Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/18/1999 Minutes of a Regular Meeting g November 18, 1999 Town of Los Altos Hills City Council Regular Meeting Thursday,November 18, 1999, 6:00 P.M. Council Chambers, 26379 Fremont Road 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Mayor Dauber called the Regular Meeting of the City Council to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Town Hall. Present: Mayor Dauber and Councilmembers Casey, Finn, Johnson and Siegel Planning Commissioners Cottrell, Gottlieb, Schreiner and Wong Commissioners: • Absent: Planning Commission Chairman Jinkerson Staff: City Manager Mark Miller,Planning Director Curtis Williams and City Clerk Pat Dowd Press: Leslie Martin, Los Altos Town Crier 2. JOINT MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION A. Review of Design Guidelines (pages 18-23) 1. Siting Cottrell noted that bulk was a real issue in reviewing applications. He said it was particularly difficult to address and could be quite subjective. He further noted that bulk was referred to in the Design Guidelines but not in the Town ordinances. He thought the issue needed to be clarified and suggested that siting be focused on more than bulk. Wong concurred with Cottrell stating that the bulk issue was much like the color board issue—very subjective. Siegel stated that the Council, Commission and staff regulated siting so that the homes would not look like tract subdivisions. Schreiner noted that there were about 350 new homes per year and the Town only had a certain number of mitigating tools. Casey and Finn stated that if there was no • November 18, 1999 Regular City Council Meeting 1 • neighbor opposition then there should not be any siting regulations by the Town. Casey mentioned `Fast Track' and changing the guidelines to include this siting issue. The majority of Council agreed however to not change the Fast Track Process at this time. It was going well and should be given time to see how it will work out for the Town. 2. Architectural Details The issue of bulk was also discussed as an architectural feature. 3. Exterior Materials and Colors This issue was discussed later in the meeting. 4. Height and Second Stories Casey commented that by reducing the height,the homes appeared bulkier and the design of the homes was often negatively affected. Gottlieb pointed out however that often applicants did not listen to staff and pushed the limits of the ordinance. 5. Basements Casey suggested that the Town review the basement ordinance as she believed it was too restrictive. She commented that this could be a question on the Town Survey. • Evan Wythe, 13828 Moon Lane, also noted that the basement ordinance was too restrictive and more flexibility was needed. He described their basement area as an example. Casey noted that when the design guidelines were written there was no Town-wide mailing requesting public input. She believed that now, as a result of the Town Survey,the design guidelines could be reviewed. Siegel noted that the design guidelines had been subject to public hearings by both the City Council and Planning Commission. A brief discussion followed on the Land Use Committee and the importance of their input on the Town Survey. Different points of view were important in evaluating and arriving at questions which would address Town issues. Evan Wythe,member of the Land Use Committee, commented that he had expressed opinions at the Land Use Committee and had received correspondence after the meeting which disagreed with his opinions and what he believed was important in the Town. Council and the Planning Director noted the importance of the expression of differing views on this committee and on the resulting survey. B. Color Board Policy Regarding Visibility Casey stated that the color board condition was being imposed on every house when it should not be. It should be a condition of highly visible homes. Siegel suggested getting rid of the color • board and using reflectivity as a basis. He believed the use of the color board was quite November 18, 1999 Regular City Council Meeting 2 • subjective and the use of a scientific measurement such as reflectivit objective. would be more J Y Siegel also commented that repainting was not regulated at all. Dauber asked what the goal of the color board was and what houses in Town needed this color board condition. Johnson stated that he did not think the Town was using the color board appropriately. Finn believed the color board should only be used on highly visible lots and he also did not believe that residents would spend a fortune on their homes and then not put in the landscaping. Dauber pointed out that lack of landscaping had been a problem in the past. Gottlieb commented that the siting of the home was also important when considering the color of the project and Schreiner noted that the color board was one of the few tools the Town had to mitigate the large homes. Jean Struthers, 13690 Robleda Road, stated that until the landscaping matures the reflectivity element is important. PASSED BY CONSENSUS: To direct staff to bring back a draft policy to Council which would include recommendations on roofing materials, information on reflectivity values and a reworded color board condition which would eliminate the color board and use reflectivity on highly visible homes. C. Other Items 3. PRESENTATIONS FROM THE FLOOR 4. ADJOURNMENT There being no further new or old business to discuss,the City Council Meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m. Res ectfully submitted, Patricia Dowd City Clerk The minutes of the November 18, 1999 Regular City Council Meeting were approved at the December 2, 1999 Regular City Council Meeting. • November 18, 1999 Regular City Council Meeting 3