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Home My WebLink About04-13-2015 CHC MinutesSAN LUIS OBISPO CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMITTEE (SPECIAL MEETING) MINUTES April 13, 2015 OATH OF OFFICE: Swearing in re- appointed Committee Member Sandy Baer and new Committee Members Craig Kincaid and James Papp City Clerk Mejia administered the Oath of Office to re- appointed Committee Member Baer and new Committee Members Craig Kincaid and James Papp. Kincaid and Papp were seated. ROLL CALL: Present: Committee Members Sandy Baer, Thom Brajkovich, Craig Kincaid, James Papp, Victoria Wood, Vice -Chair Jaime Hill, and Chair — Vacant. Absent: None. Staff: Senior Planner Brian Leveille, Assistant Planner Kyle Bell, Principal Analyst James David, and Recording Secretary Erica Inderlied ELECTION: Election of Chairperson and Vice - Chairperson On motion by Committee Member Baer, seconded by Committee Member Wood, to nominate Vice -Chair Hill to serve as Chair, and to nominate Committee Member Brajkovich to serve as Vice - Chair. AYES: Committee Members Baer, Brajkovich, Hill, Kincaid, Papp, Wood NOES: None RECUSED: None ABSENT: None The motion passed on a 6:0 vote. ACCEPTANCE OF THE AGENDA: The agenda was accepted as presented. MINUTES: Minutes of March 23, 2015, were approved as presented. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON - AGENDA ITEMS: There were no comments from the public. CHC Minutes April 13, 2015 Page 2 PRESENTATION: Palm Street Chinatown Artifacts. Update on stabilization of collection excavated from 842 Palm Street Parking Structure site, and review of potential products that demonstrate the collection's historic significance in the community. James David, Principal Analyst, presented the staff report, recommending that the Committee receive a status report on the stabilization of the Palm Street Chinatown artifacts collection, and provide direction if desired. PUBLIC COMMENTS: There were no comments from the public. COMMITTEE COMMENTS: In response to inquiry from Committee Member Papp, Principal Analyst David clarified that the City Council will be asked to approve the contract with Sonoma State for the Interpretive Display product on April 21, 2015; Papp noted that the $10,000 cost seemed high. PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS: 1128 Morro Street. ARCH - 0549 -2014; Review of request to construct a four -story hotel addition over the existing parking lot at the rear of the Granada Hotel with a categorical exemption from CEQA; C -D zone; Lunacy Club, LLC, applicant. Kyle Bell, Assistant Planner, presented the staff report, recommending that the Committee adopt a resolution recommending that the Architectural Review Commission (ARC) approve the project, based on findings and subject to conditions of approval. Mr. Bell noted that the applicants have returned with a revised project proposal following previous review and directional items from the CHC and ARC. Kimberly Walker, hotel owner, summarized the history of the hotel to date. Jeff Bague, Puglisi Architecture, project architect, noted amendments to the proposal since previous hearings and stated he believes the project has been improved. PUBLIC COMMENTS: There were no comments from the public_ COMMITTEE COMMENTS: Committee Member Kincaid noted support for the proposed project. CHC Minutes April 13, 2015 Page 3 Committee Member Wood thanked the applicants for their responsiveness to advisory body direction and noted support for the project. Committee Member Baer and Vice - Chair Brajkovich concurred. Committee Member Papp and Chair Hill noted support for the project, specifically its presence as an improvement to the Morro Street surroundings. There were no further comments from the Committee. On motion by Vice -Chair Brajkovich, seconded by Committee Member Baer, to adopt a resolution recommending that the Architectural Review Commission approve the project, based on findings and subject to conditions contained in the staff report. AYES: Committee Members Baer, Brajkovich, Hill, Kincaid, Papp, Wood NOES: None RECUSED: None ABSENT: None The motion passed on a 6:0 vote. 2. 1243 Palm Street. ARCH - 0832 -2015; Review of two new studio units beneath an existing one -story Contributing historic structure in the Mill Street Historic District, with a categorical exemption from environmental review; R -3 -H / C -R zones; Jennifer Yost, applicant. Kyle Bell, Assistant Planner, presented the staff report, recommending that the Committee adopt a resolution recommending that the Community Development Director approve the project, based on findings and subject to conditions. Committee Member Wood noted the difficulty in seeing the plans and the desire to receive larger project plans in the future. Greg Wynn, project architect, and Jen Yost, applicant, made a presentation; summarized the history of the project; noted concerns over some of the conditions of approval including the condition requiring details on the means and methods to lift the structure. Committee Member Papp commented on the problem of historic structures ending up in the middle of "miniature parking lots" due to high- density housing requirements. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Eric Meyer, San Luis Obispo, commented on the historical ownership of the property, stated that architects are typically not required to provide detailed methodology for lifting structures to allow foundation repair. He also noted that sidewalk reconstruction can affect the historical character of neighborhoods. There were no further comments from the public. CHC Minutes April 13, 2015 Page 4 COMMITTEE COMMENTS: In response to inquiry from the Committee, Senior Planner Leveille noted that the CHC's discussion on conditions of approval should be limited to those that are related to the Historic Preservation Guidelines and that Public Works and Utilities conditions are not typically included in CHC reports. Chair Hill also noted that she did not think it was within the CHC's purview to discuss conditions not related specifically to historic resources. She noted that many of the conditions could be removed from the CHC's consideration and be addressed at the time final action is taken on the project at the Director level. Chair Hill noted there had been previous Committee interest in exploring the potential of public improvement alternatives for projects in neighborhoods where historic character could be affected. Brian Leveille responded that he would have to consult with Public Works and hoped to provide the CHC with information in the near future. Vice -Chair Brajkovich commented that the staircase to the front door may not be original construction; requested that the applicant consider modifying it to be more harmonious with surroundings. Committee Member Papp noted support for the project. Vice -Chair Brajkovich concurred discussing that the historic character of the front fagade will remain unchanged. Committee Member Baer spoke in support of the project. Committee Members Wood and Kincaid and Chair Hill concurred. In response to inquiry from Chair Hill, Senior Planner Leveille clarified that Condition 3, requiring the provision of details regarding the method of lifting the structure is more typical for larger redevelopment projects involving historic resources and the staff provided the condition as a precaution to ensure preservation of the resource anticipating CHC concerns on the method. Based on the applicant testimony and CHC discussion on the relative simplicity of lifting the structure, he noted the CHC could discuss modification of the condition, or its removal from the CHC recommendation. Committee Member Baer discussed she was comfortable removing condition #3 and that the other department conditions aren't typically included for CHC review and should be removed. Brian Leveille clarified that it should be clear in the record to prevent any future confusion that the CHC is only not including those conditions in its action and that it is not recommending removing the conditions from the final action on the project. There were no further comments from the Committee. On motion by Committee Member Baer, seconded by Committee Member Papp, to adopt a resolution recommending that the Community Development Director approve the project, based on findings and subject to conditions contained in the staff report, with the following revisions: CHC Minutes April 13, 2015 Page 5 1. Strike Condition 3, 2. Eliminate all "Utilities" and "Public Works" conditions from the Cultural Heritage Committee's recommendation to the Director. AYES: Committee Members Baer, Brajkovich, Hill, Kincaid, Papp, Wood NOES: None RECUSED: None ABSENT: None The motion passed on a 6:0 vote. COMMENT AND DISCUSSION: 3. Staff a. Agenda Forecast Senior Planner Leveille gave a summary of upcoming agenda items; noted a California Preservation Foundation conference that he and Vice -Chair Brajkovich will attend in the near future. 4. Committee Chair Hill requested that staff attempt to coordinate a presentation by Public Works staff exploring alternative methods of construction that may allow site improvements that are more sensitive to historical context. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 7:26 p.m. Respectfully submitted by, Erica Inderlied Recording Secretary Approved by the Cultural Heritage Committee on April 27, 2015, Laurie'Thomas Administrative Assistant III