HomeMy WebLinkAboutARCH-0017-2019 Completeness Letter V2
May 21, 2019 Sent via Email
Jessie Skidmore
Ten Over Studio
539 Marsh Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Subject: Completeness Review #2: ARCH-0017-2019 (545 Higuera & 486 Marsh): Review of a new
mixed-use project consisting of 56 residential units (including four low-income units) and
approximately 5,209 s.f. of commercial space.
Dear Jessie Skidmore:
Thank you for the April 25, 2019 re-submittal for the 545 Higuera Mixed Use project. We have
reviewed your application and found it to be incomplete. We will be unable to process your
application until additional information and/or revisions have been submitted, to the satisfaction of
the Community Development Director. Preliminary review is necessary to ensure that staff has
adequate information to evaluate your project and identify any conflicts with City standards or
guidelines. The purpose of this letter is to provide you with a list of items that need to be addressed
prior to taking action on your project.
Preliminary review indicates that your application will remain in an incomplete status until
the following information and/or revisions are submitted:
Note: Upon resubmittal please provide a narrative indicating where responses to these items can be found
on plans.
Department comments/completeness items:
Planning Division - Community Development Department
1. The Affordable Housing Proposal requires additional information. The submittal notes that
10% of the units will be low income. Which units are proposed to be low income? Will
these units be for sale or for rent? Please identify the proposed sales price, financing terms,
rental rates, or other factors that will make the dwellings affordable (refer to Zoning
Regulations Section 17.140.030.B).
2. Provide review letter from San Luis Garbage Company.
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3. The backflow preventor is shown on the plans more than 20 feet from the street. Please
relocate and provide screening, unless the location is otherwise approved by the Utilities
Director.
4. Clarify how access to the first/ground floor garage would be provided. Would this be open
or would a gate or an automatic roll-up door be provided? If a gate or roll-up door is
proposed, please identify proposed colors and materials, and address potential noise issues
(on and off-site). There appears to be a graphic error on the North Elevation where the
garage door is proposed located, and on the site plan (Sheet A1.0) it appears “site
furnishings and hardscape” would be located within the garage entrance? Please
modify/clarify as applicable.
5. Pursuant to Zoning Regulations Section 17.72.090.D, consideration of a mechanical parking
lift requires Director’s review and approval of Director’s Action. Please apply and submit
fees for a Director’s Action. Consideration of the mechanical lift will be incorporated into
the Planning Commission’s overall review of the project.
6. Are loading areas provided for the retail uses? Please clarify, noting that loading spaces are
not required in the C-D zone.
7. Please provide additional information about the proposed wood or concrete privacy screen.
Delineate the specific location on the plans.
8. Are the outdoor seating areas on the ground level intended to be for public or private use?
9. Would the rooftop deck use be open to the public, or restricted to private use only?
10. Please show the location, height, and appearance of proposed mechanical equipment
screening.
11. Refer to Zoning Regulations Section 17.30.130.E (Mixed-Use Development, Design
Standards), Standard 6: Site planning and building design shall be compatible with and
enhance the adjacent and surrounding built environment in terms of scale, building design,
color, exterior materials, roof styles, lighting, landscaping, and signage. Please provide a
street section showing adjacent structures on Marsh and Higuera. This graphic may
demonstrate a need for additional vertical and horizontal articulation.
12. Confirm that all walkways have a minimum unobstructed width of six feet (Zoning
Regulations Section 17.30.130.G.5) and identify on plans.
13. If restaurant uses are anticipated for the ground floor commercial space(s), identify how
compatibility with the residential uses will be achieved, particularly related to potential
noise conflicts associated with typical hours of operation (noting that a request for hours of
operation beyond 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM would require Minor Use Permit review). Consider
operational noise, including the location and use of equipment (indoor and outdoor) that
potentially generate noise, and address accordingly.
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14. Regarding parking calculations, note the base requirement for restaurants is 1/100 square
feet and the requirement for “general retail” is 1/300 square feet (refer to Zoning
Regulations Table 3-4 Parking Requirements by Use).
15. Provide a copy of the shared parking agreement with the adjacent property.
16. Provide an Addendum to the Historic Preservation Report (SWCA, April 2019) that
includes a review of the project’s revisions in response to the report recommendations.
17. Pursuant to Zoning Regulations Section 17.32.030.F, and based on the height and location
of the building, a visual study is required. The visual study shall determine whether the
project will:
a. Materially obstruct views of distant hills from surrounding properties; and/or
b. Create an adverse visual impact on existing or planned publicly owned gathering
sites by materially obstructing views of nearby public open spaces, historic
resources, City landmarks, or protected natural resources; and/or create adverse
shade and shadow effects during times of the day when a gathering site is
anticipated to be most used.
Additional Comments – These comments are not completeness comments but may directly affect the
staff recommendation. Please review the Community Design Guidelines Chapter 4 Downtown
Design and revise plans as appropriate, comments that are not adequately addressed may become
conditions, please see comments of concern below:
Note: Based on review the revised plans, please consider and address the following potential issues
of inconsistency with the Community Design Guidelines:
18. The proposed structures maintain a “boxy” appearance, and may benefit from additional
step backs at the second or third floor, which would demonstrate consistency with the CDG
Downtown Design Guidelines, may maintain existing views of Cerro San Luis as seen from
Marsh Street, and provide improved horizontal transition from adjacent structures on both
Marsh and Higuera. Demonstrate that the height of the building at the back of sidewalk does
not exceed the width of the adjoining right-of-way (CDG 4.2.B).
19. Please see CDG 4.2.C, and incorporate additional pedestrian/human scale elements at the
ground level, such as brick or decorative tile along bulkheads, and placement of windows
above the bulkhead.
20. Clarify the type of material for the storefront awnings, noting that per the CDG, metal or
other glossy materials are not appropriate (CDG 4.2.D.5).
Past comments included for your consideration:
In designing a building, it is important to analyze the areas surrounding the building site to
find elements of compatibility that can be used in a new design. It is important for each site
to both maintain its own identity and be complementary to its surroundings. Thus, a new
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building can be unique and interesting and still show respect for and compatibility with the
architectural styles and scale of other buildings in its vicinity.
Designs should demonstrate a consistent use of colors, materials, and detailing throughout
all elevations of the building. Elevations which do not directly face a street should not be
ignored or receive only minimal architectural treatment. Each building should look like the
same building from all sides.
o Attention should be given to the transition between the street and the project through
definition of the building entry, walkways and landscaping.
o Proportion, continuity, harmony, simplicity, rhythm and balance should prevail in
building design. Building elements should be balanced and in proportion to one
another.
The City encourages well-articulated, but not cluttered building elevations. Large roof and
wall planes unrelieved by shadow or texture are generally not acceptable. However, too
many elevation details or repeating patterns can overwhelm, and appear awkward, gaudy,
and/or chaotic.
o Avoid “boxy” structures with large, flat wall planes by articulating building forms
and elevations to create interesting rooflines, building shapes, and patterns of shade
and shadow.
o Buildings should be designed with consideration of the characteristic proportions
(relationship of height to width) of existing adjacent facades, as well as the rhythm,
proportion, and spacing of their existing door and window openings.
o Wall surfaces, particularly at the street level, should be varied and interesting, rather
than unbroken and monolithic,
o The exterior materials of downtown buildings involve several aspects including
color, texture, and materials. If the building's exterior design is complicated, with
many design features, the wall texture should be simple and subdued. However, if
the building design is simple (perhaps more monolithic), a finely textured material,
such as patterned masonry, can greatly enrich the building's overall character.
Multi-story buildings should be set back above the second or third level to maintain a street
façade that is consistent with the historic pattern of development, maintaining the general
similarity of building heights at the sidewalk edge.
o In no case may the height of a building at the back of sidewalk exceed the width of
the adjoining right-of-way.
o New buildings that are significantly taller than adjacent buildings shall provide
appropriate visual transitions.
o The project should provide upper story setbacks from the front building façade along
the street. Portions of the building should be stepped back sufficiently so that these
upper building walls are not visible to pedestrians on the sidewalk along the
building’s frontage
o Demonstrate compliance with Figures 4.2 Building Height to Street Width Ratio and
Figure 4.3 Visibility of Upper Stories from the Sidewalk, Figure 4.4 Articulated
Roofs, Figure 4.5 Horizontal Lines.
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o Larger buildings (where frontages exceed 50 feet) should be clearly expressed at the
street frontage by changing material or setback to respect the historic lot pattern and
rhythm of downtown development;
o Abrupt changes in building heights and/or roof orientation should be diminished by
offsets of building form and mass;
o Use roof overhangs, cornices, dentals, moldings, awnings, and other decorative
features to decrease the vertical appearance of the walls;
For new projects adjacent to buildings included on the City’s Inventory of Historic
Resources there shall be a heightened sensitivity to the mass and scale of the significant
buildings.
The use of balconies, porches, and patios as part of multi-family structures is encouraged for
both practical and aesthetic value. These elements should be used to break up large wall
masses, offset floor setbacks, and add human scale to structures.
Additional Recommendations
The project may want to consider incorporation of enclosed Mechanical Parking lifts to
accommodate more parking on site for residences or employees. Please review required
findings for mechanical lifts.
Plans should show solar installation to adequately depict the projects mass and scale with
roof mounted equipment.
Consider if a restaurant use may be proposed in the future, and how vents, fans, and other
equipment would be incorporated into the project while not adversely affecting or resulting
in a nuisance to residence owners and/or occupants.
It should be anticipated that the City’s advisory bodies may recommend reduction to the
projects scale and mass in response to historic preservation, implementation of the
Community Design Guidelines, General Plan policies and programs, as well as reflection of
the vision for the Downtown Concept Plan.
If you have any questions on the above planning comments, or any questions regarding this letter,
please contact me at 805-781-7176, or by e-mail at: sscott@slocity.org
The above list includes all of the items initially identified as necessary for us to certify your
application as complete. The City may ask for additional information upon more detailed review of
your project. If you have any questions regarding this letter or the specific items necessary to
submit for a complete application, please contact me at (805) 781-7176.
Sincerely,
Shawna Scott
Senior Planner