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PC MINS 19840626MINUTES Planning Commission June 26, 1984 7:30 pm The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. in the Hesse Park Community Building at 29301 Hawthorne Boulevard by Chairman Harvey Brown. PRESENT: BROWN, MCNULTY, ORTOLANO, VON HAGEN, WIKE Also present were Associate Planner Steve Rubin and Assistant Planner Gary Pedroni. COMMUNICATIONS The Commission received a communication from the City Attorney regarding f&ma- tion of a redevelopment agency. Ms. Sunshine, 6 Limetree Lane, distributed information to the Commission regarding the Trails Network. CONSENT CALENDAR NEW BUSINESS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 90 Parsa 22 Cayuse Lane Addition to Boarding/Rest Home It was the consensus of the Commission to hold the minutes until after New Business. Assistant Planner Gary Pedroni gave a sequence of events leading up to the application. He asked the Commission to decide whether to hear the item since applicant was not present. The applicant was represented by his architect. Dr. Brown asked Mr. Pedroni to present the staff report. Assistant Planner Pedroni presented the staff report and stated the request was to allow 800 square feet addition to an existing retirement/boarding houee-and also allowing an additional four patients. He said the home is in a single family residential district. The request is for an additional two bedrooms and one bathroom and would increase the capacity from 11 to 15 residents. He discussed project considerations. Those considerations are: parking, sewage disposal, noise/pollution, property values and open space as detailed in the staff report. He said staff could not verify the traffic problem. He visited the site several times and saw no problem. He distributed pictures and discussed several options regarding parking. He said the neighbors have concerns with the current sewage system handling the load. Staff does not feel the septic situation is clarified at this time. Also, there is no record of health problems associated with sewage disposal. Minutes - Planning Commission June 26, 1984 Page Two Mr. Pedroni said the potential noise problem exists with the general activity associated with a large group of residents at one location. He stated the neighbors are concerned about deflated property values because of poor maintenance of the site. Staff does not have proof of it detracting from property values. He suggested that fact being verified by a professional or realtor. He stated that with -the addition, 62% of the lot would be open space and the Code requires a minimum of 60%. Mr. Pedroni said the Planning Commission needed to make four findings as listed in the staff report in order to approve the Conditional Use Permit application and enumerated these findings. Dr. Brown asked that in the event of destruction by fire, what was the zoning requirement to rebuild. Mr. Pedroni stated the residence could not be built as it exists. It would have to conform to Code. Dr. Brown asked if there is business tax collection on this business. Gary Pedroni did not know. Mr. Rubin thought perhaps they had a business license but would have to verify. Mrs. Wike was concerned about sewage disposal with the increase of people and there being no change in the spetic tank. She asked what agency looks into this. Mr. Pedroni said this is a major concern and that the owner as asked to verify the capacity and did not respond. He said he checked with County Building and Safety and they did not know its capacity and said it is up to the owner to verify. Dr. Brown said it would have to be specified what size it would have to be to pass inspection Mrs. Ortolano, referring to May 3rd letter from citizens protesting it being a profit- making institution, asked about the facility being in default. Mr. Pedroni answered that the facility changed hands and he felt the question was not relevant. He thought the financial problems were with the previous owners but he did not know. Mrs. Ortolano asked if there is any specific instance of noise pollution. Mr, Pedroni said there had been input over the counter and letters eluding to the increased noise with general activity and emergency vehicles. Mrs Ortolano said the suggestions for conditions offered by staff concerning limiting vehicles were excessive entanglement and created a problem. Dr. Brown clarified that the conditions related to the number of cars allowed and not the number of employees. The Commission is concerned with the impact on the PJ Minutes - Planning Commission June 26, 1984 Page Three neighborhood relative to parking space. Dr. Brown opened the public hearing. Mr. Charles Belak-Berger, architect, 415 North Broadway, #6D, Redondo Beach, 90277, said he had a prepared statement to read but that it did not touch on the sewage issue. He requested to postpone the item until the next possible date so that Dr. Parsa and his lawyer could be present. Dr. Brown asked the Commission their consensus since the item had been publicly noticed, Mrs. Ortolano said in the interest of fairness to the applicant, the Commision should honor the request for postponement but was not adverse to taking testimony. Mr. Von Hagen was in agreement and asked when it could be heard and if there was a problem with the public hearing being renoticed. Mr. Rubin referred to the tentative Planning Commission agenda included in the packet and stated it could not be heard until August 14. The item could be continued for a long period but that he thought it might be necessary to renotice. Dr. Brown asked how much time is alotted for a CUP application. Mr. Rubin said the application is good for one year unless time is extended 90 days. Dr. Brown said they would hear testimony but no action would be taken. Mr. Belak-Berger said the applicant's proposal is reasonable and humane and worthy because it services the elderly. It cuts the cost for care of the elderly. He said they are not asking for a variance and asked the Commission to consider the emminent need for such care. He dealt with the issue of noise and he believed there would be no increase. He said the elderly clientele are quiet and withdrawn. He acknowledged the external sound of emergency vehicles. He stated the last ambulance visit was in January and last year there were only 4 visits. Regarding the cesspool, he spoke with engineers and they said it is difficult to verify the existing capacity without excavation. The engineers believed it was possible to install a septic tank twice the size as the present one. He discussed the expansion of the existing business in a residential area and could not comment on property values; however, he felt the home was compatible with the residential functions. Relative to maintenance of the property, he believed it was in good shape, but acknowledged it could be improved in some areas. He said they would be willing to upgrade the exterior. Regarding open space, he referred to the covered patio and was not opposed to removing the cover to increase open space. He stated that none of the neighbors have tried to communicate with the staff or residents. Dr. Brown clarified Mr. Belak-Berger's understanding of open space. He said when speaking about open space; we are looking at area where the septic system could be placed. William Keesling, 22 Cayuse Lane, said he is a resident of the house and his wife is the resident manager. He acknowleged the septic system being a legitimate concern. He stated the original owner built the home with this idea in mind. He stated that parking is only a problem on Chaparral Lane. He believed the grievances of the neighbors were petty. He said there were never more than three cars at any time. He said the street is not a narrow cul-de-sac but a street 40' wide. 3 Minutes - Planning Commission June 26, 1984 Page Four Mr. McNulty asked for clarification of the previous owner's intent. Mr. Keesling said the previous owner planned to expand the house. Mr. Keesling said the neighbors spoke to them about moving the driveway to gate the community. Mr. Von Hagen asked the ages of the residents. Mr. Keesling said the youngest was 78 and that the residence was not a nursing home but a retirement home. Mr. Von Hagen asked about how many visitors. Mr. Keesling said at most on any day is four and not at the same time. He said they have an open door policy and do not want visiting hours. It is not a hospital but a retirement home for the elderly. Mrs. Wike asked if the residents were from families on the hill. Mr. Keesling answered that seven were. Mrs. Wike asked about the noise problem. /1/4. Kessling replied that his bedroom borders on the neighbors and he was personally pro ached pached because of his stereo. � Sandra Watkins, 1 Chaparral Lane, said that she had met the Manager and had visited the facility and asked the Commission to deny the expansion and increase in residents. She related to the impact on the neighborhood relative to noise and parking. She said the streets are more congested and since the trees were pruned, the noise is more audible. The home has made no attempt to construct a permanent barrier. She aired concern over the future Use of the home. Ron Clark, 24 Cayuse Lane, said he maintains the ivy on 22 Cayuse Lane side,and would appreciate it if they would maintain their own property. He said the residence is not attractive and noise is not a problem. The noise, he thought, came from the residents and not from the workers. His main objection was to the appearance of the home and he objected to the expansion. He questioned whether the residents were from the hill and asked for proof of that. Marianne Kipper, 5 Chaparral Lane, gave a history of attempts to communicate with the Home. She was seriously concerned with the types of people as residents. She also aired concern about parking and said she has pictures of cars being parked in front of a "no parking" sign. She said there is no room for emergency vehicle access. She said the rra�—and—that- the Home has ingress and egress rights ONLY. vi -e SA49 . -71�,Olqy Dr. Brown moved to continue the public hearing; seconded by Peter Von Hagen and motion passed unanimously. Minutes - Planning Commission June 26, 1984 Page Five Dr. Brown requested staff to bring back: 1. Cesspool capacity, need to know size and its location. 2. Asked staff to look at property line between Watkins and Home and suggest conditions that would deal with the noise problem and how and if that may violate the Code, if it were the case. 3. Range of activities allowed with its license. 4. Can it be limited to a retirement home only? MINUTES May 22, 1984 Dr. Brown said he is concerned with the language which substantiates the actions taken. The minutes do not reflect the rationale for actions taken. Page three, add the following: ...sign copy is discretionary; that is they questioned the City's right to control content. Page seven, add under Mr. Burley Johnson's comments. "In his opinion, the Eastview Goals Committee did not understand or address the City sign ordinance." Page six, add under Mrs. Ortolano's statement" ...no unity in groups between the merchants groups and citizens groups". Dr. Brown moved to approve the minutes as amended; seconded by Mr. Von Hagen and passed. May 29, 1984 easements. Add on page four, under Tim Burrell's statement... adjacent private property rights and flexibility with the placement of Add on page four, under Skip Lusk's comments... trails are dedicated to the homeowners association and all easements in Rolling Hills are general easements. Dr. Brown moved to approve the minutes of May 29, 1984 as amended; seconded by Mr. McNulty and passed. REPORTS STAFF Long Range Planning Commission Agenda Associate Planner Rubin reiterated the long range Planning Commission agenda as presented in the packet. 'He said Green Hills will be submitting their application in a few days for a mausoleum and they will also include a ten-year master plan. Mrs. Ortolano asked about Mr. Levitt's application and the Trails Plan being heard on the same evening. Dr. Brown strongly suggested that it be made clear to the applicants for CUP 91 to follow'procedure as he had received a phone call. Mr. McNulty did also. Minutes - Planning Commission June 26, 1984 Page Six Mr. Von Hagen advised that he will be on vacation during the 2nd meeting of August. Mrs. Ortolano said she had no problem loading the agenda but suggested a cutoff time Mr. Von Hagen said he allocated certain nights to the Planning Commission, and additional meetings would be a hardship. He said citizens attend the meeting expecting their item to be heard and he had a problem with a cutoff. On a 3-2 vote, the Commission decided to experient with a 'time certain' procedure. 11:00 p.m. was decided as the cutoff. Discussion ensued relative to procedure. Roll call was taken: Yeses: Brown, Wike, Ortolano Noes: Von Hagen, McNulty ADJOURNMENT It was moved and passed to adjourn the meeting at 10:00 p.m. Cr.