HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2308-1902CITY OF PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
Special Meeting
Tuesday, September 05, 2023
Council Chambers & Hybrid
5:30 PM
Agenda Item
1.Interviews for the Architectural Review Board. Revised Interview Schedule
2
8
9
4
City Council
Staff Report
Report Type: SPECIAL ORDER OF THE DAY
Lead Department: City Clerk
Meeting Date: September 5, 2023
Report #:2308-1902
TITLE
Interviews for the Architectural Review Board.
RECOMMENDATION
Conduct interviews with all applicants for the Architectural Review Board.
BACKGROUND
Boards and Commissions are established as advisory bodies to the City Council, made up of
community volunteers that provide essential feedback on matters of importance to the
community. The City Clerk’s office advertises and recruits for vacancies, the Council considers
the applications, interviews desired candidates, and makes appointments for the open
positions.
Board Member Osma Thompson resigned from the Architectural Review Board effective
September 1, 2023. As such, the current vacancy staff is requesting to be filled is:
•One (1) position on the Architectural Review Board, with term expiring March 31, 2024
A total of six applications have been submitted during the recruitment period. The interview
schedule will be as follows:
Schedule of Interviews for September 5, 2023
Architectural Review Board
5:30 PM Sam Zucker In Person
5:40 PM Mousam Adcock In Person
5:50 PM Naveen Govind Zoom
6:00 PM Stephen Sun In Person
6:10 PM Alexander Lew In Person
2
8
9
4
6:20 PM John Kunz In Person
Membership Requirements
Per PAMC 2.21.010, the Architectural Review Board (ARB) requires at least three of its five
members to be architects, landscape architects, building designers or other design
professionals. All four current Board Members are architects. As a result, the current ARB
Members fulfill these requirements.
Architectural Review Board: One position
Term ending March 31, 2024
•At least three members must be architects, landscape architects, building designers or
other design professionals. (Fulfilled by current members)
•No Palo Alto residency requirement (PAMC 2.21.010)
PUBLIC OUTREACH
Palo Alto Municipal Code 2.16.060 requires public notification regarding vacancies of the
Commissions as follows, “The City Clerk shall exercise their discretion in choosing the method
of advertisement that will most effectively reach potential candidates.” Based on the
September 14, 2021 Policy & Services Committee meeting report1 regarding Board and
Commission Member demographics and community representation the City Clerk’s office
expanded recruitment efforts through additional means to “most effectively reach potential
candidates.”
The Architectural Review Board special recruitment invited applications from June 30, 2023
through August 14, 2023. The vacancy was advertised through various methods in partnership
with the City Manager’s Office, Communications Office. This included paid digital/print
advertisements in the Daily Post, Palo Alto Weekly, and social media; City communications
channels including the website, social media, Nextdoor, LinkedIn, and digital newsletter; in
physical locations of the Palo Alto Libraries and Community Centers; and, distributed by e-mail
to community-based organizations and community member networks.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: ARB All Applications Redacted
APPROVED BY:
Mahealani Ah Yun, Interim City Clerk
1 Policy & Services Committee, September 14, 2021, Agenda Item #3;
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/agendas-minutes-reports/item-
presentations/2021/20210914/20210914pptpsr-item-3.pdf
Architectural Review Board Application
Submitted on 11 August 2023, 5:44PM
Receipt number 54
Related form version 6
Name Alexander Lew
Address
City
Postal Code
Cell Phone Number
Home Phone Number
Email Address
Are you a Palo Alto resident?No
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who
are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who are currently
serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or
Board Members?
No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied
for?
Yes
Fair Political Practices No
Excluding your principal residence, do you or your spouse
own real property in Palo Alto?
Yes
How did you learn about the vacancy on the Architectural
Review Board?
Email from the City
Other: ARB
Personal Information
1 of 4
Read the code, and check only ONE option below:I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone
numbers, and email address from the attached Board and Commission
Application prior to posting to the City’s website.
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website
Please list your relevant education, training, experience,
certificates of training, licenses, and professional registration.
I am currently working on a future book on great new streets in ancient
cities.
Solomon ETC Architecture in San Francisco. Associate. I worked for
Dan Solomon, one of the founding members of the Congress of New
Urbanism. Project manager for the design of 320 micro studio
apartments at Stanford's Escondido Village (a total of 834 units were
built in 3 phases). Job captain for 220 units of affordable housing at
Othello Station, a HUD HOPE VI transit village in Seattle. I also worked
on 2 HUD HOPE VI grant applications for the Oakland and New Orleans
Housing Authorities.
Stanford University Architect & Planning Office. Drafter. I worked on the
Medical Center Design Guidelines, the Sand Hill Road Corridor, and
presentations for the Board of Trustees.
Carrasco & Associates in Palo Alto.
Columbia University. Master of Architecture.
Washington University. Bachelor of Arts, major in architecture.
Passed NCARB exams.
Employment Information Self employed
Occupation Designer
Is your Company/Employer your current one or last?Current Employer
Please describe your involvement in community activities,
volunteer and civic organizations, including dates and any
offices held.
Architectural Review Boad from 2008-2021. Served as chair and vice
chair twice.
North Ventura Coordinated Area Working Group. 2018 - 2020.
Western W heelers, a Palo Alto bicycle club. 2007-present. Board
member, ride coordinator, and ride leader. 2007-2009.
San Francisco Bay Area Urban Planning Research, San Francisco
Heritage, San Francisco City Guides, PG&E Energy Center, Berkeley
Architectural Heritage Association, Pasadena Heritage, California Native
Plant Society of Santa Clara Valley, and Garden Conservancy. Regularly
attend events and continuing education.
Bike Palo Alto volunteer.
Grassroots Ecology volunteer.
Personal and Job Experience
1. Why are you interested in serving on the Architectural
Review Board and what experience would you bring to the
position?
My interests are housing, urbanism, and landscape. I grew up in Palo
Alto, and I know that it balances these issues better than most
comparable cities in California. The ARB has played a role in that for the
past 50 years. Climate change, HSR, housing shortage, and state
mandates present new challenges.
Application Questions
2 of 4
While working for the leading architects in their fields, I learned the
challenges of completing a good project. I am currently researching how
the ancient cities of Aix-en-Provence, Montpellier, Nimes, and Valladolid
have developed solutions to similar issues that Palo Alto faces.
I have previously served 4.5 terms. I have been told by a planning
commissioner, who closely follows the ARB, that I am always impartial to
proposed projects. I am willing to serve the remainder of the term.
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the
Board that is of particular interest to you and describe why you
are interested in it.
2850 Bayshore Road. 48 townhouses (7 BMR)
The ARB voted 5-0 to recommend denial, citing ARB findings 2,3, and 4.
I think the ARB is good at pinpointing problems, and I understand the
challenge of crafting a motion at the end of a 6-hour long meeting.
However, the motion was problematic.
Issues such as guest parking, underground parking, perimeter retaining
walls, automobile-centric site plan, differentiation of buildings, and quality
of materials were mentioned. The State does not allow cities to require
guest parking. The flood zone makes underground parking difficult.
Underground parking requires an elevator, which is an expensive initial
and operational cost. The retaining walls are not subject to the zoning
ordinance's low density residential transition requirements since the site
is surrounded by PF and PC zones. The other items are subjective and
cannot be used to deny a project. The ARB could have recommended
conditions of approval for staff to review.
3. If you are appointed, what specific goals would you like to
see the Architectural Review Board achieve, and how would
you help in the process?
I understand that the ARB now drafts a work plan for approval by the
Council. Of the items in the current plan, I think that modifying the GM
zoning per the Housing Element is critical.
There is a precedent at 195 Page Mill, a mixed use project on a Housing
Inventory site in a GM zone. The City approved the project after a 7 year
lawsuit where the Planning Department had to create a hybrid GM and
RM development standard. The end result was that 82 units were built,
but there is a 435' long blank wall (downtown blocks are 225' x 400').
Some of the units are only 5' from the side property line, and no
landscaping buffer was provided.
I have familiarity with the sizes required for standard housing typologies,
and I keep records of recent housing projects in Palo Alto. I also
understand that certain building typologies are more economically
feasible than others. I research, listen to others, and collaborate.
4. Please identify a project (or projects) that you find to be
examples of good architecture, and explain why. You may
include samples, identify project addresses, or provide links.
Avery Hall at Columbia University in New York City.
McKim, Mead, and W hite architect and master planner.
I selected this building for its human scaled design amidst a large master
plan. It appears to be a 3-4 story building, but it actually has 8 floors.
This section of the campus is raised higher than the surrounding streets,
so there are 2 floors below the front door. The facade masks a
mezzanine, and a pitched roof conceals an attic floor. A water table
molding around the base of the building creates a continuous bench.
Students can also sit on top of the entablature (top of the front porch).
Behind the arches are cozy alcoves lined with books in the library, a
small gallery, and a conference room. The brick paths extend the facade
into the landscaping. Canopy trees provide shade, and accent trees give
seasonal color.
5. Architectural Review Board Members work with the
documents listed below. If you have experience with any of
these documents, please describe that experience. Experience
with these documents is not required for selection, but will
help you better understand the work of the board.
I am familiar with these documents from my previous ARB experience. In
addition, I am aware of numerous State requirements that require
modifications to the existing zoning ordinance. I am learning about the
impact of Palo Alto's Energy Reach Code on multifamily housing
projects.
3 of 4
If you'd like to provide any additional documents, please
upload below.
AveryHall_OferWolberger.jpg
Columbia-masterplan-arrow.jpg
Please confirm that you have read the Boards and
Commissions Handbook.
Yes
Signature Name of signatory: Alexander Lew
Link to signature
Date Completed 08/11/2023
4 of 4
ti
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/4
Architectural Review Board Application
Submitted on 31 July 2023, 2:58PM
Receipt number 52
Related form version 6
Name john kunz
Address
City
Postal Code
Cell Phone Number
Home Phone Number
Email Address
Are you a Palo Alto resident?Yes
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who
are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who are currently
serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or
Board Members?
No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied
for?
Yes
Fair Political Practices No
Excluding your principal residence, do you or your spouse
own real property in Palo Alto?
No
How did you learn about the vacancy on the Architectural
Review Board?
Email from the City
Personal Information
1 of 4
Read the code, and check only ONE option below:I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone
numbers, and email address from the attached Board and Commission
Application prior to posting to the City’s website.
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website
Please list your relevant education, training, experience,
certificates of training, licenses, and professional registration.
BA, Dartmouth; BE, Thayer School of Engineering; MS Computer
Science, UCLA; Ph.D., Medical Information Sciences and Artificial
Intelligence, Stanford
Experiences: Systems Engineer, US Air Force; Systems Engineer,
Institutes of Medical Sciences; Chief Knowledge Systems Engineer,
IntelliCorp; Executive Director, Center for Integrated Facility Engineering
at Stanford (now emeritus). At Stanford, I worked and taught on social
and computer-based methods of collaborative model-based building
design and construction. I taught classes on Built Environmental History
for the Stanford overseas program in Santiago and Madrid.
Employment Information Stanford University
Occupation Educaator (emeritus)
Is your Company/Employer your current one or last?Last Employer
Please describe your involvement in community activities,
volunteer and civic organizations, including dates and any
offices held.
I was a Cool Block leader in my neighborhood for several years. We
repeatedly met as a neighborhood and discussed how to prepare for a
disaster. The past few years, I have been a Block Preparedness
Coordinator (BPC) and Neighborhood Preparedness Coordinator (NPC)
for the city Emergency Services Volunteers. Our LLL neighborhood has
a long tradition of community activities, and I arranged and hosted the
most recent New Year’s Day get-together, which was attended by many
neighbors, and started a monthly neighborhood get-together, which has
had continued enthusiastic participation.
Personal and Job Experience
1. Why are you interested in serving on the Architectural
Review Board and what experience would you bring to the
position?
I taught a class for Stanford students who considered options for high
speed rail through Palo Alto. They built 3D computer models of three
options: elevated tracks, ground-level track right of ways, and below-
ground tunnels with multiple high rise buildings, generally near train
stations, that collectively had air rights large enough to pay for tunneling.
They showed their models to a hundred or so coffee shop customers
who looked at and evaluated designs from different viewpoints. To the
surprise of me and the students, coffee shop customers strongly
preferred underground with its enabling multiple high rise buildings. The
point is that inspectable 3D architectural models can be invaluable for
small and large groups to explore and evaluate alternatives. I would work
to bring a curious and open mind to the ARB and encourage and
facilitate use of 3D models to help create, explore and evaluate
architectural options available to our dear city.
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the
Board that is of particular interest to you and describe why you
are interested in it.
Height is a continuing issue. Many people have an aversion to height.
Christopher Alexander’s classic book of architectural theory, A Pattern
Language, says height is bad. Yet a good thing about height is that it
enables high usage of land, which is a scarce asset, and density can
facilitate societal ease of access to walkable amenities and public
Application Questions
2 of 4
transportation. A guess is that, for both economic and legal reasons,
Palo Alto will need to have more tall buildings. Ethically we should and
maybe will need to enable many more people such as teachers, police,
fire fighters, health care workers, etc., who service the community to live
here. Thus, the questions are where, how, and how high the city will
need or want new denser and taller building. Personally I am interested
in height because I have experienced how unappealing it is in so many
big cities; the issue is now so socially divisive; and done well, it can both
enable a highly livable and societally beneficial community.
3. If you are appointed, what specific goals would you like to
see the Architectural Review Board achieve, and how would
you help in the process?
One goal would be to create design guidelines for buildings near train
stations and along El Camino. Societal and emerging legal pressures for
growth in Palo Alto are strong. I would want to help enable practices that
lead to high and valuable utilization of land, which means both tall
buildings, easy public transit access, and have an appealing
appearance, especially for walkers. My TripleEl neighborhood has a
single story overlay protection, which is and has been wonderful, and I
would hope to protect the suburban feel of our neighborhoods. A denser
positive example is the Providencia district of Santiago, which has
medium high rise buildings with trees on all four sides. Land has high
utilization because of height and modest sizes of individual units. Transit
and commercial amenities are within easy walking distance. For
controversial projects, I would ask developers to create 3D architectural
models, which the ARB would then review and share with the
community.
4. Please identify a project (or projects) that you find to be
examples of good architecture, and explain why. You may
include samples, identify project addresses, or provide links.
Sunrise Palo Alto on El Camino at Ash looks like a very successful large
project to me. It has high occupant density, attractive amenities for
residents and visitors, is located near bus lines and close to the train.
For the community, the street setback is ample and the greenery around
the building a visual delight for the passerby and surely too for the
resident. If the city is required to increase its housing, the building is a
good model for transit-friendly location, dense use, high utilization of
spaces, and urban greenery. The Triple El Eichler neighborhood is a
wonderful example of low density building, with the single story overlay
enabling a human friendly community.
5. Architectural Review Board Members work with the
documents listed below. If you have experience with any of
these documents, please describe that experience. Experience
with these documents is not required for selection, but will
help you better understand the work of the board.
I have reviewed but not worked professionally with these documents.
If you'd like to provide any additional documents, please
upload below.
Please confirm that you have read the Boards and
Commissions Handbook.
Yes
Signature Name of signatory: john kunz
3 of 4
Link to signature
Date Completed 7/31/2023
4 of 4
Architectural Review Board Application
Submitted on 2 August 2023, 9:57PM
Receipt number 53
Related form version 6
Name Mousam Adcock
Address
City
Postal Code
Cell Phone Number
Home Phone Number
Email Address
Are you a Palo Alto resident?No
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who
are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who are currently
serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or
Board Members?
No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied
for?
Yes
Fair Political Practices No
Excluding your principal residence, do you or your spouse
own real property in Palo Alto?
No
How did you learn about the vacancy on the Architectural
Review Board?
Email from the City
Personal Information
1 of 3
Read the code, and check only ONE option below:I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone
numbers, and email address from the attached Board and Commission
Application prior to posting to the City’s website.
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website
Please list your relevant education, training, experience,
certificates of training, licenses, and professional registration.
M. Arch - The Ohio State University - 2004
B.S. Civil Engineering - Lafayette College - 2001
B.A. Art - Lafayette College - 2001
California Registered Architect - C33958
LEED Accredited Professional
Member of American Institute of Architects
Practicing architect since 2004.
Practiced architecture in Ohio from 2004 to 2011 and in California since
2011.
Adjunct Faculty - The Ohio State University - 2004-2009
Employment Information CAW Architects, Inc.
Occupation Architect
Is your Company/Employer your current one or last?Current Employer
Please describe your involvement in community activities,
volunteer and civic organizations, including dates and any
offices held.
AIA Columbus Board of Directors - Director 2009-2010
Personal and Job Experience
1. Why are you interested in serving on the Architectural
Review Board and what experience would you bring to the
position?
I am interested in making a positive impact in my community. I have
been working in Palo Alto for over a decade and have seen the impact
the ARB can make in shaping the built environment around us. Though
my work in designing various projects at Stanford University, UC Santa
Cruz, UC Berkeley, various K-12 schools and several community facing
public and private projects in the bay area, I have learned to work within
the context of my projects, design impactful projects and be an engaged
listener for all the constituents. I believe my experience will serve me well
in the ARB.
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the
Board that is of particular interest to you and describe why you
are interested in it.
640 W averley, presented by Ken Hayes on June 1st was a thoughtful
presentation of the proposed project that responded to the adjacent
historic building and a comparable size building. The project proposed to
densify the site while also providing on-site parking for residents, outdoor
spaces for all residents and aimed to be net zero energy. The questions
from the board member touched on responses to the historic resource,
code requirements for egress windows, site logistics, among others. The
part of the discussion that was of particular interest was the relationship
of the proposed building to the buildings on either side in terms of not
blocking their light, including greenery that not only benefits the
residents of the proposed project but also for views from the adjacent
buildings and the street. The balance of privacy to sharing natural light
with one neighbor and stepping back from the shorter historic building
was very engaging.
Application Questions
2 of 3
3. If you are appointed, what specific goals would you like to
see the Architectural Review Board achieve, and how would
you help in the process?
I am passionate about the environment. The design community must
make impactful improvements in the way we design and build that
responds to global warming. The ARB is a catalyst that can help reduce
the built environment's greenhouse gas emissions. Though my
experience in working on LEED projects and other sustainability
measures, I plan to bring my knowledge and experience to inform the
ARB's review of projects and future developments.
4. Please identify a project (or projects) that you find to be
examples of good architecture, and explain why. You may
include samples, identify project addresses, or provide links.
My own firm, CAW Architects' project, the Palo Alto Junior Museum and
Zoo is a complex project that is located next to Walter Hays Elementary
School, Rinconada Park and single family residences across the street.
The design responds to the scale of the neighborhood while creating a
large interior museum space that engages babies to teenagers and
adults. The choice of exterior and interior materials, scale of spaces
(both interior and exterior), spaces designed to house wildlife as close to
their natural habitat as possible are all pieces of the puzzle that comes
together in a way that looks effortless. The project was a very close
collaboration between the design team, the Friends of the P.A. Junior
Museum and Zoo and the City of Palo Alto. The project is not only an
example of good architecture but also of the city and the community's
commitment to provide and maintain a valuable resource.
www.paloaltozoo.org
5. Architectural Review Board Members work with the
documents listed below. If you have experience with any of
these documents, please describe that experience. Experience
with these documents is not required for selection, but will
help you better understand the work of the board.
I have worked on several projects where the Secretary of Interior's
Standards for historically significant or eligible buildings has been an
important driver for the design decisions. I am also familiar with the
CEQA process from my projects that have gone through the CEQA
process. A current project I am working on in Redwood City was
determined to be a significant impact and an EIR was prepared for it. We
are designing the project with the mitigation measures outlined in the
EIR.
If you'd like to provide any additional documents, please
upload below.
Mousam_bio.pdf
Please confirm that you have read the Boards and
Commissions Handbook.
Yes
Signature Name of signatory: Mousam K. Adcock
Link to signature
Date Completed 08/02/2023
3 of 3
Mousam Adcock has over nineteen years of experience in the practice of
architecture. Mousam has a diverse experience in higher education work for
private and public entities and commercial design. She brings a wealth of
experience from programming to design and construction administration.
In her 11 years with CAW Architects, Mousam has completed the design and
construction of a new 56,000 square feet conference center and office building
for the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, renovation of Hohbach Hall at
the Green LIbrary, Stanford University, a new science building for Monterey High
School, the renovation and new construction project for Merrill College, UCSC,
among others. She is currently leading the construction administration effort
for another new building for the Hoover Institution and recently completed the
design documents for a new building and a renovation for the Graduate School
of Education at Stanford University. She is also designing a new YMCA building
in Redwood City that will be a mass timber construction.
Mousam was an adjunct faculty at The Ohio State University, School of
Architecture for five years and a board member for the American Institute of
Architects, Columbus Chapter for two years during her residency in Columbus,
Ohio.
SELECTED PROJECTS
Graduate School of Education, Stanford University
Green Library, Stanford University
Schultz Building, Stanford University
Hoover Institution Traitel Building, Stanford University
Stanford Crown Hall Library Renovation, Stanford University
Wallenberg First and Fourth Floor Renovations, Stanford University
Programming and Expansion Studies, The Hoover Institution, Stanford University
Mirada House, Stanford University
Encina Commons Study, Stanford University
Merrill College Renovations & Plaza Building, U.C. Santa Cruz
Merrill Cultural Center Renovations, U.C. Santa Cruz
Monterey High School Biotechnology Wing, Monterey Peninsula Unified SD
Silver Creek High School Building K, East Side Union HSD
Greek Theater Restrooms, Concessions Building & Plaza, U.C. Berkeley
AWARDS AND COMPETITIONS
Hoover Institution Traitel Building, Stanford University - AIA Silicon Valley Merit Award 2018
Greek Theater Restrooms, Concessions Building & Plaza, U.C. Berkeley - California
Preservation Foundation Design Award for Contextual Infill 2023
Her Place Design Challenge - Design Competition organized by Building Trust International
for a Women’s Empowerment Center for Devchuli, Nepal - Honorable Mention 2021
Columbus Re-wired - International Transit Design Competition seeking creative solutions
that address the public transportation needs of Columbus, Ohio - 3rd Place 2007
EDUCATION
The Ohio State University, Master of
Architecture, 2004
Lafayette College, Bachelor of Science
in Civil and Environmental Engineering,
2001
Lafayette College, Bachelor of Arts in
Art, 2001
AFFILIATIONS
LICENSED ARCHITECT IN
CALIFORNIA (C33958)
Registered Architect in Ohio - No.
0814638
USGBC LEED Accredited Professional
NCARB Certified
American Institute of Architects,
member
AIA Columbus Board of Directors -
Director (2009/2010)
MOUSAM ADCOCK AIA, LEED AP
PRINCIPAL
1
Architectural Review Board Application
Submitted on 5 March 2023, 6:27PM
Receipt number 47
Related form version 6
Name Naveen
Address
City
Postal Code
Cell Phone Number
Home Phone Number
Email Address
Are you a Palo Alto resident?No
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who
are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who are currently
serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or
Board Members?
No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied
for?
Yes
Fair Political Practices No
Excluding your principal residence, do you or your spouse
own real property in Palo Alto?
No
How did you learn about the vacancy on the Architectural
Review Board?
Other: linkedin
Personal Information
1 of 3
Read the code, and check only ONE option below:I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone
numbers, and email address from the attached Board and Commission
Application prior to posting to the City’s website.
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website
Please list your relevant education, training, experience,
certificates of training, licenses, and professional registration.
I have a Masters in Urban Planning, Bachelors in Architecture, I am also
LEED certified and PMP certified. Seasoned Senior Project Manager with
20+ years of experience in the architecture industry. Extensive
experience in all phases of the project from inception to completion.
Employment Information City of Mountain View
Occupation Architect
Is your Company/Employer your current one or last?Current Employer
Please describe your involvement in community activities,
volunteer and civic organizations, including dates and any
offices held.
Senior Project Manager, City of Mountain View, 5/22 - Present
Personal and Job Experience
1. Why are you interested in serving on the Architectural
Review Board and what experience would you bring to the
position?
I have a particular fondness for and connection with City of Palo Alto, I
worked on the New Stanford Hospital Project and HP head quarters
remodeling project. Serving on the architecture board will be an exciting
opportunity to further contribute to the development of City of Palo Alto.
With 20 plus years of experience, my input can have a positive impact
on not just the built environment but safety and well-being of the
residents of City of Palo Alto.
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the
Board that is of particular interest to you and describe why you
are interested in it.
Fire Station 4 design presentation on 2/16/23 was an interesting
presentation. This is an important project to the community due to the
project location and its proximity to the school. I thought the design was
very thoughtful in its massing and the treatment of the facade. The
facade treatment blends very well with surrounding architecture, and the
massing and site design is very pedestrian friendly.
3. If you are appointed, what specific goals would you like to
see the Architectural Review Board achieve, and how would
you help in the process?
My goals will be:
1. Safety and well being of the community will be my top priority
2. Promote sustainable design
3. Maintain City of Palo Alto architecture character
I can achieve these goals with being fully committed to this board and be
in tune with City's values and goals.
4. Please identify a project (or projects) that you find to be
examples of good architecture, and explain why. You may
include samples, identify project addresses, or provide links.
The New Stanford Hospital Project is a great example of innovation in
architecture. The project is a beacon for healthcare architecture and has
a very positive impact on the community. The medical planning of this
building is exceptional, it takes patient care to the next level by providing
hospitality kind of care with healing gardens and green roof terraces.
5. Architectural Review Board Members work with the Zoning code, California Environmental Act, Secretary of the Interior’s
Application Questions
2 of 3
documents listed below. If you have experience with any of
these documents, please describe that experience. Experience
with these documents is not required for selection, but will
help you better understand the work of the board.
Standards and Palo Alto 2030 Comprehensive Plan (2017).
If you'd like to provide any additional documents, please
upload below.
Please confirm that you have read the Boards and
Commissions Handbook.
Yes
Signature Name of signatory: Naveen Govind
Link to signature
Date Completed 03/05/2023
3 of 3
Architectural Review Board Application
Submitted on 14 August 2023, 11:09PM
Receipt number 55
Related form version 6
Name Sam Zucker
Address
City
Postal Code
Cell Phone Number
Home Phone Number
Email Address
Are you a Palo Alto resident?Yes
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who
are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who are currently
serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or
Board Members?
No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied
for?
Yes
Fair Political Practices No
Excluding your principal residence, do you or your spouse
own real property in Palo Alto?
No
How did you learn about the vacancy on the Architectural
Review Board?
Other: Referred by colleague
Personal Information
1 of 3
Read the code, and check only ONE option below:I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone
numbers, and email address from the attached Board and Commission
Application prior to posting to the City’s website.
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website
Please list your relevant education, training, experience,
certificates of training, licenses, and professional registration.
Member of CA State Bar, 1997-present
Corporate lawyer, including financings, acquisitions, public and private
capital markets, and corporate governance for boards and management
teams, 1997-present.
Author, Insurance for Eviction without Cause: A Middle Path, Urban
Lawyer, 1996
Judicial clerk, 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, 1996
Visiting Scholar, Yale Law School, 1995
J.D., Yale Law School, 1995
Urban Housing Specialist, City of New York, 1990-91, assisted tenants
and homeowners with loans, grants, government programs,
neighborhood organizations, and housing court.
B.A., Columbia University, 1990
Employment Information Goodwin Procter
Occupation Lawyer (partner)
Is your Company/Employer your current one or last?Current Employer
Please describe your involvement in community activities,
volunteer and civic organizations, including dates and any
offices held.
Uganda Human Rights, pro bono, 2023
GetVirtual.org, helping small businesses go online, pro bono, 2020-21
Dream Act, pro bono, various
How Foundation, pro bono, various
Coach of Speech and Mock Trial Team, Eastside College Preparatory
School, 2002-06
Personal and Job Experience
1. Why are you interested in serving on the Architectural
Review Board and what experience would you bring to the
position?
I have a longstanding interest in planning and design issues. I have been
a corporate lawyer for more than two decades, helping companies and
investors negotiate complex transactions and providing guidance on
corporate governance. I have served as an Urban Housing Specialist for
the City of New York where I helped community members with a wide
range of severe housing problems. And I have written and published on
housing issues.
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the
Board that is of particular interest to you and describe why you
are interested in it.
3600 Middlefield Fire Station #4. I drive by it all the time, it is in a
prominent location at Mitchell Park, it is architecturally significant, and it
plays an essential safety and community role. I appreciate the process
by which concerns have been raised and addressed and revisions
sought and incorporated.
3. If you are appointed, what specific goals would you like to
see the Architectural Review Board achieve, and how would
you help in the process?
(1) Providing sound review and guidance to facilitate practical yet
beautiful design and architecture.
(2) Navigate the documents below with an eye both to the spirit and
letter of current requirements and standards and identifying areas of
Application Questions
2 of 3
need.
(3) Provide a helpful role in the community, enabling community
members to feel listened to, their concerns addressed, and their plans
appropriately facilitated.
(4) W ithout losing sight of function and aesthetics, being mindful of
budget and costs.
4. Please identify a project (or projects) that you find to be
examples of good architecture, and explain why. You may
include samples, identify project addresses, or provide links.
My office building at 601 Marshall Rd, Redwood City. W hile it is a large,
high density building, it does not overpower its surrounds and has an
attractive, inviting facade with some gravitas to it, appropriate for its
location proximate to the courthouse and municipal buildings. Inside, the
building has offices of approximately the same size which enhances
efficiency (there is no hierarchy of space, no fighting over offices, and no
forced vacancies). To create visual variety, though size is consistent, the
shape and orientation of the offices varies to create visual appeal. The
common spaces include modular walls and there is a beautiful balcony
meeting space on the 8th floor with wonderful views of Redwood City.
Finally, there is no need to drive for lunch. Walk outside and one is
steps away from the restaurant district. That is extremely unusual for a
large office building in Silicon Valley.
5. Architectural Review Board Members work with the
documents listed below. If you have experience with any of
these documents, please describe that experience. Experience
with these documents is not required for selection, but will
help you better understand the work of the board.
I have not worked with these documents, but as a corporate lawyer I am
adept at working with a wide variety of rules and regulations. I also have
worked extensively with housing regulations in New York City, which has
a very complex system of rules.
If you'd like to provide any additional documents, please
upload below.
Please confirm that you have read the Boards and
Commissions Handbook.
Yes
Signature Name of signatory: Sam Zucker
Link to signature
Date Completed 08/14/2023
3 of 3
Architectural Review Board Application
Submitted on 8 July 2023, 3:35AM
Receipt number 50
Related form version 6
Name Stephen Sun
Address
City
Postal Code
Cell Phone Number
Home Phone Number
Email Address
Are you a Palo Alto resident?No
Do you have any relatives or members of your household who
are employed by the City of Palo Alto, who are currently
serving on the City Council, or who are Commissioners or
Board Members?
No
Are you available and committed to complete the term applied
for?
Yes
Fair Political Practices No
Excluding your principal residence, do you or your spouse
own real property in Palo Alto?
No
How did you learn about the vacancy on the Architectural
Review Board?
Palo Alto Weekly
Personal Information
1 of 4
Read the code, and check only ONE option below:I request that the City of Palo Alto redact my home address, phone
numbers, and email address from the attached Board and Commission
Application prior to posting to the City’s website.
Consent to Publish Personal Information on the City of Palo Alto Website
Please list your relevant education, training, experience,
certificates of training, licenses, and professional registration.
Education:
Harvard Graduate School of Design - Master of Architecture 2016
Southern California Institute of Architecture - Bachelor of Architecture
2011
Carnegie Mellon University - Bachelor of Architecture 2010
University of Oregon - Arch Studies 2003
Silicon Valley International School 2001
Professional Registration:
Licensed Architect - C38556
Work Experience:
CEO/Co-Founder of Development Integration Gurus Inc. 2018-2023
Principal Architect @ Veev 2021-2022
Associate Director of Real Estate Development @ Architects Local 2018
Consultant @ Zonda Housing 2017
VP of Design @ West8 Landscape Architecture and Urban Design 2016
Architect @ Aedis Architects 2012-2014
Heather Young Architects 2008
Fergus Garber Architects 2007
Employment Information Development Integration Gurus Inc.
Occupation Architect
Is your Company/Employer your current one or last?Current Employer
Please describe your involvement in community activities,
volunteer and civic organizations, including dates and any
offices held.
President of Student Government at Harvard Graduate School of Design
in 2015 (1yr)
Volunteer Second Responder to Haiti in 2011 with Architecture for
Humanity (9mo)
Personal and Job Experience
1. Why are you interested in serving on the Architectural
Review Board and what experience would you bring to the
position?
I want to join the ARB to balance the threatening influence that
AEC/Real Estate tech has on the urban fabric.
2. Please describe an issue that recently came before the
Board that is of particular interest to you and describe why you
are interested in it.
The SB9 study session is interesting as it demonstrates how design can
create win/win situations as it pertains to the housing crisis, urban
planning policy, climate change, and aesthetics of a city.
3. If you are appointed, what specific goals would you like to
see the Architectural Review Board achieve, and how would
Implement policies that promote carbon negative materials, pedestrian
focused urban design strategies, and facilitate the negotiations between
Application Questions
2 of 4
you help in the process?private equity driven design and human centered places.
4. Please identify a project (or projects) that you find to be
examples of good architecture, and explain why. You may
include samples, identify project addresses, or provide links.
Stanford Credit Union on Stanford Campus. It is the only building I know
of in the bay area that pays homage to Mies Van Der Rohe's work on a
Olmsted's Master Plan.
I.M. Pei's Louvre. Perfect synthesis of modern building technology
execution, moderne design pedagogies, classical architectural theory,
French urban planning, and complex programmatic integration.
Julia Morgan's Hearst Castle. It's beautiful.
Chumash Museum and Cultural Center. This building helps us
understand how architecture and design can rejuvenate spirit, place, and
original place for California.
916 Colorado Ave, Palo Alto. I designed it. Contemporary Eichler real
estate deployment using tech that I developed.
Seattle Public Library.
Classical Gardens of Suzhou and Sagrada Família are both examples of
multigenerational projects that contribute to beauty in this world.
National Assembly of Quebec. French wealth and knowledge reinforcing
humanity's relationship to aland and origin through landscape urbanism.
5. Architectural Review Board Members work with the
documents listed below. If you have experience with any of
these documents, please describe that experience. Experience
with these documents is not required for selection, but will
help you better understand the work of the board.
As a practicing architect, I'm familiar with these documents.
If you'd like to provide any additional documents, please
upload below.
How Tech is shaping buildings.png
Please confirm that you have read the Boards and
Commissions Handbook.
Yes
Signature Name of signatory: Stephen Sun
Link to signature
3 of 4
Date Completed 7/8/2023
4 of 4
1.Interviews for the Architectural Review Board. Revised Interview Schedule
2
4
0
9
Revised Interview Schedule for September 5, 2023
Architectural Review Board
5:30 PM Sam Zucker In Person
5:40 PM Mousam Adcock In Person
5:50 PM Alex Lew In Person
6:00 PM Naveen Govind Zoom
6:10 PM Stephen Sun In Person
6:20 PM John Kunz In Person