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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03 PC Minutes 4-24-07ITEM #3 MINUTES REGULAR MEETING TUSTIN PLANNING COMMISSION APRIL 24, 2007 7:00 p.m. CALL TO ORDER Given PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ROLL CALL Present: Chair Floyd Chair Pro Tem Puckett Commissioner Kozak, Lee, and Nielsen Staff present Elizabeth Binsack, Community Development Director Christine Shingleton, Assistant City Manager David Kendig, Deputy City Attorney Dana Ogdon, Assistant Community Development Director Scott Reekstin, Senior Planner Justina Willkom, Senior Planner Eloise Harris, Recording Secretary None PUBLIC CONCERNS CONSENT CALENDAR Approved 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES — APRIL 10, 2007, PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING. It was moved by Puckett, seconded by Kozak, to approve the Consent Calendar. Motion carried 5-0. None PUBLIC HEARINGS REGULAR BUSINESS Given 2. PRESENTATION ON MAJOR ELEMENTS OF AMENDMENTS TO THE DISPOSITION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF TUSTIN AND TUSTIN LEGACY PARTNERS LLC; THE PROPOSED PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES WITHIN THE PROJECT AREAS; AND, THE RELATIONSHIP AND STATUS OF THE LINEAL PARK DESIGN. Shingleton Presented a PowerPoint show with an overview of the Master Developer's plans for developing the Legacy; and, indicated she would be willing to return to the Planning Commission on a regular Minutes — Planning Commission 4-24-07 — Page 1 basis to answer questions and provide whatever presentations necessary to keep the Commission apprised of ongoing developments. Floyd Indicated that would be appreciated since the Commissioners get a lot of questions to which it would be good to have answers; the presentation this evening was especially helpful in solidifying the concept of the bridges that are replacing the arches originally planned. Shingleton Stated that the Master Developer must spend a minimum of $20 million on the three bridges. Nielsen Asked if any updates were available regarding the adjacent County park. Shingleton Answered that the County has entered into an exclusive agreement to negotiate with Industrial Realty Group (IRG). It is expected that IRG will take approximately two -three months to prepare a more detailed concept plan; at that point, the County, City and IRG will make a presentation to the Advisory Council and National Park Service; the challenge is the threshold of commercialization anticipated to be proposed by IRG; the County has requested the property as a public benefit conveyance to be used for public purposes; the developer is proposing over 790,000 square feet of commercial/retail use; this level or threshold commercialization is much higher than what the Park Service has seen. The trade-off is, without the commercialization, it may be difficult to save the hangar; there will be a strong lobbying effort mounted in approaching the federal government working with IRG and the County. If we are unsuccessful, other options will need to be considered. Floyd Asked how much of the square feet of retail would be the hangar portion. Shingleton Stated the hangar is currently 300,000 square feet, but the proposal considers interior space that could include two or three levels which could double or triple the available space; a wing could also be added to support a major retailer that would be designed to support other recreational and park uses on the site. Floyd Suggested that everything planned could be within the hangar. Shingleton Answered that would be unlikely; at least 100,000 square feet of alteration may be in addition to the hangar; 3,000 to 4,000 people per day are anticipated to be drawn to the proposed retail use. Minutes — Planning Commission 4-24-07 — Page 2 Nielsen Indicated that he hoped the hangar can be saved Asked if the Development Agreement discussion regarding the guest parking had been resolved. Shingleton Answered in the negative; the item will be continued again. Floyd Stated he wished to speak about this issue further during Commissioner concerns. Shingleton Indicated that the City also needs to consider what is fair in terms of what has been asked of the other developers at the Legacy. Kozak Asked the Assistant City Manager to provide an example. Shingleton Stated that Lennar was approved for 1500 units with certain parking accommodations; TLCP should receive the same equal and fair consideration; the City is a real estate partner with this entity and receives a backside portion of the participation on a threshold of internal rate of return that may be exceeded and has a financial stake in this developer being successful and also has a stake in ensuring that the quality of the neighborhoods are protected. Nielsen Thanked the Assistant City Manager for the presentation and for answering the questions. Given 3. PRESENTATION REGARDING THE EXISTING CULTURAL AND HISTORIC RESOURCE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES; AND, AGENDIZE THE CONSIDE- ATION OF AN UPDATED WORK PROGRAM FOR A FUTURE MEETING. Reekstin Presented the staff report. Nielsen Asked if during the past two years the HRC looked at updating the Residential Design Guidelines. Reekstin Answered in the negative; and, added that some consideration was given to commercial design guidelines to supplement the residential design guidelines. Nielsen Asked if the HRC planned outreach to the School District regarding making presentations on Old Town history. Reekstin Responded that outreach was always a concern perhaps not specifically to the School District but to various groups and to invite the public to attend discussion sessions such as the Mills Act program and other programs related to historic preservation that the City offers. Minutes — Planning Commission 4-24-07 — Page 3 Nielsen Stated his question related more to reaching out to the schools; Old Town presents a phenomenal resource history and outreach to the School District would seem advisable. Reekstin Indicated he had no recollection of any outreach over the years that targeted school children. Nielsen Asked for an update regarding the El Camino Park that was mentioned in the minutes. Director Stated the reference was to a vacant parcel that is owned by the Redevelopment Agency; Public Works commenced development of the respite, but staff will have to bring back information whether or not the project is complete. Kozak Added his recollection that at one time connectivity to the parking structure was proposed. Director Affirmed Commissioner Kozak's recollection. Nielsen Asked how far the HRC proceeded regarding the commercial design guidelines. Reekstin Responded the suggestion was discussed preliminarily as a desire to look into the idea, but no further staff involvement took place. Kozak Commented that the members of the Planning Commission are committed to the stewardship of the HRC and to preservation and revitalization of Old Town and the historic Overlay District; members of the Commission have registered for the OHP Workshop May 3`d; the Commission will make decisions involving Old Town preservation and related matters within the context that all Commission decisions are made, i.e. in the best interests of the community; he supports preservation and revitalization of Old Town and is excited about the opportunity to participate in the process and offered the following suggestions for the work plan: • Institute a multi-year program with annual goals • Review and update the Design Guidelines • Create Commercial Design Guidelines • Preserve the CLG and Overlay District • Weigh in on the ULI Town Center Study • Update the Historical Survey every five years Floyd Asked staff for information regarding the Historical Survey and staff's involvement in that process. Reekstin Answered that the Survey was comprehensively updated five years ago; ten years might be a more realistic time frame for updating the Minutes — Planning Commission 4-24-07 — Page 4 survey given the housing stock that would be included; houses that are 50 years old will soon be homes that were built in the 60s; historic preservation professionals are looking at the issue of dealing with those types of properties that were often tract homes rather than custom homes. Floyd Stated the Commission needs to look at the last Survey to make a determination how to proceed. Kozak Indicated it was not his intention to assign dates but only to suggest a working relationship between staff and the Commission and also interested parties in the community; work effort priorities need to be established and then scheduled over time in order for the Commission to present to the community their active engagement in the process. Nielsen Suggested that perhaps a work plan should be outlined and then a group workshop scheduled that would include interested parties providing their input. Kozak Noted that would demonstrate the support of the program as it goes forward to the City Council. Floyd Stated his understanding that workshops would include invitations to the interested parties to attend and provide comments. Noted that there were several people at the City Council meeting voicing their concerns regarding the consolidation of the HRC into the Planning Commission, especially given that none of the Commissioners live in Old Town and did not have a vested interest in the Overlay District; that presumption is not true; every street in the City if equally important; the Planning Commission has always supported the preservation of the historic district. Kozak Added that the Planning Commission will bring a deliberate and iterative process to the work that comes before the Commission; there is a lot of work to do and the input from the community will enhance the process. Puckett Indicated that an Old Town resident approached him at the Business Expo with the question whether or not the Planning Commission will be able to do as good a job as the HRC; he answered that the Planning Commission shares the concerns of the residents of Old Town. Floyd Noted that the Mills Act should also be the subject of a workshop; and, referred to a recent article in the newspaper describing the impact of the Mills Act on historic communities. Minutes — Planning Commission 4-24-07 — Page 5 Floyd continued The commendation program needs to continue and may require working with former members of the HRC. The Residential Design Guidelines need to be updated and commercial guidelines created. Puckett Asked about the plaques that designate historic homes, how the homes are nominated, who pays the cost of the plaque, and how many homeowners have accepted/declined the plaque designation. Reekstin Answered that the cost is borne by the homeowner; the Council authorized up to four plaques per year that would be paid for by the City under the commendation program; there are no figures available for those who have declined a plaque. Director Suggested that developing a work program will take some time; the Commissioners' feedback has been beneficial; staff will bring back more information; short-term goals with programs continuing would be the best way to begin; items can be agendized. Floyd Asked if staff would have items that could be agendized during the next quarter. Director Answered in the affirmative; and, noted the article referred to above was in the Sunday LA Times; staff will e-mail the article to the Planning Commission. STAFF CONCERNS 4. REPORT OF ACTIONS TAKEN AT THE APRIL 17, 2007, CITY COUNCIL MEETING. Director reported The City Council heard an in -building public safety radio coverage ordinance related to the 800 MHz program; as evidenced in the Legacy presentation, more dense, subterranean buildings are planned in the future, which may impair police and fire communications; there will be a repeater system within some of the structures; the City adopted an ordinance that amended the local Building Ordinance to incorporate those requirements; staff will be meeting with the City of Irvine to discuss how to make the system work seamlessly as they have already adopted an ordinance. Floyd Stated he was not aware of Tustin having any buildings that would be affected. Director Indicated there are not any buildings currently but there will be. Minutes — Planning Commission 4-24-07 — Page 6 Director continued The City Council held the public hearing on the 2007-08 CDBG one-year action plan; staff will be making application to HUD. The City Council held the first reading on the Historic Resource Committee/Planning Commission consolidation; the second reading will take place at the next Council meeting; the ordinance will take effect thirty days beyond that meeting. The City Council considered the Specific Plan Amendment related to parking; a discussion occurred at the meeting regarding whether or not that was the same ordinance the Planning Commission considered; it was; however, the ordinance the Planning Commission considered pertained to tandem parking and compact issues in certain locations; an issue that was addressed at the City Council meeting was a footnote related to guest parking that was not a part of the amendment. Floyd Noted that the Planning Commission did not receive quite the same presentation the Council received; the Commission is on record as being concerned about parking issues on projects such as Arborwalk and guest parking overflowing onto Newport Avenue. Director Added that, in general, parking is an issue; establishing a standard may work in one instance and not in another. Kozak Suggested that a policy allowing parking in the public right-of-way to count against requirements for a private development would create a lower standard. Director Stated that would be difficult to answer; for example, in Tustin Ranch, public streets for single family residences were permitted to count toward guest parking requirements; however, those also included longer driveways, sometimes a three -car garage was required, or larger driveway aprons may have been required; this may not be the case in other planned communities. Floyd Indicated that his community is restricted to two automobiles per house. Nielsen Pointed out there are also different requirements at Tustin Field. COMMISSION CONCERNS Nielsen Congratulated Pat Sanchez, Director of Parks and Recreation, on his retirement; he has been a friend to the community of Tustin and has gone above and beyond the call of duty; he will be sorely missed. Minutes — Planning Commission 4-24-07 — Page 7 Nielsen continued Stated he attended the Chamber of Commerce Business Expo which was a very good event for looking at all the businesses in Tustin and to talk with people; anyone wanting to know about any of the businesses in Tustin should make very effort to attend this event next year. Noted his appreciation of all the volunteerism of those who served on the Cultural Resources/Historic Resource Committee (HRC); they did a good job and kept people interested in the Old Town district; he wished to reassure the former members of the HRC that he takes very seriously the responsibilities the HRC performed prior to the assignment of those duties to the Planning Commission; the goals and commitment will not be diminished, and the Commission has no plans to bulldoze and plant; his formative years were spent in a Victorian home that was bulldozed for the construction of apartment buildings; his dedication to the preservation of historic homes remains strong. Lee Thanked the Assistant City Manager for the presentation regarding the master developer's plans for the Legacy. Added his commitment to preserving Old Town; and, stated it will be exciting for the Planning Commission to get involved in another aspect of the community. Kozak Added his thanks to the Assistant City Manager for the update on the changes to the DDA with Tustin Legacy Community Partners and also for providing a better understanding of the location, design, and scale of the bridges. Indicated that the responsibilities of the HRC will not be taken lightly; he has been a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for years, and this gives him an opportunity to learn more about preservation and get involved in the Tustin community. Noted he is looking forward to the training on May 3rd at the Preservation Conference in Hollywood. Mentioned there was an article in the Orange County Register about the fund-raising efforts of the children at St. Jeanne de Lestonnac, one of 102 schools and 26 countries that are raising a minimum of $10,000 to build a $1,000,000 school in the Congo that will have 28 classrooms and serve 1400 elementary students through the high school grades; this is related to the 400th anniversary of The Company of Mary and the gift of education; the local St. Jeanne school has raised $7,000 of their $10,000 commitment. Minutes — Planning Commission 4-24-07 — Page 8 Kozak continued Indicated he is interested in learning more about what the Commission can do about a voluntary green program for the City of Tustin; and, asked that staff bring back information for the Commission to consider. Puckett Echoed the other Commissioners' comments regarding the Legacy presentation; this area will be a destination point of which the City can be proud. Encouraged everyone to attend the luncheon for Pat Sanchez tomorrow at the Community Center. Congratulated the Chamber on the fine job they did on the Business Expo, which was completely sold out. Stated he is also looking forward to the May 3`d training session. Floyd Noted that the Commissioners probably should not carpool to Hollywood due to Brown Act restrictions. Kendig Stated that no more than two Commissioners should ride per vehicle; and, added that the Commissioners should also take care not to convene and discuss Planning Commission items. Puckett Congratulated Chair Floyd on his appointment to the Tustin Community Foundation; there were 15 Board members selected from throughout the City; Erin Nielsen is also a member of the Foundation. Floyd Thanked Commissioner Puckett, indicating he is honored and looking forward to working with the Foundation. Reiterated that residents of Old Town should be reassured that the Planning Commission will take seriously the responsibilities the Council has given to the Commission to preserve and protect and move forward and will ask for recommendations from the residents of Old Town. Indicated he will be attending the Sanchez retirement luncheon. Commended the Chamber of Commerce regarding the success of the Business Expo, which gets bigger and better every year. Thanked staff for the two presentations this evening. Stated The District at the Legacy and the master developer project are awesome projects for which the City should be receiving more publicity. Minutes — Planning Commission 4-24-07 — Page 9 Director Noted that TJ Maxx is stocking and hiring. Floyd Asked if the May 10 opening for some stores is still accurate. Director Indicated that some temporary certificates of occupancy may be issued; staff will update the Commission as things move along. 8:27 p.m. ADJOURNMENT The next regular meeting of the Planning Commission will be held Tuesday, May 8, 2007, at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chamber at 300 Centennial Way. Minutes — Planning Commission 4-24-07 — Page 10