2015/04/09 Planning Commission MinutesROHNERT PARK PLANNING COMMISSION
MINUTES
Thursday, April 9, 2015
The Planning Commission of the City of Rohnert Park met this date in a regular session commencing at 6:00
p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, 130 Avram Avenue, with Chairperson Blanquie presiding.
Call To Order
Chairperson Blanquie called the meeting of the regular session to order at
approximately 6:00 p.m. with Chairperson Blanquie leading the pledge.
Roll Call
Present: (4) Commissioners: Commissioner Blanquie, Commissioner Haydon,
Commissioner Giudice and Commissioner Adams were present. Commissioner
Borba was absent.
Planner III, Jeff Beiswenger; Technical Advisor, Norm Weisbrod and Recording
Secretary, Suzie Azevedo were present.
Declaration of
Due to conflict of interest, Commissioner Giudice declared abstention from Item
Abstention
8.1.
Acknowledgement of
Chairperson Blanquie acknowledged the posting of the Agenda of this meeting in
Public Noticing
three (3) public places, per the requirements of the Brown Act.
Approval of Minutes
A motion was made by Commissioner Giudice, seconded by Commissioner
Adams to approve the minutes of the January 22, 2015 meeting with the following
corrections:
Call to Order: Change to Chairperson Blanquie
Acknowledgement of Public Noticing: Change to Chairperson Blanquie
The motion passed with a 4-0 vote. (AYES: Adams, Blanquie, Giudice, Haydon);
NOES: 0; ABSENT: Borba)
Unscheduled Public
Appearances
Conditional Use Permit
Commissioner Giudice stepped down from the dais.
File No. PLUP2015-0001
Technical Advisor, Norm Weisbrod, presented the staff report. On June 12, 2014,
the Planning Commission approved an Administrative Permit to allow a summer
Morty Wiggins/Second
concert series in an outdoor area of Sonoma Mountain Village. The
Octave Talent
Administrative Permit was forwarded to the Commission by Staff for a public
hearing. A condition was attached to the Commission approval requiring the
matter be brought back to the Commission after the 2014 concert series to review
the following:
• To evaluate any negative impacts and to see if additional conditions need
to be considered to mitigate any impacts.
Planning Commission Minutes
April 9, 2015
Development Area
Plan/University District
Specific Plan
File No. PLDP2015-0001
Kevin
Pohlson/Brookfield
Homes
• If the Commission finds that there were no negative impacts from the
concert series in 2014, the Commission may approve extending the concert
series for the 2015 concert series.
The applicant is requesting some changes to the concert series and has applied
for a Conditional Use Permit for those changes and the extension for the 2015
concert series. The Conditional Use Permit will allow the continuation for the
concert series into subsequent years with Planning Commission review. Mr.
Weisbrod briefly reviewed the changes and additions to the concert series and
recommended approval, subject to the conditions of approval.
A brief discussion was held between staff and the Commission.
Chairperson Blanquie opened the public hearing. The applicant, Morty Wiggins,
was recognized and spoke to Commission on the success of the 2014 concert
series and commented on the changes to the upcoming 2015 season. Mr.
Wiggins responded to Commission questions.
Richard Pope, Sonoma Mountain Village, also spoke to the Commission on the
success of the first year and other upcoming events at Sonoma Mountain Village.
A brief discussion was held.
A motion was made by Commissioner Adams, seconded by Commissioner
Haydon to adopt Resolution No. 2015-04 approving a Conditional Use Permit for
outdoor music concerts at Sonoma Mountain Village, subject to the findings and
conditions of approval. The motion passed with a 3-0 vote. (AYES: Adams,
Blanquie, Haydon; NOES: 0; ABSTAIN: Giudice).
Commissioner Giudice returned to the dais.
Planning Consultant, Cathy Spence -Wells presented the staff report and provided
a powerpoint presentation. In November 2014, the City Council approved the
Development Area Plan I (DAPI) for the Vast Oak Land Development Phase I:
Cypress, Mulberry, and Magnolia at University Park. At the November 2014
hearing, the applicant requested to submit DAP II, including the Rohnert Park
Expressway landscaping and entry monument plans, bike trail and creek buffer
vegetation plans, and detention basin plans, at a future date. Those submittals
are now being presented for recommended approval by the Planning this evening.
Ms. Spence -Wells outlined each of the areas noted above to be considered and
offered specific details on each.
A brief discussion was held between staff and the Commission.
Chairperson Blanquie opened the public hearing. The applicant, Kevin Pohlson,
representing Brookfield homes, was recognized and spoke briefly on the
submitted Development Area Plan II for landscape improvements within the first
phase of development.
Chairperson Blanquie closed the public hearing.
A brief discussion was held. The applicant acknowledged that reclaimed water
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Planning Commission Minutes
ApM 9, 2015
General Plan
Consistency Finding
File No. PLCF2015-0001
City of Rohnert Park
Municipal Code
Amendments
PLZO2015-0001
City of Rohnert Park
would be used in the medians. This was not included on the drawings but
acknowledged for the record.
A motion was made by Commissioner Adams, seconded by Commissioner
Haydon to adopt Resolution No. 2015-06 recommending City Council approval of
the Development Area Plan II for the University District Vast Oak Land
Development Phase I: Hinebaugh Creek Class I Bike Trail, West Detention Basin,
and Rohnert Park Expressway landscape/hardscape improvements. The motion
passed with a 4-0 vote. (AYES: Adams, Blanquie, Giudice, Haydon; NOES: 0;
ABSENT: Borba).
Planner III, Jeff Beiswenger, presented the staff report. The Planning Commission
is charged with the responsibility for ensuring that City projects and actions are
consistent with goals and policies of the adopted General Plan. The Planning
Commission is being requested to review the request by Sonoma Marin Area Rail
Transit District (SMART) to construct a portion of the multi -use path (MUP) on
City -owned property between East Cotati Avenue and Copeland Creek. As it
travels through Rohnert Park, the majority of the path will be constructed within
the SMART right-of-way immediately adjacent to the railroad tracks, but this
segment can be constructed on city -owned property adjacent railroad right-of-way
to allow for more community access to the trail and to provide a greater
separation between the tracks and pedestrians and bicyclists that will be utilizing
the trail.
The MUP construction in this location has been analyzed for conformity with the
General Plan and staff has determined that the project conforms. The relevant
chapter and section are Chapter 4 (Transportation), Section 4.4 (Pedestrian and
Bicycle Circulation) of General Plan 2020 (included as an attachment to this staff
report). This section of the General Plan identifies a Class I pathway along the
length of the railroad tracks and include several goals and policies that address
the citywide bicycle system. The SMART - MUP is consistent with Figure 4.4-1
(Bicycle System) of General Plan 2020. The MUP is also consistent with the
following General Plan Goals and Policies.
A brief discussion was held.
A motion was made by Commissioner, seconded by Commissioner Giudice, to
adopt Planning Commission Resolution No. 2015-05 determining that the
construction of the SMART, Multi -use Path between East Cotati Avenue and
Copeland Creek on City -owned land is consistent with General Plan 2020. The
motion passed with a 4-0 vote. (AYES: Adams, Blanquie, Giudice, Haydon;
NOES: 0; ABSENT: Borba).
Jeff Beiswenger presented the staff report. In connection with the construction of
the Graton Resort and Casino, Rohnert Park has undertaken to study and amend
City codes to address impacts that may arise with certain land uses/businesses
that choose to locate within the community. City staff has been working to
research the issues related to these matters and to prepare draft code language
to bring before the Planning Commission and City Council.
On July 23, 2013 the City Council approved a temporary moratorium on new
permits for the following uses pending compietion of this work: adult
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entertainment businesses, check cashing/payday loan businesses, pawn shops,
cyber cafes, and electronic message boards, and on August 27, 2013 an
extension of these moratoria was approved. On August 27, 2013, a temporary
moratorium was approved for non -certified massage establishments, and an
extension of this moratorium was approved on September 24, 2013.
Two moratorium items require significant new/revised code language:
• Adult Businesses: Adult businesses are protected under the First
Amendment of the Unites States and California Constitutions. It is not within the
purview of a local jurisdiction to ban these businesses entirely. The proposed
chapters provide for the establishment of an adult business permit, adult business
performer license, and regulation of the operations of and locational criteria for
adult businesses. Adult businesses, which previously were restricted to the
Regional Commercial (C-R) zone with required separation from sensitive uses,
would henceforth be restricted to the Industrial (IL) zone, with a required
separation from sensitive uses.
• Massage Businesses and Massage Providers: State law regarding
massage and its practice has changed significantly in recent years. Under current
law, local governments have regulatory control over most aspects of the business
of providing massage through land use and business licensing requirements,
while the practice of massage therapy in terms of education, training, and
certification continues to be primarily governed by the California Massage
Therapy Council (CAMTC), a State -created nonprofit organization. The proposed
chapter provides land use and operational requirements on massage
establishments within the City, including requiring massage providers be certified
by the State, and that massage businesses obtain a business license and comply
with various facility requirements (e.g., lighting, storage and disposal of linens and
towels) and operational requirements (e.g., sanitary and hygiene, restrictions on
the use of locked doors).
In the course of study of the land uses and related issues, it was determined that
only minor changes were necessary to address the following:
Pawn Shops
Payday Loan establishments
Car Title Loan establishments
Certain moratorium items were deemed not to require further action, as follows:
Electronic Message Boards
Cyber -cafes
Card Rooms
Mr. Beiswenger and the City's Planning Consultant, George Osner, provided
greater detail on the specifics regarding the proposed new
chapters/amendments/deletions to the Municipal Code as noted above.
A lengthy discussion was held. Commission concern arose regarding land uses,
particularly adult entertainment/massage and close proximity to other uses in a
designated zoning district, more specifically the "Industrial" district, that currently
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Chairperson
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or will in the future exist, i.e. churches/school. Also, it was stated that there was
not enough information and/or time to fully consider the amendments and
background information provided.
A motion was made by Commissioner Adams, seconded by Commissioner
Haydon to adopt Resolution No. 2015-07, recommending approval to the City
Council of the proposed amendments to the Municipal Code including new
Chapters 8.36, 8.37, 8.38, and 8.39, deletion of Chapter 9.80, and amendments
to Chapters 17.04, 17.06, and 17.07. The motion passed with a 3-0-1 vote.
(AYES: Adams, Blanquie, Haydon; NOES: Giudice; (ABSENT: Borba).
Items from the Planning
Commissioner Haydon spoke about attending the New Partners for Smart
Commission
Conference in Baltimore in January.
Matters from Planning
None.
Staff
Adjournment
There being no further business, Chairperson Blanquie adjourned the meeting at
7:50 p.m.
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