Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - CC - 1988.09.21CITY OF BURLINGAME CITY COUNCfL STUDY MEETING wednesday, September 2!, L988, 7:30 p.m. city HalI Conference Room B Mayor Frank Pagliaro convened the study session of the Burlingame City Council on the above date in the Conference Room B of Burlin- game City HalI at 7:35 p.m. PRESENT: COUNCILMEMBERS AMSERUP, BARTON, LEMBI , MANGINI , PAGLIARO AD HOC COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:JOE HARVEY, FRANK CONTI , JERRY DEAL, MICHAEL NITMEYER STAFF PRESENT:ARGYRES, COLEMAN, ERBACHER, MONROE 1. DISCUSSION INTERIM URGENCY ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING DECL]NING HEIGHT EWELOPE 263 Committee member Joe Harvey reviewed the committee's deliberation on possible modifications to the interim ordinance. Three members of the committee had recommended droPping the 100-SF exemption for window enclosures if the point of departure of the envelope is raised to 12 feet above the property 1ine. Jerry DeaI reviewed a diagram he had prepared concerning the proposed modifications. He fela that raising the point of departure would accomplish the goal of reducing bulk but allowing second stories. Frank Conti stated that the 12-foot point of departure allows for more variety. Stop- ping envelope at the plate line allows for greater flexibility of roof design. Mike Nilmeyer suggested that we may want to reduce the 100-SF exemption to approximately 35 SF to allow for more ar- chitectural variety in some areas. After Council and coNnittee discussion, it was agreed that a 12- foot poi-nt of departure stopping at the second story plate line and that i 35-SF exemption were acceptable' They suggested an addi- tional limitation of a maximum 10-foot width on the window enclosure. Councilman Lembi questioned the fairness of their second suggestion which was to exempt from the declining height setback one side of a single family house if it is adjacent to a 2-story wal-I of a house next door. He also asked clarification of the wording on recommendation *4 concerning the amendment to the zoning code statement of purpose section regarding conformity of additions to the existing neighborhood. Councilman Lembi stated that he is feeling a Iot more comfortable with the proposed regula- tion due to the v,rork of the committee. Councilwoman Barton indi- cated that she was very pleased with the apparent consensus that was developing on the committee and Council. Mayor Pagliaro stated that he felt we needed to add a definition of neighborhood to our code, This could be something like a 2-block radius around theproject. There was general Council concurrence and staff was asked to develop some suggested definition. City Attorney questioned the Council and corunittee's intent on item 5 which would exempt all existing structures from zoning require- ments if there is major damage by catastrophe. Joe Harvey stated that the intent would be to allow a homeowner to rebuild his property as is if there was a catastrophe which damaged the struc- ture in excess of 50% of the value. This would not extend to the structure were changes made to it when it was rebuilt. Documenta-tion of the parameters of the structure before the disaster would be the responsibility of the property owner. Council and staff discussed the problems with the current nonconforming uses, but the Council concluded that the suggested modification l',as generally ac- ceptabl-e as proposed. Council thanked the committee for its work and suggestions and directed that their proposed amendments to the declining height en- velope ordinance be included in a revised permanent ordinance to be considered at public hearing on November 7. City Engineer Frank Erbacher reviewed the staff report on this mat-ter vrhich addressed problems of definition of creek area and pos-sible responses by property o\^rners or developers to the proposed revision to our code. He showed illustrations of possible creekarea exclusions from lot area depending on whether the definition used was top of bank or 100-year fIood. Also shown r"rere possible responses to excluding creek areas from developable area includingchannelization or culverting of the creeks. The impacts of thesealternatives on the appearance of rrnatural creek environments" was discussed. Councilwoman Barton stated that she wanted to see a revision to the code which would keep our creeks in a natural state, not allowchannelization, and stop divisions of creek side propertj-es. MayorPaglj-aro indicated that these hrere two separate issues on keepingthe natural state, the other division of creek side lots. Council- man Amstrup stated that whereas in past creeks vrere viewed as anatural asset they are now being looked at as a financial advantagesince the larger size may allow for subdivision and creation of a new sal-eable lot. He indicated that government regulations protect the bay and felt that we should be able to apply some type ofsimilar regulation to protect creek areas. City Attorney discussedpossible ways of achieving these objectives but felt a package ofrevisions would be needed. There was a general Council discussion about the intent of such code revisions. Mayor Pagliaro felt that the intent was to protect the creek area and limit the use of creek area for determining lotsize for subdivision. Staff was directed to do additional work onthis topic and propose code amendments which would try to protect the natural state of creeks and discourage construction of pavementor structures over the 100-year flood area. 3. RENTAL CAR USE IN THE M-1 DISTRICT The City Planner reviewed her staff report on this matter. Cur-rently, rental cars are conditional uses in the M-1 zone. Council- man Mangini stated his opinion that we need an overlay zone l-ike wehave for restaurants limiting the number of these businesses since there are too many rental car agencies in our city. City Planner also requested that we consider developing a definition of inciden-tal use for car rentals in our hotels. Currently, there are 15 carrental agencies in Burlingamers M-1 and C-4 zones. Mayor Pagliaro stated his opinion that car rental agencies cause visual and traf- f j-c problems with no offsetting advantage to the City, and he feltthat they should be prohibited. Council then discussed the need of this use to service our hotel customers with rentals and that rental car agencies which are in-cidental to primary hotel uses were acceptable. AIso discussed wasthat rental car sales outlets are different than straight rentalsand should be treated differently because of traffic impact and revenue generated. After additional discussion, Council directedstaff to work on a proposed overlay zone which would freeze the number of car rental agencies in Burlingame at its current leveL. Councilman funstrup asked that staff check with San Francisco water Department about whether Hetch Hetchy water is tested for radon. Staff will check on this item. sible to enact an urgency ordiin the MiIIs Estate area d venants which originally limi Staff and Couneil discussed He al-so asked whether it was pos- ce limiting second story additionsto the expiration of the land con-such additions in this area. s matter and it was concluded that nan ue tedthi 264 2. CONSIDERATION OF REMOVAL OF CREEKS FROM LOT AREA CONSIDERATIONS TN SUBDIVISIONS 4. COUNCIL COMMENTS i 265 staff wouLd prepare an informational report on the areas covered by the prior land covenants which provided protection of views from obstruction by structures. Lois Burrows, 1801 Carmelita, addressed the need for Council rules concerning creeks to apply to aII creek areas and not just specific cases. council indicated that this was their intent. FROM THE FLOOR ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m. vny Judith A. Malfatt City Clerk