Planning Commission Meeting Update

November 5, 2008                  Wednesday                                7:00 p.m.

CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 

OATH OF OFFICE:  Airlin Singewald was sworn in as the new Commissioner. 

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

ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA:  Agenda was accepted as presented.  

PUBLIC COMMENT:  There was no public comment. 

PUBLIC HEARINGS: 

1.        1977 Santa Barbara Avenue.  U 118-08:  Request to allow a Mixed-Use project in the Service Commercial zone; C-S-H zone; Quaglino Properties LLC, applicant.  (Brian Leveille) 

Brian Leveille presented the staff report recommending approval of the use permit.

The applicant, Matt Quaglino, described the project and clarified that loading zones would not be used by delivery drivers for this type of project in response to concerns from Commissioner Ashbaugh.  The project designer, Kim Hatch presented background on the architectural basis for the design and its compatibility in the Railroad Historic District.  

On a motion by Commissioner Christianson, seconded by Commissioner Ashbaugh, the commission voted 6:1 (Multari voting no) to approve the use permit, based on findings and subject to conditions with additional changes to the resolution clarifying consistency with the Railroad District Plan and that the project is exempt from CEQA review.  

Following the first motion, Chairperson Stevenson discussed concerns over the project architecture and made a motion to recommend design suggestions to the ARC. On the motion by Chairperson Stevenson, seconded by Commissioner Christianson, the Planning Commission voted 6:1 (Multari voted no) to forward the recommendation for design suggestions to the ARC.   

COMMENT AND DISCUSSION: 

2.        Staff 

a.   Agenda Forecast – Deputy Director Davidson provided the forecast. 

3.        Commission – Amanda Brodie resigned from the Commission.  She thanked her fellow Commissioners for the experience and wished them all well in their future endeavors.  Her resignation is effective immediately.    

ADJOURNMENT  - Meeting adjourned at 8:20 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