HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-13-2017 ARC Minutes
Minutes
ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION
Monday, November 13, 2017
Special Meeting of the Architectural Review Commission
CALL TO ORDER
A Special Meeting of the Architectural Review Commission was called to order on Monday,
November 13, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, located at 990 Palm Street, San Luis
Obispo, California, by Chair Wynn.
APPOINTMENTS
1. Oath of Office
City Clerk Carrie Gallagher administered the Oath of Office to new Commissioner
Micah Smith.
ROLL CALL
Present: Commissioners Amy Nemcik, Micah Smith, Richard Beller, Vice-Chair Angela Soll,
and Chair Greg Wynn
Absent: Commissioners Brian Rolph and Allen Root
Staff: Michael Codron, Community Development Director, Deputy Director Doug Davidson;
Walter Oetzell, Assistant Planner; Rachel Cohen, Associate Planner; Jon Ansolabehere,
Assistant City Attorney, and Jennifer Hooper, Recording Secretary.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
Allan Cooper.
James Lopes.
--End of Public Comment--
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
ACTION: MOTION BY COMMISSIONER NEMCIK SECOND BY VICE-CHAIR
SOLL, CARRIED 4-0-2-1 (COMMISSIONER SMITH ABSTAINED), TO APPROVE THE
MINUTES OF THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION MEETINGS OF
SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 AND OCTOBER 16, 2017.
Minutes – Architectural Review Commission Meeting of November 13, 2017 Page 2
PRESENTATION
1. 1027 NIPOMO STREET. Presentation by the applicant and project architect, Damien
Mavis and Bryan Ridley, respectively, to receive preliminary feedback on responding to
the ARC direction; no action will be taken: Vesper Hotel Project. Applicants responded to
Commissioner inquiries.
Public Comments:
Dave Hannings.
Allan Cooper.
James Papp.
--End of Public Comment--
Chair Greg Wynn disclosed ex parte communication with the applicants.
The following feedback was provided:
1. Commissioner Beller: reduction of stair mass is helpful. Dormer style elements are not
helpful, caution against adding sharp point to upper floor roof. The 4-5-foot reduction in
height at the parapets are helpful. Incompatibility of fourth floor with direction from CHC,
including visibility from Nipomo. Balconies facing creek are still an issue with regard to
noise.
2. Commissioner Nemcik: Reductions are going in a good direction. Gables are more
awkward than less massive. Going away from dark colors is in the right direction. The
direction from CHC needs to be taken into consideration.
3. Commissioner Smith: Setting back fourth floor as much as possible does address CHC
concerns; there should however be a compromise for project viability.
4. Vice-Chair Soll: Adhere to CHC recommendations. Ficus tree on Nipomo will most likely
need to be removed due to construction and interference with root system. Include
structural, engineered soils for tree to potentially remain. Include electric vehicle charging
stations and solar panels. Eliminate fourth floor.
5. Chair Wynn: Project moving in the right direction, including incorporation of style
characteristic of San Luis Obispo and surrounding neighborhood. Recommendation to staff
to send the project back to CHC for review. Style and patterning is a move in the right
direction: light-color plasters, red- and brown-colored tile. Balcony on creek side is
positive with railings and detail; consider “Juliet-”style balcony. Concern over noise,
although the building is a substantial distance from neighborhood on Dana Street.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
Valeria Diaz.
--End of Public Comment—
Minutes – Architectural Review Commission Meeting of November 13, 2017 Page 3
PUBLIC HEARINGS
1. 1460 Calle Joaquin. Architectural Review of a new two-story building with 2,844 square
feet of commercial floor area. Case #ARCH-3413-2016; No Zone (proposed as C-T Zone
with rezoning); AuzCo Development, LLC, applicant.
Assistant Planner Walter Oetzell presented the staff report with the use of a PowerPoint
presentation and responded to Commissioner inquiries.
Applicant Representative, Architect George Garcia gave a brief presentation and responded to
Commissioner inquiries.
Public Comment:
None.
--End of Public Comment—
Commission discussion followed.
ACTION: MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BELLER, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER
SMITH, CARRIED 5-0-2, to adopt the Resolution entitled: “A Resolution of the Architectural
Review Commission of the City of San Luis Obispo recommending to the City Council design
approval of the new commercial site and building located at 1460 Calle Joaquin, as depicted in
project plans dated October 5, 2016 (Tourist Commercial (C-T) zone (proposed)); Case #ARCH-
3413-2016)” with the following amendments:
WHEREAS, the Architectural Review Commission of the City of San Luis Obispo conducted a
public hearing in the Council Hearing Room (Room 9) Chamber of City Hall, 990 Palm Street,
San Luis Obispo, California, on November 6, 2017 November 13, 2017, to consider the
application; and…
Condition #18: add: “to the satisfaction of the Public Works Director.”
2. 570, 578, 590 Marsh &581 Higuera Streets. Continued architectural review of a new mixed-
use project that includes three, four-story structures with a request for a maximum height of
59.5 feet. The project includes 19,792 square feet of commercial space, 62 residential units, 36
hotel rooms, and a two-level underground parking garage with 136 parking spaces, as well as
a request for a new driveway approach to the parking garage along on Nipomo Street. The
project is categorically exempt from environmental review. Case #: ARCH-2213-2015; C-D
zone, The Obispo Company, applicant.
Associate Planner Rachel Cohen presented the staff report with use of a PowerPoint
presentation and responded to Commissioner inquiries.
Minutes – Architectural Review Commission Meeting of November 13, 2017 Page 4
Jenny Emrick and Jim Duffy, Applicant Representatives, gave a brief presentation with the use
of PowerPoint and responded to Commissioner inquiries. Bill Isaman, Applicant
Representative, also responded to Commissioner inquiries.
Public Comments:
James Lopes.
James Papp.
Angela Tahti.
Nancy Grant.
Dave Hannings.
Andrew Hackleman.
Kathi Settle.
Judy Bartels.
Risa Brown.
Mitch Lipari.
Robert Spector.
Camille Small.
Allan Cooper.
Debbie Anthony.
Victoria Wood.
Chuck Crotser.
Katchy Andrews.
Michelle Gibbs.
Simon Lowrie.
David Stewart.
Cinda Fox.
Stephen Gonzales.
Pierre Rademaker.
M. Farid Shahid.
--End of Public Comment--
Commission took a break at 8:05 p.m. and reconvened at 8:17 p.m.
Applicant, John Belsher, responded briefly to public comment.
Deputy Director Doug Davidson, Community Development Director Michael Codron, and City
Attorney Jon Ansolabehere made clarifications about environmental review of the project.
Rachel Cohen, Associate Planner, responded briefly to public comments to provide clarification.
Commission discussion followed.
• Beller: 590 and 570 are closer to meeting Community Design Guidelines than 581. The
vertical appearance of the building at 581 is exaggerated by the deep-set windows at the
second and third stories. The building is not balanced, but rather tall and monumental.
Minutes – Architectural Review Commission Meeting of November 13, 2017 Page 5
Materials are not appropriate at the fourth floor. Reduce massing by eliminating fourth
story. The glass on 590 is out of character with downtown. Stacked balconies on Nipomo
are not in keeping with downtown. Improve authentic, honest uses of materials downtown.
• Nemcik: The materials and colors are appropriate, generally. Concerns about views from
the Jack House and building 581. Comfortable with underground parking, but cautionary
about parking driveway on Nipomo. Pedestrian safety is a concern.
• Smith: disclosed ex parte communication with developer. Would like to see areas where
paseo is opened up. Building 570 causes the most concern due to use of too many materials.
Likes the smaller apartments, but would also like to see more of a mix of types of units,
beyond studios and one-bedroom apartments. Appreciates underground parking as an
amenity. Less concerned about density and mass and the fourth floor, as long as setbacks
are appropriate, particularly as perceived from the Jack House.
• Soll: Concerned about downtown neighborhood compatibility. Concerned that 570 is not
as respectful of the Jack House as it could be, would prefer three floors.
• Wynn: Building 581 should be massed more appropriately. Compromise should made by
eliminating some of the units from 570 and 581 closest to the Jack House. Does not agree
that fourth floors should be eliminated. Four units closest to Jack House would be
suggested to be reduced to the third floor. Comfortable with height of building 581.
Regarding building 590, the plate glass seems inappropriate. Underground parking may
cause harm to sidewalk vitality. Overall, downtown should provide density.
Consensus Items:
All Buildings, Project:
• Focus the policy objectives of the project on the paseo between Marsh and Higuera and
workforce housing; the number of units should remain as close as possible to maximum
density.
• Developer should consider providing a statement for the project concerning their values
and vision for community and housing downtown. Architects should provide similar
statements.
• An overall roof plan would be helpful.
• The project should be conditioned to include specific guidelines and notification
requirements during the construction of the project.
Consider opening up more space within the pedestrian connection, especially in the middle of the
project.
Building at 590 Marsh Street:
• The corner glass façade treatment does not match the interior program/activity taking place
within the structure. Corner should match downtown character: less glass, structured, not
open.
• The top of the three-story projections of the building should be evaluated for the potential
inclusion of some architectural feature or cornice.
Building at 570 Marsh Street:
• The majority of the ARC determined that this structure did not require any modifications.
Minutes – Architectural Review Commission Meeting of November 13, 2017 Page 6
Building at 581 Higuera Street:
• Revise the two-story windows in the structure so that they are more in scale with the
structure and downtown architecture.
• Address height and scale by setting back the entire fourth floor of the structure and
consider other modifications to reduce the massing towards the Jack House property.
• Vines covering the building are not necessary. Vines are most appropriate on the first-floor
portion of the structure and along the third-floor cornice where it appears someone can
water the plants from the deck.
ACTION: MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BELLER, SECOND BY VICE CHAIR SOLL,
CARRIED 5-0-2 to continue the item to a date uncertain.
COMMENT AND DISCUSSION
a. Agenda Forecast & Staff Updates - Deputy Director Davidson provided a brief agenda
forecast.
b. Formation of an ARC Subcommittee to review the revised plans as directed by the City
Council at their October 17, 2017 meeting – 1135 Santa Rosa project.
Chair Wynn, Commissioners Micah Smith and Amy Nemcik were selected to be the
subcommittee to review the revised plans for the 1135 Santa Rosa project.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:58 p.m. The next Regular meeting of the Architectural Review
Commission is scheduled for Monday, November 20, 2017 at 5:00 p.m., in the Council Hearing
Room, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California.
APPROVED BY THE ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION: 12/04/2017