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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-02-14 Planning MINASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 14, 1995 CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Barbara Jarvis at 7:05 p.m. Other Commissioners present were Carr, Armitage, Finkle, Bass, Cloer, and Giordano. Commissioners not present were Bingham and Hibbert. Staff present were McLaughlin, Molnar, Knox and Yates. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND FINDINGS Cloer moved to approve the Minutes of the January 10, 1995 meeting as corrected and Cart seconded the motion. The Minutes were approved as corrected. The corrections included the sentence on page 3, paragraph 5. It should read as follows: "Jarvis suggested putting some sort of sticker on the posted notice stating an action has been continued." SPECIAL RECOGNITION Jarvis thanked Brent Thompson for his almost 10 years of service on the Planning Commission. During his time on the Commission, Jarvis noted some of Thompson's many accomplishments. Thompson was presented with a certificate and a picture. Thompson encouraged the Commission to interact in an on-going way with the Staff and each other after monthly meetings and at other times in order to further long- range planning. PUBLIC FORUM No one came forth to speak. TYPE II PUBLIC HEARINGS PLANNING ACTION 95-012 REQUEST FOR A SITE REVIEW, OUTLINE AND FINAL PLAN APPROVAL UNDER THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS OPTIONS FOR A SIX-UNIT, SIX-LOT SUBDIVISION FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF TOLMAN CREEK ROAD, NEAR THE CORNER OF SlSKIYOU BOULEVARD AND TOLMAN CREEK ROAD. ALSO INCLUDES A FRONT YARD VARIANCE TO ALLOW FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF FRONT PORCHES. APPLICANT: HARLAN DEGROODT Site Visits and Ex Parte Contacts Giordano is the architect on this project and has a conflict of interest. He stepped down. Carr said it was hard to tell where the property was located. Cloer, Bass, Armitage, Finkle and Jarvis had a site visit. Jarvis instructed the Commissioners and the public that the Commission will remain unbiased in their decisions concerning Giordano. STAFF REPORT Knox stated that this application involves the construction of six units, three fronting Tolman Creek and three in the rear. Each unit has a single garage space and two are proposed to be on Tolman Creek. The remaining four will be located on the side as shown on the site plan. Staff is pleased with the layout and design of the project with the exceptions of four items. Staff recommends approval. One issue needing to be addressed is off-street parking. In order to receive credit on a public street, the public street has to have curbing. The applicant will be required to install curbing, sidewalks and a parkrow on Tolman Creek. The design solution for this will be forthcoming after an agreement is reached between the City and Jackson County (Tolman Creek Road is maintained by Jackson County). Ultimately, there will be on-street parking as noted on the site plan. There will have to be some reciprocal easement agreements for the shared drive between parcels I and 2. The applicant will shadow 51 feet the property to the north. The majority of the shadow will occur on the parking area. The last issue was the front yard porch variance. Traditionally, in the neighborhood, there are some houses that have a similar setback to that proposed and very much in line with what the Planning Commission approved last month and the Council approved last week (front yard setback ordinance for R-1 zoning). Finkle wondered if the City and County had an understanding about the type of long- range improvements that will eventually happen on Tolman Creek Road (sidewalks, etc.). McLaughlin responded that this would be the first improvement and that the ASH[AND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 14, 1995 County knows this road is wholly within the City limits and will become an urban street and the design should reflect the urban nature rather than a rural road standard. With regard to off-street parking/on-street parking credit, Carr asked if the trade-off is that curbs, gutters, and sidewalks will be provided by the development. McLaughlin answered that in order for the developer to receive the on-street credit, they will have to have the parking improved along with curbs, gutters, and sidewalks. Add a Condition that the applicant has proposed to provide curbs, sidewalks, and gutters. Condition 5 can be deleted because there are garages and covered bicycle parking will be provided in the garages. Delete Condition 9 because it is very similar to Condition 2. Correct Condition 6 to include "opportunity to recycle site" be enclosed in quotes. PUBLIC HEARING HARLAN DEGROODT, 706 Oak Knoll Drive, stated that he would be willing to give the TID water rights to the City as part of this application. TOM GIORDANO, 157 Morninglight Drive, architect of the project, verified that the unique circumstances surrounding the request for a variance are because of the non- conforming setback status in the neighborhood with many homes having a similar setback as this project. Giordano added that this area is the old Bellview neighborhood and he has tried to provide small scale single family homes on small lots with garages in the rear with walkways and porches in the front that will the give the project a more human scale. Jarvis asked if Giordano could show that this development will have no negative impact on the development of adjacent uses, specifically, solar. Giordano stated that his client will be signing the solar waiver because he owns the adjoining property. Is there any development that could occur as a result of this development that would be of benefit to everyone in the City that would not occur because of the solar waiver, Jarvis inquired. Giordano said the use of the northerly portion, north of the joint driveway will be parking spaces. In the design of the upper lot, the use will built as close to Siskiyou Boulevard as possible. BRENT THOMPSON, P.O. Box 201, stated that whenever a partition is done, the rear of the development should never be blocked from access to the main street. In this case there should be a path from Tolman Creek Road to Siskiyou Boulevard. He ASHLANDPLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 14, 1995 recommended inclusion of the R-2 and R-3 zones in the front yard setbacks. COMMISSIONERS DISCUSSION AND MOTION Carr moved to approve Planning Action 95-012 with the following changes to Conditions: Add a Condition that the applicant has proposed to provide curbs, sidewalks, and gutters. Condition 5 can be deleted because there are garages and covered bicycle parking will be provided in the garages. Delete Condition 9 because it is very similar to Condition 2. Correct Condition 6 to include "opportunity to recycle site" be enclosed in quotes. Cloer seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. PLANNING ACTION 95-016 REQUEST TO AMEND THE CITY OF ASHLAND SIGN CODE - CHAPTER 18.96 - INCLUDING LANGUAGE PROVIDING FOR SIGNMAKER LIABILITY FOR SIGN VIOLATIONS. APPLICANT: CITY OF ASHLAND STAFF REPORT McLaughlin explained what typically happens that prompted this amendment. A sign is often erected before a permit is issued. When the City contacts the owner, the owner will say that their sign company put up the sign and they say they had all the permits. The City contacts the sign company and they say it is up to the applicant to get the permit. The ordinance amendment would allow the City to cite a signmaker if they erect a sign without a permit. Some Commissioners thought the wording of this amendment is confusing because of the "legalese". McLaughlin said he would talk with the City Attorney about writing this in a more readable format with the intent remaining the same. Carr moved to recommend approval of the amendment to the City Council. Giordano seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 14, '1995 4 OTHER The youth center will be going before the City Council to request land in Garfield Park. When the youth center decides to build, they will come before the Planning Commission. Jarvis noted that it is time to begin the annual nomination process of the James M. Ragland Memorial Ashland Volunteer Spirit Community Service Award. Jarvis has applications. New noticing signs are being used for planning applications that seem to be sturdier than the old signs. · Jarvis welcomed Ken Hagen, the Council liaison to the Planning Commission. The letter from Debbie Miller regarding the No. Mountain Study Session was discussed. Jarvis and McLaughlin have talked about trying to reach out more to the community at large with projects of this type. The Hearings Board for April 11, 1995 will be held at 10:00 a.m. in the Council Chambers instead of 1:30 p.m. The Planning Commission will be having their annual retreat on Saturday, March 3, 1995 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. · The Vision Planning Conference will be held on March 11, 1995. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. ASH~D PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 14, 1995 5