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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/26/1977 (2)t PLANNING COMMISSION 411► Town of Los Altos Hills 26379 Fremont Road Los Altos Hills, California MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, October 26, 1977 Reel 64, Side 2, Tr. 2, 645 to End; Side 1, Tr. 2, 001 to 719 Vice -Chairman Perkins called the meeting of the Planning Commission to order in the Council Chambers of Town Hall at 8:15 P.M.. ROLL CALL AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Present: Commissioners Carico, Lachenbruch, Perkins, VanTamelen, Dochnahl, Kuranoff Absent: Chairman Stewart Also Present: Town Manager Robert Crowe, Town Engineer Alexander Russell, Town Planner/Engineer John Markl, Secretary Ethel Hopkins Press: Dave Farrell, Palo Alto Times CONSENT CALENDAR: The Minutes of October 12 were removed from the Consent Calendar to be considered under New Business. MOTION SECONDED AND UNANIMOUSLY PASSED: It was moved by Commissioner Dochnahl and seconded by Commissioner VanTamelen that Item 2 on the Consent Calendar be approved, namely: Item 2: Tentative Maps Accepted for Filing: (a) LANDS OF DAWSON, File #TM 2073-77 b LANDS OF MUELLER, File #TM 2072-77 PUBLIC HEARINGS: 1. LOS ALTOS HILLS TOWN HALL FACILITIES File'.C1 8027-77, Request for Recommendation o Approvalo ega ive c ara on an eques or Kecommendation of Approval of Conditional Use Permit for Facilities at 26379 Fremont Road. City Manager Crave addressed the Commission on the subject request. Referring to the Staff report dated October 19 and accompanying documents, he advised that the Commission should act first on the Negative Declaration and then on the Use Permit. lie stated that the Negative Declaration implied that there would be no change in the current operations that exist on the site, that nothing new is contemplated to occur on the site, and that the activities that do take place at Town Hall are not a detriment to the environment. On motion by Commissioner Lachenbruch, seconded by Commissioner Perkins and approved, Iby all Commissioners, it was decided that the Commission would proceed with the E discussion, vote on the Negative Declaration, and then take action on the recomnen- �r dation of the Use Permit. Thereafter, the hearing was opened to the public. (wli i1W nu PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - October 26, 1977 Page two PUBLIC HEARINGS: (continued) 1. LOS ALTOS HILLS TOWN HALL FACILITIES, File #CU 8027-77: (continued) Lou Cox, 26530 Coneo Court called the attention of the Planning Commission to a wrrtlen ss at mens s e had placed on each of their desks. She pointed to sections (j) and (k) of this communication and requested that the Commission adhere to its request for an Environmental Impact Report for the Town Hall site. Jack Valladeo,Esperanza Drive, asked if Mr. Penfold,who had carried the Conditional Use erm rou�Itn -1'or signature, was an emplovee of the Town. This question was answered affirmatively by Mr. Crowe. Mr. Crowe continued with background information on the Conditional Use Permit, noting that as of January 1976 Town Hall property had lapsed into a non -conforming and illegal state. As a result of amendments to the zoning section of the Municipal Code, a Conditional Use Permit was required for existing uses at the Town Hall site. He stated that the Environmental Design Committee was in the process of preparing a landscape plan for the site, that the Use Permit is for those activities generally described in Subsection (k) of Section 9-5.703 of the Municipal Code, and that the storage of equipment was not to be permitted under the ordinance and did not occur. Questions from Commission members included what would be done with the six tenths of an acre at the rear of Town Hall, and whether the legal interpretations of allowable uses included the parking of vehicles. Both questions were answered affirmatively `. by Mr. Crowe who added that in addition to parking for staff and people coming to Town Hall, the Town owned two pick-up trucks which were parked on Town Hall property overnight. Discussion followed on how the shed area was utilized. Commissioner Perkins opened the public hearing on the Use Permit. Louella 'N' Cojo Court, read and discussed in total the document submitted by er neig or oonegroup and asked that itbe made part of the public record of the Conditional Use Permit. She particularly objected to the parkinq of two trucks at the Town Hall site and stated that she was promised by Council that no trucks would be parked there. Mr. E.A. Gritsch, 26540 Conejo Court, noted that the parking of equipment had in e t past een a tremen ous nuisance. Commissioner Kuranoff noted that what seemed to be objectionable was a condition that no longer existed at Town Hall. When he asked Mr. Gritch if the two trucks parked at Town Hall now were a bother to him, Mr. Gritch stated that he hadn't paid close enough attention to them recently. Commissioner Perkins closed the public hearing and discussion returned to the Commission and Staff. City Manager Craze reviewed and answered point by point the petition read to the Commission by Mrs. Cox. Town Engineer Russell discussed the history of the shed situated on Town Hall property. At 9:55 a recess was called. The meeting resumed at 10:12, and Commissioner Lachen- �. bruch asked Mrs. Cox to sum up her particular concerns and complaints on the matter of the issuance of a Conditional Use Permit for Town Hall. These complaints were: PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - October 26, 1977 Page three PUBLIC HEARINGS: (continued) 1. LOS ALTOS HILLS TOWN HALL FACILITIES, File #CU 8027-77: (continued) (1) They did not wish a repeat of their past experience. They had been promised the shed would be torn down. (2) There was a need to reduce the noise level, even through this has im- proved considerably. Again, noise and confusion were reminders of past experiences; and there was great concern expressed lest these should re -occur. Neighbors did not object to Council Chambers and the Town Hall - these were here when they had purchased their properties. (3) They did not want to see City -owned trucks parked overnight because they could set the precedent for bringing in other items and for resuming maintenance activities. She objected to the two trucks parked at Town Hall because they were noisy and could been seen from her property. She felt Town employees should be transported in a car rather than a truck. She said Council had promised that there would be no overnight parking of Town - owned vehicles. She was agreeable to 33 to 44 parking spaces as long as the Town did not exceed that number. (4) She understood that the landscaping would be taken care of. (5) She objected to the Town Hall site being used as a dumping ground. (6) Neighbors did not wish the shed to remain and asked that "public services activities" be stricken from Condition 1; they felt that the statement was open-ended this way and equalled in their mind public works and maintenance. They wanted no storage of supplies on the Town Site - it would set a precedent for keeping trucks there. Tom Puorro, 262.6 Fremont Road, asked if maintenance supplies were kept in the shed an trues were com ng n and out and using supplies. Irma Goldsmith, 27330 Elena Road spoke for retaining the shed for the Historical Ocie y. Discussion was concluded, the Negative Declaration voted on, and the conditions reviewed by the Commission. MOTION SECONDED AND APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY: It was moved by Commissioner Carico and seconded by Commissioner Dochnahl that a Negative Declaration be recommended for the Los Altos Town Hall Facilities, File #CU 8027-77. The following conditions were proposed or revised by Commissioner Perkins and approved by consensus: 1. (New Condition): Only those buildings shall be permitted that are shown on the Town Hall Facilities Plot Plan exhibit dated October 20, 1977. 2. (Revised Condition 1): The permitted use of this facility shall be limited to the administrative services of the Purissima Hills County Water District, PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - October 26, 1977 Page four PUBLIC HEARINGS: (continued) 1. LOS ALTOS HILLS TOWN HALL FACILITIES, File #CU 8027-77: (continued) 2. (continued) the administrative and legislative offices of the Los Altos Hills Town Hall, and the Historical Society. In addition, the following activities shall be allowed: meetings of Town committees, Town groups and similar activities. 3. (Revised Condition 2): All vehicle parking shall be on site and within areas so designated. 4, (Condition 3 on the List of Conditions was deleted. The following is revised Condition 4.):The Environmental Design Committee shall prepare a landscape plan for the northerly undeveloped and unlandscaped portion of the Town property, with particular attention given to screening the shed and reducing any noise that may impinge on the neighbors. The landscape plan shall then be approved by the City Council and implemented by the Town. 5. (New Condition): There shall be no external storage. 6. The property shall be maintained in an exemplary fashion. 7. Lights shall be limited only to those necessary for safety and security, 40 and shall be sheltered to prevent glare on the neighboring properties. B. The storage of the Town pick-up truck utilized by the maintenance crew shall be removed from Town Halt within one year from the date of approval of this Use Permit. Commissioner Carico asked Mrs. Cox if her concerns had been addressed. Mrs. Cox reponded affirmatively and thanked the Planning Commission for their time. MOTION SECONDED AND UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED: It was moved by Commissioner Dochnahl and seconded by Commissioner Lachenbruch that the Use Permit for the Los Altos Hills Town Hall Facilities, File #CU 8027-77, be recommended for approval with conditions as amended. OLD BUSINESS: 1. Amendment to the General Plan of the Town of Los Altos Hills to Include a Scenic Highways Element (Continued from meeting of August si, iyir): After a short discussion, it was the consensus that the Scenic Highways Element should be a part of the road study, and that Chairman Stewart should determine how to proceed with the road study which included the Scenic Highways Element. Commissioners Kuranoff and VanTamelen agreed to be a part of the committee to work on this study. NEW BUSINESS: v 1. Minutes of October 12 deferred to New Business: The following corrections were requested to be made in the October 12 Minutes: PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - October 26, 1977 L Page five NEW BUSINESS: (continued) 1. Minutes of October 12: (continued) ✓ (a) Page two - On the motion deleting Condition 5, the all caps section should read: 'MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED'. (b) Page three - Commissioner Lachenbruch expressed dissatisfaction on the definition of 'frontage' (fourth motion from the bottom of the page). *After checking the tape for the meeting, it was found that the motion was as recorded in the Minutes.*(Secretary's note) (c) Commissioner Perkins requested that on Page four, second motion from the top of the page, the following should be added at the end of the motion: (The wording of Ordinance 232 would not be changed from here on.) It was the consensus of the Commission that the Minutes of October 12 be approved as amended. 2. LANDS OF DAWSON, File #TM 2073-77: Town Engineer Russell noted that the Lands of Dawson would soon came to the Planning Commission for a public hearing on the Tentative Map. He requested that the Planning Commissioner who attended the Subdivision Committee meeting give a state- ment on Purpose (Section 9-4.102 of Ordinance 232) while he and John Markl, Town Planner/Engineer would cover the technical aspects of the subdivision. He asked specifically that the Planning Commissioner discuss Purpose in Ordinance 232 as it related to that particular subdivision. He stated that Purpose was so sub- jective that the Staff felt the need of input from the Commissioners. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further new or old business, the meeting of the Planninq Commission was adjourned at 11:50 P.M.. Respectfully submitted, Ethel Hopkins Secretary A