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Home My WebLink AboutDRB 2018-02-06 Minutes IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL, February 6, 2018 Regular Meeting San Rafael Design Review Board Minutes For a complete video of this meeting, go to http://www.cityofsanrafael.org/meetings. CALL TO ORDER Present: Eric Spielman, Chair Jeff Kent Cheryl Lentini Stewart Summers Bob Huntsberry Don Blayney, Alternate Mark Lubamersky, PC Liaison Absent: None Also Present: Steve Stafford, Senior Planner Sean Kennings, Contract Planner STAFF COMMUNICATION BOARD COMMUNICATION APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Minutes, December 19, 2017 Jeff Kent moved, and Stewart Summers seconded to approve Minutes as presented. The vote is as follows: AYES: Eric Spielman, Chair, Jeff Kent, Stewart Summers, Don Blayney, Alternate NOES: None ABSTAIN: Cheryl Lentini, Bob Huntsberry ABSENT: None CONSENT NEW BUSINESS 2. 999 3rd Street, (BioMarin R&D building / Whistlestop Senior Center / Senior Housing) – Request for Conceptual Design Review of two 70-foot tall, four-story Research and Development buildings, and a 62-foot tall, five-story senior center and affordable senior housing building (on a 15,000 SF portion of the northwestern corner) on a 133,099 sf parcel, currently developed as a vacant lot; APN: 011-265-01; Second/Third Mixed Use (2/3 MUE) Zone; Shar Zamanpour, Applicant; BioMarin / CCCA, LLC, Owner; Downtown Activity Center neighborhood area; CDR17-008 Project Planner: Sean Kennings 999 3rd Since this was a Conceptual Review, no formal action was taken by the Board. The following comments were provided by the Board: BioMarin Portion of Site: • The contemporary architectural expression is well supported though the details on the shade siding will be critical due to the minimal building articulation. • The “porch” element is well supportive though the applicant should explore relocating it from the Third St frontage to the Second St. frontage and stepping back the upper floors above the “porch”. • General concern on the height of the buildings; overall building height calculations should include the rooftop mechanical equipment and building height should not exceed the current allowable 78’ height limit. • General concern that too much traffic movement was being funneled through Brooks St by both BioMarin and Whistlestop projects and requested applicant explore improving or modifying Brooks St. such as widening or one-way reconfiguration. • General concern on the adequacy of the parking; parking details shall be provided during formal application review. • Sustainability details of project should be provided during formal application review; the applicant is encouraged to include rooftop solar as part of the project. • Street edge landscaping is well supported; the Landscape Plan should include large scale trees to compliment the large-scale building designs. Whistlestop Portion of Site: • Site design should include landscaped setbacks similar to those proposed by the BioMarin portion of the site along both the 3rd and Brooks St frontages which may be offset by support for one (1) additional floor to the project. • Upper floors should ‘stepback’. • Greater building articulation is needed. • The applicant is encouraged to explore creating outdoor amenities space along the ground floor • Applicant is encouraged to explore reorienting the third floor “courtyard” from an east-facing to a west-facing amenity • Scale of rooftop trellis feature should be enlarged to match the scale of the building, perhaps as part of creating a rooftop amenity area for residents • General concern that too much traffic movement was being funneled through Brooks St by both BioMarin and Whistlestop projects and requested applicant explore improving or modifying Brooks St. such as widening or one-way reconfiguration 3. Annual Meeting of Design Review Board for 2018 to include: a) Election of Officers for 2018 Design Review Board meetings; and b) review of Design Review Board “Rules of Order”. Cheryl Lentini moved, and Stewart Summers seconded to approve Rules of Order with minor amendment to proposed additional language proposed by staff for clarity. The vote is as follows: AYES: Eric Spielman, Chair, Jeff Kent, Cheryl Lentini, Stewart Summers, Bob Huntsberry NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: None ADJOURNMENT II. Next Scheduled Meeting: February 21, 2018 (Wednesday) ___________________________________ ANNE DERRICK, Administrative Assistant III APPROVED THIS_____DAY OF_______, 2018 _____________________________________ ERIC SPIELMAN, Chair