HomeMy WebLinkAboutDRB 2016-03-22 #3Meeting Date :
• Case Numbers :
Project Planner:
Community Development Department -Planning Division Agenda Item:
REPORT TO DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
March 22 , 2016
ED15-082 & UP16-001
Paul Jensen, (415) 485-506 ~
SUBJECT: San Rafael Fire Station 57-3530 Civic Center Drive -Request for review of REVISED
PLANS for Environmental and Design Review Permit to replace the existing Fire Station 57
with the development of a new fire station (9 ,600 square feet), that will include the Medic 3
(paramedic) currently located at Fire Station 53. The project includes associated site and
landscaping improvements and an 800-square foot storage building for this County-owned
site . The initial plans were reviewed by the Design Review Board on February 17 . 2016. but
the project was continued for plan revisions . APN: 179-270-12; Public/Quasi-Public (P/QP)
District; City of San Rafael , applicant; County of Marin , property owner; File Nos: ED15-082 &
UP16-001.
BACKGROUND
On February 17 , 2016 , the Board completed a review of the design for the new Fire Station 57
proposed to replace the existing station at the Marin County Civic Center campus. The project
proposes the construction of a new 9.597 -square foot, two-story station that would house five on-duty
fire fighters in a 24-hour shift and paramedic services (Medic 53). The plan includes three drive-
through apparatus bays, the North Area Medical Supply Cache, public lobby, sleeping quarters, kitchen
and restroom facilities and ancillary uses (surface parking and storage facilities). For site and project
details , the February 17 Design Review Board staff report can be accessed at the following link:
http://cityofsanrafael.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view id=2&clip id=854&meta id=78333
Following public comment and input , the Board discussed the plans and recommended that the project
be continued for the design team to address specific concerns and issues . Specifically, the Board
directed that additional revisions be made to the building roof elements (further separate the two arched
roof elements or study one , monolithic roof form) and clerestory windows (found to be too busy and not
balanced/harmonious with the building elevations). Furth.er, the Board recommended revisions to the
site plan (relocate future storage building and reduce the width of the emergency vehicle access on
Golf Avenue ) and landscaping (provide more conventional landscaping ; increase the landscape buffer
in the rear parking lot ; use surplus street right of way for replacement tree planting) to improve the
buffer between the fire station site and the adjacent residents on Golf Avenue.
PLAN REVISIONS
The design team has revised the plans to address the recommendations of the Board . The summary of
the plan revisions is provided as follows:
1. An existing conditions map has been added which identifies the location of existing trees (See
Plan SheetA-1.1).
2. The site plan (Plan Sheet A-1 .2) has been revised as follows :
a. The future storage building has been relocated and reoriented to the southern portion of the
rear parking lot. Surface parking along the southern border of the lot has been reduced to
two spaces.
b. The landscape buffer along the southern property boundary has been increased to 10-14
feet in width.
c. The surface for the rear parking lot is proposed to be a permeable pavement to off-set some
of the previously-proposed bio-swales.
d. The emergency vehicle access has been reduced in width to 12 feet (change from two-way
to one-way emergency access), which expands the landscape buffer contiguous to Golf
Avenue.
3. The landscape plan (Plan Sheets A-1.4 and A-1.5) has been revised as follows:
a. Four Coast redwoods are proposed to be planted in the surplus land area of the Golf
Avenue public right-of-way. The design team consulted with the City Public Works
Department on this proposal and it was determined that planting in this area is acceptable.
As this street is fully developed and the emergency access gate at the terminus of this street
provides through-access to the station site if needed, the Public Works Department
determined that future street widening is unlikely. The new redwoods would off-set the loss
of the existing redwood trees that are proposed to be removed.
b. The row of unmanaged, Coast live oaks along the property border shared with the Post
Office are proposed to be removed.
c. A row of Coastal redwoods are proposed for the southern and eastem landscape buffer
between the rear parking lot and the adjacent residences.
d. The bio-swales have been reduced in size and localized to two areas in the rear parking lot
(Plan Sheet A-1.6).
4. The building elevations (Plan Sheet A-3) and accompanying building-sections (Plan Sheet A-4)
have been revised as follow:
a. The two, separate arched roof elements have been combined to present one arched roof
element.
b. The clerestory windows have been revised.
In addition to the above, plan revisions have been made to the Site Lighting Photometric Plan (Plan
Sheet A-1. 7 and A-1.8). The lighting specifications and placement have been revised. The light
standard pole proposed on the south side of the rear parking lot (closest to residences) has been
reduced to nine-feet in height.
Lastly, as reported to the Board during initial review, the City commissioned a historic assessment of
the fire station building as it is within the boundaries of the Marin County Civic Center National Register
District. While the historic assessment disclosed that the existing fire station is not a contributor to the
historic district, the architectural historian recommended that the new building design meet the
Secretary of Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. The plan revisions were
reviewed by our architectural historian consultant who found that the design is in compliance with these
standards (Exhibit 4).
OUTREACH -NEIGHBORHOOD CORRESPONDENCE
Public notice of this meeting was provided to property owners and residents within 500 feet of the
subject property. In addition, a notice board was posted on the subject property informing the public
about the scope of the project and the dateltime of the Design Review Board meeting.
2
EXHIBITS
1. Vicinity Map
2. Reduced Project Plans
3. Written response to DRB comments and recommendations, Mary McGrath Architects; March 8,
2016
4. Letter from Tom Origer & Associates, Archaeological/Historical Consultants summarizing plan
review for consistency with the Secretary of Interior Standards; March 9, 2016
Full-sized plans have been provided to the ORB members only.
cc: Mary McGrath Architects
1212 Broadway, Suite 401
Oakland, CA 94612
Raaj Patel
Kitchell
2750 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 300
Sacramento, CA 95833
David Speer
Office of County Administrator
County of Marin
Civic Center Drive, Room 325
San Rafael, CA 94903
North San Rafael Coalition of Residents
Carolyn Lenert
P.O. Box 6642
San Rafael, CA 94903
Santa Venetia Neighborhood Association
Attn: Linda Levey
PO Box 4047
San Rafael, CA 94913
Golf Avenue Residents
c/o: Alice Watkins
18 Golf Avenue
San Rafael, CA 94901
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EXHIBIT 3
I MEMO I
TO: Paul Jensen, AICP, Community Development Director
FROM: Mary McGrath, AlA
DATE : March 8, 2016
PROJECT: City of San Rafael Fire Station No. 57 , Civic Center
. COMMENTS :
The following is a summary of the changes to Fire Station 57 in response to the Des ign Review
Board, Civic Center Conservancy and ne ighborhood comments.
Site Refinements:
1. A solid wood fencing is at the perimeter of the site. The design rendering has been
updated to indicate the proposed fen·cing material.
2. The gate at Golf Avenue has been reduced to 12' wide to allow only one way emergency
traffic. .
3. The site for the future storage build i ng has been moved to the south property line.
4 . The design of the bio-swales in the rear yard has been revised to allow evergreen planting
along the perimeter of the site. The landscape plan has been adjusted to show the revised
plantings. In addition , it was noted. that three smaller oak trees along the s outh property
line were in poor health. They are proposed to be removed.
5. The City of San Rafael Public Works Department has approved the planting of eve rgreen
trees in the City Owned right-of-way between Golf Avenue and the Fire Station. The
landscape plan has been adjusted to indicate the new tree locations ..
6. It has been clarified that that tallest light standards at the north side of the site are 16 feet
high. The light standard closest to the residences is 9' tall. Also, when the future storage
building is built there will be a fixture on the north elevation. All fixtures are "night sky
friendly" with cutcoff shielding. The lights will be controlled through a lighting control panel
and will be turned off in the night-time hours .
Bu il ding Refinements:
1. Initially the Fire Station design was conceived with a single, arched roof plane . A
. refinement to the design included splitting the roof into two levels. It was recommendation
that the two levels be separated by a greater distance than presented at the Civic Center
Conservancy and Design Review Board hearings. After much study, it was determined
that separating the two roof forms a meaningful distance causes the living quarters element
of the station to become too tall and out of balance with the apparatus bay. It did not align
,
12 12 BR.OAOWAY, SU ITE 401 • OA.KLAND , CALIFORNIA 9-4612 • 0 SIO .2.Q8 .9400 • WWW.MARYMCGRAT H ARCHITECTS .COM
I MEMO I
with two of the main tenets of the Civic Center Design Guidelines. These tenets encourage
a design that reinforces horizontality and simple roof forms. Therefore, we are
recommending that the initial design scheme of a single roof form be approved. It does
reinforce the horizontality of the building and provides a simple roof form. The revised
models include this design approach. .
2. The stucco color was revised a yellowish color and the vertical entry elements and patio
cover supports were rendered in "Taliesin Red" to match the Civic Center exterior and floor
colors, respectively.
3. The punched windows on each side of the entry door and the North Elevation of the living
quarters were reduced in number and lengthened.
4. In the single roof form, the diameter of the roof arch was reduced and the springline moved
toward the back of the building to show more of the roof element at the apparatus bay.
5. Openings were added at the front of the arched roof to create a rhythm similar to the Civic
Center roof edge and to create a shadow line which moves across the west facing
elevation.
6. The windows of the rear apparatus bay doors were reduced from full height to a single
panel to limit the light spill over to the neighborhood and still provide for safe operation of
the apparatus.
1212 BROADWAY, SUITE.ol lI' OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA 9 .. 612 • 0510.208 .9400 • WW W.MARYMCGRAl HAIlCHITEC TS .COM
March 9, 2016
Paul J erisen
Community Director
City of San Rafael .
1400 5th Avenue, 3rd Floor
San Rafael, CA 94901
Dear Mr. Jensen:
·.HIIiIT 4
Tom Otiget &: Associates
Archaeology I Historical Research
At your request, we completed an assessment of the proposed new construction for Fire Station 57 at the
Marin Civic Center. The fire station lies within the boundaries of the Marin ~ounty Civic Center
National Register District. The purpose of this work is to assess the propose4 construction in terms of
its' potential to affect th~ National Register eligibility of the existing district.
Our assessment was informed by The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic
Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring & Reconstructing Historic, Buildings
(hereafter, Standards ~d Guidelines). The Standards and Guid.elines have been adopted by many local
agencies for use in determining the proper treatment for buildings considered historically significant. The
Standards focus on maintaining historical integrity by reusing materials, when possible, or materials in-
,kind, when reuse is not possible; using existing space rather than building additional space, when feasible;
and being mindful of the overall historic character of a structure in terms of material, size, space, and'
setting. The Standards "are to be applied to specific rehabilitation projects in a reasonable matn:J.er, taking
into consideration economic and technical feasibility." Because there are no guidelines specific to
treatment of historic districts, the guidance for buildings is often extrapolated to the question. Below are
the Standards for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings that apply to this project, and discussion of how they
apply to the Marin County Civic Center.
The existing fire station is not'considered a contributor to the Marin Civic Center District, and evaluation
found that the building does not meet criteria for inclusion in the California Register of Historical
Resources or the National Register of Historic Places as an individual property; therefore, preservation of
the building is not an issue: .
Construction of a new fire station should result from a desiWJ: that adheres to the spirit of the guidelines .
provided below. Standards. are provided in italics, and effects of the proposed project follow in standard
text.
P.O. ~ox 1531, Rohnert P"tk, ("lifomi" 94927 • www.origet.com phone (707) 584-8200
Paul Jensen
Page 3
March 9,2016
Discussion
The proposed' construction of a new fire station as shown in plans by Mary McGrath Architects, dated
1127/2016, will have no adverse effect on the Marin Civi,c Center National Register District. The
proposed design is compatible with the architectUre of the district No historic material will be removed;
and if at some future point the builqmg is removed, the existing district will remain intact, and will still
convey its historical ,importance.
Sincerely,
, Jamne M. Origer
Senior Associate