HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Design Review Board Vacancy____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting: 01/22/2019
Disposition: Approved staff recommendation
Agenda Item No: 4.c
Meeting Date: January 22, 2019
TOPIC: DESIGN REVIEW BOARD VACANCY
SUBJECT: CALL FOR APPLICATIONS TO FILL ONE UNEXPIRED FOUR-YEAR TERM
ON THE SAN RAFAEL DESIGN REVIEW BOARD TO THE END OF JUNE
2020, DUE TO RETIREMENT OF TERM OF ROBERT ‘BOB’ HUNTSBERRY
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council approve the following actions:
1.Call for applications to fill one unexpired four-year term on the Design Review Board to
the end of June 2020; and
2.Set deadline for receipt of applications for Wednesday, February 13, 2019 at 5:00 p.m.
in the City Clerk’s Office, Room 209, City Hall.
BACKGROUND:
The Design Review Board (DRB) consists of design professionals appointed by the City Council
to provide advice on new development projects and most exterior changes to existing buildings.
Applications are evaluated based on our General Plan and Zoning Ordi nance design policies
and criteria, with the goal of having new projects harmonize with the natural environment and
surrounding area.
The Board is advisory, with final permit decisions made by the Planning Division staff, the Zoning
Administrator, Planning Commission or City Council, depending on the complexity of the project.
The scope of the DRB authority is to review and make recommendations on design matters such
as architecture, mass, bulk, site planning, site improvements, color, materials, and land scaping.
Design Review Board meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7:00
p.m. at San Rafael City Hall Council Chambers, 1400 Fifth Avenue.
ANALYSIS:
On Saturday, December 22, 2018, Design Review Board member Robert ‘Bob’ Huntsberry
retired from the Board. By approving this item, staff will be able to release a Call for Applications
for interested community members to apply. Once applications are received and review ed, the
City Clerk’s Office will schedule a special City Council meeting where the City Council will
interview candidates and make a selection to appoint a candidate to the Design Review Board.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: City Clerk
Prepared by: Lindsay Lara, City Clerk City Manager Approval: _____________
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approve staff recommendation.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Application Materials
One Vacancy
Design Review Board
Applications to serve on the San Rafael Design Review Board to fill one unexpired four-year
term to the end of June 2020, may be obtained online at
https://www.cityofsanrafael.org/boards-commissions/ and may be completed and submitted
electronically. Hard copies of the application are also available online and in the City Clerk’s
Office.
The deadline for filing applications is Wednesday, February 13, 2019, at 5:00 p.m. in the
City Clerk’s Office.
There is no compensation paid to Board Members. Members must comply with the City’s
ethics training requirement of AB 1234, and reimbursement policy. See attached information.
ONLY RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL MAY APPLY
The Design Review Board regularly meets on the first and third Tuesdays of every month at
7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, City Hall.
The Design Review Board works in an advisory capacity only to the Planning Commission,
and reviews and makes recommendations on major development projects within the City of
San Rafael.
Interviews of applicants to be scheduled on a date to be determined.
An excerpt from the San Rafael Municipal Code re: Design Review Board membership,
terms of Board Members, powers and duties, etc., is also attached.
NOTE: All Design Review Board members are required to file Fair Political Practices
Commission Conflict of Interest Statements, which are open to public review.
[Resolution 12129]
_____________________________
Lindsay Lara
City Clerk
City of San Rafael
Dated: January 23, 2019
CITY OF SAN RAFAEL APPLICATION TO SERVE AS MEMBER OF
Design Review Board
(Limited to Three Consecutive Four-Year Terms)
NAME: ______________________________________________________________________
STREET ADDRESS: ______________________________________________________________________
CITY/STATE/ZIP CODE: ______________________________________________________________________
RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL FOR _________________________ YEARS
PRESENT POSITION: _______________________________________________________________________________
NAME OF FIRM: ___________________________________________________________________________________
BUSINESS ADDRESS: ______________________________________________________________________________
*HOME & BUSINESS PHONE: ________________________________________________________________________
*E-MAIL ADDRESS: _________________________________________________________________________________
EDUCATION: ______________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
PARTICIPATION IN THE FOLLOWING CIVIC ACTIVITIES: __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
MEMBER OF FOLLOWING CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS: ______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
MY REASONS FOR WANTING TO SERVE ARE: _________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
DESCRIBE POSSIBLE AREAS IN WHICH YOU MAY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH THE CITY: ___________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
DATE: _________________________ SIGNATURE: ______________________________________
Filing Deadline: Mail or deliver to: City of San Rafael, Dept. of City Clerk
Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2019 City Hall, 1400 Fifth Avenue, Room 209
Time: 5:00 p.m. P.O. Box 151560, San Rafael, CA 94915
*Information kept confidential, to the extent permitted by law.
14.25.070 Design Review Board.
A. Purpose and Authority. The Design Review Board shall serve as an advisory body to the city for the
purpose of reviewing and formulating recommendations on all major physical improvements requiring
environmental and design review permits and on other design matters, including minor physical
improvements, referred to the Board by the Planning Director, Planning Commission, or City Council.
B. Membership of the Design Review Board. The Design Review B oard shall consist of a total of five (5)
regular members and may include one alternate member appointed by the City Council. The Design
Review Board members shall be qualified as follows:
1. At least two (2) members shall be licensed architects or licensed building designers;
2. At least one member shall be a licensed landscape architect;
3. At least one of the five (5) members shall have background or experience in urban design;
4. The alternate member may have qualifications in any of the above fields of expertise;
5. All board members shall reside in the City of San Rafael; and
6. In addition to the five (5) council-appointed Board members and one alternate member, one
planning commissioner shall attend Board meetings. This liaison planning commissioner shall be
appointed by the commission chairperson. An additional commissioner shall be appointed to
serve as an “alternate liaison” in case of absence. The planning commission liaison should be
present at all Design Review Board meetings to offer advice and direction to the Board on
matters of commission concern.
C. Alternate Member. The alternate member may temporarily fill a vacancy created when a regular
member: (1) leaves office prior to completion of the member’s term; (2) cannot attend a meeting; or
(3) cannot participate on a particular matter due to a conflict of interest.
D. Term of Office. The term of office for each Design Review Board member shall be four (4) years.
Of the members of the Board first appointed, one shall be appointed for the term of one year; one for the
term of two (2) years; one for the term of three (3) years; and two (2) for the term of four (4) years. The
term of office for the alternate board member shall be four (4) years concurrent with the term of the
chairperson.
E. Removal or Vacancy of Membership. Any member of the Board or the alternate member can be
removed at any time by a majority vote by the City Council. A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner
as the original appointment. The person appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the
unexpired term.
F. Meetings. At least one regular Design Review Board meeting shall be held each month on a date
selected by the Board, unless there is no business to conduct.
G. Quorum. Three (3) of the members of the Board, either regular members or two (2) regular members
and the alternate board member, shall be required to constitute a quorum for the transaction of the
business of the Board and the affirmation vote of a major ity of those present is required to take any
action.
H. Compensation of the Design Review Board. All members of the Board shall serve as such without
compensation.
I. The Design Review Board may adopt, and amend as necessary, Rules of Order to ensure efficient and
responsive Board meetings. (Ord. 1838 § 53, 2005: Ord. 1794 § 2, 2003: Ord. 1625 § 1 (part), 1992).
NOTICE TO BOARD & COMMISSION APPLICANTS
REGARDING ETHICS TRAINING
On January 1, 2006, a new law became effective that requires two (2) hours of ethics training of the local
legislative bodies by January 1, 2007. This new law defines a local legislative body as a “Brown Act”
governing body, whether permanent or temporary, decision-making or advisory, and created by formal
action of the City Council. In other words, any person serving on a City Council, Board, Commission, or
Committee created by the Council is subject to this ethics training requirement. After this initial class,
training will be required every two years.
Ethics training can be accomplished by taking a 2-hour class, self-study. Online training is available at on
line at http://www.fppc.ca.gov/index.php?id=477 and is free of charge.
After you have completed the ethics class, the original certificate needs to be given to the City Clerk’s
Office for record-keeping, with a copy kept for your records.
AB 1234 (Salinas). Local Agencies: Compensation and Ethics
Chapter 700, Statutes of 2005
This law does the following:
• Ethics Training: Members of the Brown Act-covered decision-making bodies must take two hours of
ethics training every two years, if they receive compensation or are reimbursed expenses. The
training can be in-person, on-line, or self-study.
For those in office on 1/1/06, the first round of training must be completed by 1/1/07.
• Expense Reimbursement -- Levels: Local agencies which reimburse expenses of members of their
legislative bodies must adopt written expense reimbursement policies specifying the circumstances
under which expenses may be reimbursed. The policy may specify rates for meals, lodging, travel,
and other expenses (or default to the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) guidelines). Local agency
officials must also take advantage of conference and government rates for transportation and lodging.
• Expense Reimbursement -- Processes: Local agencies, which reimburse expenses, must also
provide expense reporting forms; when submitted, such forms must document how the expense
reporting meets the requirements of the agency’s expense reimbursement policy. Officials attending
meetings at agency expense must report briefly back to the legislative