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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDRB 2011-06-21 #4 CITY OF Community Development Department – Planning Division Meeting Date: June 21, 2011 Case Numbers: ED11-036 Project Planner: Raffi Boloyan (415) 485-3095 REPORT TO DESIGN REVIEW BOARD SUBJECT: 91 Larkspur St – Environmental and Design Review Permit for the installation of a new 22 ft. tall by 28 ft. wide painted mural on the wall of an existing commercial/office building; APN: 008-082-49; Core Canal Industrial/Office [CCI/O] Zone; Larry Siegel – For Words , Applicant; Josephine Varner and Josephine Pickens, Owners; Canal Neighborhood. SUMMARY ForWords is an organization that provides literacy support services for students in the Canal area, and operates as a sub entity of Canal Alliance. ForWords recently received a grant from Marin Community Foundation to create a community mural in the Canal Area. The grant is intended to provide support and materials for the creation of a mural in which their students can be directly involved in planning and creating. ForWords has submitted a request to install a mural on the building wall adjacent to Canal Alliance offices. Murals are considered a “Major Physical Improvement” pursuant to San Rafael Municipal Zoning Code Chapter 14.25.040.A.5 and, thus, require a Major Design Review Permit. Major Design Review Permits require the review and recommendation of the Design Review Board and approval of the Planning Commission. Overall, staff recommends that the mural design proposed by ForWords at this location results in an appropriate design and message for the building and its surroundings, and would add some vibrancy to the fairly non-descript two-story building. Neither the Zoning Ordinance nor the Non-Residential Design Guidelines contain specific criteria related to murals. Therefore, in the analysis section below, staff has identified a few standard design principals that should be considered in the review of the mural. The Board is asked to review the proposed mural and offer its comments to the Planning Commission on the review criteria. BACKGROUND Site Description & Setting: The project is proposed on a flat, 62,000 sq. ft. non-residential property located along Larkspur, Belvedere and Alto Streets. The site is currently developed with two separate two-story buildings that total approximately 36,000 sq. ft. with 177 off-street parking spaces provided. The site is surrounded by a variety of land uses, with light industrial and commercial uses on all sides and residential uses one block north along Larkspur St. The mural project is proposed to be installed on the eastern side building elevation of the property, facing Larkspur St. frontage. The main entrance to Canal Alliance offices is located on this building elevation. The building exterior is concrete with both exposed rock and smooth finish surfaces. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ForWords provides literacy support services for students in the Canal area. This organization operates as a sub-entity of Canal Alliance, and collaborates with them to provide services to students in Canal Alliance’s after school education program. Marin Community Foundation recently awarded ForWords a grant for creation of a community mural in the Canal Area. The grant is intended to provide support and materials for the creation of a mural on which ForWords students can be directly involved in its planning 2 and creating. The students also plan to produce a movie and book describing the development, purpose and making of the mural. The students, with the help of a mural designer, have designed a mural theme that focuses on the importance of a peaceful, non-violent world with the goal of education. The proposed mural design is illustrated in Exhibit 2. The proposed mural would be 22-feet tall by 28-feet wide, and mounted on the east building façade facing Larkspur St. The mural would be located to the left (as facing the building) side of the building entry leading to the Canal Alliance offices. Three photographs of the proposed mural location, including an outline of the mural size, are provided as Exhibit 3. The proposed mural would be fully removable from the exterior wall, using a curtain wall H-channel assembly composed of 3’ by 5’ panels of 5/16” thick HardiBacker cement fiberboard. The HardiBacker panel boards would be off-set from the building façade by approximately 3 inches. The cement board would then be plastered for the application of the mural material. Details of the mural are presented as Exhibit 4. The mural material would be painted with a coat of primer paint and then acrylic paints. The mural would then be applied with a protective coating to protect if from the elements and graffiti. The protective coating would protect against ultra violet light and would include pollutant resisters. Four coats of the protective coating would be applied on the bottom 8 feet to give an extra hard surface for easy maintenance of graffiti. If the mural is vandalized, a mild solvent (Cleverclean) would be used to remove the graffiti without damage to the mural. In the case of vandalism, the applicant would re- varnish the effected area after cleaning, if needed. ANALYSIS Painted murals would be considered signage if they include written script or pictures of a business or items sold or services offered on site. Mural signs are further regulated under provisions of the Sign Ordinance (Section 14.19 of the Zoning Ordinance). Painted murals that do not provide any advertising, thus are not mural signs, are subject to a Design Review Permit (Section 25.040.A.5 of the Zoning Ordinance). In this particular application, the proposed mural does not advertise any products or businesses, and is therefore considered a mural and not signage. There are no design criteria contained in the General Plan, Zoning Ordinance or Non-Residential Design Guidelines applicable to painted murals. Given the lack of specific review criteria, staff recommends that the common design principles should be applied and that the following items should be considered in reviewing this mural: 1. Whether the design and colors of the mural are an integral part of, compatible with, and complement the existing building on the site where it is proposed; 2. Whether the design and colors of the proposed mural are compatible with the character and design of other buildings in the immediate neighborhood of the site; 3. Whether the design or message of the mural is obscene or offensive to morals; and 4. Whether there are adequate measures to maintain the mural and keep it clean and free of graffiti or weather damage. Overall, staff recommends that the design of the mural is appropriate for the site, would fit in with its context, and is proportional with the building wall on which it is proposed. The mural would not cover the entire wall, which would serve as a border to frame the mural. The message and design of the mural does not present an offensive message. The design of the mural was developed by the students of the ForWords program and portrays a noble message of peace and education. The mural would include vibrant colors that would help liven a fairly non-descript building wall. Although not technically part of the City’s design review process, the intent and purpose behind the mural is admirable for the students of the ForWords program and the Canal neighborhood. 3 The Board is requested to review the proposed mural and provide its recommendation on the design and size of the mural to the Planning Commission. NEIGHBORHOOD CORRESPONDENCE Notice of the meeting was mailed to the property owners, businesses and residents within 300 feet of this site, as well as the Canal Alliance and the Canal Area Property Owner’s Association, 15 days prior to this Design Review Board meeting. As of the reproduction of this staff report, staff has not received any comments in response to the noticing. As part of their application materials, the applicant submitted hundreds of petitions and letters of support from surrounding businesses and residents. Copies of these were not included in the staff report, but are available if the DRB would like to review them at the meeting. CONCLUSION Overall, staff recommends that the mural design is an appropriate design and message for the building and its surroundings, would add some vibrancy to the existing two-story building, as well as create a sense of pride for students in the Canal neighborhood. EXHIBITS 1. Vicinity Map 2. Proposed Mural Design (Color copy distributed to DRB only) 3. Photographs - Location of Proposed Mural (Color copy distributed to DRB only) 4. Written Description of Mural Details, Mural Letter 5. Letter from applicant, Jan 11, 2011 cc: Larry Siegel - 400 Red Hill, San Anselmo, CA 94960 Canal Area Property & Business Owners Assn - Janise Harmon - PO Box 9636, San Rafael, CA 94912-9636 Canal Alliance - Attn: Tom Wilson - 91 Larkspur Street, San Rafael, CA 94901 Cindy Pickens - PO Box 601834, Sacramento, CA 95860