mustard Cafe in Old Towne Orange, pointing out that the first floor is retail; and, suggested the proposed project would probably not be approved in the Old Towne Circle area of Orange. Pointed out that ground floor parking is not conducive to pedestrian-friendly environments in Old Town Tustin. Indicated that he was told that not a single square foot would be approved without the requirement of ground floor retail in that section of EI Camino Real. Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-08 -Page 13 Mr. Rigby continued Suggested that on-street parking spaces would be 50 percent deficient along EI Camino Real if this project were approved. Thompson Asked for clarification of the parking arrangement for Acorn Naturalists. Mr. Rigby Replied that Acorn Naturalists was two or three parking spaces short. Thompson Asked if there was a place designated or calculated as the spaces on the street. Mr. Rigby Indicated their situation was different in that they added three spots due to taking out a driveway. 9:13 p.m. The Public Hearing closed. Thompson Thanked staff for the presentations and those who provided public input; good detail was presented; there are elements he likes about the project-the mixed use, the materials; he is, however, concerned about the loss of parking and believes more information is necessary in that regard; the proposal seems to be more complementary to the modern architecture than to the historic; as a resident, he was against the Prospect Village development, but the architecture is amazing; he would like to see more of that kind of historical complement; perhaps that is something that could be worked out; it is difficult to say no to three stories when a neighbor already has three stories; at the same time, the small tea house building on the other side would be negatively impacted; lack of retail was addressed in the previous proposal this evening; he cannot support the project; the project should be continued in order to address the items that have been presented. Kozak Thanked the applicant and architect; he supports mixed use and also strongly supports the requirement for first floor retail; the applicant's desire to live and work in Tustin in admirable; the hope is to reach that goal; however, this may be a wonderful building, but it does not fit into the historic architectural style of Old Town Tustin; the retail use is very important; the parking issues need to be addressed; the intensification of use on this site is a concern; the size is overwhelming, particularly to the former tea house building; the setbacks and articulation should be reviewed to make this project work; all the elements of the Mustard Cafe would be appropriate for Old Town Tustin. Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-08 -Page 14 Murray Thanked the applicant and architect for the proposal; it has merit but he shares the concerns of his fellow Commissioners; promoting the compatibility of mixed uses is very important in Old Town and needs to be compatible with the existing surroundings, be aesthetically pleasing, and fit well with the neighbors; there needs to be a balance of historical integrity in that area compatible with the general theme of what Old Town is all about; historical preservation, parking, and the massing are issues that need to be addressed; he would like the applicant to come back with additional thoughts and design modifications, but he cannot support the project as submitted. Puckett Added his concern that the project is too big for the area; it is a beautiful building but is inappropriate for this location; the Rigbys went through a long process to get their building approved, but it has turned out for the better and is a beautiful addition to Old Town Tustin; it should be possible to reach a similar compromise in this case; retail use needs some working out; further study is necessary to see how it may be changed to fit the neighborhood. It was moved by Thompson, seconded by Murray, to continue the item and have staff and the applicant reconsider the retail component, the parking inventory, the architecture, and the massing. Motion carried 4-0. Director Stated that, since this was a noticed Public Hearing, the Commission should continue this item to a date certain. Ms. Meyer Indicated she would like it continued to the next meeting. Director Suggested that would not allow enough time; the second meeting in February would be preferable to staff. Commission Amended the motion to include the continuance to February 26, 2008. None REGULAR BUSINESS STAFF CONCERNS 6. REPORT OF ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE JANUARY 15, 2008, CITY COUNCIL MEETING. Director Indicated there were no specific items to report from the City Council meeting. Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-08 -Page 15 Director continued Noted that staff is planning future workshops relating to the Building Permit and Business License procedures and will be checking with the Commissioners to determine when those should be scheduled. COMMISSION CONCERNS Thompson Requested that at a future meeting the Commission could get an overview of the residential architectural guidelines in Old Town Tustin to assist in understanding what type of action or request of the City Council could be made for developing the commercial guidelines in a similar venue. Director Indicated that staff could report back on that issue. Thompson Indicated he would be attending the Mayor's Inaugural Dinner and looks forward to that event at the Tustin Golf Course and to seeing everyone there. Kozak Stated that he, too, would like to make a similar request to Commissioner Thompson's for staff to bring information that would assist the Commission in making a request or recommendation to the City Council so that the issue could be F considered in the budget process. - Noted he is looking forward to the Groundbreaking for the new Tustin Library on February 12, 2008. Thanked the Recording Secretary for providing the Commission with the City 2008 calendar. Murray Commended staff for their continued hard work; the amount of information, research, and documentation that is provided has been very helpful in the Commission's decisions. Noted that Commissioner Nielsen was being missed this evening and suggested he take a look at the meeting upon his return. Added that he is also looking forward to the Library Ground- breaking and the Mayor's Inaugural Dinner. Puckett Assured everyone that the Mayor's Inaugural Dinner will be quite an event; those who were there last year may remember the thorough roasting of Mayor Bone; there will be some repercussions from that and Mayor Amante will receive his due; the menu is always great, the entertainment is great-the Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-08 -Page 16 orchestra from Beckman High School; the event is sponsored by the Tustin Community Foundation. Thanked Linda Jennings again for the Carol Jordan book that was presented to each of the Planning Commissioners at the last meeting; he and his wife are enjoying the book very much and intend to purchase copies as gifts. Noted there was aribbon-cutting last week for The Cravery in The District; he was not able to attend, but he did have lunch there on Saturday; the concept came from South Africa and he also observed it when he was in Australia-pot pies; this is a great restaurant; he encouraged everyone to visit. Stated the meeting should be adjourned in the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, whose birthday was observed yesterday. Murray Added that he would like to also recognize George Stewart, a very important member of the Tustin community. In Memory Of Dr. Martin Luther King 9:30 p.m. ADJOURNMENT The next regular meeting of the Planning Commission is scheduled for Tuesday, February 12, 2008, at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chamber at 300 Centennial Wad Johr( N Char ~ : ~ ,-_ _ ~~ Elizabeth A. Binsack Planning Commission Secretary Minutes -Planning Commission 1-22-08 -Page 17