CITY OF DESERT HOT SPRINGS

REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION

ACTION MINUTES MARCH 13, 2018

6:00 PM

CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS CARL MAY COMMUNITY CENTER

11711 West Drive, Desert Hot Springs, California

CALL TO ORDER

Vice Chair Del la Torre called the Planning Commission to order at 6:02 P.M.

ROLL CALL

Commissioners:                Present: Gary Gardner Larry Buchanan

Chair:                                  Jan Pye

Vice Chair:                         Scott De la Torre

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Commissioner Gardner lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

SELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR

Action: Commissioner Buchannan nominated Commissioner Jan Pye for the position of Chair, seconded by De la Torre, motion carried 4/0 by the following vote:

Vote: AYES: 4 - De la Torre, Buchanan, Gardner, Pye

Passed NOES: 0 - (None)

Action: De la Torre nominated himself for the position of Vice Chair, seconded by Buchanan, motion carried 4/0 by the following vote:

Vote: AYES: 4 - De la Torre, Buchanan, Gardner, Pye

Passed NOES: 0 - (None)

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Action: Buchanan moved to approve the agenda, motion seconded by De la Torre, motion carried 3/0 by the following vote:

Vote: AYES: 3 - De la Torre, Buchanan, Gardner

Passed NOES: 0 - (None) RECUSED: 1 - Pye

MINUTES

Planning Commission Special Meeting Minutes, September 25, 2017

Planning Administrative Assistant, Patricia Meza

Recommendation: Approve as submitted; or corrected.

Action: Buchanan moved to approve the minutes, motion seconded by De la Torre, motion carried 3/0 by the following vote:

Vote: AYES: 3 - De la Torre, Buchanan, Gardner

Passed NOES: 0 - (None) RECUSED: 1 - Pye

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Chair Pye opened the Public Comments.

Jason Elsasser extended an invitation to the Coachella Valley Cannabis Alliance Network (CVCAN) monthly membership dinner.

Chair Pye closed the Public Comments.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

1. Amendment to Conditional Use Permit (CUP 14-16) to relocate the site entrance from Hacienda to Little Morongo Road on a 9.75 -acre site located on the southeast corner of Little Morongo Road and Hacienda Ave. APN: 663- 270-001. Applicant: Green Horizons Inc. (Medmen).

Community Development Director, Daniel Porras

Recommendation: 1) Staff Report;

2) Entertain Questions of Staff from Planning Commission;

3) Open the Public Hearing;

4) Take Testimony from Applicant;

5) Take Public Testimony;

6) Opportunity for Applicant Rebuttal;

7) Close the Public Hearing;

8) Planning Commission discussion and questions to Staff; and

9) A recommendation from staff for approval of the Amendment to Conditional Use Permit (CUP 14-16) for the relocation of the site entrance from Hacienda Avenue to Little Morongo Road for the project located on the southeast corner of Morongo Road and Hacienda Avenue in the I-L

(Light Industrial) District. APN: 663-270-001.

Fernando Herrera, Assistant Planner, presented the staff report and responded to questions.

Action: Gardner moved to approve staff recommendation, motion seconded by Buchanan, motion carried 4/0 by the following vote:

Vote: AYES: 4 - De la Torre, Buchanan, Pye, Gardner

Passed NOES: 0 - (None)

2. Amendment to Conditional Use Permit No. 10-16 to increase the size from 62,994 SF to 70,118 SF, and rotating the building of the originally approved Cultivation Facility, the project is located on a 2.31-acre site approximately

350 feet east of Little Morongo Road and 1,000 feet north of Two Bunch Palms Trail in the Light Industrial (I-L) Zone. APN: 663-280-002.

Daniel Porras, Community Development Director

Recommendation: 1) Staff Report;

2) Entertain Questions of Staff from Planning Commission;

3) Open the Public Hearing;

4) Take Testimony from Applicant;

5) Take Public Testimony;

6) Opportunity for Applicant Rebuttal;

7) Close the Public Hearing;

8) Planning Commission discussion and questions to Staff; and

9) Consider a motion that the Planning Commission approve an amendment to Conditional Use Permit No. 10-16 to increase the size and rotate the previously approved structure, in addition to other changes. APN 663-280-002

Benjamin Torres, Associate Planner, presented the staff report and responded to questions.

Chair Pye opened the Public Hearing.

Mike Rowe, MSA Consulting representing the Applicant, addressed the Commission and requested the removal of Conditions of Approval No. 1 (setback requirements) and No. 80 (South Access Road)

A discussion ensued regarding the removal of Condition No. 1 and Condition No. 80.

Daniel Porras, Community Development Director, and Jennifer Mizrahi, City Attorney, responded to questions.

Mike Rowe, representing the Applicant, responded to questions and clarified his intentions regarding the request to remove Condition No. 1 and Condition No. 80.

Chair Pye closed the Public Hearing.

Mike Rowe, representing the Applicant, provided a rebuttal. A discussion ensued.

Action: Gardner moved to approve staff recommendation with the removal of Condition of Approval No. 1 and keeping Condition No. 80, motion seconded by Buchanan, motion carried 3/0 by the following vote:

Vote: AYES: 3 - Buchanan, Pye, Gardner

Passed NOES: 0 - (None) ABSTAIN: 1 - De la Torre

3. The Importance of Landscaping

Community Development Director, Daniel Porras

Recommendation: 1) Staff Report;

2) Planning Commission discussion and questions to Staff Fernando Herrera, Assistant Planner, presented “The Importance of Landscaping.”

CHAIR AND PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBER REPORTS

There were no reports.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR REPORT

There were no reports.

ADJOURN REGULAR MEETING

Chair Pye adjourned the meeting at 7:25 P.M.

Ana Morales, Recording Secretary