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[Call to Order]
RIGHT.UH, THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR OCTOBER 11TH, 2022 IS CALLED TO ORDER.
WILL NOW TAKE A MOMENT FOR SILENT PRAYER OR MEDITATION, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, WHICH WILL BE LED BY COMMISSIONER.
PLEASE RISE, PLEASE JOIN ME WITH THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.
PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FIVE OF UNITED STATES AMERICA, STATES, AMERICA PUBLIC FOR WHICH EXPAND ONE NATION, INVISIBLE WITH, PLEASE BE SEATED.
UH, COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS, PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER BUSA HERE, VICE CHAIR GUTIERREZ HERE.
[1. Regular meeting, September 13, 2022]
APPROVAL OF MINUTES.UH, TONIGHT WE HAVE THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR PLANNING COMMISSION ON AUGUST 9TH, 2022.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY CHANGES TO THE MINUTES? I DO HAVE CORRECTIONS.
IT'S FOR NUMBER TWO, THE TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP NUMBER TWO TWO DASH OH ONE.
UM, REGARDING TO THE PARCELS, PARCEL ONE IS THE SMALLER PARCEL AND IT SHOULD BE 15,917 SQUARE FEET.
AND THEN PARCEL TWO, WHICH IS THE LARGER PARCEL, SHOULD BE 27,608.
ANY OTHER CHANGES TO THE MINUTES? ANYONE SEEING NONE? UM, ANY OBJECTION TO THE REVISION PROPOSED BY COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS? NO.
SEEING NONE, THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED WITH THAT MODIFICATION.
[ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ]
UM, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT? RIGHT.PLEASE COME UP ON A NON-ED ITEM.
UH, YEAH, UH, YEAH, JUST A REAL QUICK QUESTION.
SO, I'M HERE FOR A COLLEGE ASSIGNMENT, AND ONE QUESTION I HAVE, UH, IT COULD BE A REALLY QUICK ANSWER, BUT WHAT ARE THE THREE, THREE TO FIVE PRIORITIES THAT ARE IN YOUR CITY AS FAR AS DEVELOPMENT THAT BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY? SO WE, WE CAN'T REALLY ENGAGE IN A BACK AND FORTH HERE DURING ORAL COMMUNICATIONS, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS AFTER, IF YOU WANNA STAY AFTER THE MEETING.
UM, WE HAVE THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT ARE SCHEDULED TO FOR TONIGHT.
UM, THE FIRST ONE BEING CONDITIONAL
[2. CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NO. 22-02]
USE PERMIT NUMBER 2 22.UH, WHO WILL PRESENT THE STAFF REPORT FOR THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING POLL? OUR ASSOCIATE PLANNER, MIAM OW WILL BE PROVIDING THE PRESENTATION.
UH, SO THIS IS ITEM TWO ON THE AGENDA.
THIS IS CONDITIONAL USED PERMIT 2202 FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 6 25 EAST MERCED AVENUE.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CONDITIONAL USED PERMIT TO ALLOW THE MODIFICATION OF THE EXISTING FACILITY ON, UH, WALMART OR AT WALMART OR PARK.
THE MODIFICATIONS INCLUDE THE CHANGE OF CONCEALMENT.
UM, THE EXISTING LOT SIZE IS 5.5 ACRES, AND IT IS ZONED FOR OPEN SPACE.
THE SITE IS SURROUNDED BY RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AGRICULTURE, AND THERE IS A SCHOOL ABUTTING THE PROPERTY TO THE NORTH.
THE SITE PLAN SHOWS THE LOCATION OF THE FACILITY IN THE RED CIRCLE, AND THE RED SQUARE SHOWS THE EQUIPMENT CABINET ASSOCIATED TO THAT FACILITY SITE.
ON THE LEFT IS THE EXISTING ELEVATION OF THE FACILITY, WHICH IS CURRENTLY DESIGNED AS A FLAG POLE.
THE EXISTING WIDTH OF THE FLAG POLE IS A FOOT AND SIX INCHES, AND THE PROPOSED WOULD INCREASE THE WIDTH TO FOUR FEET SHOWN ON THE RIGHT ELEVATION.
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SIMULATION OF WHAT THE PROPOSAL WOULD LOOK LIKE.THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN OFF OF EAST MERCED AVENUE, AND THIS IS A INDIFFERENT ANGLE OF THE PROPOSED, UH, CHANGE OF CONCEALMENT.
UM, FOR REFERENCE, THE PROPERTY OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY IS THE CITY OF WEST COVINA.
SO THE CITY DOES HAVE TO PROVIDE APPROVAL OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, PLANNING STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION CONTINUE THE ITEM WITH DIRECTION TO THE APPLICANT TO REDESIGN THE CURRENT PROPOSAL TO POSSIBLY, UH, UH, MONOPOLE MONO PINE, UM, FALL TREE OR CLOCK TOWER, OR ANY SIMILAR STRUCTURE TO BETTER MATCH THE SURROUNDING OF THE WALMART OR PARK.
UH, THAT IS THE END OF THE, OF THE PRESENTATION.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HERE.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE.
WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE APPLICANT HERE TODAY IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THEM.
UM, DOES ANY MEMBER OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF AT THIS JUNCTURE? SEEING NONE, I WILL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND FIRST WE WILL HEAR, UH, TESTIMONY FROM THE APPLICANT IF THEY ARE AVAILABLE.
CAN I GET YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE? YES, MY NAME IS GRAHAM FLYNN AND I'M HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUE PAULINA MENDOZA.
ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS GRAHAM FLYNN.
I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE PAULINA MENDOZA.
WE ARE BOTH EMPLOYEES OF SBA COMMUNICATIONS.
WHO OWNS THE TIMER? SORRY, ONE, ONE SECOND.
PAUL, CAN YOU START THE TIMER? THE TIMER'S NOT WORKING.
WHEN PEOPLE ARE SPEAKING, HE'S THE APPLICANT.
UM, PAULINA, MYSELF, FOR BOTH EMPLOYEES OF SBA COMMUNICATIONS WHO OWNS THE TOWER THAT IS CONCEALED AS A FLAG POLE AND THE SUBJECT FOR TODAY'S MEETING.
WE ARE HERE ON BEHALF OF T-MOBILE WHO WISHES TO MODIFY THIS EXISTING TOWER BY EXPANDING THE CURRENT CANISTER THAT IS CONCEALING THE PANEL ANTENNAS.
T-MOBILE'S PROPOSAL ALSO INCLUDES INSTALLING THEIR NEWEST PANEL ANTENNAS AND ANCILLARY RADIO EQUIPMENT WITHIN THE EXPANDED CANISTER.
THE CANISTER EXPANSION IS REQUIRED DUE TO THE SIZE OF T-MOBILE'S EQUIPMENT.
ALTHOUGH THIS EQUIPMENT MAY BE LARGER, THE NEWEST EQUIPMENT WILL ENSURE THAT NEARBY CUSTOMERS RECEIVE STRONGER CELLULAR COVERAGE, FASTER DATA SPEEDS, AND FASTER RESPONSE TIMES FOR FIRST RESPONDERS IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, THE EXPANSION OF THE CANISTER WILL ALSO ALLOW FOR GREATER VENTILATION AS CELLULAR EQUIPMENT CAN OVERHEAT AND COMPACT SPACE.
OVERALL, T-MOBILE BELIEVES THE PROPOSED DESIGN IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO DEPLOY THEIR LATEST EQUIPMENT TO THE COMMUNITY FOR CONSUMER USE.
IN OUR OPINION, T-MOBILE'S PROPOSAL WILL NOT SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGE THE APPEARANCE OF THE EXISTING FLAG BOWL.
THE PROPOSED DESIGN WILL MAINTAIN THE USE OF THE AMERICAN FLAG.
THE OVERALL TOWER HEIGHT WILL NOT BE INCREASED IN ANY WAY.
THE PROPOSED INCREASE IN WIDTH OF THE CANISTER OF TWO FEET FIVE INCHES WILL NOT DIMINISH THE CURRENT FLAG'S VISUAL APPEARANCE, AND THE PROPOSAL WILL NOT ELIMINATE EXISTING CONCEALMENT EFFORTS TO SHIELD THE ANTENNAS FROM PUBLIC VIEW.
IN CLOSING, WE BELIEVE T-MOBILE'S PROPOSAL IS A REASONABLE REQUEST THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR APPROVAL BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
DOES ANY MEMBER OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? UM, VICE CHAIR GUTIERREZ? YES.
HOW MANY HOUSES OR TO RADIUS YOU USE TO NOTIFY THE PRO LOCAL PROPERTY OWNERS? 300 FEET.
AND HOW MANY PROPERTY OWNERS WERE NOTIFIED? 93, UH, OWNERS AND OCCUPANTS.
MR. HANG, I WASN'T GONNA HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT OKAY.
SINCE YOU
UH, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, I DON'T SEE ANY DATA HERE THAT HOW MANY WITH THE NEW, UM, ANTENNA THAT YOU'RE PLANNING TO INSTALL, LIKE HOW MANY GUESS RESIDENTS WILL THIS BE AFFECTED OR INCREASE POTENTIALLY? UM, IT, IT WON'T INCREASE USERS, BUT IT, THE, THE CURRENT T-MOBILE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY USING, UM, T-MOBILE SERVICE, THEY WILL SEE AN INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND OVERALL DATA SPEEDS.
SO IT'S NOT TO BRING IN NEW CUSTOMERS PER SE, UNLESS THEY'RE IMPRESSED WITH THE INCREASED DATA SPEED, BUT IT'S JUST TO ENHANCE THE CURRENT SIGNAL THAT THEY'RE ALREADY GETTING AT THIS TIME.
IS THAT ALSO T-MOBILE? IT'S NOT T-MOBILE
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AND, UH, THAT'S NOT AN SBA TOWER.I, I, I ACTUALLY CAN'T ANSWER IF T-MOBILE'S ON THAT PARTICULAR STRUCTURE.
UM, SO I DID NOT DO RESEARCH INTO THE STRUCTURE DIRECTLY NEXT TO US.
SO MEMORY CITY STAFF KNOWS, APOLOGIZE.
WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? IS A LIGHT POST FOR STADIUM LIGHT.
UM, AND THERE'S CURRENTLY DISH AND I BELIEVE VERIZON, BUT I KNOW FOR SURE DISHES ON THAT FACILITY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SINCE THAT PARTICULAR ONE THAT'S RIGHT NEXT TO IT RIGHT NOW, UM, CAN YOU CO-LOCATION WHAT YOU NEEDED ON THAT PARTICULAR ONE? MOST LIKELY NOT, UM, CO-LOCATIONS REQUIRE A LOT MORE, UM, OVERALL TOWER HEIGHT TO ALLOW MULTIPLE CARRIERS TO HAVE THEIR OWN CLEARANCE SPACES IN BETWEEN EACH OTHER.
UM, SO THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED NOW IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO PROVIDE COVERAGE TO ALL THOSE IN THE, THE, THE AREA.
WHEN YOU, YOU MENTIONED COVERAGE, I GUESS HOW MANY COVERAGE IN TERMS OF PEOPLE, LIKE, DO YOU HAVE DATA THAT SUPPORTS THAT? I DID NOT BRING DATA TONIGHT THAT WOULD SUPPORT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY AFFECTED BY THIS.
UM, BUT IF YOU ARE A T-MOBILE USER AND YOU ARE WITHIN THIS VICINITY, THEN THE PANEL ANTENNA COVERS WILL PROVIDE, UM, CELLULAR SERVICE FOR YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO WHAT IS THE OVERALL DIFFERENCE? I KNOW TECHNOLOGY OR IT'S ALWAYS EVERY DAY, EVERY MINUTES, SOMETIMES INCREASING.
UM, SO I MEAN, I HEARD, UH, VICE CHAIR, WHICH I SAY, OKAY, 5G IS IT, WHAT TYPE OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IS THE UPGRADE? THE UPGRADE WOULD PROVIDE 5G COVERAGE.
AND UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL ANTENNA, UM, COUNT OR ANTENNA COUNT THAT'S OUT THERE RIGHT NOW WITH THE CURRENT DESIGN, THERE'S SIX PANEL ANTENNAS UP IN THIS FLAG POLE, AND IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE REDUCED TO THREE.
UM, SO THERE WOULD BE LESS PANELS, BUT THEY DO TAKE UP MORE SPACE BECAUSE THEY'RE MORE POWERFUL IN THE, IN THE SENSE OF PROVIDING COVERAGE AND OVERALL DATA SERVICES.
BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, UM, WE'RE USING MORE AND MORE DATA EVERY DAY.
SO, UH, THE NEWER EQUIPMENT IS JUST A LITTLE BIT BIGGER AS A RESULT.
IS THERE A WAY TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT NUMBER OF PANELS AND INCREASE THE, UH, AND INCREASE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING? UNFORTUNATELY NOT.
UM, THOSE PANELS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UP THERE, THEY'RE CONSIDERED OUTDATED EQUIPMENT AND THE EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS ARE NO LONGER PRODUCING THOSE AT THIS TIME.
SO THERE'S NO EQUIPMENT OUT THERE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY FULFILL THAT, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? UH, I CAN'T VERIFY THAT HERE AT THIS TIME.
I PROBABLY NEED MORE TIME TO LOOK INTO THAT TO CONFIRM THAT.
NOW FOR THE RECORD, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE YOU POSSIBLY UPDATING THIS FOR THE 5G, BUT I AM NOT AWARE THAT WEST COVINA HAS THE 5G, UM, CURRENTLY COUPLE A YEAR OR TWO AGO.
I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT, BUT IF IT IS, CAN YOU PLEASE INFORM US? UH, YES.
I WOULD PREFER TO VERIFY THAT BEFORE GIVING A CONCRETE STATEMENT FOR THAT.
SO YOUR STATEMENT EARLIER REGARDING UPDATING THIS EQUIPMENT FOR 5G, YOU DON'T KNOW AT THIS MOMENT UNTIL YOU CAN GET BACK TO US? THAT'S CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? I GUESS WITH REGARDING THE SIZE OF THE EQUIPMENT, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT FROM 18 INCHES CURRENTLY THAT'S EXISTING RIGHT NOW TO FOUR FEET WIDE.
HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO PUT A FLAG AND WHERE EXACTLY AND HOW IS IT GONNA LOOK WITH A FOUR FEET? NOW IT'S KIND OF HARD TO IMAGINE HOW WIDE, FOUR FEET ROUND AND I DON'T KNOW, FORGOT HOW, HOW TALL, PROBABLY FIVE FEET OR SO, IF YOU CAN CONFIRM THAT.
I GUESS THE QUESTION IS BEFORE IT DOES LOOK LIKE A FLAG POLE, BUT NOW THAT WE INCREASES A TWO, 300% NOW, I GUESS IS THE FLAG WILL INCREASE BY TWO 300%.
SO IT ULTIMATELY LOOKS SOMEWHAT LIKE A FLAG POLE.
THE CURRENT DESIGN RIGHT NOW IS TO USE THE SAME FLAG THAT IS EXISTING AT THE SITE.
UM, AND THAT RENDERING IS THE BEST REPRESENTATION WE HAVE AT THIS TIME THAT SHOWS WHAT IT WILL ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE IN THE AIR AFTER THE MODIFICATION WERE TO TAKE PLACE IF APPROVED, IS IT FOUR FEET IN DIAMETER? FOUR FEET IN DIAMETER, CORRECT.
SO IS THERE A WAY TO BUILD, BUILD LIKE A, A TREE LOOKING ONE NEXT TO
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IT KIND OF THING AND, AND, AND THEN PUT THAT THE NEW EQUIPMENT ON THAT ONE TO BUILD, UM, SOME SORT OF FAKE TREE? YEAH.NEXT TO THIS EXISTING TOWER? YEAH.
UM, YEAH, YOU ALSO LOOK INTO IT PROBABLY.
AND I'M NOT USED TO SEEING TWO TOWERS THAT CLOSE TO EACH OTHER.
SO ONE WOULD HAVE TO, WELL, ONE, HAVE TO BE DEACTIVATED, AND THAT'S CORRECT, OR TWO, BUT THE NEW ONE WAIT FOR THE NEW, BUT AT LEAST THEY WOULDN'T LOOK UGLY WITH FOUR FEET WHITE.
BUT YEAH, SO THAT PICTURE REALLY DOESN'T, I MEAN, THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE FOUR FEET TO ME.
I GUESS I'M JUST HAVING A HARD TIME TRYING TO IMAGINE, UM, BECAUSE CURRENTLY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ON TOP PORTION, THE EXISTING IS THE SIZE OF OUR TIRE, OUR CAR TIRE, AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT IF YOU TAKE MY MINIVAN AND CHOP INTO A THIRD AND PUT THAT ON TOP OF THE POLE AND THEN PUT A FLAG ON IT.
SO I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT'S GONNA, AESTHETICALLY IT DOESN'T, AGAIN, IT, IT JUST DOESN'T, AESTHETICALLY IT DOESN'T, DOESN'T LOOK WELL IN THAT SENSE.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, AS TECHNOLOGY GROWS AND INCREASE AND WHAT HAVE YOU, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOUR TECHNOLOGY, HOWEVER, I MEAN, SUPPOSEDLY IT GETS SMALLER, BUT THIS, IN THIS TONIGHT WE'RE DISCUSSING, YOU KNOW, IN EQUIPMENT THAT IT'S ACTUALLY GETTING EXPANDING.
IT GROW A HUNDRED PERCENT, 400%.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE IT IS, BUT QUITE A BIT.
AND, UM, THAT'S THE CASE WITH THESE CANISTER TYPE DESIGNS.
WHEN THEY WERE INITIALLY DESIGNED, THEY, UH, WERE NOT BUILT FOR INCREASED PANEL ANTENNAS THAT WOULD COME IN THE FUTURE.
AND WE'RE NOW AT THE SPACE WHERE THERE ARE PANEL ANTENNAS THAT ARE BIGGER, THAT ARE NEEDED FOR INCREASED TECHNOLOGY, AND AS A RESULT, THEY JUST TAKE UP MORE OVERALL SPACE.
THERE'S SIX PANELS IN IT RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE TRYING TO REMOVE ALL SIX AND INSTALL THREE NEW ONES.
BUT I'LL HAVE ALL CITY STAFF, UM, HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH YOU GUYS REGARDING ALTERNATIVE DESIGNS.
BECAUSE CURRENTLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT, IS THAT SOMETHING, BECAUSE ON THE DOCUMENT IT'S A STAFF OPINION AND ALTERNATIVE DESIGN AS A FULL, THEY PREFER AN ALTERNATIVE DESIGN.
IS THAT, HAS THAT BEEN DISCUSSED? YES, THEY WERE DISCUSSED.
BUT YOU'RE NOT CONSIDERING IT OR WE, WE WILL CONSIDER IT BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF TONIGHT AND WHAT THE, UH, DECISION WILL BE.
UM, BUT T-MOBILE BELIEVES THAT THE CANISTER AS IT STANDS NOW, UM, EXPANDING IT IS THE QUICKEST WAY TO DEPLOY THE BEST TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.
WELL, THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT 5G IS NEEDED THROUGHOUT THE US BUT, UM, NOW I THINK THE MOST COST EFFICIENT IDEA AND DESIGN WILL PROBABLY BE THAT YOU SOMEHOW ADD A POLE FOR A NEW FLA POLE FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR THE KIDS AND, AND, AND, AND PARENTS WHO TAKE THEIR KIDS THERE TO PLAY BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL, THAT WE, YOU GUYS CREATE A NEW POLE JUST FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG.
AND THEN THE EXISTING POLE, SINCE IT'S, IT'S ALREADY CONNECTED WITH WIRING AND SO FORTH, YOU WORK WHERE YOUR ARCHITECTURAL TEAM TO SOMEHOW DESIGN A MORE, UH, BEAUTIFY, BEAUTIFICATION TO THAT POLE.
SO IT JUST DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A BIG LUMP, UH, IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIELD.
I THINK ALTERNATIVES SUCH AS A FAKE TREE LOOKING ITEM TO MATCH THE PARK OR, OR TO THAT, SOME, TO, TO THAT EXTENT WILL BE A GOOD IDEA.
THAT'S THE, THE, THE CURRENT, CORRECT.
OVER HERE ON, ON THE LEFT IS THE CURRENT, CORRECT.
SO I, I HAVE TO AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER, HANG AT, IT LOOKED MORE LIKE AN I SORE THAN IN A FLAG PULL.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO TO, TO GO BACK AND, AND HAVE THAT REVIEWED? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
WE, YES, WE COULD DEFINITELY GO BACK AND HAVE IT REVIEWED.
AND REMEMBER WE COULD PUT THIS ON DEPENDING HOW MUCH TIME YOU NEED TO GET THAT DONE.
WE COULD PROBABLY PUT THIS ON OUR NEXT MEETING OR THE MEETING AFTER, DEPENDING ON THE TIME YOU NEED.
UM, AND ARE WE TALKING ABOUT A COMPLETE REDESIGN OR, UH, WELL, FOUR FEET IS, IS LIKE SAID, IT'S JUST LIKE PUTTING A, SO, SO THE EQUIPMENT, THEY NEED THE EQUIPMENT AND, AND IT'S, EXCUSE ME, EVERYONE, I, I JUST, RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A DECISION, AND I THINK WE NEED TO HEAR FROM THOSE IN FAVOR OF THOSE OPPOSED, BEFORE WE GET INTO
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AN OVERALL DISCUSSION ABOUT MAYBE REDESIGN OR HOWEVER YOU GUYS WANNA DO IT.I, I, I THINK WE NEED TO HEAR TESTIMONY IN ORDER TO MOVE THIS PROCESS ALONG.
SO, UM, IF, IF WE CAN SORT OF PUT A PAUSE ON THAT DISCUSSION FOR, FOR THE TIME BEING, UNLESS WE HAVE ANY MORE DIRECT QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AT THIS JUNCTURE.
WELL, I THINK OF SOME OF THIS INFORMATION IS PROBABLY WHAT THEY WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO KNOW, BUT I JUST HAVE ONE MORE HOW THAT, THAT FOUR FOOT DIAMETER, HOW LONG IS THAT, UH, WISE? HUH? 13 FEET.
THE EXISTING IS 12 FEET AND IT WOULD GO TO 13 FEET.
SO ONE WOULD INCREASE THAT A BIG DIFFERENCE.
AND THE WIDTH? UH, THE WIDTH WAS IT'S ABOUT FOUR FEET THAT IS NEEDED BECAUSE OF THE EQUIPMENT SIZE THAT HAS TO GO INSIDE IT, RIGHT? I, I WOULD ASSUME YES, A COMBINATION OF THE EQUIPMENT SIZE AND PROPER VENTILATION.
UH, THINGS AT OUR HOUSE OVERALL HOLE IS, HOW HIGH IS IT? 60 FEET.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO I GUESS, UM, I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET IS, I THINK SHE'S SAYING FULL FEET WIDE BY 13 FEET TALL AT THE TOP.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE FLAG IS AT THE TOP? YES.
SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS PROJECT? WE DO NOT GET ANY SPEAKER CARDS.
ANY, ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR A POST? NO SPEAKER CARDS FOR THIS ITEM.
SO, UM, YOU WANT RECALL THE APPLICANT FOR ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR
WE HAVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING IF, IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO, UH, INVITE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND NOW WE CAN OPEN DISCUSSION BY THE COMMISSION.
SO MAKE A MOTION, UH, BEFORE WE MAKE A MOTION.
CAN WE HAVE A DISCUSSION FIRST, BASICALLY AMONG US IN TERMS YOUR HANG THANK YOU,
I GUESS IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AMONG US AND, UM, I ALSO WANTED START OUT BY SAYING THAT TONIGHT'S, UM, BASED ON WHAT WE GATHER AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN AND THE DATA THAT WE, WE WE HAD BEEN PRESENTED, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LACK OF DATA.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY, UM, THERE WAS NO DATA PROVIDED IN TERMS OF HOW MANY HAS BEEN AFFECTING THE RESIDENTS.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS AESTHETICALLY, UM, IT DOESN'T, UM, ADD TO THE BEAUTY OF OUR CITY OR OUR PARK, SO THAT SHOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND EVEN THE STAFF, IT'S, UH, OUR STAFF ALSO HAD AN, UM, SUGGESTED OR WANTED OR LOOKING FOR AN ALTERNATIVE BECAUSE FOUR FEET WIDE, THAT'S, THAT'S HUGE CONSIDERING, UM, THAT WHAT IS EXISTING RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS 18.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO STATE THAT REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR CODE IN ALL THE PLANNING COMMISSIONS HERE TONIGHT.
UM, IT'S A PRESERVATION OF LOCALS, UM, REMINDING EVERYONE THAT THE PRESERVATIONS OF LOCAL ZONING AUTHORITY, I LIKE TO KIND OF LIKE, UM, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
IT'S BASICALLY, THIS IS IN THE FCC WAS 30 YEARS AGO THAT THEY PUT IT THE PRE NOW THE, EXCEPT AS THIS PARTICULAR PRESERVATION OF LOCAL ZONING AUTHORITY THAT'S BASICALLY IS GIVING TO ALL THE PLANNING COMMISSIONS AND ALL THE CITY COUNCILS.
IN TERMS OF, I'M JUST GONNA READ, IT'S JUST REALLY A SMALL PARAGRAPH EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THIS PARAGRAPH, NOTHING IN THIS ACTUAL LIMIT OR AFFECT THE AUTHORITY OF A STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR INSTRUMENTALLY THEREOF OVER DECISIONS REGARDING THE PLACEMENT, WHICH IS WHERE YOU WANNA PUT THIS IN CONSTRUCTIONS, HOW IT SHOULD BE BUILT IN MODIFICATIONS OF PERSONAL WIRELESS, UH, SERVICE FACILITY.
SO IT'S BASICALLY GIVEN ALL THE CITY THE AUTHORITIES OF HOW WE CAN EITHER ONE, REJECTED OR TWO COME UP WITH A MODIFICATIONS IN TERMS OF LOCATION, WHY.
AND IN TERMS OF THE CONSTRUCTIONS, WHAT MAKE THESE THINGS.
AND ALSO MODIFICATION OF PERSONAL WIRELESS SERVICE FACILITY.
WITH THAT IN MIND, I GUESS WE CAN HAVE OTHER, UM, COUNT PLANNING COMMISSIONS.
UM, YES,
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UH, TO T-MOBILE CUSTOMERS.I BELIEVE HE INDICATED THAT, UH, THE SERVICE WILL ALSO INCLUDE 5G, 5G SERVICE, UM, TO ALLOW IT TO BE STRONGER IN THE AREA.
SO THE, THE TOWER IS EXISTING THERE.
THE PROBLEM I SEE AND HAVE IS THE, THE NEW WIDTH OF, OF THE, OF THE PROPOSED TOWER, UH, THAT IS EXISTING, THAT IT WILL BE FOUR FEET WIDE AND ONE ADDITIONAL FEET HIGH, WHICH, UH, OF THE, OF HOW IT'S DESIGNED, UM, AND THE PROBLEM, OR AT CHRISTER, I BELIEVE THE RESIDENTS WILL HAVE, UM, THERE WILL BE THAT THE WIDTH IS TOO BIG.
AND SO I THINK IT'LL BE A GOOD IDEA TO, UM, TO BRING THIS BACK AND, AND TO LOOK AT THE APPLICANT'S ALTERNATIVE DESIGN IDEAS, UH, SUCH AS, UH, BUILDING A SEPARATE FLAG POLE FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG AND THEN AND UPGRADING THAT EXISTING FOAM TOWER, UH, TO LOOK LIKE A POSSIBLE FAKE TREE OR SOMETHING THAT LOOKS, MAKES THE PARK LOOK MORE BEAUTIFIED, UH, WITH THAT, UM, CONSTRUCTION THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING TO UPGRADE THE TOWER.
UM, THAT'S JUST MY OPINION, BUT YEAH.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF, AND, AND AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR DESIGN DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, CAN DO OR WHAT THEIR RESTRAINT, YOU KNOW, ANY RESTRICTIONS ON, ON WHAT, HOW THEY CAN DESIGN IT, BUT, UM, IF IT'S GONNA BE A STRUCTURE THAT BIG, THEN MAYBE IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, UH, WE COULD DO SOME KIND OF ADVERTISEMENTS FOR THE CITY, SOME KIND OF, UH, STUDENT OF THE MONTH, SOME, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT.
YOU KNOW, I DUNNO IF YOU COULD PUT LIGHTS ON IT, YOU KNOW, ADVERTISEMENTS, MAYBE LOCAL BUSINESSES CAN ADVERTISE ON IT.
I SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD, WOULDN'T JUST LOOK LIKE A BIG ROUND HOLE.
AND THEN MOST PROPOSAL RECOMMENDED ADVERTISE ANYTHING.
SO MY IDEA, BUT, AND WILL YOU BE WILLING TO HOLD ON, PAY FOR AMERICAN FLAG POLE
IF, IF WE'RE GONNA ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE WITH THE, UH, THE APPLICANT, WE SHOULD REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING HEARING, CORRECT.
SO, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF, IF YOU GUYS WANT TO ENGAGE IN FURTHER DIALOGUE WITH THE, UM, YEAH.
CAN YOU BRING THE APPLICANT BACK UP? ALL RIGHT.
SO LET'S, LET'S GO AHEAD AND REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND IF YOU GUYS HAVE QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT, AND MY QUESTION WILL BE, ARE YOU WILLING TO, UM, WITH THE EXISTING POLE THERE, EXISTING FOAM TOWER THERE? UH, BRING BACK A DESIGN THAT'S A PINE TREE LOOKING DESIGN, OR, OR SIMILAR I GUESS A PINE TREE DESIGN, YOU KNOW, DESIGN, UH, A PINE TREE LOOKING DESIGN, BUT ALSO COMMIT TO BUILDING A, A, A METAL FLA POLE TO BRING BACK THAT AMERICAN FLAG NEXT TO IT? I CAN'T COMMIT TO, OR YOU'LL LOOK INTO IT, I'LL LOOK INTO THAT, BUT YES, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY LOOK INTO DESIGNING, REMOVING THE TOWER AS IT STANDS AND REPLACING IT WITH A MONO PINE.
UM, AS FAR AS ADDING A FLAG POLE AS WELL.
I, I CAN'T COMMIT TO THAT AT THIS TIME OR WE WOULD LOOK INTO IT.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, EITHER PRO OR AGAINST OR NEUTRAL? SEEING NONE, I WILL AGAIN CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE'LL GO BACK TO, UH, OPEN DISCUSSION BY THE COMMISSION.
UM, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE DO, JUST AS THE STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS. OKAY.
I, I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD IN MY 2 CENTS VERY QUICKLY.
UM, WITH REGARD TO THE, THE CANISTER, I, I UN UNFORTUNATE, IT'S UNFORTUNATE IF THIS IS NOT, UM, TECHNOLOGICALLY FEASIBLE, BUT IT, IT, I I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING FROM THE APPLICANT THAT INDICATED THAT IT WASN'T TECHNOLOGICALLY FEASIBLE TO ENSURE THAT THE, THAT THE ONE FOOT, UH, SIX INCH DIAMETER WAS, WAS, UH, WAS SOMETHING THAT WE COULDN'T MAINTAIN.
UM, I, I, I WILL ALSO SAY THAT IF WE ARE COMING BACK WITH A, UM, AND, AND I
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OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T HEAR ANY DATA, AND I'LL ECHO SORT OF THE SAME THINGS THAT COMMISSIONER HANG WAS SAYING ON IN THAT REGARD, BUT, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IS IF THIS DOES COME BACK, UM, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT A COMPLETE REDESIGN, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS IS THE, THE VAULT IS ABOVE GROUND ON THIS, IS THAT NOT CORRECT? EQUIPMENT? THE EQUIPMENT? YES, I BELIEVE SO.I, I, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE ARE LOOKING AT A WHOLESALE REDESIGN, I, I REALLY DO THINK THAT, UM, WE SHOULD HAVE HIGH STANDARDS FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND WE SHOULD MAINTAIN THOSE HIGH STANDARDS BY ENSURING THAT ANY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE A WHOLESALE REDESIGN OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAS, HAS UNDERGROUNDED, UH, UH, FACILITIES.
SO, UM, THAT'D BE, THAT'D BE MY SORT OF 2 CENTS ON IT.
UM, WITH THAT, UM, IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, I'D CERTAINLY ENTERTAIN A MOTION, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, ASK THAT THIS BE BROUGHT BACK TO OUR NEXT COMMISSION MEETING.
UM, SO THE APPLICANT COULD HAVE TIME TO BRING AN ALTERNATIVE DESIGN, UH, THAT HE WAS WILLING TO DO OF A PINE TREE.
IF THE APPLICANT CANNOT, UH, BUDGET TO INSTALL A, A METAL POLE FOR EXISTING AMERICAN FLAG, THEN I WILL WORK WITH LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS TO, UH, FUND THAT POLE TO GET THAT AMERICAN FLAG TO COME BACK.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UH, WE DON'T HAVE A FOUR FEET WIDE BY 16 FEET HIGH, TALL, BIG OLD THING IN THE SKY THAT'S GONNA MAKE OUR PARK FOR OUR LOCAL KIDS LOOK UGLY.
AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO ALLOW THE APPLICANT TO COME BACK WITH THE PINE TREE DESIGN AND THEN IF HE'S, IF THEY'RE WILLING TO COVER THE COSTS FOR THE AMERICAN FLAG, IF NOT, THEN WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO WILL COVER THE COSTS, AND I CAN ENSURE THAT.
UM, AND I WILL MAKE A MOTION, UH, THAT WILL BE MY MOTION JAR IF I MAY CLARIFY THE, UM, THE MOTION.
I WOULD LIKE CLARIFICATION THAT THE MOTION IS TO CONTINUE THE ITEM TO, UH, DATE UNCERTAIN, UM, SO THAT WE WOULD GO AHEAD AND RE-NOTICE THE APPLICATION.
AND THEN YOU WORK, WORK WITH THE APPLICANT? UH, SO THERE'S NO, UH, UH, CONFLICTS AND, UH, IN, IN THEIR SCHEDULE AND, AND THE CITY'S SCHEDULE.
SO THERE'S NO, UH, ALLEGATIONS OF PROLONGING THE SERVICE MADE AGAINST THE CITY.
I I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION REGARDING YOUR MOTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A PINE TREE, BUT IF IT, UH, IF, IF IT NEED BE SOME OTHER TREE THAT, THAT LOOKS APPROPRIATE FOR THE PARK, I, I WOULD BE OPEN TO THAT.
WE WOULD BE OPEN TO AMEND MOTION.
SO THAT WE TRY TO INTEGRATE AS BEST WE CAN, UM, THE, THE SURROUNDING TREES IN THE, UH, AREA MM-HMM.
AND, AND I WILL AMEND MY MOTION TO REFLECT, UH, WHAT CITY STAFF TO WORK WITH APPLICANT TO COME BACK WITH, UH, A TREE LOOKING DESIGN, SOMETHING THAT MATCHES, UH, THE PARKS ENVIRONMENT.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND THAT.
SO JUST TO BE
UM, AND THEN TO BRING IT BACK AT A PLANNING COMMISSION DATE, UNCERTAIN.
UM, SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY GUT, I CHAIR GUTTIER SECOND BY ME.
UM, PAULINA, WILL YOU, UH, DIRECT STAFF TO READ THE RESOLUTION NUMBER? THERE'S NO RESOLUTIONS, JUST DIRECTION CONTINUED.
AYE, UH, COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS? AYE, UH, COMMISSIONER BEA.
THIS ACTION IS, WELL, I DON'T THINK I HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT FINAL PENDING APPEAL WITHIN 10 DAYS.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE CLEAR FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD THAT THE APPLICANT WILL WORK WITH THE CITY, UM, AND THEN ONCE THE APPLICANT'S READY TO COME BACK, THAT WE WILL, WE WILL, CITY STAFF WILL WORK WITH THE APPLICANT TO IMMEDIATELY, UH, PUT IT BACK AT A TIMEFRAME THAT WORKS AT THE NEXT, UH, OR THE FOLLOWING, UH, COMMISSION MEETING.
SO THERE'S NO PROLONGED PROLONGING, UH, OF THE PROCESS.
[3. PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER CITY-WIDE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 22-02]
NUMBER THREE, CODE AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO TWO DASH ZERO FOUR.PAUL, WHO WILL READ THIS STAFF REPORT.
UM, OUR CONSULTANT, JOHN DOUGLAS, WILL BE PROVIDING THE PRESENTATION, AND I THINK IF YOU CAN GIVE US A MOMENT TO
[00:35:01]
GET THEM SITUATED, CERTAINLY YOU WANNA START, OR SHOULD I JUST GO AHEAD? YEAH.GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR AT COMMISSIONERS.
I'M JOHN DOUGLAS, UH, HOUSING CONSULTANT WHO'S BEEN HELPING THE CITY OVER THE LAST, UH, TWO YEARS, ALMOST I THINK IT IS NOW.
UM, WE ARE IN THE HOME STRETCH OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE, I HOPE.
UH, IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT PROCESS FOR, UH, NOT ONLY WEST COVINA, BUT FOR ALL CITIES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
AND SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS, UM, WALK THROUGH WHERE WE'VE BEEN, WHERE WE ARE TODAY, AND OUR GOAL TONIGHT IS TO ASK YOU TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS HOUSING ELEMENT DOCUMENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO, UH, WITH THAT, LET ME JUST GIVE A QUICK BACKGROUND ON THE PUBLIC REVIEW, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, OVER THE LAST, UH, YEAR OR TWO.
UH, THE CITY TAKES PUBLIC PARTICIPATION VERY SERIOUSLY, AND WE'VE MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO TRY TO INVOLVE ALL INTERESTED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IN THIS PROCESS.
UH, I THINK TONIGHT IS THE SIXTH PUBLIC MEETING OR WORKSHOP THAT WE'VE HAD DURING THIS PROCESS.
UH, AT THE OUTSET, THE CITY CREATED A WEBSITE, UH, FOR SPECIFIC FOR THE HOUSING ELEMENT.
WE PUT A FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS DOCUMENT UP THERE TO TRY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO INTERESTED PARTIES ON WHAT THE HOUSING ELEMENT IS, UH, WHAT PROCESS WE'RE GONNA BE FOLLOWING, WHAT THE KEY ISSUES ARE, AND SO FORTH.
WE ALSO CREATED A STAKEHOLDER LIST WHO WERE NOTIFIED OF ALL THE PUBLIC MEETINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVOLVEMENT.
SO, UH, LIKE I SAY, THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF PUBLIC MEETINGS, UH, AND THIS IS THE SIXTH MEETING.
UH, THERE WILL BE, UH, A CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING AFTER TONIGHT'S MEETING THAT HAS NOT BEEN FINALLY SCHEDULED YET.
UH, BUT, UH, I JUST, THE TAKEAWAY HERE IS THAT THE CITY HAS MADE A DILIGENT EFFORT TO TRY TO INVOLVE, UH, THE COMMUNITY IN THIS HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE PROCESS.
JUST QUICKLY, YOU MAY RECALL FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS ON THIS TOPIC, THE HOUSING ELEMENT IS A PART OF THE CITY'S GENERAL PLAN, AND IT IS THE MOST HIGHLY REGULATED ELEMENT OF A GENERAL PLAN.
BY FAR, UH, THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY ACTIVE, PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST FEW YEARS REGARDING THE TOPIC OF HOUSING AND HOW CITIES ADDRESS HOUSING ISSUES THROUGH THEIR HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE.
THE HOUSING ELEMENT IS REQUIRED TO BE UPDATED EVERY EIGHT YEARS BY STATE LAW.
AND SO WE ARE NOW IN THE EARLY STAGES OF WHAT'S CALLED THE SIXTH PLANNING CYCLE, WHICH EXTENDS FROM 2021 TO 2029.
THE REASON IT'S CALLED THE SIXTH CYCLE IS BECAUSE THIS IS, IS THE SIXTH TIME IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SINCE 1980, THAT WE'VE HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
THERE WAS A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE TO HOUSING LAW IN 1980.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THIS ENTIRE PROCESS IS THE EXTENT OF STATE OVERSIGHT IN THE, UH, ON THE TOPIC OF LOCAL REGULATION AND LOCAL PLANNING FOR HOUSING.
THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS DELEGATED AUTHORITY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, OR H C D, UH, THE AUTHORITY TO REVIEW AND COMMENT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT HOUSING ELEMENTS.
AND THAT PROCESS IS REFERRED TO THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS.
UH, THIS IS THE HOUSING ELEMENT IS THE ONLY PART OF THE CITY'S GENERAL PLAN THAT HAS THIS LEVEL OF STATE OVERSIGHT.
UH, THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS SAID THAT HOUSING IS A MATTER OF STATEWIDE IMPORTANCE, WHICH MEANS THAT, UH, STATE, STATE POLICY AND STATE LAW OVERRIDES LOCAL PLANNING AND REGULATION IN MANY ASPECTS OF HOUSING.
UH, THE PROCESS OF CERTIFICATION IS WHEN THE CITY SUBMITS A HOUSING ELEMENT TO THE STATE FOR REVIEW.
WE GET A LETTER BACK, AND THERE'S A LETTER IN YOUR PACKET, WHICH WE RECEIVED ON THE DRAFT HOUSING ELEMENT EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UH, AND HCD GOES THROUGH THESE
[00:40:01]
HOUSING ELEMENTS VERY CAREFULLY, AND THEY, UH, ARE INTENT ON REVIEWING CITY'S HOUSING ELEMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THEY FULLY COMPLY WITH ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF STATE LAW.AND WHEN CITIES GET A LETTER FROM THE STATE SAYING THAT IN H CD'S OPINION, THE HOUSING ELEMENT COMPLIES WITH ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF STATE LAW, THAT IS REFERRED TO AS CERTIFICATION OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT.
AND THAT CERTIFICATION IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
FIRST, UH, HAVING CERTIFICATION OPENS THE DOOR TO GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT CITIES MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE BE ELIGIBLE FOR IF THEY DON'T HAVE A CERTIFIED HOUSING ELEMENT.
AND CERTIFICATION ALSO HAS AN IMPORTANT, UH, LEGAL CONSEQUENCE FOR CITIES BECAUSE STATE LAW SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT IF HCD FINDS YOUR HOUSING ELEMENT TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW, THEN THAT, UH, SUPPORTS THE LEGAL VALIDITY OF NOT ONLY THE HOUSING ELEMENT, BUT THE, THE CITY'S ENTIRE LAND USE REGULATORY FUNCTION.
AND THAT INCLUDES THE LAND USE ELEMENT, THE GENERAL PLAN, AND ALSO YOUR ZONING ORDINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS AND SO FORTH.
SO, THI THIS TOPIC OF STATE REVIEW AND CERTIFICATION, UH, I IS SORT OF AN UMBRELLA OVER THIS ENTIRE PROCESS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.
AS I MENTIONED IN SOME OF OUR PREVIOUS MEETINGS MONTHS AGO, IN MY VIEW, THERE ARE THREE KEY REQUIREMENTS IN STATE HOUSING LAW AS IT RELATES TO THE HOUSING ELEMENT.
THE FIRST IS THE TOPIC OF HOUSING FOR PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
AND THE IDEA THERE IS THAT CITIES MUST ENSURE THAT THEIR LOCAL REGULATIONS COMPORT WITH STATE LAWS RELATED TO PERSONS HOUSING FOR PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
AND I'LL SAY A FEW WORDS MORE ABOUT THAT IN JUST A SECOND.
THE SECOND MAJOR ISSUE IS THE REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT, OR THE ARENA.
THAT'S THE PROCESS YOU RECALL WE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY, WHERE EVERY CITY IS ASSIGNED A SHARE OF THE STATEWIDE HOUSING NEED, AND THEN THROUGH THE HOUSING ELEMENT, THEY HAVE TO ANALYZE THEIR CAPACITY FOR ADDITIONAL HOUSING AND DEMONSTRATE THAT THERE IS SUFFICIENT CAPACITY TO FULLY ACCOMMODATE THAT SHARE THAT'S BEEN ASSIGNED THROUGH THE READING PROCESS.
AND THEN THE THIRD KEY REQUIREMENT IS NEW FOR THIS PLANNING CYCLE, AND IT IS WHAT'S CALLED AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING OR A F F H.
UH, THIS IS PROBABLY THE SINGLE BIGGEST CHANGE IN THIS CYCLE OF HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATES, UH, OF ALL THE VARIOUS TOPICS.
AND I'LL, I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN A SECOND ALSO.
SO FIRST, LET ME COME BACK TO THE ISSUE OF HOUSING FOR PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
STATE LAW SPECIFICALLY CALLS OUT SIX DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF PERSONS WHO ARE CONSIDERED TO BE SPECIAL NEEDS POPULATIONS, AND YOU SEE THEM ON THE SCREEN HERE, THE ELDERLY LARGE FAMILIES, THOSE WITH DISABILITIES, PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS, FEMALE HEADED HOUSEHOLDS AND FARM WORKERS.
NOW, UH, I WOULD SAY THAT NOT EVERY ONE OF THESE CATEGORIES OF SPECIAL NEEDS IS, UH, RELEVANT TO THE SAME EXTENT IN EVERY CITY.
FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THE, THE LA UH, AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AREA USED TO HAVE A LOT MORE AGRICULTURE, UH, UH, THAN IT DOES TODAY.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SPECIAL NEEDS OF FARM WORKERS, THAT IS MORE RELEVANT, OF COURSE, TO PLACES LIKE THE INLAND EMPIRE, THE CENTRAL VALLEY, UH, THE COACHELLA VALLEY AND SO FORTH.
BUT STATE LAW REQUIRES CITIES TO ADDRESS ALL OF THESE IN THEIR HOUSING ELEMENT.
AND SO WHAT WE DID AS PART OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE IS GO THROUGH ALL OF THE STATE LAWS THAT PERTAIN TO HOUSING FOR PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, COMPARE THOSE TO THE CITY'S REGULATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE CONSISTENT.
UH, NOW THE CITY, AS YOU KNOW, IS GOING THROUGH AN UPDATE TO THE, UH, THE ZONING ORDINANCE, THE DEVELOPMENT CODE RIGHT NOW.
AND SO, UM, THERE'S AN OVERLAP BETWEEN WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH REGARD TO THE HOUSING ELEMENT AND WHAT THE CITY IS DOING.
WITH REGARD TO THE COMPREHENSIVE, UH, DEVELOPMENT CODE UPDATE SPECIFIC TO THIS ISSUE OF SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING, UH, WE HAVE INCLUDED A PROGRAM COMMITMENT IN THE HOUSING ELEMENT THAT'S INTENDED TO REDUCE CONSTRAINTS FOR PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
AND SO, AS I MENTIONED THAT THE KEY PART OF THIS EXERCISE IS TO COMPARE CITY REGULATIONS TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF STATE LAW.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY INCONSISTENCIES, THEN WE HAVE A PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THOSE.
AND SO THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF STATE LAWS ADOPTED JUST IN THE LAST FEW YEARS REGARDING PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
AND SO CITIES ALL AROUND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ARE UPDATING THEIR ZONING REGULATIONS TO BRING THEM INTO CONFORMANCE WITH THESE CHANGES TO STATE LAW.
[00:45:01]
PROGRAM IS SHOWING UP IN HOUSING ELEMENTS ALL OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND IT ADDRESSES, UH, MOST OF THOSE, UH, CATEGORIES OF SPECIAL NEEDS THAT I TALKED ABOUT A MOMENT AGO.AND I WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT THERE ARE NO ZONING AMENDMENTS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
THIS IS AN IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM, WHICH MEANS THAT IT WILL COME BACK TO YOU WITH SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARINGS AT A LATER DATE, AND THE DETAILED LANGUAGE WILL COME TO YOU IN THE FORM OF A DRAFT ORDINANCE.
AND THEN THAT ORDINANCE WILL GO FORWARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO UPDATE THE SPECIFICS OF THE CITY'S REGULATIONS ON EACH OF THESE VARIOUS TOPICS.
OKAY, I WANNA SHIFT GEARS AND TALK ABOUT THE ARENA.
THERE'S BEEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON THE ARENA, THE REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
THE REASON THERE, UH, HAS BEEN SO MUCH DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ARENA, I IS, I THINK TWO THINGS.
ONE IS THAT STATE LAW REQUIRES CITIES TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY THROUGH THEIR LAND USE PLANS AND ZONING TO ACCOMMODATE THE ARENA THAT'S BEEN ASSIGNED TO THEM.
SO THAT, THAT'S THE, THE BASELINE REQUIREMENT THAT'S BEEN WITH US FOR MANY YEARS.
WHAT'S NEW IS THAT THE ARENA NUMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO CITIES THROUGH SCAG BY THE STATE ARE FAR, FAR HIGHER THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST.
AND SO WHAT THAT TRANSLATES INTO IS AS CITIES REVIEW THEIR LOCAL PLANS AND REGULATIONS, THEY HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE FAR MORE CAPACITY FOR HOUSING TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOUSING COMMENSURATE WITH THESE ARENA NUMBERS.
SO THIS, THE CITY OF WEST COVENA WAS ASSIGNED A HOUSING NEED THAT IT HAS TO PLAN FOR OF OVER 5,000 HOUSING UNITS.
AND HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS IS WE DO A PARCEL BY PARCEL INVENTORY OF PROPERTIES IN WEST, CONVENIENT WHERE HOUSING IS ALLOWED UNDER THE ZONING REGULATIONS, AND THEN WE ESTIMATE THE CAPACITY BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE PARCEL AND THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS AND SO FORTH.
SO TH THIS IS A FINE GRAINED REVIEW OF THE CITY'S CAPACITY FOR POTENTIAL HOUSING.
UH, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS IS NOT A PREDICTION OF DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT COULD OCCUR BASED ON REGULATIONS.
AND SO WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THIS ANALYSIS AND WE PREPARED WHAT'S REFERRED TO AS THE SITES INVENTORY, WE COME UP WITH AN ESTIMATED CAPACITY IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED, AND THEY'RE WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE PIPELINE.
AND WE ESTIMATED, UH, THOSE APPROVED PROJECTS HAVE A CAPACITY OF 379 UNITS.
THE LARGEST BY FAR SHARE OF THE SITE'S INVENTORY IS PROPERTIES WHERE THERE IS NO PROJECT, UH, IN THE WORKS TODAY, BUT THE ZONING ALLOWS HOUSING TO BE BUILT.
SO THERE ARE, UH, SOME VACANT, BUT MOSTLY WHAT WE CALL UNDERUTILIZED NON VACANT PROPERTIES, WHERE THERE'S SOME USE ON THE SITE TODAY, BUT IT COULD BE EITHER REDEVELOPED AND THE SITE, UH, CLEARED AND REDEVELOPED FOR HOUSING, OR MAYBE IT'S A CASE WHERE THERE MIGHT BE A LARGE PARKING LOT WHERE ADDITIONAL HOUSING COULD BE BUILT WITHOUT DEMOLISHING ANY EXISTING STRUCTURE.
SO BOTH OF THOSE SITUATIONS COULD EXIST.
SO WHEN WE CRUNCH THE NUMBERS ON THOSE PARCELS, WE COME UP WITH OVER 8,800 POTENTIAL UNITS THAT COULD BE BUILT THEORETICALLY, UH, ON ALL OF THESE PARCELS IN THE SITE INVENTORY.
NOW I WANNA MENTION THAT, UH, A SUBSTANTIAL SHARE OF THAT 8,800 UNITS IS REPRESENTED BY THE MIXED USE OVERLAY ZONE THAT YOUR COMMISSION REVIEWED JUST RECENTLY.
AND SO YOU WILL SEE IN THE APPENDIX B OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT WHERE IT DESCRIBES THE METHODOLOGY THAT WE FOLLOWED FOR ESTIMATED THIS CAPACITY.
IT TALKS ABOUT THE NEW MIXED USE OVERLAY, UH, ZONE, AND ALSO ITEMIZES, WHICH PARCELS IN THAT INVENTORY ARE WITHIN THAT OVERLAY ZONE.
THEN CITIES CAN ALSO TAKE CREDIT FOR POTENTIAL ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS, UH, IN THE FUTURE BASED ON THE PREVIOUS APPROVAL OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
SO WE ESTIMATE FORWARD IN TIME BASED ON WHAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND I THINK MOST CITIES ARE SEEING A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE INTEREST IN HOMEOWNERS ADDING AD USE TO THEIR PROPERTY.
SO WHEN YOU, UH, COMPARE, YOU ADD OUR EVERYTHING UP AND COMPARE IT TO THE CITY'S ARENA ALLOCATION, WE SEE THAT THERE IS, UH, A SUBSTANTIAL CUSHION OF POTENTIAL CAPACITY MORE THAN THE ARENA.
AND SO IT IS OUR HOPE AND OUR BELIEF THAT THE STATE WILL AGREE WITH US WHEN THEY REVIEW THE HOUSING ELEMENT, UH, THAT THE CITY HAS SIGNI, UH, UH, ADEQUATE
[00:50:01]
CAPACITY BASED ON CURRENT PLANS AND ZONING TO ACCOMMODATE THE, THIS IS ONE OF THE STICKIEST ISSUES THAT CITIES ARE FACING AS THEY GO THROUGH THE REVIEW PROCESS WITH STATE H C D.UH, AND H C D UH, LOOKS VERY CAREFULLY AT THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE'VE MADE AND THE, UH, UH, AND THE METHODOLOGY IN ESTIMATING THIS CAPACITY.
AND SO, UH, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THEY WILL HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR US AS WE GO FORWARD.
A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANNA REEMPHASIZE, UH, THAT I'M, I THINK I PROBABLY MENTIONED IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS, UH, IS THAT, AS I SAID, THE CITY HAS TO DEMONSTRATE BY STATE LAW THAT ITS REGULATIONS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCOMMODATE THE ARENA IN ALL DIFFERENT INCOME CATEGORIES.
THE WAY THIS IS DONE, AS, AS YOU LOOK AT THE ARENA, YOU SEE THAT IT'S BROKEN DOWN INTO DIFFERENT INCOME CATEGORIES AND TWO OF THOSE CATEGORIES, THE VERY LOW AND THE LOW INCOME CATEGORIES.
WHAT STATE LAW SAYS THAT THE WAY YOU DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU CAN ACCOMMODATE THOSE LOWER INCOME CATEGORIES IS THROUGH DENSITY.
AND STATE LAW SAYS THAT IF YOU ALLOW A DENSITY OF AT LEAST 30 UNITS PER ACRE, THEN THOSE PROPERTIES ARE CONSIDERED SUITABLE FOR LOWER INCOME HOUSING REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ARE ACTUALLY DEVELOPED FOR LOWER INCOME HOUSING.
SO THIS, THIS IS, UH, AN ANALYTICAL TOOL THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS PUT IN THE LAW.
UH, IT, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IF A PROPERTY OWNER'S, UH, LAND IS IN THIS INVENTORY AND IT'S, UH, ASSUMED TO BE SUITABLE FOR LOWER INCOME HOUSING, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER CAN ONLY BUILD LOWER INCOME HOUSING ON THAT PROPERTY.
IT'S JUST THE MATHEMATICAL PROCESS THAT THE STATE HAS DEVELOPED IN ORDER TO DO THIS ANALYSIS SO THAT THE, THE INCOME CATEGORY IS BASED ON DENSITY, AND IT IS BASED ON STATE ASSUMPTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT INTO THE LAW.
I ALSO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THESE, UH, THE SITES INVENTORY, AS I SAID, IT'S NOT A PREDICTION OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN O IN THE FUTURE.
UH, IT IS A ESTIMATE OF POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
CITIES ARE NOT MANDATED TO ACHIEVE THESE NUMBERS.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE NO FINANCIAL PENALTIES, UH, AT LEAST NOT YET THAT I'M AWARE OF FOR CITIES NOT ACTUALLY ACHIEVING THEIR ARENA NUMBERS.
BUT THERE ARE SOME CONSEQUENCES.
THE, THE STATE PUBLISHES SORT OF A STATUS REPORT.
HOW ARE CITIES DOING COMPARED TO THEIR ARENA ALLOCATION? AND IF CITIES ARE NOT PRODUCING HOUSING COMMENSURATE WITH THESE ARENA NUMBERS, THEN THEY MAY BE REQUIRED TO OFFER STREAMLINED PERMIT REVIEW FOR SOME HOUSING PROJECTS IF THOSE PROJECTS MEET A VARIETY OF CRITERIA, INCLUDING AFFORDABILITY, INCLUDING, UH, PREVAILING WAGE, LABOR, AND SO FORTH.
SO IT, THERE IS A CONSEQUENCE TO NOT MEETING THE ARENA NUMBERS, UH, BUT IT IS, UH, I WOULD NOT CHARACTERIZE IT AS A PENALTY.
I WOULD CHARACTERIZE IT AS A REQUIREMENT FOR EXPEDITED PERMIT PROCESSING IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND THE LAST, UH, UH, KEY TOPIC THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, UH, AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHERING FAIR HOUSING.
UH, I WOULD JUST CHARACTERIZE THIS AS SAYING THE TOPIC OF FAIR HOUSING HAS BEEN IN STATE LAW AND OF CONCERN TO CITIES FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
THIS IS NOT BRAND NEW FOR THIS PLANNING CYCLE, BUT WHAT IS NEW IS THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE STATE IS PRIORITIZING FAIR HOUSING AND EXPANDING THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE THINK OF WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FAIR HOUSING.
SO TRADITIONALLY, THE TOPIC OF FAIR HOUSING HAS FOCUSED ON ANTI-DISCRIMINATION EFFORTS, UH, TO, TO PUT INTO PLACE, UH, REQUIREMENTS SO THAT PROTECTED CLASSES OF PEOPLE ARE NOT DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.
THAT CONCEPT IS, IS STILL, UH, IN PLAY.
BUT WHAT IS NEW IS THAT THE STATE LAW IS NOW SAYING, OKAY, IN ADDITION TO ANTI-DISCRIMINATION, CITIES NEED TO USE THEIR POWERS TO TRY TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITY FOR LOWER INCOME PERSONS AND PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
AND THAT CAN BE DONE IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
THAT CAN BE DONE THROUGH FAIR HOUSING EDUCATION.
IT COULD ALSO BE DONE THROUGH ZONING AND WHERE HOUSING IS ALLOWED, WHERE HIGHER DENSITY, LOWER COST HOUSING IS ALLOWED AND SO FORTH.
AND SO, UH, THERE IS, AS I SAY, UH, MUCH HIGHER LEVEL OF EMPHASIS ON THIS TOPIC
[00:55:01]
OF FAIR HOUSING THIS TIME.AND THERE IS A NEW APPENDIX IN THIS HOUSING ELEMENT THAT IS QUITE EXTENSIVE, HAS A NUMBER OF MAPS AND CHARTS AND SO FORTH THAT ARE REQUIRED NOW BY STATE LAW.
SO, UH, WHERE WE ARE IN THIS PROCESS IS WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE ANALYSIS AND PREPARATION OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT.
WE'VE HAD A SERIES OF MEETINGS.
WE SUBMITTED THE DRAFT HOUSING ELEMENT TO H C D, WE GOT THEIR COMMENTS BACK, H CD'S, COMMENTS ARE IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET, A FAIRLY LENGTHY LETTER.
AND WE WENT THROUGH COMMENT BY COMMENT AND PUT TOGETHER A SUMMARY TABLE OF THOSE COMMENTS AND HOW THE CITY PROPOSES TO ADDRESS THOSE COMMENTS.
AND THAT'S ALSO IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET.
AND SO THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS.
STATE LAW REQUIRES THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER H CD'S COMMENTS AND TO ADOPT FINDINGS AS TO HOW THE CITY HAS ADDRESSED AND RESPONDED TO EACH OF THOSE COMMENTS.
AND SO THIS EVENING, WE HAVE THE REVISED HOUSING ELEMENT THAT WE BELIEVE ADEQUATELY ADDRESSES ALL OF THOSE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM HCD, AS WELL AS OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
SO WE'RE ASKING THE COMMISSION TONIGHT, UH, TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION THAT RECOMMENDS TO THE CITY COUNCIL THE APPROVAL OF THIS HOUSING ELEMENT DOCUMENT.
THEN THERE WILL BE A SUBSEQUENT PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
IF THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS THIS HOUSING ELEMENT THAT IT, THEN IT MUST BE SUBMITTED TO HCD A SECOND TIME.
AND HCD WILL SEND US A LETTER, UH, WITHIN 60 DAYS TELLING US IF WE HAVE HIT THE MARK OR WHETHER THEY STILL HAVE CONCERNS.
UH, AND SO ONCE, ONCE THE HOUSING ELEMENTS ADOPTED AND WE'VE ADDRESSED ALL OF H CD'S CONCERNS, THEN THE FINAL STEP OF THE PROCESS IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT'S IN THE HOUSING ELEMENT.
AND AS I MENTIONED, SOME OF THE PROGRAMS DESCRIBED, UH, CALL FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL CODE.
AND THOSE WILL COME BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR DETAILED REVIEW.
SO THAT, UH, THAT WRAPS UP MY PRESENTATION THIS EVENING.
THERE, THE WEBSITE THAT THE CITY HAS SET UP THAT HAS COPIES OF THE, UH, THE HOUSING ELEMENT DOCUMENT AND PREVIOUS MEETINGS AND REPORTS AND SO FORTH, IS POSTED ON THE WEBSITE AT THIS ADDRESS.
AND IT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU ADOPT RESOLUTION 22 61 15, WHICH RECOMMENDS CITY COUNCIL ADOPTION OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
HAPPY TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
IS CHAIR, IF I MAY ADD THAT THIS AFTERNOON, AROUND A LITTLE BIT AFTER FOUR 30, WE RECEIVED A, AN EMAIL FROM MITCHELL SITE.
WE HAD PRINTED OUT THE LETTER FOR YOU, UM, AND WE HAD FORWARDED THE EMAIL TO YOU AS WELL, AND ALSO THE COPY OF THE LETTER ATTACHMENTS ARE ALSO MADE UP AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
ON, ON THE SIDE TABLE, I DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER CARD, UH, FOR TED JIMENEZ.
UH, GOOD EVENING CHAIR, VICE CHAIR COMMISSIONERS, HARDWORKING STAFF.
I'M WITH THE SOUTHWEST REGIONAL COUNCIL OF CARPENTERS OUTTA LOS ANGELES.
I'M A REPRESENTATIVE WHO REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY CLOSE TO 40,000 MEMBERS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THOSE MEMBERS AND FAMILIES AND THE BELLY BUTTONS HERE IN WEST COVINA.
UM, I'M HERE TO, YOU KNOW, PUT ON RECORD AND REITERATE THE, UH, MITCHELL SI LETTER, UM, TO BREAK IT DOWN MAYBE A LITTLE MORE IN A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
AND, AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING THE COMMISSIONERS TO CONSIDER IS, YES, WELL PROVEN AND MOVE FORWARD THIS PLAN THAT EVERYONE'S BEEN WORKING SO HARD ON ALL THESE YEARS, BUT TO REQUEST THAT THE CITY MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, ADOPT SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE TO THE HOUSING ELEMENT AND THE LANGUAGE, UH, THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THAT THEY WOULD, UH, CONSIDER, UH,
[01:00:01]
IMPROVING THE, UM, THE LOCAL ECONOMIC STABILITY.HOW, HOW DO WE DO THAT IN A LOCAL CITY OF WEST COVINA? IMPROVE LOCAL ECONOMIC STABILITY THROUGH A HOUSING ELEMENT IN THE LANGUAGE.
SO, AND THINK ABOUT LOCAL HIRE THAT CAN BE ADDED IN ONE OF THE PACKAGES.
UM, WE COULD ACTUALLY, WE HAVE CONTRACT ADMINISTRATORS WHO ARE PROFESSIONAL WRITERS TO ANSWER AND ASSIST YOU IN ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE IN THAT REGARD, INCLUDING THE CITY COUNCIL THAT THEY COULD ADD LOCAL HIRE TO THIS LANGUAGE, SOME OF THE PACKAGES, THE LOCAL HIRE, UH, UTILIZING, UH, APPRENTICESHIPS, UTILIZING, UM, THE SKILLED, UH, JOURNEYMAN AND THE TRAINED APPRENTICES WHO ARE TRAINED BY THE, THESE APPRENTICESHIPS GIVEN, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY HERE IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF WEST CO VITA, AS PART OF THAT LOCAL HIGHER CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE LOOKING INTO GETTING INTO A CAREER THAT WERE IMPACTED EITHER BY THE BAD, THE DIFFICULTIES WE'VE HAD IN THE, THE DOWNTURN, ECONOMIC FROM 2008 TILL 2014, OR EVEN THE PANDEMIC THAT WE JUST EXPERIENCED, PEOPLE ARE COMING OUT OF DIFFICULTIES AND COULD USE AN OPPORTUNITY WHO SOME OF THESE MAY BE INTERESTED IN GETTING INTO, UH, BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CITY THAT THEY LIVE IN.
UH, THE CARPENTERS ARE REALISTIC, AND WE'RE NOT ASKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THIS LANGUAGE INTO ADU.
UH, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A SINGLE HOME, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE MIXED USE OR LARGER PROJECTS.
UM, THIS RECOMMENDATION CAN BE MADE TO, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL TO CUSTOMIZE IT TO SPECIFIC PROJECTS, NOT ALL PROJECTS.
UH, AND THAT WAY YOU GUYS CAN, UM, START WORKING WITH, UH, YOUR COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY INTO A CAREER BY, BY HAVING LOCAL HIRE, UM, THERE'S A LOT LESS DRIVING.
SO IF WE THINK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT IMPACT OF DRIVING, PEOPLE WHO WORK LOCALLY ARE NOT GONNA BE DRIVING AS FAR, AND IT HELPS THE AIR QUALITY.
PEOPLE WHO ARE SKILLED AND TRAINED TO DO THE WORK ON A PROJECT ARE GONNA DO A LOT LESS, CREATE A LOT LESS WASTE.
SO ENVIRONMENTALLY IT'S A PLUS IN THAT REGARD.
UH, ALSO, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT, UH, IT'S NOT JUST CARPENTER TRADES, RIGHT? WE HAVE SO MANY TRADES AND THAT LIVE HERE, MEMBERS WHO LIVE HERE FOR SO MANY TRADES, AND IT WOULD BE OPENING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO THE JOURNEYMAN WHO LIVE HERE AS WELL.
THOSE APPRENTICES THAT, UM, ALSO LIVE HERE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP, UM, DOING THEIR HOURS TO INCREASE AND IMPROVE THEIR WAGES AND THEIR LEVEL OF WORKMANSHIP, UH, APPRENTICESHIP LEVEL INTO A JOURNEYMAN STATUS WHERE THEY MAKE A MIDDLE CLASS WAGE AND THEY RECEIVE HEALTHCARE AND A PENSION TO RETIRE WITH DIGNITY AND WITH THIS, UH, MIDDLE CLASS WAGE, HOPING THAT THEY BECOME RENTS, HOPING THEY BECOME HOMEOWNERS HERE LOCALLY, BECAUSE THAT'S AN OBJECTIVE THAT I, I'M SURE ALL CITIES WOULD LIKE TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ITS COMMUNITY TO DO SO AND NOT HAVE TO MOVE OUT OF TOWN OR, UH, FAR AWAY, RIGHT? WHERE IT COSTS LESS SOMETHING THEY CAN AFFORD HERE LOCALLY.
UM, THE PACKAGES THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IN, IN, IN THE, IN THE, UH, HOUSING ELEMENT, IT'S NOT JUST FOR THE LOCAL HIRE.
UM, CONSIDER THE, UH, EDUCATION PORTION OF IT AND THE EDUCATION PORTION OF THAT PACKAGE, YOU KNOW, SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR APPRENTICESHIPS, BUT NOT JUST APPRENTICESHIPS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION WORKER.
OPEN IT UP TO THE, UH, TEACHERS WHO WORK HERE TEACHING, UH, THE STUDENTS HERE, BUT THEY DON'T LIVE HERE, RIGHT? THAT THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AS WELL TO ACCESS SOME OF THIS HOUSING HERE LOCALLY TO BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE AND TEACH HERE LOCALLY.
UM, YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUT OF TOWN, IF THERE'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUILT, UM, IF THERE'S A MODERATE HOUSING BUILT THAT THEY CAN, THAT IS BUILT IN THESE NUMBERS, UM, THEN THEY TOO ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS THIS.
SO CONSIDER PUTTING EDUCATION LANGUAGE IN A PORTION OF YOUR HOUSING ELEMENT.
PARDON ME, THIS IS WHAT YOU GIVE, BY THE WAY.
UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW, UH, ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE HOUSING ELEMENT, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO ADD, UM, LANGUAGE LIKE, UH, PERCENTAGE OF DISADVANTAGED WORKERS, SINGLE PARENTS, PEOPLE WHO NEED A SECOND CHANCE, PEOPLE WHO,
[01:05:01]
UH, CAN GET IN HIRED INTO THIS LOCAL HIRE, UH, OF A PERCENTAGE TO BUILD A WORK THAT'S HERE, UH, BY PUTTING THAT LANGUAGE IN THERE AND ALSO PUTTING IN, UM, LANGUAGE OF, UH, VETERANS AS WELL, RIGHT? YOU CAN ASK FOR A PERCENTAGE.SO WE ASK THAT YOU DO, UH, RECOMMEND US AND MOVE THIS FORWARD, BUT WE ASK THAT YOU HAVE THIS CITY COUNCIL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE TO BE AMENDED LATER.
IT HAS BEEN DONE BY, UH, UH, CITY COMMERCE RECENTLY, UH, HAM, UM, ALSO, UM, EL MONTE AND ALSO, UH, KARE.
AND, UM, THEY ARE ADOPTING THIS LANGUAGE OR WORKING ON IT.
AND I'LL LEAVE MY CARD IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE, UM, OF THE PROPOSAL? ANYONE OPPOSED? ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? ALL RIGHT.
WITH THAT, I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE WILL OPEN DISCUSSION BY THE COMMISSION.
UM, COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS, ANY, I THOUGHT IN READING THROUGH THIS THAT, UM, THE HOUSING ELEMENT THAT THEY WERE INDICATING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO TRY TO WORK WITH DEVELOPERS TO, UM, HIRE LOCAL WORKFORCE, THAT THERE WAS SOME LANGUAGE.
UH, COMMISSIONER, I DON'T RECALL ANY SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IN THE HOUSING ELEMENT THAT TALKS ABOUT LOCAL HIRE.
UH, THERE IS LANGUAGE IN THE HOUSING ELEMENT THAT TALKS ABOUT THE CITY WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS TO TRY TO FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
WE HERE GUTIERREZ, ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER VAA, WHERE ARE WE IN NUMBERS WISE TRYING TO GET TO OUR GOAL OF THE 5,300 PLUS HOMES? YOU MEAN IN TERMS OF HOUSING PRODUCTION COMPARED TO THAT? UH, I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME.
UM, UNLESS STAFF, UH, HAS TYPICALLY, UH, ONCE EACH YEAR STAFF BRINGS AN ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT TO THE, UH, THE COMMISSION AND THE COUNCIL USUALLY IN THE SPRING OF EACH YEAR.
UM, BUT I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW.
ARE YOU ASKING WHAT WE'VE BUILT IN THE LAST 10 MONTHS? WHAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW? RIGHT.
SINCE 1921, WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN BUILT? WHAT'S ALREADY APPROVED, NOT STARTED, WHAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND WHAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S WHAT, WHAT'S PROJECTED? WELL, FOR RIGHT NOW, CURRENTLY WE HAVE, I THINK IT'S 379 UNITS UNDER CONSTRUCTION SINCE 19.
WHAT DATE DID YOU SAY APOLOGIZE? THIS ONE BECAUSE OUR, WE'RE FROM 21 TO 29 WHERE WE NEED TO HAVE ALL THESE ADDITIONAL, WHAT'S THIS ONE? YEAH, IT WOULD BE THE 3 79 THAT'S FOR THIS.
SO WITH 3 79, ARE WE ABLE TO REACH OUR GOAL AS FAR AS ALLOWING FOR DEVELOPMENT OR FOR ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTING PROBABLY BOTH.
AND I THINK WE ARE PROVIDING MORE THAN THE NUMBER.
UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ARE WE ON TRACK, UM, TO PROVIDE PLACES TO DEVELOP THOSE UNITS? YES.
TO HAVE THOSE UNITS ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTED.
HANG, ANY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? ANY DISCUSSION? I GUESS I JUST WANNA ADD SOME, UM, IS THAT REGARDING THE 5,300 HOMES, I GUESS WE'RE, AS A CITY, WE'RE TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO ALLOW LAND USE AND WITHOUT ALLOWING THE LAND USE OF POTENTIAL OR THE HOMEOWNERS OR THE LAND OWNERS OF THE ENTIRE CITY TO BE ABLE TO BUILD MORE HOMES IN A ZONING AREA, WE MAY NEVER REACH 5,300 NOW, JUST BECAUSE WE ALLOW TO, YOU KNOW, HOMEOWNERS TO BUILD 5,000 PLUS 300 FOR 5,300 ARENA NUMBER.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE HOMEOWNER WANTS TO BUILD ON THEIR LOT BECAUSE IT'S EITHER COST A LOT OF MONEY
[01:10:01]
OR FOR WHATEVER REASON THEY MAY NOT WISH TO BUILD ON IT.SO I GUESS WE'RE TAKING THE FIRST STEP TO BE ABLE TO, UM, TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO SAY, OKAY, WE ALLOW IT HOMEOWNERS, IF YOU WANNA BUILD IT, YOU CAN, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE GONNA REACH THAT GOAL AT THE END OF THE DAY.
I, I, I GUESS WHAT, IT'S AN EXCESS OF 200,000 IF YOU WANNA ADD AN ADDITIONAL UNIT IN THE BACK OR, WELL, LIKE, YEAH, SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ADUS OR SB NINE UPWARD OF HALF A MILLION AND MORE.
I'M SORRY, A FRIEND OF MINE JUST TRY TO BUILD THEIR HOUSE AND IT'S LIKE HALF A MILLION AND MORE.
SO IT'S AT LEAST LIKE A, IS IT 1200 SQUARE FOOT IN THE BACK? YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE AT LIKE 200,000 AS JOHN MENTIONED.
UM, A LOT OF THIS DOES FOCUS ON, AS YOU GUYS APPROVED AT THE, I THINK THE LAST PLANNING COMMISSION, THE OVERLAY ZONE, UM, WHICH CREATED, UM, OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS FOR RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON THE COMMERCIALS AREAS TO ALLOW FOR THE HIGHER DENSITY TO, WHICH HELPS US MEET THOSE ARENA NUMBERS.
CAUSE WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD, WE HAVE A, A, A PROGRAM THAT WILL ASSIST THE RESIDENTS TO ADD THE A TO USE OR, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THE PROGRAM CONSISTS OF, BUT YOU KNOW, IF IT'S SOMETHING, I MEAN, IF WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO ADD MORE ADU USE OR, YOU KNOW, MAKE THEIR SFR A TWO UNIT OR TWO ON A LOT, AND, YOU KNOW, WE, YOU KNOW, THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING WE HAVE TO GET OUT TO THE RESIDENTS TO GET A MORE INFORMED, WE INCLUDED.
YES, IT'S, UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, THE DISCOVER THAT CAME BACK.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE RECEIVED IT ALREADY, YOU SHOULD HAVE.
UM, BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE HAVING AN ARTICLE IN THE UPCOMING DISCOVER ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE PROCESS IS TO DO AN ADU IN YOUR BACK ON YOUR PROPERTY.
SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE COMING OUT.
BUT AS I MENTIONED, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BOOK OF THE DENSITY OF, OF WHERE WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE HIGHER DENSITY FOR, TO ALLOW FOR THESE UNITS, UM, ARE IN THE COMMERCIAL AREAS, OR TRUMP.
I
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? NO ENERGY.
SORRY, SHERIFF, I MAY, UM, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT, UM, A CORRECTION IN THE DRAFT HOUSING ELEMENT ON PAGE 1 0 8.
IT'S 1 0 8 OF THE DRAFT HOUSING ELEMENT DOCUMENT THE MAP, UM, ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, THE AREA, IT'S, IT'S A PARCEL THAT THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED IN GRAY AND IT HAS 10 24 THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.
AND IT IS NO LONGER CIVIC SCHOOLS.
IT IS NOW, UM, MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
THAT'S A FORMER VINCENT SCHOOL SITE.
WHICH WE, SO WHEN THIS MAP WAS CREATED, IT WAS PRO, UM, WHEN IT WAS STILL IN THE PROCESS.
SO DOES THAT NEED TO BE MODIFIED IN THE, IN, IN, WE, WE WILL MODIFY IT, UM, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE MODIFIED, UM, AT THE, AT THE MOMENT PRIOR TO PLANNING COMMISSION DECISION.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY MOTION FROM ANYONE? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOTION TO ADOPT THE, UM, UH, HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE AND SEND IT TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
UM, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THE MOTION.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY ME SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS. UM, CAN I GET A, UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER? YES.
SO, UM, THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE RESOLUTION NUMBER 22 615.
COMMISSIONER HANG COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS. AYE.
I VOTE THIS ACTION IS FINAL UNLESS APPEALED TO THE CITY COUNCIL WITHIN 10 DAYS.
HOWEVER, THE CITY COUNCIL IS GOING TO CONSIDER THIS.
[4. CODE AMENDMENT NO. 22-04]
FOUR, UM, WHICH IS, UH, GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 22 DASH, EXCUSE ME, NOT GENERAL PLAN, GIVE ME THE WRONG NUMBER.IS CODE AMENDMENT NUMBER 2 2 0 4.
PAULINA, WHO WILL READ THE STAFF REPORT? APOLOGIZE THAT FOR THAT.
[01:15:01]
LEWIS, UM, PLANNING MANAGER, JOE JOANNE BURNS WILL BE PROVIDING THE PRESENTATION.GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE, UM, CODE AMENDMENT 22 0 4 WAS, UM, WAS INITIALLY INITIATED AT THE JULY 12TH, 2022 PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, AND IT CONTAINS, UM, CO SHOPPING CART CONTAINMENT STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS.
UM, AT THE JULY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID DIRECT STAFF TO CONDUCT A SURVEY OF SURROUNDING CITIES TO SEE WHAT OR HOW THOSE CITIES ARE ADDRESSING, UM, SHOPPING ISSUES REGARDING ABANDONED SHOPPING CARTS.
UM, IN SHOPPING CART CONTAINMENT, THE CITY SURVEYED EIGHT NEARBY CITIES, AND THE NAMES OF THE CITIES ARE LISTED.
AND AMONG THOSE EIGHT SURVEYED CITIES, UM, I BELIEVE SEVEN HAS SHOPPING CART CONTAINMENT STANDARDS, AND TWO RE UM, TWO OF THOSE CITIES HAVE CONTRACTS WITH A COMPANY THAT DRIVES AROUND AND PICKS UP ABANDONED SHOPPING CARTS.
THERE HAVE BEEN, AS ON AVERAGE, APPROXIMATELY 180 SHOPPING CARTS ARE RETRIEVED PER MONTH IN THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, AND APPROXIMATELY 30 RETAILERS IN THE CITY USE SHOPPING CARTS IN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE.
THE PROPOSED CONTAINMENT STANDARDS ARE THAT ARE REQUIRED.
THE FIRST ONE IS REQUIRING A WHEEL STOPPING LOCKING OR STOPPING MAGNE MAGNETIC DEVICE BARRIER, UM, THAT IS PLACED ON THE SITE SO THAT WHEN, WHEN A PERSON PUSHES THE SHOPPING CART A CERTAIN DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE BUILDING, UM, PRIOR TO LEAVING THE SHOPPING CENTER, THE THE CAR, THE WHEELS STOP SO THAT THE SHOPPING CART CAN LONGER GO.
AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS SHOWN ON THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT.
UM, THIS IS, THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN AT A TARGET, NOT IN THE CITY, BUT THEY, THEY DO HAVE THIS STRIP WHERE THEY HAD A MAGNETIC DEVICE UNDERNEATH AND ASSIGNED THAT SAYS THAT THE SHOPPING CARTWHEEL WILL STOP, UM, IF IT PASSES THAT, THAT DISTANCE.
THE, ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS A D TO INSTALL A DEVICE ON THE CART ITSELF TO PREVENT IT FROM BEING REMOVED OFF THE BUIL OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.
SO AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS A PICTURE, IT'S IS OTHER PICTURE IN THE PRESENTATION WHERE THEY HAVE A, A ROD ATTACHED TO THE SHOPPING CART SO THAT IT'S NOT ABLE TO FIT THROUGH THE, THE DOOR.
ANOTHER CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENT IS TO PUT P ACTUAL PHYSICAL BARRIERS, UM, ON SITE SO THAT THE SHOPPING CART CAN CANNOT PASS.
AND OF COURSE, UM, WE ARE ALSO INCLUDING OTHER, WE WILL ALSO CONSIDER OTHER OPTIONS THAT RETAILERS ARE PROPOSING THAT ARE, THAT ARE NOT LISTED.
AND THIS IS SUBJECT TO DIRECTOR'S REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
SO, AS WRITTEN, THE, THE ORDINANCE WOULD APPLY TO ALL BUSINESSES UTILIZING SHOPPING CARTS IN MOST, UH, IN MOST OF THE CITY'S SURVEY, THERE IS A THRESHOLD OF A ATTENTION, UM, SHOPPING CARTS.
SO THE, THEIR ORDINANCE WOULD APPLY TO ALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE 10 OR MORE SHOPPING CARTS.
UM, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE, THE COMMISSION CAN CONSIDER IF THEY WANT, IF THE COMMISSION WANTS TO INCLUDE THE SAME THRESHOLD OR REQUIRE FOR ALL BUSINESSES, IT IS A DIRECTOR'S REVIEW PROCESS AND THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAL.
IF THE, IF THE, UM, THE BUS, THE BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT'S PROPOSAL IS NOT APPROVED BY THE DIRECTOR, THEY CAN APPEAL IT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, OR THE DIRECTOR CAN FORWARD THEIR THEIR PROPOSAL TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION ITSELF.
IF THIS ORDINANCE IS ADOPTED BY THE
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CITY COUNCIL, UM, ALL BUSINESSES THAT ALL BUSINESSES RE UM, WITH SHOPPING CARDS WOULD HAVE TO COMPLY WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF, OF THE AFFECTED DATA OF THE ORDINANCE.AND THERE IS AN AVAILABLE EXTENSION OF TIME.
THE ORDINANCE ALSO CONTAINS SEC REQUIREMENTS FOR SECURING CARTS.
SO AT THE END OF EACH BUSINESS DAY, THE, THE BUSINESS OWNER OR OPERATOR WOULD BE REQUIRED TO COLLECT THEIR CARTS FROM, FROM OUTSIDE THE SH THE SHOPPING CENTER AND SECURE IT IN INDOORS.
THE, THE ORDINANCE ALSO CONTAINS CART RETRIEVAL REQUIREMENTS WHERE THE, THE BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENT IS REQUIRED TO COLLECT THEIR OWN CARTS THAT ARE ABANDONED OFF, OFF SITE.
WITHIN 24 HOURS OF BEING NOTIFIED WITH THIS STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED CODE AMENDMENT 22 0 4.
AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT STAFF DID DO A SURVEY AND, AND SPOKE TO AN OP, UH, GROCERY STORE OPERATOR THAT CURRENTLY DOES NOT HAVE, UM, LOCKING DEVICES ON THEIR CARTS OR CAR CONTAINMENT DEVICES.
AND THEY, THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE ANY, ANY ISSUES, UM, COMPLYING WITH THE ORDINANCE WITHIN 12 MONTHS, GIVEN THAT MOST CITIES IN THE AREA ALREADY REQUIRE THESE, THESE REGULATIONS.
UM, JUST ANY MEMBER OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? SEE NONE.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, SINCE WE DON'T SHEENA OH, SORRY SHEENA, I APOLOGIZE.
I GUESS MY QUESTIONS IS, THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE, UM, SHOPPING CENTER OPERATOR AND HAVE WE REACH OUT TO THEM THAT THIS IS GOING PRETTY MUCH WILL BE AFFECTING THEIR BUSINESS.
IT'S A, AT AS, UH, WE CONDUCTED THROUGH THIS SURVEY AT COMMON PRACTICE IN OTHER CITIES TO HAVE THIS REQUIREMENT.
SO, UM, US IMPLEMENTING SOMETHING IS NOT, UH, A ORDINANCE THAT THEY'RE UNFAMILIAR WITH.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF BEFORE I OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? RIGHT.
SEEING NONE, I WILL GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T HAVE AN APPLICANT BECAUSE THIS IS, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION INITIATED.
UH, SO FIRST, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR ANYONE WHO WISHES TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY IN FAVOR.
ANYONE OPPOSED? ARE YOU DOING IN FAVOR OR AGAINST IT?
I WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OPEN DISCUSSION BY THE COMMISSION.
UM, LET'S START WITH COMMISSIONER.
I WISH, UM, THE BUSINESSES THAT WOULD PARTICIPATE THAT'S AFFECTING THEIR BUSINESS PARTICIPATE IN THIS ORDINANCE, BUT APPARENTLY WE DON'T SEE THEM.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE, UM, ACTUALLY WROTE TO THEM TO SAY, THESE ORDINANCE ARE COMING AND GET READY
BUT, UM, THESE ASSEMBLIES ARE FORTUNE BY LEND COMPANY, SO THAT IS TRUE.
BUT THE CONFLICT I GUESS I HAVE IS THAT THEY'RE SHOPPING CARTS ARE THERE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY OR THE SHOPPERS, BUT IF THE SHOPPERS CHOOSE TO TAKE IT OUT OF SIGHT, THEN YOU'RE PENALIZING THE OWNER OF THE SHOPPING CART.
UM, BUT YEAH, AT THE SAME TIME, I MEAN, IF IT'S ALL OVER THE CITY, THAT IS, UH, AN ISSUE.
UM, I GUESS WITH THE CITIES, THE EIGHT CITY OR I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY CITIES THAT ACTUALLY HAVE SHOPPING CART ORDINANCE, UM, QUESTION IS, DO WE SEARCH THESE SHOPPING CARTS AFTERWARD?
[01:25:01]
DO THEY MANAGE TO TAKE 'EM OUT SOMEHOW? I DON'T KNOW.I'M JUST SAYING THAT DOES THE RESIDENT FIND A WAYS TO MANAGE TO TAKE THE SHOPPING CART OUT OF THE SHOPPING PARKING LOT? I, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, I MEAN, I, THERE I WOULD NOT VENTURE TO SAY THAT THERE'S NOT A WAY TO DO IT OR PEOPLE HAVEN'T DONE IT, BUT I THINK IT A HUGE DETERRENT IN GETTING SHOPPING CARTS OFF THE PREMISE.
I KNOW I'VE BEEN TO, YOU KNOW, SHOPPING CENTERS WHERE IT'S THE MAGNETIC ONE, AND, UM, NOT THAT I WAS TRYING TO STEAL THE CAR, IT WAS JUST I PARKED MY CAR.
AND IT WAS, I WAS LIKE, WAIT, WHAT'S GOING ON? AND, UM,
I, IT IS A HUGE DETERRENT TO, UH, TO FINDING OUR, OR FINDING SHOPPING CARTS WITHOUT THE CITY, THOUGH IT, IT DOES HELP IN, UH, TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP MOST, IF NOT ALL, ON SITE OR ON THE PREMISE ON THE SHOPPING CENTER.
I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IT'S A LOSS EVERY YEAR FOR THE STORES.
I DON'T THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT PROBABLY WOULD SAVE MONEY ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD KEEP THEIR CARDS FROM BEING STOLEN.
ALSO, DETERRENT FOR, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE A HOMELESS PERSON, YOU CAN'T GET A CART IN WEST COVINA, THEN MAYBE YOU MIGHT GO TO ANOTHER CITY WHO DOESN'T HAVE THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE CARTS ALL OVER THE CITY, IT JUST MAKES OUR CITY LOOK DIRTY.
THEY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TRASH USUALLY ALONG WITH IT.
UM, IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, NEEDLES OR WHAT, WHATNOT.
IT WOULD BE A HAZARD FOR CHILDREN IF THEY'RE PLANES SOMEWHERE NEAR THERE.
SO IT, IT'S AN ABSOLUTE, UM, NECESSITY FOR THE CITY TO DO THIS.
AND THE COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS, UM, I AGREE WITH THE SHOPPING CARD, UM, ORDINANCE, UM, A LOT OF CITIES HAD ALREADY, UM, ADOPTED REGULATIONS, AND MY UNDERSTANDING WAS INITIALLY THAT WHEN THE STORES LOSE THOSE CARDS, UM, IT IS A LOSS AND THEY END UP PASSING IT ON TO THEIR CUSTOMERS.
AND, UH, THIS ALLOWS, UH, THE BURDEN FROM THE CITY BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING THESE, PICKING UP THESE CARDS SO OFTEN, AND, UH, AND TAXPAYER MONEY BEING USED ON THIS PURPOSE.
NOW IT'S GONNA BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THESE COMP, THESE RETAILERS OR MARKETS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM THAT OUR CITY'S IMPLEMENTING, UH, TO ENSURE, UH, A MORE COST EFFICIENT, UH, WAY FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE OUR LOCAL STREETS ARE CLEAN AND, AND BEAUTIFIED.
AND, UH, I THINK IT'S A GREAT, UH, PROGRAM THAT IMPLEMENTING.
I JUST WANTED TO CAVEAT OUT IF IT'S 180 A MONTH, THAT'S SIX A DAY THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE FINDING IN OUR, IN THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MM-HMM.
SO I, I HAD A FEW COMMENTS, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE PROPOSED, UH, CODE AND, UH, CODE AMENDMENT.
UM, I, I, I THINK IT'S A GOOD START.
I, I DO HOWEVER THINK THAT, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES HAVE, HAVE TAKEN, UM, TAKEN A MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS, UM, KIND OF WEAVING IN SOME OF THE, UH, SOME OF THE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS THAT ARE FOUND IN SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES.
I, I, I SEE FOR EXAMPLE, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE CITY OF LA POINTE.
UM, IF, IF AFTER NOTICE, UM, UH, IF AFTER 30 DAYS NOTICE, UH, VIA TELEPHONE OR EMAIL OR OTHER WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE, UM, AND THE CARTS OWNER CANNOT BE DETERMINED OR, UH, NO ONE HAS PICKED IT UP, THE CART MAY BE SOLD OR DESTROYED BY THE CITY.
I THINK THAT'S, UH, THAT'S A SMART WAY OF, OF DEALING WITH THAT ISSUE.
UM, AND THEN SECOND, UH, WITH REGARD TO, UM, DEPENDING ON HOW, HOW THE CITY INTENDS, AND OBVIOUSLY THIS IS, THIS IS A LITTLE OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DOES, BUT I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, THAT CITY COUNCIL, UM, MAY HAVE, UH, MAY HAVE SOME DES DESIRE TO PURSUE, AND THAT WOULD BE, UM, POTENTIALLY CONTRACTING OR UTILIZING PUBLIC WORKS LIKE SOME OTHER CITIES, UH, FOR PURPOSES OF, OF PICKING UP THE CARTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE CAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE THE BUSINESS OWNERS TO PICK THINGS UP, BUT REALISTICALLY, I, I'VE YET TO SEE ANY OF THE WALMART SHOPPING CARTS THAT ARE OVER SOUTH OF THE FREEWAY EVER COLLECTED BY ANYONE FROM WALMART.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, I I, I HAVE MY DOUBTS THAT WE CAN JUST RELY ON THE, ON, ON THE BUSINESS OWNERS TO, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CARTS ARE PICKED UP.
[01:30:01]
OBVIOUSLY IN, IN, IN THE SPIRIT OF THAT, IF WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT OR WE ARE GOING TO CONTRACT OUT WITH SOMEONE, I WOULD CERTAINLY SUGGEST THAT WE, UH, WE IMPOSE COST RECOVERY AND, UM, LIKE I BELIEVE THE CITY OF ARCADIA DOES.AND, AND IF THIS BECOMES A, A, A PERPETUAL ISSUE, UM, I I PARTICULARLY IF IT'S IN EXCESS OF, OF THREE TIMES DURING A A SIX MONTH PERIOD FOR A PARTICULAR BUSINESS OWNER, I THINK THIS IS PULLED FROM THE MONROVIA, UH, ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, A AN ADMINISTRATIVE FINE AND DEEMING IT A PUBLIC NUISANCE, UH, MUCH IN THE WAY THAT THE CITY OF COVINA HAS DONE.
UH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AS WELL.
SO THAT WOULD BE, UM, THAT WOULD BE SORT OF ENCOMPASSING MY PROPOSAL IN TERMS OF WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY I THINK IT'S A START, BUT I, I DON'T THINK THAT THIS ORDINANCE AS WRITTEN IS, UH, UM, FULLY ADDRESSES THE SCOPE OF THE ISSUE CHAIR, IF I MAY.
UM, THE CITY DOES, WE DO HAVE, HAVE PLANS TO INCLUDE ALL, ALL THOSE ITEMS THAT YOU'VE LISTED, HOWEVER, THAT IS NOT IN THE ZONING SECTION OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE.
UM, SO THE PLANNING, IT, IT IS NOT WITHIN THE PLANNING COMMISSIONS PURVIEW.
UM, WE WILL INCLUDE IT, UM, IN THE VERSION THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE REVIEWING.
UH, THE ONLY THING I'LL, I'LL, I'LL SAY, UM, ON, ON THAT FRONT IS THAT IF WE DO HAVE, UM, IF, IF WE DO HAVE ANY LANGUAGE IN THIS ORDINANCE, AND I CAN'T RECALL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT, UM, IN THE EVENT THAT THE CITY DECIDES TO UTILIZE A, SOME PRIVATE ENTITY TO DO, UM, TO HANDLE ANY OF THE REGULATIONS OR, UH, RETRIEVAL, I, I THINK PERHAPS WE MAY WANT TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE THAT INCLUDES THE, UH, THE CITY'S DESIGNEE, WHATEVER THAT IS, UM, IN, IN THE, UH, IN THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE CO AMENDMENT NUMBER 22 DASH FOUR OF THE GENERAL EXEMPTION FOR THE CITY RIDE.
THE PROPOSED CO AMENDMENT CONSISTS OF CERTAIN AMENDMENTS TO THE ZONING SECTION, THE REST OF MUNICIPAL COVID RELATED TO DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR CARD CONTAINMENT.
I WILL ALSO LIKE TO PUT IN THERE THAT CITY STAFF, UH, DOES, UH, SHARE WITH THE CITY CONSOLE, UH, CHAIRMAN, CHAIRMAN LEWIS' RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPLEMENT SOME SORT OF RECOVERY FEE AND, AND THAT ARE THINGS HE MENTIONED.
I'LL SECOND THAT PAUL, UH, IT'S GONNA BE RESOLUTION 22 DASH 616, CORRECT? YES.
SO CAN WE, JUST TO GO OVER THE COMMENTS TO CLARIFY THE MOTION, UM, WE ARE GOING TO BE SHARING WITH THE COUNCIL YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RECOVERY FREE, UM, WORKING WITH A THIRD PARTY OR CONSULTANT TO DO THE, UM, SHOPPING CART PICKUP.
AND THEN WAS THERE ANYTHING MORE PUBLIC WORKS OR PUBLIC WORKS? THAT'S RIGHT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I GOT THAT.
SO YOU GUYS, UH, MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 22 DASH 616.
UH, COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS? AYE.
COMMISSIONER BEA, I, UH, VICE CHAIR GUTIERREZ.
FIVE OH, THIS MATTER IS FINAL UNLESS APPEALED TO THE CITY COUNCIL WITHIN 10 DAYS.
[COMMISSION REPORTS/COMMENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS ]
ON, WE HAVE NO NON-HEARING ITEMS. COMMISSIONER REPORTS, COMMENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. DOES ANYONE ON THE COMMISSION HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT OR COMMENT ON? I ACTUALLY DO HAVE ONE TO COMMENT ON, UM, THIS EVENING REGARDING THE, UM, UNDERGROUND FACILITIES FOR THE, FOR THE, UH, WIRELESS OF COMMUNICATION LOCATION.UM, COMMISSIONER LEWIS HAD UH, MENTIONED REGARDING, UM, YOU KNOW, MENTIONING THAT ALL THE, UM, EQUIPMENT WAS THE EQUIPMENT THAT YOU WANTED TO, TO BE UNDERGROUND AND I LIKE TO SEE IF HE CAN BRING BACK THE CODE AND LOOK INTO THAT, UM, TO SEE IF IT'S IN THERE.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S THE SAME COMMISSION OR A FEW OTHERS THAT HAD MENTIONED REGARDING HAVING EQUIPMENTS UNDERGROUND.
SO CAN WE HAVE LANGUAGES OR SOMETHING AND HAVE A DISCUSSIONS IN THE FUTURE, UM, COMMISSION TO BRING THAT BACK AND HAVE A DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT, MAKING SURE THAT THE APPLICATIONS IN ALL
[01:35:01]
CODES ACTUALLY IS IN THERE.ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO, I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO SOUTH HILLS FOL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL, VARSITY WHO MADE, UH, CIF, THEY'RE NUMBER ONE IN THE LEAGUE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, WANNA THANK, UH, THE COLLEGE STUDENT OR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT COLLEGE, COLLEGE STUDENT, UM, FOR COMING TODAY AND LEARNING ABOUT THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND HOW THE CITY RUNS.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR STAYING TILL THE END.
AND I KNOW, UH, CHAIRMAN LEWIS AND PAUL WILL HAVE BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS FOR YOUR PROJECT.
[5. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR'S REPORT]
UH, MOVING ON.PAUL, YOU HAVE ANY, UH, ITEMS TO REPORT TO THE COMMISSION? YES.
UM, SO OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS SELLING THEIR PINK, UH, WEST COVINA POLICE DEPARTMENT BATCHES AND AS WELL AS T-SHIRTS, WHICH YOU CAN PURCHASE, UM, ON THEIR WEBSITE.
SO AT, UH, WEST COVINA.ORG ON THE WEST, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S PAGE.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE COUPLE EVENTS COMING UP FOR, UH, HALLOWEEN OR FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, WE HAVE A CART TOBER FEST.
IT'S A CAR SHOW IN TRUCKER TREAT THIS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15TH FROM 11:00 AM TO 3:00 PM UH, IT INCLUDES A PANCAKE BREAKFAST, THERE'S GONNA BE VENDOR BOOTH GAMES AND ACTIVITIES, AND IT'S GONNA BE AT CORTEZ PARK.
SO SATURDAY, UM, 11 TO THREE AT CORTEZ PARK.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE FESTIVAL FRIGHTS AND IT'S GONNA BE HELD, UM, IN OUR DOWNTOWN GLENORA, HISTORIC GLENORA AREA, UH, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29TH FROM FOUR TO 9:00 PM AND I BELIEVE THERE'S GONNA BE LIKE A HAUNTED MAZE, UM, FOR FAMILIES TO ENJOY.
SO WE HOPE YOU EVERYONE CAN ATTEND.
[6. CITY COUNCIL ACTION]
UH, CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS, UH, THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE COMMISSION ABOUT? SURE.WE ACTUALLY HAVE A FEW, AS YOU GUYS
UM, WE WILL BE TAKING THE HOUSING ELEMENT, UM, AND THE SHOPPING CART ORDINANCE THAT YOU GUYS, UM, APPROVED THE RESOLUTIONS TODAY AS WELL AS THE MIXED USE OVERLAY ZONE.
UM, WE'LL BE TAKING THOSE TO THE, UM, CITY COUNCIL FOR THEIR APPROVAL.
SINCE WE HAVE NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO DISCUSS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 8 37.