Architectural Review Commission Meeting Update
Regular Meeting

August 21, 2006                            Monday                                 5:00 p.m.

ROLL CALL:      Commrs. Zeljka Howard, Jim Lopes, Anthony Palazzo, Greg Wilhelm, Steven Hopkins, Vice-Chair Allen Root, and Chairperson Michael Boudreau 

Commr. Howard was absent. 

ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA: 

Item # 3 was considered first since the applicant had requested that it be continued.  

PUBLIC COMMENT:   

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

PUBLIC HEARINGS: 

1.   153 Stenner Street. ARC 1-06; Final review of a 10-unit residential condominium project; R-3 zone; Ocean Ridge Development Group, applicant. (Jaime Hill)  

On a 5-1 vote (Lopes voting no), the ARC granted final approval to the project, based on findings, and subject to conditions and code requirements.  The Commission overall was very complementary of the project design and architecture.  Discussion focused on the design of the trash enclosures and direction on any required backflow preventor and double-check valve assembly. 

2.   499 Brizzolara Street. ARC 9-05; Final review of an 8-unit common interest subdivision; R-2-S zone; Kelly Gearhart, applicant. (Jaime Hill) 

On a 6-0 vote, the ARC granted final approval to the project, based on findings, and subject to conditions and code requirements.  The main topic of discussion was the appropriate location and features of a common open space area near the creek. 

3.   899 Higuera Street. ARC 79-06; Review of a façade remodel to a downtown building; C-D-H zone; Copelands Properties, applicant. (Continued to a date uncertain) (Jaime Hill)  

At the request of the applicant, this item was continued to a date uncertain, without discussion. 

4.   861 & 953 Orcutt Road. ARC 151-03; Review of a project including 178 dwellings, a village hall, village green, and a creek restoration plan; M-PD zone; Orcutt Associates, applicant. (Michael Codron)  

The ARC voted 6-0 to grant final approval to the Tumbling Waters project.  The ARC focused their discussion on building design, landscaping and proposed creek restoration plans.  The ARC appreciated the detailed presentation provided by the project architect and asked several questions regarding the design choices that had been made.  The project includes several different building types (single, duplex, tri-plex, four-plex, six-plex and nine-plex) and each building type has at least two different elevation styles, each with varied colors and exterior materials.  Of the 178 units proposed, only two buildings will be identical in terms of elevation design, colors and materials.  In approving the project design, the ARC included conditions to require modifications to certain building features, site lighting, plant densities in the creek corridor, and mailbox locations. 

COMMENT & DISCUSSION: 

5.   Staff: 

A. Agenda Forecast - Pam Ricci provided a forecast of items expected on the next meeting agenda.  She noted that the next meeting would be on Tuesday September 5^th because of the Labor Day holiday and that the meeting would be held in the Planning Conference Room because of a City Council meeting that same night. 

6.   Commission: 

       A.    Minutes: August 7, 2006 (amend or approve) – The minutes were approved with direction to add brief references to the Commission discussion under “Lessons Learned” at the end of the meeting. 

       B.    Recent Project Review – Lessons Learned 

Commr. Lopes questioned the success of the Manse project in terms of incorporating the historic Pinho house into the design given the scale differential between the historic building and the new structures. 

Commr.  Palazzo suggested that it might save paper to use PDFs for plans instead of large-scale plan sheets. 

The meeting adjourned around 9:40 p.m. to a regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 5, 2006, at 5:00 p.m., in the Planning Conference Room, Downstairs at City Hall, 990 Palm Street.