HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Commission 2020-11-17 Minutes
MINUTES
San Rafael Planning Commission
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, November 17, 2020, 7:00 P.M.
Virtual Meeting
(669) 900-9128
Meeting ID: 897-5534-1830#
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) ADVISORY NOTICE
In response to Executive Order N-29-20, the City of San Rafael will no longer offer an in-
person meeting location for the public to attend. This meeting will be streamed through
YouTube Live at www.youtube.com/cityofsanrafael. Comments submitted via YouTube Live
must be submitted according to the directions located on the YouTube video description.
The City is not responsible for any interrupted service. To ensure the Planning Commission
receives your comments, submit written comments to Alicia Giudice, Principal Planner
(alicia.giudice@cityofsanrafael.org), prior to the meeting. For more information regarding
real-time public comments, please visit our Live Commenting Pilot page at
https://www.cityofsanrafael.org/live-commenting-pilot/.
Want to listen to the meeting and comment in real-time over the phone? Call the telephone
number listed on this agenda and dial the Meeting ID when prompted. Feel free to contact
the City Clerk’s office at 415-485-3066 or by email to lindsay.lara@cityofsanrafael.org if you
have any questions.
Any member of the public who needs accommodations should contact the City Clerk (email
lindsay.lara@cityofsanrafael.org or phone at 415-485-3066) who will use their best efforts to
provide reasonable accommodations to provide as much accessibility as possible while also
maintaining public safety in accordance with the City procedure for resolving reasonable
accommodation requests.
Present: Chair Mercado
Commissioner Davidson
Commissioner Hill
Commissioner Lubamersky
Commissioner Previtali
Commissioner Samudzi
Commissioner Saude
Absent: None
Also Present: Raffi Boloyan, Planning Manager
Alicia Giudice, Principal Planner
Ethan Guy, Principal Analyst
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Mercado called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. and invited Principal Planner Alicia
Giudice to call the roll. All commissioners were present.
APPROVAL OR REVISION OF ORDER OF AGENDA ITEMS
None.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF MEETING PROCEDURES
Chair Mercado invited Planning Manager Raffi Boloyan who informed the community the
meeting would be streamed live to YouTube and members of the public would provide
public comment either on the telephone or through YouTube live chat. He explained the
process for community participation through the telephone and on YouTube.
Chair Mercado reviewed the procedures for the meeting.
URGENT COMMUNICATION
None.
CONSENT CALENDAR
None.
PUBLIC HEARING
1. Amendments to the San Rafael Municipal Code related to a) affordable housing; b)
small lot development; c) hillside exceptions and d) appeals process.
Project Planners: Alicia Giudice, Principal Planner & Ethan Guy, Principal Analyst
Ethan Guy, Principal Analyst and Alicia Giudice, Principal Planner presented the staff
report.
Staff responded to questions from the Commissioners.
Chair Mercado declared the public hearing opened.
Speakers/Chat Commenters: Victoria DeWitt, Bob Pendoly, Marin Environmental Housing
Collaborative (MEHC), Brad Sears, Grace G, Kate Powers
Staff responded to comments and questions from the Commissioners.
Commissioner Samudzi moved and Commissioner Lubamersky seconded to adopt the
resolution recommending approval to the City Council of the Amendments to the Zoning
Ordinance as presented.
Commissioner Previtali suggested a two year review cycle be added, instead of a three to
five year cycle. Discussion ensued. No change to motion was made.
AYES: Commissioners: Davidson, Hill, Lubamersky, Samudzi, Saude & Chair Mercado
NOES: Commissioners: None
ABSENT: Commissioners: None
ABSTAIN: Commissioners: Previtali
Motion carried 6-0-1
Resolution 20-22 – Resolution of the City of San Rafael Planning Commission
Recommending to the City Council Adoption of an Ordinance of the City of San Rafael
Amending Title 14 (Zoning Ordinance), Including: A) Revisions to the Affordable Housing
Requirement for Residential Development Projects; B) Revisions to the Density Bonus and
Height Bonus Previsions; C) Revisions to Limitations Placed on Residential Development of
Small Lots; D) Revisions to Scheduling Process for Appeals; E) Revisions to the Review
Requirements for Exceptions to Hillside Developments (P18-010/ ZO20-002)
DISCUSSION ITEM
2. Informational Report on Renter Protections in Federally Designated Opportunity
Zone
Project Planner: Ethan Guy, Principal Analyst
Ethan Guy, Principal Analyst presented the staff report.
Staff responded to questions from the Commissioners.
Chair Mercado invited public comment; however, there was none.
Staff responded to further questions from the Commissioners.
Commissioner Lubamersky moved and Commissioner Hill seconded to accept the report.
AYES: Commissioners: Davidson, Hill, Lubamersky, Previtali, Samudzi, Saude & Chair
Mercado
NOES: Commissioners: None
ABSENT: Commissioners: None
ABSTAIN: Commissioners: None
Motion carried 7-0
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Alicia Giudice, Principal Planner reported:
• The next Planning Commission meeting will be held on December 8, 2020, instead
of December 29, 2020. There will be one public hearing item that includes a lot line
adjustment and new single family residence on a hillside lot. Also, there will be a
report on homelessness.
• Design Review Board held a meeting on November 4, 2020 to discuss the ideas for
its future. There will be a follow-up meeting in the near future.
• City Offices opened briefly last week, but now with a reverse change in tier, City
Offices are closed again for walk-in services. City Offices continue to provide
services on-line, virtually and by appointment, if needed.
• City Offices, except for Emergency Services, will be closed for the Thanksgiving
week, due to both furlough and holiday days.
COMMISSION COMMUNICATION
The Planning Commissioners expressed their gratitude for Raffi Boloyan’s (Planning
Manager) service at the City of San Rafael and wished him well with his future endeavors.
Raffi Boloyan, Planning Manager expressed his gratitude to the Planning Commission.
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Mercado adjourned the meeting at 9:26 p.m.
___________________________
LINDSAY LARA, City Clerk
APPROVED THIS _____DAY OF____________, 2020
_____________________________________
ALDO MERCADO, Chair