CITY OF LA PUENTE PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES. April 03, 2007

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1 CITY OF LA PUENTE PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES April 03, 2007 A Regular Meeting of the of the City of La Puente was held in the Council Chambers of City Hall, East Main Street, La Puente, California, on 04/03/2007, at 7:00 p.m. CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Holloway called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL: Rojas, Grueter, Holloway, Klinakis, Escalera PRESENT: ABSENT: EX OFFICIO: Rojas, Grueter, Holloway, and Escalera. Klinakis Assistant City Manager Yamachika, Deputy City Attorney Archuleta, City Planner Arreola, Acting City Clerk Giron, Assistant Planner Chow, and Executive Assistant Birney. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Commissioner Escalera. Chairman Holloway acknowledged Charlie Aguirre and John Escalera from the La Puente Valley County Water Board. INSTALLATION OF NEWLY APPOINTED PLANNING COMMISSIONER: The oath of office was given by Acting City Clerk Giron. Newly installed Commissioner Hernandez took his seat on the dais at 7:02 p.m. and expressed his thanks for being appointed to the Commission. Chairman Holloway welcomed Commissioner Hernandez and acknowledged Mayor Lou Perez.

2 April 3, 2007 Page 2 PRESENTATION OF COMMENDATION FOR TOM GRUETER: Assistant City Manager Yamachika read the certificate of recognition presented to retiring Commissioner Grueter. Mr. Grueter congratulated Commissioner Hernandez and stated that the Commission was a great group to work with. He also thanked Staff for all the help he received during his time as a er and stated he would cherish the recognition. Chairman Holloway thanked Mr. Grueter for all his years of service to the City and stated that he would be missed. He also thanked Mrs. Grueter for her loyalty in supporting the work of Mr. Grueter and the Commission. Commissioner Escalera and Vice Chairman Rojas thanked Mr. Grueter and wished him well. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: Marty Paz, San Jose, congratulated Commissioner Hernandez and expressed hopes that he would make decisions that would be best for the City. He stated that he was sorry to see Mr. Grueter step down. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING: 1. Reading of the minutes of the regular meeting of March 6, Vice Chairman Rojas moved and Commissioner Escalera seconded to approve as presented. The motion carried with the following roll call vote: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: Rojas, Holloway, and Escalera. None Hernandez. Klinakis. PUBLIC HEARINGS: 2. SPECIFIC PLAN A request to develop a 49,354 square foot site with a 4- story, 74-unit senior citizen housing development for the property located at 1040 Unruh Avenue. Approval of the Specific Plan will change the underlying zoning designation from R-4 to Specific Plan (Unruh Avenue) (Filed in conjunction with Development Plan Application No. 1057) Chairman Holloway opened the public hearing at 7:15 p.m. City Planner Arreola presented the report.

3 April 3, 2007 Page 3 Charlie Aguirre, 442 Del Valle Avenue, asked if security would be provided for the project and if children would be living there. Chairman Holloway closed the public hearing at 7:35 p.m. Chairman Holloway asked if Staff recommended that the item be continued to the next regular meeting. Assistant City Manager Yamachika responded in the affirmative and asked the Deputy City Attorney Archuleta if the public hearing should be reopened and then continued. Deputy City Attorney Archuleta responded in the affirmative and stated that the attorney's office was carefully checking all aspects of the project to assure that it conforms to all laws. Chairman Holloway re-opened the public hearing at 7:36 p.m. He asked if the applicant could speak to the security issue. Jorge Hernandez with Genesis Architectural Engineering, thanked Staff for working closely with the applicant. He stated that security would include an inhouse manager to attend to all the needs of the residents and there would be a security system that monitors all people and cars entering the complex. He spoke about the landscaping and indicated that it would be well maintained so as to deter or prevent anyone from hiding there. Chairman Holloway asked if the Sheriff's Department had reviewed the proposal. City Planner Arreola responded in the affirmative and stated that the Sheriff s Department had no issues with the project. He stated that the applicant was proposing electronic gates. Mr. Hernandez stated that there would also be electronic gates, cameras installed and perimeter fencing. Chairman Holloway asked how senior housing was defined and if there would be an income criteria for residents to be eligible to rent a unit in the complex. He also asked for a definition of low income. City Planner Arreola stated that the code defines senior citizen housing as facilities designed for residents 62 years of age or over and that low income criteria is set by HUD. Chairman Holloway asked what the rent would be for the units that were not low income and if the units would be affordable for senior citizens.

4 April 3, 2007 Page 4 Jose Gutierrez, applicant, thanked Staff for all the help they provided. He stated that he had other units in the city that were at reasonable rates and that there were no vacancies in those units. Chairman Holloway asked if there were any other 4-story buildings in the city and how the project would impact the view of the adjacent properties. City Planner Arreola responded that the project would be adjacent to a two-story apartment building on one side and a commercial property to the north. Mr. Hernandez stated that there would be feet between the buildings which should prevent an impact on the view from the existing units. Chairman Holloway addressed the issue of the balconies projecting into the setbacks. City Planner Arreola stated that it would be preferable not to have the balconies protruding into the set-back, however the project design has met all building codes. Chairman Holloway asked for clarification regarding parking requirements. He expressed concern that there was not enough guest parking. He also asked why the proposed shuttle service would only be three days per week and whether the Link and Dial-A-Ride would be available for the residents, and if there would be a cost to the City for increased usage of transportation services. City Planner Arreola responded that the Link stopped at Unruh and Hacienda and that Dial-A-Ride would be available to the residents. He stated that Staff had not done a study of the impact to the Link or Dial-A-Ride, however Staff did not think that an increase in rider ship would create additional costs to the City. Vice Chairman Rojas asked if the requirement for handicapped parking was the same for senior housing as for non-senior housing. City Planner Arreola stated that the project meets the minimum requirement for handicapped parking. Vice Chairman Rojas asked for clarification regarding the set-backs. City Planner Arreola explained that the building was proposed at an eight-foot set-back with the balcony projecting into that set-back. Vice Chairman Rojas asked if there was a dollar amount that defined low income and if the applicant would be designating a specific number of units for residents without vehicles.

5 April 3, 2007 Page 5 City Planner Arreola responded that low income was defined by HUD, and that the applicant had not designated a specific number of units for residents without vehicles. Vice Chairman Rojas stated that he felt the applicant should designate a specific number of units available for tenants without vehicles in order for the Commission to approve the project with only.7 parking spaces per unit due to the concerns regarding on-street parking in the City. Mr. Gutierrez stated that the project had originally submitted the project with a minimum age of 55 for residents but had increased the age to 62. He also stated that most other cities require only.5 parking spaces per unit for senior housing. Commissioner Escalera asked if the handicapped parking could be increased by adding stalls that were not necessarily van accessible but could be used by individuals having a valid handicapped placard. City Planner Arreola stated that the applicant was meeting the minimum number of handicapped stalls required by the Building Code however, the Commission could choose to require more as a part of the specific plan. Commissioner Escalera asked if it would be a problem for the applicant to add additional handicapped parking spaces. Mr. Hernandez explained that increasing the number of handicapped spaces would decrease the available spaces for those residents that did not have a placard. He also stated that the project would meet all of the ADA requirements. Commissioner Escalera asked how the applicant arrived at the number of units to be designated as low income. Mr. Hernandez responded that they had worked with Planning to try and all of the requirements. satisfy Chairman Holloway asked if the utilities would be underground. City Planner Arreola responded in the affirmative. Chairman Holloway expressed his desire to see that the site be wired for cable or satellite so as not to have numerous satellite dishes on the building. Mr. Hernandez responded that the applicant was working with the cable company to install wiring. He described some of the amenities such as game rooms, television rooms and community rooms.

6 April 3, 2007 Page 6 Chairman Holloway asked if there would be a central receptacle for trash and if there would be recycling receptacles. Mr. Hernandez stated that each floor would have a trash chute and that there could be two chutes to allow for recycling. Chairman Holloway asked if there would be a way to prevent satellite dishes from being installed on the outside of the building. Assistant City Manager Yamachika responded that the Commission could include that as part of the specific plan. Mr. Gutierrez stated that the leases would contain a clause prohibiting the installation of satellite dishes. Vice Chairman Rojas asked if the structure was originally 3 stories and changed to 4 stories to accommodate the additional parking. City Planner Arreola explained that the original application was approved at.5 parking spaces per unit however, the project was never built and additional information became available regarding the need for additional parking for senior citizen housing. Vice Chairman Rojas expressed concern that the parking ratio was not one stall per unit. The Commission expressed several issues of concern and directed Staff to include the following in the Specific Plan: Building to be wired for cable and no antennas allowed on the patio, underground utilities, recycling required, a concrete figure or percentage for low income/no vehicle units, security system and gates on the perimeter. They also expressed a concern regarding the parking ratio being.7 per unit as opposed to one space per unit. Vice Chairman Rojas moved and Commissioner Escalera seconded to continue to the regular meeting of May 1, The motion carried with the following roll call vote: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: Rojas, Holloway, Escalera, and Hernandez. None None Klinakis.

7 April 3, 2007 Page 7 ORAL COMMENTS FROM COMMISSION: Chairman Holloway stated that Steve Moreno, a long time resident and business owner in La Puente passed away and that the meeting would be adjourned in his honor. He then acknowledged Mayor Pro Tem Lola Storing. Commissioner Escalera reported on the Planners Institute held in San Diego that was attended by the Commission. He stated that he had attended several very helpful workshops. Chairman Holloway added that he had the opportunity to take a 3-hour tour of Coronado and see what they had done with their redevelopment. He stated that the Commissioners enjoyed the opportunity to get better acquainted. Commissioner Escalera and Chairman Holloway welcomed Commissioner Hernandez to the Commission. ORAL COMMENTS FROM STAFF: Assistant City Manager Yamachika welcomed Commissioner Hernandez and thanked Tom Grueter for his time on the Commission. He stated that Mr. Grueter would be missed and thanked Joy Grueter for all of her support to her husband and the Commission. ADJOURNMENT: Chairman Holloway adjourned the meeting at 8:40 p.m. Secretary,