Sacramento Planning and Design Commission Meeting - September 22, 2022
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Sacramento Planning and Design Commission Meeting - September 22, 2022
The Sacramento Planning and Design Commission met on Thursday, September 22, 2022, at 5:32 PM via Zoom teleconference. Seven commissioners were present (Boyd, Chase, Lenzi, Macias-Reed, Pluckebaum, Yee, and Vice Chair Wallace); four were absent (Buckley, Covill, Yeung, Chair Hernandez). The meeting included a consent calendar, two continuances, two public hearings, and a discussion item that was continued due to a loss of quorum.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (September 8, 2022): A motion to approve the consent calendar (including the minutes) failed on a 6–0 vote with one abstention (Commissioner Macias-Reed). The minutes were carried over to a future meeting.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 3 – Bell Avenue Commercial Center: Vicky Laughlin (resident of 1524 Catherine Avenue) expressed support for the development but opposition to 24-hour drive-through operations, citing concerns about odor, loitering, and increased homeless activity.
- Item 6 – Curtis Park Village PUD Flex Zone:
- Peter Orlean (Curtis Park Village resident and HOA board member) expressed strong support for residential use of the flex zone over a gas station, praising the developer's track record.
- Rachel Isco (24th Street resident) urged the commission to require affordable housing on the parcel, arguing the proposed small units would not guarantee low-income housing and that the neighborhood lacks diversity. She opposed relying solely on unit size as a proxy for affordability.
Discussion Items
- Item 3 – Bell Avenue Commercial Center (P20-016): A proposal to rezone 0.34 acres, approve a conditional use permit for two drive-through restaurants, and site plan and design review for a 2.5-acre commercial center at 1556 Bell Avenue. Staff recommended approval. Commissioners raised concerns about:
- Drive-through operating hours (originally proposed 24/7) – the applicant agreed to limit hours (midnight to 6 AM closure) for the southernmost restaurant (Building C).
- Truck access via Catherine Avenue – commissioners noted potential impacts on adjacent residential neighborhoods. After debate, a motion carried (7–0) to continue the item to a future meeting with direction to staff to:
- Study feasibility of restricting delivery trucks to enter from Bell Avenue and exit onto Catherine Avenue (or vice versa) to minimize residential impact.
- Prohibit 24-hour operation on Building C.
- Condition a left-turn-only exit from Catherine Avenue.
- Item 6 – Curtis Park Village PUD Flex Zone Schematic Plan Amendment (P22-025): A request to designate the remaining ~2.5 acres of flex zone for residential use. Staff and the developer (Paul Petrovic) supported the change, noting the project already includes 90 senior affordable housing units and that the unit sizes (500 sq. ft. flats) would provide affordability by design. Commissioners discussed affordable housing requirements. Commissioner Yee raised concerns about the lack of formal affordable housing conditions, but declined to make them a condition after the applicant stated he would withdraw the application if forced. A motion to forward a recommendation of approval to City Council passed 7–0.
- Item 7 – 2023 Planning and Zoning Work Program: Commissioner Chase had to leave early, causing a loss of quorum. The item was continued to the October 13, 2022 meeting without a vote.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Motion to approve failed due to insufficient votes; minutes held over.
- Items 4 & 5 (Cannabis dispensaries): Continued to October 13, 2022 at the applicants' request (unanimous vote).
- Item 3 (Bell Avenue): Continued to a future meeting with specific conditions for staff analysis (unanimous vote).
- Item 6 (Curtis Park Village): Forwarded a recommendation of approval to City Council (unanimous vote).
- Item 7 (Work Program): Continued to October 13, 2022 (no action due to loss of quorum).
- **Meeting adjourned at 7:38 PM. **
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. Welcome to the Thursday, September 22nd, 2022, Planning and Design Commission meeting. The meeting is now called to order. Will the clerk please call the rule to establish a quorum? Yes, thank you. Commissioner Boyd. Excuse me. Here. Okay. Commissioner Buckley is absent this evening. Commissioner Chase. Here. Commissioner Cogill is also absent this evening. Commissioner Lindsay? Commissioner Messias Reed. Here. Commissioner Pluckybaugh. Here. Commissioner Yi. Here. Commissioner Young is absent. As is Chair Hernandez. So we'll go to Vice Chair Wallace. Here. You have a quorum. Thank you, Stacia. This meeting is virtual via Zoom. For members of the public who wish to join, please refer to the agenda for the Zoom link. Once you have joined the meeting and wish to speak, raise your hand, click the raise your hand button to provide public comment comment when the chair confirms the public comment speaking period for your desired item. If you're online, click on the raise hand button on the bottom of your screen. In the mobile app, should I read this or should I not read this? I'll read it. In the mobile app, you can raise your hand by tapping the raise hand option in the more tab. And if you are calling in via telephone to raise your hand, um dial star nine. Then to unmute or mute dial star six. Speakers will be called on by the last four digits of their phone number. You have three minutes to speak once you are called on. We will now proceed with today's agenda. Um we're going to start with the land acknowledgement and the pledge of allegiance. Sorry for that sound. Um please rise for the opening acknowledgment and honors of Sacramento's indigenous people and tribal lands. To the original people of this land, the Nissan people, the Southern Maidu, Valley and Plains Miwak, Potwin Winton peoples, and the people of the Wilton Rancheria, Sacramento's only federally recognized tribe. May we acknowledge and honor the native people who came before us and still walk beside us today on these ancestral lands by choosing to gather together today in the active practice of acknowledgement and appreciation for Sacramento's indigenous peoples history, contributions, and lives. Thank you. Please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Okay, our first business today is approval of the consent calendar. Madam Clerk, are there any members of the public who wish to speak on the consent calendar? Thank you. We currently have no members of the public with their hands raised.
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