The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About06/26/2006ACTION MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA JUNE 26, 2006 u CALLED TO ORDER: 5:30 P.M. CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS 22 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA SANTA ANA COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Victoria Betancourt Harvey De La Torre, Vice Chairman James Gartner Christopher Leo, Chairman Tom Lutz COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Don Cribb Rigoberto Rodriguez STAFF PRESENT: Jay Trevino, Executive Director Plan. & Bldg. Agency Ben Kaufman, Chief Assistant City Attorney Karen Haluza, Planning Manager Martha Ramirez, Recording Secretary 1 Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag: Chairman Leo CONSENT CALENDAR MOTION: Approve staff recommendations on the following Consent Calendar. MOTION: De La Torre VOTE: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: A. MINUTES SECOND: Lutz Betancourt, De La Torre, Gartner, Leo, Lutz (5) None (0) None (0) Cribb, Rodriguez (2) RECOMMENDATION: Approve the minutes of the regular meeting of June 12, 2006. B. RECORDING SECRETARY REPORT Pursuant to the Brown Act, the June 12, 2006 Agenda for the Regular Meeting was posted on the door of the City Hall Council Chambers at 22 Civic Center Plaza on June 8, 2006 at 4:23 p.m. RECOMMENDATION: Instruct the Commission Secretary to enter posting into the minutes. * * * END OF CONSENT CALENDAR BUSINESS CALENDAR C. COMMISSIONER COMMUNICATION DISCLOSURE (REGARDING AGENDIZED PROJECTS No comments were made. Planning Commission Minutes 1 June 26, 2006 PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS TAKEN OUT OF ORDER, PRIOR TO WORK STUDY SESSION PROCEDURAL RULES PUBLIC HEARINGS 1. STREET NAME NO. 2006-01 TO RENAME HUTTON CENTRE DRIVE AS HUTTON DRIVE (Continued by Planning Commission: June 12, 2006 to June 26, 2006) Filed by Nexus Companies requesting to rename Hutton Centre Drive as Hutton Drive in the SD-76 zoning district. PUBLISHED IN THE ORANGE COUNTY REPORTER: June 16, 2006 PUBLICLY NOTICED: June 15, 2006 RECOMMENDATION: Continue the item to July 10, 2006 Planning Commission per applicant's request. MOTION: Continue the item to July 10, 2006 Planning Commission per applicant's request. MOTION: Betancourt SECOND: Lutz VOTE: AYES: Betancourt, De La Torre, Gartner, Leo, Lutz (5) NOES: None (0) ABSTAIN: None (0) ABSENT: Cribb, Rodriguez (2) 2. AMENDMENT APPLICATION NO.2006-01 Filed by Kelly's Body Shop to rezone two parcels to allow the expansion of Kelly's Auto Body at 2041 South Main Street. PUBLISHED IN THE ORANGE COUNTY REPORTER: June 16, 2006 PUBLICLY NOTICED: June 15, 2006 RECOMMENDATION: Recommend that the City Council adopt an ordinance denying Amendment Application No. 2006-01. Senior Planner Vince Fregoso presented a letter from the applicant requesting a 60-day continuance for his item. Applicant clarified that he would prefer a 30-day extension. MOTION: Continue the item to Planning Commission July 24, 2006 per applicant's request. MOTION: De La Torre SECOND: Betancourt VOTE: AYES: Betancourt, De La Torre, Gartner, Leo, Lutz (5) NOES: None (0) ABSTAIN: None (0) ABSENT: Cribb, Rodriguez (2) WORK STUDY SESSION D. RENAISSANCE SPECIFIC PLAN UPDATE Associate Planner Lucy Linnaus introduced Moule and Polyzoides consultant Anthony Perez. He provided an overview of the work on the Renaissance Specific Plan to date, which has included technical interviews, discovery workshops with the public, the six-day Design Charrette held at 501 N. Main Planning Commission Minutes 2 June 26, 2006 Street from May 8th through the 13th and meetings with City Committees, Commissions, neighborhood associations, Com Link and other interested citizens. Mr. Perez provided an explanation of the contents of the Charrette Catalog, which is a compendium of all of the drawings and information prepared during the Charrette. Staff stated that the entire contents of the Charrette Catalog are available on the City's website under the Planning Division section. Mr. Perez presented a slide that discussed the next steps in the adoption process, which showed public hearings for adoption occurring in the spring of 2007. Commissioner Lutz emphasized the importance of having clear provisions for implementation of the Specific Plan following adoption, expressed concern for the compatibility of mixing residential and industrial uses in the Logan neighborhood, clarified that the more intense high-rise development is proposed for the properties east of the Santa Ana Depot, clarified that the Arts District is included in the Plan. He further stated that he was impressed with everything that had been proposed so far particularly with the emphasis on open spaces, connections from the Depot for pedestrians, and better connectedness for people to live and work in the area. He also requested clarification on the role that transit might play in the Plan. Planning Manager Karen Haluza provided information on the study currently underway with Parsons Brinckerhoff to design potential transit routes within the study area and that that effort is being coordinated with the Plan. Commissioner Gartner clarified that all of the drawings presented in the Charrette Catalog were produced during the Charrette itself. He expressed the hope that the Plan can be realized and stated that it takes a town and makes it a city. He expressed support for the garage liner concept. Commissioner De La Torre stated that he was very impressed with what was presented. He clarified that active parks should be explored, not just passive open space. He expressed support for public circulation around small parks and stated that triangular areas of surplus right-of-way near intersections should be activated as small urban parks. He supported the idea of creating traffic circles and using other innovative approaches to create a unique character to individual areas. He stated that every corner should have something new and unique. He emphasized that the Plan should have tangible measures to encourage key development and that the City will need to identify funding for any implementation measures proposed in the Plan that will not unfairly draw funds from other area of the City that have needs. Commissioner Leo supported the idea that urban open space has a more broad definition than traditional parks and includes the interconnected network of parkways, sidewalks and smaller spaces. He expressed support for the proposed street realignments, as well as the removal of one-way streets. He stated that changing the streets in the near term should be encouraged as it will stimulate benefits right away. He expressed support for changes to the corner of 4th and Main proposed in the Plan. He requested clarification on the difference between intensity-based vs. use-based zoning concepts, which was provided by Mr. Perez. Commissioner Leo thanked Mr. Perez and staff for the broad-based public outreach to all communities of concern. Commissioner Betancourt stated that she would not participate in tonight's discussion due to the location of her primary residence within 500 feet of the study area boundary, but that she was seeking an opinion from the Fair Political Practices Commission regarding her future participation. Public Comments: Jim Kendrick voiced concern with prior Midtown Specific Plan that never got implemented. He stated that the Plan did not adequately emphasize the Artists Village area and the contributions of the arts to Santa Ana's downtown Planning Commission Minutes 3 June 26, 2006 revitalization. He stated that there should be more foot traffic in the downtown. He stated that he did not attend the Charrette, but that he thinks the City is moving in the wrong direction with this Plan. 3. Public Comments (for items not on the agenda) No comments were made. 1 STAFF AND COMMISSION COMMENTS 4. Staff Comments No comments were made. 5. Planning Commission Comments Commissioner De La Torre • No comments Commissioner Betancourt • No comments Commissioner Gartner • No comments Commissioner Lutz • Responded to Mr. Kendrick's comments and recommended better efforts with the Artists Village. 1 Chair Leo • No comments 6. Excuse of Absences Commissioner Lutz made a motion to excuse the absences of Commissioners Cribb and Rodriguez; motion was seconded by Commissioner Gartner and unanimously approved by the Commission. 7. Adjournment 6:54 p.m. Martha Ramirez Recording Secretary L~' Planning Commission Minutes 4 June 26, 2006