Cultural Heritage Committee Action Update

October 22, 2007                       Monday                                5:30p.m.

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

STAFF:                Pam Ricci and Jeff Hook, Senior Planners 

PUBLIC COMMENT:  

David Brodie, 873 Chorro Street, expressed concerns that there was a “prevailing attitude” that historic buildings don’t matter.  He stated that historic buildings enhance the City’s economy by promoting tourism, and added that by its actions, the CHC can underscore the value of historic preservation with the public and the City Council. 

Luther Bertrando, 267 Foothill Boulevard, said that the Historical Preservation Program Guidelines needed to include a definition of the term “historic district.” 

MINUTES:  

The minutes of the August 27^th and September 24^th, 2007 regular meetings were approved on a 7:0 vote. 

PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS: 

1.      871 and 879 Islay Street.  ARCMI and ER 8-06; Proposed rehabilitation of a contributing historic building and construction of 3 new dwelling units in the R-2-H and R-3-H zones in the Old Town Historic District; R-2-H zone; Mike McNamara, applicant.  (Tyler Corey)

Jeff HookH presented the staff report and described the project.  Architect Ernie Kim and property owner Mike McNamara explained the project and noted that the rehabilitated house will be on a raised foundation in its new location on the lot; the three new houses will be on a slightly raised slab foundation.  During the public hearing, Paula Carr asked for information on the building that had been demolished to accommodate this project. The architect noted that the single-story, 400-500 square foot house was an outbuilding and was not historically listed.  Mr. Hook noted that the CHC had reviewed and supported the demolition request at a public meeting in 2006.  CHC members supported the project and agreed with the staff recommendation action as outlined in the staff report.  

On a motion by Committee member Crotser, seconded by Committee member Fowler, the Committee voted 7-0 to refer the project to the Community Development Director for action on the architectural review application with a recommendation to approve the Initial Study (ER 8-06) and development plan (ARC MI 8-06), subject to the following findings and recommended conditions: 

Finding 

1.  The proposed construction is architecturally compatible with the Old Town Historic District and consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties 

Conditions 

1.      The Contributing historic building shall be incorporated into the project consistent with the Secretary of Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, and with Conservation and Open Space Policy 3.3.4, and shall not be demolished or relocated off-site.  

2.      The proposed addition at the rear of the Contributing structure shall be consistent with the building’s architectural details and materials, including siding material, window style and trim and roof pitch and materials. 

3.      No changes to the size, location, material or architectural style of the existing windows on the Islay Street (North Building Elevation) shall be made.  Any new or replacement windows on the building, including the proposed addition, shall be matching wood frame double-hung windows.  

4.      The building’s existing narrow wood clapboard horizontal siding material shall be maintained.  The addition proposed at the rear of the structure shall have matching narrow wood clapboard horizontal siding material.  Any replacement siding material on the building shall match the original wood clapboard horizontal siding. 

5.      The new gable end detail proposed on the existing building and addition on the north and south elevations shall be removed. 

Following the conclusion of discussion of Item No. 1, Committee member Fowler recused himself due to a potential conflict of interest. 

2.      840, 842, 844, 848, 868, 870 & 886 Monterey Street, 984 & 986 Chorro Street, 955 Morro Street and 847 & 877 Palm Street. ARC 69-05; Review of Chinatown mixed-use project and the Cultural Resources section of the project’s Environmental Impact Report; C-D-H zone; SLO Chintatown LLC, applicant.  (Pam Ricci) 

Pam RicciH presented the staff report and gave a slide presentation outlining the project scope and character, including land uses, historic properties and access points. She also summarized project changes made since the Committee’s last review of the project in January 2007.  Architect Mark Rawson gave a detailed slide presentation, describing the project details and explaining the design changes they’d made to give the project a more unique and distinctive architectural character to reflect the Chinatown Historic District. 

Chairperson Breska opened the public hearing and several speakers addressed this item: 

Alex Gough, 964 Chorro Street, showed large format photographs of the historic Blackstone Hotel and Sauer Bakery buildings as they appeared the late 1800s and early 1900s, before they had been remodeled to accommodate street widening.  He encouraged the Committee to promote “adaptive reuse” of historic buildings rather than demolition. 

David Brodie questioned how the rooftop pool could be included without some type of “edge” along the top of the building, and wondered how that would be architecturally integrated into the building’s design.  He felt the pitched roofs shown on several buildings were out of character with the Downtown’s character and that it looked more like “Santa Barbara” than a unique building of San Luis Obispo.  He suggested that buildings facing Palm Street should reflect a Chinese architectural influence. 

Craig Smith, 890 Monterey Street, stated that he applauded the changes in the project’s architectural design, but was still concerned that the project would block second-story windows on the Feliciano Building, at the west corner of Monterey and Morro Streets.  He noted that would affect the livability of offices on the second floor and asked them to revise the project to avoid blocking their windows.

 Elizabeth Abrahams, 375 San Miguel Avenue, was disappointed in the project design and felt the project design should more accurately represent the cultural/ethnic historical groups that lived and worked in this neighborhood.  She felt the project’s design looked too much like a Santa Barbara building and was not unique to San Luis Obispo. 

Bob Vessely, 743 Pacific Street, generally supported the project but felt the project design should not emulate the “blank façade” of the Blackstone Hotel as it exists today, but rather the richer, more detailed architecture of the Quintana Block building that existed before being remodeled into the Blackstone Hotel.  He felt the proposed building at the corner of Monterey and Chorro “turned its back” on the Old Mission, and that the project needed to be “opened up” with a more prominent entry facing Mission Plaza.  He felt the historic Sauer Bakery Building needed to be saved, as required by the City’s own general plan policies.  He felt that “overriding considerations” under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) did not offset the loss of community value that would result from demolishing the historic Sauer Bakery building.  He added that the project needed to be planned so that archaeologists had sufficient time to do their work, since other City projects (like the Palm Street Parking Garage) had not allowed sufficient time to retrieve and protect cultural resources.

 Fred Collins, representing the Northern Chumash Tribal Council, spoke in support of the project and with the cooperation they had received in working with the applicant and staff. 

Betsy Bertrando, 267 Foothill Boulevard, agreed with Bob Vessely.  She didn’t agree with the architectural treatment of the proposed Monterey and Chorro Street corner, but felt the proposed Palm Street façade had improved.  She was concerned with the project’s effect on the adjacent adobe buildings due to vibration during construction. 

Paula Carr, 615 Lawrence Street, felt it was a nice project, taken alone, but that it didn’t “fit” in the Downtown historical context.  She suggested that Chinatown and Downtown had a significant number of wood frame buildings and felt these needed to be reflected in the project design.  She added the Sauer Bakery building was the town’s historic heart, and that this project would take it out. 

Chairperson Breska closed the public hearing and the Committee discussed the project and asked questions of the applicant and staff.  Committee member Miller liked the project but added “the Devil’s in the details”, and was concerned with the quality of the building construction and architectural details, such as the wrought iron balcony railings.  He wanted to see the Blackstone Hotel corner entry “opened up”, similar to the technique used at the historic Sinsheimer Store.  He felt the Sauer Bakery building was derelict and probably okay to sensitively demolish.

Committee member Crotser liked the project changes in general and generally concurred with the staff recommendation.  He agreed with demolition of the four of the five buildings noted, but felt the Sauer Bakery should be preserved, if feasible.  He felt the design of the Chorro/Monterey building should “go back” to the original architectural richness of the Quintana Block building.  He sees the corner building treated differently; more active and with more architecturally interesting.  He felt the historic Sauer Building lacked integrity but wants to somehow keep the interior bakery “feeling” and historic features.

Committee member Landwehr was concerned about the precedent created by removing historic buildings without first having documentation showing that it was not feasible to rehabilitate the buildings.  She felt the Committee needed an independent analysis of the condition and rehab feasibility for the four historic buildings proposed for demolition, 

Committee member Wheeler could not support demolition of the four historic buildings without a detailed rehabilitation feasibility analysis.  She felt the project’s design looked vaguely historic but lacks character and compatibility with the Downtown Historic District.  She was concerned that new Downtown development was all beginning to look the same.

Committee member Pavlik felt the Committee needed to be careful with its recommendations.  He agreed with Committee member Wheeler that a feasibility analysis was needed to determine whether adaptive reuse was possible, as provided in City policies.  He felt that the integration of new and old materials on buildings needed to be analyzed and that reuse of the historic Sauer Bakery oven should be considered.  He liked the idea of reuse of the Shanghai Low neon sign.  He added that the CHC should advocate saving as much historic fabric as possible.  Methods for curation and display of cultural resource materials uncovered at the site needed to come back to the Committee. 

Chairperson Breska agreed with most of the other committee member comments.  She agreed that the Blackstone Hotel shouldn’t necessarily be emulated in the project’s design.  She could support a more contemporary style. 

On a motion by Committee member Crotser, seconded by Committee member Miller, the Committee voted 5:1 (Wheeler) to recommend to the ARC that the revised, reduced-scale project be approved including proposed building demolitions at 861-863 Palm Street (Shanghai Low), 886 Monterey Street (Bello’s) and 955 Morro Street (City offices), based on the following findings, and with the consideration of the following directional items to address various project components.

Findings 

1.      Given that both Contributing and Master List historic resources are proposed for demolition within the project scope, the City determined that the project would result in significant impacts to historic resources, and for this reason and other potentially significant impacts in other environmental issue areas on the initial study checklist, required that an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) be prepared.

2.      While mitigation measures are proposed to lessen the environmental impacts associated with the loss of significant historical resources, the EIR has determined that the project, as proposed, will result in significant and unavoidable environmental impacts to Cultural Resources. 

3.      The economic, social, and other benefits of the proposed project set forth below would outweigh the unavoidable impacts associated with the loss of significant historical resources. The proposed project would: 

a.      In conformance with the City’s General Plan policies and community goals, maintain and enhance the downtown area as the commercial and social center of the City by converting surface parking lots to more economically productive uses;

b.      Provide expansion space for existing businesses and opportunities for new businesses to locate in the downtown area by creating new retail, restaurant and office space;

c.      Include an on-site, private subterranean parking structure to provide adequate off-street parking to meet the demand of on-site uses; and

d.      Provide housing downtown interspersed with commercial uses to help balance jobs and housing in the community.

4.      Proposed buildings are architecturally compatible with the surrounding area, based on the following:

a.      The proposed materials, form, style and windows of the proposed building will promote the character of the existing historic structure and add to the historic character of the surrounding neighborhood.

b.      The scale and siting of the proposed building is appropriate for the Downtown Commercial zoning of the site and consistent with City property development standards for height and setback.

5.   Consistent with Conservation and Open Space Element Policy 3.5.1, the proposed archaeological mitigation measures included in the EIR will protect archaeological resources on the site consistent with the City’s Archaeological Preservation Program Guidelines.

Directional Items

1.      Consistent with Mitigation Measure No. MM CR-4, provide details to the approval of the ARC on how the Sauer Bakery ovens will be rebuilt and incorporated into the project.

2.      Consistent with Mitigation Measure No. MM CR-5, provide additional information on how the Shanghai Low Restaurant sign will be restored and where it will be incorporated into the project.

3.      Consistent with Mitigation Measure No. MM CR-1.c.2, provide information on how curation and display space will be incorporated into the project.

4.      Prepare a detailed rehabilitation feasibility analyses on the Blackstone Hotel building (984-986 and 840-842-844 Monterey) and the historic Sauer Bakery Building (848 Monterey Street) to return to the Cultural Heritage Committee prior to City Council review.

3.      956 Monterey Street.  ARC 131-06; Review of new mixed-use building; C-D-H zone, Copeland Properties, applicant.  (Pam Ricci) 

Pam RicciH presented the staff report and architect Mark Rawson gave a slide presentation describing the project.  Under public comment, Bob Vessely asked the Committee to include a condition of approval requiring archaeological investigation of the site prior to construction.  He noted that excavations on the adjacent lot for the new City parking structure and offices produced some significant historic artifacts.  

Hearing no further comments, Chairperson Breska closed the public hearing.  Commissioners supported the project and after a brief discussion, and on a motion by Committee member Crotser, seconded by Committee member Pavlik,  the Committee voted 5-0 to recommend to the Architectural Review Commission (ARC) that the project be approved, based on the following findings, and subject to the following conditions being addressed in plans submitted for final ARC review: 

Findings 

1    The building materials, style, character, and form of the new structure at the intersection of Monterey and Morro Streets promotes the architectural character, style, form, and materials of the existing historic district and complements the character of the surrounding buildings and area.   

2    The project is consistent with standards contained in the City’s Community Design Guidelines for the downtown, which encourage projects that are pedestrian-oriented, and have proportions and design details that complement surrounding structures. 

3    The project is categorically exempt from environmental review (CEQA Guidelines, Section 15311). 

Conditions 

1.      Plans shall include window details indicating the type of materials for the window frames and mullions, their dimensions, and colors.  Windows systems shall be wood or wood-clad composite materials with true divided lights.  Vinyl or aluminum windows are prohibited. 

2.      Plans shall include the materials and dimensions of all lintels, sills, surrounds recesses and other related window features. 

3.      Plans shall show a deeper recess for the main building doors of the Monterey Street elevation of at least 2-4 feet in depth. 

4.      Plans shall clearly show the depth of molding features, final finish and storefront details for the proposed wood paneling sections. 

5.      A colors and materials board with actual materials samples shall be submitted. 

6.      The bike storage rack locations should be reconsidered to avoid conflicts with pedestrians, to the approval of staff. 

7.      The applicant shall provide an archaeological investigation of the site, following policies in the City’s Archaeological Resource Preservation Program Guidelines and shall be responsible for curation costs, to the approval of the Community Development Director.

 DISCUSSION ITEM: 

4.      720 Upham Street.  Request for Master List nomination.  (Jeff Hook) 

Jeff Hook presented the staff report, noting that from the information provided by the property owner, it did not appear that the property met eligibility criteria for adding the property to the Master List of Historic Resources.  The property owner, Jeanne Kinney, responded to the staff report and asked for Committee direction on historic research.  Committee member Landwehr suggested that Ms. Kinney research historic connections between the Silva family – the house’s former occupants – and their role and importance in the community.  Committee member Pavlik agreed, and felt more historical documentation was needed to show how this project would meet the adopted eligibility criteria.  He felt it may be difficult for this property to meet the eligibility criteria. 

The Committee took no action on the item. 

Due to the late hour, the Committee continued the remaining items on the CHC agenda to the November 26, 2007 CHC meeting.