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.
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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.
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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.
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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