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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/30/2006 B A K E R S F I E L D (~ ~ O~~ Sue Benham, Chair Staff: John W. Stinson David Couch For: Alan Tandy, City Manager Mike Maggard AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 1:00 p.m. City Manager's Conference Room - Suite 201 1501 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield CA 1. ROLL CALL The meeting Was called to order at 1:02 p.m. Present: Councilmembers Sue Benham, Chair; David Couch and Mike Maggard 2.ADOPT APRIL 25, 2006 AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Adopted as submitted. 3.PUBLIC STATEMENTS 4. DEFERRED BUSINESS A. Discussion and Committee recommendation regarding issues raised by Planning Commissioner Ted Blockley regarding collector streets Public Works Director P, aul Rojas gave an overview of the memorandum in the Committee packet in response to the issue of eliminating collectors from the circulation plan. Planning Commissioner Ted Blockley stated he referred this issue of elimination of collector designations because of discussions at the Planning Commission regarding deleting collector designations for segments of Pacheco Road and Progress Road. The Silver Creek area has bicycle access to the east on Harris Road all the way to Wible Road without having to access an arterial. Going west on a bicycle is not as easy as the only alternative through streets going west are arterials. Also, residential roads on a tentative map can be changed or moved by staff/developers without going through the General Plan process. AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Page 2 'PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, May 30, 2006 The Public Works Director explained staff does not usually recommend downgrading collectors on the circulation plan; however, the collector designation was eliminated on Progress Road just west of Gosford Road because there is a rail spur along the left side of the roadway reducing the traffic volume due to having access only on one side. Harris Road is not .planned to go across Progress Road due to the railroad spur. Arterials are put across active railways but collectors are not. A segment of Pacheco Road was eliminated because it dead-ended into Old River Road. Committee Member David Couch suggested collectorS, such as Camino Media, which ends into a subdivision at Old River Road, should be continued straight through developments if possible, even if it continues as a residential roadway. If the City had such a policy, it would help bicyclists go all the way through neighborhoods fairly easily and come out the other side; however there may need to be some variables for unique conditions, such as railroad spurs. He also suggested staff check on possible funding from Kern COG for below grade access across the tracks at Progress and Harris Roads where the railroad spur runs parallel to Progress Road. Committee Chair Sue Benham requested Public Works staff to report back to the Committee on Committee Member Couch's suggestions. 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Discussion and Committee recommendation regarding request from Barbara Lomas, Planning Commission Chair, for direction regarding increased public notice on development projects that require hearings Planning Director Jim Movius gave a brief update. Currently, the City follows. State law for public noticing for development projects requiring hearings. The notification radius is 300 feet from the ~boundary of the project and headng notices are posted in the newspaper as required. The recommendation from the Planning Commission was that the notification radius be expanded from the current 300 feet to 500 feet. In addition, the Planning Commission recommended that the notice be posted on the project site on four by eight-foot signs every 300 feet by the applicant within 15 days of application submittal. The current fee at the Planning level is about $285 for advertising costs and with more posting requirements would need to be increased approximately another $170 to cover the increased noticing procedure. It was noted, AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Page 3 PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, May 30, 2006 advertising costs are repeated at the City Clerk's Office when the hearing goes before the City Council. City Manager Alan Tandy expressed concerns about the signs being destroyed by vandals as it may invalidate the noticing process. City Attorney Ginny Gennaro confirmed if the signs are vandalized and torn down and the applicant could not show the ordinance revisions were met, there could be litigation if a complaint were filed that the noticing requirements had not been met. Concerns were raised the large signs would attract graffiti vandals. Barbara Lomas, Chair, Planning Commission, spoke regarding other cities that have projects posted with signs. Scott Blunck, Castle and Cooke, stated with some of their projects the signs could be up for eight months to a year. On some of the large projects if signs are required every 300 feet, it may require 40 or 50 signs. With ongoing construction the signs would have to be taken down and put up again. This would be an onerous process. Committee Chair Sue Benham commented that many signs would be unsightly. City Manager Alan Tandy expressed other cities in California do not have the growth and the number of projects we have occurring in Bakersfield. Public Works Director Raul Rojas explained with the number and size of projects proposed for Bakersfield if posting signs were required, there could be hundreds. You would not be able to drive anywhere without seeing project signs. Committee Member David Couch stated he would like to see some type of a sign put up and suggested perhaps it could be at the closest arterial or collector to the project with the highest traffic volume. He requested staff to check into what it would involve if the City were to require the same designed-kiosk signs that are now used as direction signs for developments for project posting. The Committee requested the City Attorney to contact other cities for sign posting requirements and samples of posting signs for development projects. AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT Page 4 PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING Tuesday, May 30, 2006 6. COMMITTEE COMMENTS Committee Chair Sue Benham expressed it was nice to have two Planning Commissioners attend the Committee meeting and thanked them for coming. 7. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 1:35 p.m. Attendance-staff: City Manager Alan Tandy; City Attorney Ginny Gennaro; Assistant City Manager John Stinson; Public Works Director Raul Rojas; Development Services DirectOr Stanley Grady; Planning Director Jim Movius; City Clerk Pam McCarthy; and Traffic Engineer Steve Walker Attendance-others: Planning Commission Chair Barbara Lomas; Planning Commissioner Ted Blockley; Kevin Burton, Young Wooldridge; Scott Blunck, Castle and Cooke; and David Burger, reporter, The Bakersfield Califomian; cc: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers S:~JOHN\Council Committees\06Planning&Development\p&d 06 may 30 summary.doc