10-16-1978 - Laserfiche WebLink

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PUBLIC HEARING - APPEAL NO. 395 Councilman Bricken VA ?8-40 3117-3125 W. 5TH ST. announced that his APPEAL DENIED business firm had pro- vided material to the Variance Applicant, and that he would not participate in the deliberations because of this conflict of interest. The public hearing was opened by Mayor Evans on the Negative Declaration and Appeal No. 395 of the approval of Variance Application No. 78-40, to allow the expansion and reconstruc- tion of an existing vehicle dismantling yard at 3117-3125 West Fifth Street in the C2 and R2 Districts. Planning Director Charles Zimmerman stated that the subject dismantling yard is operating pursuant to the conditions of approval and site plan for Variance 1759 granted in June, 1963; that the property is zoned C2 on the Fifth Street frontage and the rear portion is zoned R4; that this zoning was established to allow residential development oriented to the adjacent golf course and commercial development on Fifth Street with a local street separating the two uses; that the Staff recommendation to the Planning Commission was to deny the Variance; that on a 3:1 vote the Planning Commission recommended approval; that the conditions imposed with the approval include approval of one free-standing sign and one 3-1/2 foot monument sign, and that the auto-truck press not be installed. Speakers in favor of the Appeal and in opposition to the Variance were: Fernando Barona, 705 North Gunther Andrew Boersma, 3122 West Fifth Street Beverly Higley, 1114 North Bewley, #5 Ruby Epps, 626 North Jackson David Robson, Planning Services Manager, City of Garden Grove Mr. Boersma stated that he had found difficulty selling his property because of the surrounding non-conforming uses; other proponents of the Appeal stated that 43% of the wrecking yards in Orange County are in Santa Ana; that the General Plan desig- nates the property for open space; that an expansion of the wrecking yard will not discourage non-conforming uses in the neighborhood; that the residents have worked hard to improve their neighborhood; and that "who you know" seems to be more important to the Council than improvement of the neighborhood. Petitions signed by approximately 400 residents were presented to the City Council. The speakers in opposition to the Appeal and in favor of the Variance were: Dean Evans, representing the Variance Applicants, and Grace Rocco Dale H. Heinly, 838 North Van Ness Fred R. Prendergast, 2136 South Ross Street Phillip Mr. Evans pointed out that only one property owner within 300 feet of the auto dismantling yard had objected to the variance, and he then submitted petitions in favor of the Variance signed by 31 businessmen and residents of the area. Mr. Heinly stated that even though the General Plan designation is open space, that the City of Garden Grove has no intention of enlarging the golf course and the City of Santa Ana does not intend to expand the park; that the property has been used as an auto dismantling yard for many years; that properties in the neighborhood have sold despite the non-conforming use; and that the Applicant wishes not only to expand, but to improve his property. Mr. CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 439 OCTOBER 16, 1978