MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL of the City of Hermosa Beach, California, held on Tuesday, March 30, 1999, at the hour of 7:20 P.M.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - Daal Praderas, The Beach Reporter

ROLL CALL:

Present: Edgerton, Oakes, Reviczky, Mayor Benz

Absent: Bowler

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:

No one came forward to address the Council at this time.

REVIEW OF ZONING STANDARDS FOR MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS AND NONCONFORMING RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS. Memorandum from Community Development Director Sol Blumenfeld dated February 16, 1999.

Community Development Director Blumenfeld presented the staff report and responded to Council questions. City Manager Burrell also responded to Council questions.

The Council then reviewed each component separately and acted to provide direction to staff. It was noted that, in all cases, the directives given tonight were preliminary, and that final actions would not be taken until after the proposed changes had been brought back for further review and public hearings before the Planning Commission and the City Council.

Parking Standards:

Action: By unanimous consensus of the City Council, it was proposed to increase the required parking in multi-family (R-2 and R-3) zones from two spaces plus one guest space for each two units to a total of three spaces per unit. (Bowler absent)

Action: By unanimous consensus of the City Council, it was proposed to reduce the required parking in single-family (R-1) zones from three spaces to two spaces where there is a 17-foot garage setback, as the driveway would provide two additional spaces for guest parking. (Bowler absent)

Action: By unanimous consensus of the City Council, it was proposed (1) to continue to allow tandem parking for single family residences; and (2) to allow tandem parking for the two required spaces per unit in a multi-unit structure, but to require all guest parking spaces to be single-loaded. (Bowler absent)

Action: By unanimous consensus of the City Council, it was proposed to (1) allow underground parking anywhere on a lot if it is completely below grade, not semi-subterranean; and (2) to eliminate the current exception to the below-grade requirement. (Bowler absent)

Action: By unanimous consensus of the City Council, it was proposed to require that guest parking be open/available within a project when not located in the garage setback. (Bowler absent)

Open Space Requirements/Lot Coverage Standards:

Action: By unanimous consensus of the City Council, it was proposed to eliminate the option of providing required open space on roof decks in multi-family (R-2 and R-3) zones. (Motion Mayor Benz, second Reviczky, Bowler absent)

Action: By unanimous consensus of the City Council, it was proposed to amend the multi-family (R-2 and R-3) zoning standards (1) to require a minimum of 200 square feet of open space at ground level, unobstructed from ground to sky and (2) to increase the front yard setbacks on the upper floors, providing a terraced effect from the street, with the second floor of a structure stepped back an additional four feet, and the third floor stepped back an additional seven feet from the second level setback (for a total additional setback of 11 feet). (Motion Mayor Benz, second Edgerton, Bowler absent)

Public participation opened at 8:50 p.m.

Coming forward to address the Council on this issue was:

Greg Burnell - Shakespeare tract resident, expressed concern about the creation of artificial grades for the construction of large, three-story, 4,200 square foot buildings on the small, 30 x 80 foot lots; said although the area is R-2, a height limit of 30 feet was too high and it should be reduced to 25 feet, due to the narrow streets and five-foot setbacks, which eliminate ocean views and cause a tunnel effect; supported the proposed tiered setbacks of the upper floors but suggested a 10-foot rather than a 4-foot setback on the second floor; re remodels, preferred limiting expansions to 50 percent of the existing square footage rather than basing it on the valuation of the existing structure to ensure consistency with regard to determining allowable square footage.

Public participation closed at 8:59 P.M.

The meeting recessed at 9:00 P.M.

The meeting reconvened at 9:25 P.M.

Number of Stories:

Action: By unanimous consensus of the City Council, it was proposed to eliminate the two-story restriction from the Zoning Code, since the number of stories has no effect on the height of a structure built in accordance with the established height standards. (Motion Edgerton, second Reviczky, Bowler absent)

Action: By unanimous consensus of the City Council, staff was directed to come back with recommendations on how to deal with grading issues (e.g., flat lots being filled, often in order to qualify the third floor as a basement and circumvent certain Uniform Building Code requirements). (Motion Reviczky, second Oakes, Bowler absent)

Definitions:

Director Blumenfeld said staff would return with definitions for any terms not currently defined in the Zoning Code, as well as with clearer definitions of existing terms in order to simplify the Zoning Code and eliminate ambiguities and inconsistencies.

Condominium Requirements:

Action: By unanimous consensus of the City Council, it was directed that the current discretionary review process for two-unit condominium projects be retained, not eliminated. (Motion Edgerton, second Reviczky, Bowler absent)

Nonconforming Remodels:

Proposed Action: To direct that any expansion beyond the existing footprint must conform with the current codes. (Motion Oakes, second Edgerton - failed, with Reviczky and Mayor Benz dissenting and Bowler absent)

Action: By unanimous consensus of the City Council, the issue was referred back to staff for more information and additional options other than calculating the percentage of remodel on dollars, with direction to staff to look at how the problem is handled by other communities with similar properties. (Motion Reviczky, second Mayor Benz, Bowler absent)

Action: By consensus of the City Council, staff was directed to review the issue of restoration and return with a definition. (Motion Reviczky, second Mayor Benz, with Oakes dissenting and Bowler absent)

ADJOURNMENT - The Adjourned Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Hermosa Beach, California, adjourned on Tuesday, March 30, 1999, at the hour of 10:26 P.M., to the Regular Meeting of Tuesday, April 13, 1999, at the hour of 7:10 P.M.

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