Planning Commission Meeting Update

February 25, 2009                  Wednesday                            7:00 p.m. 

CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 

ROLL CALL:      Commissioners Michael Boswell, Michael Draze, Eric Meyer, Airlin Singewald, Mary Whittlesey, Vice-Chairperson Michael Multari, and Chairperson Charles Stevenson 

ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA:  Agenda accepted  

MINUTES:  Minutes of February 11, 2008.  Approved as amended.    

PUBLIC COMMENT:  None 

PUBLIC HEARINGS: 

1.    1804 and 1814 Osos Street.  GPC/ABAN/TR/A/ER 45-07:  General Plan Conformity report for the sale of the City-owned property located adjacent to the Railroad parking lot at the southerly terminus of Osos Street; Abandonment of a portion of Church Street; Tentative Map for vertical real property subdivision; Use Permit for development of a mixed-use project on a site with Special Considerations (S-zone) and lease of parking spaces within the Railroad parking lot; and Environmental Review; C-R-S-H zone; Michael Hodge, applicant.       (Jaime Hill) 

Jaime Hill provided the staff report recommending approval of the project and all its requested entitlements.  After Commission questions of staff, the applicant spoke in support of the project.  There was no other public comment.  The Commission added a finding to support the abandonment of Church Street and a condition to require the proper maintenance and access easements similar to what is done in CC&Rs for Homeowners Associations.  On motion by Commissioner Draze, seconded by Commissioner Singewald, the Commission voted 7:0 to approve the project as amended.      

2.    City-Wide.  GPA 120-08:  Status report on the 2009 Housing Element Update and review of program performance; City of San Luis Obispo – Community Development Department, applicant.  (Kim Murry)           

Kim Murry provided an evaluation of performance of Housing Element programs over the last five years.  The discussion focused on those programs where staff identified the need for modifications and recommendations for direction.  Staff also presented the methodology supporting the site-specific inventory of residential development capacity.  After Commission questions of staff, Jerry Rioux, Executive Director of the Housing Trust Fund spoke of his areas of concern including the need to increase the amount of affordable housing required with projects, to modify the affordable housing standards to reflect homeowner fees and interest rates, and to develop more rental housing.  The Commission provided comments to staff.  No final action was taken.  

COMMENT AND DISCUSSION: 

3.      Staff 

a.   Agenda Forecast:  Deputy Director Murry provided the agenda forecast.   

4.      Commission: 

Chairperson Stevenson requested and received Commission support for advertising an agenda item on an upcoming meeting to discuss the need for a Planning Commission retreat.   

Commissioner Whittlesey asked if the Commission would support foregoing bottled water during meetings.  Staff responded that a water pitcher and recyclable cups would be provided for future meetings once existing bottled water supplies were exhausted. 

ADJOURNMENT:  The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the Planning Commission regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public inspection in the Community Development, 919 Palm Street, during normal business hours