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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC_Minutes_1973_05_14MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, HERMOSA BEACH, ON MONDAY, MAY 14, 197 3, 7 :30 P. M. ROLL CALL: Present: Absent: Comm. Lagan, Mulfinger, Rosenberger, Toole, Watters and Chairman Noble Comm. Collis Chairman Noble announced that Comma Collis was ill and appointed Comm. Mul- finger temporary Secretary. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by Comm. Toole, second by Comm. Lagan, to approve the minutes of the April 9, 1973 and April 23, 1973 meetings as submitteda Ayes: Comm. Lagan, Mulfinger, Rosenberger, Toole, Watters and Chair- man Noble Noes: None Absent: Comm. Collis Chairman Noble asked City Planner Crawford what action had been taken on the letter submitted to the City Council by the Planning Commission at their last meeting. Mr. Crawford said that the letter had been presented to the Council on May 1, as a non-agenda item and that no official action had been taken on it. He said there was no mention in the minutes as having been received or filed or any discussion having taken place concerning it. Commo Toole asked if it would have been discussed in a personnel session, and if so, whether a record would be kept of the discussiono Mr. Crawford said that no record is kept of personnel sessions, but normally any actions taken are announced at the regular meeting following the personnel session. Comm. Toole said that he would then presume that the City Council chose not to take action. if there was no note of the letter. Comm. Lagan said he felt that if the Council did not show the Commission the courtesy to at least resp0nd to them, that he was very perturbed about it. Chairman Noble added that he also felt that the Commission should have received an answer to a letter presented two weeks previously, and that the Council should have paid them the courtesy to acknowledge receipt. City Planner Crawford said the Council had received the letter on Tuesday evening, May 1, at 7 :30 p. m. , and that the City Clerk had been on vacation last week so that the Council could not reply to the letter through her during that period if they had made a decision. He said that this week they were at a meeting in Sacramento, and so it would have been more difficult than usual to responda -1-PC Minutes 5/14/7 3 .. Comm. Lagan said he thought the Commission should adjourn until they received a response from the City Counci1 Chairman Noble said they could not properly operate as a body unless they had some guideline so Comm. Toole said the Council had overruled the recommendations of the Commission and he thought it would help to convene to a joint workshop meeting because the Com- mission could not function properly as it was not getting the proper guidance from the City Council at this time. He suggested a meeting in a week at which time the Com- mission specifically request that the Council make themselves available. Chairman Noble expressed concern for the persons in attendance at the meeting for scheduled public hearings, which might have to be re-advertised. City Planner Craw- ford advised that the meeting could be adjourned until 8:30 p. m. at which time the public hearings could be continued until their next regular meeting date if the Com- mission so desiredo Comma Rosenberger asked to be informed as to what the Commissioners had been discussing. Comm. Toole said it was Comm. Rosenberger•s appointment to the Planning Com- mission and his total inability to serve as a Planning Commissioner. Comm. Rosenberger asked on what did he base this remark. Chairman Noble read the following letter which had been sent to the City Council: "Gentlemen: We are contacting your body to voice our concern over the recent replacement you appointed for Laird Stabler to the Hermosa Beach Planning Commission. With the advent of recent Council decisions to upgrade certain sectors of our City, which will require considerable additional time and expertise from the members of the Planning Commission in order to implement a program of this stature, it is felt that the most recent appointee does not possess this exper- tise in the field of planningo Through proper screening of many qualified residents who would be willing to serve their community, we feel quite strongly that the Council could provide the Planning Commission with members who can bring knowledge and experience to the commission at this crucial time. It is further recommended that the Council and the Planning Commission meet at the earliest convenience for all concerned to discuss this matter. Joe B. Noble, Chairman for the Members of the Hermosa Beach Planning Commission" -2-PC Minutes 5/14/7 3 , . .. Chairman Noble added that in his opinion, Comm. Rosenberger did not possess ex- pertise in this regard. Comm. Rosenberger asked what experience did he lack? Comm. Lagan replied that the Board of Zoning Adjustments was created to take some of the workload of the Planning Commission, and when a vacancy occurred on the Planning Commission, these people wlth expertise could be appointed. He said he felt there were people on the Board of Zoning Adjustments who could have been appointed to this vacancy. Comm. Rosenberger said the City Council had chosen otherwise. Comm. Toole said that he expected that Comm. Rosenberger would rubber stamp what the Council said. Chairman Noble said that he resented Mr. Rosenberger•s appointment with tremen- dous compassion because of his involvement in the Sister City proposal to an enemy country. Comm. Rosenberger said that he would be involved in city business and not past issues. Comm. Watters said that tremendous pressure had been brought on the Planning Commission because of Mr. Rosenberger•s suggestion that Hermosa Beach become a Sister City to support a country that was killing American men, and it was a burden on the officials that serve the city. He said that Hermosa Beach was getting a repu- tation of becoming another Berkeley; and this was a very emotional matter. He said he thought Mr. Rosenberger's attitudes had come with him and were very relevant to the problem. He said he had tried to bring this matter to a solution before this time and the Commission should have been able to meet with the City Council; but that the City Council had had the arrogance to ignore what the Commission had felt very strongly about and he was very sorry to see it carried as far as it has been. Chairman Noble said that in all fairness to the city that this was the best way. He said that resignations had been c'onsidered1 and also boycotts. He continued that this was a critical ti.me for Hermosa Beach, and he felt that finally after many years they had the best Planning Commission that they had had in the thirteen years that he had served. He said he would hate to lose the solidarity because of an unwise Council decision. He felt that now was the ti.me to meet with the City Council and discuss their aims and views and see if they were political ploys or Planning Commissioners. Motion by Comm. Toole, second by Comm. Mulfinger, to adjourn the meeting until 8:30 p. m. Ayes: Noes: Absent: Comm. Lagan, Mulfinger, Toole, Watters and Chairman Noble Comm. Rosenberger Comm. Collis -3-PC Minutes 5/14/73 The regular meeting of the Planning Commission reconvened at 8:30 p. m. Chairman Noble said that prior to the recess they had been discussing certain matters which made it imposs:ible for the Commission to hold the scheduled public hearingso Motion by Comm. Toole, second by Comm. Rosenberger, to address a letter to the City Council: Ayes: Noes: "Please be advised that the Hermosa Beach Planning Commission is hereby publicly notifying the Hermosa Beach City Council of their intention to adjourn this meeting to a regularly adjourned Joint Meeting with the Hermosa Beach City Council to be held Monday, May 21, 1973 at 7:30 p. m0 in the Council Chambers of the Hermosa Beach City Hallo The purpose of this joint meeting will be to discuss only the subject matter covered in our letter to the Council dated May 1, 1973. The Planning Commission feels that this action is imperative in order to main- tain the best interests of the public and community we serve. All other matters on the agenda of this meeting will be continued until our regularly scheduled meeting of May 29, 1973. Hermosa Beach Planning Commission" Comm. Lagan, Mulfinger, Rosenberger, Toole, Watters and Chair- man Noble None Absent: Comm. Collis Comm. Rosenberger said that he begged the indulgence of those in the audience who had attended this meeting tonight for the hearings because he knew it represented a lot of money to them and he hoped that they would get a fair hearing at a reasonably near date. He was also sorry that a personal issue had prevented them from getting their hearings. Comm. T9ole said he was equally sorry. ADJOURNMENT: 8:40 Pama until May 21, 1973 at 7:30 Pom. ,(lER TIFICA TION / I he~eb§. th-at eg • a-• o e City ---- ~ B JAMES D. COLLIS, SECRETARY -4-PC Minutes 5/14/7 3 NOTICE Notice is hereby given that a special meeting of the City Planning Commission of Hermosa Beach has been scheduled for 6:00 p.m., May the 18th, 1973 in the Council Chambers of City Hall to discuss personnel matters with the City Council. 1foe B1• Noble, Chairman Planning Commission City of Hermosa Beach