2/9/2000MINUTES OF
AN ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING
THE,
CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF ROLLING HILLS, CALIFORNIA
FEBRUARY 9, 2000
CALL TO ORDER
An adjourned regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Rolling Hills was called to
order by Mayor Pro Tem Godfrey Pernell at 4:05 p.m. at 16 Eastfield Drive, Rolling Hills,
California.
ROLL CALL
Councilmembers Present: Hill, Lay, Murdock and Mayor Pro Tem Pernell.
Councilmembers Absent: Mayor Heinsheimer (excused).
Others Present: Craig R. Nealis, City Manager.
Lola Ungar, Planning Director.
Criss Gunderson, Architect.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Gregorio, Applicant
PUBLIC HEARINGS - Continued
ZONING CASE NO. 599: AN APPEAL OF THE FOLLOWING PLANNING
COMMISSION APPROVED REQUESTS: (1) VARIANCE TO EXCEED THE MAXIMUM
STRUCTURAL LOT COVERAGE, (2) VARIANCE TO EXCEED THE MAXIMUM TOTAL
LOT COVERAGE, (3) VARIANCE TO EXCEED THE MAXIMUM DISTURBED AREA, (4)
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO PERMIT THE CONSTRUCTION OF A PROPOSED
GUEST HOUSE, (5) CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO PERMIT THE CONSTRUCTION
OF A PROPOSED TENNIS COURT, AND (6) SITE PLAN REVIEW FOR THE GUEST
HOUSE, RETAINING WALL, TENNIS COURT AND GRADING AT AN EXISTING
SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE. MR. AND MRS. JOSEPH GREGORIO, 16 EASTFIELD
DRIVE (LOT 68 -B -EF).
Planning Director Lola Ungar presented a staff report describing the application.
Councilmembers reviewed the staking for the perimeter of the court, height of the court
fence, elevation of the playing surface and location and dimensions of the guest house.
Discussion ensued regarding the application. Mayor Pro Tem Pernell indicated that he has not
seen a compelling reason to support the variances requested in this case. Criss Gunderson
expressed concern and indicated that the project only slightly exceeds the authorized
percentages for lot coverage calculations and maximum disturbed area on a lot. He felt that
the numbers were arbitrary and indicated that the Planning Commission had encouraged the
modification of the application to include a full size tennis court after the Commission had
reviewed the property in the field when the applicant was requesting a smaller sports court.
Concerns were also expressed by Mr. Gregorio over what he felt was a false sense of approval
expressed by the Planning Commission and indicated that the Commission supported and
encouraged the amending of his application to include a full size tennis court.
Councilmember Allen Lay indicated that he has never in his memory considered a case that
has exceeded structural lot, total lot and maximum disturbed area requirements. He did not at
this point see any compelling reasons to support the variances. Councilmember Jody
Murdock also indicated that she did not see any compelling reasons to support the variances.
Mayor Pro Tem apologized if the applicants felt that the Planning Commission had misled
them in the process that and if that were true, the City Council would address this with the
Planning Commission at a yet to be scheduled upcoming joint meeting. He also indicated that
he would be willing to support a potential refund of the applicants' fees for the variances if it is
determined that the Planning Commission did not communicate appropriately.
It was suggested by Councilmember Lay that the applicant consider potential modifications to
the application to either reduce the court in size or to perhaps address other hardscape issues
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City Council Meeting
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on the property in order to address the lot coverage issues and bring them into conformance
with the Municipal Code.
City Manager Nealis provided comments on the lot percentage coverage requirements in the
Municipal Code. He indicated that the lot coverage standards were adopted by the City
Council in the Zoning Code and that the Zoning Code is amended from time -to -time, through
the public hearing process with input from the public, Planning Commission and legal counsel
and that lot coverage standards resulting from that process are not arbitrary.
OPEN AGENDA - PUBLIC COMMENT WELCOME
None.
MATTERS FROM MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
None.
MATTERS FROM STAFF
None.
ADJOURNMENT
Hearing no further business before the City Council, Mayor Pro Tem Pernell adjourned the
meeting at 4:45 p.m. to the next regularly meeting of the City Council to be held on Monday,
February 14, 2000 beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 2
Portuguese Bend Road, Rolling Hills, California.
Respectfully submitted,
Craig R. Nealis
City Manager
Approved.
GogVrey Pernell
Mayor Pro Tem
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