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