Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-23-2016 PC Minutes Planning Commission Minutes Tuesday, August 23, 2016 1. CALL TO ORDER & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIENCE TO THE FLAG A regular meeting of the City of Dublin Planning Commission was held on Tuesday, August 23, 2016, in the City Council Chambers located at 100 Civic Plaza Chair Kohli called the meeting to order at 7:00 p m Present Chair Kohli, Vice Chair Mittan, Commissioners Do, Bhuthimethee and Goel, Jeff Baker, Assistant Community Development Director, Tim Cremin, Assistant City Attorney; Kristi Bascom, Consulting Planner; and Debra LeClair, Recording Secretary Absent None 2. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS — NONE 3. CONSENT CALENDAR — 3.1 Minutes of the August 9, 2016 Planning Commission Meeting. On a motion by Cm Goel and seconded by Cm. Do, on a vote of 3-0-2, Cm Bhuthimethee and Cm. Mittan being absent from that meeting, the Planning Commission approved the minutes of the August 9, 2016 meeting 4. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS — NONE 5. PUBLIC HEARINGS — 5 1 Kaiser Dublin Medical Center (PLPA-2016-00007) General Plan Amendment, Eastern Dublin Specific Plan Amendment, Planned Development Rezoning (Stage 1 and Stage 2), Site Development Review Permit, Development Agreement and Final Environmental Impact Report As Cm. Mittan owns property within 500 feet of the project, he recused himself and left the dais at 7:02:49 PM Kristi Bascom, Consulting Planner, presented the project as outlined in the Staff Report Chair Kohli opened the public hearing Hollis Harris, Vice President of Design and Construction, Kaiser Permanente, Applicant, thanked Staff for their hard work and spoke in favor of the project She stated that all existing Kaiser facilities in the Tn-Valley area will remain open. She stated that the current project site will be for specialty care, "23 hour care" and a small primary care component She gave an overview of the first phase of the project. She stated that Kaiser will be seeking LEED Gold certification with a new goal of sending zero waste to the landfill by 2030 and to be carbon neutral by 2025 Tyler Krehlik, SmithGroupJJR, Architect, spoke in favor of the project He gave an overview of the design concept which is specific to Dublin and the Tn-Valley area. He spoke regarding the departments that will be housed in the facility, site circulation, parking, access to public transportation, pedestrian and bike circulation He responded to the Planning Commission's previous concerns regarding ambulance traffic He stated that there is an ambulance pick up area to the left and right of the buildings where there occasionally could be a patient that would need to be transferred to an emergency department Don (chino, SmithGroupJJR, designer, spoke in favor of the project and gave an overview of the healing garden landscape concept and how the architecture of the building is integrated with the landscaping that carries into the interior of the building He stated that they are working with the City's Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission regarding a large piece of art to be placed on the site Jimmy Chen, RHAA, Landscape Architect, spoke in favor of the project and gave an overview of the landscape design for the project. He stated that they incorporated the City's Design Standards and Streetscape Master Plan and also visited the site to determine the existing trees in order to continue the streetscape on Dublin Blvd He also spoke regarding the outdoor rooms landscaping concept He responded to the Planning Commission's previous concern regarding allergy issues with certain plants He stated that the plants that will be used have low pollen counts Cm Bhuthimethee felt that the artwork will provide a lot of interest in the building and asked the architect, Mr (chino, for his favorite part of the building Mr (chino responded that they spent a considerable amount of time on the entries He stated that his favorite part of the building is the transparency of the lobby, the material treatments from the exterior point of view and the concrete at the ground floor that brings relief and changes with the sunlight throughout the day Cm Bhuthimethee asked if there is wood on the building. Mr (chino responded that the underside of the canopies will be treated with a material that will create a warmer feeling He stated that the other elements include perforated screens on the south side to minimize sun exposure, bring detail and break down the mass of the buildings Cm Bhuthimethee asked if the concrete pavers at the entrances on the north and south continue to the east Mr Chen answered no. Cm Bhuthimethee asked about the concrete pavers in the garden rooms_ Mr Chen answered that the garden rooms are also concrete but there will be a special scoring pattern and finish Cm. Bhuthimethee asked if the material will be a colored concrete in order to give those areas more warmth. Mr Chen answered that the color of the concrete is a warm grey which will differentiate that area from the pedestrian sidewalks Cm. Bhuthimethee asked how large the specimen oak tree will be that is used for wayfinding She stated that oak trees are slow growing and that, if they planted a tree that is not large enough, it will take a long time to grow. Mr Chen responded that they will plant a large specimen oak tree that will be larger than a 48" box, but he was unsure as to the exact size He felt that it could as large as a 72" box. Cm Bhuthimethee asked how they decided on the species of trees for the parking lot Mr. Chen answered that they have used that species of tree in other parking lots with success Cm Bhuthimethee asked in which areas they used the trees Mr Chen answered that there is a "Plant Principal" in his office who works on the plant pallet but he did not know where they have used the trees before He asked if she has specific concerns about the proposed tree Cm Bhuthimethee felt that it is a very thirsty tree and asked if they could consider a tree that requires less water Mr. Chen agreed that the parking lot tree is a moderate or medium water use tree. He stated that the tree was selected for its aesthetic and shade elements. He felt that the balance of tree materials and shrubs are of low water use plants Cm Bhuthimethee asked if that particular tree would give them the return on their investment in terms of shade and canopy size vs water use Mr Chen agreed to consider Cm. Bhuthtmethee's concern. Cm Bhuthimethee asked about the pedestrian connection from the commercial site to the east and west Mr. Krehlik pointed out the connectivity between all the buildings in the project Cm. Do asked if the landscape design would include exercise areas or a Zen garden. Mr Chen answered that the design was based on minimalist or Japanese aesthetic. He stated that they did not consider exercise areas for the garden rooms, but some of the garden rooms would be designated as activity rooms Cm Do asked if the outdoor rooms would be big enough for people to do Tai Chi or yoga Mr. Chen answered that there are two outdoor rooms that are separated from the other garden rooms that could be used for that purpose Cm Do asked Ms Harris to explain the meaning of"23 hour care " Ms Harris answered that she will ask Roberta McKenzie to answer the question but it is a regulatory issue. Roberta McKenzie, Director of Nursing in Clinical Practice, stated that "23 hour care" means, if a patient is at the facility for 23 hours, the staff would determine whether the patient should be discharged or transferred to a hospital, but if the patient needs to stay longer they would be transferred to a hospital. She stated that '23 hour care" is a state regulation. Cm. Do understood that the nearest Kaiser Emergency room is located in Walnut Creek and asked, if an ambulance was needed to transport a patient to the Walnut Creek ER, how long would it take to get there Ms McKenzie answered that, if a patient came into their urgent care facility and was determined to be having a heart attack or a stroke, they would call 911. She stated that there are service agreements in place with Valley Care Hospital but the ambulance would take the patient to the closest facility She stated that the ambulance would not use sirens. Ms Harris added that the patient would be taken to the closest ER if they need emergency care. Cm Do asked if there are other Kaiser cancer centers in the Bay Area. Ms Harris stated that this is the 6th Kaiser cancer center in the Bay Area Cm Do asked if the blood bank will be an active blood bank, where people come to donate blood, or just for the facility use Ms Harris stated that the blood bank is for use within the facility not an active blood bank Cm Goel asked if the improvement plan includes a "safe harbor" area while crossing on Dublin Blvd John Lee, Civil Engineer, SmithGroupJJR, responded that there are improvement plans for Dublin Blvd across the frontage of the entire site including widening of Dublin Blvd, new streetscape improvements, and new pedestrian crossings He stated that the safe harbor will be located on the median at the center of pedestrian crossing He stated that they have not included secondary crossing signalization at this point, but they have discussed the issue with the Public Works Department who has the ability to review and suggest improvement modifications to City standards. Cm Goel asked if the parking facility will include electric vehicle (EV) parking Mr Krehlik answered that there will be future EV parking in designated areas, the decision as to whether the actual charger is installed is still undecided, but the underground utilities will be installed He responded to the discussion regarding trees in the parking lot and stated that the southern parking lot is also covered with Photo Voltaic (PV) arrays which don't show on the site plans Cm Goel asked if they have considered the angle of view when erecting the EV parking and how it will impact the building He felt that they may be shielding the building Mr Krehlik stated that the EV parking area shields a bit at the ground level, and the view from I- 580 is at eye level Cm. Goel stated that there are three bicycle parking areas designated short term and some long term parking He asked for an explanation of short term and long term bicycle parking. Mr. Krehlik responded that they tried to achieve LEED bicycles counts which requires short and long term parking He stated that short term is defined as a rack to lock the bike to for short periods of time. The long term parking is defined as covered and more oriented towards staff that will leave their bike there for 8-10 hours Cm Goel suggested that they focus on racks that accommodate a lot of bikes but are also kept in a secure fashion He felt that it is assumed that the cyclist will walk their bike onto the site, but a lot of cyclists will go to the quickest point of departure and felt there could be some pedestrian conflicts and asked how the Applicant would alleviate that issue Mr. Krehlik pointed out the bicycle paths and stated that cyclists can ride through the site without needing to walk their bikes because they are providing parallel pathways, one for pedestrians and one for bikes Cm Goel asked why there are two entry areas that are further away from the bike paths Mr Krehlik pointed out the main staff entry where staff lounges, showers, etc are located which is where the majority of the staff bikes will be parked Cm Goel stated that many facilities don't account for the type of lockers that are installed, and suggested "Bikelink" which allows for bikes to be secured with a card instead of a key. He felt that this could promote more "expensive cyclists" to ride their bikes to the facility. Chair Kohli asked if there would be flexibility to add more bike racks, if needed Mr Krehlik answered yes. Chair Kohli agreed with Cm. Bhuthimethee regarding adding more color to the pavers to make the area warmer Cm Bhuthimethee stated that, in the final ER, there was a letter from the Dublin San Ramon Services District mentioning that there will be recycled water for landscaping but she did not see that mentioned in the Conditions of Approval She asked if they will be using recycled water for landscaping Mr Krehlik answered yes Cm Bhuthimethee asked if that would be included in the Conditions of Approval Ms Bascom responded that recycled water is to be used for landscaping in eastern Dublin. Cm. Bhuthimethee asked why they decided to pursue LEED Gold certification Mr Krehlik answered that the LEED Gold certification is a Kaiser Permanente target goal for all of their facilities He stated that they started the project with that goal in mind and that the project is already registered with LEED and they will be submitting their design in the next few months With no public at the meeting to comment on the project, Chair Kohli closed the public hearing Cm Do stated that she is in support of the project, felt it is a good addition to the Dublin community and liked the design She stated that, as a long time Kaiser Member, she is excited for the Kaiser facility to be closer to her home Cm. Goel commended the team for putting their heart and passion in the project He noted that the EIR took into account comments about traffic. He stated that he appreciates the extra parking and that the Applicant listened to the Planning Commission's comments and responded accordingly, especially regarding plants and allergies He felt that their goal of LEED certification and their methods are apparent and hoped that they receive the certification He felt that Dublin will be proud to have a facility that sets the bar high and creates an example. He felt that Eastern Dublin has a significant amount of Kaiser employees living there and that the Tri-Valley and Dublin has been waiting for this facility He stated that he is in support of the project and can make the findings Cm Bhuthimethee asked for an explanation of the Statement of Overriding Considerations. Ms. Bascom explained that, when an EIR is certified by the City Council, if there are impacts that remain significant and unavoidable, the City Council would need to adopt a Statement of Overriding Considerations justifying why they will be certifying the EIR given the significant and unavoidable impacts that still remain Cm Bhuthimethee asked if there are any other ways to mitigate the impacts, possibly off-site. Ms. Bascom answered that with El R's Staff looks for all alternatives for possible mitigations, but there are times when there are mitigations available, but they are undesirable for other reasons. Cm Bhuthimethee stated that she is appreciative of the study session and felt the Applicant should be commended for having a goal of achieving LEED Gold certification She stated that she is excited about the artwork on the project, is in support of the project and can make the findings. Chair Kohli felt that the study session was very helpful and felt that there should be more of those types of meetings He felt that the project was well thought out and could be used as a role model for other projects in terms of thinking through near and long term effects to the community. He stated that traffic issues will always be an issue and he hoped that over time to encourage more bikers and other ways to mitigate traffic He stated that he is in support of the project and can make the findings On a motion by Cm. Goel and seconded by Cm Do, on a vote of 4-0-1, Cm. Mittan recused himself, the Planning Commission adopted RESOLUTION NO. 16-16 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN RECOMMENDING CITY COUNCIL CERTIFICATION OF A FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT AND ADOPTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS UNDER CEQA FOR THE KAISER DUBLIN MEDICAL CENTER PROJECT RESOLUTION NO. 16-17 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE GENERAL PLAN AND THE EASTERN DUBLIN SPECIFIC PLAN RELATED TO THE KAISER DUBLIN MEDICAL CENTER PROJECT imoci �- RESOLUTION NO. 16-18 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING MAP AND APPROVING A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT ZONING DISTRICT WITH A RELATED STAGE 1 DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE WHOLE PROJECT SITE AND STAGE 2 DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR PHASE 1A RESOLUTION NO. 16-19 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DUBLIN AND KAISER FOUNDATION HEALTH PLAN RELATED TO THE KAISER DUBLIN MEDICAL CENTER PROJECT RESOLUTION NO. 16 - 20 A RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING A SITE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PERMIT FOR PHASE 1A OF THE KAISER DUBLIN MEDICAL CENTER PROJECT 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS — NONE 7. NEW BUSINESS - NONE 8. OTHER BUSINESS - NONE 9. ADJOURNMENT — The meeting was adjourned at 8 27 51 PM Respectfully submitted, Planning Commission Chair ATTEST . I _ Jeff .a Assistant ommunity Development Director G IMINUTES120161PLANNING COMMISSIOM08 23 16 FINAL PC MINUTES(CF)docx