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2025-02-13 Planning Commission MinutesMINUTES OF THE EL SEGUNDO PLANNING COMMISSION Regularly Scheduled Meeting February 13, 2025 CALL TO ORDER Vice Chair Maggay called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Vice Chair Maggay Present: Commissioner Inga Present: Commissioner Christian Also present: Michael Allen, AICP, Community Development Director Also present: Eduardo Schonborn, AICP, Planning Manager Also present: Joaquin Vazquez, City Attorney Also present: Paul Samaras, AICP, Principal Planner Also present: Venus Wesson, Senior Admin Specialist PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Vice Chair Maggay led the pledge. PUBLIC/WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS None. A. CONSENT 1. Approval of Planning Commission Meeting Minutes: • January 23, 2025 MOTION: Approve the minutes. Moved by Commissioner Inga, second by Commissioner Christian. Motion carried, 3-0, by the following vote: Ayes: Maggay, Inga, and Christian B. PUBLIC HEARINGS 2. Ordinance Amending El Segundo Municipal Code ("ESMC") Title 15 Chapter 15 (Off -Street Parking and Loading) to Update the Parking Requirements for Residential Uses. (PS) Principal Planner Paul Samaras presented the staff report regarding the proposed amendment to revise the parking standards for multiple -family residential uses and use a sliding scale based on the number of bedrooms per unit, similar to the recently approved Pacific Coast Commons (PCC) project. Commissioner Inga inquired if staff knows how many non-commercial vehicles are registered within the city. Mr. Samaras advised that staff have that information. Vice Chair Maggay opened public communications. • None Vice Chair Maggay closed public communications. Vice Chair Maggay stated that the proposed changes are a good thing and that permitting tandem parking for multiple -family residential uses is a good strategy to maximize parking spaces. MOTION: Adopt Resolution No. 2954, recommending City Council adopt an Ordinance amending ESMC Chapter 15 parking requirements for residential uses. Moved by Commissioner Inga, second by Commissioner Christian. Motion carried, 3-0, by the following vote: Ayes: Maggay, Inga, and Christian 3. Ordinance Amending El Segundo Municipal Code ("ESMC") Title 15 Chapter 34 (Cultural Development) Regarding Requirements to Provide Artwork or Pay -In -Lieu Fee. (ES) Planning Manager Eduardo Schonborn presented the staff report regarding the Cultural Development Public Art Fee that provides public art on property when a project valuation exceeds the $2 million threshold. Currently the applicant has the option to pay 1 % of the total project valuation prior to permit issuance or opt in to provide on -site art. In late 2024, the City Council requested a report from staff on the Cultural Development and Public Art Fee program. Staff presented the information to City Council in January 2025 and staff was directed to do three things with the current ordinance. The first was to allow a developer to split the public art fee by providing an x amount of money into the fee and the balance via on -site art. The second was to cap the public art fee to $1 million even if the 1 % equates to greater than $1 million. Lastly, staff was directed to update the timing of when initial payment is made. 2 • Vice Chair Maggay inquired if we have a list of what projects have contributed to this fee and how much art has been provided perhaps via a map that identifies the location of the on -site art provided. Mr. Schonborn advised that staff can check with the Cultural Development staff to see if they have a destination map of such art and report back. Community Development Director Michael Allen added that he would report back on the money amount collected since 2019. • Vice Chair Maggay inquired if there are requirements on how that money collected can be spent. City Attorney Joaquin Vazquez shared that the ordinance created a Cultural Development Fund. Those funds are limited to programming relative to a list of items such as the city procuring its own artist for projects like The Plunge, programming city cultural events, but the funds are limited to art related items that are programmed by the city. • Commissioner Christian inquired whose discretion it is to determine the value of the art they provide and let the city know the cash difference to put into the fund. Mr. Schonborn stated that the applicant coordinates with our Cultural Development staff along with Cultural Development Arts Committee which is composed of 7-9 members of the community. • Commissioner Christian inquired if the city has any sort of discretion over what art we would accept in lieu of the fee and whether we could reject proposals. Mr. Schonborn stated that the art does go before the committee but is unaware of what discretion the committee has. Mr. Vazquez added that there are parameters called Cultural Development Guidelines that require the applicant to apply, get approved and submit artist information to ensure legitimacy to ensure the art comports with the parameters of the guidelines. • Vice Chair Maggay inquired if the $1 million cap can be negotiated. Mr. Allen added that it can be, the Planning Commission can make any recommendation to City Council. He added that this was presented by a Council member who recalls a cap was to be imposed when the item came before the Council in 2019 but it did not make it on the ordinance. • Commissioner Christian stated that since the cap direction came from City Council, he does not think it is necessary to recommend something else. However, he wondered whether the fee amount has been an issue for developers. He added that it would be good to know if we have had experiences of large projects where this would become a sticking point and no work around could be found. Mr. Allen shared that the concerns come through a perspective that if the fee is too high it would disincentivize development as $1 million is a heavy weight to carry when you are financing a construction project. • Mr. Allen added that annually the Cultural Development Commission makes a presentation to City Council on how to program the funds every year including staff time and things like the art walk and events funded through that program and then City Council ratifies it. • Vice Chair Maggay inquired if a recommendation can be made so that the highest payment would be $1 million and any shortfall can be negotiated 3 thereafter so that the biggest check they can write is $1 million and if at that time we say that is enough and if not we can ask for more. Mr. Allen advised that any recommendation can be made but if you wanted to structure something like that it would be helpful to know what those parameters are above the cap that would be negotiated or at least would be part of the review from the committee that reviews these, so the parameters can be spelled out in the ordinance. Commissioner Christian stated that it is an interesting needle to try to thread and is not sure how it would be presented to the developer. He added that he is missing the context of the size of the fund to see what that would look like in a typical year for the fund. Mr. Allen stated that since 2019 when the fund started, there have been years where we have collected $28,000 and then there are years that we have collected $1.9 million. On average, they have allocated and budgeted about $350,000 a year. Commissioner Christian inquired where the money comes from for the years that only $28,000 are collected and the budget is bigger. Mr. Allen shared that there is a fund balance in a dedicated account where the in - lieu fee sits in that sustains and supports future year expenses. Vice Chair Maggay opened public communications. • None Vice Chair Maggay opened public communications. MOTION: Adopt Resolution No. 2961, recommending City Council adopt an Ordinance amending ESMC Chapter 15-34 (Cultural Development). Moved by Commissioner Christian, second by Commissioner Inga. Motion carried, 3-0, by the following vote: Ayes: Maggay, Inga, and Christian C. NEW BUSINESS 4. Election of Planning Commission Chair and Vice Chair for Calendar Year 2025 MOTION: Vice Chair Maggay nominated himself for Planning Commission Chair for Calendar Year 2025; role to begin at the next meeting scheduled for February 27, 2025. Moved by Vice Chair Maggay second by Commissioner Inga. Motion carried, 3-0, by the following vote: Ayes: Maggay, Inga, and Christian MOTION: Commissioner Christian nominated Commissioner Inga for Planning Commission Vice Chair for Calendar Year 2025; role to begin at the next meeting scheduled for February 27, 2025. Moved by Commissioner Christian, second by Vice Chair Maggay. Motion carried, 3-0, by the following vote: Ayes: Maggay, Inga, and Christian D. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. E. REPORTS — COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR OR DESIGNEE None. F. REPORTS — PLANNING COMMISSIONERS Vice Chair Maggay inquired how the selection process is going for the two vacant positions in Planning Commission. Mr. Allen shared that the application process is still open for the next two weeks and before the end of this month City Manager staff will schedule interviews depending on City Council availability. He also stated that about seven applications were received to -date. Vice Chair Maggay inquired if staff knows the outcome of who the new elected Western Cities representative for the South Coast AQMD is. Mr. Allen stated that we can report back on the result. G. REPORTS — CITY ATTORNEY None. ADJOURNMENT — the meeting adjourned at 6:11 p.m. The next meeting is scheduled for February 27, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. / (L-z E"/ (CA_ Mic ael Allen, Community Development Director Gam., KevYlaggay, PI nin ommissioner Vice Chair �17