Cultural Heritage Committee Action Update

June 25,2007                       Monday                                5:30p.m.

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

Committee member Lynne Landwehr was absent..

STAFF:                Kim Murry, Deputy Director, and Jaime Hill, Associate Planner.       

PUBLIC COMMENT:  None. 

MINUTES:    Minutes of the May 29, 2007 regular meeting were approved as amended on a 6:0 vote. 

PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS: 

1.        1804 and 1814 Osos Street.  ARC 45-07; Review of proposed modifications to 2 existing structures and a new mixed use development; C-R-S-H zone; Michael Hodge, applicant.  (Jaime Hill) 

Jaime Hill presented the staff report and described the demolition, remodel and new construction proposed for the site.   

The applicant, Mike Hodge, presented a photo board showing the elevation of the existing development, the development proposed in the staff report and a modified elevation that addressed massing. An additional photo board was submitted to show solar shading of the new building on the Church Street elevation. 

Committee members questioned staff and the applicant about project-related issues such as parking, height, context, and character of the buildings as they related to the Railroad District Plan area.   

Public Comment: Bob Lombardi, owner of Park Hotel property, raised concerns about adequacy of parking for the proposed project and massive size of the project as it related to surrounding buildings.  Staff clarified that the parking issue will be determined by the ARC.   

Committee Comments: Committee members expressed that the alternative offered at the CHC meeting was preferable to the one presented in the staff report.  Other comments related to concerns of lack of adequate parking, height and massing of proposed building, and the change of the area’s character with the proposed bulb-outs on Church and Santa Rosa Streets.  

ACTIONS

On a motion by Vice Chair Pavlik and seconded by Committee member Wheeler, the CHC voted 6-0 to determine that the proposed demolitions will not affect the historic structure because the additions are not included in the historic surveys and are non-contributing.

On a motion by Committee member Crotser and seconded by Committee member Fowler, the CHC voted 6-0 determine that the proposed modifications of a historic building are architecturally compatible with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties and the Railroad District Plan provided that the following design changes or additions are incorporated: The designer to explore alternative solutions to the site design, including patios, hardscape surrounding the buildings and bulb-outs to be more consistent with the character of the area.

On a motion by Committee member Crotser and seconded by Vice Chair Pavlik, the CHC voted 6-0 to determine that the proposed building is architecturally compatible with the setting, provided that the following design changes are incorporated:  Explore ways to further reduce the apparent scale (massing and height) of the building version presented at the CHC hearing. 

2.        2056 Rachel Street.  ARC MI 184-06; Review of new residence on a site with a contributing historical residence; R-2 zone; David Fosse, applicants. (Phil Dunsmore)   

Jaime Hill, staff, indicated that this item was continued to the July 23, 2007 CHC meeting. 

3.        1546 Chorro Street. ARC MI 72-07; Review of proposal to restore and renovate the historic Fleuger House; R-2-H zone; Joann Quaglino, applicant.  (Brian Leveille) 

Jaime Hill, staff, presented the staff report.  The project involves removal of a small non-historic addition and restoration and internal remodel to the historic house.   

Applicants Matt and Joann Quaglino spoke on behalf of the project. 

No Public comments were offered.   

Committee comments:  Committee members expressed appreciation for the restoration effort and an interest in keeping the attic vents instead of windows or in providing a different type of windows.  

ACTION

On a motion by Committee member Crotser and seconded by Committee member Miller, the CHC voted 6-0 to determine that the proposed project is consistent with the Historic Preservation Program Guidelines and will not impact the historic, architectural, or aesthetic significance of the Old Town Historic District, and refer the project back to the Community Development Director with direction to approve the project as proposed with consideration of the comments provided by the CHC.

4.        1414 Santa Rosa Street.  ARC MI 52-07; Demolition of a two-car garage and construction of a new garage with a studio apartment above; C-R-S-H zone; Joseph and Cindy Kozloff, applicants.  (Brian Leveille) 

Jaime Hill presented the staff report for the project.  The proposed additions to the contributing structure and the new addition of garage and studio were reviewed with the Committee.   

James Crawford, the project designer, spoke about the window changes proposed in the existing building. 

No public comments were offered. 

Committee comments: Committee members expressed concerns with the window changes in the existing building and the proposed new structure’s compatibility with the existing house. The CHC discussed the Secretary of the Interior’s standards for changes proposed to properties that have a local designation for either contributing or master list. 

The CHC made a motion that was later modified as follows. 

ACTION

On a motion by Committee member Crotser and seconded by Committee member Miller, the CHC voted 4-2 (with Chairperson Breska and Committee member Fowler dissenting) to determine that the proposed project will impact the historical, architectural or aesthetic significance of the Old Town Historic District unless the project is redesigned to address specific potential impacts.   The CHC’s specific recommendation was that the proposed window for the contributing structure be compatible with the existing windows on the structure in proportion, pattern and style and be replaced within the same window opening that existed with the window to be removed.  The new structure may contain windows of a different style than those on the existing building. 

Committee member Miller would like staff to be prepared at the July CHC meeting to discuss Contributing vs Master List properties and how the Secretary of the Interior Standards apply to each.

5.        Downtown Core.  R/TA 50-06; Review of proposed design guideline revisions related to new buildings in the downtown core; City of San Luis Obispo, applicant. To be continued to a date uncertain. 

This item was continued without discussion to a date uncertain. 

6.        Citywide.  GPI 49-06; An introduction to the South Broad Street Corridor Plan; City of San Luis Obispo, applicant.  Continued from May 29, 2007. 

Kim Murry presented the staff report.  Information from the May 29^th hearing was summarized.  Staff led a discussion of the plan’s proposed Form based codes, language related to historic resources, and existing survey information evaluating the structures in the area for historic significance.   

No public comments were offered. 

Commission Comments: Committee members discussed details of the draft plan and the status of the inventory of historic buildings in the area.   The Committee also discussed allowed uses, organization of the plan, and the potential for use of incentives for historic preservation. 

Action 

The CHC directed staff to bring recommended procedures and forms used for evaluating structures for historic value to the July 23, 2007 CHC meeting. 

The CHC also directed staff to consolidate information about what survey work has been done to date in the area and review the information at the July 23, 2007 CHC meeting. 

The CHC asked staff to prepare a preliminary work program for how to survey the area. 

Vice Chair Pavlik left the meeting at 8:30 p.m. 

COMMUNICATIONS: 

A.     Agenda Forecast – Staff 

   Staff gave a brief update of the two items scheduled for the July 23, 2007 meeting. 

B.     Historic Survey Status 

         Nothing to report.     

C.    Committee – Project Follow Up. 

The CHC requested that staff prepare an item for the July 23, 2007 CHC meeting to change the listing of the currently named “Logan House” to the “Parsons House” along with information related to how historic properties are named. 

The CHC requested that staff provide recommended stock language for the CHC to use when making decisions to indicate the decision is based upon the understanding of the information at the time, and that if the information changes, the project will be reconsidered.

 The CHC requested that staff bring back information related to becoming a certified city for state recognition of historic preservation efforts. 

The meeting Adjourned at 8:50 p.m. to the next regular meeting on Monday, July 23, 2007, at 5:30 p.m., in the Council Hearing Room, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo.