Planning Commission Meeting Update

February 27, 2008                  Wednesday                                7:00 p.m.

CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 

ROLL CALL:      Commissioners Dan Carpenter, Michael Multari, John Ashbaugh, Amanda Brodie, Diana Gould-Wells, Vice-Chairperson Charles Stevenson and Chairperson Carlyn Christianson 

ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA:   

MINUTES:  Minutes of February 13, 2007.  

PUBLIC COMMENT:   

PUBLIC HEARINGS: 

1.            4450 Broad Street.  MS 174-07:  Appeal of the Hearing Officer’s decision to require a final map for a new condominium map; C-S zone; Pindo, LP, applicant. (Phil Dunsmore)

         Following a brief presentation by staff to recommend denial of the appeal based on the City’s need for a final map to adequately record the parcel map, the applicant contested the case for a map waiver to the Planning Commission. The Commission discussed why the City needs a final map to record the subdivision and heard testimony from the civil engineer representing the project. On a 6-1 vote, the Commission voted to uphold the appeal, thereby allowing the final map to be waived for the subdivision.  

2.            667, 679, & 699 Monterey Street and 1010, 1019, 1021, & 1023 Broad Street.  GP/R 64-07: Request to re-designate properties from Office-Historic (O-H) and Public Facility (PF-H) to General Retail (C-D-H); Shear Edge Development, applicant.  (Phil Dunsmore)

Staff provided a pictorial presentation of the neighborhood proposed to be rezoned and provided conceptual plans of the art center and the redevelopment of the Lietcher apartment property. Following a testimony of the applicants, the Commission focused their discussion on staff’s proposed S overlay zone and proposed building height limits. The Commission removed a staff recommended condition to reduce building height at Monterey Street, and voted 6-1 to recommend approval of the rezoning to the City Council. Instead of the height limitations, the Commission voted to require that new development return to the Commission to review development plans for consistency with the pattern of development in the neighborhood. The motion to recommend approval of the rezoning to City Council was approved on a 6-1 vote. Commissioner Ashbaugh, voted against the motion although he supported the rezone, but had reservations about removing the condition to reduce building height at Monterey Street.

 STUDY SESSION: 

3.            Orcutt Area Specific Plan.  SP/ER 209-98:  Introduction to the public hearing draft of the Orcutt Area Specific Plan; Barbara Parsons, applicant.  (Michael Codron) 

The Planning Commission received a presentation from staff on the Orcutt Area Specific Plan and Draft EIR and discussed the project.  Comments were focused on the process for review and approval of the specific plan as well as specific plan features, such as transportation and open space features.  The Commission endorsed the proposed public hearing schedule and indicated that at future meetings on the OASP, the Commission will review the Plan chapter by chapter.  

COMMENT AND DISCUSSION: 

4.        Staff 

A.     Agenda Forecast 

Staff provided the Commission with a forecast of upcoming meetings. 

5.        Commission 

There was no discussion or Commissioner comments 

ADJOURNMENT                                                                             

The meeting adjourned at 10:15 to a regular meeting of the Planning Commission scheduled for Wednesday, March 12, 2008, at 7:00 p.m., in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 990 Palm Street. 

Presenting Planner(s):  Phil Dunsmore & Michael Codron