3A Public Hearing 2013 0204 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

(Unapproved) Excerpts from the Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes December 20, 2012 Page 3 of 5 return, but a long-term hold. Removing two units would cut the return to under 3%, so it really is a financial hardship, but at the same time they’re not “looking to hit a home run – we’re looking to make it pay for itself.” He said it’s that, and pride of ownership. Chair Collier said that also answered her question about what would happen if they dropped one unit from the proposal. Speaking to the color palette, she said she’d like to see more variations in shade because the colors she saw don’t appear to differ much. Mr. Fagalde said she made an excellent point and he would work with staff on selecting colors. Commissioner Hernandez asked about whether the daylight plane variance on one of the units would cast a shadow on adjacent properties. Mr. Penaranda explained that it would cast a shadow in the winter, but side -yard variances in other two-story, low-density districts have five-foot setback requirements. Other side-yard setbacks are 10 feet. This one has eight, he said. Noting that each unit has a trash enclosure, Commissioner Rennie asked how trash pickup would work and whether each residence would have a separate account. Sheila Young, Pansy Street, introduced herself, saying that she’s been working with the property owner and Todd Barbour, whose mother raised horses there. She said that the trash enclosures are in a vine-covered trellis in the front of each residence for the recycle and garbage containers, with the green waste placed strategically around the property. Because the units won’t have separate ownership, Commissioner Rennie said he didn’t believe separate accounts would be required. Ms. Young said that if she lived in one of these units, she would prefer having her own trash containers. She said she didn’t believe there’s room on the property to put a large, common trash enclosure. Mr. Larson said that the separate trash enclosures have been part of the design from the start, and part of the owner’s requirement for tenants’ convenience. In response to Commissioner Hernandez and Chair Collier, Mr. Larson said the onsite property manager would push trash containers to Aurora Drive for ACI pickup. Commissioner Hernandez asked whether there’s space enough on Aurora Drive for 32 trash containers. Mr. Larson said he believes there is, and there would be no need for “no parking on trash pickup day” signage. Commissioner Hernandez suggested that the Planning Department look more closely at this issue, because it seems that the assembled trash containers would occupy the entire property frontage. Commissioner Rennie concurred, noting that considering the space needed between containers, it would add up to about 130 linear feet of trash containers. Commissioner Rennie suggested that duplex units could share trash containers rather than each having its own. Mr. Fagalde stressed that if the trash situation seemed to become an issue, they would immediately look to make a change, but he considers an individual trash enclosure an amenity that a renter would want. He also pointed out that the development to the north, with a similar density, handles trash the way that this project proposes. Commissioner Hernandez asked whether the children’s play area would have more than grass. Mr. Fagalde said that installing a play structure, not knowing whether any children would live in the development, might waste space that would otherwise be usable. In contrast, a grassy area could be multipurpose. Chair Collier opened the public hearing. Joe Collier, Douglas Drive, said that Oakland prohibits parking in certain areas on trash pickup days and for street sweeping, and one $45 ticket is enough to discourage people from parking in those areas on those days. That would be a way to avoid the problem, he said. Wendy Lao, Aurora Drive, said she lives in Aurora Greens, right next to the subject property, where three of the buildings are single-story, with the fourth a two-story building. In the applicant’s plans, TF1 is a two-story building, with three single-story houses next to it. She said that two-story structure would block the sunlight and create privacy issues. Chair Collier asked about the daylight plane in terms of the single-story houses. Mr. Penaranda said the setbacks are similar in the PDs to the north. He said with the path of the sun low in the winter, th ere could be