HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 09/23/2003Planning Commission Minutes - September 23, 2003
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A L tr City of Petaluma, California
City Council Chambers
li, l City Hall, 11 English Street
Petaluma, CA 94952
Telephone 707/778 -4301 / Fax 707/778 -4498
E -Mail plannin2(c,)ci.petaluma.cams
Web Page hM: / /www.ci.petaluma.ca.us
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Planning Commission Minutes
September 23 2003 - 7a00 PM
Commissioners: Present: Asselmeier, Barrett, Dargie, Healy, McAllister, Rose, von
Raesfeld
* Chair
Staff. George White, Assistant Director, Community Development
Anne Windsor, Administrative Secretary
ROLL CALL:
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Minutes of August 26, 2003 approved as submitted. M/S
von 'Raes fel dB arrett..
PUBLIC COMMENT: None.
DIRECTOR'S REPORT: Discussion with the commission regarding an alternative day
for the first meeting in November, which falls on a City holiday. It was the commission's
consensus to meet on Wednesday, November 12 George White will check the calendar
for the Council Chambers availability.
COMMISSIONER'S REPORT: None.
CORRESPONDENCE: None.
APPEAL STATEMENT: Was read.
LEGAL RECOURSE STATEMENT: Was noted on the agenda.
Public hearing began: @ 7:00
NEW BUSINESS;
PUBLIC HEARING:
PUBLIC HEARING:
OLD BUSINESS:
Planning Commission Minutes - September 23, 2003
1 I. PETALUMA VILLAGE MARKETPLACE, 2200 Petaluma Blvd. North
2 AP No.: 007 -391 -009, 048 - 080 -038
3 File: REZ02001
4 Planner: Betsi Lewitter
5 Request for a recommendation to the City Council to approve the Planned.
6 Community District (PCD) amendment for proposed modification of River
7 Oaks/Petaluma Factory Outlet Village Master Plan which will apply to
8 improvements on Parcels B and C.
9 This item is continued from July 22, 2003 and August 26, 2003. Staff, on behalf
10 of the City Manager, is requesting a further continuance to a date uncertain.
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M/S Dargie /Rose to continue to a date uncertain. 6-0
Council Member Healy arrived at 7:05
NEW BUSINESS:
II. REDWOOD GATEWAY RETAIL CENTER, 1363 North McDowell Blvd.
AP No.: 007 - 411 -020, 007- 411 -.021
File: 03 -ZOA -0271
PIanner: Jayni Allsep
Request for a recommendation to the City Council to approve, conditionally
approve, or deny the Planned Community District (PCD) amendment to allow the
development of a 166,713 foot retail center.
George White presented the staff report for Jayni Allsep, the project planner.
Tamara Thompson, Robertson Properties Group: Gave a history of the company and the
Redwood Gateway site. Indicated the changes to the site plan since the preliminary
SPARC meeting. Ms. Thompson asked to discuss the following: Parking — Kohl's
parking requirement is 5 11000; the number of showers required in the Bike Plan; the
median strip on North McDowell Boulevard; the under grounding of utility wires;
improvements to Stubb Road; Day Care requirements.
Steve Weinberger, W- Trans: Gave some background of the traffic analysis for the
Redwood Gateway site.
Chair Barrett: Asked if Regional Water Quality Control Board approved the detention
ponds on this site.
42 Marty Parissenti: Will go to the Regional Water Quality Control Board after the
43 Redwood Technology Center has approvals for the detention ponds on their neighboring
44 site.
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Planning Commission Minutes - September 23, 2003
1 Commissioner McAllister: At what point are the parking lots flooded or are you able
2 contain the water in the detention ponds?
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4 Marty Parissenti: At the 100 -year flood, the parking lot would flood 1 -2 feet — the
5 detention ponds do not retain the water during a 100 -year event.
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7 Brian Wolf, Architect: Showed the landscaping changes to the detention ponds since the
8 SPARC meeting.
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10 Commissioner von Raesfeld: How were the sites integrated with the landscaping plan?
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12 Brian Wolf. The pedestrian links were developed after the preliminary SPARC meeting.
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14 Michael Hass, Traffic Engineer: Discussed his recommendation for a raised median on
15 North McDowell Boulevard.
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17 Commissioner Rose: Asked if level of service is a concern if a median strip is installed
18 on North McDowell.
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20 Michael Hass: Level of service would be at an acceptable level.
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22 Public comment opened:
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24 Geoff Cartwright, 56 Rocca Drive: Addressed the flooding issues on the site.
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26 Stan Gold, King Road: Stated concerns regarding the mitigation measures and when they
27 will be taking place. Need coordination so that all traffic mitigations occur before the
28 development occurs.
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30 Public comment closed:
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32 Break at 8:50 p.m.
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34 Resumed at 9:00 p.m.
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36 Commission Comments:
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38 Chair Barrett: Identified issues for discussion:
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40 0 Traffic circulation/median
41 o Stubb Road
42 m Parking requirements and reserves
43 ® Detention ponds
44 o Pedestrian connections
45 u Distribution lines .
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Planning Commission Minutes - 5eptember 23, 2003
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Traffic circulation /median:
Commissioner Dargie: Read Mitigation Measure CIR -1, which proposes a median from
Old Redwood Highway to Redwood Way. Would the median be going from Redwood
Way to Scott Road?
George White: Median is proposed to end at the property line.
Chair Barrett: Would it be the same median as what is presently at Old Redwood
Highway to Redwood Way.
George White: This has not been determined yet.
Commissioner von Raesfeld: I am in agreement with the City's Traffic Engineer.
Council Member Healy: Signal at Redwood Way will be a traffic calming measure.
Would like to see if there are opportunities for left hand turns into the business, but not
out.
Steve Weinberger: Showed the median as proposed by W- Trans.
Commissioner Rose: The traffic conditions will be exacerbated by the shopping center. I
am an advocate for a median to control the left turns out of business — would be a right
turn only resulting in u -turns.
Chair Barrett: Think it is a safety issue — would not want to allow left hand turns in or
out of the site.
Commissioners von Raesfeld and McAllister support the Traffic Engineer.
Council Member Healy: Would like turns into but not out of the business on McDowell.
Commissioner McAllister: Do we need to address the improvements and when they will
happen?
George White: Is likely that the Kohl's center will happen before Redwood Technology
Center so the median will go in from Redwood Way to the southern end of the property.
Some improvements have to be tied to particular projects.
Commissioner McAllister: Addressed the mitigation measure that states a right hand turn
lane will be put in on North McDowell at Redwood Way.
The commission agreed to an unbroken median as proposed by the City's Traffic
Engineer, however, the commission encouraged the applicant and their traffic engineer to
explore safe methods for left turns in only prior to the item going to City Council.
Stubb Road:
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Planning Commission Minutes - September 23, 2003
2 Chair Barrett: A four -way stop makes sense here. I am sympathetic to the applicants
3 concerns of the trucks using this route. Concur with staff's condition of approval.
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5 Commissioner von Raesfeld: There needs to be a better solution to make it obvious what
6 motorist will do here.
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8 Council Member Healy: What you are suggesting is that the two applicants and the
9 Public Facilities Department work on this issue.
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11 George White: Intersection is a misleading term here — is not well defined.
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13 Commissioner von Raesfeld: Need to have both applicants come to the table to address
14 this issue.
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16 The commission agreed that both applicants work with the Public Facilities and Services
17 Department and SPARC to resolve this issue.
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19 Parking requirements /reserves:
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21 Commissioner von Raesfeld: I am ok with the parking as long as we do not exceed the
22 5 /1000 that Kohl's is requiring.
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24 Chair Barrett: Skeptical of development in this area due to flooding and traffic. Cannot
25 justify paving more area than necessary.
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27 Commissioner McAllister: Would still like to reduce the parking somewhat — 511000
28 seems excessive. Is there some compromise so that Kohl's would get their 5 11000,
29 however, for the remainder of the square footage we would conform to city standards of
30 1/300 square feet of retail.
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32 Council Member Healy: Cannot segregate parking spaces, so I don't see a practical
33 solution as suggested by Commissioner McAllister.
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35 Tamara Thompson: Kohl's requires that the entire center meet their parking standard of
36 .5 11000. Kohl's will want it higher than the 1/300 square feet of retail.
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38 Commissioner McAllister: Do not see the parking as an issue — would hope Kohl's
39 would have some flexibility regarding the parking requirements.
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41 Council Member Healy: This amount of hardscape was analyzed in the EIR — do not see
42 what the issue is currently to reduce the parking. Think Kohl's would be an amenity and
43 do not want to lose them over this issue.
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45 Chair Barrett: Suggested possible reciprocity to use the parking garage that is on the
46 Redwood Technology site.
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Planning Commission Minutes - September 23, 2003
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Council Member Healy: Propose giving Kohl's the 511000 for their square footage and
adhere to city standard of 3.3/1000 for the remainder of the square footage.
Commissioner Asselmeier: Would like to work further with Kohl's to attempt to meet
parking requirements that are closer to the City's standards.
Commissioner Rose: Look at alternative paving materials for the perimeter parking.
You need to provide parking for the maximum number of customers, however, some of
the parking could be pervious surface instead of asphalt.
Chair Barrett: During the holiday season, the Village in Corte Madera uses an unpaved
parking area across from the Center = could work in Petaluma also.
George White: Wanted clarification regarding Commissioner Rose's comments
regarding a different type of paving surface.
Council Member Healy: Suggested 511000 parking spaces for Kohl's and the city
standard of 3.3/1000 for the remainder of the square footage.
Commission was in agreement.
Detention Ponds:
Commissioner von Raesfeld: Want to encourage the applicant to make the detention
ponds look like a park.
Chair Barrett: The detention ponds lend itself to Commissioner Rose's idea for
impervious surface — suggested attaching this to parking area with pervious surface.
The commission agreed with the Site Plan and Architectural Review Committee's
recommendation to use this area as a landscape amenity, parking landscape reserve
and/or pervious paving.
Pedestrian /Bicycle Circulation:
Commissioner von Raesfeld: I am in agreement with where the applicant is showing the
pedestrian connections, however, they .look very linear. The connections need to work
and must be places that pedestrians will want to walls.
Commissioner McAllister: The east west connection is not very hospitable — would like
it to work more like a campus — increase the landscape buffer between Redwood
Technology and the Kohl's site.
Tamara Thompson: We have limitations because of the PG &E power lines.
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Planning Commission Minutes - September 23, 2003
1 Chair Barrett: Would like applicant to agree to develop a walkway around the detention
2 ponds. The pedestrian connection from the parking near the detention ponds going
3 toward Kohl's needs further development.
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5 Council Member Healy: G &G shopping center is a very successful model for pedestrian
6 connections.
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8 Commissioner von Raesfeld: Do not want to loose the first entry point into the site from
9 Redwood Way if the building pad A is enlarged.
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11 Commissioner Asselmeier: Would support that do not want to interfere with the
12 detention pond as well.
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14 Chair Barrett: Mitigation 27 AIR -2a — did not see this addressed by SPARC.
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16. George White: This will be addressed when the project goes back to SPARC
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18 Chair Barrett: Mitigation #29 AIR -2c — is that possible?
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20 George White: Is up to the applicant to demonstrate.
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22 Distribution lines:
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24 The commission supports the City's request to place all distribution utilities under
25 ground.
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27 Miscellaneous Commission comments:
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.29 .Commissioner Von Raesfeld: The applicant will need a demolition permit for the
30 existing building.
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32 George White: We can state that.
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34 Commissioner McAllister: Condition #14 regarding landscaping — does this apply to
35 both projects?
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37 George White: It only applies to Redwood Gateway.
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39 Commissioner McAllister: Want coordination between the applicants regarding the
40 landscaping and the landscape plan needs to go to SPARC.
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42 Commissioner Asselmeier: In approving this we will be allowing many possible uses is
43 this in the best interest of the City — do we want to say what is allowed here? Just wanted
44 to note that this site could turn into an office park.
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46 George White: You can expect changes to occur — the applicant is trying to cover all
47 possible uses.
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Planning Commission Minutes - September 23, 2003
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2 Council Member Healy: The applicant can respond to the Commission's comments and
3 SPARC will be the final decision maker regarding parking reserves, pedestrian
4 circulation and amenities, and additional landscaping.
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6 The Commission asked staff to look at some pervious surfaces and work with the
7 applicant through the design review process,
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9 Marty Parissenti: That is not a particularly good solution for this site because it is clay
10 and does not absorb the water.
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12 Chair Barrett: The parking reserve and detention pond is more important. SPARC will
13 look at the pedestrian connections and adequate width for paths - want the site to work
14 more like a campus.
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The Commission made the following recommendations to the applicant:
• Parking ratio of 5 /1000 square feet of retail for Kohl's and 3/1000 square feet of
retail for the rest of the Center.
• Detention ponds need to be upgraded as a landscape amenity to look more like a
park and will go to SPARC for approval.
• Support staff's recommendation for the under grounding of distribution wires..
• Support the traffic engineer's proposal for a continuous median on the North
McDowell frontage.
• Want to reword Condition 14 to state coordination between Redwood Technology
and Redwood Gateway for overall landscape master plan and pedestrian
connections.for SPARC review.
• Modify the "built to" envelope for Pad A so that the entrance to the site from
Redwood Way and North McDowell Boulevard is provided regardless of -the
building configuration.
• Stubb Road recommendation (pg. 5, line 16 -17).
• Improve pedestrian connections from Redwood Technology site by increasing
landscape buffer.
M/S Healy /von Raesfeld to forward a recommendation to the City Council to approve the
proposed amendment to the existing Planned Community District subject to the attached
findings and conditions and the recommendations of the Planning Commission. 7 -0
Public hearing ended at 10:25.
III. LIAISON REPORTS:
44 a. City Council: None
45 b. SPARC: Discussion with City Manager regarding goals, proposed a joint
46 SPARC and Planning Commission meeting. Rockridge Pointe was
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Planning Commission Minutes - September 23, 2003
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approved, Redwood Technology Center buildings were approved, Jay
Palm came for preliminary review..
c. Petaluma Bicycle Advisory Committee: City Manager came, Redwood
Technology came, Davidon project was reviewed. Commissioner
Asselmeier received a call from a property owner on Sunnyslope
regarding an. 8-foot fence.
d. Tree Advisory Committee: City Manager came and discussed goals and
objectives. New trees plantings suggested for the East Side.
Adjournment: 10:30
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