Heritage Preservation Commission

City of Sunnyvale Meeting Minutes - Final Heritage Preservation Commission Wednesday, July 12, 2017 7:00 PM West Conference Room, City Hall, 456 W. Olive Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94086 CALL TO ORDER Chair Michitaka Called the meeting to order. SALUTE TO THE FLAG Chair Michitaka led the salute to the flag. ROLL CALL Chair Michitaka noted Comm. Larsen's excused absence. Present: 6 - Chair Mike Michitaka Vice Chair Hannalore Dietrich Commissioner Melanie Holthaus Commissioner Dawn Hopkins Commissioner Dale Mouritsen Commissioner Kenneth Valenzuela Absent: 1 - Commissioner Dixie Larsen PRESENTATION None. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None. CONSENT CALENDAR 1. 17-0697 Approve the Draft Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes of June 7, 2017 Vice Chair Dietrich noted minor grammatical changes. Comm. Mouritsen made a motion to approve the Draft Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes of June 6, 2017, as corrected. Comm. Holthaus seconded. City of Sunnyvale Page 1 Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes - Final July 12, 2017 Motion carried as follows: Yes: 5 - Chair Michitaka Vice Chair Dietrich Commissioner Holthaus Commissioner Hopkins Commissioner Mouritsen No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Larsen Abstain: 1 - Commissioner Valenzuela PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS 2. 17-0719 Selection of Chair and Vice Chair Chair Michitaka nominated Vice Chair Dietrich to serve as Chair. Comm. Valenzuela seconded. Motion carried as follows: Yes: 5 - Chair Michitaka Commissioner Holthaus Commissioner Hopkins Commissioner Mouritsen Commissioner Valenzuela No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Larsen Abstain: 1 - Vice Chair Dietrich Comm. Mouritsen nominated Comm. Hopkins to serve as Vice Chair. Chair Michitaka seconded. Motion carried as follows: Yes: 5 - Chair Michitaka Vice Chair Dietrich Commissioner Holthaus Commissioner Mouritsen Commissioner Valenzuela No: 0 City of Sunnyvale Page 2 Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes - Final July 12, 2017 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Larsen Abstain: 1 - Commissioner Hopkins 3. 17-0704 SUBJECT Consideration to Initiate the Heritage Resource Nomination Process for Several Redwood Trees at Sunnyvale Civic Center Senior Planner Noren Caliva-Lepe presented the report as submitted. Comm. Michitaka noted page two of four of the report, asking staff if the nomination will delay the Civic Center Master Plan. Ms. Caliva-Lepe responded that the initiation and the Civic Center Master Plan will be processed separately, although the study of the trees is already being conducted as part of the Civic Center Master Plan. Vice Chair Hopkins discussed the timeline to process an initiation, and if it would be too late to start the initiation in relation to the Civic Center Master Plan if the plan does not include the trees in this nomination. Assistant City Manager Kent Steffens stated that the Civic Center Modernization Plan included a tree study that is available to the public. He then noted that the Master Plan will show which trees will be planned for removal and that there is time to initiate a Heritage Resource nomination for the Redwood trees once the Master Plan is completed. Chair Dietrich asked if the tree study is available online. Mr. Steffens stated it is available to the public; however, it is not online and that they could contact him to get a copy of the tree study. Chair Dietrich opened the Public Hearing. Deborah Marks, member of Sunnyvale Urban Forests Advocates, noted that the City arborist informed her that the trees are in a healthy condition and stated her support for the initiation. Ms. Marks asked questions about the need for a cultural study and noted that one was not required for the Butcher's Corner tree study. Mary Brunkhorst, member of the public, noted that some trees may be removed, and it may be too late if they do not initiate the process to nominate the trees as heritage resources. City of Sunnyvale Page 3 Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes - Final July 12, 2017 Ms. Caliva-Lepe clarified that the Commission could vote to initiate the heritage resource nomination process or wait for additional information to be provided as part of the Civic Center Master Plan. Ms. Caliva-Lepe also clarified that staff has not determined at this time if a cultural study is required. She noted that if in the course of the study one was required, a budget allocation would need to go before the City Council. Ms. Caliva-Lepe also noted that based on the timing to conduct the study and limited staff resources, staff's recommendation is to not initiate the study. Comm. Mouritsen made a motion to approve Alternative 2: Do not initiate the heritage resource nomination process for several redwood trees at Sunnyvale Civic Center. The Civic Center Master Plan process already has a mechanism in place to evaluate all protected trees at the Civic Center and to evaluate potential historic resources. Any protected trees that are potentially impacted by future buildings or site features would be evaluated further with a Program Environmental Impact Report, which requires City Council approval. The Vision Statement adopted by City Council for the Civic Center already includes the preservation of trees. Motion carried as follows: Yes: 6 - Chair Michitaka Vice Chair Dietrich Commissioner Holthaus Commissioner Hopkins Commissioner Mouritsen Commissioner Valenzuela No: 0 Absent: 1 - Commissioner Larsen STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES Discussion of Potential Study Issues for 2018 Chair Dietrich reminded staff of the previous request for a study issue to re-examine the City's Heritage Resource Inventory. Ms. Caliva-Lepe acknowledged that a study issue paper will be prepared and reviewed by the Commission at a future date. NON-AGENDA ITEMS & COMMENTS -Commissioner Comments Chair Dietrich noted the Library Book Sale is this weekend, and the State of the City at the end of July. City of Sunnyvale Page 4 Heritage Preservation Commission Meeting Minutes - Final July 12, 2017 Comm. Mouritsen noted that the Sunnyvale Museum is looking for volunteers. INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS Planning Officer Miner thanked Comm. Michitaka for his service as Chair. 4. 17-0720 Update on the Murphy Avenue Design Guidelines Ms. Caliva-Lepe noted that the Guidelines are moving forward, and is anticipated to come to the Commission in August where there will be two meetings; one is for the walk-through with the consultant on Murphy Avenue, and the other is to vote on the Guidelines. Ms. Caliva-Lepe noted that the Commission's recommendation would be forwarded to the City Council for final approval. ADJOURNMENT Chair Dietrich adjourned the meeting at 7:45 p.m. City of Sunnyvale Page 5