HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 01/20/1976n � '
AGENDA .
7
PETALUMA CITY PLANNING COMMISSION JANUARY 20, 1976
REGULAR MEETING 7:30 P.M.
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY,HALL PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA
The Planning Commission encourages applicants or their .representatives to be
availz�ble at the meetings to answer questions, so that no agenda items need
he deferred to a later date due to a lack of pertinent information.
FLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
r
ROLL CALL: ?' Comm. Bond I Head Hilligoss Horciza Popp
„
Waters Wright
STAFF: Dennis Boehlje, Planning Director
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
CORRESPONDENCE
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.I, SONON?E1 COUN'fY R[;1?EKRAL: Rol
erg 'Berto7ucri - Site design review regtaest for
property' located at 2480 Bodega Avenue: in a C -2P
y
District for a meat cutting and wrapping operation
with a long- range projection for .retail service.
PROPOSED RELOCATION OF Continuation of Public Hearing to consider the
HILLCREST HOSPITAL - adequacy of the EIR submitted by'Elgar Hill &
EIR EVALUATION Associates, as its completion in compliance
CONTINUANCE: with State guidelines, for the proposed relocation
p' of Hillcrest Hospital.
OTHER BUSINESS: Review of proposed 'flood plain zoning designations
for the City of Petaluma..
1D.:; OURNMENT
I ds "
M I N U T E S
PETALUMA CITY PLANNING COMMISSION JANUARY 20, 1976
GULAR MEETING 7:30 P.M.
ITY 'COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA
'PRESENT: Co ., Ho
P mm. Bond Head* Hill.'g *, rciza, Popp'., Waters', 'Wright*
Comm. Hilligoss arrived` at 7:40 p.m.; Comm., Wright departed at
8:35 p.m.; Comm. Head departed at' p.m.
ABSENT: None
STAFF: Dennis Boehlje, Planning Director
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of January 6, 1976, were as submitted.
CORRESPONDENCE:S, Mr. Boeh'lje asked for an indication of which Commissioners plan -
ned to go t'o the 1976 Planning C'ommissioner's Institute in San
Francisco to be held February 4 -6, 1976. It was determined that
Comm iss "ioners Bond, Hilligoss and'Head would attend.
Mr. Boehlje informed the Commission that another institute en-
titled "On'''Shaky" 'Ground "'was being presented by ABAG on February
llt:h and 12th_. He advised that the session on Thursday was aimed
primarily at people who make plans and implementation measures
for seismic safety. Mr. Boehlje stated he felt it was a timely
conference for 'those who could attend, since the Commission would
" • �' be reviewing the Seismic Safety,Element for the City of Petaluma
within the next few weeks. He also advised that money was in the
budget for those who wished to att'end'.
Comm. Head ,stated that he wished to attend both conferences, but
would prefer to pay for them himself,, since he would be deriving
benefits over and above what would be - required to serve as a
Planning Commissioner. He stated he realized that funds were
available, but a'ls'o realized that the funds would come out of the
taxpayers'' pocket, and it was not his intention to cause the
taxpayers any expense..
SONOMA COUNTY . Rdbert „,Bertolucci - 'Site design review request for property
REFERRAL: loca`-ted at 2480 Bodega Avenue in a C -2P District for a meat
cutting and wrapping operation:
The proposal was briefly reviewed. Mr. Boehlje advised that the
Commission would have to deal with whether they wished to support
the Sonoma County ' "designation for C -2P zoning, or the City's
General Plan and` Environmental Design Plan, which show rural and
agricultural open space u'ses,.respectively.
Comm. Head stated.that the General 30 acres of
commercial usage in the Lohrman Lane area, and asked if this
amount actually exists. Mr. Boehlje replied that the commercial
zoning'''iri this area was in excess of 30 acres. Comm, Head went
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Petaluma City Planning Commissi.on•Minutes, January 20,1976
on to say he did not know how the staff could say the usage was
contrary to the plans of the,Cty of Petaluma, since the General
Plan design,'ated the area as 'terminal, and, the. Ecologic Plan
designated it as being in „a. study area Mr. Boehljp informed Mr.
Head' that the subjIect, .property is two . lots : removed*, from the area
indicated on the City General' Plan' as Transitional, and also
outside the Special Study Area indicated on the E.D.P. Comm.
Head inquired if,it was the County's intent to rezone this,
property; since two weeks ago,the staff had. asked the, Comm ssion,-
to certify the Sonoma. County'.Genera11 Plan as being is agreement
with the City''s p:lans,, •and the subject property already indicated
a conflict... Mr. Boehlje, informed him that ', he was not aware of
any conflict in 'the proposed County' `General Plan designation for
this area but was concerned, only with the °commerc al• zoning
designation, which :is an entirely different matter than a General
Plan designation.
Comm. Bond stated he felt the'staff had reacted properly. He
went on to say that he felt the Study Area, and the
Transitional area designations should run.pa at the same
distance on both sides of Bodega Avenue, and he therefore re-
commended that "the Envirbnmental*Design-Plan and General .Plan be
changed 'accordiiigly.
'Mr. Boehl J e:stated that the addendum report_,liad been prepared on -
the possibility that the Commission might, disagree with the
General Plan,desilgfiati6n; therefore,, the staff had recommended
conditions for a iq-p rai. •
Comm. Wright questioned-if ' ,the General Plan would have to be
changed before the, Commission c'ould:approve, the subject site
design:. Mr. Boeh -lie replied that it would not have to be changed
first If it was. the ', nten,t of the .'Commission to change it at the
earliest possible date•. . ,Comm. Popp expressed concern about
addin g more commerczal'usa�e into this area of the County.
g. ,
Comm. Head moved to recommend to the County Planning Department
that the City has no - .obj ection to the proj'ect:” Chairman "Horc'iza
informed him that the. site plans should be discussed first,.
Comm. Head resp,onded the',p'lans had, been drawn up by a li=
eensed 'architect who is an autho"
riay; : on` th&.su.b.j:ect; and he
therefore felt they sriould'be adequate to meet the needs of the
community
Chairman .Horc_za asked: Mr.. B _ erto.lucci if the conditions as spe-
cified in the staff report were acceptable to him.. Mr. Berto-
1ucci' replied 'that lie. was in . with: the conditions.
Comm.. Popp. questioned what, was planned •for. the nest of the, site.
Mr, Bertolucci replied that he would be living in the a'dj'acent
house and ,there were no ,plans - for the remainder of the f ive -acre
parcel.. A discussion •followed regarding the :zoning of the property
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Petaluma City Planning Commission Minutes, January 20, 1976
It was clarified that 'the property consisted of only one parcel,
but the; zoning °d'es `-g na`tion^',bf8 it, with the property to the
west 'zon'ed- fbt agricultural- use,..
Comm. Wright questioned if li,fie'commercial. activity would be
expanded later. °Mi Bert'o?lucci replied they would not have a
retail counter, 'but would °� b`e str ictly a cut ',and wrap operation.
Comm.' Bond'moved to`forward a- letter to the °Sonoma County Plan -
g. p ''n ,support 'of+ the applicant's desire to use this
nin Department,
property 'for' the commercial, interest d'esi'gnated, and also suggest
to them adoption of the side'design conditions #1 through #4
as ind :cat,edp by' the .staff . He added , the` recommendation that, in
the process of reviewing the E:D,.P..'and General Plan, the Com-
mi.ssion amend - .thes.e documents to wref,lect an extension of the
Special" Study' Area and.' the Transitional ar.ea.along Bodega Avenue.
The motion was seconded by Comm. Wright.
NOES 1 'ABSENT 0,
ji ,
Comm. .Popp qualified his • "No" Vote :by stating that, although he
was in agreement wi.th the change - to the C'i'ty plans as recommended,
he not - 'feel that additional commercial ventures in this area
shouldl "'be, al--lowed simply 'because other commercial activities
existed.
` TION
OPOSED ''RELOCA
OF Chairman Horciza�mformed ahe and 'fence that the public hearing to
HILLCREST HOSPITAL -
consider t'he adequacy of the E.I.R. submitted by Elgar Hill and
'EIR EVALUATION 9 .
11
Associates'*!for the proposed relocation' of H'llcrest Hospital was
CONTINUANCE: "'
now continued. Mr.-Boehlj:e ztated'that he:felt the consultant
- bad addressed all areas ind cat,e,d'by the,reviewing agencies and
the sta''ff , u and although -they- had not: answered in every case with
a great - deal of° information., when they had not, they had stated
the appropriate limiting cl:ause.- He advised that he felt the
Ii
E. i z6bpIked with State ,and :loca1 guide`l:ines, and therefore
recommended certification of the.E�.'I..R. as presented. Mr.
Boehl' advised that "the consul'trant, Mr.. El:gar Hill, was present
to answer any! questions.
Chai man'Horc za asked the audirencelcif•they had any. comments
the E.I..:R. .addendum. 'No,-resp•onse was given.
Comm'. Bond stated he.:wished to` hear •from Mr. Cowen:, the Hllcrest
Ho 'spit'al :Admin.istrator as to , th'e hos'p'ital''s •purpose in pursuing
the E.1.'R6 and what use they would. make of it:. Mr. Cowen n-
formed the Commission that even though' the .'tax override election
in PN6 ember was defeated -,. "a Citizens' "Advi'!s'ory Council -had been
formed to .examine' alternatives. He stated that although it was
ely that the .Hospital District could "come ,up with the neces-
`
s p �� �. y ,�,�
ary money;,° there was the ossb'lit tha't� pan investor' -owned
hospital chain might choose to build in Petaluma instead of the
®
District. Mr. Cowen added that all of''.the firms the Council. had
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Petaluma City Planning Commission Minutes, January 20, 1976
talked to- ha,d-.t:h .5ame concerns about.the existing site that the
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Hospital Board had,', 'and-, it therefore might ,,come to pass that
someone: would be asking for approval to build on the Troudy Lane
site.:.,
Mr. Cowen referred ..to, the E,..I,.,R.- which stated that the growth-
inducing 'impact for-- the proposed hospital would be nil, and
questioned how -ths diff-grence.bf opinion would be ironed out.
Mr. Boehlj.e replied that there would always be disagreement. on
-the part of; iqdIvI duals i both in and out of the. Cit
as to whether
there is actua -lly a growth - inducing. impact-, but in'the best
judgement..of the consultant; there would be,aminimum, impact;
-based on the experience in other com-munit'I' He, went onto say
that the City would, do evorythl-Ing.possib, le. to. zone * Areas around.
the hospita. site properly to limit any Adverse effects on the
area as- a whole;..
'Mr. Cowen asked•�if an :E.I..R. wpuld be necessary if Hillcrest
would have to be enlarged on.its :present site. 'Mr. Boehlje
replied that it was a -possibility., He 'further explained that the
procedure would ,be f or a ,;staf analysis to determine what was
necessary for the, environmental review of theisit&, and the
Planning- Commission would . then determine whether a Negative
Dec I laration or an E.I.R. was in order.,
Chairman Horci q Mr. Elg HAl,xega' tfi'e' i stat e
went in the that there would, be no ,potential, significant
increase in growth - due to : - construction of! the. •hospItAI.
Elg4r Hill stated that..the E.L.R. did not say. def initely•,that
there would be' a minimal.-growth, Or that the growth 'would. be :nil,
it only said there was.n.o Anflormat•on available concerning. hos-
pitals, of thi type and -size, •n '.this size of a city to pin down
the amount of gto.wPh. ;jnduc involved., H 'e - went, on to say
that., as noted : the -.addendum, after looking at other hospi,'tals
of, a similar isize-, there seems be no definite statistical
information that c�ould ti a hospital to a 'great deal of growth
inducement.- Mr.- 111 :advi'sed that' . it would- be related somewhat
to the office use that, woujd, along with a hospital, and
with the method in which services would be extended for"that
th than.
area. Comm,. �Po 'p 1 . , questioned 'if there would be. - more' -grow
presently, exists, a - ` HI 11 replied that it' would havej some
growth inducement effects but there was no way of qualifying
exactly how muth - woVU occur., He added that the increase in
doctors and employees. ,was not consldere.d a significant growth
increase, ' aqd,that there, was no evidence that. residential growth
-occurs inAoi3,pital- areas Mr., Rill reiterated' that the method in
which services. Are extended would have an . f ect on growth
iftd'uc.ement-,_; �since to!,�extend services along a large, stretch of
unimproved land would-- be a :potential-, for development He added
that-.was not,! the :ca A e in this ; situation,• since there were. only a
limited amount of - extensions that could be' made
it • . .,
....
Petaluma
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City Planning Commission Minutes.;. January 20,•1976;
GG
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Comm. Bond asked Mre ^ .Hll-f, there was: any significant infor-
mation in.11the addendum report'. that, .was, not a. part of the draft
E.I.R. Mr. Hill „replied.t'here were no significant changes.
Comm. Hilli.goss' asked if the'traffic problems noted by the Sonoma
County'Public Works Department had.been.d'ealt with. Mr. Hill
0
stated . h'e had called,-on the- who had made the negative
comment_, azi'd” although it" had ''appeared' in the letter that the'
individual was calling .for. an -addi,tiona:l •traffic study, :he had.
stated this was not his intent and he:did not think it was
necessary. Mr.- `Boehlje stated that a traffic study might be
necessary at some.future- date. Comm. Bond questioned if a future
traffic study would be based on a more precise design, and if it
would _make a,� di'ff erence as to :how the °t raffic was brought out
onto the.Boulevard.. Mr. Hill.- replied in the affirmative, stating
that the more specific the information, the more valid a traffic
study _•wou.l'd,,,ijb e .
The Publi.c,,Hearing was closed.. Comm. Wright stated he thought
the, questions, raised in the E,.I.'R., had been sufficiently an-
swered. Comm. 'Popp agreed,.but stated he was in favor of ex-
pansion at the.existing site. It.was.his opinion that the site
was originally,,. built for expansion and the situation must be
approached realistically in terms of cost. Comm. Bond stated he
realized the economic problems- associated with the Troudy Lane
site, but from strictly trictly planning standpoint, he felt the hos-
piital should .be ,constructed there.
Comm. Wright, ,asked Mr. Cowen if,,,,;the . Board was considering al-
lowing, outside investors to . come into Petaluma. Mr. Cowen
advised.' the Advisory Council.had interviewed seven or eight
"
firms , who :would,.,be, putting,.their•,.proposals in writing next week.
The Advisory. Council would then.I.make a recommendation to the
Board of Di.recto-rs.in early February with the intent to fund a
hospital tax funds.. Comm .Wright questioned if the
hospital district, would then, go.,,outl, of business. Mr. Cowen
replied that.there.could not 'be two hospitals in Petaluma. Comm.
-Bond questioned if an investor -owned company could come in
I. without the vote of the people of,the City. Mr. Cowen. stated it
'Icould �'�be�. done., but he did not feel it would. be handled that way,
but would be taken to•the voters for consideration. Comm Bond
asked how the.. .Council came into being.. Mr. Cowen
reelied, that after the, bond election there were a number of irate
taxpayers who asked to be recognized 'and the:Hospital Board did
so. He.expla.ined that the Council consisted of approximately 35
.members, chaired by Mr. Alexander, who'looked at alternate
solutions.
Comm. Wright made,a motion to recommend..to the City Council that
the E.I.R. and addendum material certified as being in com-
pliance with State and local guidelines'. Bond seconded the
�
.Comm.
motion.
AYES 7 NOES 0 ABSENT 0
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Petaluma 'City Planning Commission Minutes,-January-20, 1976
Comm. Bond stated ^that Santa Rosa ,is completing an E.I.R. for
reference material Aftd asked if Petaluma was doing anything of
that nature, and if it was fea'sib'le. Mr. Boehlj`e replied, that in
a sense the,Environmental Resources •System which.COMARC Design
Systems has designed provides a.great deal'of this type of
information, but it is not an-E.I.R.
OTHER BUSINESS: Mr. Boehlje informed the; I Commission that .he had recently learned
that the' City' of•'.P,etaluma would .not have to act on its proposed
flood plain -'zoning{ designation. until after a• rate study' has been
carried out by the Army Corps of Engineers., Therefore, the
deadline for ^ estab'li'shing flood plain zones ha'd been changed
until siX. months'after the. results of the rate study are pub -
lished, which•would, mean that the zoning need' not. be established
for at least "another year. Mr. .Boehlj'e.advised, the item could be
removed from the agenda by the consensus of the,Commission.
Comm. Head moved 'that- the Commission drop this item from the
agenda.. Chairman Horciza questioned if anyone,was present with
regard to this item, aid no response was given. Mr. Boehlje
stated that °th;e - matter had `not been noticed for -;publc hearing at
this time. The Commis:sioi determined by genera.l.conce.nsus to
remove the flood plain zoning'desighdtion consideration from the
agenda.
Mr. Boehlje- • stated he had further bus'iness'to discuss. Comm. •
Head moved for adjournment, but the motion died ,for lack of •a.
second.
Mr. Boehlje informed the`'Commission that the City Council, had
discu'sse'd the Bod`ega .Aveftu'ey /P'aiila. Lane rezoning at their last
meeting and had come up'w t'h*a recommendation that they wished
the to consider. "He then explained the proposal for
R- 1- 10,000:zoning in the'southern portion of the area and R -1-
20,:000 zoning' in the' orth'ern portion.. Mr.'Boehlje clarified
' that'd specific area ' han would have to be adopted at a later
time for the placemen't ®f' streets. Comm. Bond staged he felt the
Commission was losing'sight °of the original incentive, since part
of the effec,tiveness'' of : the. proposed rezoning was the road
system, and the Commi "ssion had alreadly informed, the Council of
their recommendation - Mr. Boehlje advised since the
Council's determination was different than that of the Commis-
_. � _ _._._ of,
the
it had to be, referred, back to the Commission for tonsi-
deration. 'He - further clarified that if the Commission turns down
the suggested rezonings:, could be appealed to the City Council.
-Mr. B'o.ehlje. advised the Commission that at the next meeting they
would,be once again looking'at the Qantas Planned Community
District zoning since a revised site plan had, been submitted.
He explained that' ' th i s revised 'site 'Plan extended Maria 'Drive
across the applicanC s propert y and moved, multi- family area
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Petaluma,City Planning Commission Minutes, January 20, 1976
adjacent to the creek. He clarified that since the location, of
:,• the multi - family and ,single - family units had been changed, it
Id would have to go back to the Commission for consideration.
Comm. Bond questioned what act -ion was being taken on. the ex-
tens.i.on of the 5 -year Environmental Design Plan. Comm. Hilligoss
flf stated the Council, would consider what approach to take at the
next .Council meeting. Mr. Boehlje _added that the Council would
review the specific policies indicated in the Environmental
Design,Plan and would then determine, what approach the Commission
shou.ld't'ake. Comm.. Waters voiced hiis objection, stating that the
Environmental Design Plan had started.with the Planning Commis -
sion. He felt it was up to the Planning Commission to have a
study session to evaluate the E.D..P. and to determine whether it
should be extended, and then make' & recommendation according to
the City Council.
y i Comm„ Bond ,questioned if there was to be a new Police Station.
Comm. Hilligoss clarified that Federal funds may be available for
a public safety building, and it was the intent to use these
funds fora new Police Station. It was also clarified that the
I'" + parking lot•under construction was 'pant of the site design re-
viewed by the Commission for the temporary Police building.
II, I
I �III d� ,.
WDJ'OURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeeting adjourned at 8:55
p.m.
a'
Attest:
I• Ihb q...
All
Chairman
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