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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-11-1998 Planning Commission minutes CITY OF SARATOGA PLA\\ING COi\'Ii`IISSION MItiL?TES DATE: ~'~'ednesda~•, March 11,1998 - 7:30 p.m. PLACE: Ci~-ic Theater, 13777 Fruih~ale Avenue, Saratoga, CA TYPE: Regular vleeting Roll Call Present: Chair Patrick. Commissioners Bernald. Kaplan. l2artla~,~e, ~itu-akami, Pierce Absent: Commissioner Sie<~lried Staff: `Valcren. Cro~i~le~~y Pledge of Allegiance Minutes - Febn~arv 2~. 1998 Page ?. bottom line (Pima Brothers Construction): The minutes should be amended to read "...crs she is c~ neighbor... " in lieu of "... crs she 11~crs cr neighbor.... " Page ~, paragraph 8 (Persson): The ~~oting result ~;-as omitted from the minutes and should be sho~~n as '`Approved 3,/1 /Pan-ick opposed. " APPROVED AS ti10DIFIED ~~~ (BER\ aI.D ~\D Kf~PLa~T ABST:AI\ED).. Oral Communications Report of Posting Agenda Pursuant to Go~-ernment Code ~=19~~.2, the agenda for this meetinU «-as properl~• posted on ~~larch 6, 1998. Technical Corrections to Packet CONSENT CALENDAR 1. UP-98-001 (366-12-0~4) - DANIELS/PAGE NET, 12333 Saratoga-Sunn~-~~ale Road; Request for Use Perniit approval to mount n;-o 14 ft. antennas to an c~isting 40 ft. to«•er for a total combined height of ~0 feet. Equipment «-i11 be located in an existing buildinv at the base of the tort°er. The site is 44,330 sq. ft. located ~~-ithin a Commercial Visitorr..oning district. ~'~%al~ren presented the staff report. KAPLAN!PaTRICK ~•IOVED TO APPROVE LP-98-001: APPROVED 6..%0. Plannine Commission h9inutes • March 1 I. 1998 PUBLIC HEARINGS • I'a~=e ? 2. SD-97-001 (APN 397-2=1-010, 038, 073, 074 & 07~) - P1NN BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION, 20325 La Paloma Avenue & 1=1315 Douglass Lane; Request for Vesting Tentative ~~1ap approval to subdivide an approximately 19 acre site into fifteen individual lots rangin~T in net size from ?1.780 sq. ft. to 3.08 acres. The site is adjacent to ~~~ildcat Creek and is currently developed ~~ith two primary single family homes and t~~o independent "cottaccs-'. One of the residences is the ori~?inal "Ha~-fiield House" designed by Julia Moran in ] 919 and is listed on the City's Herita~=e Resource Inyentoil~ -this structure «-ould be retained «~hile the other three structures are proposed to be removed. The subdivision «-ould be accessed via t~~o cul-de-saes ~i•ith seven of the new lots gaining access from Douglass Lane and eight from La Paloma avenue. The property is located ~~-ithin an K-1-20.000 zoning district. an Environmental Initial Study has been prepared for this project pursuant to the requirements of the California Environmental Qualin• .pct. The public comment period for the Envirotunental Initial Study and the Draft ~ic~atiye Declaration bey*an on February 11, 1998. and ~yill expire March 17, 1998. No final action may be taken on the project until the public review process has been completed and a!i environmental determination has been made. Conunissioner ~7artla~e excused herselflrom any discussion as she is a neivhbor ofthe site.'project. `'~~algren presented the staff memorandum. The public hearing w-as opened at 7:50 p.m. Allan Pinn, developer, stated that he had met «-ith ncichbors to address their concerns, including drainace, traffic. preservation of oak trees, historical preservation of the cottage. siting and orientation of the houses. and preservation of the rural aesthetic. Nei~Jhbors expressed their appreciation that the developer had worked ~i~ith them to address their concerns about design, construction hours and tree preservation. The public hearing ~~~as closed at 8:15 p.m. Commissioner Kaplan stated that the streets located inside a gated entry ~;-ould be considered private streets and. as such, would be maintained by property o«~ers. Commissioner Pierce commented there Mould be no public access to the private streets, but that there would be pedestrian and bicycle access. Discussion ensued relative to the ability of the Cite to enforce an item in the CC&Rs that would require property o~z~ers to maintain and keep vineyards. and whether «-e can require a homeo«~ner to maintain a certain t~•pe of landscaping. Planning Commission Minutes • . Pad=e 3 Tttarch 11. 1998 The Commissioners were in a~=reement that there should be no entr~~ gates to the property-. and were pleased with the cooperation between neighbors and the developer. The public hearing w-as reopened and the item was continued to 3/2/98 for Draft Environmental iVegative Declaration and Approval Resolution. 3. DR-97-056 & S~'I-98-002 (366-48-001) - GOTTII~ZtiKKALA, 12496 Parker Ranch Court; Request for Design Review approval to construct a new 4.09 sq. ft. hvo-story home on a ~-acant lot of the Parker Ranch Subdivision. Site 1\~loditication is also requested to allow a pool on this lot. "hhe site is X0,440 sq. ft. located ~~-ithin an HR zonin~7 district. ~T~~algren presented the staff report. The public hearing was opened at 8:35 p.m. ~'~'alter Chapman, architect, said he had met with staff and had taken their concerns into consideration re~ardin~~ placement of the home. The public hearing w•as closed at 8:38 p.m. Commissioner Murakami understood the restriction on the building pad. as there would be a considerable aniount of cut and fill. He suggested the outline of the retaining walls be spra~-ed ~~-ith paint to give a clearer representation of the amount of earth to be moved. He felt the architect had done a good job. Commissioners Bernald. fierce and ~ltartla~e concurred. Commissioner Kaplan recalled that the house is not being stepped into the hill. but is going out from the hill. She also felt the size of the house should be discussed. Chair Patrick «•as concerned about the aniount of cut and felt the house «as not well stepped. that it is prominent. «°ill be visible. and is too large. The public hearing was reopened at 8:48 p.m. to allow the designer to clarifi° the Commission's questions. ~l~alter Chapman used the overhead projector to illustrate ho~~ the house follows the contour of the hillside. Commissioner Kaplan felt that the second story, at ?.400 square feet, is overly large ~i°hen placed over the first ston~, which is 1,00 square feet. and ~i•ondered if the size of the second stork- could be reduced. Commissioner l~turakami felt the Commissioners should look at the site avain to get a better understanding of how the house «-i11 fit ~~-ith the hillside. v The Commissioners concurred that an additional site visit would be helpful in clarifvin~~ their questions.. Planning Commission ti1inutes • March 11. 1998 The public hearing ~;•as closed at 8:~8 p.m. Page 4 The public hearing was re-opened and the item was continued at the applicant's request to 3/25/98 for an additional site visit and clarification of design concerns. THERE `'~ SAS A BREAK FROM 9:00 TO 9: ] 0 AT THE REQUES"T OF CHAIR PATRICK. 4. DR-97-063 (389-37-0=11) - CHA\, 1349 ~7~-ren Drive; Request for Design Re~•ie«~ approval to constrict a new t~~~o story house. 2,76 ~ sq. ft. in size. 24 feet in height. on a 8,400 sq. ft. lot in the R-1-10,000 zoning district. currentl~~ occupied b}~ a sin~?le story house. 1,~~0 sq. ft. in size and 14 feet in height. ~ y Vl•'al~ren presented the staff report and introduced material received after the packet had been distributed. The public hearing vas opened at 9:12 p.m. Kong Chan. applicant. stated that the majorit~~ of his neighbors supported the project. The neighborhood is an older one, and he feels it will be impro~-ed b}- building this home. Nei=hbors spoke both in support of and in opposition to the project. Those «~ho opposed felt the house ~~°as too big and obstructed their ~~ie«-s, and that a t«~o store home «•as not compatible «-ith the neighborhood. The public hearing vas closed at 9:43 p.m. Commissioner Kaplan felt that ~i-hile upgrading and impro~•ing is good, a nvo ston_- house is not the ans~~-er. One ri~~o store home next to another ~z-ould create a «-all effect. Commissioner Martlage concurred that a «-all «~ill be created with a second t«•o-stor<~ house and that a single stop- home is more appropriate. Connnissioner Pierce felt that it is ~~ood to impro~•e the neighborhood; ho~~~e~~er, the design is bulky and has lar~~e ~~-indo~~s on the second floor.~It is not appropriate to the area. Commissioner Bernald felt the house is not compatible in bulk and height. as the neighborhood is made up primarily of ranch stele homes. Commissioner IVlurakami w°as not opposed to a t«~o-stotl• house, but «-ants to avoid puttinv several t~~~o- storc~ homes in a row. He felt the neighborhood is in transition and that there is sufficient room on the lot 1'or a sincle stot•~- home. Chair Patrick concurred that this design is not compatible «ith the neighborhood and that she «~ould like to see more ~~~ood. Planning Commission 1~linutes • • Pa~*e ~ Yiarch (I. 1998 The public hearing ~~-as reopened and the item ~~•as continued at the applicant's request to 3/8/98 for redesign. ~. DR-97-057 (503-21-009 & 012) - 1\Ta~'ID, 15031 & 15072 Saratoga-Sunny-~-ale Rd; Request 1'or Design Revie«- approval to construct 1 ~ sin~~le family residences. ranging in size from .i,8~7 sq. ft. to 4,229 sq. ft., pursuant to Chapter 1 ~ of the Cin• Code. I•he subdivision of this propert}~ ~~-as approved by the City Planrtin~ Commission in august ] 996. The lots range in size from 1 x,000 sq. ft. to 21,600 sq. ft. and are located ~•ithin an R1-12,00 zoning district `~~al~ren presented the staff report. The public hearing ~ti•as opened at 10:00 p.m. Raymond Nasmeh. developer, stated that he had been worked «ith staff, the neighborhood, and the school district on this project. He displayed artist renderings of the designs for the 1 ~ homes proposed, and described features of each home. The Commissioners commcntedyon these and compared them to the plans they had originalh~ received. reviewing each desi~=n on an individual basis. Neighbors said that Navico had ~;-orked ~a-el1 ~i-ith neighbors. that they had no objection to the de~~elopment and felt it will add to the community. The public hearing ~ti~as closed at 11:05 p.m. Commissioner Bernald ryas happy the developer had ~~-orked ~yith the neighbors. She liked the cleanliness. crispness and professionalism of the designs, but ~yould like to more «~ood used on the homes. Commissioner Itlurakami liked the designs and the fact that \ayico had ~yorked ~-ith the neighbors. He felt the fences should be «•ood, not stone. and that an effort should be made to breal: up the surface appearance of the homes so they have a different appearance from one another. Commissioner Pierce liked the designs and felt that more «-ood ~~ould be a better transition from existing neighborhoods to their development. Commissioner 1\~lartla~e appreciated all the effort they have taken. She felt that some of the lots with t~~-o- stor<• homes proposed are big enough that a sing=le ston~ design miUht be better. She ~yould like to ask the architect for more attention to detail. y Commissioner Kaplan felt it is an intcresiin~= project. Chair Patrick felt the designs are attractive. but not rellectiye of the neighborhood. She «~ould like to see more wood and chan~~es in some of the driveways and felt the application should be brou~~ht back for clarity. ~ y Planning Commission Minutes March 1 I. 1998 Paee 6 The public hearing ~r-as reopened and the item ~3~as continued at the applicant's request to 3/2/98 for redesign. DIRECTOR ITEMS COit'IVTISSIO\' ITEMS Commissioner Bernald stated that the Planners Institute sponsored b_v the League of California Cities «-as informati~-e and beneficial. 2. There «-as a discussion re~ardina the lip=htin~l s~~stem in the cheater and that it is difficult to concentrate full~~ «-ith the brightness of the camera lights. ~l~alUren stated the Cite ~~-i11 «•ork ~~-ith the drama ~~roup to up~~rade the liahtinv s~~stem, suggesting that one option might be to put a diffuser on the existing li~~hts so that the effect is less harsh. COl~iitlU\=iCATIONS Written 1. City- Council Minutes dated Febn~arv 18 and Februar~° 24. 1998 2. ~~otices for Planning Commission Meeting of March 2~, 1998 ADJOLR\T1~iENT - 11:30 p.m. to ~'~'ednesda~•, Vlarch 2~, 1998. Ci~-ic Theater 13777 Fruit~-ale A~~enue. Saratoga. C=~