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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/06/2020Approved September 3, 2020 1 Planning Commission Regular Meeting August 6, 2020 Minutes Town of Los Altos Hills Planning Commission Regular Meeting August 6, 2020 Minutes Council Chambers, 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills, California 1. ROLL CALL AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Via teleconference according to the Governor’s Executive Order N-29-20, Chair Patel called the Planning Commission meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. Present: Commissioner Smith, Commissioner Patel, Commissioner Indaco, Chair Couperus, Commissioner Waschura Staff: Planning Director Dahl, Assistant Planner Loh, Assistant Planner Yost, Management Analyst Einfalt, Planning Technician Brunner 2. PRESENTATIONS FROM THE FLOOR Persons wishing to address the Commission on any subject not on the agenda are invited to do so now. Please note, however, that the Commission is not able to undertake extended discussion or take action tonight on non - agendized items. Such items will be referred to staff or placed on the agenda for a future meeting. No presentations from the floor. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 3.1 Approval of July 2, 2020 Regular Meeting Minutes Continued to the September 3, 2020 Regular Planning Commission Meeting. 4. PUBLIC HEARINGS Public hearings are specially noticed items for discussion. Anyone wishing to speak regarding a public hearing should fill out a speaker card prior to the completion of the staff report and give it to staff. The order of business for public hearings is as follows: 1. Staff Presentation 2. Applicant Presentation - 15 Minutes 3. Commission Questions/Clarifications 4. Public Comments - 3 Minutes per person 5. Applicant Response - 5 Minutes 6. Commission Comments/Questions/Action If you challenge the proposed action(s) in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described below, or in written correspondence delivered to the Planning Commission at, or prior to, the public hearing. Any interested party may appeal a determination of the Planning Commission to the City Council by filing a written notice of appeal with the City Clerk within twenty-two (22) days of the decision. A nonrefundable filing fee and a deposit for services shall accompany each notice of appeal, except that any member of the Council may file such an appeal without payment of a fee. Planning Commission Ex Parte Vice-Chair Indaco – Communications with Pete Carlino, Lea & Braze, related to Items 4.1 and 5.1, Ms. Jensen at 26225 Purissima Road and Mr and Mrs Salim at 26303 Purissima related to item 4.1 and Mr and Mrs McNish at 24183 Dawnridge Road related to Item 4.2. Commissioners Smith, Waschura, Couperus and Chair Patel had no ex parte contact. Approved September 3, 2020 2 Planning Commission Regular Meeting August 6, 2020 Minutes 4.1 26270 Purissima Road – File #ZP20-0027 – Lands of Beliveau Zoning Permit to install a new eight-foot tall solid redwood fence on top of a new three-foot tall earthen berm along the rear yard setback line and adjacent to the east elevation of the accessory dwelling unit. This application was continued from the July 2, 2020 Planning Commission meeting. CEQA review: Categorical Exemption per Section 15303(e). Project Planner: Krista Yost Chair Patel opened the PUBLIC HEARING. Assistant Planner Krista Yost presented the staff report. Engineer Cooper Allison, representing the applicant, presented the updated project. Public Comments Resident Carol Gottlieb spoke in favor of planting more trees as an alternative to constructing a sound wall. Property Owner Joe Beliveau offered a rebuttal to public comments. Chair Patel closed the PUBLIC HEARING. Commissioner Discussion Vice-Chair Indaco expressed opposition to the project, noting that it would result in too much grading, would be inconsistent with the General Plan and would set a bad precedent. Commissioner Couperus noted that the noise issue should have been addressed during the design and approval of the new residence, now the issue requires special treatment to get resolved. Commissioner Smith expressed general support for the project, noting that the revised design was no longer seeking a variance, it was designed to look like a wood fence and that the Town did not have any fence height limits for fences that met the required setbacks. Commissioner Waschura expressed general support for the project, noting agreement with Commissioner Smith's statements. Chair Patel expressed general support for the project, noting that the revised design was an improvement, that landscape screening would be important that the Town should look at the its sound wall polices to ensure that these noise issues are addressed consistently moving forward. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Motion by Commissioner Smith to APPROVE the Zoning Permit for a new solid redwood fence on an earthen berm subject to the conditions of approval in the staff report, and with an additional to clarify that the landscape screening shall be planted along the outside face of the fence. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Waschura. AYES: Chair Patel, Chair Couperus, Commissioner Smith and Commissioner Waschura NOES: Vice-Chair Indaco MOTION: Carried 4-1 Approved September 3, 2020 3 Planning Commission Regular Meeting August 6, 2020 Minutes 4.2 Tract No. 1288 – File #MA20-0003 – Dawnridge Drive Map Adjustment Permit to abandon all building setback line easements for light and air on properties along Dawnridge Drive within Crestwood Tract No. 1288. CEQA review: Categorical Exemption per Section 15305. Project Planner: Jeremy Loh Chair Patel opened the PUBLIC HEARING. Assistant Planner Loh, presenting the staff report, noting that the applicant was the Town of Los Altos Hills since this map adjustment permit was being processed based on direction from the City Council. Public Comment No public comment. Chair Patel closed the PUBLIC HEARING. Commissioner Discussion Vice-Chair Indaco expressed general support for the project, but noted concern that new fencing that would now be allowed in the building setback line areas could conflict with the wildlife movement due to its proximity to the creek and that any new fencing proposals should maintain current wildlife corridors. Commissioner Couperus expressed general support for the project, noting the past Town actions to abandon some of the building setback liens along Dawnridge. Commissioner Waschura expressed general support for the project, noting support for the concept of protecting wildlife corridors but that it should be discussed at a separate time. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Motion by Commissioner Waschura to Forward a recommendation to the City Council to APPROVE a Certificate of Correction to amend the Tract Map to abandon the 75-foot and 50-foot building setback line easements for light and air on Lots 1, 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9 of Tract Map 1288, subject to the findings and conditions of approval in the draft Resolution. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Smith. AYES: Chair Patel, Vice-Chair Indaco, Chair Couperus, Commissioner Smith and Commissioner Waschura NOES: None MOTION: Carried 5-0 5. NEW BUSINESS 5.1 22560 Ravensbury Avenue – File # SD20-0045 – Lands of Perlegos Study Session for a Site Development Permit for a new 10,120 square-foot Estate Home with a 751 square-foot attached garage within the recently approved Ravensbury Avenue Island Annexation area. Project Planner: Jeremy Loh Chair Patel noted that this agenda item was a study session and that no motion would be taken. Approved September 3, 2020 4 Planning Commission Regular Meeting August 6, 2020 Minutes Assistant Planner Loh presented the staff report, noting that this property was recently annexed into the Town and the existing improvements on the site had been approved by the County. Architect Scott Zazueta, representing the owner, presented the project, noting that the proposed residence had been designed to meet County site development standards and that they weren’t aware of the Town’s interest in annexation when they started the project. Engineer Cooper Allison provided information related to site grading and the history of the subdivision that created the subject parcel. Public Comment Resident Robert Schlossman, expressed opposition to the proposed project, noting concerns about privacy and views of the ridgeline. Resident Kit Gordon, Open Space Committee member, expressed concerns about the proposed project and requested that the original Geotech report be made available for public review. Resident Vijay Chawla, Environmental Design & Protection Committee member, presented the Committee's report of the property and expressed concerns about the height and prominence of the new residence. Resident Scott Overstreet expressed concerns about the project’s grading and drainage plan, and the size of the new residence, noting that stormwater runoff would impact his property. Commissioner Discussion Commissioner Couperus noted that the project should be redesigned to comply with the Town’s Maximum Development Area (MDA) and Maximum Floor Area (MFA) requirements, that the house should be designed to follow the contours of the slope and reduce the appearance of height, that a grading policy exception could be justified, but sensitive to any other variance requests as they could set precedent. Commissioner Waschura concurred with Commissioner Couperus' comments, noting that it would be hard to justify a variance to exceed the Town’s MDA and MFA requirements. Vice-Chair Indaco noted that the project should meet the Town’s MDA and MFA requirements, that impervious surfaces should be minimized, that addressing drainage was critical, that existing oak trees should be preserved, that exterior lighting should be minimized and that a grading policy exception could be justified. Commissioner Smith concurred with Commissioner Indaco’s comments, noting that the overall profile of the home should be lowered to reduce potential view impacts. Chair Patel concurred with many of the earlier comments, noting that the house design should minimize view impacts and that a construction management plan would be really important on this site. 6. REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS 6.1 Past Meeting • July 16, 2020 – Commissioner Smith Approved September 3, 2020 5 Planning Commission Regular Meeting August 6, 2020 Minutes Commissioner Smith reported on the July City Council meeting. 6.2 Upcoming Meetings Assignments • August 20, 2020 – Chair Patel • September 17, 2020 – Commissioner Waschura • October 15, 2020 – Commissioner Couperus 7. REPORTS FROM FAST TRACK / SITE DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS 7.1 July 7, 2020 • 27408 Deer Springs Wy – File #SD20-0002 – Lands of Erdmann Site Development Permit for a new 4,999 sq.ft. 2-story residence with a basement, detached 800 sq.ft. ADU, junior ADU, and attached garage. 7.2 July 21, 2020 • 13936 Fremont Pines Ln – File #SD20-0016 – Lands of L&C Investment Site Development Permit to allow construction of a new 936 sq.ft. pool, 1,997 sq.ft. hardscape improvements, and cabana with 109 sq.ft. bathroom/sauna. 7.3 August 4, 2020 • 26401 Eshner Ct – File #SD18-0068 – Lands of Shum Site Development Permit for a new 800 square-foot swimming pool and 428 square feet of associated hardscape improvements. • 25616 Moody Rd – File #SD20-0038 –Lands of Fischli Site Development Permit for a new 595 square-foot swimming pool and 510 square feet of associated hardscape improvements. Planning Director Dahl reported on the Fast Track and Site Development meetings. 8. PLANNING DIRECTOR REPORT Planning Director Dahl noted that staff would be working on updating the Site Development Pre-Application Checklist to require acoustical reports for properties in proximity to Highway 280 and busy streets that have higher noise exposure. He also noted that the Town’s ADU ordinance would being going back to the City Council for revisions in order to bring it into compliance with State law and that COVID-19 testing would be happening on Friday, August 7,2020 at Town Hall. 9. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Couperus requested that the meeting be adjourned in the honor of architect Peter Duxbury who had recently passed. Meeting was adjourned at 10:15 PM. Respectfully submitted, Keren Brunner Planning Technician The minutes of the August 6, 2020 Regular Planning Commission meeting were approved as presented at the September 3, 2020 Regular Planning Commission meeting.