32:

MINUTES

REGULAR MEETING OF THE

ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD

 

MONDAY, December 1, 2008

City Council Chambers, Room 213

7:00 P.M.

1685 Main Street, Santa Monica

 

1.         CALL TO ORDER:  The meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m.

 

2.         ROLL CALL:               Present:       Michael Folonis, Chairperson

William Adams (arrival 7:05 p.m.)

John Ellis

Edouard Mimieux (arrival 7:07 p.m.)

Lynn Robb

Maegan Winning

 

                                          Also Present:       Jay Johnson, Planning Commissioner

Steve Traeger, Principal Urban Designer

Scott Albright, Associate Planner

Margaret Bell, Staff Assistant

 

3.         SECRETARY’S REPORT:

·                    The next meetings of the Architectural Review Board will be Regular Meetings on Monday December 15, 2008, and January 5, 2009, both in the Council Chambers;

·                    Item 7.2, 08-ARB-350, 1800 Stewart Street, may need to be continued as the applicant may not be present;

·                    The applicant for Item 7.6, 08-ARB-461, 2100 Colorado Avenue requested a continuance prior to the meeting;

·                    Each Board member has been provided additional materials for Item 7.8, 08-ARB-375, 395 Santa Monica Place which depict the Board’s purview area for review;

·                    Each Board member has been provided Memorandums for Discussion Item 8d, 8e, and 8f, to provide additional information that may assist in the discussion.

 

4.         APPROVAL OF MINUTES:  None.

 

5.         PUBLIC HEARING AND INPUT:  None.

 

6.         EX PARTE COMMUNICATION:   Chairperson Folonis visited the sites for Item 7.1, 08-ARB-139, 1410 Fifth Street, Item 7.3, 08-ARB-494, 816 Pico Boulevard, Item 7.4, 08-ARB-495, 2627 Lincoln Boulevard, Item 7.5, 08-ARB-528, 1410 Fifth Street, Item 7.7, 08-ARB-516, 2530 Wilshire Boulevard, and Item 7.8, 08-ARB-375, 395 Santa Monica Place.

7.         REVIEWS:

 

A.        CONSENT CALENDAR

 

Chairperson Folonis made the motion to move Item 7.7, 08-ARB-516, 2530 Wilshire Boulevard to the Consent Calendar that was seconded by Vice-Chairperson Robb and approved by voice vote.

 

Chairperson Folonis made the motion to remove Item 7.1, 08-ARB-139, 1410 Fifth Street from the Consent Calendar that was seconded by Vice-Chairperson Robb and approved by voice vote.

 

Chairperson Folonis made the motion to approve the revised Consent Calendar that was seconded by Vice-Chairperson Robb and approved by roll call vote 6-0.

 

a.         Resubmissions:

 

7.1       ARB 08-139, 1410 Fifth Street: Mixed-Use

Approval of Artwork

ACTION: APPROVED ON REGULAR CALENDAR WITH STAFF CONDITIONS

 

Mimi Cahalan was present to discuss the project.

 

Chairperson Folonis closed the public hearing.

 

The Board clarified with the applicant the material application, the mounting and fastening technique, the moisture factor, and the aluminum treatment.

 

Chairperson Folonis made the motion to approve the project with staff conditions that was seconded by Board member Mimieux and approved by roll call vote 6-0.

 

7.2       ARB 08-350, 1800 Stewart Street: Industrial

Approval of Colors

ACTION:  CONTINUED BY A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE APPLICANT AT THE TIME THE ITEM WAS CALLED

 

Chairperson Folonis made the motion to continue Item, 7.2, 08-ARB-350, 1800 Steward Street that was seconded by Board member Mimieux and continued by roll call vote 6-0.

b.         New Submissions:

 

7.3       ARB 08-494, 816 Pico Boulevard: Commercial

Approval of Sign Plans

ACTION:  APPROVED ON CONSENT CALENDAR WITH STAFF CONDITIONS

 

7.4       **ARB 08-495, 2627 Lincoln Boulevard: Commercial

Approval of Sign Plans

ACTION:  APPROVED ON CONSENT CALENDAR WITH STAFF CONDITIONS

 

7.5       ARB 08-528, 1410 Fifth Street: Commercial

Approval of Facade Revision and Sign Plans

ACTION:  APPROVED ON CONSENT CALENDAR WITH STAFF CONDITIONS

 

B.        REGULAR CALENDAR

 

a.                  Resubmissions:  None.

 

b.         New Submissions:

 

7.6       ARB 08-461, 2100 Colorado Avenue: Commercial

Approval of Landscape Plans

ACTION:  CONTINUED BY THE APPLICANT PRIOR TO THE MEETING

 

7.7       ARB 08-516, 2530 Wilshire Boulevard: Commercial

Approval of Sign Plans

ACTION: APPROVED ON CONSENT CALENDAR WITH STAFF CONDITIONS

 

7.8       ARB 08-375, 395 Santa Monica Place: Commercial

Approval of Sign Adjustment and Sign Program

ACTION:  APPROVED ON REGULAR CALENDAR WITH REVISED CONDITIONS

 

Andy Greenwood was present to discuss the project.

 

Chairperson Folonis closed the public hearing.

 

Board members concurred that the upper level tenants are at a disadvantage and should be allowed the same square footage of sign area as the lower level tenants.  The Board also stated that the applicant prepared thorough information that demonstrates basic design parameters that conform to the provisions of the City’s Sign Code relative to lettering height, square footage of sign area, and illumination techniques.

 

However, the Board expressed concern with projecting blade signs and reinforced that they will be consistent with the guidelines of the Bayside District.  The Board also referred that applicant back to Staff to revise the plans to demonstrate the maximum allowable sign area for edge lit glass panel signs shall be consistent with other sign types.

 

Vice-Chairperson Robb made the motion to approve the project with revised conditions that was seconded by Board member Mimieux and approved by roll call vote 6-0.

 

8.         DISCUSSION: Public input permitted.

 

a.         Discussion on the proposed “Award of Excellence” program for architecture.

ACTION:  DISCUSSION HELD

 

Vice-Chairperson Robb distributed a memo to the Board to outline the areas of discussion of the subcommittee meeting on November 20, 2008.  The subcommittee discussed the Mission Statement, the name for the awards, and the purpose of the program, and the award categories.  The subcommittee will continue to meet and update the Board of their progress.

 

The name, “Design Santa Monica” was presented to the Board for consideration.  Vice-Chairperson Robb stated that she will take this discussion into advisement and return new notes to the staff to distribute to the Board in future.

 

b.         Discussion of potential recommendations for review and approval of solar energy projects in conjunction with the Solar Santa Monica project.

ACTION:  DISCUSSION HELD

 

Steve Traeger informed the Board that the Solar Santa Monica project is complete with the Planning Commission and will be going to the City Council in January of 2009.  Staff will provide the Board with a link to the Staff Report prior to the January meeting with City Council.

c.         Discussion of potential recommendations for Shape the Future Project Team (Land Use Element/ Zoning Ordinance Project).

ACTION:  DISCUSION HELD

 

The Board discussed the Pico area development and expressed concern with the ground level commercial and height limits and incentives for developers to progress in these areas.  Staff will summarize the development incentives as outlined in the Land Use Element Zoning Ordinance Project and report back to the Board.

 

d.         Discussion and possible action on the time allocated for addressing the Board on public hearing items.

ACTION:  DISCUSSION HELD

 

The Board reviewed the Memorandum prepared by Staff outlining the current Rules of Order for the Planning Commission.  Using the Planning Commission Rules of Order as a guideline, the Board concluded that the Architectural Review Board should remain consistent with the Planning Commission in regards to time limits for addressing the Board and assigning minutes to speakers.

 

Chairperson Folonis made the motion to direct Staff to prepare a Resolution to amend the current Rules of Order pertaining to the Architectural Review Board and forward the Resolution to the Planning Commission for a formal rule change.  The motion was seconded by Vice-Chairperson Robb and approved by roll call vote 6-0.

 

e.         Discussion and possible action on submittal requirements for material boards.

ACTION:  DISCUSSION HELD

 

The Board reviewed the Memorandum prepared by Staff outlining the current Architectural Review Board application specifications and concluded that the application is specific but each material board must contain an accurate color sample by paint chip, not a color photograph, and large items, such as windows, should submit a cut sheet.

 

The Board directed Staff to revise the Architectural Review Board application language and return to the Board for further discussion and approval.

 

f.          Discussion and possible action on differentiating between a sign, mural and super graphic.

ACTION:  NO ACTION TAKEN

g.         Discussion and possible action on current Board member vacancy.

ACTION:  DISCUSSION HELD

 

Chairperson Folonis stated that he E-mailed the City Council to express his concerns regarding the current vacancy on the Architectural Review Board.

 

Board member Mimieux stated that the selection of an educator in the field of landscape architecture would also be an asset to the Board.

 

9.         FUTURE BOARD AGENDA ITEMS:  None.

 

10.       REFERRALS TO STAFF:  None.

 

11.       ADJOURNMENT:  Chairperson Folonis made the motion to adjourn at 9:26 p.m. that was seconded by Vice-Chairperson Robb and approved by voice vote.

 

 

MB

12-08-08