City Planning Commission

Información en Español acerca de esta junta puede ser obtenida Ilamando al (213) 978-1300 CITY PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2007, 8:30 A.M. VAN NUYS CITY HALL 14410 SYLVAN STREET COUNCIL CHAMBER, 2ND FLOOR VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA, 91401 Jane Ellison Usher, President S. Gail Goldberg, Director William Roschen, Vice President Eva Yuan-McDaniel, Acting Deputy Director Diego Cardoso, Commissioner Regina M. Freer, Commissioner Robin R. Hughes, Commissioner Sabrina Kay, Commissioner Fr. Spencer T. Kezios, Commissioner Cindy Montañez, Commissioner Michael K. Woo, Commissioner Gabriele Williams, Commission Executive Assistant II POLICY FOR DESIGNATED PUBLIC HEARING ITEM NO. 7. Pursuant to the Commission=s general operating procedures, the Commission at times must necessarily limit the speaking times of those presenting testimony on either side of an issue that is designated as a public hearing item. In all instances, however, equal time is allowed for presentation of pros and cons of matters to be acted upon. All requests to address the Commission on public hearing items must be submitted prior to the Commission=s consideration of the item. EVERY PERSON WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION MUST COMPLETE A SPEAKER=S REQUEST FORM AND SUBMIT IT TO THE COMMISSION STAFF. In November 2006, the Commission adopted rules regarding written submissions to ensure that it has reasonable and appropriate opportunity to review your materials. The mailing and email addresses, deadlines, page limits, and required numbers of copies for your advance submissions may be found at www.lacity.org/PLN under “NEW FEATURES” and “FORMS/PROCEDURES”. Day of hearing submissions (15 copies must be provided) are limited to 2 pages plus accompanying photographs, posters, and PowerPoint presentations of 5 minutes or less. Non-complying materials will NOT be distributed to the Commission. The Commission may ADJOURN FOR LUNCH at approximately 12:00 Noon. Any cases not acted upon during the morning session will be considered after lunch. TIME SEGMENTS noted * herein are approximate. Some items may be delayed due to length of discussion of previous items. The Commission may RECONSIDER and alter its action taken on items listed herein at any time during this meeting or during the next regular meeting, in accordance with the Commission Policies and Procedures and provided that the Commission retains jurisdiction over the case. AGENDA are posted for public review in the Main Street lobby of City Hall East, 200 No. Main Street, Los Angeles, California, and are accessible through the Internet World Wide Web at www.lacity.org/PLN. Click the AMeetings and Hearings@ quick link. CPC agenda are available under any of the seven service areas. If you challenge these agenda items in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing agendized here, or in written correspondence on these matters delivered to this agency at or prior to the public hearing. The time in which a party may seek judicial review of this determination is governed by California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.6. Under that provision, a petitioner may seek judicial review of any decision of the City pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.5, only if the petition for writ of th mandate pursuant to that section is filed no later than the 90 day following the date on which the City=s decision became final. GLOSSARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL TERMS: CEQA - Calif. Environmental Quality Act ND - Negative Declaration EIR - Environmental Impact Report MND - Mitigated Negative Declaration CE - Categorical Exemption 1. DIRECTOR=S REPORT A. Council actions and schedule. B. Other items of interest. C. Office of Historic Resources Informational Overview – Ken Bernstein D. Report on Draft Conditions and Hearing Prompts for School Cases – Dan Green/Jim Tokunaga 2. COMMISSION BUSINESS A. Advance Calendar. B. Commission Requests. 3. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD The Commission shall provide an opportunity in open meetings for the public to address it, for a cumulative total of up to thirty (30) minutes, on items of interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Commission. (This requirement is in addition to any other hearing required or imposed by law.) PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK MUST SUBMIT A SPEAKER=S REQUEST FORM. ALL REQUESTS TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON NON-PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS AND ITEMS OF INTEREST TO THE PUBLIC THAT ARE WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE COMMISSION MUST BE SUBMITTED PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. Individual testimony within the public comment period shall be limited as follows: (a) For non-agendized matters, up to three (3) minutes per person and up to ten (10) minutes per subject. (b) For agendized matters, up to two (2) minutes per person and up to ten (10) minutes per subject. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THESE ITEMS WILL BE DEFERRED UNTIL SUCH TIME AS EACH ITEM IS CALLED FOR CONSIDERATION. The Chair of the Commission may allocate the number of speakers per subject, the time allotted each subject, and the time allotted each speaker. CITY PLANNING COMMISSION 2 APRIL 26, 2007 4. ZA-2006-6943-ZAI-1A Council District: 5 CEQA: ENV-2007-662-CE Location: 16704-16720 Ventura Boulevard Plan: Wilshire Appeal Status: N/A By letter dated April 11, 2007, the applicant has withdrawn the application for a Zoning Administrator’s Interpretation. Requested Action: An appeal from the Zoning Administrator’s determination, pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 12.21-A, 2 of a Zoning Administrator’s Interpretation: 1) that the expiration date of all the entitlements associated with the project doe not expire at the same time, that is, on the date of the Zone Change expiration date; 2) that a Los Angeles Municipal Code amendment would be required in order for the Zoning Administrator to have the authority to make the requested determination regarding a common expiration date for all the entitlements; and 3) that the Zoning Administrator has failed to exercise his existing authority under Section 12.21 – A,2 to make the requested determination. Applicant: Encino Ventura Apartment Development, LLC Representative: Kevin McDonnell Appellant: Same NO ACTION REQUIRED. Michael LoGrande, (213) 978-1318. 5. CPC-2007-93-CU-ZAD Council District: 7 CEQA:ENV-2007-0094-MND Location: 11500 N. Eldridge Avenue Plan: Sunland-Tujunga-Lake View Expiration Date: 06-02-07 Terrace-Shadow Hills-East La Tuna Appeal Status: Appealable Canyon Public Hearing completed on March 19, 2007. Requested Action: Pursuant to Section 12.24.U.6 and Section 12.24.F of the Municipal Code, a Conditional Use to permit: 1) an educational institution in the A2-1 Zone; and 2) to permit a zero foot front yard, a 10-foot rear yard, and 10-foot side yards in lieu of the 25-feet front, rear, and side yard setbacks required; and Pursuant to Section 12.24.X.7(a) a Fence Height Determination to permit a eight-feet in height solid block wall along the northerly side yard property line for approximately a 89-feet distance in lieu of the maximum six-feet in height wall/fence permitted Proposed Project: The conversion of an existing two-story medical office building and the construction of a new two story building for proposed classrooms, administrative offices, and multi-purpose room for two charter middle schools and a charter high school in the A2-1 Zone. The proposed project will also include an outdoor play area, lunch area, a student drop off/pick up area and 84 on-site parking spaces on a 2.85 acre site. Applicant: Yahya Talei/Ali Imani Representative: Lee Ambers, California Property Consultants STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE CONDITIONAL USE AND DETERMINATION, SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS. Franklin N. Quon, (818) 374-5036. CITY PLANNING COMMISSION 3 APRIL 26, 2007 6. CPC-2006-8999-GPA-ZC-SP-DA Council District: 12 CEQA: Addendum to EIR-88-0026- Location: 19701 Rinaldi Street (SP)(ZC)(DA) Expiration Date: 04-27-07 Plan: Porter Ranch Appeal Status: Appealable Public Hearing completed January 26, 2007. Requested Action: Pursuant to Section 11.5.6 of the Municipal Code, a General Plan Amendment (Periodic Plan Review to the Chatsworth-Porter Ranch Community Plan from Very Low II to Low II on101.5 acres (Proposed Subareas C-1 and D-1); and Pursuant to Section 12.32 of the Municipal Code, a Zone Change from [T]RE-1 (Residential Estate Zone) to (T)RD6-1 (Restricted Density Multiple Dwelling Zone) on approximately 52.5 acres (Proposed Subarea C-1); and Pursuant to Section 11.5.7 G of the Municipal Code, an Amendment to the sections of the Porter Ranch Land Use/Transportation Specific Plan (Ordinance Nos. 175,070 and 175,641): Schools a. Section 8.I (Advisory Agency Approvals), (Junior High School Site) and Section 9.H (Developments and Improvements to be assured by Development Agreement(s), (Elementary School) would be amended to provide for the location of school facilities per the existing 1991 agreement between Porter Ranch and the LAUSD or “as such agreement may be amended from time to time” to provide for a new K-8 school. b. Section 9, (Developments and Improvements to be assured by Development Agreement(s)), Subsections I (Library and Municipal Facilities), J (Community Meeting Facility) and K (Child Care Facility) would be amended to provide that “such facilities can be located on the new K- 8 school site”. Added Process to Convert Non-residential Floor Area and Transfer of Density c. Section 3 (Definitions) would be amended by revising the definition of Donor Site and Receiver Site, to include “Subareas I, II, or II”, and the definition of Donor Subarea would be amended to include within the Single–Family Area “or Community Center Area” (in addition to Subareas in the Single-Family Area). This will expand the area for which Base Permitted Dwelling Unit density “or density resulting from a conversion of non-residential floor area in the Community Center Area” may be transferred to a Receiver Subarea; d. Section 6.C.4 (transfers of unused floor area from Donor Sites within Subareas I, II and III) would be amended to include such floor area transfers to lots within “Subareas I, and III” in addition to Subarea II; e. Section 11.A.2 (Project Permit Compliance Approvals) would be amended to allow transfers of unused permitted non-residential floor area among “Subareas I, II, and III” of the Community Center Area in addition to Subarea II (corresponding reference to Section 6, Subsection C.4 above); f. Section 7.B.2 (Single-Family Area Regulations) (Density) (caps on dwelling units and density in the Single Family Subarea resulting from density transfers) would be amended to delete the maximum permitted 2,195 total units in the Single Family Area and the maximum 110% base density in any Subarea and allow for the “transfers of density of unused permitted non- residential floor area in the Community Center Area to Subareas of the Single Family Area in addition to the transfers of residential density among Single Family Subareas that are currently permitted under Section 7 B.3.” g. Section 7.B.3 (Director approval of transfers of unused density from Donor Subareas among Single Family Subareas) would also be amended to also provide for the Director’s approval of CITY PLANNING COMMISSION 4 APRIL 26, 2007  “transfers of residential density resulting from the conversion of non- residential floor area from a Donor Subarea in the Community Center Area to a Receiver Subarea in the Single Family Area”, “provided that an equivalent reduction is made to the A.M. and P.M. Peak Hour Trips and the total permitted non-residential floor area in Subarea II of the Community Center Area.” In addition, Section 11, Subsection A.3 (Project Permit Compliance Approvals) and Section 11, Subsection C.3 (and Paragraph (a) of such Subsection) would be amended to make corresponding references to the transfers of dwelling units resulting from the conversion of non-residential floor area in the Community Center Area. Transfers of dwelling units approved pursuant to the above process are anticipated to occur in Subarea A and in new Subareas C-1 and D-1, which would increase the number of dwelling units in those Subareas from the number specified in the amended Specific Plan. Map and Base Density Modifications for Subareas h. Section 1 (Map) would be amended to revise the Single Family Subarea boundaries to create new Subarea C-1, within a 52.5-acre portion of Subarea C, and new Subarea D-1, within a 49- acre portion of Subarea D. i. Section 7 B 1.(c) and (d) (Density) of would be amended to re-distribute the base permitted density permitted in Subareas C (270 units) and Subarea D (230 units) to permit “60 dwelling units” in Subarea C, “210” dwelling units in Subarea C-1, “60 dwelling units” in Subarea D and “170” dwelling units in Subarea D-1, as the new base permitted density in such subareas. The transfers of dwelling units which may be approved pursuant to the proposed amendments, when added to the base permitted dwelling units, would increase the number of dwelling units in new Subareas C-1 and D-1, in addition to Subarea A, as follows: Subarea A -a total of 325 dwelling units, new Subarea C-1 -a total of 340 dwelling units, and new Subarea D-1 -a total of 190 dwelling units. Use and Development Standards j. Section 7.A.1.(a) (permitted uses) would be amended to provide that new Subarea C-1 may have detached single family dwelling units conforming to the provisions of the RD6 zone, and Section 7.B.1 (base permitted dwelling units) would be amended to except new Subarea C-1 from the requirement for one single family dwelling on a lot, in order to be consistent with RD6 zone provisions. k. Section 7.A.2.(a), (c), and (d) (lot width and area) would be amended to specify that lots in Subarea A would have a minimum width of 50 feet and a minimum area of 6,000 square feet instead of 70 feet and 8,400 square feet, respectively, to refer to new Subarea C-1, and to refer to new Subarea D-1 having a minimum width of 45 feet and a minimum area of 5,000 square feet. l. Section 8.G.2.(b) (Advisory Agency Approvals), (Private Open Space) would be amended to reference the new Single Family Subareas “C-1” and “D-1” in the specified findings. This would require the inclusion of private open space regulations to new subareas C-1 and D-1. m. Section 6 (Community Center Area Regulations), Subsection G.2.(c) (Landscaping, Setback, and Required Walls) would be amended to provide for a setback of “25” feet instead of 40 feet along the north side of Rinaldi Street between Porter Ranch Drive and Mason Avenue. n. Section 6. A.5 (relating to Subarea IV permitted uses) would be amended to add “parking that serves any permitted adjacent use” to the list of permitted uses in Subarea IV. o. Section 6.A.4 (Permitted Uses) and Section 6.C.2.(c) (Floor Area) would be amended to add “assisted living units, medical services and office use, general office uses, banks” as permitted uses within Subarea III. This would add to the list of permitted uses within Subarea III allowed floor area; p. Section 9 L.1, L.2 and L.4 (Developments and Improvements to be Assured by Development Agreements), (Senior Citizen Housing) and Section 11.C.6.(a) (Findings) would be amended to specify senior citizens “55” years of age or older instead of senior citizens 65 years of age or older. Revise the age limit for senior citizens to 55 years old in provisions relating to affordable housing and assisted living units for seniors to conform to State law: CITY PLANNING COMMISSION 5 APRIL 26, 2007  Administrative clean-up as a result of the above proposed amendments q. Section 6.C.2 would be amended to correct the reference from Paragraph to 5 to Paragraph “4”; r. Section 11 (Project Permit Compliance Approval Procedure), Subsection A.2 would be amended to correctly identify Subareas I, II or III and reference Section 6 C 4; s. Section 11.A.3, C.3, and C.3.(a) would be amended add “and dwelling units resulting from the conversion of non-residential floor area in the Community Center Area” and reference Section 6 C “4 or 6”; and Pursuant to Section 65864-65869.5 of the California Government Code and the City implementing procedures, an amendment to the existing Development Agreement between Porter Ranch Development Company and the City of Los Angeles. The Development Agreement is intended to provide reasonable assurances to the Applicant with respect to their ability to implement proposed Project Approvals, with the Applicant providing the City with certain public benefits. The amendment proposes to change the agreement pertaining to the school site (s), library and other municipal facilities, community meeting facility, child care community meeting facility and community center area senior housing. Proposed Project: The proposed entitlements would permit an additional 242 single-family dwelling units in the Single-Family Area for a total of 2,437 single-family dwelling units and a corresponding reduction of 366,000 square feet of commercial space for a total of 2,927,000 square feet of non-residential floor area in the Community Center Area. The proposal would allow for the development of a larger K-8 school site at an alternate location in Subarea D and establish a process to allow dwelling units converted from a portion of the remaining allowable non- residential floor area in the Community Center Area to be transferred as single-family dwelling units into the remaining Single Family Subareas. The proposal also includes minor changes to implement the transfer mechanism and adjust density and area requirements to accommodate any transferred units. The current Porter Ranch Land Use/ Transportation Specific Plan, permits 2,195 single-family dwellings in the Single Family Area, 1,400 multi-family dwellings in the Community Center Area, and 3,293,000 square feet of non-residential floor area in the Community Center Area which may be converted to residential dwelling units within the same area, based upon a trip equivalency formula and a maximum cap on the A.M. and P.M. peak hour and total trips generated. The Specific Plan currently requires the reservation of a 7-acre parcel at the southeast corner of Sesnon Boulevard and Mason Avenue (in Subarea D) for kindergarten and elementary school facilities, and the potential purchase by the Los Angeles Unified School District of a 15-acre parcel for a junior high school (in Subarea C). Applicant: Porter Ranch Development Company, Dave Hasson STAFF RECOMMENDS DISAPPROVAL OF THE ZONE CHANGE AND GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT; DISAPPROVAL OF THE SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT AS FILED; APPROVAL OF THE SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT, AS MODIFIED; APPROVAL OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, AS MODIFIED AND APPROVAL OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE FOR THE PROJECT UNDER ADDENDUM TO FINAL EIR NO. 88-0026-(SP)(ZC)(DA). Madhu Kumar, (213) 978-1162. CITY PLANNING COMMISSION 6 APRIL 26, 2007 7. CPC-2007-1160-GPA Council District: 2 CEQA: ENV-2007-1266-CE Location: Various Plan: Sunland-Tujunga-Lake View Expiration Date: N/A Terrace-Shadow Hills-East La Tuna Appeal Status: N/A Canyon PUBLIC HEARING REQUIRED Requested Action: Pursuant to the Section 11.5.6 of the Municipal Code, a General Plan Amendment to the Sunland – Tujunga - Lake View Terrace - Shadow Hills - East La Tuna Canyon Community Plan from Very Low II Density Residential and Low Density Residential to Minimum Density Residential. Proposed Project: No project is proposed. Applicant: City of Los Angeles STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL. Robert Z. Duenas, (818)374-5072. 8. CITY PLANNING COMMISSION DISCUSSION OF PLANNING POLICY AND GOALS The Commission may ADJOURN FOR LUNCH at approximately 12:00 Noon. Any cases not acted upon during the morning session will be considered after lunch. The next regular meeting of the City Planning Commission will be held at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 10, 2007, 200 North Spring Street, Room 1010, City Hall, Los Angeles, California An Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate. The meeting facility and its parking are wheelchair accessible. Sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices, or other auxiliary aids and/or other services may be provided upon request. To ensure availability of services, please make your request no later than three working days (72 hours) prior to the meeting by contacting the Commission Executive Assistant at (213) 978-1300 or email to CPC@lacity.org CITY PLANNING COMMISSION 7 APRIL 26, 2007