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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-10-11 Planning MINASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OCTOBER 11, 1994 CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by Chairperson Barbara Jarvis. Other Commissioners present were Thompson, Carr, Bingham, Armitage, and Hibbert. Absent members were Cloer and Giordano. Staff present were McLaughlin, Molnar, Knox, and Yates. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND FINDINGS Armitage moved to approve the Minutes and Findings of the September 13, 1994 Hearings Board. Thompson seconded the motion and they were approved. PUBLIC FORUM No one came forth to speak. TYPE II PUBLIC HEARINGS PLANNING ACTION 94-129 REQUEST FOR A MODIFICATION OF A PREVIOUSLY APPROVED OUTLINE PLAN FOR A 12-LOT SUBDIVISION ON 7.6 ACRES, FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED BETWEEN DITCH ROAD AND SCENIC DRIVE, AND BETWEEN NUTLEY STREET AND LOGAN DRIVE. MODIFICATIONS ARE AS PER NEIGHBORHOOD/DEVELOPER'S MEDIATION AGREEMENT. MODIFICATION INVOLVES A VARIANCE FOR THE USE OF A HAMMERHEAD-STYLE TURN- AROUND IN LIEU OF A FULL CUL-DE-SAC ON A STREET SERVING 10 OR MORE RESIDENTIAL HOMES. MODIFICATION ALSO INVOLVES AN ADJUSTMENT IN LOT BOUNDARIES AND BUILDING ENVELOPE FOR LOT 5. FURTHER CONDITIONS AS PER THE MEDIATION AGREEMENT ARE ALSO INCLUDED AS PART OF THE REQUEST. APPLICANTS: JOHN BARTON/BRUCE AND POKII ROBERTS Site Visits and Ex Parte Contacts Thompson excused himself because he owns a house in the area. Site visits were made by Carr, Bingham, Armitage, Hibbert, and Jarvis. STAFF REPORT McLaughlin detailed the history of this application that led to mediation. A grant was received for mediation and for the past year, the parties have been working towards an agreement which was reached the latter part of this September. The proposed modifications are not that much different than what was originally approved. The primary change was in the turnaround design for the street. It was determined that a hammerhead design would be more appropriate along with a small change in the lot design. The modifications will reduce the excavation and benefit the adjacent property owners. The Fire Department and Public Works have agreed to the turnaround. The mediation agreement was included in the packet. McLaughlin expressed his pleasure in working this out through mediation. This completion is preferable to the appeals process. Staff has recommended approval and McLaughlin is hopeful the Commission recognizes the amount of effort put into this agreement. Jarvis confirmed that the Planning Commission would be adopting the prior Findings and Conclusions which would include the fact that this has met the Performance Standards Options. The new Findings are on the criteria for the Variance. Bingham asked what were the unique circumstances used for the variance. McLaughlin responded in most cases, a flat spot or saddle on a hillside can be found to locate a cul-de-sac, but in this case there was not a feature that was suitable, therefore, a hammerhead is the more appropriate design. Jarvis read a letter from Isabel Sickels into the record. Sickels would like to have had a connection to Logan Drive. PUBLIC HEARING BRUCE ROBERTS, Church Street, had originally hoped to tie into Logan Drive, however, they needed to acquire property from the adjacent property owner or obtain an easement and he was not able to finalize this before Houghton began his development. RON THURNER, 1170 Bellview Avenue, believe the Findings need to be adopted which include the minor changes with criteria applying to those changes. Findings need to address the fact that the map has changed. McLaughlin agreed and said it can be found that the revised map and lot design and building envelopes comply to the applicable standards of the Land Use Ordinance. COMMISSIONERS DISCUSSION AND MOTION ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 11, 1994 MINUTES Carr moved to approve PA94-129 and in the approval, noting that the map, street and lot design modifications comply with the Land Use Ordinance and that the Variance criteria have been met. Hibbert seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. Jarvis announced that PA94-117, M. M. Hedges, Church Street, has been continued. PLANNING ACTION 94-125 REQUEST FOR A SITE REVIEW AND A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR TWO COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS: AN OIL, LUBE AND COFFEE SHOP (ONE BUILDING) AND OFFICE WITH A SECOND STORY RESIDENCE (2ND BUILDING), TO BE LOCATED AT 1649 ASHLAND STREET. APPLICANT: GLEN ARNESON Thompson rejoined the meeting. Site Visits or Ex Parte Contacts All Commissioners except Armitage had a site visit. STAFF REPORT The property is located across from the new Wendy's Restaurant. The proposal is a mixed use. One building will house a lube shop with a coffee shop up front toward Ashland Street. The second building will be general office space (no specific use is designated at this time). The upstairs will be residential use. There will be a one-way driveway to the left (west side) of the site for the lube shop. On the right, there will be a two-way driveway to the rear for a future use. Staff is happy with the plan as the applicant is providing a good pedestrian environment and is utilizing site design standards. The applicant has been willing to work to meet the long-term plans to accommodate the Ashland Street plan. A flower cart is designated to occupy the plaza area. The coffee shop will have a walk-up window. Staff has recommended approval of this application with 13 attached Conditions. There are a number of large trees on the property, three of which will be protected. Some trees are diseased and will be removed. Staff is recommending a couple of changes to the Conditions. Condition 4, add "three" to the height. ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 11, 1994 MINUTES Condition 7, "That the existing sidewalk be widened, repaired or replaced to the standards of the Engineering Department, and widened to eight feet and incorporate street tree planting wells (min. 2 sq. ft.) every 30 feet, prior to Certificate of Occupancy". Add Condition 14, "That bike parking be provided in accordance with the design standards outlined in 18.92 and completed prior to Certificate of Occupancy". Add Condition 15, "That an opportunity to recycle site be provided in accordance with Ashland Sanitary". Armitage wondered if the lube/oil facility required special recycling? Molnar thought the DEQ might have special requirements. The City can ask for recycling of common materials. Bingham wondered if the Bi-Mor tanks were ever excavated. Hibbert was interested in any impacts with regard to street run-off from a lube facility. Molnar said any run-off would be contained within their facility. A separate sign permit will be required. The applicant is showing a five foot monument sign on their plans. Molnar read a letter from Weston and Toso, 1616 Parker Street into the record favoring the application. PUBLIC HEARING GLEN ARNESON, 389 Ausland Drive, Grants Pass, OR, explained the Bi-Mor tanks were removed and DEQ did soil plugs and it was their opinion that there is no soil contamination. He said he would provide the letter from DEQ to Staff. Ameson said the tanks that store the oil from the lube shop are housed in a concrete basement in holding tanks. There is a storm sewer drain for water that builds up around the walls. The floor drain goes into an oil separator which has test pole on it. The used oil is picked up. If any oil is spilled, there is a rolling pan that will catch the oil as well as sheet metal pans under the catwalks. There is very little spillage on the floor. Arneson wants to do some small, tasteful, directional signs in addition to a larger sign. LYNN KEFFER, 245 Tolman Creek Road, stated that her mother lives nearby in a ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 11, 1994 MINUTES trailer. She noticed gas spillage in front of her house and she believes the soil is contaminated. She does not favor this application because of the busy highway, her mother will have trouble finding housing, and low water pressure. She suggested the speed limit be dropped along Highway 66. Molnar said the trailer park is affordable housing acknowledged by the State of Oregon. There are State statutes that address the transition of the tenants in trailer parks. The landlord has an obligation to give 365 days notice to the tenants or 180 days if he will assist monetarily in a move. There are nine trailers involved on the proposed property. It is hopeful, according to Molnar, that as buildings on Highway 66 are built closer to the street, the car speeds will drop. KEFFER asked why the applicant could not just leave the trailers and do only the lube portion of his application. ARNESON, in rebuttal, stated that it is his intention to contact the trailer tenants to let them know of his intentions. Once the property closes, he would like to meet with the tenants so they may have a smooth transition and move the homes to within 25 miles of the site. COMMISSIONERS DISCUSSION AND MOTION Thompson questioned what alternatives the tenants would have within the City of Ashland to move their trailers. McLaughlin said the only other site approved is the Pines and that appears full. He was not certain if there was any space on Crowson Road. The ordinance allows for the relocation of these trailers within the Urban Growth Boundary. Hibbert moved to approve the application. Carr seconded with the addition of Conditions 14 and 15 and the corrections on 4 and 7. There was unanimous approval of the application. TYPE III PUBLIC HEARING PLANNING ACTION 94-119 is a request to modify the boundary of the City of Ashland's Wildfire Lands Zone. APPLICANT: City of Ashland ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 11, 1994 MINUTES The details of this application and the modifications are outlined in the Staff Report. A memo from Paul Nolte was included in the packet addressing citizen's concerns that this would become a taxing district. Carr is concerned about the area in Greenmeadows that borders the County line. There is extremely dry, thick vegetation. The County areas should be included in our area. DON PAUL, Assistant Fire Chief, said the area above the Greenmeadows properties is grasslands. The areas of concern that the Fire Department looked at were heavier fuel types. There is some talk among homeowners to amend their homeowner's association restrictions to require non-combustible roofing material instead of shake roofs in Greenmeadows. RON THURNER, 1170 Bellview, thanked Staff for the extra work and was pleased that they came up with criteria for determining appropriate lines for the wildfire zone. COMMISSIONERS DISCUSSION AND MOTION Carr moved to recommend approval and adoption of the map and ordinance amendments on PA94-119 to the City Council. Hibbert seconded the motion and it carried unanimously. This is not an assessment. PLANNING ACTION 94-128 REQUEST FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITY OF ASHLAND TRANSPORTATION PLAN MAP. AMENDMENT INVOLVES THE LOCATION OF A FUTURE STREET DEDICATION BETWEEN ROMEO DRIVE AND MILLPOND ROAD. APPLICANT: CITY OF ASHLAND STAFF REPORT In 1990, the Planning Commission approved the Romeo Drive subdivision and during that process looked at the connection to adjacent property. In 1993, another subdivision (Clear Creek) was approved and the future street connections were included in that application as well. In 1993, a Comprehensive Plan/Transportation Element policy was modified to encourage interconnection between neighborhoods ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEE'nNG OCTOBER 11, '1994 MINUTES and discourage cul-de-sacs or dead end streets. Jarvis noted that people get used to cul-de-sacs. In the future, perhaps these future connections should be left open so people don't get used to cul-de-sacs. McLaughlin said it is clear that Kirk Lane and Munson Drive will continue because they have a hammerhead and knuckle. A statement could be required in the CC&R's that a street would be extended or a connection made so when people purchased their homes, they would be aware of this situation. PUBLIC HEARING CAROLYN ElDMAN, 541 Fordyce, had asked for postponement of the meeting on Monday, October 3rd. She said no one was notified on Evan Lane and some were missed on Fordyce. Eidman has contacted 69 people and she has a petition but she told everyone there would be not meeting tonight. The Commissioners agreed to continue this hearing until the November Regular Meeting. PLANNING ACTION 94-117 HEDGES This action has been postponed until next month. OTHER North Mountain Plan Information was included in the packets for those who were unable to attend the Study Session. The plan was not discussed at this (October 11, 1994) meeting. Suggested Educational Topics (Brent Thompson's letter) Thompson felt perhaps an opportunity was lost for education or just to get people to a meeting last month when there was no meeting because of lack of planning actions. Hibbert thought it could be difficult to draw a good portion of the population to a meeting and he is not sure what it would take to get them out. Armitage did not know what benefit could be derived from drawing the public to a ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 11, 1994 MINUTES meeting with incomplete staff work. Thompson thought there should be a contingency plan in place for times where there are few to no planning actions at a regular meeting. Jarvis suggested that the Commissioners bring a list of things that might be of interest for a Study Session time to the October 25th meeting. Staff could then have a scheduled list and a plan for the next year. Bingham, Jarvis and Thompson will meet with Staff to come up with a plan for meetings. McLaughlin reported that the Transportation Committee has been meeting and a draft of the plan should be ready for discussion in November. He said the Affordable Housing Committee is about ready for their report. With regard to the Ashland Street Plan and the Railroad District Plan, contracts between the State, consulting firm, and the City are being finalized and public participation should be starting late this month or early next month. The Strawberry Neighborhood plan is commencing and there will be a component included in the plan addressing hillside development. Study Session - October 25th Suggested topics: Paul Nolte, speaker Ex Parte contacts Dolan decision Compass decision Review basic rules (Riggins Rules) Provide a time line of projects Adoption of Rules and By-Laws Carr moved to adopt and Hibbert seconded the motion. All Commissioners approved. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 9:10 p.m. ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 1'1, 1994 MINUTES