Excellent. Welcome to this Wednesday, December 6th Design Review Commission meeting, a regular
meeting. If you are a member of the public and you wish to address the commission, please
fill out a speaker's card. When invited, the chairperson, by the chairperson, bring your
card to the commission secretary and clearly state your name, address, and whom you represent.
I don't know that we have anybody here tonight, but if you do, please do so. So let's welcome
let's do the roll call please. Sure. Commissioner Valia? Here. Commissioner Case?
Here. Vice Chair Kruelling? Here. And Chair Newsom? I'm here. Commissioner Killian
called in they have a family issue and he will not be present so but we have
quorum. Great. So item two is the consent calendar. Looks like we have one item on
the consent calendar. Chip would you like to talk about that? Yeah this would just
just be for the Design Review Commission and other commissions to check the calendar for
the upcoming year, 2024, and see if there's anything that doesn't work or any questions.
If you'll notice, it's pretty regular the first and third Wednesdays of every month
with the exception of October. October 2nd is Rosh Hashanah, so we're not going to have
a meeting that night. Otherwise, everything's pretty uniform.
Do we have a move to adopt a calendar?
Does anybody want to change anything?
Nope, I move to adopt it as is.
I second it.
Okay, so we do a roll call?
Certainly.
Vice Chair Krelling?
Yes.
Commissioner Vallejo?
Yes.
Oh, I'm sorry, I messed up my order,
but it's still a yes, okay.
Commissioner Newsom?
I'm here.
And Commissioner Case?
Yes.
Okay, that's a 4-0, let's pass.
All right, moving right along, public communications.
This portion of the meeting is reserved.
Graham's not on the agenda.
Under the Brown Act, the commission cannot act
on items raised during public communications,
but may respond briefly to statements made
or questions posed, request clarification,
or refer an item to staff.
Any such communications?
No.
Seeing none.
All right, so we're moving on to the public hearing,
But before we do that, has anybody had any ex parte communications?
No.
No?
No.
Okay.
So let's talk a bit about any decisions that were made.
So any interested party may appeal a decision to the Design Review Commission within 10
calendar days after the meeting decision by filing a written appeal and application fee
with the city clerk's office.
So hopefully that won't happen, but if it does,
you have the right to do so.
So now, moving on to the public hearing,
looks like we have one item.
The staff has a presentation.
Staff does.
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
One-man band, fully functional.
It is a one-man band, and I, Jessica Gonzalez is out,
so I am gonna try to get through this for her.
She would do a much better job than I would.
But hey, we do what we can do.
I've seen you do a few council presentations recently.
Very well done.
Why thank you.
So tonight we're going to look at the final design review
for pinstripes over at 1115, Rodway Plaza.
I should introduce myself first.
I'm Chip Griffin, principal planner
with the current planning division
of the city of Walnut Creek.
And moving on, we've got project information to site
right here, outlined in blue.
I think you all know where it is.
It's the former Crate and Barrel building, zoned PD.
The scope is to remodel the existing building.
There's some cladding to the outside at corners,
not a full re-cladding to the building.
There's highlighting corner windows, there's a wood ledge,
a new outdoor patio area.
There's also some added in response
to the Design Review Commission's earlier comments,
there's some new art installations
that are on the North Main Street wall
and a tile base, and we'll go over that in a minute.
So here's the existing building.
Oh, and new signage.
Photo at the stop is a street view on Broadway Plaza.
I'm not sure that this microphone is very sensitive
tonight.
And the photo at the bottom from the east,
I'm sorry, from the south looking east, northeast.
In other words, where are we?
This is the garage facing the garage.
See, where have we been so far?
Designer view had a study session.
I don't have the date.
Oh, yes, I do.
October 19th of 2022.
And then in January 12th of this year,
the Planning Commission heard and approved the CUPs
for the indoor recreation use, the indoor banquet use
and the alcohol service past 11 o'clock.
And then here we are for final design review today.
See background in October of last year,
This commission was generally supportive,
but did provide some direction to the applicant.
And that would be, take a look at the grapevine railing
for the outdoor patio area and consider some
a little bit more traditional and also sturdier.
And then refine the plan to kind of give another level
of design to, or one more level of design
to some of those items that were out there.
For example, the round planter or I believe it was a fountain or something like that and
it's outlined in the staff report.
And just take a look at those things and just kind of tighten them up.
And then also further developing and cleaning up that South Main Street facade.
Let's see, and here is the elevations.
So we have a north elevation, which would be, let's see, this is the front.
So looking from Apple, that's what that would look like, and then looking from North Main
where you have this kind of sloped side there and then to the front.
The existing building exterior would remain the same, and that includes leaving the large
white panels at the front.
So what we see different here along this elevation are these art installations, and I think there's
a drawing in your packet that kind of shows those, correct? Yeah? Okay, okay. And those
are going to be reviewed by the Arts Commission, actually, for their content. But you can make
comments on the placement of them and the cadence and if it addressed the concern that
the Design Review Commission had. This is the same elevations just kind of highlighting
some of the other things. There's the stone cladding on the corner, and then the wood
ledges that are located in the front, and you can actually see them over here too.
This is the rear facade, and outside of the sign, there's no changes. So this is looking
from inside the garage, and you can see the trash enclosure over in this area.
This drawing outline and the blue outline is where the patio area is. It's for the most
part underneath that overhang but there's a little bit that is not and
this is where we look at the railing and some of those outdoor elements signage
total there's four wall mounted signs along with a blade sign and you can see
them here on the west elevation there's there's this one here and then there's
one in the south elevation then you can see a smaller wall sign over here and
And then you can see the blade sign over there right in that area.
The amount of signs complies with the allowance under the master sign program for Broadway Plaza.
The two larger wall signs A and C on the upper south and west elevation are identical
and spell out pinstripes or 24 inch black aluminum channel letters.
And there's an underscore arrow underneath them.
The third wall sign B, this one, is proposed along the ground floor of the west elevation,
has the same design but without the arrow and it's much smaller at 8.5 square feet.
What's different about these, well let's go through a fourth wall sign here, a fourth
wall sign sign D, which is there, right at the entrance.
illuminated blade sign is about nine square feet in size and proposed on the
on the wall and I think that's right they are actually right there and that
again is looking from like the looking from Apple the front of the Apple Store
and this is the the detail of the blade sign it's a little bit larger than four
and a half square feet and I think the the the staff report does a pretty good
good job outlining why this is okay.
Because there's two of these signs that are over 25 feet.
The MSP allowed for this through Crate and Barrel
and that height allowance would still be good to go.
As well as this, the MSP also spelled out specifically
for this building that this blade sign could be larger
than four and a half square feet.
And I think that's better outlined
in detail in the staff report.
Here's a rendering of the building.
So you can see how the new applications here and here
fit in along with the stone at that corner
that picks up that not-so-square wall right there.
And then also here from the rear of the building,
This would be the rear facade, a new sign.
And then you can see the art installations there.
What's not shown here is a six-inch black tile base
that's been added in response to Broadway Plaza design
guidelines and some comments from the Design Review
Commission as well as staff.
So with that, staff would recommend that the Design
Review Commission determine that this is categorically
exempt from CEQA under Section 15301, Existing Buildings,
and approve the exterior remodel subject
to the conditions of approval on the draft resolution.
And I don't know that there's any,
I don't think that there's any conditions of approval
that are not fairly typical.
Any questions of staff?
Shoot.
Sorry.
And maybe I missed it in my packet.
Do we have anything that shows visually
what the new railing looks like in kind of the new patio,
how it's gonna look?
Do we not?
Cause it was the rendering looked like
a different pinstripes than ours.
It's kind of shown there,
but it's gonna be your standard straight pin rail.
Where did it show?
But we don't have any,
a lot of times we see like a picture
of it kind of looks like this.
You know, you're right, Commissioner Creling,
and I don't see a detail for it in here,
but I can tell you that it's been agreed
But it's a traditional straight railing with a straight top.
So there's no more opportunities to catch your clothing or poke a kid's eye out with
those, with the application that was previously proposed.
And it's all the applicant, Mitch, Mitch Miller, representing pinstripes is here.
He does not have a presentation, but he could answer questions probably a little bit more
detailed than I can.
Okay.
On items such as this.
Thank you.
Any other questions?
No, I think it was a very good presentation trip.
I appreciate it, Mr. Commissioner.
All right, so does anybody have any questions for the applicant?
I do.
Just one.
OK.
Mitch, would you like to come forward and introduce yourself
and your role?
Evening, council.
My name is Mitchell Miller.
I'm the director of expansion with pinstripes.
And this will be our 19th location.
Cool.
I have, hopefully, what's an easy question.
You guys mentioned the mushroom planters,
and I think they look pretty cool.
I may have missed it, but I didn't see a detail
of how that's like a fix to the ground,
because what's cool about it is it looks like
a little martini glass, right, with the weight up at the top,
but the picture I saw was in like a lawn,
so I just wanted to understand
how that's gonna not tip over.
Sure, there's a similar style base plate
that if you look at the corkscrew rendering,
you'll see four bolts that hold that whole corkscrew vertical.
There's a similar flat rectangular plate
that's actually under the ground that uses to hold it down.
And then based off the different terrain,
whether it's dirt or concrete or pavers,
we use different bolts to drill that into the ground or secure.
So it'll go through the pavers?
Mm-hmm.
OK.
OK.
That was my only question.
The rest, I think, looks fine.
Awesome.
Maybe if you can just sort of,
since we don't have a picture describe,
I'm imagining the railing is kind of rectangular square,
black, kind of plain vanilla.
Yes, in a more design appropriate term,
less plain vanilla, but exciting gun metal,
that's kind of like a dark black gray finish, rectangular,
and the top is gonna mirror some of the wood trim
right underneath the pinstripe sign,
just so it's sort of playing into that stair step down.
But yes, spacings of the bargain will go through ADA
clearances to make sure that no one can also
stick their head through and like get stuck or any of that.
But yeah, sort of a gun metal darker aluminum rail
that's gonna have the wood top finish.
Great, thank you.
Of course.
Commissioner Villier, do you have any questions?
No, I don't have any questions.
I do have comments afterwards,
but they're my personal comments.
Okay, all right.
Let me ask a couple.
So the stone veneer, what is that?
Would it be the red circle, that veneer?
That stone veneer.
That veneer, yeah, what?
We call it Jerusalem tile.
So it's a textured stone tile
with different rectangular shapes
and working in a mosaic pattern.
So you'll have small squares, larger rectangular,
larger even square, that sort of caddy corner
and randomly work their way up.
So it almost looks, it looks very dynamic and textured.
So don't think of like a floor tile,
but more of a 3D dimensional and things kind of come off.
Yeah, so like stucco stone or kind of a manufactured look.
Okay.
And then the wood, you're adding wood.
What type of wood is that?
The horizontal members?
On the railing?
Isn't those brown members on the windows?
I, to be honest, I don't have that answer
off the top of my head.
to be able to send you that.
Okay, but it kind of matches that photograph?
Yes.
Okay.
In terms of the tonality and just, yeah, the coloring, yes.
From the staff report, it sounded like a concrete sort of
board.
Nietzsche?
Oh, there, yeah.
I think it's a Nietzsche.
Okay.
Yeah.
But it looks like wood, right?
Mm-hmm.
Okay.
All right.
Any other questions?
I guess I do have one now that you're asking
this question. So the building looks like it's it's kind of like a vertical
stripes and the rendering that I'm looking at. Are we doing that something
to that building because it's as far as I remember it's very facades very doesn't
have all the yeah is that something you're doing or you're not touching it
I mean it or is it just the rendering? I think it it's a combination of the
rendering but yes we are accenting more vertical to give it a bit more angular
and updated look. So is there a existing picture? Yeah. Is that really needed? So
you're saying the lighter lines. Or the score lines? I think no that is
exaggerated that's simply just saying the white tile on the outside is going
to be the same. We are not touching that. No if anything we'll just clean it. Thank
Thank you.
Yeah.
Will you go to the existing picture, Chip?
Do you mind?
Existing picture?
Yeah.
The existing one, yeah.
Do we have one?
Yeah.
You showed it.
I think it's in the beginning.
Yeah.
So there's sort of that vertical paneling now.
So you're doing nothing through that tile.
I mean, that.
No.
Okay.
Nope.
Outstanding here on the rendering.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
So that's it for questions.
Thank you, Council.
Public comment, right?
There's nobody here.
So moving right along.
So how about, how about, we're going to close the public hearing then and move to Commissioner
comments.
So it sounds like Commissioner Valia has some.
No, my only comment is that this is one of my favorite buildings in Walnut Creek.
I mean, it's like a piece that was built back in the 40s by the bird boond or by the Bauhaus or by
Corbu and placed over there or by New York five back in the 70s. It's such a beautiful building.
And so I think everything you did is extra. But I mean, it's probably its corporate image,
I guess that's what you use in your other building so but this is a beautiful building and and and
Gladly, you're not
Making many changes that that was my comment
My first comment is hopefully commissioner valia will be impressed. I actually know what bow house architecture is
And I like it
No, I think it's uh, I think you're adding some nice touches to the building
I like the wood to break it up a bit around the windows and looking forward to you guys' opening.
I would agree with what Commissioner Leah said. I'd say this is a great example of
what good architecture in Walnut Creek can look like as it is, and I commend you folks for not
changing it. I mean, that's the most sustainable thing that you can do, for one thing,
but and also you really rule number one do no harm right i don't i don't think it's
worse i think in many ways it's better and it's just you're just branding the bill in a bit so
that's all i have so there's nothing really actionable there right so
are we just going to move uh move on to a vote yeah you might want to look for a motion and
motion in a second yeah so can I have a motion I will move that we approve the
pinstripes exterior remodel as proposed with the conditions as proposed in the
staff in the draft resolution about a second I can second that how about about
Commissioner of Leah yes Commissioner Newsom yes Commissioner case yes
Commissioner Kelly. Yes. It didn't sound like my name. I did kind of I did taking a
little air on that one. Commissioner Krelling. Yes. 4-0, motion carries. Alright so moving on.
Commissioner considerations this portion is for items not required to be
publicly noticed but were formal staff presentation question answer period
public input or discussion among commissioners is helpful. Anybody have
anything? Mr. Secretary, do you have anything? Only that, yes, only that we just
update on future meetings and that they're actually gonna be canceled. And it's
really just holiday and December 20th, you know, we're getting awfully close
there, so we're going to cancel that meeting. There's nothing pressing to get
through, as well as January 3rd, the staff gets back to work on the second, so those
items would need to be noticed and sent. Hey, safe travels. It would have to be
noticed and, you know, in the can by Friday. So when we'll pick it back up on
January 17th, where the Commission will have a study session on the new Aquatic
Center, community center at Heather Farms. I think we'll all want to be there for
that one. That'll be fun. I actually think I have to miss that meeting but I will watch
the video. I think I have to miss that meeting. I've watched all the other stuff up
until now. So I know what's going on. Cool. On the aquatic center. Okay, so moving right
along then. Commission member and staff reports or announcements. Got any? You
just did it right yeah okay so we're gonna adjourn thanks for coming