Planning Commission

City of Sunnyvale Meeting Minutes - Final Planning Commission Monday, August 10, 2015 8:00 PM Council Chambers City Hall, 456 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086 STUDY SESSION CANCELLED 8:00 P.M. PLANNING COMMISSION - PUBLIC HEARING - COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER Chair Melton called the meeting to order at 8:00 p.m. SALUTE TO THE FLAG Chair Melton led the salute to the flag. ROLL CALL Present: 5 - Chair Russell Melton Commissioner Ken Olevson Vice Chair Sue Harrison Commissioner Larry Klein Commissioner Ken Rheaume Absent: 1 - Commissioner David Simons PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS/PUBLIC COMMENTS Akaash Tawade, a Sunnyvale resident and high school student, gave a presentation on safety concerns at the El Camino Real and Henderson Avenue intersection. Chair Melton noted that the intersection at Hollenbeck and Alberta Avenues has the same dynamics. Trudi Ryan, Planning Officer, said she will refer this presentation to the Transportation and Traffic Division. CONSENT CALENDAR City of Sunnyvale Page 1 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 10, 2015 1.A 15-0763 Approval of the Draft Minutes of the Planning Commission Meeting of July 27, 2015 Vice Chair Harrison moved to approve the draft minutes. Comm. Klein seconded. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 3 - Chair Melton Vice Chair Harrison Commissioner Klein No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Simons Abstained: 2 - Commissioner Olevson Commissioner Rheaume PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS City of Sunnyvale Page 2 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 10, 2015 2 15-0719 Adopt a Resolution Recommending Approval of the Official Plan Lines of Mathilda Avenue between El Camino Real and Washington Avenue; Refer to City Council for Approval and Introduction of Ordinance to Adopt Plan Lines Jennifer Ng, Assistant City Engineer in the Department of Public Works, and Marcelo Cosentino with BKF Engineers, presented the staff report. Vice Chair Harrison and Ms. Ng discussed Comm. Simons’ comments during the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC) meeting, and confirmed that the current plan line meets the City’s approved standard details. Vice Chair Harrison confirmed with Ms. Ng that implementation of bike lanes and movement of the curbs and sidewalks would not occur until an aggregate of property owners decide to redevelop or until a significant portion, such as a blocks worth of properties, have completed the dedication. Comm. Olevson confirmed with Ms. Ng that decisions regarding using color to indicate bike lanes would occur at implementation time, and Ms. Ng added that the City’s bicycle plan will be revisited in 2016. Comm. Klein and Trudi Ryan, Planning Officer, discussed an overview of plan lines in the City and why it is now appropriate to implement the plan line on Mathilda Avenue. Comm. Klein confirmed with Ms. Ryan that the process to prioritize plan lines and determine the locations for street widening occurs when properties are redeveloped. Comm. Klein also confirmed with Ms. Ng that parking will be removed on northbound Mathilda Avenue between Olive Avenue and El Camino Real. Comm. Klein discussed with Ms. Ryan who would cover the costs of project completion in the future, and confirmed with Ms. Ng that levels of service for turn signals at individual intersections were not analyzed as part of the official plan project, but that they will be looked at as properties redevelop. Comm. Rheaume confirmed with Ms. Ng that adoption of a plan line for roadway wide enough to support bike lanes could allow the City to apply for grant funding. Comm. Rheaume commented on bike lanes that start and stop along roads and discussed with Ms. Ng how the City determines when enough dedications have been done on a certain plan line. Comm. Rheaume verified with Ms. Ryan that approval of elements of the right-of-way configuration would not be given by the Planning Commission, and discussed with Ms. Ng that the plan line does not go all the way to train station as the intent of grant was to look at the segment connecting downtown to El Camino Real. In response to Comm. Rheaume’s inquiry, Ms. Ryan explained that redevelopment of a site includes the demolition of existing buildings and that before construction of a new building the City would then ask for a City of Sunnyvale Page 3 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 10, 2015 right-of-way dedication. Chair Melton confirmed with Ms. Ryan adoption of official plan lines does decrease the size of a parcel until dedication occurs. Chair Melton opened the public hearing, and upon seeing no speakers for this item, closed the public hearing. Comm. Klein moved to recommend to City Council Alternative 1: Find that the environmental impacts of the project were considered in the Addendum to the DSP Program EIR adopted on October 22, 2013 (Resolution No. 617-13) for amendments to the DSP; Adopt a Resolution Recommending Approval of the Official Plan Lines of Mathilda Avenue between El Camino Real and Washington Avenue; and Recommend that City Council Approve the Resolution and Introduce an Ordinance to Amend SMC Section 19.06.050 to incorporate the revised Official Plan Lines, and direct that the Plan Line map be filed with the County Recorder’s Office. Comm. Olevson seconded. Comm. Klein said this is an easy and unique item to review, and that the more we can do for bike lanes along major arterial roads in the City, that even experienced bicyclists have trouble riding on, is a positive thing. He said as the downtown area is redeveloped and the City looks at sidewalk widths, which should have been done in 2003, and we determine what we want the vision of downtown and this gateway through Sunnyvale to be, the plan lines will put in place a much better path for pedestrians and bicyclists. He said this is step one toward that vision, that hopefully we will have the funding to look at the other 57 plan lines and that he is hoping staff can provide that info to City Council. Comm. Olevson said he will be supporting the motion, that this is the first of many steps to improve the safety for bicyclists as he sees more sharing the roads with cars. He said as he drives down the road at the speed limit and passes by 5,000 pound trucks going much faster than that, he is hoping that giving more leeway to pedestrians and bicyclists will encourage the City to find a way to slow down the rest of the cars. He added that he cannot see speed bumps on Mathilda Avenue but would support them at this point. Chair Melton said staff has done a great job, and he hopes everything goes well with their presentation to City Council. City of Sunnyvale Page 4 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 10, 2015 MOTION: Comm. Klein moved to recommend to City Council Alternative 1: Find that the environmental impacts of the project were considered in the Addendum to the DSP Program EIR adopted on October 22, 2013 (Resolution No. 617-13) for amendments to the DSP; Adopt a Resolution Recommending Approval of the Official Plan Lines of Mathilda Avenue between El Camino Real and Washington Avenue; and Recommend that City Council Approve the Resolution and Introduce an Ordinance to Amend SMC Section 19.06.050 to incorporate the revised Official Plan Lines, and direct that the Plan Line map be filed with the County Recorder’s Office. Comm. Olevson seconded. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 5 - Chair Melton Commissioner Olevson Vice Chair Harrison Commissioner Klein Commissioner Rheaume No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Simons City of Sunnyvale Page 5 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 10, 2015 3 15-0764 File #: 2014-7416 & 2014-7417 Location: 915 De Guigne Drive, 936 East Duane Avenue and surrounding area Zoning: M-S (Industrial and Service) Proposed R-3/PD (Medium Density Residential/Planned Development) Proposed Project: PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (DEIR) for Residential Project and East Sunnyvale Sense of Place Plan Project Planner: Ryan Kuchenig, (408) 730-7431, rkuchenig@sunnyvale.ca.gov Ryan Kuchenig, Senior Planner, said the purpose of this public hearing is to gather public input on the adequacy of the 915 De Guigne Residential Project Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). He provided comments on the project and noted that staff would not be responding to questions and all comments given tonight would be included in the Final EIR. Chair Melton opened the public hearing. Deborah Marks, a Sunnyvale resident, noted the number of trees on the site, those of a significant size and those in good or excellent condition. She also noted that all onsite trees have been proposed for removal, discussed the benefits of maintaining mature trees and suggested preserving the mature trees located at the periphery of the site. Comm. Klein said he is unsure of whether level of service table 4.2-5 on page 41 captures the current or expected level of service and the subsequent impacts of that project. He said the City is currently redoing the stretch along Duane Avenue, and he hopes the Final EIR will capture the expected level of service and impacts of that project. Chair Melton clarified with Trudi Ryan, Planning Officer, that even technical questions regarding the meaning of words in the document are best made as comments. Chair Melton noted that page ix, the Cultural Resources section makes reference to hazardous materials mitigation, and section 4.10.2.2 regarding Onsite Sources of Contamination, it would be helpful if definitions could be added, particularly for “cutoff wall” and “dewatering.” He noted that in section 4.10.2.3 in the paragraph discussing historical data showing TCE concentrations, there are three instances where he believes the narrative is describing the Pad C remediation. He said he believes the former City of Sunnyvale Page 6 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 10, 2015 source area, soil excavation and dewatering program and ANS leak are all talking about the Pad C remediation, and that if those three things are talking about something other than that he suggests clarification. Chair Melton said the title of this same section, "Off-site Sources of Soil and Groundwater Contamination," is confusing because many narratives talk about onsite sources of soil and groundwater contamination. He noted that the report discusses four facilities to the south where underground water contamination has come onsite, and then mentions the former AMD facilities on parcel 1 of the project site. He noted that the narrative then abruptly transitions from things happening offsite to the discussion about the Pad C remediation, and suggested moving the paragraph beginning with a discussion on the TCE concentrations in its entirety to 4.10.2.2 to conclude the section about onsite sources of contamination or including a paragraph explaining this transition. Chair Melton noted that the following paragraph describes 20 soil gas samples collected at depths of approximately five feet, and said it is unclear as to whether they pertain to Pad C remediation or elsewhere on parcel 1. He suggested some clarification in the narrative or a transition between paragraphs, and suggested writing in a footnote with an explanation on what a Residential Regional Screening Level (RSL) is, who owns the metric and the purpose of it. He asked about the meaning of the final sentence that states the Residential RSL was exceeded in three of the 20 samples on this portion of the site, and whether that is a big deal or not. Chair Melton observed in section 4.10.4.2 on Project Specific Mitigation Measures that the construction of townhomes contemplated on parcel 1 would not disturb the underground cutoff walls that were built at the former Pad C site, and suggested that we need a new mitigation measure along the lines that nobody will disturb underground cutoff walls at the former Pad C site. He commented on mitigation measure Haz 1.7 as not contemplating possible underground storage tanks and associated piping on parcel 2 from the former gas station and it should. Chair Melton suggested that the narrative of section 4.14.1.2 on School Facilities be expanded to include the plan at Fremont High School to deal with the overcapacity situation. He disclosed that he met with the applicant and the environmental consultant advisor a week ago to discuss section 4.10 on environmental issues. Chair Melton closed this public hearing item. City of Sunnyvale Page 7 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes - Final August 10, 2015 STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES None. NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND COMMENTS -Commissioner Comments Comm. Klein thanked staff for the new interactive website on the location of current development and suggested linking that page to the main Planning webpage. Ms. Ryan said staff will continue to add the links to illustrations of the projects. -Staff Comments Ms. Ryan reminded the Commission of the upcoming Civic Center Board and Commission workshop on Wednesday, August 26, 2015, and discussed several Planning-related City Council items. INFORMATION ONLY ITEMS None. ADJOURNMENT With no further business Chair Melton adjourned the Planning Commission meeting at 9:08 p.m. City of Sunnyvale Page 8