Design Review Commission

WALNUT CREEK DESIGN REVIEW COMMISSION Regular Meeting Minutes February 4, 2009 7:00pm City Hall, Council Chamber 1666 North Main Street, Walnut Creek

# COMMISSIONERS:

Chair Joseph Gorny Vice Chair Brian Kilian Mark Lopez Dorothy McDonald Sanjiv Bhandari

## 1\. OPENING

Roll Call: All commissioners were present.

## 2\. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION

None

## 3\. CONSENT CALENDAR

Commissioner Kilian pulled item 3c from the Consent Calendar

## a. Approve minutes of January 7, 2009

b. Approve minutes of January 21, 2009 Motion by Bhandari, second by Kilian to approve the minutes of January 7, 2009 and January 21, 2009. AYES: Bhandari, Kilian, Lopez, Gorny, McDonald

## c. 555 YGNACIO MASTER SIGN PROGRAM. DESIGN REVIEW APPLICATION NO. Y04-136. PUBLIC HEARING on a request to establish a master sign program for the project located at 555 Ygnacio Valley Road. ZONING: O-C, Office Commercial District.

Jeremy Lochirco, Senior Planner, reported that the applicant submitted three options to the “parking” directional sign for the project at 555 Ygnacio Valley Road.

The Commissioners asked questions of the Staff and applicant regarding information on the signs, Fire Department requirements and the applicant’s preference.

Chair Gorny opened the Public Hearing. There were no speakers and Chair Gorny closed the Public Hearing.

The Commissioners commented on the request as follows:

Commissioner Kilian: Liked option A, which had a “parking” sign with a separate green blade sign with the address, “555”.

Commissioner Bhandari: Was fine with option A

Chair Gorny: Liked the original design, but was fine with the new option A

Motion by Kilian, second by McDonald to approve option A, “parking” sign with a green blade sign. AYES: Kilian, McDonald, Lopez, Bhandari, Gorny

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## 4\. PUBLIC HEARINGS

Commissioner Lopez recused himself from Public Hearing 4a, the Neiman Marcus retail project.

a. NEIMAN MARCUS RETAIL PROJECT - DESIGN REVIEW APPLICATION NO. Y08-073- STUDY SESSION for design review of a new 92,000 square-foot retail building (48,000 net new square feet), comprising a basement, loading dock area, and two floors of retail sales. ZONING: Pedestrian Retail.

Steven Buckley, Senior Planner, provided a summary of the staff report, describing revisions to the design plans including an attendant parking plan only for the employees, addition of planters with low seat walls, more lighting and more street trees. He noted that the present design included 750 square feet of signage, which is more than the 250 square foot restriction. The existing 41 parking spaces would be removed and the drive aisle would be reconfigured. The loading dock would remain.

Clifford Suen, Applicant, presented a model of the previous design and a model of the proposed new design showing the various revisions, including the removal of the third floor and a reduction in floor space from 107,000 square feet to 92,000 square feet.

Andres Grechi, Architect, described the revisions to the design plans, including working with the Art Commission to include public art in the large glassed area on the Main Street side of the building. Mr. Grechi noted that the building is 38 feet at its highest point.

The Commissioners asked questions of staff and the applicant team regarding adding more storefront windows versus the store’s need for interior wall space, location of the entry on the south mall side, sidewalk and trees near the California Pizza Kitchen, wall space at the Main Street and Mt. Diablo corner, basement expansion and signage.

Chair Gorny opened the Public Hearing. There following members of the public spoke:

Michael Fotheringham, Arts Commissioner: Expressed that significant improvements had been made in the design; footprint has ground level articulation; the emphasis on the corner of Main Street and Mt. Diablo Blvd has a cleaner expression; the color of the stone could be a darker shade; in favor of the glass art for the public art requirement; suggested adding a shadow pattern to extend the ceiling line to the exterior at the corner.

Hardy Miller, 216 Oak Knoll Loop: Great improvement. He asked if the General Plan requirement of one parking stall for each 300 square feet of retail space was a state law or a City guideline. He had received notices for meetings on 2/4/09 and 2/11/09. Chair Gorny stated that this evening’s meeting was a study session and no decisions would be made.

Chuck Davis, Macerich/Broadway Plaza: Responded to question noting that there will be a community meeting on 2/11/09; this store is 1/3 the size of the San Francisco store; transparency on the store is more than the two other large retail stores in the mall; Broadway Plaza has always had a sign on the corner and agreed to work with Neiman Marcus to incorporate the sign in the Neiman Marcus design plans.

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Joseph Perelli, 3232 Jackson St., SF – owner of Chico’s building: Appreciative of Neiman Marcus and Macerich in listening to the concerns of the community; concerned that the proposed 8-10 foot bamboo would block the visibility along the sidewalk by his restaurant.

Ed Dimmick, 1251 Sheppard Ct.: Asked if the 15,000 square foot reduction was all in the third story; asked if lifts were appropriate in “green” building and if they were efficient with employees coming and going at the same time.

Mr. Grechi and Mr. Suen responded to the comments: The reduction in square footage occurred from removing the third story and that the landscape had been revised to place the tall bamboo along the building and place lower shrubs near the sidewalk so as to not block visibility.

Chair Gorny closed the Public Hearing.

The Commissioners provided comments as follows:

Commissioner Kilian: Stated that h sat on the Design Review subcommittee regarding this project; he felt that there is a lack of openness on the Broadway Street side; suggested that there could be pedestrian level cut-outs in the walls backing the stockrooms in order to break up the flat-wall; the Main Street/Mt. Diablo corner appears harsh and suggested extending the awning or different stone patterns; suggested that the Broadway Plaza signage be used as part of the corner design; felt the proposed signage is too tall on Main Street, but would not hold applicant to 250 square foot signage; supports the design progress.

Commissioner Bhandari: Felt that improvements are going in the right direction; Neiman Marcus is noted for creative designs, but this proposed design is not unique architecture; questioned the location of entry points; felt an entry on Mt. Diablo Blvd would have been good; suggested that sidewalk paving be enhanced; felt Main Street signage is fine, but the signage on the north side is too large; prefers art monies be spent on eye-level elements, not placed too high on the building; concerned about pedestrians mid-block crossing.