CITY OF LA HABRA HEIGHTS
MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE LA HABRA HEIGHTS
CITY COUNCIL
OPENING CEREMONIES
1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
Mayor Stan Carroll called the Special Meeting of the La Habra Heights City Council to order at 7:00 p.m. at the Community Center, 1245 N. Hacienda Road, La Habra Heights, California.
2. ROLL CALL
Those present: Mayor Stan Carroll, Mayor Pro Tem Ed Borrowe, Councilmember Bruce Douglas, Councilmember Fred Klein and Councilmember Tela Millsap. Also present Interim Community Development Director Sandra Massa-Lavitt, Planning Technician Barbara Doppieri, City Attorney Michael Colantuono and General Plan Consultant Marc Blodgett.
3. FLAG SALUTE
James Acocks led the flag salute.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON MATTERS ON THE AGENDA
Kent Roberts, Dorothea – stated he was bothered by Land Use Policy 6; stated it was subjective; recipe for disaster; asked the Council to bring clarity to the issue.
Katie Martin, Reposado – stated Policy 6 has debilitating effects on property values; no one is in favor of cubic content; asked the Council not to make the process more difficult.
John Beau, Casalero – he suggested a different formula for Policy 6; spoke regarding the site plan review.
Alan Boege, Cypress – stated he was in favor of cubic content; policies are general
PUBLIC HEARINGS
4. CONTINUE COUNCIL DISCUSSION REGARDING THE GENERAL PLAN
Policy 6
The policy as it was previously approved. ÒStructures shall be appropriately scaled to the lot, neighboring houses, and community character. Structures shall not appear much larger or more massive than neighboring houses and shall be scaled and screened to accomplish this outcome.Ó
Councilmember Klein moved to revise the policy to read ÒIt shall be the policy of the City to ensure that residential structures are appropriately scaled to the lot on which they are located by utilizing various proportional requirements such as setbacks, establishing proportional requirements based on total average slope, impervious coverage and grading quantities. Structures shall not appear much larger and more massive than neighboring houses and shall be scaled, massed and screened to accomplish this goal.Ó Motion died for lack of a second.
Mayor Carroll moved to keep the original policy but to strike the second sentence. Motion died for lack of a second.
Councilmember Millsap moved to revise the policy to read ÒStructure shall be appropriately scaled to the lot, neighboring houses, and community character, by establishing proportional requirements such as total average slope, impervious coverage and grading quantities.Ó Motion died for lack of a second.
Councilmember Klein moved for the second sentence to read, ÒBy utilizing various proportional requirements such as those based on setbacks, total average slope, impervious coverage and grading quantities.Ó Councilmember Millsap seconded the motion. Vote: 3-2 Borrowe and Douglas
Councilmember Klein moved to have the first sentence read, ÒIt shall be the policy of the City to ensure that residential structures are appropriately scaled to the lot on which they are located.Ó Seconded by Mayor Carroll. Vote: 2-3 Borrowe, Douglas and Millsap.
Mayor Carroll moved to delete the sentence ÒStructures shall not appear much larger, more massive than neighboring houses and shall be scaled and screened to accomplish this outcome.Ó
Motion died for lack of a second.
Mayor Carroll read the policy as it now reads, Ò It shall be the policy of the City to ensure that residential structures are appropriately scaled to the lot on which they are located neighboring house and community character. By utilizing various proportional requirements such as those based on setbacks, total average slope, impervious coverage and grading quantities. Structures shall not appear much larger or more massive that neighboring houses and shall be scaled and screened to accomplish this outcome.Ó Mayor Carroll asked for a motion.
Councilmember Douglas moved to leave Policy 6 as is and link the corollary into the implementation plan and delete the words streetscapes. Motion died for lack of a second.
Councilmember Klein moved that the policy should read ÒStructures shall be appropriately scaled to the lot on which they are located by utilizing various proportional requirements such as setbacks establishing proportional requirements based on total average slope, impervious coverage and grading quantities. Structures shall not appear much larger and more massive than neighboring houses and shall be scaled massed and screened to accomplish this goal.Ó Seconded by Mayor Carroll. Vote 3-2 Borrowe and Douglas. It was the consensus of the Council that the corollary would stay in the Implementation Plan.
Mr. Blodgett read the corollary instruction that will accompany the General Plan through the ordinance development process. ÒThe full suit of conventional and unique planning tools shall be used in ordinance implementation of Land Use Policy 6. These tools may include but are not limited to proportional interrelationships between structural and site characteristics such as lot size, house size, floor area ratios, cubic content ratios, setback ratios, graded area and volume ratios and impervious coverage ratios.Ó
Norm Zezula, Canonita – spoke regarding views of those who live in valleys.
Rick Martin, Reposado – spoke regarding cubic content; ask the Council to conduct themselves in a professional manner and to leave their personal opinions behind.
Katie Martin, Reposado – spoke regarding Land Use Policy 19; there are conflicts with the approved housing element and the land use element; there are also conflicts with what the state is telling you to look for.
Ms. Massa-Lavitt explained how a site plan review committee works.
It was the consensus of the Council to start their next meeting with Policies 24, 25 and 26.
Policy 24, 25 and 26
Mr. Colantuono suggested for Policy 24 ÒRequire that permits for tear down/rebuild or significant remodel projectsÉÓ Policy 25 ÒWhen a development proposal fails to meet any performance standardÉÓ Policy 26 ÒRequest for tear down/rebuild or significant remodel projectÉÓ
CONTINUED PUBLIC COMMENTS ON MATTERS ON THE AGENDA
Tom Higgs, El Cajonita – spoke regarding Policy 6 and the restriction of home size.
ADJOURNMENT
Councilmember Klein moved at 10:00 p.m. to adjourn this meeting to February 5, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. Seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Borrowe seconded the motion. Vote: All Ayes.
ATTEST: