PC RES 2016-013 P.C. RESOLUTION NO. 2016-13
A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION THEREBY
AMENDING CONDITION NOS. 24 AND 28 OF P.C. RESOLUTION NO.
2016-1 TO ALLOW AN INCREASE OF 1.1% TO THE MAXIMUM LOT
COVERAGE REQUIREMENT TO ACCOMMODATE A BUILDING &
SAFETY REQUIRED REVISION TO THE ON-SITE DRAINAGE
(ZON2016-00456-REVISION TO CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 23).
WHEREAS, on July 12, 1977, the Planning Commission approved Conditional Use Permit
No. 23, establishing a residential planned development (RPD) comprising of Tract Nos. 32574,
32991 and 34834; and,
WHEREAS, on September 9, 1986, the Planning Commission adopted the Seacliff Hills
Development Guidelines in recognition of the need for greater sensitivity and design flexibility in
the construction of these custom homes. The Guidelines were supplemented on August 23, 1989;
and,
WHEREAS, on May 7, 2013, an application for a CUP revision and grading permit was
submitted to improve vacant property located at 2935 Vista Del Mar; and,
WHEREAS, after various resubmittals and reviews by Staff, the property was sold in June
2015; and,
WHEREAS, on July 23, 2015, a new application for a CUP revision and grading permit
was submitted for the vacant property located at 2935 Vista Del Mar; and,
WHEREAS, on October 20, 2015, an application was submitted for a Minor Exception
Permit to allow a 6' fence and gate (80% open to light and air) within the front setback; and,
WHEREAS, after various resubmittals and reviews by Staff, the project was deemed
complete on November 16, 2015; and,
WHEREAS, a public notice was published on November 19, 2015, pursuant to the
requirements of the Rancho Palos Verdes Development Code; and,
WHEREAS, after notice issued pursuant to the requirements of the Rancho Palos Verdes
Development Code, the Planning Commission held a duly-noticed public hearing on December
8, 2015, at which time all interested parties were given an opportunity to be heard and present
evidence. After hearing a report from Staff, as well as from the applicant and his architect, and
members of the public, the Planning Commission closed the public hearing and voted 6-0 (Vice
Chairman Tomblin was excused absent) for a resolution to approve the project with the following
modifications: 1) moving the house 10' to the north-west, 2) adding conditions requiring that the
windows on the house be tinted to reduce glare reflection onto other properties, installing timers
and light bulb shields to each exterior light fixture visible from neighboring properties; and 3) that
a reflectivity study be completed prior to building permit issuance to demonstrate that there is no
glare from the windows which will adversely impact the street and/or driveways of neighboring
properties. The Planning Commission directed Staff to bring back a revised resolution
memorializing the conditional approval of the project on the consent calendar at its January 12,
2016 Planning Commission meeting; and,
P.C. Resolution No. 2016-13
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WHEREAS, the item was approved at the January 12, 2016 Planning Commission
meeting by a 7-0 vote; and,
WHEREAS, on March 18, 2016, the applicant initiated the plan check process with the
City's Building and Safety Division and as a result, the City's Engineer, required the upslope
drainage swale located along the rear of the proposed residence to be setback a minimum of 2.5'
from the structure and that the area between the structure and drainage swale be regraded (fill)
by approximately 10yd3 so that onsite water runoff will drain away from the structure towards the
drainage swale; and,
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission finds that all previous adopted findings made and
discussed in P.C. Resolution No. 2016-1 can still be made because the proposed revision to
accommodate a change to the drainage swale at the rear of the residence will not alter the
previously approved building footprint; and,
WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act, Public
Resources Code Sections 21000 et. seq. ("CEQA"), the State's CEQA Guidelines, California
Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 15000 et. seq., the City's Local CEQA Guidelines, and
Government Code Section 65962.5(f) (Hazardous Waste and Substances Statement), the
Planning Commission found no evidence that Case No. ZON2016-00456 will have a significant
effect on the environment and, therefore, the proposed project has been found to be Categorically
Exempt under Class 3 (Section 15303); and,
NOW, THEREFORE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS
VERDES DOES HEREBY FIND, DETERMINE AND RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: The proposed project is a request for the following revisions to Condition
Nos. 24 and 28 of Planning Commission Resolution No. 2016-1:
1. An increase of 1.1% to the maximum allowed lot coverage as a result of grading
associated with an upslope drainage swale located between 2.5' and 4' away from the
rear façade of the proposed residence, consisting of 10yd3 to fill the area between the
building and the drainage swale such that water runoff will drain away from the
building. Lot coverage is calculated differently in the Seacliff Hilltop community than it
is elsewhere in the City. In addition to the building footprint and driveway/parking
areas, all other surface improvements are included as lot coverage, as are any
unimproved areas that are disturbed by site grading but not restored to the pre-
construction topography. As currently approved, the project exceeds the 25%
maximum allowed lot coverage for upslope properties by 10.8%. This proposed
change will increase the lot coverage as defined in the conditions of the Seacliff Hills
Conditional Use Permit No. 23 by approximately 1.1%, to a total of 36.9%.
The revised breakdown of the total 1,937yd3 of grading is as follows:
a. 1,333yd3 of cut and 10yd3 of fill for the residence (fill for new drainage revision
only)
b. 233yd3 of cut and 73yd3 of fill for the driveway
c. 168yd3 of cut and 120yd3 of fill for an infinity-edge swimming pool and patio
area in the front yard
d. 1,531 yd3 of the total grading will be exported off-site.
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2. The Planning Commission finds that the proposed amendments to Condition Nos. 24
and 28 will not result in a substantial revision to the approvals granted under P.C.
Resolution No. 2016-1 because the total amount of earth movement is not increasing,
and that the changes are solely to address plan check corrections required by the
Building & Safety Division for proper site drainage. Additionally, all previously-
approved structures are to remain in their same locations and respective heights, and
that the proposed increase to the maximum lot coverage requirement is warranted.
Section 2: Any interested person aggrieved by this decision or any portion of this
decision may appeal to the City Council. The appeal shall set forth the grounds for appeal and
any specific action being requested by the appellant. Any appeal letter must be filed within fifteen
(15) calendar days of the date of this decision, or by 5:30 PM on Wednesday, November 9, 2016.
A$2,275.00 appeal fee must accompany any appeal letter. If no appeal is filed in a timely manner,
the Planning Commission's decision will be final at 5:30 PM on November 9, 2016.
Section 3: For the foregoing reasons and based on the information and findings
included in the Staff Report, the Planning Commission of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes hereby
conditionally approves the revision to P.C. Resolution No. 2016-1 to allow an increase of 1.1% in
lot coverage to accommodate a Building & Safety required revision to the on-site drainage for
property located at 2935 Vista Del Mar.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 25th day of October 2016, by the following vote:
AYES: Commissioners Bradley, Emenhiser, James, Leon, Nelson, Vice Chairman
Cruikshank, Chairman Tomblin
NOES: None
ABSTENTIONS: None
RECUSALS: None
ABSENT: None OJIP
David L. Tomblin
Chairman
Ara Mihranian
Community Development Director
Secretary to the Planning Commission
P.C. Resolution No. 2016-13
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P.C. RESOLUTION NO. 2016-13
(REVISION TO P.C. RESOLUTION NO. 2016-1)
EXHIBIT "A"
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
CASE NO. ZON2016-00456 (2935 VISTA DEL MAR)
GENERAL CONDITIONS:
1. Prior to the submittal of plans into Building and Safety plan check, the applicant and the
property owner shall submit to the City a statement, in writing, that they have read,
understand, and agree to all conditions of approval contained in this Resolution. Failure
to provide said written statement within ninety (90) days following the date of this approval
shall render this approval null and void.
2. The applicant shall indemnify, protect, defend, and hold harmless, the City, and/or any of
its officials, officers, employees, agents, departments, agencies, and instrumentalities
thereof, from any and all claims, demands, lawsuits, writs of mandamus, and other actions
and proceedings (whether legal, equitable, declaratory, administrative or adjudicatory in
nature), and alternative dispute resolutions procedures (including, but not limited to
arbitrations, mediations, and other such procedures) (collectively "Actions"), brought
against the City, and/or any of its officials, officers, employees, agents, departments,
agencies, and instrumentalities thereof, that challenge, attack, or seek to modify, set
aside, void, or annul, the action of, or any permit or approval issued by, the City and/or
any of its officials, officers, employees, agents, departments, agencies, and
instrumentalities thereof (including actions approved by the voters of the City), for or
concerning the project.
3. Prior to conducting any work in the public right of way, such as for curb cuts, dumpsters,
temporary improvements and/or permanent improvements, the applicant shall obtain an
encroachment permit from the Director of Public Works.
4. Approval of this permit shall not be construed as a waiver of applicable and appropriate
zoning regulations, or any Federal, State, County and/or City laws and regulations. Unless
otherwise expressly specified, all other requirements of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Municipal Code shall apply.
5. The Community Development Director is authorized to make minor modifications to the
approved plans and any of the conditions of approval if such modifications will achieve
substantially the same results as would strict compliance with the approved plans and
conditions. Substantial changes to the project shall require approval of a revision by the
final body that approved the original project, which may require new and separate
environmental review and public notification.
6. The project development on the site shall conform to the Commission-approved plans and
to the specific standards contained in these conditions of approval or, if not addressed
herein, shall conform to the RS-1 residential development standards and the OC-1/0C-3
overlay control district performance criteria of the City's Municipal Code and the Seacliff
Hills Development guidelines.
7. Failure to comply with and adhere to all of these conditions of approval may be cause to
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revoke the approval of the project pursuant to the revocation procedures contained in
Section 17.86.060 of the City's Municipal Code or administrative citations as described in
Section 1.16 of the City's Municipal Code.
8. If the applicant has not submitted an application for a building permit for the approved
project or not commenced the approved project as described in Section 17.86.070 of the
City's Municipal Code within one year of the final effective date of this Resolution, approval
of the project shall expire and be of no further effect unless, prior to expiration, a written
request for extension is filed with the Community Development Department and approved
by the Director.
9. In the event that any of these conditions conflict with the recommendations and/or
requirements of another permitting agency or City department, the stricter standard shall
apply.
10. Unless otherwise designated in these conditions, all construction shall be completed in
substantial conformance with the plans stamped APPROVED by the City with the effective
date of this Resolution.
11. This approval is only for the items described within these conditions and identified on the
stamped APPROVED plans and is not an approval of any existing illegal or legal non-
conforming structures on the property, unless the approval of such illegal or legal non-
conforming structure is specifically identified within these conditions or on the stamped
APPROVED plans.
12. The construction site and adjacent public and private properties and streets shall be kept
free of all loose materials resembling trash and debris in excess of that material used for
immediate construction purposes. Such excess material may include, but not be limited
to: the accumulation of debris, garbage, lumber, scrap metal, concrete asphalt, piles of
earth, salvage materials, abandoned or discarded furniture, appliances or other household
fixtures.
13. All construction sites shall be maintained in a secure, safe, neat and orderly manner, to
the satisfaction of the City's Building Official. All construction waste and debris resulting
from a construction, alteration or repair project shall be removed on a weekly basis by the
contractor or property owner. Existing or temporary portable bathrooms shall be provided
during construction. Portable bathrooms shall be placed in a location that will minimize
disturbance to the surrounding property owners, to the satisfaction of the City's Building
Official.
14. Permitted hours and days for construction activity are 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday
through Friday, 9:00AM to 5:00PM on Saturday, with no construction activity permitted on
Sundays or on the legal holidays specified in Section 17.96.920 of the Rancho Palos
Verdes Development Code. During demolition, construction and/or grading operations,
trucks shall not park, queue and/or idle at the project site or in the adjoining street rights-
of-way before 7AM Monday through Friday and before 9AM on Saturday, in accordance
with the permitted hours of construction stated in this condition. When feasible to do so,
the construction contractor shall provide staging areas on-site to minimize off-site
transportation of heavy construction equipment. These areas shall be located to maximize
the distance between staging activities and neighboring properties, subject to approval by
the building official.
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15. All grading, landscaping and construction activities shall exercise effective dust control
techniques, either through screening and/or watering.
16. Temporary construction fencing shall be installed prior to commencing construction as
described in Section 17.56.020(c) of the City's Development Code.
17. Unless otherwise designated in these conditions, all construction shall be completed in
substantial conformance with the plans stamped APPROVED by the City with the effective
date of this Resolution.
18. Prior to the issuance of building permits, the applicant shall demonstrate the project's
compliance with the South Coast Air Quality Management District Rule 445 and the City
Municipal Code requirements regarding wood-burning devices.
19. All utility lines installed to service the building shall be placed underground from an existing
power pole or other point of connection off-site prior to certificate of occupancy.
PROJECT SPECIFIC CONDITIONS:
20. This approval is for construction of a new 7,710ft2 two-story residence with a below-grade
basement and an attached three-car garage consisting of:
a. 2,986ft2 first floor
b. 2,768ft2 second floor
c. 1,151ft2 basement
d. 805ft2 attached garage
e. 48ft2 trellis with a 13'-2" tall privacy wall
f. 85.65ft2 trellis with a 14'-6" tall privacy wall
BUILDING AREA CERTIFICATION IS REQUIRED TO BE PROVIDED BY A LICENSED
LAND SURVEYOR OR CIVIL ENGINEER PRIOR TO BUILDING PERMIT FINAL.
21. Unless modified by the approval of future planning applications, the approved residence
shall maintain the following setbacks:
Front yard setback—Greater than 25' (25' average /20' minimum required)
Interior side yard setbacks— 18' south-east side / 10 feet north-west side (10' minimum
per side / 25' minimum total of both sides required)
Rear yard setback— Greater than 25' (25' average/20' minimum)
BUILDING SETBACK CERTIFICATION IS REQUIRED TO BE PROVIDED BY A
LICENSED LAND SURVEYOR OR CIVIL ENGINEER PRIOR TO FOUNDATION FORMS
INSPECTION.
22. The maximum height of the residence shall be 9.5' tall, as measured from highest point of
existing grade (877.5') covered by the structure to the highest proposed ridgeline (887'),
and an overall height of 30' as measured from the lowest finished grade (857') adjacent
to the structure to the highest proposed ridgeline (887').
BUILDING HEIGHT CERTIFICATION IS REQUIRED TO BE PROVIDED BY A
LICENSED LAND SURVEYOR OR CIVIL ENGINEER PRIOR TO ROOF SHEATHING
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INSPECTION.
23. A minimum 3-car garage shall be provided and maintained, and a minimum of three
unenclosed parking spaces shall be provided and maintained. An enclosed parking space
shall have an unobstructed ground space of no less than 9' in width by 20' in depth, with
a minimum of 7' of vertical clearance over the space. An unenclosed parking space shall
have an unobstructed ground space of no less than 9' in width by 20' in depth.
24. Unless modified by the approval of future planning applications, the approved project shall
maintain a maximum of 36.9% lot coverage.
REVISED ON OCTOBER 25, 2016 PER P.C. RESOLUTION NO. 2016-13
25. Driveways shall be a minimum width of 20'. A paved 25' turning radius shall be provided
between the garage or other parking area and the street of access. Driveways shall take
into account the driveway standards required by the department of Public Works for
driveway entrances located in the public right-of-way. Maximum slope of the driveway
shall not exceed 20%.
26. All utility lines installed to service the building shall be placed underground from an existing
power pole or other point of connection off-site prior to certificate of occupancy.
27. Barring any appeals, the silhouette frame shall be removed within seven (7) days from the
end of the Planning Commission's decision appeal period, or by Wednesday, February 3,
2016.
SPECIFIC GRADING CONDITIONS
28. The approved grading is for 1,937yd3 of grading on a vacant lot for a new house and
pool/patio area consisting of:
a. 1,333yd3 of cut and 10yd3 of fill for the residence (fill for drainage only)
b. 233yd3 of cut and 73yd3 of fill for the driveway
c. 168yd3 of cut and 120yd3 of fill for an infinity-edge swimming pool and patio area
in the front yard
1,531 yd3 of the total grading will be exported off-site.
REVISED ON OCTOBER 25, 2016 PURSUANT TO P.C. RESOLUTION NO. 2016-13
ROUGH AND FINAL GRADE CERTIFICATION REQUIRED PRIOR TO BUILDING
PERMIT FINAL.
29. The approved retaining walls include the following:
a. Retaining walls along the upslope side of the proposed driveway and driveway
turnaround shall be permitted up to 10.5' maximum, as measured from the new
driveway grade to the top of the wall.
b. The outer side of the retaining wall of the patio area, south-east of the pool shall
be a maximum of 4.5' in height as measured from the lowest adjacent grade.
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c. The retaining walls/planters along the front of the infinity edge pool shall not
exceed 3.5 feet in height as measured from the adjacent grade or the planter grade
(for the infinity edge trough) to the top of the wall.
30. Haul routes to transport soil shall be approved by the Public Works Division prior to
issuance of any Grading or Building permit.
31. New slopes shall not exceed 67% adjacent to the driveway and 35% elsewhere on the
property.
32. Approval of NPDES and Geotechnical review is required PRIOR TO ISSUANCE OF A
GRADING OR BUILDING PERMIT from the Building & Safety Division.
SPECIFIC LANDSCAPE CONDITIONS
33. A landscaping plan shall be submitted for review and approval by the Community
Development Director prior to Building Permit issuance. The landscaping plan shall
indicate all landscaping for the purpose of: screening buildings from PVDS; softening
architectural features; improving transition between open space and buildings; slope
stabilization; and drought tolerant plantings. Said landscaping shall be planted prior to
issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy.
34. An 18" minimum wide landscaped area between the side property line and the driveway
shall be maintained.
35. No hardscape walkways shall be allowed around the perimeter of the house.
36. Maximum hardscape coverage within the front-yard setback area shall not exceed 50%.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING CONDITIONS
37. Exterior residential lighting shall be in compliance with the standards of Section 17.56.030
of the Rancho Palos Verdes Development Code and the Seacliff Hills Development
Guidelines. No outdoor lighting is permitted where the light source is directed toward or
results in direct illumination of a parcel of property or properties other than that upon which
such light source is physically located.
38. All exterior lighting shall be shielded such that the bulb(s) in each fixture are not visible
from any location off the property at 2935 Vista Del Mar.
39. All exterior lighting shall be on timers and shall be set to shut off automatically by 10:00
pm daily except for lighting used for security and safety purposes as deemed acceptable
by the Director.
WINDOW GLARE CONDITIONS
40. Prior to Building Permit issuance, all windows, including those which are located on the
south-west (front) side of the structure shall be tinted light grey, with any coating to be low-
contrast with no mirror/silver undertint.
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41. Prior to Building Permit issuance, the specific glass type and color shall be submitted for
review and approval by the Community Development Director prior to Building Permit
issuance.
42. Prior to Building Permit issuance, a sun reflectivity study which demonstrates that no glare
from any windows will affect the driveways of other properties on Vista Del Mar as well as
the public right-of-way on Vista Del Mar, shall be completed and submitted to the
Community Development Director for review and approval.
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