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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-06-05 Architectural Review Board Summary Minutes City of Palo Alto Page 1 ===============MEETINGS ARE CABLECAST LIVE ON GOVERNMENT ACCESS CHANNEL 26================= This agenda is posted in accordance with Government Code Section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Thursday, June 5, 2014, Meeting 8:30 AM, Council Chambers Call to Order Roll Call: Chair Lee Lippert, Vice-chair Randy Popp, Board Members Alexander Lew, Clare Malone Prichard, Robert Gooyer. Staff: Amy French, Chief Planning Official; Diana Tamale, Administrative Associate, Clare Campbell, Senior Planner; Jodie Gerhardt, Senior Planner; Oral Communications: Members of the public may speak to any item not on the agenda; three minutes per speaker. The Architectural Review Board reserves the right to limit oral communications period to 15 minutes. Agenda Changes, Additions and Deletions: The agenda may have additional items added to it up until 72 hours prior to meeting time. Minutes Approved: April 3, 2014, April 17, 2014 and May 1, 2014 Architectural Review Board Action: Board Member Malone Prichard moved seconded by Board Member Gooyer to approve the minutes of April 17, 2014 and May 1, 2014 as presented by staff and April 3, 2014 as amended by the Board. Vote: Approval, 4-0-1-0 (Lippert absent) Public Hearing Items: Continued Business: 1. 261 Hamilton Avenue [13PLN-00267]: Request by Cody Anderson Wasney Architects for Architectural Review and Historic Resources Board review of a Historic Rehabilitation that includes the relocation of floor area from the existing basement to allow a 5,910 square foot addition at the rear of the building and establishment of a 1,196 square foot Mezzanine floor for a net zero gain in floor area for a Historic Resource located within the Ramona Street Historic District. The project also includes a request for reclassification from a Category 3 Historic Resource to a Category 2 Historic Resource to allow the approved Rehabilitation to generate 15,000 square feet of Transferable Development Rights. Zone District: Downtown Commercial with Ground Floor and Pedestrian Overlay (CD-C(GF)(P)). Environmental Assessment: Exempt from CEQA per CEQA Guidelines Sections 15331 Historical Resource Rehabilitation and 15301 Existing Facilities. This item was continued from the meeting of April 17, 2014. ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD MINUTES City of Palo Alto Page 2 RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Architectural Review Board (ARB) recommend the City Council grant the major architectural review permit and find the project consistent with the context-based findings for the downtown commercial district, based upon the required findings (Attachments B & C) and subject to the conditions of approval (Attachment D). Public Comments: Jeff Levinsky, spoke regarding the “grandfathered” ordinance, noting that it explicitly defined the building envelope to mean “The three dimensional special configuration of a building’s volume and mass.” It did so to help us here in 2014 interpret the term building envelope within the context of the ordinance. Doria Summa, stated that the project does comply with some of the conditions for grandfathering such as it does not increase the FAR, but it does increase the overall size of the building and the building envelope, which has expanded, and noted her wish that staff provide a list of buildings similarly interpreted. Architectural Review Board Action: Board Member Lew moved seconded by Board Member Malone Prichard to approve the project as conditioned in the staff report with the following additions: 1. Staff will amend Finding 2 to note the HRB’s review of the projects’ compliance with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, and stated that the project maintains the existing transition between different land uses. 2. Modify Plan Sheet A2.2 notes and the text regarding copper gutters in the new addition to reflect they are steel with a bronze finish. 3. The sidewalk paving design shall return for review by the ARB subcommittee. Vote: Approval, 3-1-1-0 (Lippert absent, Gooyer voted “no”) New Business: 2. 2555 Park Boulevard [14PLN-00161]: Request by FGY Architects, on behalf of Tarlton Properties, for Preliminary Architectural Review of a proposal to demolish an existing 10,800 sq. ft. two-story office building and construction of a 23,269 sq. ft. three-story office building with one level of below grade parking and a roof terrace in the CC(2) zoning district. RECOMMENDATION The Architectural Review Board (ARB) is requested to conduct a Preliminary Review of the project’s architectural concepts. No formal action may be taken at a preliminary review; comments made at a preliminary review are not binding on the City or the applicant. Public Comments: Peter Brewer, noted that he is concerned about the building height and the parking at the proposed project, stating that the proposed building would tower over his adjacent building. Jared Jacobs, stated that he has concerns about building height next to his residence and is opposed to the requested height exception; he noted that the tree would be taken down, and asked for more sensitive design to address the current neighbors’ concerns. Judith Fields, noted that she lives in Palo Alto Central condominiums, and given the project’s driveway access on Grant Street, the street parking on all three corners affecting visibility, and use of Grant by the condominium tenants to access their garage, it would become dangerous. City of Palo Alto Page 3 Helen Wulter, echoed Ms. Fields’ concerns regarding traffic on Grant Street as a tiny half of a block. Terry Holzermer, noted that none of the concerns voiced at the May 13th community meeting were incorporated into the design, that the requested DEE is detrimental, that traffic and congestion on Grant Street are an issue, and asked where visitors will park given that 93 spaces are proposed for employees. As a preliminary item, no action was taken. 3. 3421-3431 Hillview Ave [14PLN-00086]: Request by Bob Giannini on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University for Preliminary Architectural Review of Phase 4 of the VMware Campus project including demolition and reconstruction of 85,000 sf of office space, modifications to the previously approved CSG building including addition of a 10,000 sf fitness center, and reconstruction of the entrance drop off area in the RP-5 zoning district. RECOMMENDATION The Architectural Review Board (ARB) is requested to conduct a Preliminary Review of the project concept and provide comments on the conceptual site design and elevations to staff and the applicant. No formal action may be taken at a preliminary review; comments made at a preliminary review are not binding on the City or the applicant. No public comment. As a preliminary item, no action was taken. 4. 250 Hamilton Avenue [14PLN-00053]: Request by Philip Ciralsky of the City of Palo Alto Department of Public Works for Architectural Review of a Master Sign Program with Sign Exceptions to allow the installation of way finding signage at City Hall. Zone District: Public Facilities (PF). Environmental Assessment: Exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per CEQA Section 15311. This study session was advertised for this date but will be postponed to the ARB meeting of July 17, 2014. Study Session: 5. Downtown DAS Project [14PLN-00175]: Request by Crown Castle for ARB Study Session regarding conceptual designs for a downtown DAS (distributed antenna system) installation of approximately 17 units located on existing light poles and street-signal light poles along University Avenue, Lytton Avenue, and Hamilton Avenue, for Verizon Wireless. Poles are located near the following addresses: 135, 180, 240, 281, 338, 383 University Avenue; 496, 300, 250, 180, 136 Hamilton Avenue; 401, 245, 251, 305, 325, 451 Lytton Avenue. This study session was advertised for this date but will be postponed to the ARB meeting of June 19, 2014. Board/Staff Announcements, Updates, Reports, and Comments: Members of the public may not speak to the item(s). 6. Discuss Potential Topics for Council-ARB Joint Meeting of June 9, 2014 The board discussed the agenda for the upcoming joint meeting. Adjournment Subcommittee Members: Clare Malone Prichard and Robert Gooyer SUBCOMMITTEE: None. STAFF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW Project Description: Installation of two new non-illuminated signs for General Catalyst City of Palo Alto Page 4 Applicant: Richard Valle Address: 564 University Avenue [14PLN-0125] Approval Date: 5/14/14 Request for hearing deadline: 5/27/14 Sub-Committee Members: Terms: Robert Gooyer May 1, 2014 to August 21, 2014 Clare Malone Prichard June 5, 2014 to October 16, 2014 Lee Lippert September 4, 2014 to October 16, 2014 Randy Popp November 6, 2014 to March 19, 2015 Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Architectural Review Board after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection in the Planning and Community Environment Department at 250 Hamilton Avenue, 5th floor, Palo Alto, CA. 94301 during normal business hours. AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY ACT (ADA). The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request an accommodation for this meeting or an alternative format for any related printed materials, please contact the City’s ADA Coordinator at 650.329.2550 (voice) or by e-mailing ada@cityofpaloalto.org. PUBLIC COMMENT. Members of the Public are entitled to directly address the Architectural Review Board concerning any item that is described in the notice of this meeting, before or during consideration of that item. If you wish to address the Board on any issue that is on the agenda, please complete a speaker request card located on the table at the entrance to the Council Chambers, and deliver it to the Board Secretary prior to discussion of the item. You are not required to give your name on the speaker card in order to speak to the Board, but it is very helpful. RECORDINGS. A DVD of the proceedings may be reviewed by contacting the City Clerk's Office at (650) 329-2571. LATE RECEIVED MATERIALS. Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Architectural Review Board after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection in the Planning Department on the 5th floor, City Hall, 250 Hamilton Avenue during normal business hours. During the 9/80 Friday closure, materials will be available at the Development Center, 285 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto. Please call 329-2603 to reserve a copy. All correspondence relating to any of the agenda items or non-agenda items, which were not received by the 2:00 PM deadline for inclusion into Board packets on the Thursday preceding the meeting date, need to be received before 3:00 PM on the date of the meeting for distribution to staff and Board members.