Architectural Review Commission Meeting Update
Regular Meeting

July 5, 2005                             Monday                                 5:00 p.m.

ROLL CALL:      Commrs. Allen Root, Jim Lopes, David Smith, Greg Wilhelm, Charles Stevenson, Vice-Chair Michael Boudreau, and Chairman Zeljka Howard

Commrs. Root and Wilhelm were absent.

ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA:

The order of the agenda was not modified.

PUBLIC COMMENT: 

There was no public comment other than on regular agenda items.

PUBLIC HEARINGS:

1.  87 Prado Road. ARC 46-05; Review of the proposed Bill Roalman Memorial and its relationship with the proposed City bike path; C-S-S zone; City of San Luis Obispo, applicant. (Neil Havlik)

On a motion by Commissioner Lopes, seconded by Stevenson, the Commission voted 5-0 to grant final approval to the project as submitted.

2.  3251 South Higuera Street. ARC 228-04; Review of a new medical building; C-S-S zone; Tolosa Health Developers, LLC, applicant. (Tyler Corey)

On a motion by Commissioner Lopes, seconded by Commissioner Stevenson, the Commission voted 5-0 to grant final approval to the design of the project.  Discussion focused on revising the existing building entry from the parking lot and providing an additional public entry on the building facades that face either South Higuera or Margarita.  Ultimately, a condition was added to the project approval that requires the applicant to consider revising the parking lot entry to create a lobby at ground level with internal access to the proposed elevator, and an additional building entry to the first level from either South Higuera or Margarita.  Conditions were also added to move the proposed backflow prevention device as far as feasible from the public right-of-way adjacent to the building and to consider reducing the massing of the proposed building cornice lines.

3.  1314 Palm Street. ARC MI 83-05; Review of three new units on the site of a master list historical property; R-3-H zone; Vince Fonte, applicant. (Phil Dunsmore)

As recommended by staff, the project was continued to a date uncertain.

COMMENT & DISCUSSION:

4.    Staff:

A. Agenda Forecast – Tyler Corey provided an agenda forecast, noting that the next regular meeting would be on Monday, July the 18^th.

5.    Commission:

       A.    Minutes of June 6, 2005, regular meeting:

The minutes were approved with minor modifications.

       B.    Recent Project Review – Lessons Learned

The ARC and staff discussed the following: 1) Parking at the Home Depot property is being used for vehicle storage by an off-site vendor.  Although constructed in the County, the ARC felt that the project is over-parked and that future center development should utilized some of the existing on-site parking through parking reductions associated with new development.  2) The massing of large retail buildings should be separated from each other when located within the same center or property to reduce the overall massing and appearance of the project. 3) The ARC wanted staff to develop a standard project condition for backflow prevention devices that requires the devices to be setback as far as feasible from the public right-of-way and painted and landscaped so as to not be apparent to the casual observer. 4) The ARC requested that staff review the Crossroads Deli and Quickstop along Broad Street for compliance with prior ARC and City approvals for outdoor lighting and signage.

C.   Running More Effective Meetings (Continued from June 20, 2005 meeting)

The ARC reviewed the “Tips for Running More Effective Meetings” and provided staff with some minor changes.  Since two of the Commissioners were absent, Chairperson Howard offered to collect all Commissioner comments and present them to Pamela Ricci for review and revision.  

The meeting ADJOURNED at 7:30pm to a regular meeting scheduled for Monday, July 18, 2005, at 5:00 p.m., in the Council Hearing Room at City Hall, 990 Palm Street.