HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Resolution 7523 (540 Francisco Blvd)RESOLUTION NO. 7523
RESOLUTION OF THE SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL
ENDORSING AN APPLICATION TO ENTER
THE RAB MOTORS PROJECT IN
THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE'S 1987 DESIGN AWARD COMPETITION
540 Francisco Boulevard West
WHEREAS, in April 1987, as members of the Urban Land
Institute, the City received a brochure calling for entries
to the Institute's 1987 Awards for Excellence. In reviewing
the brochure, City staff determined that the RAB Motors auto
dealership building may be an appropriate entry given its exceptional
design and its importance as a Redevelopment Agency project;
and
WHEREAS, staff shared the brochure with Roland Bacci,
owner of RAB Motors, who expressed a willingness to initiate
such an application provided that there is support by the City
of San Rafael; and
WHEREAS, the RAB Motors development project has a
long history which directly involved the City's Redevelopment
Agency. In the interest of redeveloping the subject property,
in 1982 the City's Redevelopment Agency entered into a Disposition
and Development Agreement with Roland Bacci to permit construction
of a 27,500 square foot auto dealership on the subject property
for relocation of RAB Motors, a Mercedes Benz dealership.
The agreement involved sale of Redevelopment Agency property
along Francisco Boulevard West, a highly visible frontage road
along the Highway 101 corridor; and
WHEREAS, the primary purpose of the Disposition and
Development Agreement was to allow redevelopment of a site
that was blighted by temporary storage and unattractive commercial
and industrial uses; and
WHEREAS, in June 1984, Roland Bacci filed an environmental
and design review application with the City of San Rafael requesting
design approval of the new dealership. The application package
presented by Esherick, Homsey, Dodge and Davis, architects,
included a uniquely designed showroom and vehicle service building,
a matching sign program and significant landscaping and specialized
pavement improvements; and
I; .
RESOLUTION NO. 7523
WHEREAS, in August and September 1984, the project
was presented to both the City's Design Review Board and Planning
Commission. The Design Review Board unanimously supported
the proposal finding the design of the building to be unique
and striking. The Planning Commission agreed with the Board's
conclusions conditionally approving the permit. The Planning
Commission found that the project design would set a precedent
for excellence in design of other future development projects
throughout the community.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the San Rafael
City Council recognizes the RAB Motors dealership as a significant
visual landmark in the City, thus fully endorsing and supporting
an application to the Urban Land Institute's 1987 Design Award
competition based upon the following findings:
(1) The RAB Motors dealership was a major City Redevelopment
Agency project which has significantly aided in the
redevelopment of the Francisco Boulvard West area.
An area of blight was replaced by an attractive building
which houses one of the City's major tax -generating
businesses.
(2) The RAB Motors building was designed and constructed
with a level of attention, detail and unique innovation
which overachieves the City's adopted environmental
and design review criteria. The City recognizes
the building as a major visual landmark and finds
it to be a precedent setter for excellence of design
throughout the community.
(3) The City's Planning Commission and Design Review
Board were instrumental in supporting the project
through the design review process; the Commission
and Board unanimously endorse this application.
I, JEANNE M. LEONCINI, Clerk of the City of San Rafael,
hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly and regularly
introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council
of said City on Monday . the 20th day of April
1987, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Breiner, Frugoli, Nave, Willms & Mayor Mulryan
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
JEAN ��NCINI,N City Clerk