MINUTES

 

MEETING OF THE

LANDMARKS COMMISSION

Founded 1875

“Populus felix in urbe felici”

 

 

 

 

Monday, September 8, 2003

 

7:00 p.m.

City Council Chambers, Room 213,

1685 Main Street, Santa Monica

 

CALL TO ORDER:                 7:05 p.m.

 

1.      ROLL CALL

 

Present:

Commissioner Fresco

Chair Pro Tem Genser

Chairperson Lehrer

Commissioner Kaplan

Commissioner Rosenfield

 

Also Present:

Elizabeth Bar-El

Barry Rosenbaum, City Attorney

Arlene Johnson

Councilmember Michael Feinstein

 

2.         REPORT FROM STAFF:

 

Ms. Bar-El informed the Commission that the City Council would be appointing two Landmark Commissioners - one on September 9, 2003, and the other vacancy in October.  Also, Historic Resources Group will be going out into the field this week, and will have a draft report to staff in November on Ocean Park and South Beach combined.  It will be presented to the Commission either in December or January.  The City Council upheld the Commission’s designation at 128 Hollister and the appeal for Bubba Gump is scheduled for September 9th.

 

3.         COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCEMENTS:

 

Commissioner Fresco reminded the Commission about the joint meeting of the Architectural Review Board and the Planning Commission on Wednesday regarding the new Downtown Guidelines, and stated that she would be attending.

 

4.         APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

         Public Input Permitted

                       

A.         August 11, 2003

 

Commissioner Fresco made a motion to approve the minutes.  Chair Pro Tem Genser seconded the motion, which passed unanimously by voice vote, with the following corrections to comments from Commissioner Kaplan: 

 

Page 5, second paragraph, 1) “her favorite part of this building is the north façade and the way it connects to the beach.”  2) “She asked why they used a decorative element on some posts and not others?”  3) “Commissioner Kaplan stated that the down lights on the tower were spidery.”   4) Commissioner Kaplan felt that there was too much going on in regard to lighting in a small area on the front facade.  Perhaps an indirect light could be placed behind the marquee.” 

 

 

   5.            APPROVAL OF STATEMENTS OF OFFICIAL ACTION:

 

A.            Statement of Official Action: Certificate of Appropriateness LC-03CA-002, 380 Santa Monica Pier. Sign Program to Modify an Approved Sign Program, including a Sign Adjustment, for signage within Pacific Park, located on the Landmark Santa Monica Pier. (Continued from July 14, 2003).

 

B.            Statement of Official Action: Certificate of Appropriateness LC-02CA-008, 301 Santa Monica Pier.  Design, Materials & Colors for a proposed new restaurant (Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.) to replace the Boathouse Restaurant Structure located on the Landmark Santa Monica Pier. (Continued from July 14, 2003)

 

Chair Pro Tem Genser made a motion to approve Items 5a and 5b.  Commissioner Fresco seconded the motion, which passed unanimously by voice vote.

 

6.   PUBLIC INPUT: (On items not on agenda and within the jurisdiction of the Commission)

 

There were no speakers from the public.

 

7.         CONSENT CALENDAR:

         Public Input Permitted

 

         None.

 

8.      OLD BUSINESS:

         Public Input Permitted

        

None.

 

9.      NEW BUSINESS/PUBLIC HEARINGS: 

         Public Input Permitted

                             

A.            Certificate of Appropriateness LC-03CA-006, Sign Adjustment Application 03ARB358, 200 Santa Monica Pier, requesting signage for a gift shop in the Carousel building.

 

Ms. Bar-El presented the staff report.

 

The following member of the public addressed the Commission: Rob Loesch, applicant.

 

The Commission discussed the blade sign and agreed with staff’s recommendation.  Several Commissioners noted that they did not like the proposed shiny plastic letters on the gift shop signage.  Commissioner Rosenfield noted the difference between the font on the blade sign and this sign.  He preferred the blade sign font.  Commissioner Kaplan concurred. 

 

Chair Pro Tem Genser made a motion to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness with staff recommendations, plus two additional conditions for wall sign lettering that was matte finished and matched the blade sign font.  Commissioner Fresco seconded the motion, which passed by the following vote:

 

Ayes:      Fresco, Genser, Kaplan, Lehrer, Rosenfield

Nayes:      None

Absent:      None

Abstain:      None

 

B.            Certificate of Appropriateness LC-03CA-008, Sign Adjustment Application 03ARB336, 301 Santa Monica Pier, requesting signage for a proposed new restaurant (Bubba Gump Shrimp Company) to replace the Boathouse Restaurant Structure located on the Landmark Santa Monica Pier.

 

Ms. Bar-El presented the staff report.

 

The following member of the public addressed the Commission: Scott Barnett, applicant.

 

Overhead presentation by Howard Laks, project architect.

 

Chair Pro Tem Genser stated that he still felt that the signage was excessive and repetitive with too many of the shrimp logos.

 

Commissioner Rosenfield questioned the signage exposure from Ocean Avenue.

 

Commissioner Kaplan also felt that the signage was excessive.  She stated that the Boathouse appealed to the fishing aspect of the Pier and she is concerned that this building would become like a billboard with all of the proposed signs and that its architectural features would be lost underneath.  She also stated that it is a little unbalanced to have signs on two elevations of on the tower.

 

Mr. Barnett stated that he is very concerned that the public will not be able to see the signage from Ocean Avenue if the larger sign on the east façade is not approved.  He stated that other signs are less of a priority for them.  He also stated that if only one sign were to be approved on the tower, he would prefer that it be on the south-facing elevation and not the west.

 

Commissioner Fresco suggested that the upper sign be composed of painted on lettering with a “warehouse” look.

 

Chairperson Lehrer agreed that the signage should portray more of a warehouse look.  Also, she felt that it is redundant to have two signs with the words Bubba Gump on the east elevation and that it was not necessary to have all of those logos the south elevation.

 

Commissioner Rosenfield made a motion to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness with staff recommendations and the following changes:

 

a.      South (front) elevation: One 25 square-foot logo sign; one marquee sign of the type shown on the plans with maximum dimensions of 15” in height for the red “Bubba Gump” letters and 6” in height for the blue “Shrimp Company” letters.

b.      West Elevation: No signs.

c.      North elevation:  One sign on the elevator tower and one sign on the parapet as shown on the plans.

d.      East elevation: One wall sign, maximum dimension 22’ 4 5/8” length x 1’3” height, painted in lettering that suggests a “warehouse-look” in the same location as the upper channel letter sign shown on the plans; One logo sign of maximum 9.25 square feet in place of the lower sign shown on the plans.

 

Commissioner Kaplan seconded the motion, which passed by the following vote:

 

Ayes:      Fresco, Genser, Kaplan, Lehrer, Rosenfield

Nayes:      None

Absent:      None

Abstain:      None

 

C.            Certificate of Appropriateness LC-03CA-007, Sign Adjustment Application 03ARB350, 1415 Ocean Avenue, requesting a roof sign to replace the roof sign removed from the Georgian Hotel, a City-designated Landmark property.

 

            Continued to next month.

 

D.            Landmark Designation Application LC-03LM-005, 851 19th Street, to determine whether the R-1 single-family residence should be designated as a City Landmark.

 

      Continued to next month.

 

10.           DISCUSSION ITEMS:

         Public Input Permitted

 

A.   Review of Demolition Permits and Consideration Whether to File an Application For Designation of a Structure as a Landmark or Structure of Merit.

 

               1.      858 25th Street (PC014848)

                              R1-Single Family Residential

                              Detached Garage

                              Structure Not Identified in the Historic Resources Inventory

 

2. 2502 7th Street (PC014755)

OP2-Multiple Residential

6-Unit Apartment Building

Structure Not Identified in the Historic Resources Inventory

 

3. 2411 4th Street (PC014808)

OP2-Multiple Residential

1-Single Family Unit and 2-Multiple Dwellings

Structure Not Identified in the Historic Resources Inventory

 

4. 210 25th Street  (PC014806)

R1-Single Family Residential

Main House w/Wings and Portion of Garage

Structure Not Identified in the Historic Resources Inventory

              

               No action was taken on these items.

 

B.            Update on the Status of the Stanton MacDonald Wright Mural and Obtaining it from The Smithsonian Institute For Installation in The New City of Santa Monica Main Library (Requested by Commissioner Genser)

 

Chair Pro Tem Genser stated that he has been keeping track of the status and condition of the mural, and a consultant has been hired to work with the Smithsonian and the City librarian to prepare it for return to the new Main Library.  It will be a long process, and money has to be raised.             

 

C.            Review of the Landmarks Commission’s Rules of Order and Procedure Governing Ex-parte Communication (Rule 27) (Requested by Commissioner Genser)

 

The Commission discussed this item briefly and decided to wait and  review in December, which will be one year since the rules were amended.

 

D.            Planning Commission Case List (Information Only)

 

11.    WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS:

         Public Input Permitted

 

         None.

 

 

12.   FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:  (Requests from Commissioners to add items to upcoming agendas)

 

Commissioner Fresco requested to agendize:

·        A discussion on documenting the demolition of non-contributing structures that the City is removing at the Marion Davies estate. 

·        The old street lamps on Broadway and Euclid. 

·        The discussion of ways to arrive at a remodeling threshold that triggers Landmarks Commission approval for items that are on the inventory.

 

Chairperson Lehrer requested to agendize the NOMA survey and the apartments on the north side of Montana, but not necessarily on the upcoming agenda. 

 

 

13.    NEXT MEETING DATE AND COMMISSION AGENDA: Monday, October 13, 2003.

           

14.         ADJOURNMENT:  9:00 pm