HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-24-1998 PC MinutesA regular meeting of the City of Dublin Planning Commission was held on Tuesday, November 24,
1998, in the Dublin Civic Center City Council Chambers. Chairperson Jennings called the meeting to
order at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Commissioners, Jennings, Johnson, Hughes, Musser, and Oravetz; Eddie Peabody Jr.,
Community Development Director; Tasha Huston, Associate Planner; and Gaylene Burkett, Recording
Secretary.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
Cm. Jennings led the Commission, Staff, and those present in the pledge of allegiance to the flag.
The minutes from the November 10, 1998 meeting were approved as submitted.
ADDITIONS OR REVISIONS TO THE AGENDA - None
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - None
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS - None
PUBLIC HEARING - None
NEW OR UNFINISHED BUSINESS
9.1
Dublin Ranch Study Session - Staff will present an informal introduction to the Dublin
Ranch Phase I development project. The project is located along the east side of
Tassajara Road, north of the future Gleason Drive extension, and involving a 222 acre
site with 847 units in 8 neighborhoods with a 10-acre elementary school, 5-acre
neighborhood park, and 62.2 acres of open space.
Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 99 November 24, 1998
Cm. Jennings asked for the staff report.
Mr. Peabody explained the purpose of the study session.
Tasha Huston presented the staff report. She stated that the Study Session for the Dublin Ranch phase I
project purpose is to introduce the project, and let you know what is forthcoming for your formal review
at the December § Planning Commission meeting. She introduced and thanked members of the
Development Team from Shea Homes and MacKay and Somps Engineering group. She stated that all
of the folks from both agencies as well as several City departments have worked very hard to bring this
project to the point it is today. She stated that the Dublin Ranch Phase I project is but one component of
a larger project comprised of lands owned by the Jennifer Lin family. Dublin Ranch actually includes a
total of 1,037 acres that were annexed to the City of Dublin in 1995, plus an additional 306 acres which
were taken over by the Jennifer Lin group earlier this year, for a total of 1343 acres within the Dublin
City Limits and the Eastern Dublin Specific Plan area. Phase I of Dublin Ranch includes approx. 230
acres and is located along the east side of Tassajara Road, north of the future extension o£ Gleason
Drive. The prezoning and Planned Development approval for Phase I occurred in 1995, and established
the arrangement of the streets, preliminary lot layouts, and other general design standards. The approved
PD also established the right to develop up to 847 homes in 9 neighborhoods, with a private recreation
area, a neighborhood park, elementary school, and approximately 60 acres of open space. The current
proposal will implement the previously approved Planned Development by subdividing 8 of the 9
neighborhoods. The Medium Density neighborhoods (M-l, M-2, and M-3) are located along Tassajara
Road, and the Low Density neighborhoods (L-1 through L-6) are located in the eastern portion of the
site, in the low hills. Also included in the project are the School Site and the adjacent Neighborhood
Park site, as well as the open space, which is indicated in green. The circulation is provided to the
residential areas primarily by a collector street named Dublin Ranch Drive, which loops through the
center of the site, enclosing the L-2 and L-3 neighborhoods. Another collector Street, Antone Way, runs
between Dublin Ranch Drive and Fallon Road, providing direct access to the School and Park site, as
well as the L-4 and L-5 neighborhoods. In the future, Fallon road will be constructed to serve the "Area
A" project, which is to the north and east of Phase, and includes another 570 homes and a golf course.
She continued her presentation with discussions of several issues reviewed by staff and addressed during
the review process, including scenic corridor policies, noise mitigation, lot layout and circulation, school
and park site configuration, and open space and landscaping.
Mr. Peabody stated the next package that will come before the Planning Commission will have details of
designs for all the neighborhoods.
Cm. Hughes asked the total number of homes for the entire Dublin Ranch project.
Ms. Huston said 2,500 homes for all phases of the total project, but that does not include the 306 acres
that have been recently added.
Mr. Peabody stated that eventually the approximate amount would be near 4000 homes.
Cm. Jennings asked if the solar panel is required to match the roof or fascia in color, or both.
Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 100 November 24, 1998
Ms. Huston said it should match the roof tile color.
Cm. Jennings asked if there is a significant difference in the April 1997 noise study and the October
1998 noise study.
Ms. Huston responded no.
Cm. Hughes asked if they could get the packets earlier than the Thursday before the next Planning
Commission meeting.
Ms. Huston said that staff would try however, it was a lot of information. She would try to make the
process as easy to understand as possible.
Cm. Jennings questioned the L-1 and L-5 neighborhoods, which states there is an exception with the
infrastructure requirements and roads to be built after the 74 units, to provide secondary access down to
Ms. Huston stated that there is a Fire Department requirement for a second emergency access.
Cm Oravetz asked about the grade of the hill going up North Dublin Ranch Drive.
Kevin Van Katwyk stated that it is about an 8% grade.
Cm. Oravetz asked if lot 7 in the L5 neighborhood, would be looking down on the school site.
Ms. Huston responded yes.
Cm. Oravetz asked about if the traffic study only included the neighborhoods or does it include the area
beyond the site.
Mr. Van Katwyk said the study looks at the whole project within the area. The Master Tentative Map
includes there are restrictions on the development on how much traffic can go on a street before
improvements have to be made.
Cm. Oravetz asked what the CNEL Standards means within the noise study.
Mr. Peabody stated it is Community Noise Equivalent Levels.
Cm. Oravetz asked if the buses would only be on North Dublin Ranch Drive.
Ms. Huston stated that for now but eventually the bus will be on Antone Way.
Cm. Oravetz asked about the wastewater treatment plant and if each yard will have the purple pipe for
the reclaimed water.
Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 101 November 24, 1998
Mr. Van Katwyk stated that only one section of South Dublin Ranch Drive would have the recycled
water line.
Cm. Johnson said it looks like they have enough parking for the project.
Mr. Peabody stated that the M neighborhood parking will be a little tight but there are parking plans with
a map that will show how close the parking will be to individual units.
Ms. Huston stated that staff made many changes to the parking plan to accommodate an adequate
amount of parking.
Cm Jennings asked if the houses along the fire buffer would be constructed with different materials.
Ms. Huston said yes, they would be constructed differently.
Mr. Peabody stated that the City adopted a Wildfire Management Plan, which states that residential units
in close proximity to areas subject to wildfire requires certain conditions.
Cm. Johnson asked if the homeowners would be notified on how to take care of the open space and their
responsibility for houses along the fire buffer.
Ms. Huston stated the conditions of approval require the open space management program be
incorporated into the CC&R's.
Cm. Hughes asked if there is more than one Home Owners Association (HOA).
Ms. Huston responded yes, there are at least two HOA's.
Mr. Peters stated that the California Department of Real Estate have significantly more binding
requirements of disclosures they are required to make to the homeowners and home buyers about the
financial commitments, obligations of the HOA.
Cm. Johnson stated his concern was not for the first five years of the project but ten years down the road
and the individual people are running the HOA and it could fall apart.
Mr. Peters stated that they budget reserves for long term.
Mr. Peabody stated that the City has a fire prevention program where an inspection of open space areas
is done every year.
Cm. Oravetz asked if the HOA is responsible for the open space areas.
Mr. Peabody stated yes and the open space area is one of their primary responsibilities.
Cm. Oravetz asked Cm. Johnson if he would rather see the City maintain the open space area.
Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 102 November 24, 1998
Cm. Johnson responded no. He stated that he does not have a great deal of confidence in HOA's.
Cm. Oravetz asked if there is any other open space areas in Dublin that is maintained by an HOA.
Cm. Jennings stated yes, on Creekside Drive and a small space off of Rhoda Drive.
Cm. Musser asked about the open space along the sound wall.
Mr. Peters responded the open space along the sound walls would be maintained by the HOA.
Cm. Musser asked who would maintain the sound wall.
Mr. Peters responded the HOA would maintain it.
Cm. Musser asked if the HOA would maintain the storm drain also.
Mr. Peters stated the storm drain is a public system.
Cm. Oravetz asked if there would be a gate in any of the neighborhoods.
Mr. Peters stated that the Planned Development allowed it and Standard Pacific proposed it. The land
plans have not accounted for it and the PD required a turn around by every gate; he doubted that they
would have gates at this time.
Cm. Musser asked if the developer will improve the park.
Ms. Huston stated that it is proposed to be done by the developer.
Cm. Musser asked what the improvements would be there.
Ms. Huston stated that the design is not finalized. It will include some play areas, ball fields, some trails
and passive park facilities. The private recreation facility will include a pool.
Mr. Peters said the pool will be maintained by the HOA.
Cm. Jennings asked where the Victorian homes would be located.
Mr. Peters stated there might be a traditional farmhouse, but not a Victorian style.
Cm. Musser asked if there will be any single story dwellings.
Mr. Peters said no, there will be some one-story elements, on comer lots. Some neighborhoods have not
been designed yet, they will look at the buyer profile to see what the market is demanding, and there
may be some one-story if the market requires it.
Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 103 November 24, 1998
Cm. Musser asked how much will the houses cost.
Mr. Peters said neighborhood's L2 andL3 will cost approximately $400,000.
Cm. Musser asked what the landscape would look like along Tassajara. He also, asked if the road along
the tank will be screened.
Mr. Peters said all those issues have not been addressed yet. They have allowed a 10 foot green area
that will allow for future landscaping.
Cm. Jennings thanks those who attended.
Mr. Peabody stated the next Planning Commission meeting will be December 8t~, the meeting of
December 22nd is cancelled and the following meeting will be January 12th.
Cm. Hughes asked if they expected any body to oppose this project.
Mr. Peabody stated no.
Cm. Oravetz said he missed the last DSTF meeting but there is a draft report for recommendation to the
City Council.
Mr. Peabody stated that there were specific planning recommendations in the report. Those
recommendations will go forward to the City Council.
ADOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Planmng Co~m~iss~n Chairperson'
ATTEST:
Community Development D~ctor
Planning Commission Meeting Minutes 104 November 24, 1998