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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-02-2015 ARC MinutesSAN LUIS OBISPO ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION MINUTES March 2, 2015 ROLL CALL: Present: Commissioners Ken Curtis, Amy Nemcik, Allen Root, and Chairperson Greg Wynn Commr. Patricia Andreen arrived at 5:07 p.m. Absent: Vice -Chair Suzan Ehdaie and 1 Position Vacant Staff: Senior Planner Phil Dunsmore, Associate Planner Rachel Cohen, and Recording Secretary Erica Inderlied ACCEPTANCE OF THE AGENDA: The agenda was accepted as presented. MINUTES: The minutes of February 18, 2015, were approved as presented. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON - AGENDA ITEMS: There were no comments from the public. PUBLIC HEARINGS: 1. 3000 Calle Malva. ARCH - 0592 -2014; Review of 18 single - family home designs and approval of concept designs for future homes with an approved addendum of environmental impact; R- 1- SP /R- 2 -SP -PD and C /OS -SP -PD zones; Margarita Ranch SLO LLC, applicant. Rachel Cohen, Associate Planner, presented the staff report, recommending continuation of the project with direction to the applicant on revisions to house designs for consistency with the Margarita Area Specific Plan and the approved Plan Development. Commr. Curtis inquired whether the Margarita Area Specific Plan (MASP) required a variety of building styles within a development; Senior Planner Dunsmore responded that it is not required. In response to inquiry from Commr. Andreen, Senior Planner Dunsmore confirmed that, in the Community Design Guidelines (CDG), "should" is taken to mean "shall," and that, in evaluating this project, the MASP is the guiding document, and the CDG the supporting document. Mr. Dunsmore confirmed that the Commission would need to make findings relating to overall consistency and existing constraints, in order to approve design exceptions. ARC Minutes March 2, 2015 Page 2 Dennis Moresco, Midland Pacific Homes, and Frances Gibbs, Pults & Associates, applicants, summarized the project and noted the various site and tract map constraints. In response to inquiry from Commr. Root, the applicants confirmed that affordable housing is planned for the interior of the development, and that it is commonplace for Mission Revival architecture to lack roof eaves. In response to inquiry from Commr. Curtis, the applicants stated that lots 19 -57, 58 -61 and 63 will be built from approximately four different floor plans. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Jaimee Frankian, SLO, project neighbor, noted concerns about grading and drainage, pedestrian and transit access, the height of fencing, and overflow from limited parking. Mario Jiminez, SLO, project neighbor, requested more information about the timeline and location of the adjacent bike path. Debbie Johnson, SLO, expressed concern about project screening measures for noise and privacy. There were no further comments from the public. In response to public comment, Senior Planner Dunsmore stated that the bike path would be developed as adjacent properties developed along Prado Road. Associate Planner Cohen noted that the conditions of approval for the tract map included measures to prevent overlook, noise emission, and the impact of drainage, and that parking is calculated to be sufficient. COMMISSION COMMENTS: Commr. Curtis requested that staff provide copies of relevant pages from the MASP when the project is returned for final review, along with the rationale for findings supporting design exceptions, and commented on the apparent dissonance between the project's Planned Development and the MASP. In response to inquiry from Chair Wynn, Senior Planner Dunsmore provided language from two portions of the MASP regarding residential parking: Parking should be located at the rear of lots unless the lot is located on the uphill side of street along the base of the hills (..) and Covered or enclosed parking in the front part of a lot shall be recessed at least 1.5 meters (five feet) from the front of the house. Chair Wynn emphasized the ARC's desire to adhere to the CDG language that a garage should be visually subordinate Ito the rest of the front of the home], and stated that a highly- constrained tract map should not necessarily lead to the approval of noncompliant designs or expansive exceptions. ARC Minutes March 2, 2015 Page 3 Commr. Root voiced support for granting design exceptions to accommodate for site constraints. Commr. Andreen noted concern that the requested design exceptions may undermine the sense of neighborhood community encouraged by the CDG, and stated that the narrowest exceptions possible should be granted. Commr. Nemcik concurred. Commr. Nemcik remarked that the proposed homes' numerous "faux" and "decorative" features conflict with the CDG's guideline that "Materials should be used honestly," noting specifically that, were they real, the proposed false shutters would be too small to cover the windows. There was consensus that the Commission cautiously supports the design approach, so long as design exceptions do not become the norm, and so long as specific exceptions be granted on a per -lot basis, after considering the rationale for each. There was consensus among the Commission to offer the following direction to staff and the applicants: a. Recess the garage in accordance with guideline documents whenever possible. b. Use smooth stucco finish for building exteriors per the CDG; provide a soils report for ARC review. c. Reduce trash can enclosure height to four feet, six inches with staff verifying that each individual enclosure is necessitated by site constraints. d. Install higher - quality wood fencing, incorporating metal posts, in order to create a more durable fence structure. e. Return the designs for "hillside" lots 19 -57, and lots 58 -61 & 63, to the ARC in batches for review. f. The ARC does not support granting a blanket exception allowing the utilization of R -1 zone standards for lots 6 -18 and 58 -71; instead it will review each lot individually and grant exceptions only as justified. g. The ARC supports allowing lots 58 and 59 to be built out with two -story units; but require that the two -story design for lot 19 be returned for review. h. The ARC supports waiving the requirement for parking in front of garages on lots constrained by size or grading. i. In each cluster of inward - facing homes, the Planned Development should have front doors oriented towards the private streets in order to offer an additional ARC Minutes March 2, 2015 Page 4 community- oriented amenity to compensate for the homes' diminished integration with the larger community. j. Utilize two -piece clay roof tile rather than S- shaped roof tile. There were no further comments from the Commission. COMMENT AND DISCUSSION: 2. Staff: a. Agenda Forecast — Senior Planner Dunsmore gave a forecast of upcoming projects. 3. Commission: Following discussion, Senior Planner Dunsmore solicited input on a Commission tour of approved projects in the City. Chair Wynn commented on the recent Mayor's Quarterly Advisory Body Luncheon. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m. Respectfully submitted by, Erica Inderlied Recording Secretary Approved by the Architectural Review Commission on April 6, 2015. Laud le Thomas Administrative Assistant III