three seconds. Thanks for coming to the November 1st design review commission meeting. This
is a regular meeting. First off, an announcement effective November 17th, 2023. Public comments
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Thanks.
Okay.
So, welcome.
I think first off, we're going to talk about the roll call.
Thanks.
Sorry.
Go ahead and call the roll.
Roll call.
Commissioner Killian?
Here.
Vice Chair Krelling here chair Newsom here Vice Commissioner Valia is absent
but we have four we have a quorum excellent so first off the consent
calendar I don't see anything on there I mean there's nothing on the consent
calendar tonight right the staff has no recommendations no recommendations okay
so we're gonna move right along to public communications this portion of
meetings reserved for comment for items not on the agenda under the Brown Act
The commissioner cannot act on items raised during public communications, but may respond
briefly to statements made or questions posed for clarification or refer them to staff.
Any public communications?
None seen.
I'm going to move on to the public hearing.
But first off, I have a question for the mission.
Has anybody had any ex parte communications about this project?
No.
No?
Nope.
Okay.
Let's move on to the public hearing.
Okay.
The appeal statement.
One more time.
What is it?
Okay.
Yeah, okay.
In another reminder, any decision made by this body can be appealed.
So if that comes up, then we'll follow up with the details.
So go ahead, let's go ahead with the public hearing.
This is for Original Joe's exterior building remodel.
So one item on the agenda,
so does staff have a presentation?
Yes, I do.
Good evening, commissioners.
My name is Simmer Gill, associate planner with the city.
We are here tonight to consider the design review approval
for Original Joe's that will remodel
the existing vacant restaurant building
located at the corner of South Main Street and Broadway Plaza Street. The
applicant Jared Taylor and his team are here tonight as am I to answer any
questions that you may have after this presentation. The existing 8,000 square
foot vacant building is located within the city's Broadway Plaza Shopping Center
at the corner of South Main Street and Broadway Plaza Street. The space was
previously occupied by Stanford's restaurant and the surrounding area
It consists of retail, a mix of retail and restaurant uses,
and the site is directly adjacent
to the newly constructed Lifetime Fitness Building
to the north and the Macy's Building to the east.
And the proposed renovation includes a new paint scheme,
new window and door openings, new outdoor dining area,
new landscaping, signage, and a new 1,650 square foot
second floor kitchen and prep area.
And minor modifications are also proposed
to the building footprint
that would net 304 square feet of new ground floor area.
And here are photos of the existing building,
which is currently vacant.
And the existing building is comprised of stucco plaster
and brick elements.
The photo that you see in the middle
is currently facing South Main Street.
And that is where the new entryway will be proposed.
And the photo you see on the bottom right
is the existing entry to the existing stand,
the vacant building that faces the north elevation,
which is now facing the lifetime fitness building.
And here is a side-by-side comparison
of the existing and proposed floor plan.
The entry doors that are currently located
on the north elevation will be located
to South Main Street that will be facing the west elevation.
and that will improve the pedestrian experience.
And the existing walkways around the building will remain
with the addition of a new concrete walkway
that will tie in from South Main Street
to the new restaurant entrance.
And a new outdoor dining area will be located
along the northwest corner of the building
that will wrap around the building facade
facing South Main Street.
And that's this new area here.
The project also includes a few areas in the footprint
that are highlighted in yellow to the left of the exhibit.
This will add 304 square feet of new ground floor area
to the restaurant.
And these areas are caused by moving the entrance
from the north side to the west side of the building
and also enclosing the alcove areas
into a dining area along the south elevation.
And here is a closer look at the proposed floor plan
and the designated outdoor dining areas for the restaurant.
And the project also includes a 1,650 square foot second floor that will be used as a
kitchen prep area and for storage.
The addition will cause the building height to increase along a portion of the rear elevation,
which is the north elevation, from 21 feet to 24 feet 4 inches to accommodate this new
second floor area.
Now moving on to the architecture, here is the existing and proposed east elevation.
The existing building is comprised of stucco plaster and brick elements, and that will
be painted a medium gray color.
All exterior metal accents and window trims will be painted black, and the outdoor dining
area along this elevation will be used for private parties or group parties only, I believe.
applicant can confirm that but that's what I saw on the plans and here is the
west elevation the existing window and outdoor dining area along this elevation
will be removed to accommodate the new entrance to the restaurant and the new
entryway will feature a new roof line a new recessed entry green walls custom
pavements and a palm tree the outdoor dining area proposed along the north
elevation will also wrap around this elevation which will be visible from
from South Main Street, and the curved building wall
at the corner of South Main and Broadway Plaza Street
will remain.
It will remain essentially the same
with just a few larger windows,
and the brick areas will also remain
and will be painted gray to match the new plaster color.
And here is the north elevation.
This is the rear elevation
that's facing the Lifetime Fitness building.
The existing entry doors and the columns will be removed
and filled in to create a new outdoor courtyard dining area
that'll wrap around the south elevation
that'll be visible from South Bain Street.
And the trash enclosure doors will be located
in the same location as before.
The new courtyard space with planters and string lighting
will enhance the exterior of this building.
And here is the south elevation
that faces Broadway Plaza Street.
This will essentially remain the same
with new windows in the same openings
and new planter boxes and green walls
will be incorporated along this elevation.
And here are renderings of the restaurant.
These renderings do not depict the actual color.
The brick and plaster will be painted a medium gray color
and that's shown on the color and material board
that's presented before you tonight.
The yellow paint will be, I've passed it around already.
The yellow paint will be used for the new signage
and the minor changes to the building
will create a more modern look.
And the green walls will enhance and soften
the facade of the building.
And as mentioned earlier,
the second floor addition is proposed.
And as seen on these renderings,
the addition will have low visual impacts
as it backs up to the much taller lifetime fitness building.
And the addition will be finished
with the same plaster finish,
the cornice detailings,
and the colors of the surrounding roof and parapets.
and it will be set back from both street frontages.
Staff does support the proposed remodel,
however, would like DRC's input on the color pallet
and the changes to the building.
And here is the proposed landscaping pallet
that consists mostly of small shrubs and grasses
with one new 15 foot tall palm tree
that will be planted near the new entry doors.
And new wood benches for customers
and decorative brick inlay feature
also further define the entrance along South Main. The landscape plan also
incorporates green walls that will be placed along all street facing
elevations and the existing street trees along South Main and Broadway Plaza
Street will remain and the existing planter boxes on site are also being
updated with new landscaping and staff does support the proposed landscaping
however would like DRC's input on the landscaping and particularly on the
green walls as they will require upkeep and maintenance.
So wanted to see what the DRC feels about that.
And the landscape plan also includes
a five foot four inch tall water feature.
This will be located along the northwest corner
of the building wall near the outdoor dining area.
This was the only detail that's been provided
on the water feature.
Again, I believe the applicant could speak more to that
if they have more details.
And moving on to the proposed signage.
The signage consists of aluminum backlit channel letters
that will be painted yellow and include neon lighting.
The primary 85-foot, square-foot sign reading original Joes
will be pin-mounted on the curved metal awning structure
on the building at the corner of South Main Street
and Broadway Plaza.
Two 30-square-foot signs identified as the courtyard
and rear signs will be pin mounted on the building wall.
One will be located along the west building elevation
and above the new outdoor dining area.
And one will be located along the east building elevation
facing Broadway Plaza Street.
And there is also one six square foot window sign
that will be located on the transom window
above the front entrance.
The master sign program does allow the use of neon signage
if it is backed by a non-reflective architectural shape.
And the neon lighting will be on a dimmer switch,
so necessary adjustments could be made to the light levels.
The intention with the lighting appears to be
to create a soft glow,
and there are some photo examples provided.
The proposed signage, the neon lighting,
and the total sign area of 152 square feet
does comply with the master sign program,
which allows a maximum of 200 square feet per tenant.
So staff does support the signage as proposed.
And staff supports the proposed remodel
as it does comply with the Broadway Plaza design guidelines
as they have incorporated a recessed entry,
metal awnings, wood trellises, fabric awnings,
and extensive window openings,
roof variations and articulation.
And with that, staff does recommend
that the design review commission determines
that the project is exempt from CEQA
and also approved the design review
for original Joe's exterior remodel
with only one change to the condition
which is condition number seven
that's in the draft resolution.
It was a oversight on staff's part.
The condition of approval should read
that the movable planter boxes shall not encroach
into the sidewalk.
I believe I had written into the public right of way.
So they should not encroach into the sidewalk is what we need to have corrected for condition
number 7.
And that is all I have.
So I will be happy to answer any questions.
Any questions for staff?
I have one.
Go ahead.
Since you're asking us to opine on the CEQA exemption, which is normally a planning commission
My question is really for you and the Secretary, just you guys both agree that what's written
in the staff memo is how the applicable part to CEQA applied to this, and it is exempt
from your perspective.
Yes, and a discretionary entitlement or project to CEQA would require that the highest authority
the body would approve the CEQA action.
In this case, it's a designer view commission.
So the staff has asked the designer view commission
to, before they make any other actions,
to determine this project to be exempt by CEQA.
It looks to be from the language in the staff memo
because I'll just speak for myself.
I'm not a CEQA expert.
So I'm just really looking to the two of you
to just give the nod.
Yeah, with what's in the memo,
We agree that represents the parts of CEQA I should be measuring against.
We agree that this project meets the requirements of CEQA section 15-301 existing facilities,
yes.
Thank you.
Chip and I had a lively dialogue about this earlier today, and I'm in concurrence.
Okay.
So that's it.
Okay.
So the applicant also has a presentation.
So I'll call Jared Taylor up.
Thank you.
Good evening.
Good evening, my name is Jared Taylor,
here on behalf of the applicant, Original Joes.
I would like to start by saying thank you
for hearing us here tonight,
and thank you to staff for working with us.
This has really been a collaboration of this project,
going through the design review staff level process,
and really trying to put together what we feel
is Original Joe's very best foot forward
to bring to you here in Walnut Creek.
We hope that you may be familiar
with the Original Joe's brand
and existing locations in San Francisco.
I mean, this is just a fantastic brand.
Very proud to be bringing to Walnut Creek,
something that there's really been kind of a lot
of public requests to come to the East Bay as well.
And we really feel what better location could there be
than here as a part of Broadway Plaza,
revitalizing an existing vacant restaurant building
that's really been vacant for quite a while due to COVID.
And as I'm sure you're aware in today's economy and market,
it takes a lot to make a restaurant work
and to make a business work,
and that effort's absolutely been put in here
and we're excited to be bringing it before you here tonight.
A few other things I just wanted to make note of,
we have also, so you know,
started the application process
for our proposed valet parking with engineering.
We've received comments, we've resubmitted.
We've also done our submittal for the encroachment permit
with engineering for that sidewalk dining as well.
So that process is moving forward.
We're also working on construction drawings,
preparing to submit into building plan check
and looking forward to doing that.
So yeah, obviously we're here seeking your approval tonight.
We have a few speakers that would like to talk
in addition to myself.
I'd like to invite up Original Joe's ownership
to just talk a little bit about the brand
and what they're bringing to you here tonight.
Well, thank you for having me.
Thank you for listening to me.
My name is John Dugan.
It's my sister, Elena Dugan.
And our grandfather opened Original Joe's in 1937
on Taylor Street in San Francisco.
So the restaurant and the brand has been our family
for 86 years.
My grandfather ran the company for 50
and then my mom for 25 and she finally passed
on to my sister and myself in 2007.
We currently run our original Joes in North Beach
in San Francisco as well as original Joes
in West Lake and Daly City.
And really we've been looking in the East Bay
for a number of years.
And the first time Elena and I walked in
to the former Stanfords, we fell in love with that space.
We knew what had the bones in the location.
To be in original Joes and to be before you tonight
is really surreal.
And to be on the pathway to making that a reality
is something we're incredibly excited about.
We do not take a step forward unless we
are committed to putting together a world-class product.
and that goes from design to service to food.
So you're gonna have our family's passion
behind this project.
We're excited to come in this market
and we think that we're going to be a great fit
for Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek, and the Greater East Bay.
So thank you for your time tonight.
Good evening commissioners.
My name is Anthony Fish.
I'm with Arcana Architecture.
Chris and I are both here.
We're the architects and designers for original Joe's.
We've worked with the family for a number of years,
and I can personally say that you're lucky to have
such a great group of people coming to Walnut Creek.
And they're gonna present and put together
a really quality restaurant.
I can talk briefly just a little bit
about the design, if you like.
If we could go to the slide.
A few things that we were looking at, just these are simple inspirational images that
we use for landscaping, for front door entry, and also doing some signature door pulls at
the door.
The landscaping, we were really excited about doing something that's soft and lush that
really emphasized the beauty of the project, and also creating a softness around the perimeter
of the project, including the courtyards and the seating areas, the outdoor seating areas.
The signage, as we discussed before, we have a little detailed drawing or a detailed photograph
of the signage, which shows this is the one in North Beach, and it's a traditional sign
that Reginald Joseph used dating back to mid-century.
floor plan. We touched briefly on this but you can see around the perimeter we at the
front entry we're really trying to present a really lush and green scape at the corner
and bringing that into the outdoor patios on both the rear and then off the dining room.
Those areas have trellises, and we're looking to bring some growing elements up onto the
trellis also, on the vertical areas, and planting the planters at the windows and around the
perimeter of the sidewalk.
And then the upper courtyard, we're doing the same thing with perimeter planters and
some larger trees.
The exterior of the project, obviously we all know we inherited the building and what
we are trying to do is create more of a neutral palette to present the landscape a little
more and to clean it up quite a bit and maybe move it a little more contemporary.
The moving of the front door, we really wanted to engage the street and especially with the
valley being there and have the more seating on the exterior to create more engaged pedestrian
life at the corner.
On the left side is the courtyard dining with retractable awnings, some string lights.
On the right side is an existing outdoor area which we're adding a trellis with some green
pieces of landscape going up it and then the front you can see the layering of the landscape
going back into the building and including around the front door.
I'm happy to answer any questions but and Chris is also here to answer any technical
questions.
Thank you very much.
Any questions of the applicant or.
I have a question.
So we wanted we were asked by staff to get a little more insights on the green screen
So can you talk to us about the structure of those and how you intend to plant them?
Sure.
For the most part, for the most part the building is utilizing large hedge planting against
the building face up to about a five foot area and stepping down with lower plantings
up to the side block.
The only true green wall would be under the canopy of the north courtyard dining above
the – yeah, I can go back to the elevation.
Elevation should be in there too, above that water feature.
So that was the only kind of living green wall.
The rest are in-grade planters of high hedges and really just trying to soften up the perimeter
of the building base.
Okay, so for the the green screen near the water feature, is that vines planted on a screen or is it where there's a vertical
medium and it'll be a vertical medium of trellis and
pockets within it right
And it's limited to there's an existing brick arch detail right there now
So it's kind of been filling under that arch okay, and this may be premature
But you know the plants you intend to put in there not at this point
But they would be pulling from kind of the vernacular of what we've got in the planting plans, you know native plants to the area
Okay
That's my question. Thank you
Aren't just thrown landscaping. I guess you're the landscape person
Alright, I just had one question on the outdoor
Courtyard or in the northwest you're showing some privet trees in the planter boxes. I was just curious why you've picked those
And my concern is they're so dirty, you know,
just for maintenance for the restaurant and everything,
you know, there might be other trees you could pick
that have the same effect, but without maintenance.
I'm actually with the architecture firm,
so I didn't, the landscape architecture
worked with us to pick those trees.
I think we're open to, I think they were picked for size.
We're open to alternates that, you know, obviously.
I'm fine with the size and what you're doing.
And again, it's, you know, if you want to use them,
but they're just a messy tree.
and that's where you might want to go to consider a different tree there.
I think we're very open to that and we can look at that with our landscape
architect. I know the operators have the same concerns they would not want any
kind of all of you know fruiting trees. Yeah okay. The other two questions is on
the valet parking. I know it's going through the city but could you explain
how that's working or as I understand it now I think you have meter parking in
front there so correct what happened and I don't know if you have any more
update on this Jared but the so Lifetime Fitness does have or understand with
Broadway Plaza and Mr. Rich application in for valet along that whole portion
basically ten feet up from the crosswalk along Main Street and we are lease
agreement shares 20 spaces with the valet for Lifetime along that area so
those meters are being removed as part of the valet application okay and again
I don't know it's getting outside our sky my concern is just traffic pulling in
there causing delays and that type of thing as opposed to an actual pullout
you know where we've seen that so that's kind of where I'm wondering yeah
this is an application that's submitted to the city traffic engineer where they
evaluate for exactly those things and they issue a permit one way or another
Okay. And then my last question has to do with the signs.
The original Joe, the large one, just seems to be,
when I first saw it, you know, I was on the pressure,
it was on the building.
But after a similar report and everything, I understand it's
on the edge of the, that metal trellis out there.
And then I go to the one on the left of this, on the screen there,
There was never a full frontal view of that
because it's on the corner.
But again, that seems to be smaller
and then on top of the facade there.
And I'm just wondering, to me it seems like there's
no consistency there.
Why it wasn't that lowered to be part more of the facade
and maybe even larger just seems to be now
sticking above the brow of the building.
And then when you go around to the other one,
The other one set down and in front of the metal sculpture.
And I just thought maybe there was something
that could be a little bit more consistent
in the signage as far as placement.
Sure.
I know the smaller sign on the building facade
that was added to get some sight lines
when you're coming down North Main Street.
It's actually curving around the corner a bit.
And as far as heights, you know,
it's trying to work with the existing cornice of the brick
and capital of the building of the plaster facade.
I think if we're open to lowering that,
I think that's valuable.
If we can look at that without issue.
We're the one on the corner
that Chris is just talking about.
We're also trying to get it above the retractable awnings.
And so that was kind of key
and that was more of a vehicular side.
While the sign on the right,
we did look at putting it on the parapet wall
behind the awnings.
And we felt like it was more intimate
to keep it on the corner and lower.
And that was an intentional decision
to keep it down that way.
We liked that it felt a little more diner-like
as opposed to putting it up on top of the building
or above the parapet.
We liked keeping the building lines consistent
all the way through on that corner.
So is there a way, going back to then the other one, could that one then be moved, there's
a, I don't know if that's a retractable or not, can that be moved maybe out in front
too so you have the same effect, consistency where the sign is placed down in front of
the trellis or the awning, or by.
It'd be difficult to move that in front of the, in front of those retractable awnings,
you're talking about the sign on the very left of this drawing.
Correct.
And right what we're doing now is we have it on a bracket system that floats it in front
of the building a bit, so it wraps the corner in a radius, a half radius.
We could push it out a little further, if that's what you're asking, but we're not going
to be able to get it out, I think, as far as you're asking due to just the corner and
the fact that there is retractable awnings underneath it.
Okay, thank you.
Yeah, no problem.
All right, thank you.
Mine are very easy open book test questions.
One's a little bit out of our jurisdiction,
but it's a curiosity question
because I saw it on the plan.
So you're using my favorite style bathroom,
which is the common sink and the separate private potty areas.
I love that.
But just looking at is that intended when you walk in?
It'd be like a separate men's and women's kind of set.
Okay, great.
Okay, thank you.
And then, now the questions get even easier,
and it's really just to help me understand,
because I know printers do a terrible job with colors.
So the gray here, is that the base color of the building?
Correct.
Okay, and then the yellow is just gonna be
inside the channel for the signs?
Okay, and then this is the door wood, or is that?
Okay, then I interpreted it right, thanks,
because it looks a lot darker in the printed stuff.
It's hard to get it exactly right.
Yeah, and then one other curiosity question is,
what's the approximate capacity of the outdoor dining?
How many patrons might be able to sit there?
Because we like eating outside in Walnut Creek.
If you don't know, it's okay.
Oh, it's right here, we're just adding it up.
So in the courtyard dining and bar patio, it would be a total of 90, and then an additional 24 possible at the private dining.
Oh, awesome. Thanks. Those are all my questions.
Great.
I'll ask a couple. So, being the architect here.
So, let's talk a little bit about the entrance, the covered element.
Maybe you want to bring up that example picture that you have.
This one.
Yeah.
So is that basically the idea, right there?
Basically the inspirational image.
Yeah, I think that's the basic idea, correct.
So we'd see the enclosure, because I didn't,
I mean, the tech, it was all kind of small in the text,
but it's a plaster box, right?
And then the doors are wood.
Then we'll have the Joe's logo.
OK, that's good.
OK, I think that's on the drawings,
although I couldn't read it, let's talk about the trellis a bit what I mean
there's not a lot of detail about what size it is and such says just painted
trellis do you know what size it's gonna be is there a design for that development?
I don't think we're working through the details now but they're roughly four by eight members, largest going to four by tens
okay then a smaller three by six perpendicular of that and then are they painted?
is actually a stained wood.
Oh, a stained wood.
Yeah, so we'll be matching that wood
that we have on.
I mean, in some places it says the columns are metal.
Maybe that's the way that it is.
OK, cool.
Now, I mean, I'm looking at this.
So you have the trellis, where the original Joe's signage.
By the way, I like where the original Joe's signage is.
I think it's on brand.
I've been there a lot of times, so I like it.
I mean, I just think it might need to be a little different
there because you got to get the lighting control out there
and so forth.
You mean the light box?
Light box.
We're thinking it would probably go behind the sign
and just above the awning.
OK.
So because you can see the back of this sign,
this is getting in the weeds, but because you
can see the back of the sign, am I
going to see a solid box back there or am I going to see stuff?
No, it's concealed, so it's an aluminum letter that can be painted black.
Okay.
How about the planters?
I mean, I think I really support everything about it, I mean, but really what you're changing
here is these trellises and the planters and so forth, I mean, the planters, it just says
like their prefab do we have any more detail developed on those yet yes so
there'll be a basically a planter insert in a planter box that isn't skinned in a
metal trim so some black and trim that then gives them a relief onto the panel
itself and those are custom okay taking off a kind of a recess panel that you
would have at a bar or millward.
Yeah, sure.
The windows.
So I noticed that, okay, so looking at this image,
you have the strong mullions.
So that's a modernist, if you wanna call it that,
or contemporary transitional look.
And then as you wrap the corner,
if you look in the plans, you have mullions.
Is that like a typo, or are you gonna have
different types of sash in there?
It's not a typo.
We were intentionally trying to keep the front elevation.
that's where the bar is.
And so we're trying to keep the front elevation
a little more open to the corner.
And then as we wrap around the rear
where the dining areas are,
we were doing the more divided lights.
So it was intentional.
I mean, it makes a lot of sense
because I think one of the problems
with this building historically,
having gone there,
when it was Stanford's is that
if you're a first person coming,
I mean, it used to be the entrance was in the middle.
It's like, where do I go in?
So the entrance move is good.
And I think that will help.
Thank you.
That's all my questions.
OK, so next, comments?
Public.
Oh, public comments.
Do we have any members of the public here to make comments?
You guys are so lucky.
We love the public comments, but we'll keep it short.
OK, so how about commissioner comments?
I like the project.
You've done a great job.
You closed me off.
I'll end without.
I'm in favor of the project.
Hang on.
Hang on one sec.
I was told point of order, so I have to close the public hearing.
OK.
Public hearing closed.
Commissioner comments.
All right.
I'm in favor of the project.
I don't really have too much concern to the science.
I just wanted to kind of work my way through it.
I would almost like to see that one on the corner
a little bit larger just to make it fit in.
To me, it just seems like a small one that was added.
I know why you're doing it,
but if you can make it fit with the architecture,
even go on bigger, you have room for that.
It might feel like, you know, it was supposed to be there.
I do encourage you to look for a different tree
just from maintenance wise, I think you'd appreciate it.
But other than that, I'm in favor of the project.
I agree, I think it looks great.
It'd be really exciting to have it in town.
Okay, is it the Dugans?
So, I just have to tell you, I'm a child of Westlake Joe's.
I've been eating there since I was four or five years old.
I know, but they run that, too.
It's the concept.
So I understand the concept and appreciate the concept,
and I can't wait for this one to open up
so I can sit at the counter and have Viel Parmigiana.
I think it's a great redo of the building.
I love the signage and I love the neon in the sign.
I think that's gonna add great pop and attraction
to that corner.
I think the greenery that you're planning on doing
is gonna be really nice.
And I just think this is gonna be a fabulous addition.
So I just wanna say thank you
for wanting to come to Walnut Creek.
Those are my comments.
Similarly, you mentioned your grandfather started it.
Well, my grandfather went there.
My father would go to lunch there.
They mourn Taylor Street when it burnt down.
So I am super excited as a San Franciscan
to see you get welcome, Diggins.
So hopefully that tradition can continue here.
I'm already planning my first session to go there.
I'm gonna be looking for when the reservations open.
So, I mean, I think, I support the project.
I mean, there are a couple of details
that were missing in this,
but I think they were explained tonight, so thank you.
Can I have a motion?
Point of order, just ask this, Mr. Secretary.
Are we supposed to do, I think I heard you say earlier,
a separate decision on the CEQA exemption?
No, CEQA statute requires that prior to the adoption
of any other entitlement, CEQA has to be acted on first.
So that would be, if you're gonna make a motion,
you would say that.
Okay.
The CEQA determination, then whatever your motion's
going to be on the project.
Great, well, I'm happy to make a motion
if the chair's all right.
Far away.
I move that we agree slash approve
that it meets the CEQA exemption.
the original Joe's project and that we approve the original Joe's project as presented.
All in favor?
Should we do a roll call? Yes.
Commissioner, let's see, Vice Chair Krelling? Yes.
Commissioner Killian? Yes.
Commissioner Case? Yes.
Chair Newsom? Yes.
The ayes carry. That's approved.
4-0. Thank you.
Welcome
Shall I repeat that
Commissioner considerations this portion of the agenda is for the items that are not required to be publicly noticed
but where formal staff presentation question and answer period public input or discussion amongst the Commission is helpful any such
considerations
Staff has a few. Okay
One is looks like the next meeting next regularly scheduled meeting November 15th canceled
do the lack of items and then we have
On the sixth will have an we'll have an item plus you'll you'll get your annual calendar to review and then we can adopt that calendar
that are at the next meeting, hopefully, for 2024.
Other things are, the Council and Community Development
Department is following some Council objectives
and CDD objectives, and one of them
is to streamline our processes.
And as you all know, the City Council recently
directed staff to streamline the design review process,
which would include revisiting the design review process
and the role of the design review commission.
Sometime during the first quarter,
staff will roll out what that might look like
to the design review commission
as we kind of get our arms around a little bit more.
And then nothing will change until a couple batches
zoning ordinance amendments take place with the City Council which would enact
those process changes and that probably wouldn't happen till the end of first
quarter maybe maybe second quarter maybe mid-year okay so that's that's
that's a few months off no more than a few like six so that is that is that is
staff considerations. I heard through the grapevine the automated decision that
we're gonna be in an advisory board and that's a done deal already that true
that was the direction of council yes and did they already vote on it well then
vote then they voted to to direct staff to streamline our processes to do that
but in order to get it done done it would require several amendments to the
zoning ordinance.
So how long are we a voting board?
Well, probably till about till that occurs.
And my guess is probably mid year and end of sometime,
maybe mid second quarter, middle of the year,
next year, 2024.
What else does that mean for our processes and our meetings?
Does it change other elements of it?
Would it really change that it would eliminate the number
of meetings that's required to get some projects done.
It's also really in response to a lot of state laws that have kind of limits our authority
to review discretionarily a project and that's, you know, what the historically design review
has done that and that we just can't do that anymore.
And so that's kind of the nucleus or the nautilus I should say to get to move on that so we
we can stay present does then the presentation at design review become
optional for applicants or is it still you know what I mean I'm just trying to
understand how it changes our process and we're still and we're still kind of
ironing that out it would it would it would be a combination of staff level
zoning administrator design review Commission and planning Commission but I
So I think the focus is really to take away or to eliminate that study session that for
projects that need planning commission entitlement, CUP, a map, something like that, and then
to come back for final.
And that's kind of the focus of the change.
Anyone else?
Let's see.
I did have one other item.
Oh, and that was to remind Commissioner Crelling,
you have a reappointment interview on the 14th.
OK, I think there's an application.
You got it?
OK, great.
Let me go back to the other, the first agenda.
Are we scheduled to participate in this,
to where we have some discussion with the council
on whether we go to advisory or voting board?
I don't know of a joint meeting that's been planned to do that.
I mean, there will be opportunity when the council is looking at these, considering these
zoning ordinance amendments to show up as a citizen or a design review commission member
or a commissioner.
There will be more of an informational presentation, like I mentioned, in the first quarter of
2024 when we get our arms around a little bit better.
So there's no input from us on the change
from a voting board to just an advisory board.
And we have no input into that as far as the council
or whoever's making that decision
or did make that decision.
No, that direction's been made.
Okay.
I mean, I'll just say,
I kind of feel like we're throwing the baby out
with the bath water.
I understand the process has to be streamlined
because of the city's over a barrel
with the housing element
and there's all kinds of funds tied up in this,
but I still think this body as a voting board
with authority is important to do what we can.
I think that's one of the reasons we all do this job.
Of course, I'm only speaking for myself,
but I mean, I understand that,
I mean, I'd say I always bring up the minor thing, right,
where it was really, really frustrating for everybody
involved the way that went down.
But we're all going through this process for the first time.
But clearly, that was the first time it went through.
And so because it went rough the first time,
we have to change the whole darn thing.
I mean, I think once in a while, when the laws change,
We need a little bit of context before meeting.
I mean, frankly, the city attorney was listening to that.
On a conference call, he was upstairs.
He could have been down here talking to us,
and it would have gone more smoothly.
And I don't blame staff, I don't blame anybody else,
but I think the work that we do is important.
And no, I don't wanna waste my time,
I don't waste your time going through things
we have no control over,
But I think the work that you do is important.
I think the work that this body does is important.
So I'd like to see as much of that retained as possible.
That's all I have to say.
So I'd like to share my thoughts,
should I do it during this agenda item
or during commissioner reports?
Well, I was going to mention that this was not
on the agenda tonight.
So we really probably shouldn't be discussing it
this thorough or to this detail,
because it's not on the agenda.
We might, we have to honor the Brown Act here.
I think if I share council shares reports during that section of the agenda, they're
saying things that no one, that wasn't on the agenda.
The only thing on the agenda was, these are the council reports of their activities.
So I was holding my comments for section six, commission members, staff reports or announcements.
And we could get to that if you'd like.
Is there any other?
No.
Okay.
Okay, so let's move on to commission members,
staff reports and announcements.
The staff are sure to make brief oral comments and updates,
activities required by law
and to make announcements of general interest in the community.
So let's go ahead, staff, do you have anything?
I don't.
Okay, commissioners?
I do, so I planned on giving a report for the record.
So I caught wind of this potential change to our process
because I happen to regularly look at the agendas
of the council planning commission
and other commissions and ours, of course.
So I caught wind of this topic.
I watched that meeting from home on Zoom
where council had asked staff to come up with alternatives
to our current process and there was good dialogue.
I think the staff did a good job, a good approach.
They looked at a lot of the surrounding communities
to understand what their processes were.
And then compare and contrast
where we compared to those other communities.
So I thought that was a very valid approach to take.
And then I saw on the subsequent council agenda,
the special meeting that they had,
I think it was last Tuesday.
So I did come in person.
I did speak as a design review commissioner for the record.
I offered a different three point alternative
that I thought would have helped solve the issues we had,
mainly demonstrated by the minor issue
in the state housing laws.
I essentially was proposing a bifurcated approach
where discretionary design review is still allowed,
such as what we did tonight
that we remain having a vote.
But when it was being processed
under the Housing Accountability Act, Density Bonus Act,
or any of the other new housing laws
that we would be advisory and body.
so we could give our input, and then the developer could do what they want.
Essentially, the final plan proposed by staff and adopted or being adopted by the Council
puts all the votes with Planning Commission.
Design Review Commission would not have any votes.
We would be advisory for all types of projects.
So I, too, I know the chair mentioned, you know, why do we sit, one of my points, and
you guys should look at the materials from these two meetings, especially the one from
last Tuesday, and perhaps watch the meeting online to see how it went.
I kind of brought up the point and I said, you know, we serve and donate many, many hours
of our time, not just to share our opinion, but to have a vote at the table.
So I think we're in line lockstep with that chair.
For the record, and again, because it was brought up by fellow commissioners in the
prior agenda item, neither council nor staff solicited input from the existing design
review commission and I was I'll just say I was extremely disappointed that we were
not asked after all the time we put in for what we think and what our recommendations
were.
one of the council members if you watched the meeting actually asked that question of staff.
And that is not a council member I've spoken to about the the potential changes.
So I just you know for the record that's what I've participated in and observed and that's my
interpretation is that based upon the recommendation from staff and I think what has to happen is the
the ordinances have to be redrafted to, you know,
legalize, make current the recommendations.
We essentially become an advisory commission.
Now, one of the council members pointed out,
it was kind of interesting.
I didn't think about it from this angle
and it was a great point.
It actually might've been the mayor that,
and I never thought about this,
transportation and pros are advisory commissions.
I actually don't vote.
So it would put us in the same stead
as those esteemed commissions as well.
It's just, it's a huge change for this commission.
So those are my comments.
Thank you.
Anybody else?
I said it.
Oops, you turned it off.
So we adjourn.
And I don't have a gavel,
so I won't be gavel nuisance tonight, I'll be non-gavel.