Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/11/200240 Minutes of a Regular Meeting Approved 8/8/02 Town of Los Altos Hills PLANNING COMMISSION Thursday, July 11, 2002, 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers, 26379 Fremont Road cc: Cassettes ( 1 ) #07-02 ROLL CALL AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Planning Commission regular meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Town Hall. Present: Commissioners Clow, Cottrell, Kerns & Vitu Absent: Chairman Wong Staff: Carl Cahill, Planning Director; Maureen Cassingham, City Manager, Dan Siegel, City Attorney, Mintze Cheng, City Engineer; John Goldman, Town Hall Architect; Lam Smith, Planning Secretary 2. RE -ORGANIZATION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MOTION SECONDED AND PASSED: Motion by Commissioner Clow and seconded by Commissioner Cottrell nominating Janet Vita as Planning Commission Chairman for a one year term. AYES: Commissioners Kerns, Vita, Cottrell & Clow ABSENT: Commissioner Wong MOTION SECONDED AND PASSED: Motion by Commissioner Vitu and seconded by Commissioner Cottrell nominating Eric Clow as Planning Commission Vice -Chair for a one year term. AYES: Chairman Vitu, Commissioners Kerns, Cottrell & Clow ABSENT: Commissioner Wong PRESENTATIONS FROM THE FLOOR -none 3.1 Service award presentation to Carol Gottlieb, former Planning Commissioner. Chairman Vitu thanked Carol for her years of service and dedication to the Commission and to the Town. The Planning Director also expressed appreciation for Carol's service and support of staff. Dot Schreiner stated that Carol has always been a dedicated volunteer in the town. Her experience and knowledge have helped shape the town as they know it today. Planning Commission Minutes July 11, 2002 Page 2 4. PUBLIC HEARINGS Approved 8/8/02 4.1 LANDS OF LOS ALTOS HILLS, TOWN HALL, 26379 Fremont Road (108-02- ZP-SD-CUP); A request for a Conditional Use Permit and a Site Development Permit for the replacement of a 4,888 square foot 3 -building Town Hall complex and 44 parking spaces with a single new 7,138 square foot structure and 52 parking spaces on a 2.72 acre site at 26379 Fremont Road (APN: 175-56-003). The Planning Director introduced this item highlighting the process thus far of the new Town Hall regarding code provisions, the site description, and the overall proposed project. He further discussed the design and height, traffic and parking, grading and drainage, trees and landscaping, outdoor lighting, noise related conditions of approval, fire department requirements, the conditional use and site development permits, and the environmental review. Issues brought up by the neighbors involved the height, compatibility with the existing area, the entrance to Town Hall from Esperanza Drive (could create a four way stop at Fremont Road and Concepcion Road), and screening. He concluded noting that the architectural design of the institutional structure is similar to and compatible with the Town's residential zoning and site development standards. He referred to the conditional development permit for St. Luke's Chapel relating to height. He also noted that the financial impacts of the project on the community is the domain of the City Council. John Goldman, 172 Russ Street, San Francisco, Town architect, reviewed the plans and rendering in detail regarding the following: Heritage Oak tree center of the court yard; the use of permeable pavers; tall elements lining up with the taller trees; re-establishing the orchard; less hardscape; parking court to allow turnaround which will also provide wheelchair access; landscaping between the two parking area; the office space and meeting rooms; and eliminating the boundaries from indoor to outdoor. He further discussed the soils report. Commissioner Cottrell felt the number of restrooms was inadequate. OPENED PUBLIC HEARING Mark Breier, 26359 Esperanza Drive, provided a handout of compilation of citizen input (Citizens Choice for LAH Town Hall) regarding the new town hall from 150 signed petitioners and attendees at the Los Altos Hills family picnic, the pathway meeting, and numerous neighborhood meetings. He highlighted cost/scale, height, catering kitchen, integrity with neighbors, views with mature tree, and the entrance (change to Concepcion Road and Fremont Road with a four way stop). He further discussed construction work hours, communicating any Conditional Use Permit changes with the neighbors, landscaping plans, and any new drainage near the Breier/Hubbell area. Eli Wismer, 26480 St. Francis Drive, was concerned with the extended plans (out of place) and he did not see the need for added room for a town of this size. Planning Commission Minutes Approved 8/8/02 July 11, 2002 Page 3 Steve Hubbell, 26530 Conejo Court, discussed the height of the tower and the four way stop. Items of concern: asbestos removal; fruit trees (replace with a park); height; clock tower; and the basic design (not appropriate for area). Dot Schreiner, 14301 Saddle Mountain Drive, supported the "Citizens Choice'. She objected to the height, the catering kitchen, and the cost of the project, asking where the money was coming from. Woody De Mayo, 26160 Rancho Manuella Lane, felt the design was out of character for the town, mainly the pillars and roof. Sandy Humphries, 26238 Fremont Road, read an e-mail from Jan Fenwick to Dr. Steve Kelem (26323 Esperanza Road) and his response regarding the Town Hall project. She did not feel the town residents were given choices regarding the design. The building design is beautiful but not here. Hooshang Hesari, 26520 Conejo Court, reviewed the" Citizen Choice' comments and the issue with height. He can see the story poles from his house. The catering kitchen and night time activities are also a problem for him. When voting for City Council, he was hoping for a better town. He felt any money should be spent on improving the entire town (underground utilities, etc.). He asked where the funding was coming from and if they had choices for the fund to be 4 used differently. Barbara O'Brien, 26815 Ortega Drive, was not a direct neighbor to the project but will be driving by on the way to Bullis School. She does not want to urbanize the town and felt there was no reason for a new town hall and did not like the proposed architectural style. The design should be a more organic structure. She referred to Woodside Town Hall as an example. Mike O'Malley, 27781 Edgerton Road, Councilmember, here for two reasons: to listen to comments; and to provide insight into the thought processes that went behind the design of the new Town Hall. He discussed the current situation at Town Hall which is cramped, not conducive to doing business with the citizens, and not an environment for any private discussions with citizens. The building is 50 years old and does not meet code. The majority of the additional space is for the benefit of the citizens. There is also a need for larger Council Chambers and the catering kitchen is actually an employee lounge with a microwave, refrigerator and dishwasher to provide a reasonable area for employees to have lunch. This will be a functional building. He referred to the Stanford University architectural style and design. Liz Goodman, 11989 Rhus Ridge Road, objected to the project and supported the "Citizen Choice'. She is on the Environmental Design Committee and felt the Council Chambers were not always in use. She felt the size was excessive and had the appearance of a two story structure. 141 Planning Commission Minutes Approved 8/8102 July 11, 2002 Page 4 qtr Alan Bien, 26540 Conejo Court, opposed the new Town Hall. He asked if the Water District would be included in the square footage and if the kitchen is indeed a catering kitchen. He also read an e-mail from Elizabeth Snyder on Aric Lane requesting the building to remain as is. Nobuko Cleary, 26417 Silent Hills Lane was concerned with the ceiling price of the project, and how it would be funded. Carol Gottlieb, 24290 Summerhill Avenue, felt the structure should be more neighborhood friendly. She was concerned with the setbacks and how they were measured. She was surprised with the open courtyard on Fremont Road (vandalism) and the lack of adequate storage area. Jim Downey, 26000 Newbridge Drive, felt it was sad to see the character of the town change. He objected to the height, size and scope which are out of character and did not fit on this lot, and the $500 per square foot which is outrageous. He was concerned with the Water District being displaced (currently they only pay $500 a month) and the possibility of an increase in services (tax) which would be directly related to this project. He asked why the citizens did not have choices to find something that would fit the land and the needs of the community. He did not even know if a new Town Hall was actually needed. Xia Ming, 26344 Esperanza Drive, likes the proposed entrance at Fremont Road and Concepcion Road which would eliminate traffic on Esperanza Drive. 4W Liz Dana, 25700 Bassett Lane, understood the need for a new building (structural damage and a need for more space). However, when the town was incorporated, they established a one acre minimum to maintain the rural character. She did not feel the proposed design provided a rural atmosphere and is much too big. Not having citizen input, even if you do not live by Town Hall, is a mistake. Everyone should have been consulted. Beverly Bryant, 27060 Appaloosa Way, felt the building was stunning. She understood the need for storage and work space but she was not confident the needs are being met. Her main concern was the lack of input from the residents regarding the style choices, bidding, and incurred expenses. They should have a sense of cost. She hoped the promises of people who were going to help fund the new Town Hall was in writing. George Maciag, 26335 Esperanza Drive, was concerned with the word "catering" noting a real catering service does not need a kitchen. He was in support of a kitchen for employees. He was concerned, in some future time, the facilities will be rented out for events, asking that the project be kept non-commercial. He also hoped that they will not be hearing chimes from the clock tower every hour on the hour. He asked how a project of this magnitude could have just happened. Sandy Berry, 26005 Newbridge Drive, provided a photograph of the Juana Briones house which is a typical ranch style house built in the 1800's locally. Planning Commission Minutes Approved 8/8/02 July 11, 2002 Page 5 r/ Ruma Munshi, 26450 Ascension Drive, discussed a 911 call which lasted 17 minutes. She would rather the money go for police protection rather than a new Town Hall. Mark Breier provided a photo of the post structure from his house stating less mitigation would be needed if the structure is not so tall. CLOSED PUBLIC HEARING The Planning Director addressed the concerns mentioned regarding the Water District. Page 3 of the staff report indicate the numbers which include the Heritage House and the Water District buildings. The Water District and City Council have been in discussions. It may be possible for the Water District building to stay with the new Town Hall. Commissioner Cottrell reviewed the roll of the Planning Commission, discussing Town code. There is a need for a new building where people work. This building is falling down and retrofitting will not work. Storage and restroom space should be reviewed. The cost is not known. When plans are agreed on, competitive bids will be received from contractors. The kitchen is only a kitchen, not a catering kitchen. This will be the first time ever the employees will have a lounge. Regarding the appearance of the building design, it is had to say what is Los Altos Hills architecture. It appears new construction is in the Mediterranean style (not ranch style). There is a concern that there has not been enough public input. He encouraged everyone to attend the next City Council meeting. He addressed the height concern and the new height ordinance noting they could argue that since it is a public building, the height ordinance does not apply (i.e. St. Luke's Chapel). We have a noise ordinance. If it is noisy, call the sheriff. He supported the project and encouraged more input from the Council. He also recommended that the restroom and storage areas be reviewed and he agreed with the change to the entrance to Fremont Road and Concepcion Road. Commissioner Clow agreed. Council will address the cost. He was surprised no one mentioned staff working conditions. They need an acceptable environment. There is no catering kitchen. He supported the Negative Declaration and the design as submitted, looking at the amount of storage area. He felt there had been changes to the plans to accommodate concerns of residents by Flipping the design, changing the entrance, and reducing development area. Commissioner Kerns also agreed with comments. He would have liked more resident input. It would have been nice to have alternate designs. However, the City Council is the ultimate voice regarding architectural styles. The Commission does not review architectural style although he likes the mission style. There are safety issues with the existing Town Hall. A new Town Hall is over due. He liked the siting, minimizing the impact on the trees with the court yard around the oak tree. He felt the court yard would help reduce sound. Staff can review the concerns regarding vandalism. Restrooms and storage areas do not appear to be adequate. The cost is not a part of the Planning Commission review. He felt the architecture and style were not high end, construction wise. There have been many things done to accommodate the residents. Regarding height, there are some public buildings such as St. Luke's on Duval Way which exceed the residential height standards. He agreed with Mr. Goldman's reasoning for the increase in height Planning Commission Minutes Approved 8/8/02 July 11, 2002 Page 6 4W for a very small portion for architectural details. He supported moving the entrance, being sensitive to the existing trees. Chairman Vitu also agreed. She was on the new Town Hall Committee noting a need for a new building due to structural and water damage. The safety of our staff is in question. The main areas of increase will be the public reception area, the Council Chambers, and the circulation and hallways (ADA). She did not feel it was unreasonable to build a facility of this size. She further discussed the kitchen facility and the height issues. She did like the architectural feature (clock tower) with clerestory windows. She felt this area could be mitigated with trees to minimize the impact to the neighbors. She supports the Fremont Road and Concepcion Road entrance with the preservation of the oak tree, if possible. The request to mitigate impacted neighbor views with mature trees was reasonable and there will be a landscape review some time after framing. Construction hours would be restricted to the same hours as new residential construction hours. MOTION SECONDED, AMENDED AND PASSED: Motion by Commissioner Cottrell, seconded by Commissioner Clow and amended to recommend to the City Council approval of the conditional use permit, subject to the conditions of approval outlined in Exhibit "A", and citing the findings outlined in Exhibit "C", approval of the site development permit, subject to the conditions of approval outlined in Exhibit 'B", and adoption of the Negative Declaration, with the following additions/changes: recommending that the restrooms and storage areas be reviewed for adequacy of size; and moving the entrance to Fremont Road and Concepcion Road, minimizing impact to the existing trees. AYES: Chairman Vitu, Commissioners Kerns, Clow,& Cottrell ABSENT: Commissioner Wong This item has been scheduled for the July 18th City Council agenda S. OLD BUSINESS 5.1 Report from subcommittees -none 6. NEW BUSINESS -none 7. REPORT FROM THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING 7.1 Planning Commission Representative for July 4'" — cancelled 7.2 Planning Commission Representative for July 18`h — Commissioner Cottrell 7.3 Planning Commission Representative for August I" — Commissioner Kerns 8. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 8.1 Approval of June 13, 2002 minutes 4 Planning Commission Minutes July 11, 2002 Page 7 Approved 8/8/02 APASSED BY CONSENSUS: Motion by Commissioner Cottrell and seconded by Commissioner Gottlieb to approve the June 13, 2002 minutes. 9. REPORT FOR THE SITE DEVELOPMENT MEETING, JUNE 18 & JULY 2.2002 9.1 LANDS OF DALLAS, 26530 Weston Drive (275-01-ZP-SD); A request for a Site Development Permit for additions. Approved with conditions. 9.2 LANDS OF TORABI, 26861 Purissima Road (90-02-ZP-SD); A request for a Site Development Permit for a landscape screening plan and pool. Approved with conditions. 10. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned by consensus at 9:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Lani Smi[h Planning Secretary 4