HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Design Review Board 2019 VacancyAgenda Item No: 4.c
Meeting Date: March 18, 2019
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Department: City Clerk
Prepared by: Lindsay Lara, City Clerk City Manager Approval: ______________
TOPIC: Design Review Board Vacancy
SUBJECT: CALL FOR APPLICATIONS TO FILL ONE FOUR-YEAR TERM TO THE
END OF MAY 2023 ON THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD DUE TO THE
EXPIRATION OF TERM OF STEWART SUMMERS
RECOMMENDATION:
1.Call for applications to fill one four-year term to the end of May 2023 on the Design
Review Board; and
2.Set deadline for receipt of applications for Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. at
City Hall in the City Clerk’s Office, Room 209.
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
Ordinance 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 landscaping. Meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of
each month at 7:00 p.m. in the San Rafael Council Chambers, 1400 Fifth Avenue, San
Rafael, CA 94901.
ANALYSIS:
The term of Stewart Summers is set to expire on May 31, 2019. The board is composed
of 5 San Rafael residents and qualified design professionals who are appointed by the
City Council to four-year terms. The DRB also includes an alternate member. The
alternate member only becomes a voting member at meetings where one or more regular
____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting: 03/18/2019
Disposition: Approved staff recommendation
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
Board members are absent. In addition to the 5 council-appointed board members and 1
alternate member, one Planning Commissioner attends DRB meetings and serves as a
liaison. The Planning Commission liaison is present at all DRB meeti ngs to offer advice
and direction to the Board on matters of Planning Commission concern and also to report
back to the Planning Commission on the discussion at the DRB meeting if that item
appears before the Commission.
By approving this item, staff will be able to release a Call for Applications for eligible and
interested community members to apply. Once applications are received and reviewed,
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 candidates to the DRB.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the following:
1. Call for applications to fill one four-year term to the end of May 2023 on the Design
Review Board; and
2. Set deadline for receipt of applications for Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. at
City Hall in the City Clerk’s Office, Room 209
ATTACHMENT:
1. Application Materials
One Vacancy
Design Review Board
APPLICATIONS to serve on the Design Review Board, City of San Rafael, to fill one
four-year term to the end of May 2023, may be obtained at the City Clerk’s Office,
City Hall, 1400 Fifth Avenue, Room 209, San Rafael and on the website at:
https://www.cityofsanrafael.org/boards-commissions/. The deadline for filing
applications is Tuesday, April 9, 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: March 19, 2019
CITY OF SAN RAFAEL
APPLICATION TO SERVE AS MEMBER OF CAC
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 OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST: _______________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
DATE: _________________________ SIGNATURE: ______________________________________
Filing Deadline : Mail or deliver to:
Date: Tuesday, April 9, 2019 City of San Rafael, City Hall, Dept. of City Clerk
Time: 5:00 p.m. 1400 Fifth Avenue, Room 209, San Rafael, CA 94901
* This information will be 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 Board 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 d esigners;
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 meeti ng; 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 majority of those pr esent 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, or an on-line class.
You may seek reimbursement for taking any authorized ethics class. The city staff member that
is assigned to your committee can help you with the reimbursement process.
After you have completed the ethics class, the original certificate needs to be given to the City
Manager’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
body at its next meeting.