HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-15-1988 Planning Commission Minutes CITY OF SARATOGA=PLANNING COMMISSION
REPORT
DATE: Tuesday, March 15, 1988 :- 7:30 p.m.
PLACE: Community Center Arts & Crafts Room, 19655 Allendale Ave.
TYPE: Committee-of-the-Whole
Roll Call - Present: Commissioners Harris, Kolstad, Burger, Guch,
Siegfried, Tucker
Absent: Commissioner Clay
Staff: Planning Director Hsia, City Attorney Toppel,
Planner Young
Other: Five members of the public
I. ITEMS OF DISCUSSION
A. GPA-88-01 - Saratoga Village Specific Plan
Planner Young briefly reviewed the 2/24/88 staff report. It
was noted that there were no comments from the Commission on
the items in that report other than broader policy issues,
which would be discussed later.
The Commission then went through the City Manager's comments
in the 2/23/88 memorandum. In relation to the proposed
wording for policy 2.9,. Commissioner Tucker asked for an
example of a property that could not provide parking on
site. Planner Young cited the situation of the house on
Sixth Street that was required to be raised to place parking
underneath when it was converted from a residence to an
office.
Miles Rankin, Big Basin Way, gave examples of properties on
the west side of Big Basin Way past 5th Street that were
bounded on the rear by Saratoga Creek. He was concerned
about people who wanted to develop but it was not feasible
or sometimes undesirable to cover the lot with parking; they
should be allowed to pay an in-lieu fee.
City Attorney Toppel stated that a problem of in-lieu fees
was that you needed a parking project or district in place
before you can assess the.fees.
There was consensus to change the wording of Policy 2.9 to
read:
"The City shall explore alternatives to the
requirements for the provision of parking for
properties that are not within parking districts and
cannot provide parking on-site or where it is
desirable to provide parking off-site."
Committee-of-the-Whole Report
3/15/88
In relation to the City Manager's concern about the sign
guidelines, there was consensus to delete reference to the
existing sign ordinance on page 79, and add a sentence
stating that special sign regulations would be developed
specifically for the Village. There was also consensus to
add a statement that neon signs would not be permitted.
The Commission then went through the letter from the Village
Association, dated 2/24/88. Bill Carlson, president of
Saratoga Village Association, expressed support for one
zoning district in the Village area, the CH-1. Miles Rankin
concurred. Commissioner Siegfried noted that this issue had
been discussed previously by both the Commission and City
Council; he did not favor a change at this point.
In relation to the po'ssible development of a parking
district #6, there was consensus to add it back in on Map #7
and add a statement regarding it to the text of the parking
section.
In relation to the turnaround, Commissioner Burger expressed
concerns about safety and "cruising." Commissioner
Siegfried noted that Figure 1 showed stop signs on Hwy. #9
for the turnaround; he felt that might not be appropriate.
Planner Young noted that Figure 1 was meant to be conceptual
only. Bill Carlson expressed support for the turnaround,
especially for large trucks that could not turn easily in
the Village. Otto Crawford, Big Basin Way, also expressed
support, but felt that Caltrans and the City Engineer should
design it. There was consensus to delete Figure 1 showing
the turnaround because itSwas confusing and misleading, but
to keep it shown in symbol form on Map #6.
In relation to Parking District #3, planning staff and the
City Attorney confirmed that there would be four
ingress/egress points. Bill Carlson expressed support for
limiting left turns out Of the district onto Big Basin Way
from 4-6 p.m. on weekdays. There was consensus among the
Commission to add wording to that effect to Implementation
2.6 on page 26.
The Commission agreed with the Village Association on the
lighting fixtures and asked that the wording for that
section be changed. There was agreement with items #5, 6, 7
of the Association's letter and with the staff response.
In relation to the bicycle/pedestrian path along Saratoga
Creek in Parking District #3, there was consensus to add
language on page 26 to consider this. In relation to the
public restroom, there was acknowledgment of the need for
such a facility but not support for including it in the
Plan. Commissioner Siegfried cited all the problems
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Committee-of-the-Whole Report
3/15/88
associated with such a facility. There was also consensus
to let Caltrans study a pedestrian-activated signal in
conjunction with the stop light at 4th Street.
There were no comments on the City Attorney's memo, other
than to clarify the issue of the rear yard setback
requirement for the CH-l.district.
Jackie Welch, Jacks Road, asked that the wording regarding
the paving stone material for the crosswalks and plazas be
clarified. She presented samples to the Commission. There
was consensus to clarify the wording in support of the
samples submitted.
II. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.
Respectful ly submitted,
VY/dsc
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