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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - PC - 1945.03.01MINUTES CITY PLANNING COWISSION Burlingame, California. March 1, 1945 The Regular Meeting of the Planning Commission was held in the City Hall at 7:45 p.m. Thursday, March 1, 1945. MEMBERS PRESENT: Mitchell OTHERS PRES&4T: Mayor Dahl Coles Councilman Harris Rapp City Attorney Karmel Macomber City Engineer Longson Brown Stivers Chairman Mitchell presiding. The Secretary read the Minutes of the Special Meeting of the Planning Commis- sion held December 11, 1944. City Attorney Karmel reported that he is carrying on correspondence with the attorney representing J. T. McCarthy of Hollister, California, who wrote the Planning Commission under date of .ianuary 9, 1945, regarding the zone status of Lots 13 and 14, Block 39, Easton Additions to Burlingame, which property is located at the Northwesterly corner of El Camino Real and Easton Drive. Mr. Karmel stated that there has been no change in the zoning of the property since the adoption of the zoning ordinance and that Lot 13.is on the highway and is therefore in the apartment district, but Lot 14 is in the residential zone. Mr. Karmel advised the Planning Commission that evidently the owner of these two lots is under a misapprehension that they are both in the apartment zone or could be included therein by a re -subdivision with the object of having Lots 13 and 14 face on E1 Camino rather than on Easton Drive, as they do in the original map. The Secretary read a communication from the DAILY PACIFIC BUILDER, a newspa- per published in San Francisco for contractors,inquiring for an itemized list of post- war projects proposed for the City of Burlingame. Chairman Mitchell inquired of City Engineer Longson as to the present status of the post-war planning projects, and Mr. Longson said that in addition to the items which he has heretofore discussed with the Planning Commission, he is now preparing plans for a public works building and is making a survey for a new reservoir site. The Secretary reported that on several occasions residents and property owners on the peninsula have called on him to complain about the appearance of the city waste fill at the foot of Broadway. Several of the Planning Commissioners commented that they have received similar remarks and there was a general comment that the area has become unsightly. Mayor Dahl was present and reported that the refuse has been cleaned up at the entrance to the fill and around the immediate front area, so that to that extent an improvement has been made. The Chairman asked the Cite Engineer if it is not possible to do something to correct the situation. Mr. Longson responded that the unsightly conditirn is the result of the dumping of the loose and light rubbish collected by the city pick-up service which, under normal conditions, can be covered over with dirt or heavy fill ma- terial, but under present conditions there is no new road building or excavations for cellars and foundations, so that earthfili is not available. Mr. Longson stated, however, that the subject is having attention of the city engineer's office with the object of en- deavoring so to dispose of the material that the area will be kept as sightly as possible until the usual fill and cover process can be resumed. MINUTES - Regular Meeting March 1, 1945 Page 2. City Engineer Longson brought up the subject of the proposed underpass at the foot of Bellevue Avenue, and stated that in attending meetings where such pro- jects are under consideration, he is unable to indicate what may be the view of the City of Burlingame as to his project, and he requested that if the Planning Commis- sion, which has given considerable study to this subject,,considers Bellevue Avenue as a logical site for a grade separation, it would be helpful if the Planning Commis- sion would so communicate with the City Council. After a discussion, not as to the type of structure, which is an engineering matter, Commissioner Coles made a motion that the foot of Bellevue Avenue be accepted as a site for a grade separation, which motion was seconded by Commissioner Brown and on roll tali unanimously carried. Mr. William Crosby of Crosby - X. Gray & Co. appeared at the meeting and stated he desired more or less informally at this time to present to the Planning Commission his desire, if there is no opposition, to seek a variance in the zoning of the property located at #2 Park Road, Burlingame. Mr. Crosby said that his firm feels conscious of the fact that neither one of the two mortuaries they operate in Burlingame are very well located, and furthermore, they do not provide the fa- cilities that his firm would like to keep up in the community. In order to remedy this situation Mr. Crosby said that he has procured an option on the property at #2 Park Road and that he has already talked with a number of the property owners in that locality and has found very little opposition. Mr. Frank Thrall, who has resided at 124 Park Road for many years, appeared at the meeting and stated he was not opposed to rezoning, or permitting a variance at the property referred to by Mr. Crosby for the reason that this short street is already to a considerable extent used by various business -enterprises, but if the South end of Park Road is to be zoned for business and the other end of the street is already so zoned, he wished to present the sugges- tion that the entire street, which is only three blocks long, be zoned for business purposes. In the discussion which enaued, it was brought out that it is not being sought at this time to rezone additional property for business purposes, but the pro- posal is being made to consider a variance with respect to the property at k2 Park Road for a necessary type of facility in the community, which although actually con- ducted as a business, is operated under a license from the Department of Professional & Vocational Standards State of California. Mr. Crosby indicated that he did not intend to press the matter if it developer there is any real opposition,- but he sub- mitted the statement he believes that the property on which the owners have given him an option is ideally located and would provide ample parking away from congestion. The Planning Commissioners in discussing the subject indicated that they could see no objection to the proposed variance if it is not opposed by the surrounding property owners, and Mr. Crosby was advised that if his further investigation causes him to be- lieve that he should proceed, he should file a formal application with the City Clerk, who will set a date for hearing before the Planning Commission. The appearance of Mr. Crosby before the Planning Commission on the subject mentioned in the preceding paragraph led Mayor Dahl, Dr. Macomber, Commissioner Coles, and others to refer again to the matter of considering the possibility of having some suitable section of the city rezoned for professional use, under an adequate control as a number of other communities have done. Chairman Kitchell said that he believes this is a good subject for further consideration at the next meeting of the Planning Commission. City Engineer Longson presented a map of Donnelly Avenue on which was indi- cated a proposed set -back of 10' on the Southly line of Donnelly Avenue for the pur- pose of widening said street betreen Primrose Lane and Lorton Avenue. After con- sideration and discussion, the Planning Commissioners unanimously agreed that the MINUTES - Regular Meeting March 1, 1945 Page 3. Planning Commission should recommend to the City Council the 10' set -back as proposed. There being no other business, the meeting adjourned at ll:15 p.m. Ale A.�Si' RS, Secretary.