Architectural Review Committee Meeting

MINUTES ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE Wednesday, March 4, 2015 AFTERNOON SESSION ONLY 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm COUNCIL CHAMBERS 580 PACIFIC STREET MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Members Present: Latasa, Freeman, Dawson, Kimzey, Searle, Abma Members Absent: Silva Staff Members Present: Senior Planner Hopper, Recording Secretary Leinen CALL TO ORDER Chair Freeman called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm. CONSENT ITEMS Committee Member Dawson requested the spelling of “reviewed” be corrected in the fifth bullet of page 6. Chair Freeman requested that the omitted word “for” be added to the last sentence of page 1. She also requested that the eighth paragraph of page 3 be clarified to state that the city staff project manager envisioned a colorful mosaic wall, not Chair Freeman. Committee Member Dawson made a motion to approve the consent items with amendments to the Minutes. Committee Member Searle seconded the motion. On a motion by Committee Member Dawson, seconded by Committee Member Searle, and carried by the following vote, the Architectural Review Committee approved the CONSENT ITEMS with amendments to the Minutes: AYES: 6 MEMBERS: Latasa, Freeman, Dawson, Kimzey, Searle, Abma NOES: 0 MEMBERS: None ABSENT: 1 MEMBERS: Silva ABSTAIN: 0 MEMBERS: None RECUSED: 0 MEMBERS: None Approval of Minutes 1. February 18, 2015 ACTION: Approved as amended. ***End of Consent Agenda*** PUBLIC COMMENTS None.  Architectural Review Committee Minutes Wednesday, March 4, 2015 PUBLIC APPEARANCE 2. Consider 700 Munras Avenue (Casa Munras Garden Hotel); Sign Permit Application 14-511 to Amend the Multi-tenant Sign Program; Applicant Frank Donangelo for Inns of Monterey; Owner Casa Munras, L.P.; VAF Zoning District; Exempt from CEQA Requirements ACTION: Adopted a Resolution approving the amended Multi-tenant Sign Program with Conditions of Approval and added Special Condition of Approval. Staff Presentation/Committee Member Questions Christy Hopper presented the Agenda Report and answered Committee Members’ questions. Applicant Frank Donangelo, applicant on behalf of the Inns of Monterey, introduced project designer Bob Wecker, project engineer Wisam Nader, and Vince Balestreri of the Cannery Row Company. Mr. Wecker, project designer, said the blade sign is the most important sign because it will increase hotel visibility for pedestrians. He also said the proposed sign is slightly larger than the “Stevenson Hotel” sign, will include push through lettering for the main text, internal illumination for the smaller text and rose logo, and an LED strip to define the sign shape and make it visible at night. Mr. Wecker said the blade sign will be hollow, not extremely heavy, and less than 50 square feet, with decorative features attaching it to the wall. Regarding the proposed Cass Street sign, Mr. Wecker said the color and lighting intensity would match the existing porte cochere sign. Mr. Wecker presented photos to the ARC illustrating the difference between push through lettering and flush lettering on signs. In response to Committee Member Dawson’s question, Mr. Nader, structural engineer, said the fourth bracket at the bottom of the sign is necessary because it bears half the load of the sign. In response to Committee Member Abma’s question, Mr. Nader said the sign would have to be reduced to 60% of its current size in order to eliminate the fourth bracket. In response to Chair Freeman’s question, Mr. Wecker said it is necessary to have “Garden Hotel & Spa” at the bottom of the blade sign because it is part of the hotel’s full name. In response to Committee Member Latasa’s question, Mr. Donangelo said the Cass Street sign is important for three reasons: to identify the access road for emergency vehicles after dark, to identify a way back to the hotel grounds for guests returning from dinner downtown, and to alert travelers on Cass Street of the hotel’s location. He also said a considerable amount of money will be spent on internal upgrades, and the signage is key to drawing in guests funding the upgrades. Mr. Donangelo said he respects Mr. Nader’s work and would not want to modify the blade sign in any way that would lessen its structural integrity. Mr. Donangelo asked the ARC for additional time to remove the large wall sign and 2 Architectural Review Committee Minutes Wednesday, March 4, 2015 asked for a condition that it may stay in place until the sign program is completed. Mr. Wecker said considerable time and effort have gone into project and the proposed blade sign is the best solution for the corner. In response to Committee Member Dawson’s question, Mr. Wecker said the LED strip would be equally bright or less bright than the LED strip on the Stevenson Hotel sign and would not make the sign unreadable. He also said he would be happy to bring in a sample of the LED light to show the ARC if approved and that the LED strip is very important to give shape to the sign. In response to Committee Member Searle’s question, Mr. Wecker said the Esteban Restaurant’s signage and location will be discussed at a future date. Public Comments None. Committee Member Comments Committee Member Searle said he agrees that the LED strip reinforces the sign’s shape, but would not want to approve it if it has the same effect on the sign as the LED on the Stevenson Hotel sign. Committee Member Searle also said he supports staff’s recommendation regarding the Cass Street sign and does not think it is necessary. Chair Freeman said the applicant and sign designer confirmed that the Stevenson Hotel sign is too bright because of the spotlights and not the LED strip. Ms. Hopper confirmed that adjustment to the position and location of the spotlights is needed. Committee Member Latasa said he supports the concept, location, and design of the blade sign, but not the LED strip. He also said the sign should be made shorter. Committee Member Latasa said he agrees with staff’s recommendation regarding the Cass Street sign, but that some type of signage should be allowed to let people know the property is there. Vice Chair Kimzey said he has many problems with the application and does not support it as proposed. He said the previously approved porte cochere sign is double the size of what is allowed by the sign guidelines, and that the current sign proposal exceeds the guidelines by even more. Vice Chair Kimzey also said the blade sign is an attractive sign and is appropriately located, but is too big, as the maximum size allowed for a blade sign is six square feet and the proposed blade sign is nearly seven times bigger than allowed. He also said the sign program proposes 175 square feet total, while the allowed amount is 77 square feet and he worries a precedent will be set if exceptions to the guidelines continue to be granted. Committee Member Dawson said he does not see a problem with the size of the blade sign because the hotel needs a sign that can be seen from at least a block away. He said he is still concerned with the LED lighting around the edge of the sign because if it is too bright it will make the sign unreadable. Regarding the Cass Street sign, Committee Member Dawson said the sign is poorly placed and should be next to the driveway. Committee Member Abma said she concurs with Committee Member Dawson regarding the location of the Cass Street sign, but that she is torn on whether the sign is necessary. She also said she supports the location of the blade sign, but that it is too tall. Committee Member Abma suggested eliminating the LED strip because could be too bright and said the red color would be even more pronounced than the blue LED of the 3 Architectural Review Committee Minutes Wednesday, March 4, 2015 Stevenson Hotel sign. Ms. Hopper said that the applicant requested an internally-lit treatment for the lettering if the LED strip was found to be inappropriate by the ARC. Chair Freeman said she supports staff’s recommendation. She also said the red strip could be painted on instead of an LED strip. Chair Freeman said she supports the design of the sign on Cass Street and the need for an exit sign, but that the sign should be placed in the front of the hotel at the other driveway. Vice Chair Kimzey made a motion to adopt a Resolution approving the amended Multi- tenant Sign Program with Conditions of Approval and added Special Condition of Approval as follows: 11. That the projecting (blade) sign shall be reduced in size by 40% as stated by the engineer to allow for installation of the sign without interfering with the adobe. The motion died for a lack of a second. Committee Member Latasa made a motion to adopt a Resolution approving the amended Multi-tenant Sign Program with Conditions of Approval and added Special Condition of Approval as follows: 11. That the projecting (blade) sign shall be reduced in vertical length by two (2) feet. The revised plans shall be submitted to staff for review and approval prior to the issuance of Building Permits. Committee Member Searle seconded the motion. On a motion by Committee Member Latasa, seconded by Committee Member Searle, and carried by the following vote, the Architectural Review Committee adopted a Resolution approving the amended Multi-tenant Sign Program with Conditions of Approval and added Special Condition of Approval: AYES: 6 MEMBERS: Latasa, Freeman, Dawson, Kimzey, Searle, Abma NOES: 0 MEMBERS: None ABSENT: 1 MEMBERS: Silva ABSTAIN: 0 MEMBERS: None RECUSED: 0 MEMBERS: None Mr. Donangelo, applicant, requested permission from Chair Freeman to address the Committee. He said that his request to leave the existing wall sign in place until the Multi-tenant sign program is completed and a sign proposal for Esteban’s Restaurant is presented was not addressed in the ARC’s motion. Ms. Hopper said because the motion was voted on and approved, the Special Condition cannot be amended. Ms. Hopper said the item could be re-agendized at a future meeting for reconsideration of the Condition of Approval. Committee Member Latasa excused himself from the meeting at 5:13 pm due to a scheduling conflict. 4  Architectural Review Committee Minutes Wednesday, March 4, 2015 COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMENTS Committee Member Searle said staff did a very good job with the project at 700 Munras Avenue, making the ARC’s decision an easy one, even with the complex set of circumstances. Chair Freeman concurred. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS 3. Planning Office Update  Update received  Ms. Hopper said there will likely be a large agenda for the March 18, 2015 ARC Meeting.  She also said on March 19, 2015 the Historic Preservation Commission will consider the Cooper-Molera Adobe project, which is a partnership between the National Historic Trust, the State of California, the City of Monterey, and a private developer. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:18 pm. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Christine Hopper Chair Senior Planenr Architectural Review Committee 5