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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/08/1978PLANNING COMMISSION Town of Los Altos Hills 26379 Fremont Road Los Altos Hills, California MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING Wednesday, November 8, 1978 Reel 71, Side II, Tr. 2, 269 to End, Reel 74, Side 2, Tr. 1, 001 to 515 Chairman Stewart called the meeting of the Planning Commission to order at 7:47 p.m. in the City Council Chambers of Town Hall. ROLL CALL Present: Commissioners Carico, Lachenbruch, Dochnahl, Stewart. Commissioners vanTamelen and Reeves arrived at 8:55 p.m. Absent: Commissioner Kuranoff Also Present: City Engineer John Carlson, Consulting Engineer/Planner John Markl, Secretary Ethel Hopkins Press: Dave Farrell, Palo Alto Times CONSENT CALENDAR: The Minutes of the October 25 Joint Meeting and the Minutes of the October 29 Adjourned Meeting were removed from the Consent Calendar. MOTION SECONDED AND PASSED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT: It was moved by Commissioner Carico and seconded by Commissioner Stewart that the Minutes of the Regular Planning Commission Meeting of October 25 be approved as submitted. The Minutes of the October 29 were amended by adding 'John Carlson, City Engineer' to the list of those present in paragraph two of the Minutes. MOTION SECONDED AND PASSED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT: It was moved by Commissioner Dochnahl and seconded by Commissioner Stewart that the Minutes of the Adjourned Meeting of October 29 be approved as amended. (Commissioner Carico abstained from voting because she had not been present at the October 29 meeting.) Commissioner Lachenbruch requested that his remarks at the top of page two be modified to read: ..the Town, not necessarily what is in the best interest of the applicant. He pointed to the need for professional planning help on many com- plex matters." (Correction on October 25 Joint Meeting Minutes) It was the consensus, however, that before the Joint Meeting Minutes could be approved, that the secretary should go over the tape and submit a more exact set of statements for Planning Commissioners. Approval of the Joint Meeting Minutes was deferred until the November 20 meeting. PUBLIC HEARINGS: 1. LANDS OF BAHR, File #TM 2079-78, South Fork Lane, Paul Nowack and Associates, �. Engineer, Request for Recommendation of Approval of Negative Declaration and Tentative Map Mr. Markl reviewed background information on the above request as detailed in his October 20 staff report and as discussed by Planning Commissioners at the October 29 PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - November 8, 1978 Page two PUBLIC HEARINGS: (continued) 1. LANDS OF BAHR, File #TM 2079-78: (continued) adjourned meeting on the site. He then reviewed the details of his supplemental November 8 staff report. In the discussion on item three of the November 8 report, City Engineer John Carlson offered additional comments on options available to Commissioners regarding the forty foot ingress -egress easement. Thereafter, the hearing was opened to the public discussion. Bob Naeqele, Paul Nowack and Associates, Engineer, 220 State Street, Los Altos, discussed with ommissioners the routing and construction of the driveway on Lot 1, map contours, the location of the drainage swale and erosion ditch on the property, the locations of possible building sites, and activities allowable in the conservation easement area. Bob Bahr Ap lic�ant, discussed the proposed conservation easement area, noting t at at phi resent the area is fenced and used for grazing of animals. He also re- viewed for Commissioners the location of drainage and swale areas in the conservation easement. Commissioners engaged in discussion with the Engineer and Applicant on the follow- ing matters: access on Lot 1, whether the applicant should provide cross-sections of South Fork Lane showing also where the driveway for Lot 1 might intersect the road, the location of a building site for Lot 1, accuracy of map contours, whether the conservation easement area should include access to the drainage area and the dripline area of the trees, the location of the 160 foot circle in an area that is consistent with the General Plan and ordinances, and the ownership and use of Three Forks Lane. Mr. Markl discussed with Commissioners and Mr. Naegele the proposed building site and leachfield and its proximity to the drainage Swale. The public hearing was closed, a motion passed requesting a new map be submitted, and conditions were reviewed by Planning Commissioners. Amendments made to the list of conditions were for the purpose of further clarification only. Motions passed were not to be the final statements regarding the list of conditions. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: It was moved by Commissioner Carico and seconded by Commissioner Reeves that the applicant's engineer submit a new map containing the following: exact contours of the area, drainage swales and erosion ditch at the south of the property, a house location and access provided in the best area possible on Lot 1, cross-sections and profile for South Fork Lane and driveway access intersection on Lot 1. Vote: AYES: Commissioners Carico, Lachenbruch, Reeves, vanTamelen NOES: Commissioners Stewart, Dochnahl ABSTAIN: None Condition l(a)2. The Town Engineer was directed to check out the soils report very carefully to determine whether the building site should be on the south -facing slope area. Condition 2: In discussion on Condition 2, it was suggested that an assessment district could be set up for the undergrounding of utilities. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - November 8, 1978 Page three 40 PUBLIC HEARINGS: (continued) 1. LANDS OF BAHR, File #TM 2079-78: (continued) Condition 2: If an assessment district is not formed at the time of the present tentative map, it was suggested that the assessment district could be in the form of an agreement to run with the land. On the motion of Commissioner vanTamelen, it was decided to amend Condition 2 by adding section (c) from page two of the November 8 supplemental staff report. Vote: Ayes: Commissioners Carico, Reeves, vanTamelen, Dochnahl Noes: Commissioner Stewart Abstain: Commissioner Lachenbruch Condition 6: Needs clarification. Condition 11: Variance should be granted if the structure on Lot 2 is to remain. Condition 12: Should be revised to be more explicit. On the Motion of Commission- er Dochnahl, seconded by Commissioner Reeves, it was moved to have a conservation easement shown only on Lot 1. There should be no conservation easement on Lot 2 until it comes in for future sub- division. However, a statement should be included defining the boun- dary of the conservation easement on Lot 2 and also a statement of intent to acquire this area when it comes in for subdivision in the future. Vote: Ayes: Commissioners Stewart, Lachenbruch, Reeves, vanTamelen, `r Dochnahl Noes: Commissioner Carico Abstain: None Condition 13: Should be deleted - Three Forks Lane exists as a separate parcel already. Condition 14: Add statement to Condition 14 from the November 8 supplemental rpport, see page two, item 3. It was suggested by City Engineer Carlson that an assessment district be formed for the Three Forks road improvement. Commissioner vanTamelen, however, stated she would be against having an assessment district to change the road around. Condition 16: To be removed. On the motion of Commissioner Stewart, seconded by Commissioner Lachenbruch, it was moved that Condition 16 be removed and in its place the following be added: There shall be a dedicated twenty foot (20') right-of-way along the easterly edge of South Fork Lane on Lot 1. The vote for approval of this motion was unanimous. Added Condition: (after Condition 19) Foundations shall be screened with plantings. Screening shall be determined specifically at the time of site development. The discussion on Lands of Bahr was terminated, and a short recess was called at 10:25 p.m. The meeting was resumed at 10:40 p.m. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - November 8, 1978 Page four 4 PUBLIC HEARINGS: (continued) 2. LANDS OF STEERS, File #TM 2087-78, Central and Buena Vista Drive, G. Nolte and Associates, Engineer, Request for Recommendation of Approval of Negative Declaration and Tentative Map Commissioner Stewart noted that no conditions had been submitted with the staff report on the above request. Instead, it had been suggested that a field trip on the site would be the most appropriate way to begin to understand the complexities of the subdivision. It was decided that on Sunday, November 12, that the Planning Commission and interested parties would meet on Buena Vista Drive at 9:15 a.m. to walk the subdivision and discuss problems relating to the subdivision. Commissioner Lachenbruch excused himself from participating as a voting Planning Commissioner on this subdivision because he is a contiguous landowner to the Steers Subdivision. Commissioners Carico and vanTamelen stated that they would not be visiting the site on November 12 because both had visited the site already, and because Commissioner vanTamelen had participated on the Subdivision Committee meetings. Mr. Markl discussed his November 3 staff report and suggested that Commissioners look for the following matters on the November 12 field trip: 1) the location of Buena Vista Drive, 2) the relocation of the twelve foot gravel roadway -pathway within the Buena Vista Drive area, and 3) the problem of the location of the leach - field to avoid the Swale area (item 3, page four of the staff report). WAW Mrs Gottlieb Chairwoman Pathway Committee, discussed pathway requests and existing road right-of-ways and easements. Commissioners raised the question of whether the proposed development, as shown by page two of the tentative map, could be accommodated within the 160 foot circle shown on the front page of the tentative map, and it was stated by Mr. Markl that in order to construct a house within the 160 foot circle area the leachfield would have to be above the house. A conditional exception would also be required. Thereafter, the hearing was opened to the public discussion. Tor Lanub Ui 1-6— . ', ' - - - - -- ordinances with the slight deficiency in slope density requirements which could be overcome by the granting of a conditional exception, that the conservation easement area really related more to the larger, developed parcel, and asked that Buena Vista Drive be left as it now exists. He asked approval of the subdivision request. Ramish Joshi 1785 Granger Avenue Los Altos, future purchaser of Lot 1, reported to the Commission on his discussions with the Health Department regarding location of the leachfield and proposed extension area and discussed steepness on the property as relating to map contours. He requested the waiving of the undergrounding of electrical poles because of their location. Jerry Metzoer 11620 Buena Vista, questioned the legality of the Steers lot being —, offered for sale when it had not yet been legally subdivided, whether there could be more than five residences on a private road, and questioned whether the sub- division fully complied with Town ordinances. He also requested that undergrounding of utility poles be fully enforced and that a full forty foot width be required for the private Buena Vista Drive to provide for future development in the area. However, he did not wish the road changed at this time. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES - November 8, 1978 Page five PUBLIC HEARINGS: (continued) 2. LANDS OF STEERS, File #TM 2087-78: (continued) John Steers, Applicant, complained of Mr. Metzger's cutting of trees around utility poles adjacent to his property. Thereafter, the public hearing was closed and further discussion was postponed until the November 12 meeting on the property. NEW BUSINESS: MOTION SECONDED AND PASSED UNANIMOUSLY: It was moved by Commissioner Carico and seconded by Commissioner Dochnahl that Monday, November 20, be set as the date of the public hearing for revisions to the above -listed sections of the Municipal Code. 2. Re ort of the Plannin Commission to the Cit Council: It was noted by Chairman Stewart tat as a regu ar part o ,ty ounce meetings, there would be a report from the Planning Commission. This report could either be an oral one given by the Planning Commission representative to the City Council meeting, or the report could be a written report. lbw ADJOURNMENT: There being no further new or old business, the meeting of the Planning Commission was adjourned to the meeting on Buena Vista Drive at 9:15 a.m. on November 12. Adjournment was at 11:55 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Ethel Hopkins Secretary