New Planning Commission Chair Ed Lipnick’s opening remarks at the May 2 meeting, “Now that I know what I’m doing, hopefully, it won’t take all night,” were prophetic, as the last meeting of the old commission ended by 9 p.m.
Lipnick, appointed by Councilwoman Joan House in 1996, moved into the top slot when Ken Kearsley was elected to the City Council.
This was the last meeting of the old commission. At Monday’s City Council meeting, House re-appointed Lipnick to the commission and Kearsley appointed Richard Carrigan to the commission. Carrigan got a jump start on his learning curve by sitting in at the May 2 meeting.
New Councilman Jeff Jennings will make his appointment to the commission May 23. Commissioners Jo Ruggles, appointed by Carolyn Van Horn, and Andrew Stern, an appointee of Walt Keller, will leave the commission. Charleen Kabrin, appointed last term by Councilman Tom Hasse, will remain.
New commissioners will go through a briefing May 24 and will take seats June 5, said Interim Planning Director Henry Engen.
Engen noted the city hoped to have a new planning director by the end of May.
Commissioners also heard from Engen that at the May 15 meeting, consultants Crawford, Multari and Starr will give a briefing on the zoning ordinance update. The firm started taking input from the commission in January to finalize the ordinance.
27061 Sea Vista Drive
In its last meeting, the old commission voted 4-0 to have a consultant of a project at 27061 Sea Vista Drive come back with new plans, after a neighbor testified of his concerns.
Rey Cano, who lives “downstream” from the project at 27065 Sea Vista Drive, told commissioners he was concerned about drainage, fire safety, height and neighborhood character.
There were past drainage problems at his property, as told to him by the prior owners, said Cano. He would like several requirements on drainage before the project is approved.
Noting the street’s turnaround for fire trucks was too small and that the 1996 fire came to his retaining wall, Cano said he wants the fire department to have better access.
Cano described the new, two-story house as a “fairly in-your-face structure.” He said the 9,000 -square-foot project was twice as large as others in the neighborhood and was inconsistent with neighborhood character.
27454 Winding Way
The commission also unanimously moved to have new public hearings and reconsider a request for a height increase for a new, two-story house at 27454 Winding Way owned by Mr. and Mrs. Howard Zarett. The request had been denied April 17 after a number of neighbors complained about view obstruction.
32024 PCH
In their final action, commissioners voted 4-0 to approve an addition to a home at 32024 Pacific Coast Highway owned by Richard Marin.