Council Subcommittee

MINUTES OF THE GILBERT COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE ON LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, MAY 2, 2019, AT 7:00 A.M., ROOM 236, 90 EAST CIVIC CENTER DRIVE, GILBERT, ARIZONA COUNCIL PRESENT: Chair Brigette Peterson, Vice Mayor Eddie Cook and Councilmember Jordan Ray COUNCIL ABSENT: None. STAFF PRESENT: Town Clerk Lisa Maxwell, Development Services Director Kyle Mieras, Interim Planning Manager Catherine Lorbeer, Interim Principal Planner Amy Temes, Assistant Town Attorney Nancy Davidson, and Inspections Supervisor Lorrie DeOrio CALL TO ORDER Chair Peterson called the meeting to order at 7:05 a.m. AGENDA ITEMS 1. Approval of the minutes of the April 10, 2019 meeting. A MOTION was made by Councilmember Ray, seconded by Vice Mayor Cook, to approve the minutes of the April 10, 2019 meeting. Motion carried 3-0. 2. Review of previous discussions. None 3. Review and Discussion of Land Development Code Division 3 Article 3.1. 3.101 Purposes and 3.102 Use of a Planned Area Development Overlay Zoning District: There is much duplication in these two sections. Interim Principal Planner Temes will work with Assistant Town Attorney Davidson to combine these sections into one section. 3.102.B.6 allow modifications for sign regulations: Most people would not look in Planned Area Development (PAD) for sign regulations. This will be removed. 3.102.B.7 permit concurrent review: Interim Principal Planner Temes said many times there are concurrent review and she is not sure why this is called out specifically for the Gateway Character Area. This will be removed since it is already part of the review process. 3.102.B.8 allow modifications for building height regulations: Interim Planning Manager Lorbeer said she thinks this section serves as a cross-reference to the section on noise sensitive uses. This section might be overkill. New section: – Interim Principal Planner Temes would like to add a line asking the applicant to state what benefit the Town is receiving whether it be to provide additional open space, amenities, or unique specialty aesthetics. Interim Planning Manager Lorbeer said a PAD gives definition to a design and it gives Council confidence in what will be built on that site. Vice Mayor Cook asked about the advantages of having a PAD. Development Services Director Mieras gave the example of the area at Higley and Riggs Roads. Having a PAD locked the developer in to having some commercial development in that area. Also, some developers like PADs because they document when a developer is giving something to the neighbors. Interim Principal Planner Temes noted with development standards it is not possible to have new things which could be allowed with a PAD because it would show the benefit to the Town. 3.102.C.1 sign regulation modifications: remove this section. 3.104.A Development Plan: Interim Principal Planner Temes said she is not sure this is accurate. She would like to change “shall” to “may.” This is all on the application checklist and it would be simpler to remove this section. 3.104.B Conditions: There was discussion about whether Street Dedications should be included here. Chair Peterson asked about Sidewalk Dedications. Interim Principal Planner Temes will review the ordinance requirements. 4. Review and Discussion of Land Development Code Division 3 Article 3.2. Changes to this article were recently approved by Council and there is no need to review. Vice Mayor Cook asked if pictures be added for clarification. Interim Principal Planner Temes said they could. She would like to remove the appendices and include pictures in the appropriate sections. 5. Review and Discussion of Land Development Code Division 3 Article 3.3. 3.3 Santan Freeway Corridor Overlay District: Interim Principal Planner Temes said this article is not referenced very often. 3.302.C.3 noise sensitive uses: This lists the types of facilities that are required to work with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) on a noise study. 3.303.A Neighborhood Environmental Design Analysis: Interim Principal Planner Temes said she would like for the applicant to work directly with ADOT and not have the Town be an intermediary. This cannot be removed since it is an ADOT requirement. Interim Planning Manager Lorbeer said involving the Town is not called out in process. 3.303.A.5 Updating: Interim Principal Planner Temes suggested changing the expiration date of the Neighborhood Environmental Design Analysis from five years to three years. 3.303.B.1 Building Height: Interim Planning Manager Lorbeer would like to combine a and b. This would allow a developer go get approval for a taller building. 3.303.B.3 Deposit of Funds with the Town: Assistant Town Attorney Davidson said there are other ways to ensure finances are available for the noise barrier. Interim Principal Planner Temes said she will work with Assistant Town Attorney Davidson on this section. 6. Review and Discussion of Land Development Code Division 3 Article 3.4. 3.401.A purposes: Interim Principal Planner Temes would like to remove ”residential and nonresidential development.” Table 3.404B Site Development Regulations – Multi-Family Residential Districts: Vice Mayor Cook asked if a proposed project would fall within the current limits. Interim Principal Planner Temes said she asked about the plans and the proposed building is not going above 5 stories and would fall within the current height limits. If buildings starts going much higher than 65 feet it could start impacting views. Chair Peterson said the Heritage District Plan does not say anything about buildings going higher than 55 feet. There is nothing in the plan about putting signs on top of buildings. Chair Peterson said it would be difficult to make changes now since a consultant just updated the plan after getting public input. If a developer has a product higher than 55 feet they can justify the product with a PAD. There was discussion about building, height, signs, and underground utilities. Table 3.404B Site Development Regulations – Multi-Family Residential Districts: Interim Principal Planner Temes said the requirement for a minimum of 40% open space is difficult to meet. Interim Planning Manager Lorbeer said the idea is for the area to be more like a village than an urban center. Interim Principal Planner Temes noted it is hard to fit in the required number of trees too. She will look for more a more realistic number. 3.404.A Building Step-back: Same concerns as found in the other chapters. Interim Principal Planner Temes said graphics will be added to this section too. 3.404.B Private Open Space: This is not normally counted in the total amount of open space. Interim Planning Manager Lorbeer said recent amendments make it easier to include private open space in the total open space calculation. 3.404.D.2 Arterial/Arterial Intersection: This requirement would take up a lot of space at the northwest corner of Elliot and Gilbert Roads where the parcel is small. This will be removed. There was discussion about designated zone in the Heritage District for loading/ unloading in the day and as an Uber/Lyft drop-off/pick-up spot at night. Designated areas need to be identified and enforced. 7. Review and Discussion of Land Development Code Division 3 Article 3.5. None. 8. Review and Discussion of Land Development Code Division 4 Article 4.1. None. The next meeting will be on May 16, 2019 at 7:00 a.m. ADJOURN Chair Peterson adjourned the meeting at 8:00 a.m. ATTEST: ___________________________ ___________________________________ Chair Brigette Peterson Lisa Maxwell, MMC, Town Clerk