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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - PC - 1984.06.11CITY OF BURLINGAME PLANNING COMMISSION JUNE 11, 1984 CALL TO ORDER A regular meeting of the Planning Commission, City of Burlingame was called to order by Chairman Graham on Monday, June 11, 1984 at 7:32 P.M. R f1T.T. r n T.T. Present: Commissioners Garcia, Giomi, Graham, Jacobs, Leahy, Schwalm, Taylor Absent: None Staff Present: City Planner Margaret Monroe; City Attorney Jerome Coleman; City Engineer Frank Erbacher MINUTES - The minutes of the May 29, 1984 meeting were unanimously approved. AGENDA - Order of the agenda unanimously approved. ITEMS FOR ACTION 1. AMENDMENT OF SIGN EXCEPTION TO ALLOW AN 80 SF GROUND SIGN AT 1881 ROLLINS ROAD, BY JULIE DE KELAITA OF THE BACKALLEY DELI CP Monroe reviewed this request to amend a sign exception granted in 1981 for signage at 1877 and 1881 Rollins Road. Reference staff report, 6/11/84; study meeting minutes, 5/29/84; March 26, 1984 letters from House of Stools and Bars and Barker Industrial Supply, Inc. indicating willingness to have their business names included on the proposed directory sign; Sign Exception application filed 5/3/84; Sign Permit application filed 5/3/84; drawing of proposed sign received 5/3/84; staff review: Fire Marshal (5/8/84), Chief Building Inspector (5/11/84), City Engineer (5/16/84); photographs, 1877 Rollins Road, 12/14/81; file materials covering the 1981 Sign Exception and 1976 Special Permit for the deli; aerial photograph of the site; and Notice of Hearing mailed June 1, 1984. CP discussed details of the request, staff review, applicant's justification for the exception, history of the deli and of signage on this site. Proposed sign would cause signage on the site to exceed the 100 SF allowed by 1 SF, height of the sign would increase by 5' but is within code limits for a pole sign. Two conditions were suggested for consideration at the public hearing. Discussion: this proposal and code requirements; existing signage, Engineer's requirement in 1981 that applicant trim and maintain shrubs adjacent to driveway and locate the sign to provide pedestrian/vehicle visibility. Page 2 Burlingame Planning Commission Minutes June 11, 1984 Chm. Graham opened the public hearing. Julie de Kelaita, applicant, was present. There were no audience comments in favor. Roger Weiner, vice president, The Magic Press Corporation spoke in opposition: only heard today about replacement of the sign at 1881 Rollins; Magic Press has frontage on Rollins Road and pays more rent for this location; present sign at 1881 casts a shadow on our building, proposal would block Magic Press' existing sign; businesses at the rear (1881) do not need high visibility; Magic Press has large amount of walk-in traffic, Rollins Road good location, think proposed sign will hurt our business. There were no further audience comments and the public hearing was closed. Commission determinations/discussion: deli is not for sale; property owner did sign the permit form giving his consent to the application; applicant does not live on the premises of the deli; applicant will have new sign made up and installed; benefits of a :master sign program for the site; difficult to make the findings required by code that this would not constitute a grant of special privilege and that there are special circumstances applicable to the subject property to support approval; don't feel Commission can grant an amendment which would affect the frontage property; deli was originally approved to serve people in the area, not to bring customers from outside. C. Jacobs moved to deny this amendment of the December 14, 1981 Sign Exception. Second C. Garcia; motion approved on a 7-0 roll call vote. Appeal procedures were advised. 2. REVIEW OF 11/27/78 USE PERMIT FOR PENINSULA SPORTS CENTER, 1239 ROLLINS ROAD CP Monroe reviewed this item and the 12/6/83 amendment of the use permit to exclude maintaining four parking spaces for Peninsula Sports Center. Staff review found the applicant in compliance with the conditions of the permit and no parking complaints have been received. It was noted the Fire Department makes annual fire inspections in the M-1 zone. C. Taylor moved that this matter be continued for review in 18 months. Second C. Jacobs; motion approved on unanimous voice vote. 3. GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT TO CHANGE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION ON LOTS FRONTING CALIFORNIA DRIVE BETWEEN BELLEVUE AND FLORIBUNDA FROM HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO SERVICE AND SPECIAL SALES COMMERCIAL, BY PIERRE DEROUINEAU (APPLICANT) Reference staff reports of 5/14/84 and 6/11/84 with attachments. CP discussed the applicant's request to change the land use designation so that he could use a portion of his apartment building at 421 California Drive for office; site is currently zoned C-2, the general plan land use designation is high density residential. A public hearing should be held and has been duly noticed. Action may be taken this evening to give direction to the City Attorney in drafting the resolution for Commission's recommendation to Council on all items contained in the May 1984 general plan amendments. Page 3 Burlingame Planning Commission Minutes June 11, 1984 Discussion: real estate offices are allowed in C-1 and C-2 districts; possibility of mixed use, maintaining a residential atmosphere and allowing commercial uses on the ground floor; zoning code requirements for residential in a C district; parking requirements if residential structure were converted to office. Chm. Graham opened the public hearing. Pierre Derouineau, applicant, commented that there is no foot traffic in real estate today, no one would be coming to this site. He presented a petition in favor signed by 7 or 8 adjacent neighbors. There were no audience comments in favor. The following spoke in opposition. Dr. Gerald Frey, 525 California Drive: would not want to change that part of town, parking is a problem everywhere, have no objection to the request if it is done correctly and parking codes are met, street looks more commercial than residential. Douglas Weaver, 1101 Douglas Avenue: request our names (Walter and Douglas Weaver) be removed from the petition in favor, parking provided on the subject site is not sufficient and spaces are substandard, would encourage high density residential growth in Burlingame, in apartments not condominiums; have no objection to mixed use if it meets the general plan and meets parking requirements of the code. Further comment, Dr. Frey: whole street is commercial, parking is a problem; if properties are developed with parking to code it will be a commercial street, there would be no room for .apartment buildings. There were no further audience comments and the hearing was closed. Commission discussion: applicant bought the property to live in, lives in one unit on the lower floor and uses living room for an office; three apartment units are rented out; staff advised structure was built prior to the parking code change, site provides one parking space per unit to the rear of the building, applicant has added an additional space in the front; would like to encourage mixed land use in this area, commercial on the ground floor and residential above; request input from the Fire Department on compatibility of these uses. C. Giomi moved that Commission direct staff to prepare a mixed use land use designation for the general plan which would be commercial/high density residential, and apply it to this area. Second C. Schwalm. Discussion on the motion: should address horizontal mixed use as well as vertical, vertical only could create more problems and not meet Commission's objectives; feel horizontal mixed use is a better alternative; one Commissioner was uncomfortable with residential units facing the railroad tracks but would vote yes on the motion. Following roll call, motion approved 7-0. C. Jacobs moved to continue Item #3 to the meeting at which mixed use will be considered. Second C. Giomi; all aye voice vote. Page 4 Burlingame Planning Commission Minutes June 11, 1984 4. GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT TO CHANGE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION ON PROPERTY BETWEEN 777 AND 731 AIRPORT BOULEVARD :FROM HOTEL TO OFFICE USE. BY DAVID H. KEYSTON. APPLICANT Reference staff reports of 5/14/84 (with attachments) and 6/11/84. CP Monroe reviewed this regpest to change the land use designation from hotel to office on the property which was approved for Phase III of the Days Inn project. The Specific Area Plan (SAP) (amended to the general plan in May, 1981) established a land use of hotel for this parcel. The existing designations were based on the P.M. peak hour traffic each use was projected to generate. Any change to the land uses would upset this balanced system. Applicant states his client would be willing to limit the office use to an FAR of .23, FAR for office in the plan is .9. A public hearing should :be held and has been duly noticed. Directional action to staff can be taken this evening. Discussion: staff advised the SAP became a part of the general plan as defined by state law; the SAP can be amended by the same process as the general plan. Chm. Graham opened the public hearing. Neither the applicant nor his representative were present. The following spoke in favor. John Simmons, general manager, Days Inn: have decided not to build Phase III and believe it would be a good mix to locate an office building on this site; there are more hotels in process for this area; do not feel traffic patterns would be hurt, a new 101 ramp would alleviate some of that problem. Dennis Chuang, 1534 Plaza Lane: his studies show hotel development in the Burlingame/Millbrae area is overdeveloped; an office building in that area is a good idea; his traffic studies indicate there is not much difference in traffic generation between hotel/motel and office development. There were no further comments in favor and no comments in opposition. Chm. Graham closed the public hearing. Discussion: basis of Mr. Chuang's conclusions regarding traffic intensity and office use; Mr. Chuang advised he is a real estate agent with an office in Burlingame. Staff comments: Director of Public Works believes an FAR of .23 would probably generate in the P.M. peak hour about the same amount of traffic as a hotel; in addition to that issue a new land use designation would have to be created since office has a .9 FAR in the SAP; a general plan amendment cannot be conditioned and there would be a need to differentiate between this property and other property designated for offices; properties to the south are vacant, very small parcels in individual ownership and are designated for restaurant; there is only one vacant parcel left designated for office (the drive-in theater); state law does not allow spot planning; if Commission wishes to consider office on this site, a new designation must be established which would include more than this property. Page 5 Burlingame Planning Commission Minutes June 11, 1984 Further Commission discussion: possibility of this change endangering dealings with Caltrans and the Anza Boulevard/101 connection; concern about changes in the P.M. peak hour figures; perhaps there is a need for an updated market analysis to determine whether there is too much land designated for hotels in that area. Staff comment: the SAP, which is based on traffic carrying capacity, is a 20 year plan; in three years since its adoption there is only one hotel -designated site left for which a plan has not been approved; have no concern about the amount of land designated for hotel in the long term, one or two sites may be vacant until the second 10 years; it seems we should give the plan a chance. Further Commission discussion: there is no way Commission could adopt a condition to change the land use designation and apply an FAR of .23 to this one site; is there another piece of property that could be incorporated into a new designation; Anza Airport Parking is designated restaurant at present, could be changed to office; staff advised there is an ABAG study indicating the Bay Area is overbuilding in offices. Commission comment: don't feel we can change other use designations in the area just to accommodate this one site. C. Jacobs moved that Commission direct staff to place in the resolution covering the May, 1984 general plan amendments a recommendation to the City Council that this change of land use in the Anza Area be denied. Second C. Leahy; motion approved on a 7-0 roll call vote. Recess 9:17 P.M.; reconvene 9:30 P.M. ITEMS FOR STUDY 5. SPECIAL PERMIT TO CONSTRUCT A 572 SF GARAGE - 2209 HALE DRIVE Requests: dimensions of the driveway; what is the vent for; what utilities will be installed; clarify drainage. Item set for hearing June 25, 1984. 6. SPECIAL PERMIT TO ALLOW CLASSES - 824 EDGEHILL DRIVE 7. PARKING VARIANCE TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF A 945 SF PIANO CLASSROOM/STUDIO - 824 EDGEHILL DRIVE Requests: applicant's justification for variance; confirm dimensions between the house and property line on California Drive. Items set for hearing June 25, 1984. 8. SPECIAL PERMIT TO ALLOW A CREDIT UNION BRANCH OFFICE IN AN EXISTING OFFICE BUILDING - 840 HINCKLEY ROAD Requests: clarify number of employees; clarification of proposed improvements at this location; how long has the credit union been in business on this site; how many local account holders do they have. Item set for hearing June 25, 1984. Page 6 Burlingame Planning Commission Minutes June 11, 1984 9. USE DETERMINATION FOR THE PROPOSED USE OF SECOND FLOOR WHICH HAS BEEN VACANT FOR MORE THAN SIX MONTHS - 205 PARK ROAD Requests: detailed plan of existing parking including the driveway; proof from the applicant that he has attempted to rent this property for the time it has been vacant; research Bay View Federal application for required parking; are the existing 4 parking spaces sufficient from Engineering's point of view; memo from the City Attorney regarding legal issues; square footage of the occupied portion of the building and of that portion which has been vacant. Item set for hearing June 25, 1984. PLANNER REPORTS CP Monroe reviewed Council actions at its June 4, 1984 regular meeting and June 6, 1984 study meeting. OTHER - Staff's proposed amendments to improve consistency between the general plan land use designation and the zoning designation as well as review of land use designation and zoning for the California Drive frontage from Broadway to Oak Grove were set for additional study June 25, 1984 and public hearing July 9, 1984. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 10:15 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Nannette M. Giomi Secretary