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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-08-08 PC Action Minutes Special MeetingCity Hall 1315 Valley Drive Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 City of Hermosa Beach Action Minutes - Final Planning Commission Chair David Pedersen Vice Chair Stephen Izant Commissioners Peter Hoffman Rob Saemann Marie Rice 6:00 PMMonday, August 8, 2022 I. CALL TO ORDER The Planning Commission Special Meeting was held virtually pursuant to Executive Order AB 361 issued by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 16, 2021. The meeting was called to order by Chair David Pedersen at 6:02 pm. II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Chair Pedersen. III. ROLL CALL Chair David Pedersen, Vice Chair Stephen Izant, Commissioner Rob Saemann, Commissioner Peter Hoffman, and Commissioner Marie Rice Present:5 - Absent:0 All Planning Commission members attended in-person in the Council Chambers. Also attending in-person: Jeannie Naughton, Community Development Director Christy Teague, Senior Planner Melanie Hall, Interim Associate Planner Johnathon Masi, Assistant Planner Melanie Bristow, Administrative Assistant Attending remotely: Patrick Donegan, Assistant City Attorney IV. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION -- ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS Page 1City of Hermosa Beach August 8, 2022Planning Commission Action Minutes - Final a.REPORT 22-0503 WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS (Administrative Assistant Melanie Bristow) The following people provided public comment: 1. Brian Dunn (in-person) 2. Laura Pena (virtually) 3. Jon David (virtually) Motion by Commissioner Rice and seconded by Commissioner Hoffman to receive and file written communications. Motion carried as follows: Aye:Chair Pedersen, Vice Chair Izant, Commissioner Saemann, Commissioner Hoffman, and Commissioner Rice 5 - Absent:0 V. REVIEW AND DISCUSSION a.REPORT 22-0504 INFORMATION ONLY: PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE (Administrative Assistant Melanie Bristow) b.REPORT 22-0499 COMPREHENSIVE ZONING CODE UPDATE: DISTRICT AND DESIGN STANDARDS (Assistant Planner Melanie Hall) Martha Miller of Miller Planning Associates presented a presentation on the district and design standards. She also did a review of what was discussed during the July special meeting of the Planning Commission. Commissioner Saemann began questioning session by asking if the discretionary allowance includes the finding of air and light and if so, would it be possible to remove that allowance. Saemann said he was unsure of where the allowance of air & light came from. Chair Pedersen said he approves of the allowance of air & light. Commissioner Hoffman stated that the issue comes up very rarely and can be handled on a case-by-case basis. Vice Chair Izant and Commissioner Rice both support it as it is currently written. Regarding requiring a 14-foot minimum ground floor height in Commercial Zones, Commissioner Hoffman inquired if there is a minimum in the existing standard. Consultant Martha Miller said there is in fact a 12-foot minimum currently. Commissioner Hoffman believes they should allow flexibility. The Commissioners all agreed on eliminating the 14-foot minimum ground floor height requirement in Commercial Zones. Vice Chair asked how the Planning Commission can proceed on modifying the allowable FAR. Chair Pedersen suggested to bring back the question regarding the allowable FAR during another meeting. Chair Rice agreed and said they should compile a list of items to bring back for discussion, then bring to Council. Page 2City of Hermosa Beach August 8, 2022Planning Commission Action Minutes - Final Planning Commission all agreed upon this. During Local Designer Input, the Planning Commission showed surprise and disappointment with the lack of participation from local businesses in providing feedback. Chair Pedersen asked Staff what the next steps in order are to get more input. Vice Chair Izant said he felt that Staff did a good job trying to obtain feedback from local businesses. Commissioner Rice said she can see the effort that was put into putting together a menu of options for style standards. She appreciates the welcoming exterior but would rather see a list of what they do not want to see, as opposed to a list of what is permissible. Chair Pedersen stepped in and directed the conversation back to focusing on encouraging feedback from the local business community. Senior Planner Christy Teague summarized the staff efforts to get public feedback from both businesses and residents. Most feedback received was for Single-Family, and not for Commercial or Multi-Family. Commissioner Hoffman noted that all three public comments provided today were members from the Stakeholders group of the Economic Development Committee. He said this process of appeal does indeed affect costs and that should not be ignored. Chair Pedersen officially moved the group to items five and six, Design Standards & Modification Process. Commissioner Saemann feels that moldings, projections, etc. should not be required. He said it should be more clearly defined by what they do not want to see, and not what they do want to see. Chair Pedersen questioned if the Modification Process is agreeable. He feels that it is an agreeable modification process but that more details need to be added. Vice Chair Izant agreed with Chair Pedersen’s comments. Commissioner Hoffman asked Community Director Jeannie Naughton how he would know if his neighbor was undergoing a modification process? Director Naughton explained the public notification process. She stated that the process can be modified to set up a more efficient review process. Director Naughton said that a timeline for a smaller project that did not need Planning Commission approval would take approximately two months or less. This timeline includes the appeal process timeline. Costs would be incurred for mailings and staff time. Commissioner Saemann asked what the current process is to request a modification in design standards. Director Naughton stated that currently there are no SFR standards or objective design standards in place. She also suggested that it be kept in mind that objective design standards do provide assurance and confidence in knowing what can and can’t be built. Director Naughton suggested separating multifamily/commercial and single-family residences. Chair Pedersen questioned again if this is a fair modification process. Vice Chair Izant, Chair Pedersen and Commissioner Rice agreed that this is a fair modification process. Commissioner Hoffman and Commissioner Saemann both felt this is not a fair modification process. During Single Unit Development, Chair Pedersen asked what percentage of houses that are already built in Hermosa would fit into these standards. Interim Associate Planner Melanie Hall responded that although that percentage is not known, the photo examples included in the presentation are all current houses in Hermosa. Martha Miller suggested that they may want to state a limit of blank wall lengths. Commissioner Saemann asked if it is necessary to go into detail on what defines a change of material. Vice Chair Izant felt that it would be better to Page 3City of Hermosa Beach August 8, 2022Planning Commission Action Minutes - Final provide articulations than to say what they do not want to see. Commissioner Rice agreed with Vice Chair Izant. Chair Pedersen decided to call for a consensus on what items to keep and what items to eliminate. For Single Unit Development, the Planning Commission reached a consensus to delete 1. Building Entrances and 2. Window Trim/Recess, and to keep but modify 3. Articulation. For Multi-Unit Developments, the Planning Commission reached a consensus to delete 3. Window Trim or Recess, and to keep 1. Building Entrances, 2. Building Length, 4. Articulation & 5. Curb Cuts. For Commercial Development, Commissioner Hoffman agrees with creating a pedestrian friendly downtown district. He is generally okay with the standards provided, but questions whether it the number of windows required should be dictated and, he has concerns regarding the 40% parking. Chair Pedersen shared that he does not like having offices on the first floor and agreed that those areas should host retail stores or dining establishments. Commissioner Saemann agrees with Chair Pedersen. Vice Chair Izant feels that these design standards are fine as written. Commissioner Rice also felt that these are fine as written but also shares Hoffman’s concerns. Commissioner Rice says to “make it transparent on transparency.” Chair Pedersen said he likes the direction this is going. Vice Chair Izant concurred but requested to see some loosening of the language on page 13, Pedestrian Amenities on Pier Avenue. He would not want to see benches on upper pier. VI. ADJOURNMENT TO THE AUGUST 16, 2022 PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING Motion by Commissioner Rice and seconded by Commissioner Saemann to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried as follows: Aye:Chair Pedersen, Vice Chair Izant, Commissioner Saemann, Commissioner Hoffman, and Commissioner Rice 5 - Absent:0 The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 PM. Page 4City of Hermosa Beach