LAND USE COMMITTEE OF THE CRESCENTA VALLEY TOWN COUNCIL

MINUTES (Approved at July 1, 2021, LUC Meeting)

June 3, 2021, 6:30 P.M.

Topic: CVTC 6/3 LUC Meeting Start Time : June 3, 2021 06:30 PM Meeting Recording: https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/VUShUU9aD-OUgI4x4nRpd3gFLM4L4U_-xHqw2WOrdfWbqGX4s-y4lusxFWqYjdo.J6IxUZ3jhNRVk3G2 Access Passcode: aq!0sL&J Topic: CVTC LUC 6/3/21 Meeting Time: June 3, 2021, 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/97589570194 Meeting ID: 975 8957 0194 Dial by your location +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 975 8957 0194 Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/adW9xcsOvb

Meeting called to order 6:30 PM by Cheryl Davis

OPENING BUSINESS 1. Pledge of Allegiance – Frank Beyt

2. Roll Call: CD, FB, IC, SG (6:36 pm), JB, KH, CK, Absent: AO, NE 3. Approval of Agenda for June 3, 2021 – Motion by IC, seconded by FB (Add discussion of Housing

Element and Updates on SB765 and SB 9). Approved 6:0 4. Approval of Land Use Committee Minutes from April 1, 2021 and May 6, 2021 – Motion by FB,

seconded by KH Approved 6:0 5. Public Comment – non agenda items. None. INFORMATION ITEMS

6. None PUBLIC HEARING & ACTION ITEMS

7. Walgreens CUP renewal application for the continued sale of alcohol (3001 Foothill), Jennifer Oden One condition on the CUP in 2011 was the location of the alcohol be located far from the entrance. There was concern of high school students grabbing alcohol and running out. There are a large number of licensees in the area. In the last ten years there have not been violations. At Walgreens, they do scan the driver’s license when purchasing alcohol. Some of the conditions on CUP: Restriction during certain hours, 8:00 to 10:00 pm, no single sale of beers, no wine is sold less than 750 ml (larger bottles), no exterior advertising of beer and wine, electronic verification device, surveillance cameras, surveillance kept for a minimum for thirty days, no loitering allowed, person selling alcohol must be at least 18 (those selling alcohol at this Walgreens are 21 and above), display of alcohol does not exceed 1% of floor space.

Question: What does Walgreen staff do when high school students come into store? There is an area where students can place their backpacks near the front of the store. Recently, they have not had many students come into the store because of the COVID restrictions. A new camera has been installed to watch the front and back of customers entering the store.

Principal of CV High School was informed and there was not a need to appear tonight. Harry Leon (President of CV Town council) – stated that Jennifer Freeman (GUSD Board Member) wants to make sure that the vape products are away from high school students. Jennifer Oden will double check and insure that tobacco related products are kept behind the counter. FB:SG 5-0-2: (IC and CK abstaining) Moved to recommend approval of Walgreens CUP renewal application for the sale of alcohol to the CV Town Council.

Next step is that Walgreens will make the application filing and then the CV Town Council will take action.

8. Ocean View Bar & Grill – request for renewal of CUP for alcoholic beverages. Janelle Williams,

Williams Land Use Services, williamslanduse@yahoo.com CD recused FB presided during item discussion. Ocean View Bar & Grill filed application in February 2021. Asking for a recommendation to renewal of the CUP for alcoholic beverages. The use is buffered by a variety of commercial and retail stores. They have indoor and outdoor dining. It’s a full service restaurant with a bar. Ocean View Bar & Grill is a member of the Montrose Chamber Commerce and hosts fundraising events for local schools. Property is well maintained. Pandemic has reduced the hours of operation. ABC license has been kept current and has had no violations since 1984.

Harry Leon – Appreciated precise description of Ocean View Bar & Grill request and thank you for being part of the community.

Sharon Raghavachary – Has been to the Ocean View Bar & Grill. The location has “classy” karaoke. IC:JB 5-0-2 (CD and CK abstaining) Moved to recommend approval of the Ocean View Bar & Grill renewal of CUP for alcoholic beverages.

Frank Beyt will let Janelle Williams know to attend the next CV Town Council Meeting.

FUTURE PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS

9. Housing Element – Letter requesting that ADU’s be counted toward number required units. With ADU & Junior ADU’s– either accepted or approved to date by DRP: In 2017 there were 0.41 per month, and in 2021, in just five months 3.6 per month. There is a huge increase in number of ADU’s in our community. Most of our community is R-1. Also, requesting the inclusion in the count lots that were up-zoned at the last Housing Element Update that have not been built out yet.

FB:KH (6-0-1) (CK abstaining) Moved to amend the letter going to CV Town Council as sent to the LUC. 10. Plan RPPL2019004236; Project 2019-002386 5221 Ramsdell Ave (R-1-1000) Yard modification to

build a new retaining wall. Planner: Becky Cho (Filed 7/17/2019). Will present at July 2021 meeting. Existing retaining wall is ten feet tall is to be demolished, and a new ten feet retaining wall that exceeds the allowable six feet to be built on the side yard. The yard modification was approved but expired and the new guidelines require to have a public hearing. Property owner not able to attend today. Would like to send a notice to the immediate neighbors to get feedback and at the July LUC meeting the information can be evaluated. Neighbor to the south may have concerns because of proximity. Ines to contact the applicant to prepare packets for LUC to mail to the immediate neighbors.

EARLY NOTIFICATION / APPLICATIONS FILED AT DEPT. REGIONAL PLANNING

11. 2413 Foothill & 4521 Briggs (NW corner of Foothill & Briggs) - RPPL2019006557 housing permit associated with Conditional Use Permit RPPL2019006553 to establish a Mixed-use 40 unit, 52 feet tall, 5 stories (4 units affordable at 50% AMI) ground floor 2,500 sf commercial, 1,700 sf multipurpose room and 3 levels of underground parking (103 standard spaces) in the C-2-DP-BE zone. Requested 35% density bonus and 2 incentives (10 feet height increase and FAR) via Discretionary Housing Permit. RPPL 2019006559 is housing project next to it. - No updates.

12. 2434 Foothill Blvd (SE corner of Sunset), Mr. Garo Nazarian (Domus Design) – Project PRJ2020-001576; Plan RPPL2020005035 filed 8/10/2020. 4-story 31-unit apartment building with 2-level sub-garage. Providing three affordable units at 50% AMI and requesting 1 incentive - 10 feet height. Per Planner Elsa Rodriguez, project is ministerial/by right, but may become discretionary due to oak tree encroachments. (Zoned C-2-BE)

UPDATES/ANNOUNCEMENTS

13. Senate Bills: SB 765 has to do with giving local agencies the ability to determine required setbacks for ADU’s. The bill did not receive a hearing and will become a two year bill. SB 9 has moved to assembly on Committee on Local Development. The bill allows single family lots R 1 to be subdivided (min. lot 1,200s.f.) & allow for two additional 800 minimum square foot units. The law is tailored for urban areas so this may not impact our community. Need to check on whether we are classified as an urban or suburban area.

14. Canyonside Project – Sharon Raghavachary expressed concerns about project. Ines Chessum expressed concern about a trail head that is located where the driveway access to the property will be, and how access may be limited in the future. This is a Public Works issue, not DRP. Sharon R: There also does not appear to be enough space to build a home on the site. IC: This is a by-right project, therefore no need for the project to go before LUC.

15. Update from Nicole Englund regarding the DRP’s Design Review Committee – no update. 16. Next LUC meeting is July 1, 2021 ADJOURNMENT at 7:38 pm

INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC Public Comment. During the Public Comment period, any person may address the Committee concerning any item that is not listed on the agenda. The Committee welcomes your participation and input. When addressing the Committee, please begin by stating your name and address for the record. Please limit your comments to no more than three (3) minutes in order to provide for an orderly and timely meeting. Action & Discussion. No action or discussion may be undertaken by the Committee on any item if not posted on the agenda, except that Committee Members may briefly respond to statements made or questions posed by the public, ask a question for clarification, or make a brief announcement. A Committee Member or the Committee itself may nominate a Committee Member to report back to the

Committee at a subsequent meeting concerning any matter relevant to the purpose of the Committee or may choose to place the matter on a future agenda. Regular Meetings. This is a regularly scheduled meeting of the Land Use Committee, which meets on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 P.M. at the La Crescenta Library Community, 2809 Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta, CA. During the COVID-19 Safer at Home Order, Meetings will be held, as necessary, via Zoom. See www.thecvcouncil.com for more information. Others in attendance :Walgreens Manager Stephanie Martinez, Jennifer Oden (Walgreens Representative), Janelle Williams, Dede Mueller, Harry Leon, Sharon Raghavachary, and Grant.

HOUSING ELEMENT | RECOMMENDATION FROM LUC 6.3.2021 At the May 6, 2021 Land Use Committee Meeting, the LUC voted 6:1:1 (Chris Kilpatrick abstained as a CVTC member) to present to the CV Town Council (“CVTC”) the following recommendations regarding the Housing Element being developed by the Department of Regional Planning (“DRP”) under the State of California mandate to increase the number of affordable housing units within the County of Los Angeles. – Please refer to the document here attached that gives a brief description and timeline of the Housing Element. This letter was amended to include items 5 & 6 at the LUC meeting held on June 3, 2021. The LUC has discussed with the DRP the possibility of a more even distribution of the housing units proposed for Montrose, to include the commercial portions of the Foothill Blvd. corridor. The development of this corridor is governed by the La Crescenta-Montrose Community Standards District. The LUC requests that the CVTC reach out to the community as we continue to pursue this option with DRP. The Planning Commission Public Hearing will take place in August. When considering the up-zoning, the following elements need to be taken into account in order to preserve the qualities that are specific to our community:

1. The capacity of infrastructure (roads, water, sewer, schools, fire, law enforcement, parks) must be evaluated before implementation of increased density.

2. A more even distribution of the lots to be up-zoned throughout the community. Foothill Blvd. has capabilities for expanded public transportation.

3. When up-zoning to Mixed Use Development - MDX, a minimum of 70% of the Ground Floor shall be required to remain for commercial use or work live. La Crescenta has a high volume of small business owners who tend to employ members within the community and at the same time provide much needed services.

4. La Crescenta is surrounded by mountain views which should be preserved with a reduced density of development per lot (maximum height of 35’), yet still meeting the number of required units.

The great majority of the properties in our community are zoned R-1. Given that all R-1 has been “up-zoned” from Single-Family Dwelling, to effectively Three-Family Dwellings per lot, the number of units to be required of La Crescenta-Montrose for the proposed Housing Element must take this count into consideration, specifically to our community, not as a whole for all the Unincorporated County. See attached summary sheet for approved and accepted plans by DRP for ADU & Jr.ADU within La Crescenta Montrose Area.

2017= 0.41 ADU/month to 2021 = 3.6 ADU/month 5. Any properties that were up-zoned per the previous Housing Element, if not built out, should be considered as

part of the total count of units required from La Crescenta-Montrose on the current Housing Element up-zoning. The LUC requests that the recommendations in this letter be sent to: SUBJECT: CVTC Preserving our Community! Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning handerson@planning.lacounty.gov The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Kathryn Barger : kathryn@bos.lacounty.gov State Senator Anthony Portantino, his Field Representative: vickere.murphy@se.ca.gov Assembly member Laura Friedman: Assemblymember.Friedman@assembly.ca.gov Her Field Representative : Victoria.Dochoghlian@asm.ca.gov This letter, as well as a request for community members to reach out to the State representatives with their support for the issues as stated here, and/or other concerns be posted on the web site and social media with links to the appropriate agencies and individuals. Respectfully, The Land Use Committee of the CV Town Council

Applications to the Department of Regional Planning for: ADU & Jr.ADU

La Crescenta Montrose Area IN: YEAR STATUS Number of

Units Rate/Month

12 months 2017 ACCEPTED = 1 5 0.41

Current Zoning La-Crescenta-Montrose

APPROVED = 4

12 months 2018 ACCEPTED = 1 16 1.30 APPROVED = 15

12 months 2019 ACCEPTED = 6 16 1.30 APPROVED = 10

12 months 2020 ACCEPTED = 3 17 1.40 APPROVED = 14

5 months 2021 ACCEPTED = 8 18 3.60 APPROVED = 10

TOTAL 72

Brief Summary | LA County Housing Element Update Introduction In order to meet State mandates, the County is updating the Housing Element portion of the General Plan for 2021-2029. This examines future expected housing demand in the County. As part of this update, the County is required to provide for development of housing to meet projected future needs. The County has determined that for the 8-year housing cycle (2021-2029), unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County require approximately 90,000 additional housing units. Of the 90,000 units required, the County is proposing that 1200 housing units be provided for within unincorporated La Crescenta and Montrose. The County is proposing to accomplish this by rezoning 33 lots in the Montrose area to a higher density. This means that the County is proposing to allow about 1300 additional housing units in Montrose. Clustered at the intersections of Florencita Ave. & Ocean View Blvd. and Florencita Ave. & Montrose Ave. Timeline Regional Planning is currently working on community outreach (such as appearing at the Land Use Committee Meeting of 3/4/21). Their final recommendation is going to be voted on at the Planning Commission on 8/11/21. It is then voted on by the Board of Supervisors and sent to the State by the end of 2021. Once the rezoning plan is approved, changes go into effect in 2024. See below from the County: