City of San Luis Obispo - Cultural Heritage Committee Action Update

Cultural Heritage Committee Action Update

April 23, 2007 Monday 5:30p.m.

OATHS OF OFFICE: Swearing in of new committee members Elise Wheeler, Dean Miller and John Fowler and returning committee member Barbara Breska.

City Clerk Audrey Hooper administered oath of office to committee members present. Dean Miller, absent new committee member, will be sworn in at the May CHC meeting.

ROLL CALL: Committee Members Elise Wheeler, John Fowler, Lynne Landwehr, Robert Pavlik, Dean Miller, Vice Chair Barbara Breska and Chairperson Chuck Crotser.

Committee Members Dean Miller and Robert Pavlik were absent.

STAFF: Pam Ricci, Senior Planner, Michael Codron, Associate Planner and Kim Murry, Deputy Director of Community Development.

ELECTION: Election of Chair and Vice-Chair

It was the consensus of the Committee to postpone this item until the May 29^th meeting for consideration with the full committee.

PUBLIC COMMENT: None.

MINUTES: Minutes of the March 26, 2007 regular meeting were approved as amended on a 5:0 vote.

PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS:

1. 745 Buchon Street. ARC MI 31-07; Review of demolition and reconstruction of garage for the historic Bradbury House; R-2-H zone; Scott McIntire, applicant. (Brian Leveille)

Pam Ricci presented the staff report and summarized the alternatives for CHC consideration. Garth Kornreich, architect, and Scott McIntire, applicant specified the desire is to provide a functional garage while still retaining the architectural style of the Master List house on the property. Committee members clarified issues of size, construction for fire safety issues, and materials of the proposed replacement structure. The architect indicated that no external parapet will be required and that fire standards will be met by using internal structural methods. He further clarified that the size of the proposed garage is slightly smaller than the existing structure. The applicant clarified that the garage doors will be constructed of wood. There was no public comment.

ACTION: On motion by Committee member Landwehr and seconded by Committee member Wheeler, the Committee voted 5:0 to determine that the proposed construction is conditionally compatible with the Historic Preservation Program Guidelines, provided the proposed sectional door is compatible with the historic building (e.g. true divided lites, real wood material and trim boards) to the approval of the Community Development Director; and to refer the matter to the Community Development Director with recommendations on changes to the proposed design.

2. 1880 Santa Barbara Avenue. ARC 44-07; Review seismic retrofitting of the historic Railroad Square building and new buildings proposed to the north and south; C-R-S-H zone; Depot Square LP, applicant. (Pam Ricci)

Pam Ricci presented the staff report and summarized the project proposal that includes retrofit of the main Railroad Square building, demolition of the annexes on the north and south side of the building, and building additions to the site in the location of the annexes to be removed. She indicated that the three aspects of the proposal will require three separate actions. The applicant team of Carol Florence, George Garcia (architect), Robert Chattel (preservation consultant), and Hamish Marshall (owner) presented a slide show explaining the history of the main building, the structural retrofit details, and the thought process behind the choice of materials, colors, theme and architectural style of the proposed structures to replace the annex additions proposed for removal.

Committee members requested clarification of colors and materials for new structures and seismic retrofit and window details of the Railroad Square Building. A question about the use of the existing elevator shaft was raised and the architect indicated that it is used for mechanical runs from equipment placed on the roof.

Four members of the public spoke and offered input related to relationship of new buildings to the historic Park Hotel, as well as the desire to see the historic hoists inside the Railroad Square building maintained. Other input included pleasure of seeing new architectural designs and not faux recreations of old buildings along with gratitude to see the Railroad Square building being restored. Additional comments included support for separating the new buildings from the historic building, concerns about the style of the new buildings as well as concerns about drainage and retention of redwood trees

Discussion of the Committee focused on support for saving the Railroad Square building, support for the new buildings staying within the existing footprint of the annex areas; concerns about the view of the structure as seen by travelers coming in by rail; and discussion of style, materials and colors of the new buildings as they related to the historic Railroad District.

Action:

Item 1 On a motion by Vice Chair Breska and seconded by Committee member Fowler, the Committee voted 5:0 to forward their determination to the ARC that the proposed seismic retrofit, both interior and exterior, to a historic building is consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties, based on the following findings:

a. The interior proposed brace/moment frame system complements the warehouse style of the interior with its heavy wood timber framing and exposed brick walls.

b. Exterior bracing to the parapet is not visible.

Item 2 On a motion by Committee member Breska and seconded by Committee member Wheeler, the Committee voted 5:0 that the demolitions of the wood-clad additions to the north and south of the historic Railroad Square building will not affect historic structures because the additions are not included in the historic surveys and are non-contributing.

Item 3 On a motion by Chairperson Crotser and seconded by Committee member Fowler, the Committee voted 5:0 to forward their determination to the ARC that the proposed buildings are consistent with the Railroad District Plan and with the City’s Historic Preservation Program Guidelines, and architecturally compatible with the surrounding area, with the direction to investigate alternatives for surface colors and textures and to review the canopy on the east side of the building for functionality and to lighten up the appearance of the materials, based on the following findings:

a. The proposed materials and architectural detailing of proposed buildings are consistent with the architectural guidelines contained within the Railroad District Plan.

b. The new buildings are of a distinctively different architectural style from the main historic resource which does not take away from its prominence on the site.

c. The new buildings will promote the architectural and historical character of the main historic resource by providing for open side views of the structure.

d. The proposed mix of residential and commercial uses is consistent with land use patterns discussed in the Railroad District Plan that promote developments that allow people to live near work places and services.

3. Downtown Core. R/TA 50-06; Preliminary review of proposed design guidelines related to new buildings in the downtown core; City of San Luis Obispo, applicant. (Michael Codron)

Michael Codron presented the staff report and summarized the process and City Council direction in clarifying the heights for the downtown area. He indicated that with adoption of the general plan amendments by the City Council, the project has now entered the phase of developing implementations for the revised policies. Mr. Codron outlined the subcommittee review of the design guidelines revisions explained that the CHC item was a progress report and did not require any final action by the CHC at this time, however, it was an opportunity for input

Committee members clarified design guideline recommendations regarding height vs width of buildings, the idea of contextual sensitivity, and access to sunlight on the northern side of downtown streets at noon on December 21^st

Five members of the public gave input on the topic. Concerns were expressed about the discretion of the advisory bodies to approve tall buildings based upon minimal numbers of objectives included as part of a proposed project; concerns that new buildings near Mission Plaza do not detract from the Mission; questions about whether the proposal that allows a height to street width ratio of 1:1 conflicts with the required setback above the 3^rd story; concerns about the cumulative impact of new buildings downtown and loss of unique character of downtown. Other input included the need to provide more opportunities for public input; and the need to address more than two-dimensional design only. Other design input included points that design guidelines need to prevent a mega-block look. The proposed guidelines need to address all visible sides of tall buildings. Input included testimony about the quality of light in the downtown space and the need to address the impact to vegetation from decreased access to light. Other input included the observation that technology to model the downtown core and its massing would be helpful to define areas that could accommodate taller heights. Design guidelines should not require new buildings to mimic historic - allow creative approaches to design. New buildings should address energy and conservation issues.

Michael Codron summarized the public input and responded to the questions raised. Committee members wanted to ensure that public input gets passed on to other advisory bodies and shared concerns that new buildings shouldn’t impinge or detract from historic buildings such as the Mission or the Carnegie Library. The Committee suggested printing the revised draft guidelines in the newspaper or finding some other way to involve the public and also suggested a joint meeting of the CHC and the ARC for the second review of the draft guidelines.

ACTION: On a motion by Committee member Fowler and seconded by Committee member Breska, the Committee voted 5:0 to direct staff to take into consideration the comments from the public and the Committee in their evaluation of changes to the draft guidelines and to bring comments and revisions back, possibly during a joint meeting with the ARC. Chairperson Crotser suggested that actual examples of different ways new buildings have been integrated into historic areas or adjacent to historic buildings would be a very effective communication tool.

COMMUNICATIONS:

A. Biennial Review of Bylaws

The Committee discussed the bylaws and whether the purposes listed in Article 1 reflect any kind of priority. The consensus expressed was that the Committee could develop priorities among the purposes but that the bylaws were not the place for this.

ACTION: On a motion by Committee member Wheeler and seconded by Committee member Breska, the Committee voted 5:0 to approve the existing bylaws with a modification to Article 3 B to reflect the five historical districts as opposed to the three referenced in the bylaws.

B. Agenda Forecast - Staff

Staff gave a brief update of the one item scheduled for the May 29^th meeting and also informed the Committee of an upcoming historic preservation workshop sponsored by the State Historic Preservation Office to be held on June 1, 2007.

C. Historic Survey Status

Nothing to report.

D. Committee

Nothing to report.

The meeting ADJOURNED at 9:20 p.m. to the next regular meeting on Tuesday, May 29, 2007, at 5:30 p.m., in the Council Hearing Room, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo.