2007-10-05 Planning Commission Minutes

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Mr. Yuen at this time then suggested Condition 7 be amended to say that “The applicant shall comply with fireflow requirements meeting with the approval of the Fire Department and the Department of Water Supply,” inasmuch as there standards for distance from a fire hydrant. He said if the agencies accept the applicant’s proposal, there would be no problem; if not, the applicant would have to do something, like having the water storage tank, to meet fireflow requirements. The applicant, Carl Okuyama, and his wife, Amy Okuyama, were in attendance. Mr. Okuyama said he is the only one that does not live in the immediate area and the plan is to have a maximum of seven people utilizing the facilities, noting currently the Association plans to have one or two people and they are planning on having four. He then stated that the proposed conditions were acceptable. Greg Gadd, a member of 130 Holding LLC and the developers of the proposed Orchidland Trade Center, questioned why the applicant is not being required to hook up to the existing private waterline across the street, if he is able to use the fire hydrant why he cannot use the water, and would this set a precedent for other developers in the area to use a catchment system? In response to Mr. Gadd’s inquiries, Mr. Yuen clarified that the applicant cannot use the fire hydrant, only the Fire Department can, and the applicant does not have the right to hook up to waterline across the street as it is privately owned, but it is an issue that the Planning Department will be working on because it is an idea that in the long-term it should be possible to extend and to have people hook up to the waterline, but it’s an issue that involves a number of other properties. Mr. Gadd noted that they have been asked to contribute to that waterline across the street. He then raised the following questions: Should not the applicant have to contribute if he does hook up to the waterline in the future, wouldn’t it be safer for the community if he did hook up to the existing waterline, is there a way for the County to require the owner of the existing line to dedicate it, and is there any leverage that the County can assert? Upon the Chair’s request, Mr. Gadd and Mr. Darrow indicated on the presentation map th the location of Mr. Gadd’s property located two parcels away, right on the corner 34 and Orchidland Drive. Mr. Yuen at this time said that as the issue that the line should be available and there is a fairness issue that people should share in the expenses have just surfaced, this is something that the various parties should have a meeting in his office to discuss further. Roger Hawney, current president of the Orchidland Community Association, spoke in favor of the proposal as it benefits the Association. He said Mr. and Mrs. Okuyama have been very generous over the years and are good neighbors; and as far as impacts on the community, it would not be much more than a single-family residence. He noted that the 3