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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1151 Vancouver Ave - Approval Lettera � �.�E l'�I�� aC ��Cx�zxi.�c.`Yl1'C.e CITY HALL-501 PRIMROSE ROAD SURLINGAME� CALIFORNIA 94010 September 20, 1988 Dr. James E. Black Burlingame School District 2303 Trousdale Drive Burlingame, CA 94010 Dear Dr. Black: � � PLANNING DEPAF7TMENT l415) 342-8625 Since there was no appeal to or suspension by the City Council, the September 12, 1988 Planning Commission action to deny your special permit application without prejudice became effective September 20, 1988. This application was a request to use a portion of the existing school buildings and yard for a maintenance shop area and yard to store maintenance vehicles at Roosevelt School, 1151 Vancouver Avenue. A denial without Commission for reasonable time Planning staff. Sincerely yours, I�G��f" M�� Margaret Monroe City Planner prejudice allows you to come back to the Planning reapplication without another fee within a (for example, three months) as determined by MM/s , r Burlingame Planning Commission Minutes Page 3 September 12, 1988 foundation. Mrs. Fraher commented support for a finding that this property is unique would be difficult, if they provide a 20' Y 20' garage they will have very little back yard, with the long driveway there is room to park more cars. There were no audience comments and the public hearing was closed. Commissioner comment: have no problem with the addition, houses in the neighborhood have additions to the rear, have no problem with the substandard garage, but do have a problem with the proposal to hold up an addition with the garage and extend the house to property line. On the grounds there are no exceptional circumstances which would make this lot substantially different from the majority of lots in the city, and there are alternatives to the proposal possible on the property, C. Giomi moved for denial of the variances. Motion was seconded by C. H.Graham. Comment on the motion: have a problem granting variances when there are no unusual circumstances, even though the iong driveway will permit more parking think applicants should cp�form as much as possible. Mot�tin to deny was approved on a 6-0 roll call vote, C. Garcia a�Ssent. Appeal procedures were advised. 5. SPECIAL PERMIT TO USE A PORTION OF THE EXISTING SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND YARD FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MAINTENANCE YARD - AND SHOP AREA AT ROOSEVELT SCHOOL, 1151 VANCOWER AVENUE, ZONE R-1 Reference staff report, 9/12/88, with attachments. CP Monroe reviewed details of the request, staff review, Planning staff comment, applicant's letters, study meeting questions. Nine conditions were suggested for consideration at the public hearing. Discussion: location and layout of the school as well as the fenced in parking area were pointed out; it was recommended the access ramp be engineered and approved by the appropriate agency; number of spaces existing and expected was discussed. Chm. Jacobs opened the public hearing. Dr. James E. Black, superintendent of the Burlingame School District, was present. His comments: will determine number of spaces when the ramp is finished, a stronger and wider ramp is needed; the School District student population has grown in the last two years and has impacted the intermediate school where the maintenance operation is now located, they need those two offices to house their new 6th grade students; Roosevelt is the only available space the School District had; maintenance is minimal in Burlingame, they contract out all major maintenance, it is not a corporation yard, all materials are Burlingame Planning Commission Minutes Page 4 September 12, 1988 stored inside; very little time is spent in the shop or at the maintenance yard. There were no audience comments in favor. The following spoke in opposition. Robert Kane, 2112 Broadway: he has resided in Burlingame since 1950 and at this residence since 1957, there has been a school there for the last 30-40 years and it has been used for school purposes, he lives across the street from the courts and the facility mentioned by Dr. Black, a few months ago he noticed trucks coming to load and going out from that site, then a ramp being built; when he called the city�s attention to this he discovered the School District would have to obtain a special permit and that it was the opinion of the city they were exempt from CEQA as an existing facility. Mr. Kane felt this type of exemption should be for minor alteration, negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing, he questioned whether this proposal is negligible, putting in a motor pool on a previous tennis court. He presented photographs of existing traffic on a regular school day and stated his concerns: with parking on the street parents must use end of the street as a turnaround; the maintenance pickup trucks which will be using the street, four of these vehicles take up a great deal of space and come to the site twice a day, for the past two months he has seen them come in during the day also. The opening of the gate prevents ivy planted on the gate portion of the fence about one-third of the frontage, so ivy will not screen a lot. In summary Mr. Kane stated if this proposal is approved there is potential danger to the health and safety of the children in the area, the increase in traffic compounded by opening up an entrance to the court will add to it; between 8:30-9:00 A.M. he doubted a fire truck or ambulance could get up that street and it could not turn around; the proposal will have substantial economic impact on homes in the area; he felt an environmental impact report should be prepared and did not believe the proposal is categorically exempt from CEQA. James Walsh, 2116 Broadway: he lives in the last house on the dead end street; why is the school addressed as 1151 Vancouver when all the impact will be on Broadway; he put on an addition nine years ago, this deck faces toward the school, whether the fence is covered with ivy or not this proposal will make a difference; he had traffic concerns, his car has been hit nine times, on a rainy morning it is impossible to move an automobile; he has lived there for 19 years, think the city must start thinking of the homeowners. James Quinn, 1116 Vancouver Avenue: lives around the corner from the gate; he showed a petition to Commission with 33 signatures of immediate neighbors in Burlingame and three residents of Hillsborough whose backyards abut the maintenance yard, and stated r Burlingame Planning Commission Minutes Page 5 September 12, 1988 the people are outraged, they feel this is a residential area; he commented this is an inappropriate spot for such a use, it is a narrow dead end street, Vancouver is also very narrow and a problem getting down tc Broadway, during inclement weather it is more of a problem; relocation is from Franklin School where access is from Trousdale and Quesada, both wider streets; the shop will be in the annex area, a stuccoed building constructed as part of the complex, not as a maint?nance building; agree this is a different use; the gate was constructed within the past month or so and the area has been used as a supply depot, half the fence is taken up by the gate, the ivy won�t shield very much, the vehicles are pickup trucks with housing on top; object to use of a purely residential area for this �ndustrial pool use. Harvey Bracken, 2100 Roosevelt Avenue: gate can be opened, kindergarten is next door; if 5chool District can get away with this anyone else can do the same. Applicant resp�nded to Commissioner questions: the District had no contact with tze neighbors, any comments Dr. Black heard were made to the city, �he major concern appeared to be using the tennis court as a Farking lot; he had received no complaints about vehicles beina damaged in that area; when Roosevelt School was discontinued and discussed with the neighbors, traffic and parking were major ccncerns and it was agreed uses allowed would be the same as public school use; Dr. Black advised it was not his understanding �aintenance vehicles would be coming in and out all day long, that would be changed. A Commissioner commented if the School District vehicles left by 7:00 A.M., did not return for lunch and returned at 3:30 P.M. this would eliminate their impact during tenants� peak hours and might help to alleviate the situation. There were no �urther audience comments and the public hearing was closed. CA discussed possible actions: deny without prejudice or continue the hearing to allow applicant time to work with the neighborhood. CP supported s�aff's conclusion this use was categorically exempt per CEQA Code Sec. 15301, Existing Facilities: it is a use which can and does �ccur at schools and is a shifting of a function existing at cne school to another school, it is in the general range of what ;s going on at schools. Commissioners' comments: since this school is closed and going to a leased facilit�- feel the school is under the same stipulations of any other appl'_cant, don't believe Commission would let anyone else do this on this site, it is not compatible with the neighborhood and would ha��e a detrimental effect on property values; am sympathetic with Dr. Black but am concerned about impact on the , � Burlingame Planning Commission Minutes Page 6 September 12, 1988 neighbors, would have to vote no, perhaps the neighbors and the School District could meet and work out some of the concerns. C. Harrison moved to continue the hearing to the meeting of September 26, 1988. CA suggested a denial without prejudice. Motion died for lack of a second. C. Giomi moved to deny this special permit without prejudice. Second C. S.Graham. Comment on the motion: will go with the motion, understand the neighbors' concern but don't think we are talking about a motor supply depot, hope the School District and neighbors can work something out; next time Commission hears this application would like information about the existing maintenance facility, where it is located now, complaints from neighbors, etc.; would like a copy of the neighborhood agreement for Roosevelt School for the next meeting. Motion to deny without prejudice was approved on a 6-0 roll call vote, C. Garcia absent. Appeal procedures were advised. Recess 8:56 P.M.; reconvene 9:07 P.M. . SPECIAL PERMIT FOR RETAIL AUTO REPAIRS AT 1325 MARSTEN R�AD, ZONED M-1 Ref�nce staff report, 9/12/88, with attachments. CP Monroe revie ed details of the request, staff review, Planning staff commen� applicant's letter, study meeting guestions. Six conditio were suggested for consideration at the public hearing. •�, Chm. Jacobs �sp�ened the public hearing. Roland Ducommun, applicant, was present. *�ie advised he had received no objections to his application. Ti�re were no audie�e� comments and the public hearing was closed.'`*,,� .- C. Harrison found no"� roblemF with this request and moved for approval of the special�r� with the following conditions: (1) that the conditions of th�City Engineer's August 15, 1988 memo, the Chief Building Insp tor�'��� August 9, 1988 memo and the Fire Marshal's August 8, 19 memo s 11 be met; (2) that the business shall be owner opera�;�d with no e�m�loyees and shall not involve any painting or body �a�cork; (3) that th�ee code standard (9' x 20') parking spaces s�all be available at ai�l times for customer parking inside the bu��`ding, and that no cars':�o be worked on shall be stored in these parking spaces; (4) that tiae existing parking space in front of `the building shall not be used=.. for parking a vehicle and that the business owner/employee shall `a� all times park his vehicle inside the building; (5) that any changes in the operation of this business, including the addition of employees, shall require an amendment of the permit; and (6) that this use permit