Planning Commission Meeting Update

   April 13, 2005                         Wednesday                                7:00 p.m.

CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

ROLL CALL:      Commissioners Carlyn Christianson, Jim Aiken, Alice Loh, Andrea Miller, Orval Osborne, Vice-Chair Michael Boswell, and Andrew Carter.

                             Commissioner Christianson was absent.

SWEARING IN: Andrew Carter was sworn in as the new Planning Commissioner and joined the Commission for the remainder of the meeting.

ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA: The Agenda was accepted without change.

PUBLIC COMMENT:  Jodee Bennett representing ECOSLO requested that the Planning Commission defer the April 27^th hearing on the COSE to May 11^th and also to defer the discussion of Natural Communities in the COSE to the same meeting as the discussion of open space.

PUBLIC HEARINGS:

1.   12398 Los Osos Valley Road. GP/R and ER 19-05: Request to amend the General Plan and zoning map from C-T to C-S-S, and environmental review; C-T zone; John S. Frangie, applicant. (Phil Dunsmore)

Following a brief staff presentation and presentation by the project applicant, the Commission voted 6-0 to recommend the City Council approve the General Plan Amendment and rezone the property from C-T to C-S-S.  No members of the public spoke about the project.  Commissioners briefly discussed the proposed mitigated Negative Declaration and recommended a minor clarification of the mitigation measures that require removal of the gas station infrastructure.  The applicant also stated that they would like to ask to store vehicles on the property prior to completing the project to removing all gas station related architecture and infrastructure. The Commission did not discuss the applicants request and deferred the matter to the City Council.

2.   Airport Area. SP 116-98: Review of the draft Airport Area Specific Plan, a planning document that would establish policies and standards for development, conservation, utilities and public facilities financing for 1000 acres of land along the City's southern limits; City of San Luis Obispo, applicant. (Michael Codron) (Continued from March 9, 2005)

On a 5-1 vote (Osborne), the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council approve the Airport Area Specific Plan.  The main issues that were discussed included zoning adjustments requested by property owners, changes to the matrix of allowed uses to reduce the level of discretionary review where appropriate, parking lot size limits, proposed development on the Avila Ranch and annexation of the Unocal property.  The Planning Commission made several revisions to the plan, which will incorporated into a Planning Commission Draft.  The City Council will take up review of the AASP early this summer.

3.   City-wide. 2004 General Plan Annual Report. (Michael Draze/Michael Codron)

The Planning Commission unanimously accepted the General Plan Annual Report, and forwarded the report to the City Council for review.  Discussion focused on residential growth management issues.  The Commission followed up their motion to accept the Annual Report with a motion to recommend that the City Council include funding for a Land Use Element update in the 2005-2007 budget.  The Commission also asked staff to put the growth management issue on an agenda for discussion within three months time.

COMMENT AND DISCUSSION:

4.   Staff

A. Agenda Forecast: Michael Draze explained the expected agendas for April and May and told the Commission that staff would look for the first available agenda to include discussion of the City’s growth management program.

5.   Commission

The meeting ADJOURNED to the regular meeting of the Planning Commission scheduled for Wednesday April 27, 2005, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber of City Hall, 990 Palm Street.