Planning Commission Meeting

MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION Tuesday, April 28, 2015 AFTERNOON SESSION ONLY 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm 580 PACIFIC STREET, COUNCIL CHAMBERS MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Commissioners Present: Osorio, Davis, Garden, Stocker, Reed, Widmar Commissioners Absent: McCrone Staff Members Present: Principal Planner Kim Cole, Principal Planner Elizabeth Caraker, Recording Secretary Alicia Salas CALL TO ORDER Chair Osorio called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm. CONSENT ITEMS On a motion by Commissioner Reed, seconded by Commissioner Garden and carried by the following vote, the Planning Commission approved the CONSENT ITEMS AYES: 6 COMMISSIONERS: Osorio, Davis, Garden, Stocker, Reed, Widmar NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: 1 COMMISSIONERS: McCrone ABSTAIN: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None Approval of Minutes 1. April 14, 2015 ACTION: Approved as submitted. ***End of Consent Agenda*** PUBLIC COMMENTS None. PUBLIC HEARING 2. Consider 613 - 669 Van Buren Street Use Permit 15-082 to Allow Ground Floor Residential Uses and On-Site Surface Parking for an Affordable Senior Housing Project Owner City of Monterey; Applicant Mid Peninsula The Farm; General Plan Land Use: Residential; Zoning: Planned Community - Downtown; Exempt from CEQA ACTION: The Planning Commission adopts a Resolution approving Use Permit 15-082 to Allow Ground floor Residential Uses and On-site Surface Parking for an Affordable Senior Housing Project Located at 613 – 669 Van Buren Street. Planning Commission Minutes Tuesday, April 28, 2015 Staff Presentation/Commissioner Questions Elizabeth Caraker presented and took commissioner questions. Applicant Betsy Wilson, Director of Housing Development with Mid Peninsula, The Farm, said MidPen was founded in 1970 and by people who were concerned about affordability issues along the peninsula. Today, they work with 11 counties from Napa to Monterey. For the past 15 years they have worked on projects from Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties out of their office in Watsonville and have developed/rehabilitated over 7,500 affordable homes. Ms. Wilson said they view themselves as partners with cities to help fulfill the goals of that particular city. She went on to say they are there to bring their expertise to the challenges that are associated with that jurisdiction. She said the Van Buren project had challenges related to financing; as such they have put together a proposal that works for the City and are hoping to have all the financing later this year and start construction next year. Ms. Wilson said there is a real need for senior housing as there are long waiting lists. She went on to say that this project is in line with the City’s Consolidated Plan and the Housing Goals, which where to, “Develop the Van Buren Senior project on City owned land…” and to develop multi-family/special needs housing, as well as to use underutilized land. Ms. Wilson said the two issues in front of the Planning Commission are ground floor residential and parking. She said that this is a residential street and there are no other commercial properties on the street. She feels that ground floor residential is an appropriate residential use for the site. She said as far as parking, the primary concern of neighbors is that there is adequate parking. Ms. Wilson said they will be providing parking on site for the property. Commissioner Garden asked what the arrangement was between MidPen and the City. He also asked if the City would be the owner and MidPen would manage the property. Ms. Wilson said the City would continue to own the land; MidPen would lease the land in a long term ground lease in upwards of 55 years and they would own the building. She said the lease has yet to be negotiated but typically upon termination of the lease everything reverts back to the City and the City would then take ownership of the building. Ms. Wilson said that during the term of the lease MidPen would own and maintain the property. Commissioner Garden asked what the timeline is for having the arrangements for the lease completed with the City. Ms. Wilson said that was imminent but there were other issues still being worked out that come before that stage. She said one of those steps that needs to happen first is the Deposition and Development Agreement and the ground lease. She said those documents will go before City Council. Commissioner Garden asked Ms. Caraker if this was a new role for the Housing Management Department or will they even play a role. Ms. Caraker said they will not have a new role. Commissioner Garden asked if there would be report to HUD regarding how we have used the money that they have provided. Planning Commission 2 Meeting Minutes Tuesday, April 28, 2015 2 Planning Commission Minutes Tuesday, April 28, 2015 Ms. Wilson said yes. Commissioner Garden asked what the difference between senior housing and affordable housing is and how was it determined which should be built; he asked what is the connection between the two. Ms. Caraker said the House Element identifies a need for senior affordable housing and that concept was part of the reason to move forward with this project. Commissioner Widmar asked how many people are on the waiting list and if the information is city or county wide. Ms. Wilson said the Housing Authority maintains a Peninsula Project Waiting List for their property in Carmel Valley, Rippling River, but that is the only type of facility around here. She they would also be pulling from that waiting list to fill Van Buren. Commissioner Widmar asked how people are selected to live there. Ms. Wilson said they will use the Section 8 program, which is a program for seniors with extremely low income, and they will have to be on Section 8 wait list with the Housing Authority. Commissioner Garden asked who selected the age of 62 to be appropriate for senior housing. Ms. Wilson said that is a Federal standard. Commissioner Garden asked how to determine what the 30 percent of the average wage/income was for rent purposes. Ms. Wilson said that Social Security is about 23 percent of median, at 20 percent that is around $200 a month for rent, providing that 100 percent of the income is from Social Security. Peter Silva, architect for the project, said they looked at underground parking for the site and determined that it would not be feasible from a technical or economic standpoint. Commissioner Garden asked how many more units could have been put in if you had not used that space for parking. Mr. Silva said the number of units was predicated on the density bonus which was already at the maximum of 19 units; so that would not have made an impact. Public Comments None. Commissioner Comments Commissioner Garden asked if the Planning Commission could have “bumped up” the density bonus to allow more units. In response to Commissioner Gardens question Ms. Caraker said the project is at 42 units per square acre, the maximum allowed. Planning Commission 3 Meeting Minutes Tuesday, April 28, 2015 3  Planning Commission Minutes Tuesday, April 28, 2015 Chair Osorio asked about Finding #4 of the Resolution and if anyone thought the wording needed to be change to say, “…the parking is consistent with the policies of the Downtown Specific Plan…” Commissioner Widmar said he thought it was fine as is because typically Findings need to justify the action, so saying it is consistent does not point to any specific reasons it is consistent. Commissioner Stocker said he thought this project was absolutely fitting for what the intent had always been. He said it was exactly what he had hoped to see and that he was pleased to make a motion to approve just as it was written. Commissioner Widmar seconded the motion. On a motion by commissioner Stocker, seconded by Commissioner Widmar, and carried by the following vote, the Planning Commission Approved Use Permit 15-082 to Allow Ground floor Residential Uses and On-site Surface Parking for an Affordable Senior Housing Project Located at 613 – 669 Van Buren Street. AYES: 6 COMMISSIONERS: Osorio, Davis, Garden, Stocker, Reed, Widmar NOES: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None ABSENT: 1 COMMISSIONERS: McCrone ABSTAIN: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None RECUSED: 0 COMMISSIONERS: None COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS Commissioner Stocker will not be at the next Planning Commission meeting. He said he rearranged his schedule to be at tonight’s meeting but would not be at the next. Commissioner Garden discussed the Planning Seminar at CSUMB that was attended by staff and various commissioners and board members that were invited with about 130 people in attendance from the three county areas: Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito. He said it offered insight in what was coming based on state legislation that is being completed. He said much of the changes will come through the CEQA process. He went on to say that CEQA will have more things added to it as opposed to taking them away. He said it will become a little more difficult for staff to prepare both the evaluation and the documentation that will be necessary. He said he came away from the seminar feeling that a significant number changes will probably happen with the General Plan in the form of amendments and create interesting work for the Planning staff and the Planning Commissioners to review and understand. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS 3. Planning Office Update  Update received.  Commissioner Garden said he asked at a previous meeting to see a review of the Planning Commission Work Study Program, instead of the staff work study program. Planning Commission 4 Meeting Minutes Tuesday, April 28, 2015 4 Planning Commission Minutes Tuesday, April 28, 2015 Ms. Cole said that the goal was to do that on the May 12, Planning Commission meeting. Commissioner Garden said that he thought it was the general consensus that the Planning Commission wanted the City Manager there when the Planning Commission Work Study Program was discussed. Ms. Cole said she could tentatively schedule that for the May 26 meeting but she was still waiting for confirmation. She went on to say that as a group the work study program could be discussed on May 12. It could also be revisited again at the May 26 meeting with the City Manager, Mike McCarthy. Commissioner Garden felt that it would be in the best interest of all to have the work study program discussed and the city manager at the same meeting. Ms. Cole stated that she would be able to accommodate this request. Chair Osorio agreed with Commissioner Garden in that he too would like to have the city manager at the meeting when the work program is reviewed. Ms. Cole said she had planned on bringing schedules of where the Planning Commission issues are on the May 12 meeting and expand that conversation on the May 26 meeting with the city manager. Commissioner Garden said that would be acceptable to him. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:40 pm. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Kimberly Cole, AICP Chair Principal Planner Planning Commission Planning Commission 5 Meeting Minutes Tuesday, April 28, 2015 5