The first in-person Planning Commission meeting in two years was short and sweet. The video of the meeting was 5 minutes 10 seconds long. The commission unanimously approved two applications for permits for residential remodels. One application returned to the commission because a public hearing notice had not been published.
That night, the commission on approved a request for a conditional use permit to remodel and expand a living room, and add a new front porch to a 14th Street home.
The project had been approved at a previous meeting, but the application had to return to the commission because the city didn’t publish advance notice of the previous public hearing. (The lack of public notice also effected a proposed CUP for a commercial business on Main Street, which is schedule to return to the Planning Commission on May 2.)
Planners also unanimously approved a minor use permit to remodel the interior of a home and add some additional space to a 13th Street home at the Monday, April 18 Planning Commission meeting. No one opposed the project. District Three Commissioner Patty Campbell described the proposed remodel as “lovely.”
After the permits were approved, District Three Commissioner Michael Thomas asked if anything related to California Senate Bill 9 had come before the commission.
SB requires developments of one or two housing units to be approved administratively, without hearings, subject to conditions spelled out in the new law, according to the California Legislative Information website.
Community Development Director Alexa Smittle said nothing had come before the commission yet.
“We will be moving forward with some type of action for SB 9,” she said. “At the moment, the Housing Element remains our priority.”
District Four Commission Patty Campbell said she had asked for a print out of the Main Street Specific Plan to give to the commissioners.
“It was done to protect Main Street and it outlines what could and could not go there,” Campbell said.
She advised the other commissioners to read the document.
“That issue relates to an upcoming public hearing,” said Senior Assistant City Attorney Amy Greyson. “And that is not on tonight’s agenda, so I would strongly discourage you from having any discussion at all about this issue.”
