Month 1986.07 July.


Day 1986.07.15PC

PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
City of Vacaville
7:30 P.M. - City Council Chambers    July 15, 1986

CALL TO ORDER:
    The regular meeting of the City Planning Commission was called to order at 7:30 P.M. by Chairman Matsuhara.

PRESENT:    Chairman Matsuhara, Vice Chairman Rajander, Commissioner Breece, Commissioner Brewer, Commissioner Gjervold, Commissioner McCulley, Commissioner Rasmussen
ABSENT:    None
ALSO PRESENT:    Director Werner, Senior Planner Sexton, Associate Planner Traut, Assistant Planner Buderi, Assistant Planner Potter, Assistant Public Works Director Baird

COMMUNICATIONS:
-    Letter from Anthony and Salvatore Concilla regarding the North East Sector General Plan amendment.
-    Letter from Lena Yolo, Emma Fox, John Yolo, regarding the North East Sector General Plan amendment.

MISCELLANEOUS:
    None

1.    CONSENT CALENDAR
    Commissioner Rasmussen moved, Rajander seconded, to approve the following items as listed on the Consent Calendar.  Motion approved 7-0.
    a.    APPROVAL OF MINUTES - June 17, 1986
    b.    VACA VALLEY CHRISTIAN LIFE CENTER TIME EXTENSION - Vaca Valley Christian Life Center, applicant
    Pertains to a one-year time extension request for the Conditional Use Permit (CUP-11-85) for the construction of a church and school complex to be located on 19 acres on the west side of Leisure Town Road, south of Ulatis Creek.  The complex would include a 22,000 square foot sanctuary, 43,000 square foot educational/administration building, sports fields and related parking facilities.

2.    GRAMERCY PARK GARDEN HOMES  -  Lewis Homes, applicant
    Chairman Matsuhara moved, Rajander seconded, to continue this item to a date uncertain to give the applicant additional time to assess the problems and necessary revisions.  Motion approved 7-0.

3.    U.C. REGENTS PROPERTY  -  Regents of the University of California, applicant
    a.    Environmental Assessment (REA-37-86)
    b.    Planned Unit Development (PUD-8-86)
    c.    Zone Change (Z-37-86)
    Pertains to a request for approval of an 856 unit residential development on l59.3 acres located along the south side of Cooper School Road and east of Nut Tree Road. The proposal includes 338 multi-family units, 518 single-family units, an 8 acre school site and 7.2 acre park site.  The request also     involves the pre-zoning of the property from A-40 (Agriculture) to RM-2000 PD (Multiple Family), R-1-6000 PD and R-1-8000 PD and R-1-Variable PD (Single Family).  This item was continued from the July 1 Planning Commission meeting.

    Assistant Planner Buderi reviewed the proposal and introduced the staff report dated July 15, 1986 into the record, noting that the Commission had requested that the developer provide an alternate plan for the project.  The applicants prepared two alternatives to the original plan, giving consideration to moving the proposed school and park site to a location adjacent to the Intercommunity Hospital site.  Staff felt that the applicant's original proposal was superior to the alternative Plans A & B.  A centralized location for school and park sites provided a better land use arrangement and circulation pattern for this site and for the Cooper School Road area as a whole. However, there were serious concerns with regard to traffic impact, project design standards and public facilities.  Staff recommended approval of the original plan subject to conditions as listed in staff report.

    Public Hearing Opened:

    Ed Haworth, representing U.C. Regents and MacKay and Somps Engineers, said that they had prepared the three alternatives with cost estimates, but preferred the original proposal.  The Hilden property would share the cost of the park.  He said that the R-M-2000 area could be limited to senior citizen housing.  There would be upgraded housing proposed, with a large number of 8,000 square foot lots.  He felt that traffic could be handled with Ulatis Drive, and that the detention basin would take care of drainage.

    Director Werner stated that the South Central EIR analysis looked at the entire area on a cumulative basis and determined that there was a major traffic problem on Alamo as well as Mason Street.  Lacking a solution to this problem we would recommend denial, or that no units could be built and no map recorded until the traffic problem is corrected.  We would also make this recommendation on the Hilden Property and Gentry Meadowlands, and Gonzalves-Lockie, etc.  Everyone must participate in the solution.

    Deborah Dutch, speaking for Solano Health Care Services, said that the safety issue was their concern, as well as the cost issue.  Plan "A" was their alternative.

    Steven Power, Project Planner, said that he had never seen multi-family suggested as a buffer between a hospital and park area.  He felt that it was surprising and troublesome.

    Lyle Welch, Superintendent of the Vacaville Unified School District, said that they had studied the sites and the original site is the one that the School District desires.  It is more central to the service area.

    Jim Redman, Vacaville Park and Recreation Commissioner, said that the Commission unanimously voted to approve the original site.  To locate next to the canal would cost us $50,000 more than the original site, therefore, we could not provide as much play equipment or picnic areas.

    Bob Hawkins, Cooper School Road property owner, said that urban sprawl is not always the solution.  Multi-family and small lots would bring many people here from the Bay Area.  There are many apartments all over the east side of town, we will soon have 70,000, and before long 100,000 people.  It will destroy our way of life.  We don't have to house the world!  People have their roots here and our whole environment is beginning to disappear.  He felt that the City should set limits somewhere.

    A resident of the Cooper School Road area said that Vacaville is a minimum wage town--a "house of cards".  We cannot support these people with jobs and we don't need to bring in a lot of people from the outside just for housing.

    Public hearing closed.

COMMISSION COMMENTS:
    The majority of the Commission preferred Plan "A", with the park and school site adjacent to the hospital facility; that the cost of undergrounding the canal should be distributed over all units on the site, that the multiple zoning should be limited to a senior citizen or convalescent facility only.  The Commission also felt that it is a serious problem to keep extending growth with out providing proposals for solution to traffic problems before the projects go forth.

COMMISSION ACTION:
Environmental Assessment:
    Commissioner Rajander moved, Brewer seconded, to approve Environmental Assessment (REA-61-86) regarding the proposed project, reaffirming the Cooper School Road Sector EIR in accordance with the provisions of CEQA and with the findings A and B as listed in staff report.  Motion approved 6-0.

Planned Unit Development:
    Commissioner Rajander moved, Brewer seconded, to approve the Planned Unit Development (PUD-8-86) per Plan A, with the park and school site adjacent to the Hospital site, subject to the standard findings (A-G) and findings 1-6 of Section 17.54.070 (c) of the Zoning Ordinance and subject to the statement of overriding considerations attached, and to conditions of approval A-Q and adding R as follows:
    R.  That the developer shall be responsible for the undergrounding of the Byrnes Canal within the park site as designated on Revised Plan "A".  No park fee credit shall be provided for this undergrounding cost.  Motion approved 6-0.

Zone Change:
    Commissioner Rajander moved, Brewer seconded, to recommend to the City Council that Zone Change (Z-6-86) be approved, prezoning the site to R-1-Variable PD, R-1-6000 PD, RM-2000 PD, and R-1-8000 PD, subject to findings A and B.  Motion approved 6-0.

4.    GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT - GP-2-86  Component "B"  -  GENTRY-ALAMO  
    a.    Environmental Assessment (REA-37-86)
    b.    Land Use and  Circulation Elements - Marshall Road/Butcher Road
    Component"B" - Gentry-Alamo, was withdrawn at the request of the applicant.

    GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT - GP-2-86  Component "A" -  N.E.V.A.D.A.
    a.    Environmental Assessment (REA-33-86)
    b.    General Plan Amendment (GP-2-86  Component "A")
    Pertains to a request to amend the Land Use and Open Space Elements of the General Plan for approximately 980 acres located along the east side of I-505 and south of Midway Road, and south of I-80 between Lewis Road and Leisure Town Road.

    The proposal involves the redesignation of the N.E.V.A.D.A. properties from UR-20 (Urban Reserve - 20 acre min.), A-40 (Agricultural - 40 acre min.), R 2 1/2 (Rural Residential 2 1/2 acre lots) and I (Industrial) to CS (Commercial Services), CH (Highway Commercial) and I (Industrial).  The proposal also may potentially involve changes to the Circulation and Public Services and Utilities Elements of the General Plan.

    Commissioner McCulley declared a potential conflict of interest and stepped down. Commissioner Rajander abstained from voting, since he was absent during the fist public hearing on this item.

    Senior Planner Sexton reviewed the proposal and introduced the staff report into the record dated July 15, 1986 into the record noting that a public hearing was held on this component at the June 17 meeting and a straw vote was taken at that time, with the final vote to be taken on both components "A" and "B" at this meeting.  Component "A" was withdrawn, therefore the final vote on GP-2-86 involved only Component "B", the N.E.V.A.D.A. properties.

PUBLIC HEARING:
Those speaking in favor of the project:
    Jim Farha, representing the Ashwill Property, said the owner is in agreement with staff recommendation.

Those speaking in opposition to the project:
    Vicky Bender, 7016 Mills Lane, said that the 7 property owners that make up N.E.V.A.D.A. don't live here, but the people that do live here don't want it.  We will be surrounded by the City and sucked up into it; we will lose our S.I.D. water, our animals and our way of life.

    Barbara MacArthur, 7031 Mills Lane, also said that they did not want city sewers, air pollution, or another silicon valley that would pollute their wells.

    Richard Strand, Mills Lane, said that they did not want to be in the City, or to have the air pollution and heavy traffic that the industry would bring in, he did not want his septic tank and well condemned, nor to have to pay for the roads, sewer and water lines that would be extended to their area.

    Thurily Fish, 3968 Leisure Town Road, facing Phase II, said that they would be surrounded by heavy industry and truck traffic.  It is not fair to usurp our lives.  We will be swallowed up by city and industry.

    John Scott Forester, area resident, agreed with previous comments, and felt that if this were approved it would be a big change to the area, not the intent of the General Plan, and important to them as bee keepers, not to destroy their way of life.

    George Kansas, 5250 Mills Lane, said that they liked the country and considered themselves "fugitives from city life" where the jails are full, schools are full, roads are deplorable, etc.  We are very much against any industrial development in this area.

    Public hearing closed.

COMMISSION ACTION:
    Chairman Matsuhara stated that the staff report reflected the Planning Commissions position at the last meeting.  A roll call vote was taken to verify the straw vote taken at the last meeting.  All votes remained the same except that Commissioner Breece changed her vote from no to yes on item 1.d., the Ashwill property.  The final vote was as follows:
    1.a. - Per staff recommendation (3-2)
    1.b. - Per staff recommendation (5-0)
    1.c. - Per staff recommendation (5-0)
    1.d. - Redesignate 28 acre Ashwill Property to "CH" (4-1)
    1.e. - Per staff recommendation (5-0)
    1.f. - Per staff recommendation (5-0)
    1.g. - Per staff recommendation (5-0)
    1.h. - Per staff recommendation (5-0)
    2.   - Per staff recommendation (5-0)
    3.a. - Per staff recommendation (5-0)
    3.b. - Per staff recommendation (5-0)

Environmental Assessment:
    Commissioner Brewer moved, Rasmussen seconded, to approve Environmental Assessment (REA-33-86) for this proposal, as reaffirming the Northeast Sector Environmental Impact Report as adequately addressing the environmental impacts of this project. Motion approved 4-0-2  (Absent: Gjervold,  Abstaining: McCulley and Rajander).

General Plan Amendment:
    Commissioner Brewer moved, Rasmussen seconded, to recommend to the City Council that General Plan Amendment (GP-2-86, Component "A") be approved as described in the attached staff report.  Motion approved 4-0-2 (Absent: Gjervold, Abstaining: McCulley and Rajander).

5.    KIRKPATRICK-POWER INDUSTRIAL PARK POLICY PLAN REVISIONS  - City of Vacaville
    This item was continued and will be renoticed for a future public hearing.

6.    CREEKSIDE CENTER PLANNED SIGN PROGRAM AMENDMENT - City of Vacaville, applicant
    a.    Conditional Use Permit (CUP-4-82)
    Pertains to a proposed revision to the Planned Sign Program for the Creekside Shopping Center located on 9.5 acres at the northwest corner of Nut Tree Road and Alamo Drive.

    Assistant Planner Potter reviewed the project and introduced the staff report dated July 15, 1986 into the record noting that the City Council directed that the Creekside Center Planned Sign Program be amended to allow (2) signs to be installed by tenants occupying two (2) or more bays in the Creekside Center.  However, the City Council noted that their action would apply only to this Center.  No other changes to their sign program were made.

PUBLIC HEARING:
    There were no comments or questions from the floor.

Public hearing closed.

COMMISSION ACTION:
    Commissioner McCulley moved, Rajander seconded to approve the proposed revision to Conditional Use Permit (CUP-4-86), amending the planned sign program for Creekside Center to permit up to two (2) signs for tenant occupying two (2) or more bays, and and by adding the following wording to the planned sign program:
    "That if a tenant occupying two (2) or more bays (tenant spaces) elects to install a second sign, each sign shall be located such that it is centered within the bay."  Motion approved 6-0.

7.    DIRECTOR'S REPORT
    a.    Director Werner gave an update on City Council actions pertaining to Planning Commission items.
    b.    The Commission considered the General Plan consistency for the Fire Stations 2 and 3 sites.          Commissioner Rajander moved, Mcculley seconded, that the sites were consistent with the General Plan.  Motion approved 5-1  (No: Matsuhara.  He felt that there was not sufficient information to make a decision on Fire Station 2).

8.    COMMISSION COMMENTS
    None

9.    ADJOURNMENT
    There being no further business to discuss the regular meeting of the City Planning Commission was adjourned at 10:55 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Phyllis Lorenzo, Recording Secretary