Laserfiche WebLink
Ms. McGovern said, and he was not sure Measure PP allows any exceptions. He <br />added that from the Measure itself, as Chair Blank read it, any exceptions to what the <br />Commission thought was a clear initiative, would have to be approved by a vote of the <br />people. He stated that he finds it difficult to take and that he does not think the <br />Commission has that as an option. He added that with respect to grandfathering things, <br />again, it is clear from the Measure that the Measure overrides what is in the General <br />Plan, and he thinks the voters' intent is to also override Specific Plans if there is a <br />violation of Measure PP. He noted that the voters went back and did a referendum on a <br />project they thought was done wrong, so he does not think they wanted to grandfather <br />anything in. He stated that PUDs are different because PUDs actually grant vested <br />rights to property owner, but General Plans and Specific Plans are guidelines which are <br />changed all the time, sometimes radically. He noted that was done for the Bypass <br />Road to the golf course, changing it from where it was originally approved after all the <br />work the Commission and Council did on it. <br />Chair Blank asked Ms. Harryman if the Legal Department has looked at any case law <br />surrounding this in terms of the City Council's discretion regarding interpreting the will of <br />the people. <br />Ms. Harryman replied that both Larissa Seto, Assistant City Attorney, and Jonathan <br />Lowell, City Attorney, worked with staff on this report; however, she was not certain if <br />they specifically researched case law on that issue. <br />Commissioner Pearce stated that she agreed with Commissioner O'Connor regarding <br />Specific Plans and PUDs in that if what was passed says that it overrides the General <br />Plan, by definition it also overrides Specific Plans because Specific Plans are <br />referenced in the General Plan. She noted, however, that her preference would be to <br />have exceptions, especially with the street and the road; and then only reference PUDs, <br />as opposed to saying that if it is in a Specific Plan, then it is fine, as that seems to go <br />against voter intent. <br />Commissioner O'Connor stated that one other clarification he wanted to make that he <br />thinks is important for the City is that Measure PP basically says that this is for <br />residential and commercial development. He indicated that he knows there was <br />concern on the part of the City about if it wanted to put in a City amenity such as a water <br />tank or a tower or a park or something that is not a residential or commercial <br />development or if it wanted to have access to get to a trail. He further indicated that he <br />thinks there is no issue here because this does not pertain to the City, and it is clear that <br />this only pertains to the hillsides for commercial and residential. He added that he <br />would hope, though, that the City would not want to build a four -lane road going up to <br />some little park or trailhead somewhere, that it would do something a little more <br />restrained, maybe call it a pathway or roadway as opposed to a major road. <br />Commissioner Narum noted that building a City park would still require a public hearing <br />in some form. <br />PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, January 23, 2013 Page 18 of 44 <br />