PC Minutes-2024-02-28
MINUTES February 28, 2024 SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING
ORGANIZATION: Vice Chair Fancher called the Regular Meeting of February 28, 2024, of the Planning Commission of the City of San Juan Capistrano to order at 5:01 p.m. ROLL CALL: PLANNING COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Commissioners, Darren Fancher, Stan Braden,
Ted Rosenfeldt and Tami Wilhelm.
COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Matt Gaffney
STAFF PRESENT: Joel Rojas, Development Services Director Laura Stokes, Principal Planner Jeffrey Graham, Contract Planner
Alisha Winterswyk, Deputy City Attorney Agenda items are presented in the originally agendized format but were not necessarily heard in that order.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Vice Chair Fancher led the Pledge of Allegiance. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None. CONSENT CALENDAR:
Commission Action: Moved by Commissioner Wilhelm, seconded by Commissioner Rosenfeldt, to approve consent calendar item C1. Motion passed by a 4-0 vote. C1. Draft January 24, 2024, Planning Commission Minutes.
ROLL CALL: AYES: COMMISSIONER: Fancher, Braden, Rosenfeldt, and Wilhelm. NOES: COMMISSIONER: None
RECUSED: COMMISSIONER: None ABSTAINED: COMMISSIONER: None
Planning Commission Action Minutes 2 February 28, 2024
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None. NEW BUSINESS:
None. PUBLIC HEARINGS:
F1. Continued Consideration of Architectural Control (AC) 23-007 and Conditional Use
Permit (CUP) 23-002, Capistrano Boxing Gym; A request to establish an 11,173 square foot boxing gym and to modify the existing parking lot to provide additional off-street parking spaces in support of the use proposed at 33081 Camino Capistrano (APN: 668-291-14); and a Finding That Said Action is Categorically Exempt from the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Per CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, Class 1,
Existing Facilities. (Applicant: Peter Carey, Capistrano Boxing Gym) (Project Manager: Justin R. Poley, Associate Planner). Commission Action: COMMISSIONER Wilhelm made a motion, seconded by
COMMISSIONER Braden, to continue the public hearing to the March 13, 2024, Planning Commission meeting. The motion passed by a 4-0 vote. ROLL CALL:
AYES: COMMISSIONER: Fancher, Braden, Rosenfeldt, and Wilhelm.
NOES: COMMISSIONER: None RECUSED: COMMISSIONER: None ABSTAINED: COMMISSIONER: None
F2. Consideration of Code Amendment (CA) 18-005, Kinoshita Farm Specific Plan
Amendment for The Ecology Center: A request to amend the Kinoshita Farm Specific Plan (SP) 85-01, to clarify that all the current farm operations, activities and structures associated with The Ecology Center are permitted by the Specific Plan governing the 28-acre City-owned Kinoshita Farm property located at 32701 Alipaz Street (APN 121-
190-57); and a finding that said action is Categorically Exempt from the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) and, in the alternative, State CEQA per State Guidelines Section 15303 (New Construction)(Applicant: Andrew Sieger, The Ecology Center)(Project Manager: Laura Stokes, Principal Planner).
Laura Stokes provided the staff presentation and responded to questions. Evan Marks, Applicant, provided a presentation and responded to questions.
Vice Chair Fancher opened the public hearing, and no one provided public testimony.
Planning Commission Action Minutes 3 February 28, 2024
Commission Action: COMMISSIONER Rosenfeldt made a motion, seconded by COMMISSIONER Wilhelm, to adopt a resolution recommending that the City Council adopt an Ordinance approving Code Amendment (CA) 18-005 with maximum quantity and design standards for temporary employee units; and find that said action is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per State CEQA
Guidelines, Section 15301, Existing Facilities (Class 1), and, in the alternative, State CEQA per State Guidelines Section 15303 (New Construction). The motion passed by a 4-0 vote. ROLL CALL:
AYES: COMMISSIONER: Fancher, Braden, Rosenfeldt, and Wilhelm. NOES: COMMISSIONER: None RECUSED: COMMISSIONER: None ABSTAINED: COMMISSIONER: None
F3. Consideration of Grading Plan Modification (GPM) 23-011; Widgerow Residence: A request to modify the grade on an undeveloped lot to accommodate a new single-family residence with an attached garage located at 26922 Paseo Cardero (APN 650-161-14) and a finding that said action is categorically exempt from the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15303 (New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures). The proposed grading involves 2,250 cubic yards of cut and 240 cubic yards of fill, resulting in 1,980 cubic yards of soil export, with retaining walls up to 10’ in height. (Applicant: Kennedy Year)(Project Manager, Jeffrey Graham, Contract Planner).
Jeffrey Graham provided the staff presentation and responded to questions. Vice Chair Fancher opened the public hearing, and no one provided public testimony.
Commission Action: COMMISSIONER Rosenfeldt made a motion, seconded by
COMMISSIONER Braden, to adopt a resolution approving GPM 23-011, as conditioned, and finding that the proposed Project is Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guideline Section 15303. The motion passed by a 4-0 vote.
ROLL CALL: AYES: COMMISSIONER: Fancher, Braden, Rosenfeldt, and Wilhelm. NOES: COMMISSIONER: None
RECUSED: COMMISSIONER: None ABSTAINED: COMMISSIONER: None F4. Consideration of Code Amendment (CA) 23-002, Consideration of an Amendment to the Los Rios Specific Plan to allow eating establishments with beer and wine service
between 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. no larger than 1,000 square feet as accessory uses in the Historic Commercial District and clarify the boundary line between the Historic Commercial District and the Historic Residential District that traverses the property
Planning Commission Action Minutes 4 February 28, 2024
located at 31791 Los Rios Street (APN 121-160-17) that contains Hidden House Coffee and Zoomar’s at River Street; and a finding that said action is categorically exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per Section 15311 and 15303 (Applicant: 31791 Los Rios Street, LLC)(Project Manager: Laura Stokes, Principal Planner).
Laura Stokes provided the staff presentation and responded to questions. Dan Almquist, Applicant, provided a presentation and responded to questions. Vice Chair Fancher opened the public hearing, and David Hutchins, Stephen Rios,
Tiana Rios, Pam King, and Steve Behmerwohld provided public testimony. Commission Action: COMMISSIONER Rosenfeldt made a motion, seconded by COMMISSIONER Wilhelm, to approve staff recommendations with the following modifications to pages 28 to 29 of the Los Rios Specific Plan shown in agenda staff
report Section 1.d.1. is modified to read as follows:
Eating establishments no larger than 1,000 square feet, in conjunction with, and clearly accessory to, a permitted Principal or Conditional Use identified in Sections (b) and (c) above. Eating establishments shall not be greater than the Principal or
Conditional permitted use in size, operation, or patronage. Eating establishments
may serve beer and wine (no distilled spirits) subject to the issuance of an Accessory Use Permit pursuant to Part 4.E. of this Specific Plan. The Commission additionally recommended that the City Council direct staff to
investigate citywide standards for restaurants adjacent to residential uses.
The motion passed by a 4-0 vote. ROLL CALL:
AYES: COMMISSIONER: Fancher, Braden, Rosenfeldt, and Wilhelm. NOES: COMMISSIONER: None RECUSED: COMMISSIONER: None ABSTAINED: COMMISSIONER: None
INFORMATION ITEM: None.
COMMISSION/STAFF COMMENTS: None
Planning Commission Action Minutes 5 February 28, 2024
ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, Vice Chair Fancher adjourned the meeting at 7:54 p.m. to Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. in the Temporary City Council Chamber at the
Nydegger Building - 31421 La Matanza Street, San Juan Capistrano.
Approved on March 13, 2024.
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Joel Rojas, Development Services Director
Planning Commission Secretary