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Home My WebLink About06-15-1998 PC Minutesc-~ j <J-<. k _-'c ; Z'-06. 6., ;), 3 MINUTES Planning Commission City of Orange June 15,1998 Monday - 7:00 p.m.PRESENT: Commissioners Bosch, Carlton, Pruett ABSENT: Commissioners Romero, Smith STAFF PRESENT: Vern Jones, Planning Manager and Commission Secretary,John Godlewski, Senior Planner,Mary Binning, Assistant City Attorney,Roger Hohnbaum, Assistant City Engineer, and Sue Devlin, Recording Secretary IN RE: CONSENT CALENDAR 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE MEETING OF JUNE 1,1998 Moved by Commissioner Pruett, seconded by Commissioner Carlton, to approve the Minutes of June 1, 1998, as written.AYES:NOES: ABSENT: Commissioners Bosch, Carlton, Pruett None Commissioners Romero, Smith MOTION CARRIED IN RE: NEW HEARING 2. GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT CE-1-98, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 2199-98 AND VARIANCE 2040-98 - CARMAX A proposal to develop a 20-acre auto sales facility, in an industrial zone, including a 73,342 sq. ft. sales and service building, a car wash/detail building and future expansion area. The site is located at 291 North State College (Orange Drive-In site), and is partially located in the City of Anaheim.Mitigated Negative Declaration 1542-98 was prepared to evaluate the environmental impacts of this project.Mr. Jones stated the Commission was given some updated conditions 5- 17 from the Water Division.Additionally, staff received a letter from the South Coast Air Qualitr Management District with a number of questions regarding the environmental documentation. Staf and the planning consultant have responded to those questions.NOTE:Jim Donovan, Senior Planner, reported there are three components to this application: A General Plan Amendment, which would remove a segment of Walnut Avenue from the Master Plan of Streets and Highways. That roadway was required with the approval of a high rise office development on the property in 1988-89, It was intended to relieve congestion from major office-high rise uses in the vicinity at Orangewood and State College Boulevard, and other critical intersections in the vicinity. The second part of the application is to develop the auto sales facility which includes a showroom, sales and service building, car wash building, outdoor storage areas and customer and employee parking. The third component is that the applicant is requesting the City waive the maximum height limit for a free standing sign. The applicant is proposing a sign that is 48 feet tall and 260 square feet.The City's zoning ordinance requires a conditional use pannit for any auto sales facility in any industrial and commercial zones. The proposal satisfies the development standards contained in the zoning ordinance.The variance request is addressed in the staff report in that the site is oriented adjacent to the freeway and it is the applicant's desire to display a sign of this size. The bridge across the 1-5 is being demolished, and State College will be built at the same grade as the project site. The Planning Commission Minutes June 15. 1998 Several conditions were added to the project for a total of 47, which includes a great deal of mitigation measures that are attached to Mitigated Negative Declaration 1542. The public hearing was opened. Dwavne Mears. The Plannina Center. 1300 Dove Street. NewDort Beach. prepared the environmental documentation and is available to answer questions. Rick Manners. Proiect Manaaer for Circuit Citv Stores, 680 South Lemon Avenue. Walnut. briefly informed the Commission about the concept of Carmax. It is a very clean concept, an entity of its own, which is operated under the Circuit City umbrella. They offer customer-friendly service with a corporate backing.He was concerned with some of the proposed conditions from the Water Division, They are leasing the site from Pacific Theaters. The Water Division is looking for a new dedicated easement along the easterly property line, adjacent to the industrial area. trailer park and the CalTrans property. In conversation with Pacific Theaters, they prefer not to see their property become more encumbered. The other conditions are acceptable. Security railing was mentioned and they will work that out with the Design Review Board.Their intention would be, for security purposes, to have a guard rail type design, but encase it in landscaping such as a hedge.Chairman Bosch said the key concern for him is with regard to the variance for the sign's height and size.He wanted to know what the hardship is on the site in order to grant the variance.Mr. Manners said this is a freeway-oriented site and freeway presence was a key in selecting the site,The sign they submitted is typical of what they have done in other areas. Since the freeway is being raised from where it currently sits. that necessitated the additional height. If the sign is not of sufficient size, it will be missed visually.The public hearing was closed.Commissioner Pruett asked if the easement serves the property, or is it serving adjacent properties.Mr. Hohnbaum replied the easement is to serve the area, which would also serve the property. The original staff report had item #12 which was a dedication of a portion of the property for a water well. The Water Division has tried to ease that impact by seeking an additional adjacent site for the water well.And, the easement is necessary to tie that well into the existing distribution system.Commissioner Pruett did not have any problems with the project. The big issue is meeting the findings in order to grant the conditional use permit and variance. He thought the issue of the raised freeway is a major factor in terms of special circumstances relating to the height of the sign.Commissioner Carlton thought without the variance for the sign, no one will see the business. The freeway's impact should be considered in granting the applicant' s request.Chairman Bosch concurred on the height of the sign because of the substantial grading and change in relationship of the site to the surrounding arterial highways and the way the freeway off ramp blocks vision currently enjoyed by the site, The height of the sign is a direct response to an impact caused by others than the property owner. The proposed project is a legitimate use for the site. and the building design,landscaping and layout is attractive. He needed more information on the size of the sign.The Commission and staff discussed the size of the sign. The sign code requirements were explained.The applicant is only proposing one free standing sign at the main driveway which is 10 feet tall. There is a secondary sign at Orangewood. in the City of Anaheim, There is a negative impact caused by the freeway widening, which takes away arterial highway frontage that currently exists. This causes an impact on the commercial viability, which would allow an increase in the size of the Planning Commission Minutes June 15, 1998 Moved by Chairman Bosch, seconded by Commissioner Pruett, to approve Mitigated Negative Declaration 1542-98 with the finding that there is no substantial evidence that the project will have a significant impact on the environment or wildlife resources, with the mitigation measures proposed by the conditions of approval. AYES: NOES: ABSENT:Commissioners Bosch, Carlton, Pruett, None Commissioners Romero, Smith MOTION CARRIED Moved by Chairman Bosch, seconded by Commissioner Pruett, to recommend to the City Council to approve General Plan Amendment CE-1-98. which refers to the modification of the General Plan with regard to the previously approved proposed extension of Walnut Avenue, which was required by a previous project approved on the site. but not required by this project. AYES:NOES:ABSENT:Commissioners Bosch. Carlton, Pruett,None Commissioners Romero, Smith MOTION CARRIED Moved by Commissioner Pruett, seconded by Commissioner Carlton, to recommend to the City Council to approve Conditional Use Permit 2199-98, with conditions 1 through 4 in the staff report, and adding conditions 5 through 17 as recommended in the memo dated June 10, 1998 from the Water Division, and renumber the remaining conditions, for a total of 47 conditions. The Commission finds that the conditional use permit is granted upon sound principles of land use and in response to services required by the community. It will not cause deterioration of bordering land uses or create special problems for the area in which it is located. It is considered in relationship to its effect on the community or neighborhood plans for the area in which the site is located. It is granted subject to those conditions necessary to preserve the general welfare, not the individual welfare of any particular applicant. And, also recommend approval of Variance 2040-98 finding that the height and size of the sign is brought about by special circumstances applicable to the property. The height of the sign shall not exceed 48 feet from the top of the sign. The sign area is 260 square feet.AYES:NOES: ABSENT: Commissioners Bosch, Carlton. Pruett,None Commissioners Romero, Smith MOTION CARRIED IN RE: ADJOURNMENT Moved by Commissioner Pruett, seconded by Commissioner Carlton, to adjourn to the next regularly scheduled meeting on July 6, 1998. The meeting adjourned at 7: 35 p. m.AYES:NOES:ABSENT: Isld Commissioners Bosch, Carlton, Pruett,None Commissioners