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05-17-1962 - Regular Meeting - MinutesMINUTES OF ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING CITY COUNCIL OF THE.CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA May 17, 1962 . The meeting was called to order by Mayor Barnes at 9:45 P.M. in the West Covina City Hall. ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Barnes, Councilmen Jett, Towner, Heath, Snyder Others Present: Mr. George Aiassa, City Manager Mrs. Lela Preston, Deputy City Clerk Mr. Thomas Dosh, Public Services Director Mr. Harold Joseph, Planning Director INDUSTRIAL PARK ORDINANCE Mr. Aiassa: We have the ordinance to introduce and that is the Industrial Park Ordinance. This is only an intro- duction. Mr. Joseph: You had passed out to you the unre- vised copy. I have the notes of the revisions made by the Planning Commission. Mr. Williams indicated that as long as I bring up to the • Council tonight what the Commission changes were, the changes could be read in the Minutes and he would word it prop e xly when he wrote the ordinance later. Mr. Aiassa: I think we ought to introduce the ordinance and then introduce the recommendations of the Planning Commission. ORDINANCE INTRODUCTION: The Deputy City Clerk presented: "AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA ADDING. TO THE ZONING CHAPTER OF THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE CERTAIN PRO- VISIONS CREATING AN INDUSTRIAL PARR ZONE" 9214A Mr. Joseph: Under 11a)1' change "abutting" to "neighboring". Under "b)" the Commission wants a provision in there specifically deleting public retail sale. They do not want a store -type use. Under "c)" instead of "Administrative, research, • professional or sales offices" it should read "Administrative, re- search or professional offices". 9214A:.1 Mr. Joseph: Under point 1, "b)" where they talk about permitted signs, insert in. there something to the effect this includes all signs that are meant to be seen from outside of the building. In other words, the Commission was concerned about people who would put signs on big glass windows that would face out specifically to attract outside attention. -1- Adj. C. Co 5-17-62 Page Two INDUSTRIAL PARK ORDINANCE - Continued 9214Ao (Subde c) Councilman Heath: I don't agree with '•c)", -the • administrative sales. You have companies where they have nothing out here but a sales office. This sales office is definitely in here. Councilman Snyder: Their intent is to exclude retail stores. Councilman Heath: A sales office is not a retail store, it is an office. Councilman Jett: It is where salesmen come in for sales meetings and briefings, Mr, Joseph: You would have the administrative offices which would handle all the business and would be covered by the revised text. Councilman Heath: I would like to see how you can stretch your thinking to think that an office where salesmen and sales managers and so forth meet is administration. • Mr. Aiassa,: They are not putting in merchandise on a retail basis; all they want to do is exclude retail sale. Councilman Jett: They have done that above, Councilman Heath: You are taking out more than retail stores. Put another wording in there, not retail sales, or something to that effect. Sales offices are essential in this area, Mayor Barnes: I think you have deleted this type of thing in "b) 11. Councilman Snyder: I think to leave in "or sales offices" related to a permitted use restrains retail sales. I think we ought to leave "or sales" in; is that agreed? Mayor Barnes: I think so, Councilman Towner: I think the kind of sales we are trying to prohibit is the department - store type where they bring in items • for sale. Councilman Towner: It, -says "related to a permitted use Mr, Aiassa: I think you are limiting what they can retail or wholesale as to what they produce. Mayor Barnes: I think it has been settled that we do want that left as is. -2- Adj. C. C. 5-17-62 Page Three INDUSTRIAL PARK ORDINANCE - Continued Councilman Heath: I would like two commas to be added, to set off "for any purpose". It would read: ". . . nor shall any • building or land be used, for any purpose, except as hereinafter speci- fically provided . . instead of . . nor shall any building or. land be used for any purpose except as hereinafter specifically pro- vided . . . 11. • • Mr. Joseph:. This heading is the same one that you have on every single code sec- tion you now have; I.11 put it in if you like. 9214A.1 Councilman Towner: Couldn't we say "Detached sign will not be permitted except as provided in an approved precise plan,"? Mr, Joseph: (Referring to 9214A.19 Subdivision c) This was inserted so we would.get - tilt -up construction or masonry block construction minimum, Commissioner Fast indicated that this mayor may not be the case and I am going to double-check this with Bill Fowler before this is put in to ifiake sure we have the proper type:. building which would require either tilt-up'or masonry or better, The Commission doesn't want any provision in here which would permit the construction of tin'buil,dings or stucco buildings. Under 9214A,1 you will have a sub- division "d)" which will be worded to this effect: "Power poles are permitted on property line but for the rest of,the property utilities are to go underground." on the height from any R-1 or R-A. Councilman Snyder: The Commission wants to insert the 100-foot set back provision I have never agreed with this, Councilman Towner: In an industrial park you have a different problem; perhaps where your industrial building might be two stories in height because of what is inside of but there may be no windows out of which people look in yards, Mr, Joseph: Chairman Renwick indicated specifi- cally that many times industrial uses may have windows on the second floor where offices may be located, Councilman Snyder: Councilman Heath: Mayor Barnes: You already have a 40-foot setback, It can always be varied, but if you keep it at 100 feet then you are safe. 9214A,3 Why do we ask that there be a set- back of 60 feet? I can see maybe 40 feet, but not 60. -3- • Adj. Ca C. 5-17-62 INDUSTRIAL PARK ORDINANCE - Continued Councilman Jett: Councilman Towner: Mr, Joseph: Councilman Jett: Councilman Towner: Mayor Barnes: Councilman Snyder: Councilman Heath: • Mayor Barnes: Councilman Heath: Page Four This was the only reason I could go along with this,' parking may be permitted in the required yard, the setback. I think we should put in the 100 feet because it is the- preserit policy and then if we are going to change it we can change all ordinances that have it. At the present time no C or M prop- erty has this provision, Why should we put it in this? Because the C doesn't normally abut residential whereas in an industrial* park it could be next to residential. Would you be willing to leave this is and let the City Council discuss it later? It isn't in yet. I think it should be in. I think the concensus is that we leave it in at the present time. I am not in favor of this 60-foot yard, Mr, Joseph: They can use it for parking. In reviewing this with the Commission we indicated to them that one of the things that could have been added was a maximum land coverage ratio. The reason it was not put on.was to cater to a proposed de- velopment where they may want to go two stories for off-street parking. If you are going to permit buildings to occupy a good portion of the property, you ought to support the setback. The reason for the 60, 40, 40 was to get a feeling of open space. Councilman Snyder: There is nothing pretty about par- king in front anyway. Mayor Barnes: It sometimes looks better if all the parking is in the rear, Mr, Joseph: The Planning Commission has the ability to negotiate with developers on the Precise Plan of the property. . The idea is to keep the front free and clear. This figure is a con - census figured When we were drafting the general plan report we made a survey of many other extsting industrial park ordinances and got a concensus figure of the 60, 40, 40 which we wrote into the general plan. report as a standard. A proposed developer, was shown this report sec- tion and said that he could live with it. He had no objections; he was planning to set back that far anyway. The Parking provision was added later after I talked with Mr. Williams. The 60-foot setback we originally wrote was to stand alone because of the type of use that would fit in with a residential area'and the size of structure that would be permitted and the amount of traffic that would be generated, -4- .- C1 • Adj. Co C. 5-17-62 INDUSTRIAL PARK ORDINANCE - Continued Page Five Councilman Heath: If you put a minimum of 25 feet and if he wants parking in front he can go back to 60 feet if he wants to. Mayor Barnes: Councilman Heath: Councilman Jett: Councilman Towner: Councilman Jett: Mayor Barnes: Councilman Towner: Councilman Jett: Councilman Heath: The landscaping would be much better ' than parking in front of the building. I would say instead of the 60 feet I would'like to see something like 25 or 30. I think 25 is plenty. What about 30 feet? All rights What is the concensus on the side yards? Leave it the way it is. They can use it for alleys, parking and truck traffic. I would elimin- ate the 40 feet side yards and cut the front to 30 feet. We need something on the side yard, Councilman Snyder: I would go for the side yard; how- ever, I think this probably could be handled by a variance if you have two setting next to each'other. I don't think you would require that if there were two side by side, Councilman Heath: Mayor Barnes: Councilman Heath: Councilman Snyder: Councilman Heath: Councilman Towner: Councilman Jett: Mayor Barnes: Councilman Snyder: I would like to see the side yards cut to 25 feet. Make it 30 feet because you have a loading dock and a driveway that you would need. I°m talking about the side of the building where there is nothing but grass. I'll say 30. Yes, I'll go along with 30. Yes. I don®t think it is reasonable. I would go for 30 because I think they could ask for a variance to set closer. I think we should make a study with the possibility of a change, -5- Adj. Ca Co 5-17-62 Page Six INDUSTRIAL PARK ORDINANCE - Continued Councilman Towner: Councilman Snyder: Councilman Heath: Councilman Towner: Mr, Aiassa: Councilman Snyder: Mr. Joseph: Councilman Snyder: Councilman Heath: Mr. Joseph: I think we ought to got some of -the theory'of industrial park into our heads. To me, it means clean type industry and better than a factory type building. My interpretation would be a dif= ference from manufacturing in that there would be landscaping used to impxove the appearance and a clean type of manufacturing. Could some of the experts around here send us some brief material- on'the policy of an industrial park? What about the restriction on the rear of the lot? Suppose it fronts on a street? It is then considered to be a through lot, I think it should be 30 all the way around. Good enougho. 9214Ao8 On this one would you please scratch the "No" and capitalize the "R"? That is a typographical error. In- stead of "No refuse" is should read "Refuse'•, 9214Ao9 Mr. Joseph: On landscaping the Planning Commis- sion wanted a provision in here fol- lowing the last sentence and it would read something to this effect: "Provided, however, that there shall be a minimum of 12 feet of landscaping between property line along any street frontage and any structure, meaning that from the street frontage to the point of the first structure the minimum of 12 feet of landscaping would apply," Mayor Barnes: That's fine, as far as I am con- cerned, • Mr. Joseph: They had one other point on land- scaping in your parking area, Mr. Bartlett brought this up that in' Los Angeles a minimum of two percent of your parking area is devoted to internal spot landscaping, Councilman Snyder: That I will go for. I think we should have that on all our par- king lots, -6 - Adj. Co Co 5-17-62 Page Seven INDUSTRIAL PARK ORDINANCE - Continued 9219.14 Mr, Joseph: On off-street parking-, they changed • it as follows: Instead' of shall be 1 per employee, or l per 300 sq. ft. of gross floor area-o it will read "o 0 o shall be 11 per employee, or 1 per 275 s.qo fta of gross floor area , ,". They arrived at this fugure because Commissioner Fast's firm did a survey when they put in Space.General and found they needed 1.33 par- king spaces per employee, taking into account all the visitors and executives, Mr, Aiassa: You have a chance to go through this real thoroughly and analyze it; either re -amend it or you'can adopt it at its final reading,. Motion by Councilman Heath, seconded by Councilman Snyder, and carried, to waive further reading of the body of said ordinance.. Motion by Councilman Snyder, seconded by Councilman Heath, and carried, that saidiordinance be introduced, MISCELLANEOUS Councilman Snyder: As you know, we have had some dis- cussion with the large plant which is considering coming to West Covina and they have sent the Planning Department a letter asking if the City would be interested in participating in certain off-street improvements to help them come into town and you all have the figures that Mr. Dosh prepared on the off -side improvements that will be needed. They have not come up with any official figures or submitted a precise plan yet' on the size of their plant or gone into any detail on their operations except unofficially. My recommendation would be that we state that'we might be interested in off -side impoovements, however, we would like more information on the size of their operation and the type'of building they plan to build. I think we should let them know this much and have them indicate the extent of participation they are interested in from US. I need some indication from the Council. Motion by Councilman Heath, seconded by Councilman Towner, and carried, that Dr. Snyder as a Council representative in his discussion with this industry, which is proposing to locate within our City, be author- ized to notify this company that the City Council is in the frame of mind of participation in improvements and further instruct Dr. Snyder to anticipate what, improvements and to'what extent this company would expect the City to participate and further he should endeavor to deter- mine the size and nature of the development contemplated, Mr. Aiassa: You have all received cop ies of the letters from Mr. Bonelli and Mr, • Templin and I would like them spread in the Minutes. The letter from Mr. Bonelli was dated May 16, 1962 and directed to Mr, Bonelli. The first will be from Mr. Templin; the sec- ond from Mr, Bonelli, "Dear Mr, Bonelli: ORANGE AVENUE AND LARK ELLEN AVENUE -7- Adj. Co Co 5-17-62 Page Eight MISCELLANEOUS - Continued Mr, Templin's Letter - Continued "Reference is made to your letter of April 16,1.1962;;. regarding a request by Mr. George Aiassa, City Manager of West Covina, for County assistance in impro- ving Orange Avenue and Lark Ellen Avenue, within the City. "Both Orange Avenue and Lark Ellen Avenue are County Master Plan Highways; their improve- ment is of general County interest, Funds to assist the City in these street.improvements were included in the Road Depart- ment's 1962-63 Preliminary Budget, which was approved by the Board of Supervisors on May 1, 19620" "Dear City Manager Aiassa: "Attached is a letter from Mr, No Ho Templin, Road Commissioner of the County of Los Angeles, in response to your letter of April 3 and my inquiry of April 16 made in your behalf with regard to Orange Avenue and Lark Ellen Avenue. Mr, Vemplin"s letter is self-explanatory and it would appear that these projects will move along in an orderly fashion as a part of the 1962-63 County Road program. "Trusting this meets with your satisfaction and complies with your request and desire. • "With kindest personal regards." Councilman Towner: testimony that the area out there sttuction and it was developed at State Water Resource Director, is Councilman Snyder: This Assembly Legislative Committee met in San Bernardino on the water situation and developed a lot of is in favor of the east branch con - the hearing that Harvey Banks, the in favor of this. Was this talk about a tunnel directly through the mountains? Councilman Towner: Ed Taylor said that there is a possibility of this area coordin- ating with some of the water asso- ciations out there to get a larger group together to put the tunnel through and he also recommended the San Gabriel Water Association be- cause the Upper Association had not yet indicated whether they were going with Metropolitan or not. Mayor Barnes: To tunnel through and bring the water in here, I think San Bernar- dino would be interested in this and I have a very good reason why they would. I believe that it takes five different pumps from'the rock springs to San Bernardino to lift this water over that particular area and this is very expensive. I feel that if we brought it through a tunnel it would be much cheaper for the San Bernardino area to bring it in conjunction with us and take the water on out from this point easterly through a line than to bring it over the top of the mountains. Councilman Snyder: Somebody said it would be cheaper to build a tunnel than to pay the back taxes of the M.W.D. and pump charges. -8- • • • Adj. C. Co 5-17-62 MISCELLANEOUS - Continued Page Nine Mayor Barnes: I think this is the reason we should all be at the meeting on May 23rd, at Alhambra City Hallo Mr, Aiassa: The Planning Commission Chairman has set up a meeting with Neptune and Thomas for the 23rd and would like to have as many Councilmen there as possible. Mayor Barnes: Would yo# like to have an authoriza— tion that any time spent by Neptune and Thomas they will be paid $20.00 an hour? Motion by Councilman Jett, seconded by Councilman Towner, that we pay Neptune and Thomas on an hourly basis of $20.00 per hour for their time, in preparing the ground rules for the civic center area not to exceed $500.00. Motion passed on roll call as follows: Ayes: Councilmen Jett, Towner, Heath, Snyder, Mayor Barnes Noes: Nome Absent: None There being no further business, Motion by Councilman Towner, seconded by Councilmaln Heath, and carried, that this meeting be adjourned to next Monday evening at 7:30 P;M. ATTEST: City Clerk APPROVED Mayor