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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/18/2005 B A K E R S F I E L D .~-----' Sue Benham, Chair Staff: John W. Stinson David Couch For: Alan Tandy, City Manager Mike Maggard AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMrn'EE MEETING Monday, July 18, 2005 - 1:00 p.m. City Manager's Conference Room - City Hall 1. ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m. Present: Councilmembers Sue Benham, Chair; and David Couch Absent: Councilmember Mike Maggard 2. ADOPT MAY 23, AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Adopted as submitted. 3. PUBLIC STATEMENTS 4. DEFERRED BUSINESS · A. Staff update and Committee recommendation on planning standards for big_box centers and big box aesthetics Planning Director Jim Movius spoke regarding a proposed General Plan policy that would require new commercial development to evaluate its impacts on existing commercial uses. A local team was formed to study urban decay thresholds. For research information, the Urban Land Institute was used for basic shopping center design criteria. The team came up with acreage and square footage thresholds as well as other criteria that could be used as guidelines to designate which commercial developments would be required to perform an urban decay study. This proposed policy with urban decay thresholds could be included in the General Plan and would address the economics of new large commercial shopping centers and superstore impacts on existing commercial uses. Renee D. Nelson spoke regarding the propoSed urban decay policy and will provide her input at the Planning Commission level. Committee Chair Benham made a motion the Committee recommend that the proposed policy to set urban decay thresholds· be referred to the Planning Commission to be considered in the next General Plan cycle. The Committee unanimously approved the motion (Committee Member Maggard absent). AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, July 18, 2005 Page 2 Committee Member Couch requested staff research, and bring .back to the Committee how requiring arterials, collectors and/or auxiliary lanes could be incorporated into. an ordinance to provide better traffic circulation near new large commercial developments. New large commercial developments, superstores and big box retailers should not end up on the corner of arterials or with just front arterial access. There needs to be additional access in and out--preferably on all four sides if possible. Committee Chair Benham requested staff to work on and bring back to the Committee ways on how the City might address big box aesthetics and include pedestrian friendly walkable community aspects to provide better pedestrian circulation. She referenced an article from the Los Angeles Times she had passed on to staff that provided ideas which may be used. 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Staff report and Committee recommendation regarding requests from the Sierra Club: a. Proposed policy requiring builders to include photovoltaic panels as an option when constructing new homes b. Request from the Sierra Club that the City endorse the upcoming Solar Symposium on September 20th Gordon Nipp, Kern-Kaweah Chapter of the Sierra Club, spoke and requested the City to develop and adopt a policy to require developers to offer solar photovoltaic panels as an option to homebuyers in new developments. Harry Lovel Kern-Kaweah' Chapter of the Sierra Club, spoke and requested the City participate by attending the solar conference on Tuesday, September 20th. There is a bill in the State Senate, SB 1, regarding the use of solar photovoltaic panels, which in its present form would require large home developments to offer solar power as an option. Ken Smokoska, California Alternative Energies from'Oceanside, spoke regarding the need to promote the use of solar energy. Committee Chair Benham thought it would be a good idea for staff to attend the solar conference on September 20th, but expressed it would be premature to recommend a policy on the use of solar photovoltaic panels as there was nothing in writing for the Committee to consider. Committee Member Coach expressed that if the California Legislature passes SB 1, it would no longer be necessary for the Committee to consider a policy.. The 'Committee requested that Planning staff who attend the solar conference report back to the Committee at its October 10tb meeting. ~- AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, July 18, 2005 Page 3 B. Staff report and Committee recommendation regarding development standards in the area of Panama Lane and Buena Vista Road Development Services Director Stan Grady reported on what is required of new developments. General requirements are for developers to construct the road improvements adjacent to their projects, provide right-of-way, medians and street landscaping, and build parks. The perimeter wall and landscape plans for residential subdivisions are incorporated into the subdivision review process, so these improvements usually occur later in the process. Committee Chair Benham explained the reason she referred this letter from the ~resident living on Buena Vista Road was concern over perimeter wall standards. Some of the outer developments have plain unattractive walls and landscaping with one cinder block wall after another. Other developers always make their arterial streets look attractive. The 30-foot-wide landscaping on the west side of Gosford south of Stockdale Highway was discussed as an attractive example, but the maintenance is provided by the homeowners association and the extra width was not required by the City. City Manager Alan Tandy suggested staff bring back some photos of walls and landscaping that are attractive and some that are very plain for comparison and discussion. 6. COMMITTEE COMMENTS 7. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 1:58 p.m. Attendance-staff: City Manager Alan Tandy; City Attorney Ginny Gennaro; Assistant City Manager John Stinson; Development Services Director Stan Grady; Public Works Director Raul Rojas; Planning Director Jim Movius; Assistant Public Works Director Jack LaRochelle; Civil Engineer Marian Shaw; and Recreation and Parks Director Dianne Hoover Attendance-others: Kath McWhorter, Castle and Cooke; Barbara Grimm-Marshall, property owner; Jimmy Yee; Gordon Nipp, Harry Love, Art Unger and LOrraine Unger, Sierra Club; Ken Smokoska, California Alternative Energies; James Nickel, Nickel Family; and James Burger, The Bakersfield Californian cc: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers S:~JOHN\Council Committees\05Planning&Development\P&D 05 JUL 18summary.doc