3B Public Hearing 2007 0716 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Excerpts/rom the Planning Commission Meeting Minutes Agenda No. 06-02 January 26, 2006 Page 4 0/6 Applicant Landes affirmed Planner Penaranda's understanding, stating that he wants initial access for all his equipment to the back portions of the project. He said that, when the rear project is a third of the way through, he will start on the front of the project. He said that once the slabs are poured for the self-storage buildings, he can get the concrete trucks out of the rear of the property and begin similar construction in the front. He said his desired scenario would allow 100 percent construction followed by rental of storage space when at least 90 percent of the commercial-light industrial space is complete. Chair Kleebauer stated her understanding that staff wants full completion of the commercial-light industrial area before any occupancy of the rear self-storage section. Planner Penaranda agreed, saying that the intent of the staff condition is to grant occupancy of the rear portion only when the front is finished. He said that, if the commercial-light industrial phase of the project is very close to completion, Community Development Director Horn could exercise his discretion to provide a temporary certificate of occupancy, with timelines for completion, for the self-storage phase of the project. Community Development Director Horn said the condition as written is very restrictive. It absolutely requires that no occupancy certificate will be issued for the storage buildings until the occupancy certificate is ready to be issued for the front retail building. He said the condition is similar to one required at the Hilton Garden Suites and self-storage use on Lewelling Avenue several years ago, where there was a desire to make sure the hotel would occur with a self-storage element as a secondary use. He said that, with the current proposal for a mixed-use project on Washington Avenue, the city wants greater assurance that the commercial-light industrial project will actually occur. The City does not want to be left with a self-storage use on the back two-thirds of the property with a vacant commercial element that the owner later wishes to convert to storage. Community Development Director Horn said that, if the Planning Commission wanted to allow a little more flexibility on the occupancy issue, he could see amending the condition to say that, before a certificate of occupancy will be issued for any of the self- storage element, the commercial element needs to be substantially complete, say 95 percent completion, before application by the owner of a temporary certificate of occupancy. He emphasized that the certificate would be temporary rather than final. Chair Kleebauer said she understood the issue to arise from staff s recommendation that construction occur concurrently and the applicant's belief that this is not feasible because such a schedule would interfere with heavy equipment access to the rear of the project. Community Development Director Horn said the City does not really care if the construction of the commercial element does not commence until the self-storage element is one-third constructed. He said the key constraint is to deny a certificate of occupancy on the self-storage facility until the retail building is ready for occupancy. He said the delay that would arise from such a restriction would be a couple months at the most.