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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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REGULAR MEETING
OCTOBER 1'1, 1994
MINUTES