The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About06-20-2016 ARC Item 1 - Staff Report Attachment 061 Shawna Scott From:Philip Stewart <philips@myhregroup.com> Sent:Monday, May 02, 2016 8:18 AM To:Steven R. Marx; advisorybodies@slocity.org; Davidson, Doug; Shawna Scott; Rachel Cohen (rcohen@slocity.org) Subject:RE: ARC communication Thanks for your email Steven. These will be part of my presentation showing the difference between the full vs. partial 4th floor. See you tonight. Philip L. Stewart, AIA, NCARB 620 SW 5th Avenue, Suite 500 Portland, Oregon 97204 t 503.236.6000 f 503.236.7500 d 503.402.6558 c 503.616.1936 philips@myhregroup.com www.myhregroup.com From: Steven R. Marx [mailto:smarx@calpoly.edu] Sent: Monday, May 02, 2016 8:15 AM To: advisorybodies@slocity.org; Davidson, Doug <ddavidson@slocity.org>; Shawna Scott <sscott@swca.com>; Rachel Cohen (rcohen@slocity.org) <rcohen@slocity.org>; Philip Stewart <philips@myhregroup.com> Subject: ARC communication Dear members of the ARC Thank you for reconsidering the visual impact of the four story Marriott Hotel proposal on City Farm. In the 220 page staff report I received, I did not find the email below so I would like to bring it to your attention. The images here, produced by the applicant recently, after several months of communication among applicant, staff, and CCG representatives, seem to us to be the most accurate projections of what that impact would be. That impact would be extreme at the location of the entrance to the farm, which is where our retail sales and public interaction will take place. The tarp covered pile in the foreground is at the location of the farmstand that ATTACHMENT 6 2 will be built within the next two months after a yearlong delay created by the temporary freeway offramp which has now been removed. Although concerns about shading of agricultural fields have been allayed by the new studies produced since the last hearing, we believe these images, left out of the staff report, should provide you with a basis to decide that the building is too tall and massive for this site. Sincerely, Steven Marx, President Wendy Brown, Treasurer Central Coast Grown Begin forwarded message: From: Philip Stewart <philips@myhregroup.com> Subject: RE: Calle Joaquin - Additional Simulation Date: April 26, 2016 at 1:30:11 PM PDT To: "Steven R. Marx" <smarx@calpoly.edu> Cc: Shawna Scott <sscott@swca.com>, Wendy Brown <wbrown1865@gmail.com>, "Rachel Cohen (rcohen@slocity.org)" <rcohen@slocity.org> All – These still images are intended to compare the impact on the view toward the south of the hotel with four full floors with the hotel having a partial fourth floor. Thanks. Philip L. Stewart, AIA, NCARB 620 SW 5th Avenue, Suite 500 Portland, Oregon 97204 t 503.236.6000 f 503.236.7500 d 503.402.6558 c 503.616.1936 philips@myhregroup.com www.myhregroup.com ATTACHMENT 6 3 From: Steven R. Marx [mailto:smarx@calpoly.edu] Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2016 12:46 PM To: Philip Stewart <philips@myhregroup.com> Cc: Shawna Scott <sscott@swca.com>; Wendy Brown <wbrown1865@gmail.com>; Rachel Cohen (rcohen@slocity.org) <rcohen@slocity.org> Subject: Re: Calle Joaquin ‐ Additional Simulation Phillip I received five images. Two of them are simulations in some kind of drawing program. They contrast the full and partial fourth floor buildings. The three other images show the full top floor building from three different views on the farm, but no partial top floor from those views. The latter three images look more accurate simulations than the two drawings, which seem to me exaggerate the reduction of the building’s height. That’s confirmed by the differences in the images from the vantage, the farm entry and future farmstead: p.s. I had to open the first image here in Photoshop and radically reduce its file size in order to email it. Steven ATTACHMENT 6 4 ATTACHMENT 6 5 ATTACHMENT 6 6 ATTACHMENT 6 7 ATTACHMENT 6 8 ATTACHMENT 6 9 ATTACHMENT 6 10 ATTACHMENT 6 11 ATTACHMENT 6 12 ATTACHMENT 6 13 ATTACHMENT 6 14 ATTACHMENT 6 15 ATTACHMENT 6 1 Shawna Scott From:Steven R. Marx <smarx@calpoly.edu> Sent:Tuesday, April 19, 2016 11:24 AM To:Philip Stewart Cc:Shawna Scott; Wendy Brown; Rachel Cohen (rcohen@slocity.org) Subject:Re: Calle Joaquin - Additional Simulation Importance:High Hi folks Its become clear through this process that getting a sense of what the hotel would actually look like from the most crucial locations on the farm is very hard to do. It looks to me like the three simulations with the photos are more believable than the drawings, in terms of visual impact. I’d like to see the comparisons you mention here—full and partial fourth story—made available with the last three images. Best, Steven On Apr 19, 2016, at 8:51 AM, Philip Stewart <philips@myhregroup.com> wrote: Hi Shawna – The email bounced back, so I am sending this in two emails…there should be a total of 5 attachments. Attached are the following photo simulation stills: ‐ 2 views of the hotel from the approximate location of the future farm stand…with a full fourth story and with a partial fourth story (these are attached). ‐ 3 views of the hotel from various locations within the farm: near the southeast corner, middle, and towards the north side (will be attached to next email). As discussed, I will be prepared to present potential lost revenue from an elimination of up to 15 rooms, though the two comparison images clearly show a minimal impact to the view. Thanks. Philip L. Stewart, AIA, NCARB <image001.gif> 620 SW 5th Avenue, Suite 500 Portland, Oregon 97204 t 503.236.6000 f 503.236.7500 d 503.402.6558 c 503.616.1936 ATTACHMENT 6 From:Steven R. Marx To:philips@myhregroup.com Cc:Shawna Scott Subject:photos from City Farm SLO Date:Thursday, March 10, 2016 3:20:59 PM Hello Phillip First shot is from site of future farm stand. Our southern property line marked by stakes in foreground. Second shot is from halfway across our field. Third, Fourth and Fifth shots are from farm road near our northern property line. Steven ATTACHMENT 6 ATTACHMENT 6 ATTACHMENT 6 ATTACHMENT 6 ATTACHMENT 6 From:Steven R. Marx To:Philip Stewart Cc:Shawna Scott Subject:Re: Calle Joaquin Hotel Project Date:Thursday, March 10, 2016 8:48:56 AM Hello Phillip One picture, taken from the location of the far (northern) border of City Farm provides the foreground of the image referred to in my previous email (copied below). I will take more pictures today and send them to you. Steven Hello folks Philip Stewart and Wendy and I discussed these simulations. He mentioned that they were not recent but produced at the same time as the Ten Over studies we responded to below. None of these studies so far has shown what the proposed hotel will look from the vantage point of the farmstand and visiting area near the turnout at the end of Calle Joaquin, which is the most crucial visual impact. I reiterated our need for a third party expert simulation that shows both foreground and background and that might provide a plausible alternative to the alarming simulation we provided below earlier: https://www.flickr.com/photos/124814213@N08/22485286377/in/album- 72157660956301166/ In the most recent batch of images and animations, the foreground is left as a set of abstract shapes which provide no indication of what the whole scene will look like. We continue to have concerns that the animations and photographs in Ten Over studies are not from the relevant viewpoints. We find that the simulations of the views of the lots between the Marriott project and the present Mercedes dealership seem inaccurate and that the projection of the appearance of both the BMW dealership and another expected hotel are inaccurately large and blocky thus serving to hide the impact of the Marriott. It would be helpful if City staff and consultants could follow up on some of these concerns. Steven Marx On Mar 10, 2016, at 8:26 AM, Philip Stewart <philips@myhregroup.com> wrote: Hi Steven – We are in the process of preparing additional ‘still’ visuals as discussed in our call a couple of weeks back. ATTACHMENT 6 · View from location of future farm stand / pagoda looking toward proposed hotel · View from central location on the farm looking toward the proposed hotel with a full and a partial / recessed fourth floor We’ve got the images completed but lack the foreground information that you requested to help the pictures seem ‘real’. Google maps and google earth unfortunately do not help, as you know, their imagery is generally derived from vehicles on the street or satellite. Do you by chance have pictures already taken from these locations? We could use the foreground from pictures in the stills that we have created. I will also send an email to Shawna to see if Ten Over Studio (3rd Party Consultant) can provide photographs that they may have already taken. Thanks in advance for your help. Philip L. Stewart, AIA, NCARB Principal <image001.gif> 620 SW 5th Avenue, Suite 500 Portland, Oregon 97204 t 503.236.6000 f 503.236.7500 d 503.402.6558 c 503.616.1936 philips@myhregroup.com www.myhregroup.com <image002.png> <image003.png> ATTACHMENT 6 From:Steven R. Marx To:Shawna Scott; Wendy Brown Subject:Re: Calle Joaquin / Towneplace Suites Photosimulations and Shading Study Date:Sunday, March 06, 2016 5:19:17 PM Thanks Shawna. Simulations with photos like the Ten Over ones from several farm locations, including the produce stand would be a good supplement to Philip’s, which in my opinion provide little clarity. Steven On Mar 2, 2016, at 1:12 PM, Shawna Scott <sscott@swca.com> wrote: Hi Steven, Thank you for your review and comments. Based on the information provided by the independent consultant TenOver, by City Farm, and information provided by the applicant per the ARC directional items, staff has determined that the Marriott Towneplace Suites hotel project is ready to move forward to the ARC for review. Additional visual simulations of the project including proposed and potential development on adjacent lots as seen from the Highway 101 corridor were developed by an independent consultant to the City, TenOver. Due to highway safety concerns, photographs were taken from the closest available locations in order to represent existing and future views as seen from the Highway. The simulations were prepared based on stationary photographs, use of story poles to confirm building location, mass, and height, and use of information provided to the City by the adjacent developer (BMW) regarding the proposed car dealership proposed to be located between the Marriott Towneplace Suites hotel and the City Farm. No development proposals have been submitted to the City for the other two lots located to the southwest; therefore, general assumptions regarding future development of these lots based on existing City zoning regulations were used to develop building simulations for these two lots. These potential projects were included in the simulations in response to the ARC’s direction, and are intended to provide a potential picture of what build-out of these four looks would look like. The simulations of the adjacent structures are not intended to hide or obscure the project under consideration; please refer to TenOver’s northbound view simulation (View 02 – Step 4), which does not include a simulation of a future hotel development adjacent to the proposed project in order to more clearly see the proposed development. As indicated by Philip Stewart’s email (February 25, 2016), the applicant will provide additional simulations showing the future view from the City Farm future farmstand, and will include a simulation of the proposed farmstand in the animated simulations. The additional information will include still shots, as well, to provide more accurate ATTACHMENT 6 foreground detail. I will review all submitted information with City staff. The City is aware that this supplemental information may or may not rectify your concerns regarding the project. Similar to the previous hearing, you will have opportunities to provide additional public comment both prior to and during the public hearing for the project. Thank you, Shawna ______________________________________________ Shawna Scott | SWCA Environmental Consultants 1422 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 O 805.543.7095 x 6811 | M 805.748.3498 www.swca.com | sscott@swca.com From: Steven R. Marx [mailto:smarx@calpoly.edu] Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2016 1:18 PM To: Shawna Scott Cc: Rachel Cohen (rcohen@slocity.org); Philip Stewart; Wendy Brown; John C. Phillips; Levi Seligman; Nicki Anderson; Brian Engleton Subject: Re: Calle Joaquin / Towneplace Suites Photosimulations and Shading Study Hello folks Philip Stewart and Wendy and I discussed these simulations. He mentioned that they were not recent but produced at the same time as the Ten Over studies we responded to below. None of these studies so far has shown what the proposed hotel will look from the vantage point of the farmstand and visiting area near the turnout at the end of Calle Joaquin, which is the most crucial visual impact. I reiterated our need for a third party expert simulation that shows both foreground and background and that might provide a plausible alternative to the alarming simulation we provided below earlier: https://www.flickr.com/photos/124814213@N08/22485286377/in/al bum-72157660956301166/ In the most recent batch of images and animations, the foreground is left as a set of abstract shapes which provide no indication of what the whole scene will look like. We continue to have concerns that the animations and photographs in Ten Over studies are not from the relevant viewpoints. We find that the simulations of the views of the lots between the Marriott project and the present Mercedes dealership seem inaccurate and that the projection of the ATTACHMENT 6 appearance of both the BMW dealership and another expected hotel are inaccurately large and blocky thus serving to hide the impact of the Marriott. It would be helpful if City staff and consultants could follow up on some of these concerns. Steven Marx On Feb 16, 2016, at 4:34 PM, Shawna Scott <sscott@swca.com> wrote: Hi Steven, The additional information provided by the applicant is available for download here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kf3yy94wmrdzshb/AABkPYNKKr3U1DvanE9 5dcaXa?dl=0 Thank you, Shawna ______________________________________________ Shawna Scott | SWCA Environmental Consultants 1422 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 O 805.543.7095 x 6811 | M 805.748.3498 www.swca.com | sscott@swca.com From: Shawna Scott Sent: Thursday, February 11, 2016 8:07 AM To: 'Steven R. Marx' Cc: Rachel Cohen (rcohen@slocity.org); Philip Stewart; Wendy Brown; John C. Phillips; Levi Seligman; nicki.anderson@centralcoastgrown.org; Brianengleton@gmail.com Subject: RE: Calle Joaquin / Towneplace Suites Photosimulations and Shading Study Hi Steven, Thank you for your additional comments. The applicant is working on some additional revisions to the elevations, which we will forward to you once received. Thank you, Shawna ATTACHMENT 6 ______________________________________________ Shawna Scott | SWCA Environmental Consultants 1422 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 O 805.543.7095 x 6811 | M 805.748.3498 www.swca.com | sscott@swca.com From: Steven R. Marx [mailto:smarx@calpoly.edu] Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2016 4:02 PM To: Shawna Scott Cc: Rachel Cohen (rcohen@slocity.org); Philip Stewart; Wendy Brown; John C. Phillips; Levi Seligman;nicki.anderson@centralcoastgrown.org; Brianengleton@gmail.com Subject: Re: Calle Joaquin / Towneplace Suites Photosimulations and Shading Study Hi Shawna Thanks for sending this. The information here seems more complete and convincing than earlier versions. The shade study convinces me that shade on crops will not be a problem. However I still have two concerns. 1)There’s no view simulation from the farm itself, and in particular from the location at the entrance where we have planned our farmstand. It would be helpful to have a professionally created simulation from this view: https://www.flickr.com/photos/124814213@N08/22485286377/in/al bum-72157660956301166/ 2) The northbound freeway views are the most significant in terms of impact on the northbound entrance to the City. The ones shown on page 6 are not shot from the freeway itself but from a vantage point that looks to be about 70 feet to the right of the freeway’s right lane. In terms of view shed, the relevant vantage point would be from vehicles on the freeway pavement. Sincerely, Steven Marx Central Coast Grown On Feb 8, 2016, at 4:18 PM, Shawna Scott <sscott@swca.com> wrote: ATTACHMENT 6 Hi Steven, Thank you for your comments and time spent reviewing and discussing the Marriott – Towneplace Suites hotel project on Calle Joaquin, and sharing more information regarding the City Farm during and following our meeting at the City. The photo-simulations and shading study for the project currently under review have been completed by TenOver, a firm independently retained through the City of San Luis Obispo. You can download and view the photo-simulations and shading study here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/z3k52sjycvhuj22/020116%20Vi sual%20Second%20Draft%20%26%20Shading.pdf?dl=0 If you have any questions or difficulty with the download, please let me know. Thank you, Shawna ______________________________________________ Shawna Scott | SWCA Environmental Consultants 1422 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 O 805.543.7095 x 6811 | M 805.748.3498 www.swca.com | sscott@swca.com ATTACHMENT 6 From:Steven R. Marx To:Steven Marx Cc:Philip Stewart; rcohen@slocity.org; Carloni, Marcus; Shawna Scott; Hill, Robert; Wendy Brown; Nicki Anderson; Codron, Michael; Levi Seligman Subject:Mariott Hotel project meeting with Central Coast Grown Date:Wednesday, November 18, 2015 2:37:45 PM Hi again Just want to pass on my impressions of outcomes from today’s cordial meeting. 1. a. Developer’s shade study needs modification to reflect new information about the footprint of proposed BMW dealership to the north and to confirm the accuracy of sunrise direction in relation to the mapped properties. b. Not clear why the developer’s shade map is trapezoidal rather than rectangular. c. Developer’s shade study needs to be assessed by third party. 2. a. Visual impact of the hotel on various locations of the City Farm, especially those nearest the freeway, where farm stand, approved pergola, school program and CCG public events take place will be strongly affected by the dimensions and location of the proposed BMW dealership. The simulations of views of the hotel from the these locations should incorporate new information about that proposed development. b. The simulations also need to take into account the four to five foot height above the farm fields of the pad on which both hotel and dealership lots are situated. c. These simulations need to be assessed by a third party. 3. Developers of BMW project should meet with representatives of Central Coast Grown to discuss harmonizing their project with adjoining City Farm agricultural, educational and visitor serving activities. Building siting, landscaping, height, and design should be as compatible as possible with those activities and should be considered along with the plans for the Marriott Hotel to reduce negative impacts and produce a coherent overall view. 4. a. Animations simulating views of Marriott development from the freeway should include BMW project. b.These animations should provide for slow motion observation. c. These simulations need to be vetted by third party. 5. Parameters of enhanced dust study should be discussed with adjacent farmers who have experience with dust impacts. from the temporary off ramp. They can be reached at <ggorganicfarms@gmail.com> Thank you. Steven Marx On Nov 17, 2015, at 7:18 PM, Steven Marx <stevenmarx0@icloud.com> wrote: ATTACHMENT 6 Hello folks In preparation for our meeting tomorrow, I took two pictures that may add to our understanding of the impacts of the proposed project on City Farm. Both are of the Embassy Suites Hotel located at the northern end of the Calle Joaquin Ag Preserve. It’s four stories, like the proposed Mariotte. Both pictures were shot from a location roughly 250 feet from the hotel, which is roughly the distance that separates the City Farm ag fields from the projected Mariotte building. The first one, shot in the morning, shows how the north facade of the building would dominate the visual space of the farm. The second, shot at 3:30 in the afternoon of November 17, shows the extent of the shadow of the building, which would affect cropland during three months of the growing season. Sincerely, Steven Marx <IMG_4730.jpg> IMG_4730 <IMG_4759.jpg> IMG_4759 ATTACHMENT 6