 Good morning. I'm Sherry Meads and I am the Zoning Administrator today for the City of Santa Rosa and I'd like to call to order the September 7th Zoning Administrator. It is 10 30 a.m. The first item on the agenda today is approval of minutes from the August 3rd and August 17th Zoning Administrator meetings However, since I wasn't the Zoning Administrator on either of those two days I'm going to go ahead and continue those to a date certain of October 5th 2023 Next on our agenda is public comment on non agenda matters This is a time where anyone in the public either here in person or on zoom Is able to address matters that are not on this agenda But that are within the subject matter area of the Zoning Administrator If you're attending in person and wish to make a comment, please raise your hand if If you wish to make a comment via zoom, please raise your hand You may find the raise your hand button at the bottom of the screen If you're dialing in via telephone, please dial star 9 to raise your hand and star 6 to unmute once called upon Zoning Administrator, there are no raised hands. Okay. Let's go ahead and close public comment Next we'll move on to zoning administrator business And one of the things that is part of the zoning administrator business is to read the statement of purpose So I'm going to do just that The zoning administrator is appointed by the planning and economic development director and has the responsibility and authority to conduct public meetings and hearings And to act on applications for minor or reduced review authority projects or entitlements Sometimes called land use permits A determination or decision by the zoning administrator may be appealed to the design review board cultural heritage board planning commission or zoning council or city council as applicable All taken all actions taken by the zoning administrator may be appealed within 10 calendar days If the final day of the appeal period falls on a non-business day, the appeal period will be extended to the next business day So next on our agenda are zoning administrator reports and consent items We don't have either. We don't have any zoning administrator reports or consent items today So we're going to move right to our scheduled items And our first scheduled item is item 6.1 a conditional use permit for the continuation of a non-conforming use Located at 1365 Cowell road City file number is c up 23 dash zero zero six And my colleague senior planner connor mckay will be presenting this item Thank you connor. Thank you zoning administrator Meads, thank you everybody for being here this morning for this item So as zoning administrator meads mentioned, this is a minor conditional use permit application that would Legalize the continuation of a non conformist non conforming artisan craft product manufacturing use located at 1365 Cowell road So the let me bring up my screen here And i'm just going to show an aerial that shows the project site It's right here outlined in blue So this project site The structure located at the site was constructed in 1937 when the city of santa rosa looked very differently, especially in this area This area primarily consisted of rural farmland and very low density residential development um, but fast forward to 2023 the project site has been re-zoned and the surrounding area has been developed with single family residential at a slightly higher density and the zoning code section for legal non conforming uses allows a Use that was at one point legal But when the rules changed you can continue that use or change it as long as the intensity of the use Does not increase so in 1988 There was a use permit issued for the storage of antique automobiles at the site and As you can see in the historical aerial this was actually From my opinion a more intense use because as you can see in Let's see this is 2007 This is 2001 the site was just absolutely packed with these cars um And now in 2020. This is a 2022 aerial. There is some debris in the rear yard, but that has since been cleaned up Um, and there are some storage can containers that are also conditioned to be removed To have a plan to be removed within 30 days of any approval of this application um, and based on all of the available historical documentation, which has been included in the item packet as attachment to the Any any legal use of this property has been maintained in continuous operation since that original approval date of 1988 which means that the legal non-conforming status was never terminated and a similar or lesser intense use can be operated Can be applied for with the approval of a minor conditional use permit, which is why we're here this morning The project would mainly consist of sewing Um, kind of hand manufacturing of products. There wouldn't be any metal manipulation, no welding, no scraping or grinding um, we did we did receive a um public comment When the notice went out that expressed concern that there would be a lot of noises resulting from that metal Uh, manufacturing activity and I have since clarified with the applicant that that is not in the scope of this project and the overall Vibe of the operation would be similar to a single family residential use Which is consistent with the surrounding development as it exists today In terms of the californian environmental quality act This project is categorically exempt from the california environmental quality act or sequa pursuant to guideline section 15303 and that the proposed use would operate in the same structure as the previous warehousing unit warehousing Use which is less than 10,000 square feet at a similar or lesser intensity The proposed use does not involve the use of significant amounts of hazardous substances in all necessary public services and facilities are available Including water sewer and emergency services Um, no new construction is proposed and the site has no known habitat Um And I believe with that that is my presentation the applicant and his representative are here for any questions about the Proposed use and I'm available to answer any questions about zoning code or the legal non-performing status or any other Zoning code questions of that nature Okay, great. So I'm gonna go ahead and ask if the applicants not sure which ones you are For this project have any comments or anything you want to add absolutely not necessary Perfect. So then I'll go ahead and open public comment before I add any Questions or comments that I have is the zoning administrator. So let's open public comment for this, please If you're attending in person and wish to make a comment, please raise your hand If you wish to make a comment via zoom, please raise your hand You may find the raise your hand button at the bottom of the screen I do not see any hands raised great. I'll go ahead and close public comment for this item I do want to have a question Related I do have a question related to the comment that the the you receive public Correspondence related to potential noise and you've clarified with the applicant that there will not be anything like that Is there a condition of approval? Maybe to Address this or So this project is based on the project description that we've received that has been included with the Application and that project description does not include metal Working of any kind so if this approval was made today, it would be based on that description Which does not include that outstanding then I have no other questions or concerns. Um, and I appreciate that you will get the shipping containers out within 30 days. That was An important note. Um, so yeah this this item is I I really appreciate that you're doing that great work at that site So I will let anyone know that this action of approval is final unless an appeal is filed with the city clerk's office Within 10 calendar days of today's decision pursuant to zoning code section 20 dash 62.03 So let's go ahead and move on to our next item. Our next item is 6.2 A residential fence minor conditional use permit for 1451 Fulton road city file number is c up 23 dash 024 and our city planner norby's law is presenting this item Oh, you're doing just fine That's okay. Take your time. Let's go ahead and get your presentation up and we'll We'll hear it when you're ready. We need to use that one. That's okay You just scroll through it and we see all the commands, but that's okay The main part of the presentation is still visible. Just flip through the pages if you need to There we go. There we go Okay, good morning zoning administrator meets. Um, my name is norbisla and the project before you is the del seco fence at 1451 Fulton road The proposal is for a six foot privacy fence slash sound wall In order to provide privacy and sound In order to provide privacy and sound insulation from Fulton road vehicular and pedestrian pedestrian traffic It will be made of precast concrete blocks And it is proposed to be 10 feet from the back edge of the sidewalk, which is in the front setback And this is a minor conditional use permit request for a Additional fence height in the setback Here you can see an aerial view of the site and the um, the vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic that is cited is due to The Fulton road improvements that went in. I'm not sure if this picture reflects them currently No, this is the this is an older picture, but there were improvements and Now that the grade is higher compared to the property Here is a neighborhood context map so you can see the location of the site The general plan land use designation for the site is very low density residential And the zoning is rr20, which is low density residential Or rural residential Here is the proposed site plan As you can see below the fence is proposed 10 feet behind the back edge of the sidewalk and landscaping is proposed as well in front of it to screen it Which will be italian buckthorn hedge um The fence is entirely out of the driveway vision triangle here, so it will not cause any obstruction to traffic And I would also like to point out that the There is a public utility easement, which I believe goes up until Six or seven feet from the back of the sidewalk So the fence is not proposed to be in there, but the landscaping potentially will be but the applicant has acknowledged and accepted the idea that The landscaping may need to come out should the easement need to be accessed There are some other examples of nearby Uh residential properties that have done something similar as you can see here There is no landscaping screening the fence, but the idea here is similar to Give privacy and a sound break from from the busy road Staff is able to make all of the required findings for a minor conditional use permit um As you can see in the picture before there are similar Uses similar fences and sound walls in the area and it is not in the driveway vision triangle So therefore it will not be injurious to um the public And staff is also able to make the additional required findings for additional fence height As the height of the fence is necessary for the level of privacy and Sound insulation that is needed at the site The project is categorically exempt from the california Environmental quality act as it is the construction of an accessory structure There are no unresolved issues as a result of staff review However, uh, we did receive an email from a neighbor that suggested using California native plants that are drought tolerant instead of italian popcorn Therefore it is recommended by the planning and economic development department that the zoning administrator approve a minor conditional use permit To allow a six foot privacy wall at 1451 full tin road For any questions or comments, this is my contact information And that concludes my presentation. Thank you. Great. Thank you, anor Bista Um Does the applicant have any? Okay, perfect. So then we'll go ahead before I have um, I do have a couple of questions But before we get to that, let's go ahead and open um this item up for public comment and Our wonderful recording secretary will tell you how to do that if you are so inclined If you wish to make a public comment via zoom, please raise your hand. You may find the raise your hand button at the bottom of the screen Zoning administrator means we have no hands raised. Okay. We're gonna close public comment for this item And these are these questions. Um, actually just came to me So the site that you showed as an example of what would be similar. Is that also six feet tall? I am not Sure of the height of that one because it is actually under county jurisdiction. Oh gotcha. Um So I I'm not sure what permitting or whatever was done, but um Yeah, I that was my other question is whether it was permitted or not Does the applicant have any idea if it's about the same height? It is They're two by two by four concrete Um blocks. I figured there were some, you know, there was kind of a standard size Because that it made it appear less overwhelming I mean, it's easy in my mind to picture six feet of concrete and walking next to that feeling a little bit claustrophobic, um but that Picture made it seem a little less. So, um, I do agree with the public comment about trying to use A california native low water use plants So I would just like to add a condition to consider it um If it's not cost feasible or Whatever you absolutely can continue with your plan. This is not a shell It's just to continue. Um, I did read the letter and and one of them the second one especially is also very fast growing So I understand The choice that you made part of the reason you picked that um species is it grows quickly and I don't blame you And we would appreciate that. Um, so anyways, just investigate it if it works to use All the better for you as well. Um But it it will just be a consider Um, and otherwise I I have no problems approving this project I do have to say again Please note that this action is final Unless an appeal is filed with the city clerk's office within 10 calendar days of today's decision Pursuant to zoning code section 20-62030 Um, our last item is item 6.3 a landmark alteration permit for exterior modifications at 642 oak street The city file number is lma 23-002 and the project planner is again norby's Um, I would like to state that this item is being continued To a date yet uncertain. Okay, great. So we will go ahead and um publicly Continue item 6.3 uh, to a date uncertain And you can look forward to that one. Um, as you follow, uh, zoning Administrator agenda as it will be on there as soon as possible And that concludes all zoning administrator business for today. So the september 7th 2023 meeting of the zoning administrator is now adjourned. Thank you so much