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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/09/1977PLANNING, COMMISSION Town of Los Altos Hills 26379 Fremont Road Los Altos Hills, California MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, November 9, 1977 Reel 65, Side 1, Tr. 1, 001 to End; Side 2, Tr.l, 001 to 170 Chairman Stewart called the meeting of the Planning Commission to order at 7:52 P.M. in the Council Chambers of the Town Hall. ROLL CALL AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Present: Commissioners Stewart, Lachenbruch, Perkins, Dochnahl and Kuranoff Absent: Commissioners vanTamelen and Carico Also Present: Town Engineer Alexander Russell, Town Planner/Engineer John Markl, Secretary Ethel Hopkins APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Minutes of October 26 were corrected by Commissioner Perkins who requested that the motion on the bottom of page one (last paragraph) be corrected with the addition of 'Conditional Use Permit' inserted at the end of the second line. The phrase should read "...that the Commission would proceed with the Conditional Use Permit discussion...". MOTION SECONDED AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED: It was moved by Commissioner Dochnahl and seconded by Commissioner Perkins that the Minutes of October 26 be approved as amended. PUBLIC HEARINGS: 1. LANDSOF CRIST File #TM 2062-77, Page Mill and Lupine Road, Paul Nowack an ssociates: ngineers, Request for Recommendation of Approval of Negative Declaration and Request for Recommendation of Approval of Tentative Map Town Planner Markl reviewed information on the subject request as presented in his Staff report dated November 2, 1977. He cited problems with the parcel's development because of its long, narrow shape and difficulties in providing adequate access. Commissioners had questions on whether a plan line running from Lupine Road to Elena had any significancefor access to the Crist subdivision, how the development of Lot 6 would be affected by the storm drain easement running diagonally through the lot, what amount of grading would be done on the subdivision, and how an eighteen inch pipe on the property would be disposed of. t,, Staff noted that the plan line from Lupine to Elena had no significance for the subdivision because there was no direct access from the subdivision to Lupine Road. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - November 9, 1977 Page two PUBLIC HEARINGS: (continued) 1. LANDS OF CRIST, File NTM 2062-77: (continued) Development of Lot 6 was discussed with the proposal made that the storm drain could be relocated to avoid the diagonal development problems.The hearing was opened to the public hearing. Ralph Kane, 27700 Lupine Road, owner of property adjacent to the Lands of Crist, expressed his concern that the Lands of Crist be a part of an overall plan for the development of the area. He stated his wish for assurance of an access to Page Mill Road, for sewer capacity, and for favorable consideration when he decided to subdivide his property. He had no basic objection to the Lands of Crist subdivision and was enthusiastic about the proposal that the land be sewered. With the discussion on flooding in the area, he noted that flooding on Lupine was due to the obstruction of the culverts. He suggested a larger culvert be installed.When questioned by Commissioner Stewart on how he felt about a drainage district for the area, Mr. Kane was uncertain on how or what should be done, but said that that he felt that responsibility lay with the municipalities of Los Altos Hills or Palo Alto, or with the County. Frank Crist, Applicant, reviewed background information on the property, the cotes and size ^tib sewer line, and access to the subdivision. He urged a recommendation of approval by the Commissioners. When access was questioned by neighboring property owners, Mr. Crist expressed his willingness to work out a more satisfactory plan, but noted that there were problems that prevented his having access from Lupine Road. Mark Harrison resident on Lands of Stratton, discussed concerns on the develop- ment o [5n s of rest. They were: water run-off in a wet year, the question of a safe access from Page Mill Road, the amount of grading that would be done, the nearness of the cul-de-sac to his home, traffic on the cul-de-sac, and finally, his objection to the plan for garbage removal and sifting to be used as fill material later on, and his wish that access to the subdivision be obtained from Lupine Road. Mel Harrison, 27744 Lu ine Road, expressed concern at having roads on both ends o is property, suggesting that the road remain on the opposite side of the tract. He expressed concern on the problem of water on the property, where fill would be placed, and gave some background history on the property back to 1961. Bud Chor, Paul Nowack & Associates, addressed questions raised on drainage, adequate sig distance from age i oa and the new cul-de-sac road, reviewed plans for removing and sifting garbage on the site, the location of roads and structures, proposals for alleviating the nearness of the road to adjacent properties. To Mr. Harrison's proposal to relocate the road to the opposite side of the property, Mr. Chor stated that the land was too steep to get a road cut in the area. Phil De Rosa, 27772 Lupine Road, asked for an explanation on how the sewer line L wou a route to upine Road. v ditze Couperous, 13680 Pa a Mill Road, discussed his suggestions for dealing with Q pon situation create y water run-off. He pointed to the problem of obtain- ing flood insurance in the area without a solution to the drainage problems. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - November 9, 1977 Page three v PUBLIC HEARINGS: (continued) 1. LANDS OF CRIST, File #TM 2062-77: (continued) Mr. Russell offered that a possible solution to the flooding problems due to water run-off was that proposed by Mr. Stan Wolfe of the Santa Clara Flood Control District whereby a deed of easement would grant the District access to maintain the creek area. Another proposal offered was that a drainage district be formmd sometime in the future. Mrs. Fiksdal, Pathway Committee, urged the Commission to reject without prejudice Me eii Tan- as o� r s su ivision. She requested that the Pathway Committee be allowed to reconsider their recommendations. She called attention to the problems already cited: drainage, grading, Lot 6, encroachment on the privacy of the neigh- bors, garbage and debris removal, and the Page Mill Road intersection. John Markl, Town Planner/Engineer, noted that Mr. Crist had asked his engineer to investigate the Page Mill Road Culvert, and it had been found that the two, sixty inch culverts were adequate to handle drainage. The flooding on Matadero Creek was more of a maintenance problem than a culvert -size problem. Ed Stewart 27851 Lu ine Road, asked that the culvert size be rechecked because Fe ques ione i t e cu verts were 60 inches. Rich Hersch, Garrick Construction Co. Foster City, discussed ways that he,as 3eveT aper r'or a proper y,p anne o alleviate the garbage on the site by sifting it and removing the dirt from the debris, the willingness of the applicant to grant easements for flood control, calculations on water run-off, and the developer's desire to work with Messrs. Harrison and Kane to provide access that would be acceptable by all. The public hearing was closed, and a recess called at 9:25. The meeting was re- sumed at 9:40 P.M. with the discussion returning to the Commissioners. It was the feeling of the Commission, however, that more information would be needed. Commissioner Lachenbruch began by noting the following concerns: 1)A reasonable scheme for accommodating circulation on the subdivision and on neighboring lots. He felt the existing plan was not satisfactory. 2) Specific information on how drainage would be accommodated. 3)Detailed grading plans for the entire site with information on how much of the original surface would be disturbed, how much cut and fill, and what the contours would be. 4) Where will surface water flow (on the property or will it flow onto the neighbors' properties?) 5)Specific plans for the treatment and sifting of on-site garbage, and some idea of what the magnitude of the problem will be. 6)A more specific name for Calbear Court. Commissioner Perkins wanted the following: 1)A profile of the intersection of the proposed street and Page Mill Road so that some idea may be available as to what is proposed and how it will be accommodated to the land. 2) More specific information on how the sewer line would be carried across the street. 3) Wanted to see an al- ternative to the present internal road plan, and wanted to know if the cul-de-sac were pulled back, how the lot to the rear of the property would be treated. 4)Questioned if the subdivision met the concept implied in Section 102 of Ordinance No. 232. He noted that the subdivision met minimum requirements, but asked if it maintained ruralness. 5) Requested an inspection of the site by the Planning Commission. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - November 9, 1977 Page four s PUBLIC HEARINGS: (continued) 1. LANDS OF CRIST, File #TM 2062-77: (continued) Bud Chor, Pau1 Nowack & Associates, extended an invitation to the Planning Commission an sta o mee aA.M. on Saturday, November 12 to tour the property. Mr. Russell asked the Commissioners to determine if seven lots was an excessive number, and by how many lots the subdivision should be decreased. Both Mr. Russell and Mr. Markl discussed the roads, with Mr. Russell noting that circulation into Lupine was not very desirable and that even with the plan line in existence, there was no guarantee that there would ever be a road extending from Lupine to Elena. He added that access to Lupine Road would be available when Mr. Kane subdivides his property. Chairman Stewart requested a plan for the development of the overall area and expressed the concern that the sewer might be an attempt to accommodate quarter acre lots. He was assured by Mr. Russell, however, that this was not the case, but that the sewer line was to accommodate the whole drainage basin and the grade of the land. £Gemissianer Kuranoff observed that some development was preferable to the site being used as a garbage dump. His concerns were: 1) The extreme "urban-ness" of the subdivision and the great of amount of grading to be done. Wanted to see more specific grading and fill plans. 2) The number of lots, he felt the development C was too intense and that access should be obtained from Lupine Road for the back OAr lots and from Page Mill Road for the front lots even if it created another inter- section. 3) Expressed concern on drainage. Finally, he felt the plan with seven lots on a rectangular site with few trees a very preliminary plan. Commissioner Dochnahl felt 1) There were too many parcels on the property, and that four very beautiful homesites could be accommodated. 2)Expressed concern for the removal of natural vegetation and trees if all the grading were done. Commissioner Lachenbruch felt it was premature to discuss lot design and yield at this point but offered these comments: 1) Lots 3 and 4 are inadequate as de- signed because they are too long and thin; 2) Lot 6 - the building site straddling the storm drainage easement was not a very natural site. 3) Expressed concern at the storm drainage problem and the substantial conservation easement near the channel of Matadero Creek. Commissioner Stewart noted his agreement that the subdivision was too dense and pointed to letters from adjoining property owners protesting the subdivision. He asked the concurrence of the applicants that their subdivision be continued to the meeting of November 30. The applicants agreed to the continuance. MOTION SECONDED AND UNANIMOUSLY CARRIED: It was moved by Conmissioner Perkins and seconded by Commissioner Stewart that the Lands of Crist, File #TM 2062-77, be continued to the meeting of November 30. DISCUSSION ITEMS: 1. Change of Planning Commission Meeting from November 23 to November 30 1977. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - November 9, 1977 t Page five v DISCUSSION ITEMS: (continued) 1. Change of Planning Commission Meeting: MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: It was moved by Commissioner Stewart and seconded by Commissioner Dochnahl that the Planning Commission meeting of November 23 be changed to November 30 at 7:45 P.M.. All Commissioners voted for the motion with the exception of Commissioner Kuranoff who abstained. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: It was moved by Commissioner Stewart and seconded by Commissioner Kuranoff that there be no meeting on the night of December 28, 1977. All Commissioners voted unanimously for this motion. 2. Landscaping for Berger Property: The plans to landscape the perimeter areas of the Berger Subdivision were reviewed by Mr. Russell, Mr. Dick Faust of HMH R'! n interim , and Charles Reed of Osterlund Enterprises. There was cons era a iscussion on whether an scap ng s ou eb p amain front of the fence areas on private lots or in place of a fence. It was decided that the landscaping should be negotiated between staff, developer, and land owner at the time the property was purchased. The Commissioners commended the engineering firm for the landscaping plan. t Various types of motorcycle barriers were discussed for the barrier to be constructed between Lots 8 and 9 on the Berger Subdivision, but no solution to the problem of finding an effective but safe (from the liability standpoint) barrier was arrived at. 3. Cul -de -Sacs and Roads: Mr. Russell noted that the Lands of Dawson subdivision would soon be discussed at the Subdivision Committee level, and he asked the Commission to provide ideas on the lengths of cul-de-sacs they deemed appropriate for the subdivision. Commissioner Stewart appointed a sub -committee consisting of Commissioners Dochnahl, VanTamelen, and Kuranoff to study the problem of cul-de-sacs and roads and to report back to the Commission on their findings as soon as possible. Commissioner Kuranoff, however, noted that the subcommittee could not make a report until the first meeting in January. Ways of going about the study, what to include in it, and the definition of a cul- de-sac were considered. Commissioner Perkins suggested that the sub -committee go out and observe the kinds of streets in Los Altos Hills; and Bud Chor, Paul Nowack and Associates, suggested touring neighboring communities such as s oroug or}' a ook at concrete as well as rolled curbs and gutters for streets. It was requested that the sub -committee be provided with a copy of the Town's "Standard Specifications for Subdivisions". One of the definitions of a cul-de-sac pro- vided by Commissioner Lachenbruch was that a cul-de-sac could be defined as a branch of a Christmas tree, or a road which, after you enter it, you have only one option. 4w It was noted that the Scenic Highways Element of the General Planwould also be a part of the study made by the subcommittee, but the review of this element would be an outgrowth of the subcommittee's initial study of roads. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - November 9, 1977 Page six ` NEW BUSINESS: Commissioner Perkins, the Commission and Staff discussed the methods of arrivinq at accurate figures for lot sizes on Tentative Maps, particularly as this re- lated to the lot dimensions for the Lands of Crist subdivision. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further new or old business, the meeting of the Planninq Commission was adjourned to an adjourned meeting on Saturday at 10:00 A.M., November 12. Respectfully submitted, Ethel Hopkins Secretary 4 29