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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC Minutes 05-27-97MINUTES TUSTIN PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY MAY 27, 1997 CALL TO ORDER: 7:00 p.m., City Council Chambers PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Commissioner Pontious INVOCATION: Tustin Police Chaplain, Rev. Lee Lescano Commissioners Present: Lou Bone, Chairman David Vandaveer Steve Kozak Howard Mitzman Leslie Pontious Staff Present: Rita Westfield, Assistant Director, Community Development Department Doug Anderson, Transportation Engineer Lois Bobak, Deputy City Attorney Scott Reekstin, Associate Planner Barbara Reyes, Recording Secretary PUBLIC CONCERNS: (Limited to 3 minutes per person for items not on the agenda.) No Public Concerns were expressed. CONSENT CALENDAR: (ALL MATTERS LISTED UNDER CONSENT CALENDAR ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION. THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF THESE ITEMS PRIOR TO THE TIME OF THE VOTING ON THE MOTION UNLESS MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, STAFF OR PUBLIC REQUEST SPECIFIC ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED AND/OR REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR SEPARATE ACTION.) 1. Minutes of the May 12, 1997 Planninq Commission Meetinq. Commissioner Vandaveer moved, Pontious seconded, approval of the Consent Calendar. Motion carried 5-0. PUBLIC HEARINGS: No Public Hearinqs Scheduled REGULAR BUSINESS: 2. The Mills Act Report Presentation: Scott Reekstin, Associate Planner Chairman Bone asked the dollar a~ount impact to the City as a result of implementation of the Mills Act. Staff stated the amount would be small. Other cities similar in size to Tustin with a similar number of properties have realized a three to five thousand dollar impact after the program has been in place for five years. The City Council has the ability to stop the program at any time if the impact becomes too great. Planning Commission Minutes May 27, 1997 Page 2 Commissioner Pontious stated that as properties are improved rates for sales around them would increase and offset property tax losses. Commissioner Kozak asked how many properties in Tustin were eligible for contract under the Mills Act and what percentage of participation might the City expect and for what date the public workshop was scheduled. Staff stated there was a total of 271 properties listed in the survey in the A,B,C and D categories however, participation is anticipated to be small. The public workshop could be scheduled within two months of the Council's adoption of the resolution. Commissioner Pontious asked if there were extra copies of the survey and if the Commission could have updates to the survey. Staff will be glad to provide a copy of the survey to any of the Commissioners and updates as significant events occur. Commissioner Vandaveer moved, Pontious seconded, to receive and file this report. Motion carried 5-0. 3. UCLA Extension Workshop Report Presentation: Rita Westfield, Assistant Director Commissioner Pontious asked if the Assistant Director would give a presentation to a joint meeting of the Economic Development Council/Business Attraction and Retention committees. The Assistant Director stated she would look into it and see if it would be possible. Commissioner Vandaveer asked if anyone from the downtown Merchants Association had attended the workshop and if not would the Assistant Director make the report available for the Merchants Association. The Assistant Director stated that the group was small and none of the merchants had attended but she will provide copies of the report for the members of the association. Commissioner Vandaveer moved, Pontious seconded, to receive and file this report. Motion carried 5-0. 4. Report on Planninq Area 10/Union Foods; City of Irvine Presentation: Rita Westfield, Assistant Director Douq Anderson, Transportation Engineer, stated that Tustin has recently received the street improvement plans from the City of Irvine. As part of Planning Area 10 Specific Plan EIR, the Irvine Company was to improve Myford and Walnut and signalize both Walnut and Myford and Myford and Michelle intersections. Currently Myford is totally within the City of Tustin. The easterly side of Myford will become the new centerline of the street with half of the street being in the City of Irvine. The City has also received the first mitigation from the Irvine Company in the form of a check for $195,000 to be used for other traffic improvements within that area once development commences. Chairman Bone stated that there had been concerns from Peppertree and Laurelwood residents about the pollution which may be generated from Union Foods. Planning Commission Minutes May 27, 1997 Page 3 Doug Anderson stated that Union Foods would have to comply with South Coast Air Quality Management District requirements including the installation of air scrubbers on any type of food processing equipment as well as restaurants in the area. Chairman Bone asked if the Transportation Corridor was installing an underground facility. Douq Anderson stated that there is no direct connection to the I-5 freeway for the west leg of the corridor although it does go under the freeway. The east leg will connect to the I-5 freeway at Sand Canyon in the City of Irvine. In the City of Tustin the corridor will overlay Jamboree just south of Walnut. Chairman Bone asked if Walnut was to be widened. Douq Anderson stated that Walnut will be widened to three lanes in each direction east of Myford. Commissioner Kozak asked when the channel work would be completed and road construction begun. Douq Anderson stated he has not seen the schedule for the completion of the channel but the traffic management plan is being finalized currently. Chairman Bone asked if Walnut would be closed for a period of time. Doug Anderson stated that the first plan has Walnut closed for about three days with traffic detoured to Michelle. Afterwards Michelle would be closed for about ten days with traffic diverted to Walnut. The City of Tustin has strongly opposed closing both of the streets but negotiation continues. Commissioner Pontious moved, Vandaveer seconded, to receive and file this report. Motion carried 5-0. Code Amendment to Article 5 of the Tustin City Code, Public Safety To Require The Paintinq of Materials and Securinq Devices of Vacant, Boarded-Up Buildinqs Presentation: Rita Westfield, Assistant Director Commissioner Vandaveer asked the penalty for violation of the proposed code amendment. The Assistant Director stated that code enforcement would send up to two letters. If, after the second letter, they refused to comply, a Notice of Violation would be issued and a shorter compliance time given. Following continued refusal to comply a citation would be issued. Commissioner Vandaveer questioned the enforcement ability of this amendment. Lois Bobak, Deputy City Attorney, stated that a property maintenance issue is considered an on-going violation, and with a filed complaint a separate fine can be imposed for each violation, plus additional fees for court costs. The Assistant Director stated that as a general rule Code Enforcement has a good success rate for compliance. Chairman Bone suggested that the language be broadened to include all building openings. Commissioner Kozak asked what the scope of the problem was. Planning Commission Minutes May 27, 1997 Page 4 The Assistant Director stated she was aware of two violations at present. A gas station at First and Prospect and the old Cal Fed building at Red Hill south of the I-5 freeway. Commissioner Kozak asked if the code amendment would be an effective tool for staff. Lois Bobak stated that as a general rule property maintenance regulations can be applied retroactively to address a situation that currently exists. The City Attorney has not made a ruling as to nhat application in this circumstance. Commissioner Kozak requested that the matter of retroactive enforcement be addressed when the issue goes before City Council.. Lois Bobak stated she would inform the City Attorney of this request. The Planning Commission reviewed the report and suggested language to include covering of all building openings. A report reflecting Commission input will be prepared by staff for presentation to the City Council for public hearing at the June 16, 1997 meeting. Commissioner Vandaveer moved, Pontious seconded, to receive and file this report. Motion carried 5-0. STAFF CONCERNS: Report on Actions taken at the May 19, 1997 City Council Meetinq. Presentation: Rita Westfield, Assistant Director The Assistant Director reported on the subject agenda. COMMISSION CONCERNS: Commissioner Kozak Thanked staff for the reports submitted to the Commission and inquired if a verbal report would be presented on the Irvine Boulevard street widening. The Assistant Director stated the memo distributed to the Commission concerning street widening east of Red Hill Avenue was not intended to be agendized but she or Doug Anderson would answer any questions the Commission had. The Commission had no questions. Commissioner Mitzman Inquired as to what was being re-built on the north side of the Tustin Market Place which required tearing up the parking lot over this past holiday weekend. Staff is not aware of this activity but will investigate. - Asked about the blue tarps on the roofs at Sycamore Glen. Staff stated that there was a suit against the builder which necessitated that the roofs remain untouched. Letters have recently been forwarded to the Homeowners Association from the Building Official requesting removal of the tarps due to the extended period of time the tarps have been used. Planning Commission Minutes May 27, 1997 Page 5 Inquired if the homeowners could be requested to install tarp that is the same color as the roof. Commissioner Vandaveer Stated that upon exiting the freeway at Newport and Nisson it did not look good to see two closed businesses. He suggested the lots be consolidated. Inquired as to how late trucks could load and unload in a commercial zone which backs up to a residential area. He has had complaints from the residents on Sixth Street concerning this activity at the printing company. The Assistant Director stated there were no restrictions under zoning but the matter might come under the jurisdiction of the noise ordinance. She asked Commissioner Vandaveer to provide the business name. Staff will investigate the matter and send Code Enforcement to speak to the business operator. Commissioner Pontious Stated that the street widening report was good and accurately described the current status. Noticed that the gas station building at Newport and Nisson had been torn down with work on a new project in progress. She inquired as to what the project was. Inquired the status of the gas station at Nisson and Red Hill where the tanks have been removed. Staff will provide information to the Commission on both of these sites and report back at the next meeting. Proposed that the City contact the property owners of the two lots at Nisson and Newport recommending consolidation as mentioned by Commissioner Vandaveer. She suggested that an inquiry may spark interest in consolidation and result in a business more profitable for the property owners and better for the City. Commissioner Bone - Reported that there is a proliferation of City banners on the fence at the entrance to the Sports Park. The Assistant Director will forward the information to Mike Henley, Director of Community Services. - Inquired if the City was still working on the recycle bins at the Red Hill and Walnut Ralphs Market. Staff affirmed. - Reported that the State of the City Luncheon will be held on June 6, 1997 and reservations should be made with the Chamber of Commerce. Planning Commission Minutes May 27, 1997 Page 6 ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Vandaveer moved, Pontious seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 7:55 p.m. Motion carried 5-0. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Commission is on June 9, 1997 beginning at 7:00 p.m., City Council Chambers, 300 Centennial Way, Tustin. LOU BONE Chairman Recording Secretary