Planning Commission Meeting

MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION AFTERNOON SESSION ONLY Tuesday, December 23, 2014 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm 580 PACIFIC STREET, COUNCIL CHAMBERS MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Commissioners Present: McCrone, Osorio, Davis, Garden, Stocker, Reed, Widmar Commissioners Absent: None Staff Members Present: Chief of Planning, Engineering, and Environmental Compliance, Chip Rerig, Deputy City Manager, Dino Pick, Director of Community Services, Kim Bui-Burton, Recording Secretary, Alicia Salas CALL TO ORDER Chair McCrone called the meeting to order at 4:01 pm. CONSENT ITEMS On a motion by Chair McCrone, seconded by Commissioner Widmar and carried by the following vote, the Planning Commission approved the CONSENT ITEMS. AYES: 6 COMMISSIONERS: McCrone, Osorio, Davis, Garden, Stocker, Widmar NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSTAIN: 1 COMMISSIONERS: Reed RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None Approval of Minutes 1. December 9, 2014 ACTION: Approved with amendments ***End of Consent Agenda*** PUBLIC COMMENTS None. 2. Consider 1 Portola Plaza (Monterey Conference Center); Use Permit 14-498 for Accessory Use, Structural Alteration Permit 14-497 to Conference Center and Lot Line Adjustment 14-496; Property Owners/Applicants City of Monterey; Visitor Accommodation Facility (VAF) Zoning District; Exempt from CEQA Requirements ACTION: APPROVED ALL THREE RESOLUTIONS WITH AMENDMENTS TO STRUCTURAL ALTERATION PERMIT 14-497 ALLOWING STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS. Staff Presentation/Commissioner Questions Chip Rerig presented the Agenda Report and answered Commissioners’ questions. Planning Commission Minutes Tuesday, December 23, 2014 Applicant: Michael Duncan, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, said that the Conference Center is a gateway site and a key connection site from Downtown to the waterfront. He said one of the goals is to give the Conference Center a stronger, more independent identity from the hotel and the surrounding buildings. Public Comment: Renee Boskoff, General Manager of the Monterey Marriott, said the vision is terrific and would create a more exciting environment to the Downtown. He said supports the project. Commission Member Comment: Commissioner Stocker said the three items that are being considered are quite easy. He said this is truly a remodel of an existing building and it has been there successfully for some time. Commissioner Stocker made a motion to approve. Chair McCrone seconds the motion. Commissioner Garden said that he doesn’t think that this project complies with the Downtown Specific Plan. Chief of Planning, Mr. Rerig, said the Downtown Specific Plan talks about contributing to the character to the Downtown and in a general sense this building contributes to the health and architectural attributes of the Downtown. Commissioner Garden asked that a statement be added (Packet page 53, paragraph 5) to the Resolution stating that this project complies with specific standards and design guidelines that exist now in the Downtown Specific Plan. Commissioner Osorio said he thought the paragraph could be re-worked so that it could be consistent with the vision of the Downtown Specific Plan. Commissioner Reed said he thought the paragraph could work by replacing the word BECAUSE with the word AND. Commissioner Stocker restated the paragraph with new wording, so as to read, “WHEREAS, the project, as proposed, complies with the vision of the Downtown Specific Plan and it maintains a Visitor Accommodation Facility as allowed in the Municipal Code.” Commissioner Garden said he thought that the wording was right and agreed with the new paragraph. Commissioner Stocker made a motion to approve the project. Commissioner Mc Crone seconded the motion. On a motion by Commissioner Stocker, seconded by Commissioner McCrone, and carried by the following vote, the Planning Commission approved Use Permit 14-498 for Planning Commission Meeting Minutes Tuesday, December 23, 2014 2  Planning Commission Minutes Tuesday, December 23, 2014 Accessory Use, Structural Alteration Permit 14-497 to Conference Center and Lot Line Adjustment 14-496: AYES: 7 COMMISSIONERS: McCrone, Osorio, Davis, Garden, Stocker, Reed, Widmar NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSTAIN: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None Commissioner Stocker recused himself from item number 3 and has left the room. 3. Provide Guidance on Draft Zoning Ordinance Amendment to Monterey City Code Chapter 38, Section 22.D to Allow 18’ Tall Accessory Structures; Applicant David Stocker; R-E Residential Estate Zoning District; Exempt from CEQA Requirements ACTION: THE PLANNING COMMISSION DIRECTED STAFF TO PROCEED WITH THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE. Staff Presentation/Committee Member Questions Chip Rerig presented the Agenda Report and answered Commissioners’ questions. Public Comments None. Committee Member Comments Commissioner Garden said that he had no problem with directing staff to proceed with the amendment but thought this issue was one of many that needed to be addressed. In response to Commissioner Garden, Mr. Rerig stated that he agreed with Commissioner Garden's comments but said this issue came forward in response to an application to amend the code. Commissioner Osorio stated he was in agreement with Commissioner Garden. Commissioner McCrone said he is cautioned because he feels this is something that is a privilege for people with wealthy homes. Commissioner Reed made a motion to proceed with the proposed amendments. Commissioner Davis seconded the motion. On a motion by Commissioner Reed and seconded by Commissioner Davis and carried by the following vote, the Planning Commission directed staff to proceed with the proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance. Planning Commission Meeting Minutes Tuesday, December 23, 2014 3  Planning Commission Minutes Tuesday, December 23, 2014 AYES: 6 COMMISSIONERS: McCrone, Osorio, Davis, Garden, Reed, Widmar NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: 1 COMMISSIONERS: Stocker ABSTAIN: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS Commissioner Reed said the Lighthouse Specific Plan next meeting will be early January 2015 and staff will be revising first four chapters of the plan. Commission Osorio asked Mr. Rerig to confirm the next Planning Commission meeting and when the ARC would be considering the Conference Center. Mr. Rerig said the next Planning Commission meeting would be January 13, 2015 and the ARC would be considering the Conference Center on January 21, 2015. Chair McCrone said he spoke with Anthony Buich of the Mucky Duck, (now called Bull and Bear), and said Mr. Buich felt the loss of one hour was going to be a calamity to the business. Chair McCrone said Mr. Buich wanted to meet with Commission members, to which Chair McCrone informed Mr. Buich that is not how the process works and was unable to accommodate that request. Commissioner Osorio asked Mr. Rerig if Mr. Buich had filed an appeal to which Mr. Rerig confirmed that they had indeed filed an appeal and would be heard before the City Council early February. Commissioner Osorio said the ultimate decision is up to City Council and if they wanted to overturn the decision of the Planning Commission, then so be it. Commissioner Garden suggested that staff and the architects involved with the Conference Center should get out into the community to find out if there is indeed community support for the new design of the Conference Center Mr. Rerig said that tentatively an informal meeting similar to a town hall meeting is set for the second week of January in Council Chamber with the neighbor associations. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS 4. Planning Office Update  Update Received ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:29 pm. Planning Commission Meeting Minutes Tuesday, December 23, 2014 4 Planning Commission Minutes Tuesday, December 23, 2014 Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Kimberly Cole, AICP Chair Principal Planner Planning Commission Planning Commission Meeting Minutes Tuesday, December 23, 2014 5