Loading...
09/03/2009 i' IY 1 Community and Economic Development Department ' I CALIFORNIA GRAND TERRACE PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 3,2009 The regular meeting of the Grand Terrace Planning Commission was called to order at the, Grand Terrace Civic Center,22795 Barton Road, Grand Terrace. California, on September 3,2009, at 6:30 mm.. by Chairman Doug Wilson. PRESENT: Doug Wilson, Chairman Matthew Addington, Vice Chairman Darcy McNaboe, Commissioner Tom Comstock, Commissioner Robert Bailes, Commissioner Joyce Powers, Community and Economic Development Director Sandra Molina, Senior Planner Mari Montes, Secretary 6:30 P.M.: CONVENE SITE AND ARCHITECTURE REVIEW BOARD/ PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING Chairman Wilson convened the Site and Architectural Review Board/Planning Commission meeting. • Call to Order • Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call • Public address to Commission shall be limited to three minutes unless extended by the Chairman. Should you desire to make a longer presentation, please make written request to be agendized to the Director of Community and Economic Development 22795 Barton Road • Grand Terrace, California 92313-5295 • 909/ 824-6621 1 Joyce Powers, Community and Economic Development Director—We swore in Bob Bailes as our new Planning Commissioner Wednesday, yesterday, by the City Clerk so he is ready to go. He might want to tell you a little bit about himself,but I'll just say we are very pleased to have him and we have been meeting with him giving him lots of information, so he is trying to get up to speed. Doug Wilson, Chairman—Mr. Bailes the microphone is yours if you'd like to tell a little about yourself and some of your impressions in the last week. Robert Bailes, Commissioner—My name is Robert S. Bailes,born in Victorville so I never got far from San Bernardino County. Raised in the Mohave Desert,became employed as a Deputy Sheriff of San Bernardino County. Stationed in Barstow and came down to what we call Central in the early 70's and moved to Grand Terrace. Retired 10 years ago as a Captain from the San Bernardino County Sheriff and have lived in Grand Terrace since 1972. Been around and involved in the City over the years, probably a lot of people probably don't know me but I know a lot of people. It's been interesting. My impression is I will give this another try. I applied once before for the Planning Commission and the paperwork got in too late and I did not make it that time. But that was years ago and so I applied again and the board seemed to be impressed, I guess,with what I had to say so here I am. As I told Doug, I am looking forward to his leadership and the same with the rest of you, your leadership and knowledge,hopefully I will do the right thing for Grand Terrace. Thank you. GENERAL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: Denis W. Kidd,22874 Pico Street—I am with the Friends of Blue Mountain. I read this headline in the Loma Linda City News last week, "A Prospective Eagle Scout Makes a Difference". Well,this prospective Eagle Scout is in charge of a project to install trail names in the Loma Linda trail system. I'll tell you Loma Linda has put Grand Terrace to shame. We have 20 acres of wilderness open space park on Blue Mountain, Loma Linda has like 1,500 acres in the badlands,there south of the City.Now, why can't we be more like Loma Linda, buy some open space land? Chairman Wilson—Thank you Mr. Kidd, I'll have you know that I remember the history of that and that land was dedicated to the City back in 1978 or somewhere in that direction. So I am much in favor of your committee and let's hope some good things happen from that. Any others that would like to come up and address the Planning Commission? Seeing no takers,then we'll move on to item number 1,the first item on the agenda is Selection of the Planning Commission Chairman and Vice Chairman for fiscal year 2009-2010. The recommendation is, select a Planning Commission Chairman and Vice Chairman, can't get much simpler than that. 2 ITEMS: 1. SUBJECT Selection of the Planning Commission Chairman and Vice Chairman for Fiscal Year 2009-2010 MOTION PC 25-2009 Vice Chairman Addington made a motion to nominate Doug Wilson as Chairman of the Planning Commission for the next term,fiscal year 2009-2010 Second by Commissioner Comstock. Motion carries 5-0. Chairman Wilson—Thank you for that unanimous vote. Then we will vote for Vice Chairman for fiscal year 2009-2010. MOTION PC 26-2009 Chairman Wilson made a motion to nominate Matthew Addington as Vice Chairman of the Planning Commission for the next term,fiscal year 2009-2010 Second by Commissioner McNaboe. Motion carries 5-0. Chairman Wilson—One thing I can say, if I might. I was in an area the other day, actually yesterday. It was very warm in the City of Desert Hot Springs and one of the items that were brought up was that the City Council was working very cohesively. I think our group has worked very cohesively for many years. I think you are owed applause in relation to that because we always try to examine circumstances as solidly as we can,try to make informed decision and when it comes down to it and we can't come to consensus,then we table the discussion and try to reason things out. We try very much to make sure that folks in the City get an opportunity to have their say. We never cut people off. I just think it's been a good experience and I greatly appreciate everyone's effort. Vice Chairman Addington—If I can make a comment to that. Before I was employed with the City of Rancho Cucamonga I did address and present project to many Planning Commissions here in the Inland Empire and the one thing I can say is this is a very well diverse Planning Commission and all of us have a different background versus some of the Planning Commission's that I've worked with in the past. I think this helps us become very cohesive. 3 2. MINUTES: Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of April 2, 2009 MOTION PC 27-2009 Commissioner Comstock made a motion to approve Minutes of April 2,2009. Second by Vice Chairman Addington. Commissioner McNaboe—I have a comment, I don't know how I caught this but on page 5 under Chairman Wilson on the bottom,there is word that is spelled"apposed". I think that is supposed to be opposed, I think it's just a typo. Vice Chairman Addington—Also I don't know if it's the publishing but some of the words have been overlapped on pages 3 and 4. I thought it was until I peeked over to your paper. Chairman Wilson—Chair would entertain probably a revision to the motion. Commissioner Comstock—So move to revise. i Chairman Wilson revised motion to approve the Minutes of April 2,2009 with noted corrections. Second by Vice Chairman Addington. Motion carries 4 -1,with Commissioner Bailes abstaining. 3. MINUTES: Planning Commission Meeting Minutes of May 7, 2009 MOTION PC 28-2009 Vice Chairman Addington made a motion to approve the Minutes of May 7,2009. Second by Chairman Wilson. Commissioner McNaboe—I have a question of clarification before I decide whether I want to move to approve or not. It seems to me these minutes are more narrative that they are word for 4 word. Are we changing to a rule of not typing minutes verbatim,because the last ones we approved seemed as though they were typed verbatim. Senior Planner Molina—A while back there was some direction from the Commission if it's a work shop item then they would be verbatim if it's not then we could summarize but we are happy to do whatever the Commission would like to see. Commissioner McNaboe - The summary is fine it just seems we are going back and forth and if it is just a workshop issue and so we are summarizing. Would you be in support of at least making a notice on our agenda or maybe somewhere on the minutes to remind people why they are summarized versus verbatim. Senior Planner Molina—Yes,we can do that with future minutes. Chairman Wilson—I would be in favor of a note that says these are summarized,that way everyone knows. Do we have a consensus? Commissioner Comstock and Vice Chairman Addington—Yes Chairman Wilson—Ok then we have a motion on the floor and we have a second, any further discussion? Motion carries 3-2 with Commissioner Comstock and Commissioner Bailes abstaining. 4. Information from Commissioners Senior Planner Molina—We were going through some paper work and looking at some procedural items and found that our Planning Commission procedures handbook is from 1994 and has not been updated, we have attached it so you can see also where it is outdated. It's outdated with regard to the number the Planning Commission body is made up and it is not consistent with some provisions of the Municipal Code where it relates to Planning Commission. So we just felt it was appropriate to go ahead and update this document. What I do want to add to that is that this is the Planning Commissioners Handbook and so we will revise it and update it but we are very happy to take any comments or input the Commission may have either over the next few weeks and we can make that revision or if you want to see it back with revisions and have a discussion or maybe look at it at that time for some additional input. We would be happy to do that. Vice Chairman Addington— 1994, I remember when we put this together Doug. Commissioner McNaboe—Did you have seven Commissioners at the time? 5 Vice Chairman Addington—Yes, we did. We went down to five Commissioners during the previous round of budget cuts,back in the late 90's. Chairman Wilson—Give us another two weeks and then we will come back with any comments we might have and will give those to you. We have a deadline of September 1 lth is that what you are looking for? Director Powers—The reason that we requested that is that we thought we could complete it within two weeks but we are just looking for your guidance at this point. You can provide your comments individually back to us and we can prepare a second draft. Chairman Wilson—We will endeavor to get our comments to you as soon as possible. We will shoot for the September 1 lth time frame you requested on the memorandum, September 3ra Commissioner Comstock—I would like to comment, I think it would help me to see what the draft would look like and make comments on the draft. I've looked this over and I have some thoughts but I think it would be better to see what you are all proposing and then maybe go from there. I don't know where the rest of you all stand on that? Director Powers—Mr. Chairman if I can just make a suggestion, if you can just let us know by the 1 lth if you are OK with the way it is or you intend to provide us with some comments we can hold off and we'll wait till you get those to us. Within two weeks we'll try to get a draft to you and we can deliver that to you via e-mail or your hardcopy packets and ask you again to provide us back your comments. Vice Chairman Addington—One other comment, I know when we based our handbook here was based on Robert's Rules of Order I know Robert's Rules of Order is actually rather a thick book about 100 pages long. If there are any other smaller summaries or pamphlets it might not be a bad idea to distribute that to us so we could refresh ourselves and what the rules are. Chairman Wilson—I think they have a Planning Commission version of that, let me just add I have both books. One of them is about this big and the other about that big (illustrated). So you are right, but I think there is a Planning Commission version of that. Senior Planner Molina—We'll go ahead and look for some sort of primer on that so it's not a lengthy document but the other thing I should add is that we have also been doing is we contacted the League of California Cities to inquire about some Planning Commissioner Handbooks and if anyone is familiar with them they have a lot of information and they go over the Robert's Rules, as well. But we understand they are going to be updating that handbook. We weren't sure if we wanted to purchase them if they were going to be updated in the next couple of month. We would also want to get the Commission some other information regarding Planning Commission procedures. Chairman Wilson—If they have something that is an on-line version of that rather than paper I would entertain that, definitely, if that is our choice and it is cheaper it would be great. Let me 6 also add that I think it would be educational for us, I know that Vice Chair Addington probably has access to it on a regular basis, I would love to get a copy of the latest Subdivision Map Act. Vice Chairman Addington—it's now ACEC of California. If you are looking for it on the website it is ACEC. Chair Wilson—I think it's really helpful because a lot of the things we deal with have to do with those items. It's a great guide. Vice Chairman Addington—ACEC does provide a discounted rate to public agencies,however the next version is coming out in January or February, you may want to wait again. I do have access and I do get copies separately so if we want to save the City a couple of bucks you can order four copies instead of five. The other thing to consider is ACEC also produces a booklet on the CEQA, California Environmental Quality Act and the Planning and Zoning Laws. I have found all three of those booklets be helpful on certain projects that come forward to us. 5. Information from Commissioners Chairman Wilson—I would like to make the Commissioners aware of some conversations that I've had with Director Joyce Powers and we did have an item that was raised by a citizen of the City that had to do with our building permit procedures. She did rightfully bring to our attention t a couple of items that needed a little of attention. We are in the process of running through those items and will purse them and then we will be able to report back. I really appreciate the efforts of the citizen of Grand Terrace to go that kind of trouble and it's not often that we get that kind of cooperation; it really was a good thing. We can always stand each one of us,to receive a little constructive criticism at times. It keeps us a little bit sharper, it keeps us smarter. I told my granddaughter here a little while back that about the time you think you are the smartest cat in the club is about the time you lose everything you had the opportunity to gain. So I really appreciate that. With that being said I have no other information from Commissioners. CHAIR WILSON ADJOURNED THE SITE AND ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD/PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING TO THE NEXT MEETING TO BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 17,2009. Respectfully Submitted, Approved By, Joyce Dowers Doug Wilson, Chairman Community and Economic Planning Commission Development Director 7