GT Planning Commission Meeting Aug 16th, 2007

Pawww...

Not a lot to say about G.T. Planning Commission Meeting for night of the 16th.

However, there was some Oops and embarrassments expressed on behalf of the City Staff. On or about, last day of July a notice was mailed out to residents up and down Grand Terrace Road, Vivienda and vicinity. Seems there was to be a discussion to be held on possible Re-zoning of areas and reconfiguring of platitudes in existing zoning in order to permit......

Don't know where the mailing last came up, but only four households along the affected streets got a letter, plus two more several streets well outside and away from the area. A big screw up. All considerations and discussion concerning what ever was in the latter, were immediately dismissed an pulled off agenda. The P.C. refused to discuss the contents, for they were equally caught unaware. A whole new mailing is proposed now, and a new date to be scheduled up for the discussion. This did not stop those who received the letter from holding an impromptu meeting on the 10th of August to question and talk about the implications. Perhaps the City Staff may now want to hold the meeting at some secret location on some secret date, and some inconvenient hour now to assure low attendance. The residents may not understand the contents of the letter, but they know when they are being bamboozled at a last moment in hopes of their Non-attendance.

The evening "Workshop" did not progress, for Planning Director Gary Koontz was not present. An earlier talk (with zero opposition) about a new residence in the Honey Hills area consumed the first half hour.

Instead the meeting was a whole "Public Comment" night. Seems many in the audience had questions, same as a couple of the actual Planning Commissioners did. Everyone seemed Lost. But what was asked for the upcoming September Workshop was a clarification as to what is possible to have, own and operate within a simple R-1 or R-2 zone within the city limits, plus what is permitted within an Agricultural overlay area.

The city staff is going to be returning with an evening dedicated as to zoning designations. Much issue was raised by Patricia Farley concerning Michigan. For what is permitted within the strip is regularly being overstepped and violated as to use and intent. Patricia pointed out errors in designations on official Zoning map being handed out at Public Counter. The colorful document has a bit too much color, and alters the current or intended uses up and down the street. Thus per the colorful error laden map, the empty lot property across the street make look to be designated for a high-rise apartment or a Mega-Plex.

Commissioner Addington asked Patricia to walk up and down the street and meet with neighbors to get their feedback as to what is preferred zones, and land uses currently and in future. He then would like to re-draw if possible the official zoning map to match the intentions of residents.

So thus if any residents along Michigan would like it to remain or be altered as such, contact Patricia. Don’t' be quiet and assume it will all remain the same for it may not.

A third request was made as to the significance of a new "Specific Plan" contents, and how long, how active, etc. A discussion about what goes on inside these and a report is due for same meeting. Which later on brought up a point as to what can be said about the G.T. Town Center Specific Plan?

Seems after all the litigation the developer (Jacobsen) contacted the City Offices about three weeks ago, had a new idea, and wanted to run it past the staff. He never showed up. You may see dirt there right now, well it looks to remain the same 'least until Christmas for it takes that long. Seems G.T. residents are a bit slow in all this fancy talk, but once it soaks in they either like it or don't.

Zone Code is:

http://www.cityofgrandterrace.org/business/zoning_code/zoning_nav.html

A couple of questions from Gramps:

First: Wasn't it DOUG JACOBSEN who said he'd be keeping the CITIZENS INFORMED and INVOLVED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN Center...????? Hasn't his agreement with the City Redevelopment Agency and City Council lapsed? Isn't he in violation on the terms of that agreement in several paragraphs?

When does a property officially have a zone change?
When Schwab thinks it.
When Planning Department Inks it
When Planning Commission Passes it
When the Council approves it
When it is changed on the County Land and Tax Records and when it is sold to the “next owner” eliminating the grand father zoning, or when the current owner requests and gets approved a zone change and puts the land to a different use.

(If you or I wanted to change the zone classification of our homes I bet we would have a hell of a time with the city.)

The Map Patricia and the City have has been posted on the blog… it is the one showing GT Elm School as Commercial… All I have to say is that no development or zoning changes should be allowed by the county or the state until the freeway and roads are laid out and planned. IF GT Elm has to be MUSHED to the East fine… but there is no reason to increase the cost of the roads or the Mushing needed for the ELM School.

Isn’t it interesting that Patricia is now charged with making a zone change list… Just love the idea of that.

Next question… If there is a zone change on Grand Terrace Rd. and Vivienda… or anywhere in town shouldn’t all citizens be informed not just the ones that have property there? Or lets say citizens within 2 miles of the property…

I am thinking of putting a Hooters next door to Mayor Ferre’s House… Nice Hill Top View… But, now I am thinking to use ED on her house as it is owned by a Trust and so she is not an “Owner Occupant” and the increased taxes will help the city… (I’ll even have a traffic plan so that the traffic will go into Reche Canyon (Colton), not GT and this will make an EIR easier to pass muster. We all know getting a zone change in GT is done for "Financial Reasons".