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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1. Draft PC Minutes 10-4-2023 MINUTES DOWNEY CITY PLANNING COMMISSION WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2023 CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 11111 BROOKSHIRE AVENUE DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA 6:30 PM Chair Ortiz called the October 4, 2023, Regular Meeting of the Planning Commission to order at 6:35 pm, at Downey City Hall, 11111 Brookshire Avenue, Downey, CA. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: L ed by Vice Chair Uva COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Horacio Ortiz, Jr., District 5, Chair Carmela Uva, District 4, Vice Chair Miguel Duarte, District 1 Mario Guerra, District 2 COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None OTHERS PRESENT: Irma Huitron, Director of Community Development John Funk, City Attorney Alfonso Hernandez, Principal Planner Gerardo Marquez, Senior Planner Abraham Luna, Associate Planner Ria Ioannidis, Planning Secretary PLANNING COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCEMENTS; REQUEST FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS; AND CONFERENCE/MEETING REPORTS: Vice Chair Uva welcomed new City staff: City Attorney, John Funk, and new Planning Secretary Ria Ioannidis. Chair Ortiz and Commissioner Guerra also welcomed City Attorney Funk. Community Development Director Huitron introduced new Planning Division Secretary Ria Ioannidis, and announced that Senior Planner Gerardo Marquez has accepted a position in another City and congratulated him. Community Development Director Huitron also announced City Attorney John Funk, as joining the City of Downey Team. REPORT ON CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS: None. PRESENTATIONS: None. NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENTS: Senior Planner, Gerardo Marquez, addressed Chair Ortiz that staff received a non -public comment document and it was provided on the Dias. Commissioner Guerra asked if this comment is just for Planning Commission or also the City Council. Community Director Irma Huitron informed the Commissioners that she did speak with Mr. Carson today regarding the written items and these are items that she will follow up with the Code Enforcement Division. Speaker, Bruce Crow, stated various concerns regarding reviews and approvals of projects. CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS: None. OTHER BUSINESS: None. Planning Commission October 4, 2023 Minutes - 2 - PUBLIC HEARINGS: 1. PLN-23-00096 (Site Plan Review): Chair Ortiz opened the public hearing for PLN-23-00096, and Senior Planner Gerardo Marquez affirmed proof of publication. Associate Planner Abraham Luna presented a request to allow the construction of a thee (3) unit, three (3)-story, multi-family development at 10736 La Reina Ave nue. Upon completion of the presentation, Associate Planner Luna recommended the Planning Commission ad opt a resolution approving Site Plan Review (PLN-23-0096). Associate Planner Abraham Luna addressed questions from Planning Commissioners related to parking, building height, compatibility, scaling, and public notification. Disclosures: Chair Ortiz, Vice Chair Uva, and Commissioner Guerra disclosed they had separately driven by the property. The applicant explained the merits of the project, and addressed questions presented by the Planning Commission. Questions from Planning Commission members were related to parking, building height, compatibility, and scaling. Correspondence: None. Public Comment: Speaker number one, Mr. Cardenas, residing in a home abutting the subject property, shared specific concerns related to the project but emphasized they were not in opposition of the applicant’s project. Concerns were related to walls shared by the properties. The speaker requested a gate to be added at the driveway, wanted to know where the trash would be stored, and requested to be notified when the construction , demolition, and grading will begin. Lastly, they asked about City construction hours. Speaker number two, name not disclosed, commented on the beauty of the project. However, they shared concerns related to the parking on La Reina. They commented that they believe a separate property is better suited for the development and shared concerns regarding the compatibility of the project with recent State legislation and other County codes. Speaker number three, name not disclosed, commented and asked how the project will affect traffic. Chair Ortiz closed the public hearing. Deliberation: Commissioner Guerra asked Staff to address concerns, as well as the request from speaker number one. Community Development Director Huitron responded and provided the Commission with revised Conditions of Approval for their consideration to address the concerns provided during public comment. Chair Ortiz, Vice Chair Uva, and Commissioner Duarte agreed to adding the language to the conditions of approval related to speaker number one’s concerns. Chair Ortiz reopened the public hearing. The applicant addressed the Planning Commission on ce again and was willing to comply with all added conditions as presented by Staff. Public Comment: A speaker spoke and stated he does not believe t he project does not comply with County codes related to compatibility. Mr. Cardenas asked for clarification of the proposed revised and new conditions. Clarification was provided by Community Development Director Irma Huitron. Planning Commission October 4, 2023 Minutes - 3 - Chair Ortiz closed the public hearing. Deliberation: Commissioner Guerra shared concerns regarding the project: the project was out of character despite the beauty of the architecture. However, Guerra stated that he was willing to move forward with the project due to revised conditions of approval addressing the concerns stated during the public hearing. He also shared concerns relating to public noticing procedures. Guerra requested that the final wording for the conditions of approval be repeated. Community Development Director Huitron stated the revised conditions of approval for the record. Commissioner Duarte shared concerns regarding density that will affect parking on La Reina Avenue. Additional comments were shared with regard to better efforts to notify nearby residents. He also commended the applicant for their willingness to comply with the modified conditions. Vice Chair Uva shared concerns regarding parking, density, and height of building , and stated she finds the proposed project to be beautiful. She also shared concerns with public noticing procedures. Chair Ortiz shared that he thought the project was beautiful and appreciated the applicant’s willingness to comply with modified conditions. He agreed that changes to public notices may be beneficial and should be discussed further. It was moved by Commissioner Guerra, seconded by Chair Ortiz, and passed by a vote of 3-1, with Uva dissenting, to adopt Resolution 23-4015 thereby approving the request for a Site Plan Review (PLN-23-00096). COMMISSIONER COMMENTS: Vice Chair Uva asked for clarification on procedures and enforcement related to the City’s food handler uniform ordinance. Community Development Director Irma Huitron provided clarification and department efforts to enforce. Vice Chair Uva also asked if conditions of approval for the Ojos Locos project were satisfied in relation to electric vehicle charging stations. Staff confirmed the applicant did comply. Chair Ortiz stated that the public noticing process for the Ojos Locos project as an additional reason as to why added notification procedures may be beneficial. Commissioner Guerra disclosed that he was made aware through social media that potential applications had been made for a new In -N-Out Burger, and a new Raising Cane’s. Lastly, he agreed that public noticing was a concern and asked if additional efforts could be made at a later date. Community Development Director Huitron commented that the City had satisfied the City code requirements for pubic noticing for tonight’s public hearing project and that the Commission’s concerns regarding public noticing would be shared with the City Manager’s Office. Huitron also stated that a Community Development projects update will be distributed on a regular basis to the Commission, mid-month, on a monthly basis. The first report that was emailed to each Commissioner was in September. Commissioner Duarte also shared that added notification would be beneficial and provided a suggestion. Planning Commission October 4, 2023 Minutes - 4 - ADJOURNMENT: Chair Ortiz adjourned the meeting at 7:37 pm, to Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at Downey City Hall, 11111 Brookshire Avenue. APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 18th day of October, 2023. _____________________________ Horatio Ortiz, Jr., Chair City Planning Commission I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Minutes were duly approved at a Regular meeting of the Planning Commission held on this 18th day of October, 2023, by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: _____________________________ Ria Ioannidis, Planning Secretary Community Development Department