HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.1 TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS March 25, 2004
Staff Report to the Planning Commission
RE: CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT MODIFICATION TO ALLOW SMALL
MEETINGS OF UP TO 45 PERSONS (FROM 30 PERSONS); LANDS OF
PACKARD FOUNDATION; 26580 TAAFFE ROAD; FILE#31-04-CUP
FROM: Debbie Pedro, Associate Planner
APPROVED BY: Carl Cahill, Planning Director C.C.
RECOMMENDATION: That the Planning Commission:
Forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council for the requested Conditional
Use Permit modification to allow small meetings of up to 45 persons.
BACKGROUND
The subject property is a 38.39 acres parcel located at 26580 Taaffe Road. The property
was the private residence of David and Lucile Packard which has been remodeled to serve
as a meeting facility for the Packard Foundation and its grantees. The main building on
the property is sited on a knoll and surrounded by approximately 35 acres of apricot
orchard which has been dedicated as a conservation easement.
Pursuant to Section 10-1.703.m of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code, the City Council
approved a Conditional Use Permit on December 2, 1999 to allow the Packard
Foundation to utilize the residence and detached office structure for meetings of non-
profit organizations subject to certain limitations (#41-99-ZP-SD-CUP-ND).
The Use Permit established a number of conditions including restrictions on the number
and size of meetings permitted each year. Currently, small meetings of up to 30 persons
can be held at the property without limits. On February 13, 2004, the applicant submitted
a letter to the Town requesting to increase the maximum number of persons allowed at
small meetings from 30 persons to 45 persons. (Attachment 2)
CONDITION OF APPROVAL#10
EveritSize ;, x; Small Medium Large
Number`of Guests w_, Y Up to 30 31-60 More than 60
riumber of°Events Allowed per Year'AY Unlimited 10 2
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO CONDITION OF APPROVAL#10
Event'Size x ,< Small Medium Large
Number`of Guests` `T Up to 45 46-60 More than 60
Number of Events Allowed,per Year'm Unlimited 10 2
•
Staff Report to the Planning Commission
Lands of Packard Foundation
26580 Taaffe Road
March 25,2004
Page 2 of 6
DISCUSSION
Activities
The facilities are used for meetings of the Packard Foundation board and committees as
well as nonprofit groups funded by the Foundation. The facilities consist of three
conference rooms with seating for 10, 12 and 24 guests. The large conference room that
seats 24 can be modified to theater style seating to accommodate 45 people. Outdoor
spaces include a large deck at the rear of the building adjacent to the dining room (Big
Sur) as well as a terrace/lawn area west of main buildi;ig.
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�'Capacity:24-45 4� r
ter.
Taaffe House
J.y„;hY•f J T.(� -4, h :'fi- ;'� 'r The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
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According to the applicant, by allowing up to 45 guests for small meetings, the
Foundation will be able to accommodate two events simultaneously and fully utilize the
large conference room to its capacity of 45 guests 4 The applicant has monitored and
tracked the usage of the facilities from 2001-2003 and a summary of activities is as
follow:
Meeting Facilities Usage 2001-2003
' YSmall Medium Large Total
µ r Events _ r Up to 30 31-60 guests Over 60 guests
2001 ' 39 7 1 47
'2002 Y 133 11 1 145
2 1 145 1 12 1 2 1 159
Source:Packard Foundation
Staff Report to the Planning Commission
Lands of Packard Foundation
26580 Taaffe Road
March 25,2004
Page 3 of 6
Parking and Traffic
There are twenty (20) existing parking spaces on the property which can accommodate
the parking needs of more than 45 persons. The Foundation allocates the number of
parking spaces available for each meeting room, and carpooling of a minimum of three
persons per car is required. When event attendance exceeds the parking capacity, shuttles
are arranged to transport the attendees to and from off-site parking areas. The parking
restrictions prohibiting parking on neighboring roadways or along the driveway entrance
will remain unchanged. (Condition of Approval#8)
Noise
There may be minor increases in noise levels as a result of additional guests at the
facility, particularly when the outdoor areas are used. However, the conditions of
approval limit the hours of the meetings and preclude the use of outdoor amplification.
(Conditions of Approval #6 and #7) In addition, because the facilities are located on a
38+ acres property, there is a great distance between the activity areas and the nearest
adjacent homes. Thus, any increase in noise impacts to the surrounding neighbors should
be negligible.
CONCLUSION
Since the Foundation began its operation at the Taaffe Road property in 2001, the Town
has received no complaints from neighbors or residents regarding the activities on the
site. The applicant is not proposing any changes to the existing buildings, structures or
landscaping.
Packard Foundation's request to modify the number of guests allowed for small meetings
will not substantially intensify the use of the site. The meeting and parking facilities are
adequate and can easily accommodate forty-five (45) persons. Potential increase of noise,
traffic, and parking impacts will be negligible. The project conditions including
prohibition of parking on neighboring streets, restrictions on noise, and limits on size and
frequency of meetings, will continue to assure that abutting properties are not adversely
impacted.
In addition to modifying condition of approval#10, staff is recommending the deletion of
condition numbers 11, 12, 13, and 15 because these conditions have been completed by
the applicant and are no longer applicable.
CEQA STATUS
The project is categorically exempt under Class 1 of the State CEQA Guidelines
ATTACHMENTS
1. Recommended conditions of approval
2. Letter of request from the Packard Foundation dated February 13, 2004
3. Site Map
II' Staff Report to the Planning Commission
Lands of Packard Foundation
26580 Taaffe Road
March 25,2004
Page 4 of 6
ATTACHMENT 1
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR
MEETINGS OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
26580 Taaffe Road(Lands of Packard)
File#31-04-CUP
1. This conditional use permit allows the use of the subject property for occasional
meetings and overnight accommodations relating to the charitable activities of the
Packard Foundation, subject to the following conditions and site plan (Exhibit
"A"), as approved by the City Council on December 2, 1999, and outlining the
boundaries of the Improvement Area, the Conservation Easement, and the Trail
Easement. Any expansion or change of the use shall require an amendment to the
conditional use permit. Additionally, the Planning Director may, at any time,
schedule a review or revocation hearing before the Planning Commission
regarding the use permit, if any condition of approval is not being met or if the
site is being used inconsistent with the approved use or in violation of Town
Municipal codes and/or policies.
2. Not later than five (5) years after the date of approval of this conditional use
permit, the applicant shall request and the Planning Commission shall then review
the use permit at a noticed public hearing, to determine that the use remains in
compliance with the conditions of approval. Subsequent to the initial review,
reviews shall occur every five (5) years thereafter.
3. Uses permitted on the site are limited to the following:
a. The facilities located in the Improvement Area may be used by the
Packard Foundation for meetings. The term meetings shall include
(without limitation) breakfast, lunch and dinner meetings, seminars,
conferences and receptions.
b. The Packard home located in the Improvement Area may be used by the
Packard Foundation to provide overnight accommodations to directors and
guests of the Foundation.
C. The maintenance of the apricot orchard located on the Packard Homesite
Property, including the maintenance and installation of fences, irrigation
systems, apricot drying, storing and refrigeration facilities and equipment
storage facilities, is confirmed to be an "agriculture" use within the
meaning of sections 10-1.203 and 10-1.701(b) of the Los Altos Hills
Zoning Code.
d. In order to facilitate recreational or educational tours of the apricot orchard
and other open space areas on the Packard Homesite Property by school
children and other invitees of the Packard Foundation, the Foundation may
Staff Report to the Planning Commission
Lands of Packard Foundation
26580 Taaffe Road
March 25,2004
Page 5 of 6
install temporary shelters, toilets, tables, chairs, umbrellas and other
appropriate facilities at selected locations on the Packard Homesite
Property, but for not more than three (3) consecutive days at a time, except
with the prior written approval of the City Manager.
4. The Packard Foundation shall ensure that all meetings held at the Packard
Homesite Property shall be in furtherance of the charitable, educational, and
scientific purposes of the Foundation.
5. No fees or rentals shall be charged by the Packard Foundation for the use of any
of the facilities on the Packard Homesite Property.
6. Events involving music and/or entertainment shall end not later than 10:00 p.m.
daily Sunday through Thursday, and not later than 11:30 p.m. on Friday and
Saturday.
7. No outdoor sound amplification shall be allowed on the site, except with the prior
written approval of the City Manager. Noise levels shall be limited to comply
with the provisions of Section 5-2.02 of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code.
8. No parking shall be allowed on any surrounding neighborhood street or on the
driveway entrance to the Improvement Area of the Packard Homesite Property.
Whenever necessary, the Packard Foundation shall provide shuttles to and from
off-site parking areas.
9. The number of meetings of more than sixty (60) persons shall be limited to no
more than six (6) per calendar year. The applicant shall provide the Town with
notice a minimum of two (2) weeks in advance of any meeting of more than sixty
(60)persons.
10. The number of meetings of more than tom) forty-five (45) and less than
sixty (60) persons shall be limited to ten (10) per calendar year. The number of
meetings of thifty (30)forty-five (45) or less persons is not limited.
h:npr-evemeat Area, �i) the publie pathway easement, and (iii) the dr-iveway fie
satisfactory to the G4y Attemey.
and delivers to the Town a gr-ant of pathway easement, in a fafm satisfaeteFy to
the Gity Attafney aiid City E-agineff, far-a pat",ay extending f-reenn Ta—affe. Read to
Edd
Staff Report to the Planning Commission
Lands of Packard Foundation
26580 Taaffe Road
March 25,2004
Page 6 of 6
13. t later-dian thiFf (3 0) days after-the appreva4 „f the eanditional use NeaAt, the
appheant shall subfrAt to the Town an appheatiOn fef a site development pem3it
f�tr[Cfp7of the publIIe pathway fToZTeeffeZRead to Elena Dv aa. Upon
development emit by the Town, the appheant shall pr-empfly
eenstfaet ublie in..e}]�_way aFeer-dafiee -�; d to CIC
satis aefien of the C-i-t-y`Engineer- and the eeten If the City E-Rgi ee,.
rl Planning Dir eto deteEmAne that the pathway
eenstfaefie is rpt eerlir.
a.auaaR
in a timely the eend fi1 use peffnit shell he seheda.le.-1 fee- r e and
14. The Conditional Use Permit shall become null and void 180 days after the
delivery to the Town of Los Altos Hills by the Packard Foundation written notice
that the Foundation intends to abandon the Conditional Use Permit. Likewise,
the Conditional Use Permit shall become null and void 180 days after the Town
has delivered to the Packard Foundation a written notice that the Conditional Use
Permit is revoked.
15-The G-,,Hilo.,,, Use Pemik-shall :Bet e-eme ee eetive unless and until an
of-dinanee amending Seetio 10 1.703 of the Town's Zening Cede is adopted by
it
• RECEIVED
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation FEB 13 2004
TOWN OF LOS ALTOS ffLS
February 13, 2004
Carl Cahill
Planning Director
Town of Los Altos Hills
26379 Fremont Road
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
Dear Mr. Cahill;
Thank you very much for providing us the opportunity to meet with Debbie Pedro at the Taaffe
House last week. We enjoyed talking with her and taking her on a tour of the House. As we
discussed,we are requesting an amendment to our Conditional Use Permit, changing the
definition of small events from"30 or fewer guests"to "45 or fewer guests." The definition of
medium events would then be changed from"31 to 60 guests"to "46 to 60 guests." We are not
requesting any change to the restricted number'of events in the medium and large event
categories.
The Taaffe House includes three conference rooms with seating for 10, 12 and 24 guests. The
large conference room can also be configured theatre style to accommodate 45 guests. With this
amendment, we will be able to accommodate two events simultaneously, using both the large
conference room and one of the small conference rooms, bringing the number of potential guests
to 34 or 36. By changing the definition of small events to 45 guests, we will be able to
accommodate requests for more than one event or for events that fully use the large conference
room capacity.
In addition, we will be able to accommodate receptions or luncheons that make use of the dining
room, living room and terrace area and have a guest list of up to 45. We have parking spots
available for 20 vehicles, which is sufficient for most events with 45 or fewer guests. We make
clear to those using the House which spaces are allocated to their event and encourage them to
car pool by parking some cars at Foothill College and traveling together in one vehicle from
there.
Thank you for your consideration of our request to amend the Conditional Use Permit. If you
require additional information,please feel free to contact Linda Enger or me at(650) 948-7658.
We look forward to continuing to work cooperatively with the Town of Los Altos Hills in our
goal of offering our grantees the use of the Taaffe House for meetings and receptions at no cost.
Sincerely'
e V
orge Vera
Vice
"I Ivn
Vice President and CFO
300 Second Street,Suite Zoo Los Altos,California 94ozz tel(650)948-7658 www.packfound.org
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