Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Good evening, everyone. It is now 7 p.m.

I will call the Planning Commission meeting of May 5th, 2025 to order. If you can all please stand for the pleasure of allegiance led by Commissioner Berry and remain standing for the invocation led by Commissioner Lopez.

Please place your right hand over your chest. Ready to begin. I pledge allegiance.

let's just bow our heads in silence and you know thank every day for what we do thank every day that the community of rosemead you know is growing and people are really looking out to take care of things so today you know let's just feel good about where we live today amen thank you thank you commissioners linda can we please get a roll call vote uh roll call

Yes. Commissioner Berry?

Here.

Commissioner Lopez?

Here.

Chair Escobar? Here. Vice Chair Leung?

Here.

Thank you. And Commissioner Tang is absent.

Thank you, Linda. We will now move on to item number one on the agenda, explanation of hearing procedures and appeal rights.

Thank you. Decisions either with or without conditions of an application before the Planning Commission shall be final unless within 10 days after the decision, the applicant or any other party agreed by the decision appeals in writing to the City Council by filing an appeal with the City Clerk's Office. This is pursuant to Rosemead Municipal Code Section 17.160.040. Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Justin.

Item number two on the agenda is public comments from the audience.

Is there anyone in the audience or via Zoom who wishes to speak on an item that is not listed on the agenda?

Items not listed on the agenda? Linda, do we have anyone via Zoom?

No, no comments were received.

Okay, perfect. Thank you. And with that, I will close the public comment. Moving on to item number three, we have public hearings. We have design review 22-03. Candace, can we please get the staff report?

With evening chair and members of the planning commission, Eduardo Heredia has submitted a design review application requesting to construct a 3,247-square-foot two-story single-family dwelling unit with an attached three-car garage towards the rear of the lot. The granting of a discretionary site plan and design review is required for any dwelling unit to be constructed that equals or exceeds 2,500 square foot of developed living area. In addition, the applicant is also proposing to construct a 2,053 square foot two-story single family dwelling units with an attached two-car garage towards the front of the lot. However, the proposed dwelling unit is now subject to discretionary site plan and design review. The subject site is located at 3454 Burton Avenue in single-family residential R1 zone. Based on the analysis and findings contained in this report, it is recommended that the Planning Commission adopt Resolution No. 2505 with findings and approve Design Review 22-03 subject to the 44 conditions outlined in attachment A, attached here at all. Accordingly, design review 22-03 is classified as a class 3 categorical exemption pursuant to section 15303 of CEQA guidelines. Staff, applicant, and the applicant's representative is available to answer any questions the planning commissions may have. Thank you.

Thank you, Candace. I will now turn to my colleagues to see if they have any questions. I will start to my left, Vice Chair Ng.

I just want to confirm it's because the property is over 8,000 square feet that they're allowed to build two units, correct? Yes. No, I don't have any questions. I just appreciate that the entire property is being redeveloped with new structures. And it looks like everything is following the planning code. So thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Commissioner Lopez.

Oh, no question.

Commissioner Barry.

Yes, I do have a question. It looks like on the first plot plan, it looks like there's landscaping on the side, or the bottom of the page, but then on the other pages it says it's concrete. And then some of it looks like it's gonna be, and then there's different ones which change to concrete and planting. So just want to clarify, because otherwise that seems like a lot of concrete. And the only green space is a little bit in the very front, and that's it. Is that their walkway, though? It says landscaping. It says landscaping, but all the other ones, it's either concrete, and then there's other ones that say it's concrete and planting. So I'd like a clarification on that. well they could probably go through the house but the thing is is it's the other pages see it's it's concrete and landscaping and then on uh there's the other one i saw sorry and then on this one it's all concrete and then on this one it's oh no that one's both right I see what you're saying. Yeah, I just want to double check because that's actually a lot of concrete.

So the The first, the lot will still comply with landscape requirements, which is 20% of the lot. I do see where it says landscaping and concrete. It's going to be a concrete walkway, but there will be a landscaping strip on the side. Okay. So it will be fixed when they submit their final landscaping plans.

Okay. And how about on the very back of the property where the pool is? So do we do allow concreting right up to the property line for that sort of thing?

Yes. So for the pool, it will have concrete all around.

And how about for what are our guidelines for artificial turf as opposed to either natural or permeable bricks or something like that?

So we have a policy that the planning division has come up with. Artificial turf is allowed 25%.

Okay. Only because I know that some people are considering that not good because you're just basically plastic over your lawn and you're causing more issues. All right. I think that's it for my questions. But yes, I'm also glad that the site is being developed and developed well. I'd like to see a good amount of landscaping. Thank you. That's it.

Thank you, Commissioner Berry. Commissioners, no other questions? Okay. Thank you. I will now open the public testimony portion of this hearing. Is there anyone in the audience or via Zoom who wishes to speak on this item? Do we have the applicant here who wishes to say a few words? Yes. Can I get your name and your address, please?

Good afternoon. My name is Hipolito Serrano. My address is 151.5 East Rowland, Covina, California, 91723. If you have any questions, concerns on the designer, I'll have the owner here with us. Also, if he has any questions, we'll try to answer them as best we can.

All right, perfect. Commissioners, do we have any questions for the applicant?

Outside is a nice, it's going to be a nice home right there.

It's going to be beautiful. We put a lot of time into it.

If I may ask, you two are the owners? All right, congratulations.

Other than that, no, no questions. No questions. Everything looks good.

Okay.

Thank you.

All right, perfect. Thank you so much. I will now close the public testimony portion of this hearing. All right, perfect. Commissioners?

I would motion to approve. And I will second. All right. Unless you had something else to say. I'm sorry. I skipped over that part and I jumped in, but it sounded like...

All right, perfect. Linda, can we please get a roll call vote?

Commissioner Berry?

Yes.

Chair Escobar?

Yes.

Commissioner Lopez?

Yes.

Vice Chair Ng? Yes. Thank you. Motion passes 4-0-1.

Perfect. Thank you, Linda.

So the 10 day appeal period begins tomorrow and ends next Thursday, May 15. So from now until that date, if you can remove your onsite public hearing notice.

Thank you.

Right.

Yeah, you're welcome.

Thank you so much. All right, moving on to item number four on the agenda is consent calendar, PC minutes for the April 21st, 2025 meeting. Commissioners, do we have any comments or questions on the PC minutes?

I don't. I motion to approve. And I will second that again. Get right along here. Poor Alana. If you guys have anything you want to say. I agree.

All right. Thank you so much. Linda, can we get a roll call vote, please? Yes. Commissioner Berry?

Yes.

Chair Escobar?

Yes.

Commissioner Lopez?

Yes.

Vice Chair Ng?

Yes.

Great. Thank you.

Motion passes 4-0-1. Thank you, Linda. Item number five on the agenda is matters from staff. Staff? No matters from staff.

All right.

Perfect. Item number six on the agenda is matters from the chair and commissioners. Commissioners, do we have anything? Commissioner Ong, Vice Chair Ong?

I was just curious, what is the city's, I guess, protocol on like just driving around and picking up trash? I do notice a lot more furniture being left on the sidewalks. Use the app.

Yeah, so we actually have an app. If you go on the website, it's Rosemead around the clock. And then you can input if you see any furniture. I know that our code enforcement, our public services team, they're really good at picking it up or getting Republic Services to work with us. It's just I think people are just throwing their furniture around. On the public streets, in trash containers, within shopping centers. So they're trying their best, but it's just happening everywhere.

All they've got to do is call Republic and they'll pick it up.

They'll pick it up, yeah. You can do that as well. Thank you.

I'm talking about the people who sort of throw it in the trash. Oh, I know, but they don't do it. They've got a large pickup every week.

Yes. Commissioner Lopez? Yes.

Yes. You guys did great in our Starbucks in the Taiwan Center. You know, that was really nice. I enjoyed being amongst everybody, you know, to see. But don't let them ask me to speak anymore. We all heard you speak.

I heard.

But it was great. We had a good time. It was real nice to get out there. A question for the coffee place down my street. I see it. What is the grand opening for that?

We're getting very close. The city actually is helping them with a grant for the signs and some of their outdoor seating. Yeah, so the city is trying to assist the businesses being the most business friendly.

That's one of the things that I was talking to. I don't know who it was. One of the One of the assemblymen that sends their speakers out to talk to us and, you know, saying that, yeah, Garvey has been our key point. Everything else we work on, but Garvey, trying to get that hard Garvey district up. Oh, yeah. You know, cleaned up. And it's really showing signs of it now, you know.

Slowly, but it's happening. I think the Taiwan Center. Yes. Once that's built, it's going to clean up that corner.

Yeah. But I told you the Taiwan Center. When it opened up, I was a member of the racquetball club there, because it was a racquetball center. When it first did, this was in 78, 79, when I started playing racquetball there. So I tell them, man, it goes back to how long I've been in this city. But yes, it's nice to see it. Now, is it just, and I can't remember since we voted on this thing quite some time ago, The second floor is still going to be offices. There's no housing or nothing that's going up, or is there?

There's no more. So originally, it was a mixed-use project, but now they're just working on a commercial project. Okay.

which I think is going to be really nice.

Yeah. And then for Devine, we're hoping that the grand opening is coming soon. I think end of this month or beginning of next month.

Next door, the pastry shop, are they attached or is that separate?

They're separate, but they're good friends. And so they came together. I think it's a great addition to our city and the grand opening for that may be delayed a little. I'm not put on the pastry what so we'll be sure to let the planning Commission know when that happens.

So all I know is what's the tea place we just opened up a

Ooh, cha cha. The roast tea. Cha tam here.

Was it?

Cha tam here.

Cha tam here. Something. That was actually very good. Their drinks were very, very good.

I don't know if you know, but on Instagram, LA Times was out here doing coverage of some of those restaurants and businesses on Garvey. Oh, good.

Oh, maybe we're good. Oh, my goodness. But I don't want to go or something. It's been really good. Wendy Berg. What they're doing with me. Yeah.

Yeah. I don't get out to that much, but yeah, I'll definitely go get some more tea, you know, because it was very good. You know, the drinks were very good. They were. All right. That's it for me.

Thank you, Commissioner Lopez. Yes, no, and it's very exciting to hear about all of the, you know, yummy things that we have to look forward to here in the city. Commissioner Berry.

Yeah, I was just wondering, what are the rules for, say, someone that builds a new house and on the parkway, if they plant a tree, what are the parameters for that? Like what type of tree?

So city staff would review the type of tree and the size of the diameter of the box tree. But our code does require that if you're doing an addition or building a branding home, you're required to install one tree for every 50 feet. I believe that's what the code says.

But is there anything on what type of tree it must be?

There isn't, but for us, we typically have them install like a 24-inch box, and then if it's water-efficient, it would have to meet the landscape requirements. Okay.

Okay. Only because near us, they finished building a couple of homes. And in front, they put a totally different kind of tree. And we had just spent all that time and money putting camphor trees down the street.

So it'd be nice if it was... Is it within the public right-of-way or is it on their property?

No, it's on the parkway.

Oh, it's on the parkway. So actually for street trees, our public works department do have different species that are required.

Okay, that's what I meant. I'm sorry. I mean, in their personal house, but I meant the parkway.

So public works does have requirements. So we can look into your street and see if that's appropriate.

I'm just curious what the requirements are. I don't want to have to go through anything with them, you know, if they didn't, you know, but maybe it'd be nice to have something. set out, or if we designate certain streets, like, oh, we can do oak trees down this way, something like that, and I'm sure we can get grants and things like that. Trees that doesn't lift the concrete. Well, they're all going to do that. But if we get things that are more native to California and more evergreen, it's going to help because we can't really build that many more parks, and that would totally... I mean, you go to Pasadena, the nice tree-lined streets in the neighborhoods, who doesn't want that, right?

You know, we can inquire with our public works and provide you with an update.

Yeah, I'm just curious, that's all.

Yeah, or just a few weeks back when Hellman was all blooming, that, like, pink tree, I don't even know what it was. Yeah. Yeah, it was just all along the street. It looked really great. It did. It looks beautiful.

I think that's it. Yeah, thanks. Awesome. Great job, everyone.

I appreciate it. It was going to be a fast one. How are they doing? Are they sold out or are they...

So they're almost completed. I believe there's one model home that's left. They haven't sold all their homes. I know they had some difficulty, but they're trying their best. I think more than half of the homes have been sold. Oh, that's amazing.

That's amazing.

That's okie dokie.

All right, perfect. No other questions, Commissioner?

Absolutely not.

all right perfect and then from me just a huge thank you candace congratulations you did an awesome job today yes welcome to the club yes you're doing a great job and thank you ladies so much for all of your hard work you guys you know we don't you know you guys make it easy for us so thank you definitely oh yeah and the sound sounds better too i just realized Okay, and with that, I will adjourn today's meeting. The next regular Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 19, 2025, at 7 p.m. here in the Council Chambers. Thank you, everyone.