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M I N U T E S
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Planning Commission
Regular Adjourned Meeting
August 9, 1983
The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. in the City Council
Chambers, 30942 Hawthorne Boulevard, by Chairman Hinchliffe
PRESENT: McNulty, Hinchliffee, McTaggart, Brown
LATE ARRIVAL: None
ABSENT: Hughes
Also present were Associate Planner Sandra Massa Lavitt and Assistant
Planner Jonathon Shepherd.
COMMUNICATIONS
CONSENT CALENDAR
Minutes of July 26, 1983
OLD BUSINESS
Golden Cove Resolution
was approved as presented.
NEW BUSINESS
Variance No. 93
John Schoenfeld
30565 Rue Langl6is
Memo from League of Women Voters
replying to questions of Planning
Commission meeting of July 12, 1983
Mr. McTaggart and Dr. Brown requested
that the minutes be pulled.
Ms. Lavitt presented Resolution P.C.
83-11 to the Commission for review
and signing. Resolution P.C. 83-11
Mr. Shepherd gave staff report with
staff recommendation to deny since
only one of the findings could be
made.
Mr. Hinchliffe asked if the applicant had had any contact with the
City before erecting the fence.
Mr. Shepherd stated that the applicant had told him that he had had
some communication with staff but apparently some wrong information
had been given or was interpreted wrongly.
Mr. McNulty asked when had the fence been erected.
Mr. Shepherd replied earlier this year.
The Public Hearing was opened.
John Schoefifeld,30565 Rue Langlois, addressed the Commission stating
that he had talked verbally with some of the staff at City Hall before
he erected the fence and felt that because of those conversations
he had built the fence in accordance with City Code and that they
had planned to plant the fence but had stopped because of the problems
that had arisen regarding the height of the fence. He added that only
a small portion of the fence was 7 feet, 6 inches and that the people
around him had less of a slope and a more usable pad than he. In
conclusion he stated that he felt that the fence was necessary for
their enjoyment as property owners and for their protection.
Mr. McTaggart asked staff how was the fence measured.
Mr. Shepherd replied that it was measured vertically from grade at
the post.
Mr. McTaggart asked the applicant why did the fence have to be higher
where it was sloping.
Mr. Schoenfeld stated that it was for the purposes of safety.
Mr. McTaggart asked the applicant if he was satisfied with five feet'
on the level portion.
Mr. Schoenfeld stated that that portion of fence is to neighboring
properties.
Mr. McNulty asked if the applicant had ever submitted plans.
Mr. Schoenfeld stated no, it was all verbal.
Mr. McNulty asked if he had sulmitted plans to the contractor;
Mr. Schoenfeld stated yes and that lowering the fence would be
detrimental to his purposes.
Christina Piburn, 30557 Rue Langlois addressed the Commission stating
that the applicant had talked to her before the fence was built and
assured here that the fence would not be over six feet high and that
only one section was bothersome to her. Mrs. Piburn distributed
photographs showing the fence from her property. She added that
the fence disrupted her view.
Dr. Brown moved to close the public hearing, Mr. McNulty seconded,
motion passed.
Dr. Brown moved to approve Resolution P.C. No. 83-12 denying Variance
No. 93, motion was seconded.
Discussion was held and the Commission came to the conclusion that
all the findings could not be met on this application.
A roll call vote was taken resulting in all ayes for approving the
motion.
Grading No. 668 Mr. Shepherd gave the staff report
Hank Zdonek and recommendation for denial.
Lot 78, Tract 25376
Crowview Mr. David Johnson, 11949 Jefferson
Boulevard, Culver City, representative
of the applicant addressed the Commission stating that within the
vicinity there were houses larger than the one proposed and that they
had accomodated this lot as best they could to get a house that was
compatible with the neighborhood and that the 66 percent -slope -in -the
rear yard was in the southwest corner and only 5 percent. He went
on to add that the fill that is over 6 feet is only a back fill behind
a retaining wall and on the uphill side on the southwest corner he
needed the first wall at six feet and the succeeding walls at three
feet and that the building material would be about V-2 feet thick.
Dr. Brown asked what the square footage was for the project including
all rooms and garages.
Mr. Johnson stated approximately 4700 square feet for living area.
PLANNING COMMISSION -2- August 9, 1983
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Mr. Henry Zdonek, 26622 Deepbrook, applicant, addressed the Commission
stating that they had attempted to meet the criteria of height and to
put as much as possible on one level. In order to accomodate two
ill people in the family they have put in an elevator but have tried
to design for one level use although there will be some stairs. They
will also try to make as little difficulty as possible in exporting
the soil.
Mr. Hinchliffe asked how much interaction had the applicant had with
staff.
Mr. Johnson replied that the extent of communication was obtaining
the permits.
Dr. Brown moved to a& Grading Application No. 668, Mr. Hinchliffe
seconded, motion passed unanimously.
Grading No. 674
Charles Abbott
6866 Verde Ridge Road
No. 674, Mr. McNulty seconded.
Ms. Lavitt presented the staff report
to the Commission.
Dr. Brown moved to approve Grading
Mr. McNulty asked the staff if there was any impact to lower areas.
Ms. Lavitt stated that there was -,ohl/y..canyon-'--b�low.
Mr. McTaggart asked if there was a geology report.
Ms. Lavitt replied no.
Mr. McTaggart stated that he felt that perhaps the geology report
should be made a part of this approval and that he was concerned
with the 12 foot deck.
Ms. Lavitt replied that if a geology report is required the Building
and Safety Department will require it before it issues a permit.
Charles Abbott, 6866 Verde Ridge Road, applicant, addressed the
Commission stating that with the footings set the deck will be 9
feet or less and that he did not believe that a geology report
was required if there was not excessive grading.
Mr. McTaggart stated that he felt that a geology report should have
been required as a condition and that he was concerned with the soil
compaction.
Mr. Lavitt replied that one of thefootings is on a 43% slope, the
- - r ,the
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deck bxtbmd6d,.oiit over a 50% slope with ,the,.extended-footing -placed
on a 29% slope, and that Building and Safety will check to see if
a geology report is necessary.
Mr. Abbott again addressed the Commission stating that there is a
natural canyon under the deck and no evidence that it is a fill.
Also, that if a geology report is required that he would get one.
Motion was Motio—n,-p`ass-
dd�unanimously.
PLANNING COMMISSION -3- August 9, 1983
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Grading No. 675
William and Jane Fawell
17 Bronco Lane
those requirements are met.
•
Ms. Lavitt stated that the applicant
has been requested to redesign and
and obtain a geology report and that
the application should be tabled until
Mr. McTaggart moved to table this item, Dr. Brown seconded, motion
passed unanimously.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Minutes of July 12, 1983 Mr. McTaggart requested that the follow-
ing be added to the last paragraph on
page 2. "If we were to convert this it
would be extremely difficult to ever take residential property and
convert it to commercial. To go the other way would be extremely
difficult."
Dr. Brown requested that the following take the place of his statement
under Grading No. 670. "Dr. Brown recommended that a condition could
be placed on the plans for the park."
Mr. McNulty requested the following be made part of his comments on
page 2. "Mr. McNulty stated that it was unfortunate that it appeared to
ham that the .developer had -been -mislead regarding__uni.t6 per -acre -and ti:_
that this was a severe departure from the original -intent of the City,
and coupled with all the signatures and my own discussions with other
people that I then found that this particular concept would be un-
acceptable. "
Dr. Brown moved to approve the minutes as amended, Mr. McTaggart
seconded, motion passed.
COMMISSION
Second Units Mr. McTaggart, one of the members of
the sub -committee to draft an ordinance
on second units, read a draft ordinance.
The Commission directed staff to type the draft and to also reprint
the package of ordinances of other cities to beused for work shop
review by the Commission.
Meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
PLANNING COMMISSION
MEIC
August 9, 1983
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