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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-26-2016 CHC MinutesCultural Heritage Committee Minutes Monday, September 26, 2016 Regular Meeting CALL TO ORDER A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Cultural Heritage Committee was called to order on Monday, September 26, 2016 at 5:32 p.m. in the Council Chambers, located at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, by Chair Hill. ROLL CALL Present: Committee Members Sandy Baer, Craig Kincaid, Shannon Larrabee, James Papp, Leah Walthert, Vice -Chair Thom Brajkovich and Chair Jaime Hill Absent: None Staff: Community Development Director Michael Codron, Senior Planner Brian Leveille, Parks & Recreation Director Shelly Stanwyck, Planning Technician Kip Morais, Assistant Planner Walter Oetzell, Associate Planner Shawna Scott, Associate Planner Rachel Cohen, and Recording Secretary Brad T. Opstad PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON -AGENDA ITEMS Shannon Larrabee, San Luis Obispo, spoke from the dais and provided an update on the Leadership SLO Water -Wise Demonstration Garden. CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES Minutes for Cultural Heritage Committee Regular Meeting of July 25, 2016: ACTION: UPON MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER PAPP, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER BAER, the CHC Minutes of July 25, 2016 were approved with the following amendments: 1.) Page 3, Finding #4, end punctuation change (from ; to .) 2.) Page 4, third paragraph to read: "... provided local examples of painted wall signs from the early 1900's..." 3.) Page 5, seventh paragraph to read: Union Hardware Building; Miner's minor sign exception on the following 7:0:0 vote AYES: Baer, Kincaid, Larrabee, Papp, Walthert, Vice -Chair Brajkovich, and Chair Hill NOES: None ABSENT: None PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS 1. Utility Box Art in Historic District locations. OTHR-3827-2016: Review of proposed artwork designs and traffic signal locations for the 2016 Utility Box Art project at three locations within the Old Town and Downtown Historic Districts with a categorical exemption from environmental review, C -D -H & R -2-H zones; City of San Luis Obispo, applicant. Director Stanwyck spoke about the Utility Box Art Program and provided updates on the downtown beautification effort with the Historic Districts. Committee Member Kincaid inquired whether the front of any given utility box is determined by it being street side or pedestrian side view. Committee Member Baer discussed her experience as one of the fourteen (14) participants on the Art Jury. Chair Hill inquired about a traffic safety enhancement project being undertaken at the corner of Monterey & Osos Streets; acknowledged that the Committee was in receipt of two pieces of public correspondence. PUBLIC COMMENT None. COMMITTEE DISCUSSION Committee Member Walthert commented that the art does not readily represent the historic nature of the City's inhabitants or the heritage; Committee Member Baer responded by differentiating between art as specifically commissioned and art rendered via an open call to artists. ACTION: UPON MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER LARRABEE, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER BAER, the Cultural Heritage Committee adopted a draft Resolution which provides the determination for City Council that the CHC finds the box art design for the traffic signal utility boxes located in the Old Town and Downtown Historic Districts, as part of the 2016 Box Art Project, consistent with its Historical Preservation Program; on the following 7:0:0 vote: AYES: Baer, Kincaid, Larrabee, Papp, Walthert, Vice -Chair Brajkovich, and Chair Hill NOES: None ABSENT: None 2. 840 Monterey Street. ARCH -3534-2016: Review of request to place a wall sign on an elevation without a public entrance on a Contributing Historic Structure (Blackstone Hotel), with a categorical exemption from environmental review; C -D -H zone; Coast Monument Signs, applicant. Cultural Heritage Committee Minutes of September 26, 2016 Page 2 Technician Morais presented a project description, historical background, and PowerPoint slides of the proposed wall sign. Committee Member Papp inquired about the frequency of variance requests for signs on elevations without entrances; inquired about the necessity of placing a sign on the western fagade, given the existence and placement of the Monterey Street sign, and whether having a secondary sign is a commercial imperative. Committee Member Baer qualified that the Committee was considering the sign that faces Chorro Street, as opposed to the Monterey Street sign with same logo, but also dissimilar in terms of size, proportion, and placement. APPLICANT PRESENTATION Steve Fear, Coast Monument Signs, Arroyo Grande, discussed the sign installation being low - impacted and Chorro Street being a major pedestrian thoroughfare. Jennifer Kurtz, LuluLemon Athletica, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, discussed the location and proportions of the proposed sign; requested that the Committee disregard the banner sign indicated in the presentation materials, as it was part of an earlier sign submission. PUBLIC COMMENT None. COMMITTEE DISCUSSION Committee Member Papp indicated that a request for a sign of this size and discretion was reasonable unless the City was adamant that there should not be signs on sides of buildings without entrances; Director Codron informed that the City is currently in the midst of updating sign regulations and that this type of exception request is of frequent occurrence, and intent of current sign regulations is to prevent sign proliferation. Vice -Chair Brajkovich commented that the proposed sign does not detract from the Historical Preservation Standards; commented favorably on its positioning and its repetitive use of the architecture's round elements. Committee Member Baer commented unfavorably on the marketing signage commercializing the Mission across the street with its placement. Chair Hill commented further on sign's inappropriateness in fronting Mission being sufficient reason for not granting exception; pointed out excessive signage on Court Street as exemplary of what is beginning to transpire in the downtown and is also inconsistent with the Guidelines. Cultural Heritage Committee Minutes of September 26, 2016 Page 3 ACTION: UPON MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER LARRABEE, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER BAER, the Cultural Heritage Committee recommended the Community Development Director deny approval of the project, as the sign at this location is not consistent with the surrounding neighborhood and adds sign clutter at a critically sensitive location facing the Mission; on the following 6:1:0:0 vote: AYES: Baer, Kincaid, Larrabee, Papp, Walthert, and Chair Hill NOES: Vice -Chair Brajkovich ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: None 3. 1119 Garden Street. ARCH -2588-2016: Review of proposed modifications to the fagade of the Union Hardware Building, a Master List Historic Structure, with a categorical exemption from environmental review; C -D -H zone; Garden Street SLO Partners, applicant. The Committee discussed particulars of a conflict-of-interest recusal with Community Development Director Codron; based on the discussion, Committee Member Larrabee determined she would not recuse for Garden Street Item 3. Director Codron introduced the project as a part of recently approved Garden Street Terraces and requested feedback; Planner Oetzell provided the staff report with PowerPoint slides displaying the proposed fagade modifications and character -defining architectural features. APPLICANT PRESENTATION Carol Florence, Principal Planner, Oasis Associates, presented the PowerPoint presentation which provided a historic overview and site perspectives, while underscoring the public-private partnership between the City and the project owners. Beverly and Shaun Matthews, project partners and hoteliers, displayed PowerPoint slides of the proposed reconfigurations on Garden Street and noted the projected complete restoration of two buildings, and concepts for signage. Robert Chattel, project preservation architect, discussed the initial Environmental Impact Report and the updated design development documents; reported that both Master List Buildings will undergo seismic retrofit as part of the project. Chair Hill requested that the images be displayed of the windows being added to the site; Vice - Chair Brajkovich inquired whether location of delivery door would remain the same. Committee Member Papp inquired whether the Committee was to consider the windows on the building's side elevation, the street fagade solely, or both; inquired whether the bulkhead removal would be reversible; inquired about the reasoning behind shifting the original location of the traditional ingress/egress from the building's center to its side. Cultural Heritage Committee Minutes of September 26, 2016 Page 4 PUBLIC COMMENT None. COMMITTEE DISCUSSION Committee Member Papp commented favorably on the removal of awnings, restoration of the transom, and retention of the structural and linear elements of the fagade. Vice -Chair Brajkovich indicated that the project's having maintained the consistency of the fagade trumps the perceived small problem he initially had with the building being overly symmetrical. ACTION: UPON MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER PAPP, SECONDED BY VICE - CHAIR BRAJKOVICH, the Cultural Heritage Committee found the proposed storefront modifications to be consistent with the Historic Preservation Ordinance and adopted the draft resolution recommending the director find the modifications consistent with the Secretary of the Interior Standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic Properties; on the following 7:0:0 vote: AYES: Baer, Kincaid, Larrabee, Papp, Walthert, Vice -Chair Brajkovich, and Chair Hill NOES: None ABSENT: None Chair Hill called for a five-minute recess. 4. 12165 Los Osos Valley Road. PRE -1293-2015: Pre -application review of the conceptual plan for the multiple structures comprising the Froom Ranch Historic Complex, including structure demolition, and structure relocation and adaptive reuse within a proposed proximate park, in association with the Froom Ranch / Il Villagio Specific Plan (Madonna on Los Osos Valley Road Specific Plan); John Madonna, applicant. Associate Planner Shawna Scott provided the background of the pre -application review of the conceptual proposal for the multiple structures comprising the Froom Ranch historic complex; requested that the CHC provide collective directional items and feedback. Chair Hill disclosed that the Committee Members toured the site with the Applicant. Committee Member Papp inquired about a historic survey and indicated the site was eligible for National, California and Local Historical Registers. Committee Member Kincaid inquired whether an advisory body had authority to discuss any criteria since the property has not yet been annexed to the City; Planner Leveille indicated that the site has been evaluated as part of the General Plan and as part of one of the Specific Plan Areas; Director Codron added that none of the approvals granted by the City would apply until the site was under City jurisdiction, but would be those consulted and relied upon prior to construction. Cultural Heritage Committee Minutes of September 26, 2016 Page 5 APPLICANT PRESENTATION Victor Montgomery, architect with RRM Design Group, spoke on behalf of the John & Susan Madonna Trust; presented PowerPoint slides of the project site's resources to either be relocated, demolished, harvested, or adaptively re -used; shared that structural analysis had not been done to determine viability for rehabilitation. Vice -Chair Brajkovich inquired about the accumulation of historical artifacts inside the dairy barn; Chair Hill requested dimensional comparisons with the Octagon Barn. PUBLIC COMMENT David Brodie, San Luis Obispo, stressed the present-day obligation to retain communicated insights from the past, via the resources of remaining artifacts; urged for greater preservation efforts. Neil Havlik, San Luis Obispo, spoke about his concerns with the development above the 150 -foot elevation line; related that any such development should be strictly for public purpose, such as a trailhead park. Ray Walters, San Luis Obispo, opined that the best location for a trailhead park is adjacent to the trailheads and that this property is better suited for some development above the 150 -foot elevation line. COMMITTEE DISCUSSION Committee Member Walthert shared how enamored she had become with the majestic nature of the dairy barn; lobbied for maintaining its rounded corner as a vital component of historical value. Committee Member Kincaid commented favorably on the concept of an adaptive re -use of the property. Committee Member Larrabee spoke favorably on the direction of the project; spoke of her uncertainty for any type of restoration on site that could provide any degree of safe access; suggested that the trailhead park using established infrastructure was of sound reasoning. Committee Member Papp indicated that the historic survey provided sufficient differentiation of structures' status but that it is a task better suited for structural engineers to analyze toward decision-making; indicated that the Committee is faced with the possibility of "demolition by neglect" and further indicated that determining a commercially viable method to maintain buildings is both an imperative aspect in preventing it and incumbent upon the developer and the City to find creative, viable ways to salvage agricultural buildings of significance; indicated that the first option should not have to be demolition. Vice -Chair Brajkovich discussed replication and adaptive re -use options for the dairy barn. Committee Member Baer considered the relocation of a main house as being incongruous in proximity to a Home Depot and suggested alternative sites to be considered; urged recognition of Cultural Heritage Committee Minutes of September 26, 2016 Page 6 the circular part of a dairy barn as a design motif that could be represented in other structures as a valuable reminder of architectural history. Chair Hill commented favorably on the organization of the structures on site and that any relocation will destroy the historical narrative. Committee Member Papp qualified that it would be difficult to arrive at a rating for each respective structure; supposed that the Committee's predominant interest in salvaging structures, to the extent that they can be, is the overriding message to be conveyed. Chair Hill indicated she based her own discussion points solely on information provided by the First Carbon Solution, none of which states anything about any of the structures being non- salvageable. ACTION: UPON MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER PAPP, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER BAER, the Cultural Heritage Committee provided feedback on the applicant's conceptual plan for the multiple structures comprising the Froom Ranch Historic Complex, including structure demolition, structure relocation, and adaptive reuse within a proposed proximate park; made Motion indicating CHC is in favor of the preservation of structures intact and in situ, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act and Secretary of Interior's Standards, and toward maintaining the historic narrative and meaning of the complex; on the following 6:1:0:0 vote: AYES: Baer, Larrabee, Papp, Walthert, Vice -Chair Brajkovich, and Chair Hill NOES: Kincaid ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: None 5. 1027 Nipomo Street. ARCH -3216-2016: Review of a new four-story mixed-use development proposed in the Downtown Historic District that includes 8,131 square -feet of commercial/retail space, 23 residential units and hotel use (7 rooms), with a categorical exemption from environmental review; C -D -H zone; Creekside Lofts, applicant. Planner Cohen provided the Staff Report on the new four-story mixed-use structure. In response to Committee Member Larrabee's inquiry, Director Codron mentioned that the project is subject to the City's inclusionary housing requirements such that it will be paying a fee as a percentage of the total project valuation. APPLICANT PRESENTATION Damien Mavis, Applicant representative, provided the historical and evolutionary context leading to the third iteration of the project. Chair Hill inquired about the trash enclosure and the building code allowance for the sign across property lines between the project and Ciopinot. Cultural Heritage Committee Minutes of September 26, 2016 Page 7 Vice -Chair Brajkovich inquired how the building's height qualified and met Design Guidelines in the low -scale neighborhood. PUBLIC COMMENT Mary Mitchell, Soda Water Works, San Luis Obispo; qualified that her building is zoned in a Community Commercial Historic District with a Planned Development overlay (CC -HPD) area and in full conformance of the Historic Preservation Guidelines; stated her opposition to the project as presented for a variety of reasons, including that the modern and monolithic building violates City guidelines relating to infill projects adjacent to properties on the Master List of Historic Buildings. Donna Duerk, San Luis Obispo, spoke in opposition to the project's massing; lamented how the project not stepping back its upper levels from the street infringes on her neighborhood's privacy. David Brodie, San Luis Obispo, opined that the project does not conform with either Downtown Guidelines or Historic Preservation Guidelines. Mary Neal, Sandy's Liquor, San Luis Obispo; voiced objection to the project due to parking issues. Nancy Hubbard, San Luis Obispo, spoke as member of development team and in favor of project; discussed how established zoning regulations are set by civic leaders and then stringently adhered to by developers in order to facilitate needs and requests for growth; discussed how the creek creates a natural setback buffer between uses. Thom Jess, Arris Studio Architects, San Luis Obispo; addressed an insulting comment provided by a member of the public. COMMITTEE DISCUSSION Committee Member Papp discussed the current state of various Downtown projects severely overshadowing the historic spatial nature of the Downtown Historic District and how to decide to respond to it accordingly. Committee Members Baer, Brajkovich, Larrabee, and Hill commented unfavorably on the project's scale, massing, and incompatibility with neighboring structures. ACTION: UPON MOTION BY CHAIR HILL, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE MEMBER KINCAID, the Cultural Heritage Committee continued the item to a date uncertain with direction to the Applicant to re-evaluate height, scale, massing and detailing for greater consistency with neighboring historic structures within the Downtown Historic District; on the following 7:0:0 roll call vote: AYES: Baer, Kincaid, Larrabee, Papp, Walthert, Vice -Chair Brajkovich, and Chair Hill NOES: None ABSENT: None Cultural Heritage Committee Minutes of September 26, 2016 Page 8 AGENDA FORECAST AND STAFF UPDATES Planner Leveille provided the Agenda Forecast: October 201: Two-story addition on Master List structure at 752 Buchon; sign on Chinatown project Informal discussion ensued on the following: A.) Length and breadth of this and future CHC Hearings; B.) The difficulty in producing and using three-dimensional physical models for context in scale for projects but potentially using GIS mapping and form -based code as alternatives; C.) The recent Chinatown archaeological fiasco prompted need for matrix for identifying cultural resource mitigation measures ADJOURNMENT: 9:51 p.m. APPROVED BY THE CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMITTEE: 11/28/2016 Cultural Heritage Committee Minutes of September 26, 2016 Page 9