CCMIN072479 - Laserfiche WebLink

Mayor Brandes advised that the precise plan for Pico Avenue had not been completed at this time but that it would have to be approved by the City. Mr. Harris advised that the Environmental Impact Report is a mitigated EIR, that there are significant impacts and these are conditioned. Mrs. Kearl asked what the proposed square footage of the homes is planned'to be. Mr. Ed Catalano, 627 E. Angela Street, addressed two problems of concern to him: (1) grading - he feels it would be massive; and (2) how hillsides have been treated in the past and what this project will look like - he feels present Pleasanton Heights development raped the hillside and he does not want this to happen again. He stated he personally would like to see this area developed as an exclusive and elite residential section. Mrs. Virginia Patton, 630 E. Angela Street, read a newspaper article regarding hillside development by two developers,~ one from Marin and the other from Belmont, emphasizing the importance of the right kind of development for hillsides. Mrs. Patton stated the subject property cries for the right kind of development. She stated that once this land is developed, it is developed forever, and she is con- cerned about the quality. She requested Council to ask Centex if they have been as imaginative and creative as possible regarding this project. Mr. Trent Pridemore, 4507 Mirador Drive, representing the homeowners in the area, stated the plan presented was basically the same plan that was unanimously rejected twice by the Planning Commission. Mr. Pridemore stated the homeowners had not previously objected to density but were now opposed to the minimum 15 ft. flat back yards proposed for some of the houses. He stated this land is a rare remaining piece of property in the community and he urged Council to consider the history of the proposal before them tonight very carefully before making a decision. Mr. Clyde Lamb, 817 Abbie Street, stated he does not feel this property can be adequately drained and he was strongly opposed to the one entry on Abbie Street, which would be only 50 feet from his house. Mr. Douglass rebutted the concerns of the opponents. He stated the plan respects the standards of the Hillside Planned Development ordinance, that all of the trees would be preserved, that he could not determine at this time the alignment of Pico Avenue but it would be in accordance with City specifications and meet all City guidelines, that the project would be a quality one with imagination and be innova- tive, that Abbie Street had been stubbed for that entrance intersection and he felt traffic impacts would not be adversely significant. Mr. Douglass stated that Cen- rex is a first class builder and was willing to follow whatever procedures are necessary. There being no further testimony, Mayor Brandes declared the public hearing closed on the appeal and the Negative Declaration. Mr. Harris explained that this property was not appropriate for Hillside Planned Development; that the HPD was created to protect certain abuses of ridgelands and deeply sloping land, and in his opinion the subject parcel did not fall into this category. He stated a PUD can achieve the same standards on this type of property. Mayor Brandes stated that in his opinion consideration of this significant piece of property, after two denials by the Planning Commission and the expressed opposition by the homeowners in the area, should be denied without prejudice and returned to the Planning Commission for further review, specifically studying the depth of the level portion of rear yards, minimum square footage on size of houses, minimum separation between houses, specific design, construction of fence along Pico Avenue, and two cul-de-sacs on westerly side have too many houses. 9. 7/24/79