PC Minutes-2011-11-2232400 PASEO ADELANTO
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PLANNING COMMISSION
MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Cohen at 6:30 p.m.
Chairman Cohen led the Pledge of Allegiance.
C. ROLL CALL:
Commissioners Present:
Commissioners Absent
Sheldon Cohen, Chairman
Ginny Kerr
Roy Nunn
Tim Neely
Jeff Parkhurst
Rob Williams
Gene Ratcliffe, Vice -Chair
Tim Neely
MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Present: Grant Taylor, Development Services Director
Tram Tran, Deputy City Attorney
Nick Taylor, Associate Planner
IL•e
SAAR ALLEVATO
LAURA FREESE
LARRY KRAMER
DEREK REEVE
JOHN TAYLOR
1. Minutes of October 25, 2011: Commissioner Kerr identified concerns on Page 2,
Item 1 b, Commissioner Parkhurst identified concerns on Page 2, Item 1d and Chair
Cohen identified concerns on Page 2, Item 1 e. By motion duly -made and seconded,
the Commission continued consideration of the minutes to the December 13, 2011
1111 11 iiiiiiiii�ii Ill Fill iiiiiiii � MONSOON 11
s
PC Meeting Minutes 2 November 22, 2011
meeting.
2. Minutes of November 8, 2011: Commissioners Kerr and Parkhurst identified
concerns on Page 2, Items 1 a and 1b, Development Services Director Taylor
requested the minutes be continued. By motion duly -made and seconded, the
Commission continued consideration of the minutes to the December 13, 2011
meeting.
3. Final Resolution Approving the Sign Program for Architectural Control (AC) 10-18,
Marriott Residence Inn (Proiect Manaaer: William Ramsev. AICP. Principal
Planner). By motion duly -made and seconded, the Commission continued
consideration of the item to the December 13, 2011 meeting and requested that the
final sign program exhibit be presented with the resolution.
F. PUBLIC HEARINGS
Conditional Use Permit (CUP) 10-014; San Juan Hills Golf Course; an application to
install outdoor recreational lighting consisting of a Musco Light -Green Structure System
light fixtures within the Open Space Recreation (OSR) Zone District, General Plan -
designated 1.1 Open Space Recreation and located at 32111 San Juan Creek Road
and generally located on the north side of San Juan Creek Road approximately 2,200
feet east of 1-5 (APN: 666-011-27)(Applicant: San Juan Hills Golf Club) (Project
Manager: Nick Taylor). Nick Taylor, Associate Planner made the staff presentation on
the project and stated that the applicant proposes outdoor recreational lighting for an
existing non -illuminated driving range facility consisting of a Musco Light -Green
Structure System with light fixtures mounted on the existing net poles on both sides of
the range at 50 feet in height. The Musco System would feature 1500 watt metal halide
lamps. Poles P1 -P5 would feature 14 -inch visors and poles P6 -P10 would feature 5 -
inch visors. Three additional light poles and fixtures at a height of 25 feet would be
placed between the existing parking lot and tee boxes. These would be Lithonia
11shoebox style" fixtures with 1500 watt metal halide lamps with a full shield. Lighting is
proposed until 10:00 pm nightly. The project is located at 32111 San Juan Creek Road
and generally located on the north side of San Juan Creek Road approximately 2,200
feet east of 1-5. Staff recommended that the Planning Commission adopt a resolution
approving the driving range lighting subject to the condition that the lights do not
operate past 9:00 p.m.
Tom Merrell, representing the applicant, gave a Powerpoint presentation outlining how
the lighting design would minimize impacts to the surrounding neighborhoods and creek
corridor. Melissa McCormick, golf course manager, asked for a show of hands in the
audience of those who support the project and about twenty persons raised their
hands.
Public Hearin
Stephanie Frisch, Jeff Hollister and Thomas Hunt spoke in support of the
proposed lighting project.
PC Meeting Minutes 3 November 22, 2011
• Yvonne Tschaikowsky and Trevor Dale spoke in opposition to the proposed
project.
• Josh Singer stated he neither supported nor opposed the project but expressed
the opinion that there was insufficient information to make a decision.
Commission Comments
a. Commissioner Nunn stated that he supports the driving range lighting, that the
proposed illumination would be much less intensive than ball fields in town, and
that lighting technology had improved dramatically over the last 10 to 15 years
allowing much greater light and glare control.
b. Commissioner Parkhurst stated that he was "torn" over his position on the
project. Because the edges of the driving range will have low lighting and the
center of the range will be more illuminated, the applicant will likely request
changes in the future to increase lighting levels. He expressed a preference for
lighting along only one side of the driving range, but acknowledged that lighting
from one side wouldn't appear to be as effective. If the project is approved,
there needs to be a condition that lighting levels do not exceed those reflected
on the Planning Commission -approved photometric plan.
c. Commissioner Kerr commended the course owners for their efforts to create a
workable lighting plan and expressed support for the project. She supported the
use of the Musco light system on both sides of the range, not lighting on only
one side. She stated that the existing 50'-0" poles were acceptable while 100'-0"
poles would be too tall.
d. Commissioner Williams expressed a preference for lighting along both sides of
the driving range and commended Mr. Merrell for his efforts in providing design
alternatives. He expressed concern about lighting impacts in the future after the
trees along the range are trimmed allowing more off-site glare and impacts to
the creek corridor. For those reasons, he stated he could not support the
proposed project.
e. Chairman Cohen stated that while lighting technology had substantially improved
over the years, a field demonstration would help confirm whether the lighting
would be acceptable and noted that the prior proposed project had provided
such a demonstration. He stated that while the lighting on City sports fields is
significant, those fields serve a much larger part of the community and public
and so, the benefits to youth and adult sports outweighs the impacts of such
lighting. However, the driving range lighting would serve a much smaller part of
the community with limited community benefit. The existing gaps in the tree rows
will allow more lighting to be seen from off-site and for those reasons, cannot
support the project.
Adoption of Resolution
Commissioner Kerr made a motion, duly -seconded, to adopt a resolution conditionally
approving the proposed project with lighting along both sides of the driving range. The
motion failed on a 2-3 vote.
PC Meetina Minutes 4 November 22. 2011
AYES: Commissioners Kerr and Nunn.
NOES: Chairman Cohen and Commissioners Parkhurst and Williams.
Commissioner Williams made a motion, duly -seconded by Parkhurst, to deny the
proposed project. The motion failed on a 2-3 vote.
AYES: Commissioners Parkhurst and Williams.
NOES: Chairman Cohen and Commissioners Kerr and Nunn.
Commissioner Nunn made a motion, duly -seconded by Kerr, to adopt a resolution
conditionally approving the proposed project. The motion failed on a 2-3 vote.
AYES: Commissioners Kerr and Nunn.
NOES: Chairman Cohen and Commissioners Parkhurst and Williams.
The Commission asked Tom Merrell if a continuance would be beneficial or he would
prefer a denial which he would have the option to appeal to City Council. He stated that
all the information available had been presented to the Commission and without
receiving additional direction he requested final action this evening. Commissioner
Williams made a motion, duly -seconded by Parkhurst, to deny the proposed project.
The motion passed by a 3-2 vote.
AYES: Chairman Cohen and Commissioners Parkhurst and Williams.
NOES: Commissioners Kerr and Nunn.
G. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
None
H. NEW BUSINESS
1. Worksession; Consideration of a Recommendation to the City Council to Initiate a Land
Use Code Amendment to Address Assembly Uses; (Project Manager: Omar Sandoval,
City Attorney). A worksession to discuss the Title 9, Land Use Code provisions related
to regulating "assembly" uses and to provide direction on appropriate amendments to
Title 9, Land Use Code to clarify those use provisions. Grant Taylor, Development
Services Director made the staff presentation and provided background to the Planning
Commission on the recent difficulty in interpreting and enforcing the Title 9, Land Use
Code provisions on "assembly uses." He noted that under Section 9-2.309 of the
Municipal Code, the City Council is the decision-making authority for amendments of
the Land Use Code (Title 9). However, the Planning Commission may petition the City
Council to initiate consideration of a text amendment. Staff requests that the Planning
PC Meeting Minutes 5 November 22 2011
Commission review the Land Use Code provisions concerning assembly and
organizational uses to provide clarity as to where such uses should be permitted,
conditionally permitted, or prohibited. Staff recommended that the Planning
Commission consider the issues related to a Land Use Code Amendment pertaining to
Assembly uses, provide direction on the appropriate amendments to the Code, and
recommend that the City Council initiate the Code Amendment process.
Public Comments
Charles Fromm addressed the Planning Commission stating that he did not expect the
City to have moved so quickly to resolve the issue and thanked the City Manager and
staff. He expressed the opinion that legislation was better than litigation. He suggested
the City study the ordinances for assembly uses in the City of Rancho Cucamonga for
guidance.
Planning Commission comments
a. Commissioner Williams noted that the Code Amendment will require extensive
research and needs to be forwarded to City Council to allow them to initiate the
process.
b. Chairman Cohen suggested that the Commission may want to create an Ad-hoc
Committee to work on developing the draft ordinance amendment and he would
volunteer. He stated the proposed definition in the agenda report should be
"scrapped" and that the City needs to take a "big picture" view, and not focus on the
circumstances of the single code enforcement case which generated the Code
Amendment initiation.
c. Commissioner Kerr stated that the current Code provisions for "assembly uses" are
problematic; that the amendment will require research; and that she supports
initiation and review of this Code Amendment.
d. Commissioner Nunn stated that he supports the amendments to the Title 9, Land
Use Code for such uses; that the Code needs appropriate standards and
definitions; and that the "nexus" needs to be defined.
e. Commissioner Parkhurst stated that he concurs with the comments of his fellow
Commissioners.
Adoption of Motion
Commissioner Williams made a motion, duly -seconded by Commissioner Kerr, to
recommend that the City Council initiate the Code Amendment process for assembly
uses. The motion was approved by 5-0 vote.
AYES: Chairman Cohen and Commissioners Kerr, Nunn, Parkhurst, and
Williams.
NOES: none.
Staff updated the Commission on upcoming scheduled projects.
PC Meeting Minutes 6 November 22, 2011
J. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the Commission, Chairman Cohen adjourned at
9:15 p.m. to the next regularly scheduled meeting for Tuesday, December 13, 2011, at
6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
Respectfully submitted,
Grant Taylor,`bevelop ment Services Director
Acting Commission Secretary