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Home My WebLink About02-11-1998 Planning Commission minutes• • CITY OF SAR~TOGA PLANNING CO~IMISSIO\ ItiINL;TES DATE: ~'~'ednesda~•, Februan- 11, 1998 - 7:30 p.m. PLACE: Ci~~ic Theater, 13777 Fruiri-ale A~-enue, Saratoga, CA TYPE: Regular tiieeting Roll Call Present: Chair Patrick, Commissioners Bernald. Kaplan, ~9artlaQe. Murakami, Pierce absent: Commissioner Siegfried y Stmt: City- :lttorne~~ Riback, ~?~~alaren. Cro~~°lev Pledge of Allegiance >\'inutes - Januar~~ 28. 1998 Page ~, paragraph 2 (\e~tel Communications;~Turkus): Commissioner Bernald requested the minutes be amended to read that this statement was made b~ Vic afoniu. not b~• C'om~rrissioner Pierce. APPROVED AS MODIFIED 4/0; Kaplan and ~Iurakami abstained. Oral Communications Report of Posting Agenda Pursuant to Govenuncnt Code ~49~4.2, the avenda for this meeting ~i°as properl~~ posted on Februan_- 6. 1998. Technical Corrections to Packet CO\`SENT CALENDAR PUBLIC HEARINGS 1. DR-97-012 (.APN 397-42-018) - PINN BROTHERS CONSTRGCTION, 1=1168 Taos Court; Request for llesi~n Re~-iew approval to construct a ~.~? 1 sq. ft. one-stony home at 20 feet in height. 1~he lot is X9,289 gross sq. ft. and is located in an R-1-=X0.000 zoning? district. CONTINhED FROi`i 1/28/98 REGL?LAR PUBLIC HEARI\G t~ZEETING. ~'~'algrcn presented the stmt memo. The public hearing was opened at 7:37 p.m. Chuck Bommarito. applicants representative. stated the size of the home had been reduced and presented a letter from John Teter giving his appro~°al ofihe miti~~ations done on the plan. Planning Commission Minutes • • Page 2 Februan l I. 1998 Annette Vl~oolse~°. ] 992 Durham Court. commented that «hile the height of the house is acceptable, the square footage is too large to be compatible: the house will look very l~u-ge. The public hearing w-as closed at 7:43 p.m. Commissioner ~lurakami did not like the design. but felt the applicant met all of staff s requirements. Commissioner Bernald appreciated the change in the square footage and the closed garage; she etas concerned that. «-ith the guest room being removed, there ~~~as no ready access to a batlu-oom from a pool that may go in. She would be able to appro~°e the application. Commissioners Kaplan and Pierce concurred. Commissioner iVtartlage said the house doesn't comply ~~-ith the Cite Council directive to make it compatible with the rest of the neighborhood in terns of bulk and size. Chair Patrick did not like the design and said it Mould still be a long. big house and that she «~ould be unable to approve the application. BERISALD/PIERCE MOVED TO APPROVE DR-97-012; DE\IED O\ A SECOi\D FAILED 1ZOTIOIS; SPLIT 3/3 (MARTLAGE,IIL?RAKAit1i A>\D PATRICK OPPOSED). 2. DR-96-OS4 & `'-96-018; ADA~~IS, 14701 Ambric Knolls Road; Request for Design Revie«- approval to construct a 4,73 sq. ft. t«-o-stop residence on a vacant I.~8 acre parcel located at the corner of Congress Springs Road and Ambric Knolls Road and adjacent to the Saratoga Creek. ~~ ariance approval is necessary to allow the structure to encroach into required setbacks and to be built on a slope of greater than 30 percent. The propem- is located in an R-1-40,000 zoning district. A draft environmental Initial Study has been prepared pursuant to the requirements of CEQA. CO\TIVUCD FROST 1./28/98 AUJOUR_\ED STUDY SESS1O\ 1~1EETi\G. «'algren presented the stalf memo. The public hearing was opened at 7:~~ p.m. Scott Tro~•er, applicant's representati~-e, requested a study session to speak about architectural issues and uet a better feel of «-hai changes might be considered acceptable. He was told that the Commission needs to deal with the \egative Declaration before the~~ can deal ~iith architectural issues. Chair Patrick spud that based on ~°hat the Commission has heard. mitigation measures haven't been completed and that having= this application before them at this time might be premature. She said that. if a continuance was requested and approved, the applicant ~i~ill need to present mitigation measures at the March 2~ meeting. Commissioner Pierce felt a continuance ryas reasonable but said the Negative Declaration issues must be dealt ~-ith first. before «-orryin<~ about architecture. t'lanning Commission tilinutes • ~ Pay=e 3 Februan~ 1 1. 1998 Commissioner Kaplan felt that based on the inability of the applicant to provide a specif c plan for mitigation, she could not support a continuance. PIERCE itIOVED TO CO\T1NL;E DR-96-054 A\=D V-96-018 AT THE RE-QUEST OF THE APPLICANT; THE MOTION DIED FOR LACK OF A SECOND. Allen Adanis. applicant. said that if the home can be built on the site and if all conditions are satisfied. the propert~~ o~yner should not be denied the right to build. Attorney Riback clarified that if the Planning Commission votes to deny this application. it doesn~t mean that nothing can be built on the site. The issues raised are for this particular design. Pam ~i~ild. 1466 Ambric Knolls. asked ifthere «-as a ~~-ay to make sure that «-ork on landslide repair and retaining ~w°alls Las completed and not stopped in progress. The public hearing ~;•as closed at 8:10 p.m. Commissioner ~~iurakanii said he «-as concerned that the configuration of the drive~~~a~~ is a safety issue and that he could not support this application. Commissioner Bernald felt the house is too massive for the site and appears to be a three stop- building. She «~as concerned that the house does not fit the lot and there are too many collective problems. Commissioner Kaplan felt that no mitigation measures have been addressed. Commissioner Pierce said he moved for the continuance because he felt the applicant has made a good faith effort to do ~~-hat might be impossible and ~~-as «-illing to listen to a proposal to deal «-ith mitigation issues: desi~=n issues. ho~yeyer. should not be addressed yet. Commissioner Nlartlagc felt the house «-as not compatible ~~-ith the site and that it did not satisfi_~ tho issues in the Environmental Impact Report. Chair Patrick «-as concerned that this is the fourth hearing of this application and that no attempt has been made to satisf~~ the issues raised. She «-as surprised at the request for a continuance at this late date and cannot support the application. BER\ALD/KAYLAi\ NIO~'ED TO DE\1'" DR-96-0~4; DENIED 6/0. BERT\ALD/K.4PLA\ I`~IOVED TO DENS' V-96-018; DE\IEU 6/0. 3. DR-97-06~ (397-08-026) - KRIE\S, 18974 1~'[onte Vista Dri~-e; Request for Design Reyie«~ approval to construct a ne~y 1?28 sq. ft. accesson- structure to the rear of the rosidence_ Demolition of an eYistin~= home and the construction of a nee+~ one-story residence have already_ been approved on this lot The site is 61,790 sq. ft. located ~yithin the R-1-40,000 zoning= district. Plannin, Commission Minutes • FeUruarv 11, 1998 ~~'algren presented the stafl~report. Pa_e 4 Commissioner l~iurakami asked if the 12 foot height limit is feasible or if it should be raised. The public hearing was opened at 8:31 p.m. \ei~hbors attended the meeting «-ith concerns about hei~~ht and drainage. Commissioner Kaplan said that if the applicant ~~-cre to submit an application for a pool in the future. the Conunission w°ould ha~~e no control. and she felt that ~~~as important for tree protection. Bernald said the applicants appear to ha~~e dug out for a pool. Commissioner Vlartlaae had no comments. Commissioner Bernald said the driveway- circles around into the ~ara~e rather than <~oina directly into the garage. She felt this affects an e~:istinQ oak tree and «~ould rather see a re-design. ~ y Commissioner Kaplan felt that the pool should ~o in ~i•hile there is still access and drainage can be addressed. She was not convinced that the building is suitable as a pool house. From the initial arborist report. trees ~z-ould be in danger. ~~~algren said the access is along the drive~~av bet«-een the existing home and the second structure. Commissioner ~lurakami «~as bothered by the height_ ~~iven the additional height of accessor~~ structures. and cannot approve the application. Chair Patrick said the house is spread out: she felt the accessory structure looks more like a rental unit and felt the draitta~e issue should be handled. Commissioner Pierce said that the code does allo«° a height of 1 ~ feet, and felt all impro~ ements must be entirely under the drip line ol'the oak tree. KAPLA\T/vIARTLAGE ~IO~'ED TO DENY DN-97-065; DENIED 5/l (PIERCE OPPOSED). DIRECTOR ITEMS 1. Review of Current Commission Application Forms "I-he Commission agreed that these forms ha~~e been obsolete for some time. also sug~~ested the forms be shorter. Commissioner Kaplan provided a memorandum «°ith her recommendations for changes. 2. Februar~~ 2=l, 1998 Adjourned CC/PC/HPC Joint ~•ieeting Planning Commission Minutes ~ ~ Page ~ Februan~ 1 I. 1998 Commissioner Bernald said she ~-i11 be unable to attend this joint meetin~~. The Commission discussed items to be addressed including 1\~ieasure G, update of the inventory list for Herita~~e Preservation Commission. and cable TV broadcast of the Plannim~ Commission meetings. 3. Cable Tele~~ision Broadcast Update discussion «-as held regarding the original plan to move the site ~~-here the Council and Commission meetings are held. Chair Patrick and Commissioner Kaplan felt the lightin~~ required to broadcast is disconcerting. 4. ~Tountain «`iner~~ ~~~al~ren reported that the County is moving to legalize use of the Mountain ~~'inerv and to apple parameters. also to increase the amount of seating==. ~. Roofing Requirements Vl'al~~ren said that the Public Safety Commission is encouraging the requirement of Class :a roofing throughout Saratoga. y 6. City°wide Reorganization `~'algren reported that the second phase of the reorS7anization had been accepted by the Council. COMItIISSIO\ iTE1IS COI~INIUNICATIONS ~~ ritten City Council ~~linutes dated January 21 and January 27. 1998 \otices for Planning Commission 1\~leetin~ of Februar~~'_a. 1998 ADJOURN~IE\T - 9:02 p.m. to ~~'ednesday. February ?~, 1998, Civic Theater 13777 Fruin~ale Avenue. Saratoga. Ca