Architectural Review Committee Meeting

MINUTES ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE Wednesday, September 16, 2015 AFTERNOON SESSION ONLY 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm 580 PACIFIC STREET, COUNCIL CHAMBERS MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA Members Present: Freeman, Kimzey, Latasa, Silva, Abma, Theodore Members Absent: Searle Staff Members Present: Senior Planner Hopper, Associate Planner Roveri, Recording Secretaries Salameh and Salas CALL TO ORDER Chair Freeman called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m. CONSENT ITEMS Approval of Minutes 1. September 2, 2015 ACTION: Approved as amended. The Committee requested that corrections be made to the minutes, specifically regarding the last sentence of page 5, with a separate paragraph created regarding the comment by Committee Member Theodore on the three-foot setback. Committee Member Silva said that he would like to add the discussion on the Secretary of the Interior Standards for exterior siding because many valid points were made. Vice Chair Kimzey requested that his support of the applicant’s original proposal be reflected more thoroughly in the minutes and to more accurately reflect his motion to approve as submitted. A request to add that Vice Chair Kimzey took control of the meeting after Chair Freeman excused herself was also added. Vice Chair Kimzey also noted that the minutes should reflect that the original agenda was not followed, with items 7 and 8 being switched in order. Chair Freeman said that on page 9, prior to “Committee Comments,” the word “is” should be removed. Another grammar mistake noted by Chair Freeman on page 9 was a missing “they” in reference to two balconies that were discussed. Council Member Silva made a motion to approve the Minutes as amended. Council Member Latasa seconded the motion. On a motion by Committee Member Silva, seconded by Committee Member Latasa, and carried by the following vote, the Architectural Review Committee approve minutes of September 2, 2015 on the condition that corrections be made:  Architectural Review Committee Minutes Wednesday, September 16, 2015 AYES: 5 MEMBERS: Freeman, Kimzey, Latasa, Silva, Theodore NOES: 0 MEMBERS: None ABSENT: 1 MEMBERS: Searle ABSTAIN: 1 MEMBERS: Abma RECUSED: 0 MEMBERS: None PUBLIC COMMENTS None. PUBLIC APPEARANCE 2. Consider 1410 Del Monte Center; Sign Permit 15-330 for a Rotating Banner Program; Applicant Denae Di Benedetto; Owner AAT Del Monte LLC; C-2-SC Zoning District; Exempt from CEQA Requirements ACTION: Approved with a change to the Resolution title to read, “Rotating Special Events Banner Program.” Staff Presentation/Commissioner Questions Fernanda Roveri presented the agenda report and answered Committee Members’ questions. Committee Member Theodore asked what material the banners would consist of and Ms. Roveri responded that they would be vinyl. Applicant George Helm, property manager, stated that the rotating banners are to advertise community events taking place at the center and not for stores’ commercial advertising use by the shopping center. Public Comments Mike Dawson, president of the Alta Mesa Neighborhood Association—the closest neighborhood to the Del Monte Center—stated that he and Mr. Helm have met monthly for the past several years in order to discuss how to be better neighbors and that he supports the rotating banner project. Committee Member Comments Committee Member Latasa said he supports the project and said that he thinks it is a clever use of a landscaping wall as well as a tastefully designed sign program. Vice Chair Kimzey said that he supports the project on the condition that banners are used only for special events and not store advertisements. He added that he would like the language of “Special Events Only” to be added to the Resolution, in order prevent the banners from being used by stores for commercial advertisement. Ms. Hopper said that the city cannot regulate the content of the banners because it is an issue of freedom of speech; that the city can only approve the time, place, and manner of the banners. Committee Member Silva suggested that the header be restated in the Resolution, 2  Architectural Review Committee Minutes Wednesday, September 16, 2015 specifically as, “Approving Sign Permit 15-330 For A Rotating Special Events Banner Program at 1410 Del Monte Center,” to ensure that the banners’ content remains in accordance with the proposal. Ms. Hopper said that would be acceptable for clarification purposes. Chair Freeman said that it can be taken on faith that this is a special events banner, due to the fact that if one business out of all businesses at the Del Monte Center was permitted to advertise on the banner, it would be an unfair opportunity. She said that the banner will do a service by promoting events that the community would otherwise have no knowledge about. Chair Freeman said she supports the project and approves of the location chosen due to the lack of sign proliferation. Committee Member Silva made a motion to adopt a Resolution on the condition that the header is amended to read, “Approving Sign Permit 15-330 for a Rotating Special Events Banner Program at 1410 Del Monte Center.” Committee Member Latasa seconded the motion. On a motion by Committee Member Silva, seconded by Committee Member Latasa, and carried by the following vote, the Architectural Review Committee adopted a Resolution approving Sign Permit 15-330 with a revised Resolution title for Rotating Special Events Banner Program at 1410 Del Monte Center. AYES: 6 MEMBERS: Freeman, Kimzey, Latasa, Silva, Abma, Theodore NOES: 0 MEMBERS: None ABSENT: 1 MEMBERS: Searle ABSTAIN: 0 MEMBERS: None RECUSED: 0 MEMBERS: None 3. Consider 2 Portola Plaza (Portola Hotel); Sign Permit 15-320 for a Temporary Rotating Banner Program; Applicant/Owner Portola Hotel; VAF Zoning District; Exempt from CEQA Requirements ACTION: Approved as submitted. Staff Presentation/Committee Member Questions Christine Hopper presented the Agenda Report and answered Committee Members’ questions. Applicant Janine Chicourrat, General Manager and Owner Representative of the Portola Hotel, said the Portola Hotel will be back in front of the ARC with a redesigned front entrance in the near future, but in the meantime she asked for short-term flexibility. Chair Freeman asked Ms. Chicourrat if she thought the Portola Hotel would be a substitute for the Monterey Conference Center during its construction period. Ms. Chicourrat said no, but the hotel is working with the city to add a tent in Custom House Plaza to keep as many groups and create as much liveliness in the area as possible, but that they do not anticipate being very busy during the renovation. Chair Freeman asked how the banners at the front door will benefit the hotel, noting the three 3 Architectural Review Committee Minutes Wednesday, September 16, 2015 banners proposed are at the every entrance on each soffit. Ms. Chicourrat said that the idea of the two door banners was inspired by one particular group to “brand” the hotel as Porsche Event, but that in the long-term vision, the door banners may not be in the hotel’s best interest. Vice Chair Kimzey inquired about the banner size, particularly about the larger banners. Ms. Chicourrat said the size is relative to the building and that she does not foresee groups needing to utilize that large of a sign, but that the increased size would be more appropriate in relation to the size of the building. Ms. Hopper said smaller signs have been approved in keeping with the City’s guidelines in the past; however they look too small in relation to the building to which they are affixed. She said that in this case, the coverage and size are appropriate to be integrated into the architecture of the building. Public Comments None. Committee Member Comments Committee Member Theodore asked if the header for this resolution should include the phrase, “Special Events” as well, since that was applied to the Del Monte Resolution. Chair Freeman clarified that the title should include the language “Temporary Rotating Special Events Banner Program.” Ms. Hopper said it was fine to be consistent with both documents. Vice Chair Kimzey said he supports the project in general, noting that the Portola Hotel has difficult times ahead due to the construction at the Conference Center, but that he was concerned with the size of the banners. He said the larger banners should be reduced, which is a reasonable connection to the guidelines. He compared the face of the Conference Center to the face of the hotel, noting that the face of the Conference Center is larger than that of the hotel and the signs for the hotel should be reduced considerably to scale: 250 square foot and 276 square foot signs should be reduced to 125 foot signs—which more closely reflects the 50 square foot guideline. He said that he felt the guideline was being ignored and because of that he would not be able to vote for the resolution. Committee Member Silva said guidelines sometimes fall short of actual conditions that the ARC deals with; therefore the ARC has the discretion to make decisions on individual applications. He noted that he would be willing exceed the 250 square feet to let the Portola utilize a banner that fits its entire soffit. Chair Freeman said the Conference Center was recently approved for a banner that exactly fit the soffit, noting that a temporary banner should appropriately fit the wall upon which it is applied. She also said that this would be a continuation policy of the banner program approved for the Conference Center. Chair Freeman noted that she does not like the idea of utilizing two banners at the front door, but that the soffit banners seem logical, reasonable, and fit with the design of the building. She proposed that the program be contingent upon completion of the Conference Center because she believes the door banners at the Portola would look too competitive with the event-banner program of the finished Conference Center. Chair Freeman stated that signage during construction is necessary, but that the Conference Center should be the preeminent building on the plaza. Committee Member Silva agreed that the panel signs at front door should be removed at completion of the Conference Center, as did Committee Member Theodore. Committee Member Latasa made a motion to adopt a Resolution approving the Sign Permit 4  Architectural Review Committee Minutes Wednesday, September 16, 2015 as submitted and Committee Member Abma seconded the motion. On a motion by Committee Member Latasa, seconded by Committee Member Abma, and carried by the following vote, the Architectural Review Committee adopted a Resolution approving the Sign Permit as Submitted. AYES: 5 MEMBERS: Freeman, Latasa, Silva, Abma, Theodore NOES: 1 MEMBERS: Kimzey ABSENT: 1 MEMBERS: Searle ABSTAIN: 0 MEMBERS: None RECUSED: 0 MEMBERS: None COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMENTS Chair Freeman said a retreat with the Planning Office should be considered in order to discuss upcoming plans and projects, clarification on what findings mean, processes and procedures, how committee members conduct themselves in the public eye, and any concerns regarding the ARC. All committee members agreed that the retreat would be a good idea and that further discussion would occur on the October 7, 2015 meeting. Chair Freeman also requested that an item be added to the agenda on October 7, 2015 for discussion on a letter to be written to the City Council regarding the removal of the bridge connecting the Marriott to the Conference Center. The committee members agreed this would be a good idea. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS 4. Planning Office Update  Update Received  In a follow up to the September 1, 2015 meeting, Ms. Hopper said that the City authorized a professional services agreement with EMC Planning Group to prepare the City’s Local Coastal Program. She said that the City received a grant for a quarter of a million dollars to prepare the LCP’s development within the coastal zone.  Ms. Hopper said that City Council adopted the amendments to the Downtown Specific Plan and that it is currently in revision to be published on the website in updated form. 5 Architectural Review Committee Minutes Wednesday, September 16, 2015 ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 5:07 pm. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Christine Hopper Chair Senior Planner Architectural Review Committee 6