OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Huntington Beach Planning Commission Regular Meeting - September 22, 2020

Planning Commission — Tuesday, September 22, 2020
BodyHuntington Beach, California
SessionPlanning Commission
DateTuesday, September 22, 2020
StatusFILED
Video Record
Meeting Thumbnail
⇩ GET FROM SOURCE

STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE

Transcript — Verbatim
0:03

If you listen to the wind, you can still employ the planning commission meeting to order.

0:19

Welcome to the September 22nd, 2020 Huntington Beach Planning Commission meeting.

0:26

On March 4th, 2020, Governor Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in California as a result of the threat of COVID-19.

0:35

On March 17th, 2020, Governor Newsom issued executive order N2920, which allows a local legislative body to hold public meetings via teleconferencing and to make public meetings accessible telephonically or otherwise electronically to all members of the public seeking to observe and to address the local legislative body.

0:59

Pursuant to the executive order, please be advised that some members of the planning commission and city staff are participating in this meeting telephonically or electronically.

1:11

While the city cannot provide an in-person location for the meeting at this time, property owners, residents, and any interested parties can view the meeting live on HBTV Channel 3 or via live stream on the city's website.

1:26

Interested parties also had the opportunity to submit comments on any items prior to the meeting.

1:33

Staff will identify any public comments received at the appropriate time on the agenda.

1:39

While the planning commission welcomes public involvement and free speech, it rejects comments from anyone that are discriminatory, defamatory, or otherwise not protected speech.

1:51

Those comments will not inform nor be considered by the planning commission and maybe cause for the chair to interrupt the speaker.

1:58

Such comments will not be consented to or otherwise adopted by the planning commission in its discussions and findings for any matter tonight.

2:07

Thank you.

2:36

Thank you.

2:37

May we have roll call, please.

2:40

Yes, thank you.

2:41

Um before I call roll, I would just like to make an announcement that uh former chair Michael Grant recently resigned from the planning commission.

2:48

According to the bylaws, um former vice chair Ray automatically fills the chair seat for the remainder of the term.

2:57

September 8th City Council meeting.

2:59

City Council Member Brendan appointed Bill Crow to the Planning Commission for the remainder of his term.

3:05

So we welcome Bill Crow to the meeting this evening.

3:07

And with that, we'll proceed with roll call.

3:10

Commissioner Perkins.

3:12

Here.

3:12

Commissioner Mandick.

3:14

Here.

3:14

Commissioner Garcia.

3:17

Here.

3:18

Commissioner Kalmick.

3:21

Here.

3:21

Commissioner Scandura.

3:25

Commissioner Crow.

3:27

Here.

3:28

And Chair Ray.

3:29

Here.

3:30

All present.

3:31

We have a quorum.

3:32

Thank you.

3:33

And actually, before I continue, I did want to say briefly that I wanted to thank Michael Grant for his service to the Commission and welcome Bill Crow back to the Planning Commission.

3:46

Definitely.

3:46

And with that, uh, do we have a motion to approve the order of the agenda?

3:55

Moved.

3:56

Okay.

3:57

Second.

3:59

We have a motion second.

4:01

Um please vote.

4:03

Um by you raising your hand, I think it's the best way, right?

4:08

All those in favor and um it appears to be unanimous.

4:14

Seven ayes.

4:14

Motion carries.

4:16

Very good.

4:17

Uh next on the agenda is the nomination and election of a planning commission vice chair.

4:23

Uh do we have a motion?

4:27

Uh Commissioner Scandura.

4:30

Yeah.

4:31

Okay, and and before uh I do before I make the motion, I'd just like to explain myself for a second exactly uh my thought process behind this.

4:42

Certainly uh when commissioner when uh chair grant resigned, um it was a surprise to all of us, and I was glad to see that at least the bylaws provide that automatically the vice chairman becomes the new chair.

4:56

And certainly Alan is more than capable of uh running the uh planning commission.

5:01

However, the question came up who should be nominated as the vice chair, and my original thought was that we would follow the protocols that were laid out in the memo that was uh sent out to us a little bit earlier earlier this week and also last January.

5:16

However, um I got a contact from Commissioner Calmick asking if I if I would nominate him to be the vice chairman, and initially I said no because I thought we'd follow the old protocols, but then he reminded me that he had never been the vice chair before.

5:32

And so I uh and that's why I sent a request to the staff asking them to clarify who would be eligible.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████52%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████████████████████████████36%
Short Term Rentals███4%
Housing and Community Development███3%
Active Transportation███3%
Property Tax██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Huntington Beach Planning Commission Regular Meeting - September 22, 2020

The Huntington Beach Planning Commission held a regular meeting on September 22, 2020, at 6:00 PM via teleconference due to COVID-19. The commission elected a new vice chair, approved consent calendar minutes, and considered two general plan conformance requests for street easement vacations. The meeting also included a staff update on short-term rental regulations and advisory board assignments.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes Approval: The commission approved minutes from meetings on November 12, 2019, January 28, 2020, March (February) 25, 2020, May 26, 2020, June 9, 2020, June 23, 2020, and July 14, 2020. Commissioner Crow abstained from all votes as he was not on the commission at those times. Commissioner Kalmick abstained from the February 25, 2020 minutes because he was absent. The minutes for February 25, 2020 were approved 5-0-2 (Commissioners Perkins and Crow abstained). All other minutes approved 6-0-1 (Commissioner Crow abstained).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were received for items not on the agenda, and there were no public hearing items.

Discussion Items

  • Election of Vice Chair: Commissioner Scandura nominated Commissioner Dan Kalmick for vice chair, noting that per the commission’s protocol (Section B), the commissioner with the most seniority who has not served as vice chair should be elected. Commissioner Kalmick had previously served as chair but not as vice chair. The motion passed 7-0, effective for the remainder of the year.
  • General Plan Conformance No. 20-002 (Huntington Street Vacation): Staff presented a request to vacate a 5,790 sq ft portion of public street easement on Huntington Street (east side between Atlanta Ave and Pacific View Ave) as part of a settlement agreement with Surf City Beach Cottages mobile home park. The commission discussed a modification to delete Goal Circulation 6 from the findings as it was not applicable (no sidewalk will be built). The motion passed 7-0, including finding the project categorically exempt from CEQA and adopting Resolution No. 1712 with the modification.
  • General Plan Conformance No. 20-003 (Delaware Street Vacation): Similar request to vacate a 20,593 sq ft portion (later clarified as 33 feet wide, not 40) of public street easement on Delaware Street (west side, south of Atlanta Ave). Staff clarified the vacation is 33 feet wide consistent with the settlement agreement. The commission approved with the same modification to delete Goal Circulation 6. Motion passed 7-0, adopting Resolution No. 1713.
  • Planning Items – Short-Term Rentals Update: Staff reported that at the September 21 City Council meeting, council directed staff to prepare an ordinance regulating short-term rentals. An ordinance will come through the public hearing process at a future date. Commissioner Kalmick asked whether it would be a zoning text amendment or municipal code amendment; staff stated the determination has not yet been made.
  • Advisory Board and Committee Assignments: Chair Ray announced assignments to fill positions vacated by former Chair Michael Grant: Commissioner Dan Kalmick as primary representative on the Design Review Board (previously alternate), Commissioner Bill Crow as alternate on the Design Review Board and as alternate on the Subdivision Committee.

Key Outcomes

  • Vice Chair Election: Dan Kalmick elected vice chair (7-0).
  • General Plan Conformance Approvals: Both Huntington Street (20-002) and Delaware Street (20-003) vacations approved (7-0 each) with modified findings (deletion of Circulation Goal 6).
  • Short-Term Rental Ordinance: Staff directed to prepare an ordinance; future public hearing anticipated.
  • Advisory Assignments: Dan Kalmick and Bill Crow appointed to Design Review Board and Subdivision Committee positions.
  • Meeting Adjourned: In honor of firefighter Charlie Morton, a Big Bear Hotshots crew boss killed the previous week, with a wish for safety for all California firefighters.

Meeting Transcript

If you listen to the wind, you can still employ the planning commission meeting to order. Welcome to the September 22nd, 2020 Huntington Beach Planning Commission meeting. On March 4th, 2020, Governor Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in California as a result of the threat of COVID-19. On March 17th, 2020, Governor Newsom issued executive order N2920, which allows a local legislative body to hold public meetings via teleconferencing and to make public meetings accessible telephonically or otherwise electronically to all members of the public seeking to observe and to address the local legislative body. Pursuant to the executive order, please be advised that some members of the planning commission and city staff are participating in this meeting telephonically or electronically. While the city cannot provide an in-person location for the meeting at this time, property owners, residents, and any interested parties can view the meeting live on HBTV Channel 3 or via live stream on the city's website. Interested parties also had the opportunity to submit comments on any items prior to the meeting. Staff will identify any public comments received at the appropriate time on the agenda. While the planning commission welcomes public involvement and free speech, it rejects comments from anyone that are discriminatory, defamatory, or otherwise not protected speech. Those comments will not inform nor be considered by the planning commission and maybe cause for the chair to interrupt the speaker. Such comments will not be consented to or otherwise adopted by the planning commission in its discussions and findings for any matter tonight. Thank you. Thank you. May we have roll call, please. Yes, thank you. Um before I call roll, I would just like to make an announcement that uh former chair Michael Grant recently resigned from the planning commission. According to the bylaws, um former vice chair Ray automatically fills the chair seat for the remainder of the term. September 8th City Council meeting. City Council Member Brendan appointed Bill Crow to the Planning Commission for the remainder of his term. So we welcome Bill Crow to the meeting this evening. And with that, we'll proceed with roll call. Commissioner Perkins. Here. Commissioner Mandick. Here. Commissioner Garcia. Here. Commissioner Kalmick. Here. Commissioner Scandura. Commissioner Crow. Here. And Chair Ray. Here. All present. We have a quorum. Thank you. And actually, before I continue, I did want to say briefly that I wanted to thank Michael Grant for his service to the Commission and welcome Bill Crow back to the Planning Commission. Definitely. And with that, uh, do we have a motion to approve the order of the agenda? Moved. Okay. Second. We have a motion second. Um please vote. Um by you raising your hand, I think it's the best way, right? All those in favor and um it appears to be unanimous. Seven ayes. Motion carries. Very good.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com