HomeMy WebLinkAboutDRB 2019-01-08 #3r
►1, Meeting Date: January 8, 2019
SAN RAFAE L
Case Numbers: CDR18-007
'"p, THE CITY WITH A MISSION Project Planner: Ali Giudice- 415-485-3092
Alan Montes- 415-485-3397
- -- -Community-Development-Department--Planning--- Agenda Item:
Division
REPORT TO DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
SUBJECT: 1075 Francisco Blvd E. (Home2 Suites and Hampton Inn & Suites) — Conceptual Design
Review for five -story hotel with ancillary site improvements, including landscaping and
parking; APN: 009-191-02, -03, -04, -09 and -10; General Commercial (GC) District; Stephen
Allen, Applicant; Amish Patel, Owner; Canal Neighborhood.
PROPERTY FACTS
Location
General Plan Designation
Zoning Designation
Existing Land -Use
Project Site:
General Commercial
GC
Vacant
North:
Light Industrial/Office
LI/O
Engineering Office
South:
General Commercial &
Light GC & LI/O
Office/Retail & Warehousing
Required:
Industrial/Office
Proposed:
248
East:
Light Industrial/Office
LI/O
Film/Production Studio
West:
N/A
N/A
Interstate -580
Lot Size
Required:
6,000 sf
Proposed:
=150,372 sf (Combined Parcels)
Height
n/a
Allowed:
4 Stories, 54' height limit (Height bonus
n/a
allowed with Design Review)
Proposed:
5 Stories, 54'
Parking
North:
Required:
194 parking spaces for the hotel
Proposed:
248
Landscape Area
Required: 15%
Proposed: 10.7%
Lot Coverage (Max.)
Standard: Not Required
Proposed: 27,729 sf or 18%
Gross Building/Floor Area
Allowed: Not Required
Proposed: 107,487 sf
Setbacks
Required
Proposed**
Front:
n/a
0'
Side(s):
n/a
South:
n/a
+45'
North:
n/a
+200'
Bldg. sep:
n/a
n/a
Rear:
n/a
40'
Tree Removal
Total(No./Species): 0
Requirement: 0
Proposed: 134 (18 Alamo Cottonwoods, 28 Brisbane
Boxes, 17 Lombardy Poplars, 7 Bloodgood
London Plane Trees, 6 Magyar Gingko, 6
Golden Rain Trees, 52 Arroyo Willows)
* Standard building height is measured from an established exterior finished grade elevation to mid -point of a sloped roof. A
height bonus can be approved for hotel projects. Such a bonus would allow an additional story and/or an additional height of 12
feet
Note: Full size sets have been provided for convenience. Use 11x17 sets for scaling.
SUMMARY
The proposed project is being referred to the Design Review Board (Board) for review of Conceptual
Design Review for site and design improvements for a 5 -story, 54 -foot high hotel project consisting of
- -- 184 -rooms -and -194 -parking -spaces and -associated -landscape -improvements. -The-size-of-the-hotel - - - -
would be 107,487 square -foot including guest rooms, pool and public spaces, reception and storage.
With the Board's recommendation, the applicant will be able to submit a formal application for
Environmental and Design Review, which will come back to the Board for a formal recommendation to
be forwarded to the Planning Commission for final decision on the application. Staff request the Board's
comments on the following specific concerns:
Site Plan -Whether the proposed site plan demonstrates efficient use of the site and appropriate
placement of the building; whether the structure should be oriented along the street edge to create
a spatial enclosure in relation to the street; whether the project provides an appropriate sense of
pedestrian and vehicular entry to the site and pedestrian entry to the building; whether there is
opportunity for redesign of the site plan to locate parking along the rear of the building, to reduce its
visibility from the street.
Architecture - Whether the contemporary design is appropriate for this location; whether additional
articulation or design elements would be appropriate to comply with the City's non-residential
design guidelines; whether the architecture provides appropriate human scale and whether the
additional story appropriately contributes to the design of the building within the established
neighborhood; whether the glass staircase facing highway 101 is appropriate given its potential for
reflectivity
• Materials and Colors - Whether the colors and materials are appropriate.
• Landscaping - Whether the proposed plant species are appropriate and provide adequate tree
canopy for this site.
• San Rafael Design Guidelines — Whether the project adequately meets the San Rafael Design
Guidelines.
BACKGROUND
Site Description & Setting:
The project site is a 3.45 -acre parcel located at 1075 East Francisco Boulevard south of Bellam
Boulevard at the intersection of Castro Avenue. The property is a vacant, relatively level lot with no
existing trees. A canal drainage easement along the southeastern boundary of the property traverses
from East Francisco Boulevard to Kerner Boulevard. The property is surrounded to the north, south,
and east by existing commercial and light industrial office uses, to the west by Interstate 580, and the
canal drainage easement along the southeastern property line boundary.
History:
The project site was formerly developed as a 20,300 sq. ft. automotive dealership that was demolished
in 2005. Since that time use permit and design review approvals were issued to allow the construction
and operation of a motor vehicle sales and service facility. However, these entitlements have since
expired. A more detailed history of the site is as follows:
May 10, 1966: The Planning Commission approved a subdivision application (S6613), which
consolidated the five parcels, and the recordation of the survey on June 15, 1966 resulted in the final
consolidation. At the same hearing, the Commission approved a use permit to allow vehicle sales and
service for both new and used vehicles.
October 11, 1966: The Planning Commission provided Architectural Approval (AA6680) to allow a two-
story structure with 3,141 sq. ft. for sales and office use, 6,494 sq. ft. for parts use, 8,510 sq. ft. for service
- use,, and -177 -parking-spaces.---
1973: The Planning Commission approved a Use Permit (UP73-13) to establish an auto body repair
service use and an Environmental and Design Review permit to allow a 243 sq. ft. temporary structure
for additional office space.
1995: Staff approved an Environmental and Design Review Permit (ED95-73) to allow the re -pavement
of the existing parking lot and the installation of new light fixtures.
2001: Staff approved an Environmental and Design Review application, which revised the fascia at the
showroom, demolished the 243 sq. ft. temporary structure that was approved in 1973 and allowed the
construction of a new 477 sq. ft. attached structure for additional office use.
May 6, 2003: The Zoning Administrator approved a Use Permit (UP02-78) and Environmental Design
Review Permit (ED02-153) for exterior modifications to the front fascia of the existing sales showroom
and re -landscaping of the East Francisco Boulevard frontage and operation of an auto dealership use.
June 16, 2005: A building permit (B0506-075) was issued to demolish the 20,300 sq. ft. Marin Dodge
Dealership and to remove the landscaping and surface parking.
December 12, 2006: A Use Permit and an Environmental and Design Review Permit were approved to
allow construction and operation of a motor vehicle sales and service facility.
April 8, 2009: A time extension was granted for the motor. vehicle sales and service facility.
April 14, 2011: A time extension was requested for the motor vehicle sales and service facility. However,
on February 2, 2012, the time extension application was withdrawn, and the entitlements expired.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The proposed project is being referred to the Design Review Board (Board) for review of Conceptual
Design Review for site and design improvements for a 5 -story, 54 -foot high hotel project consisting of
184 rooms and 194 parking spaces and associated landscape improvements. The following provides a
more detailed description of the project:
Use: The project consists of a 107,487 square -foot hotel building which includes guest rooms, pool
and public spaces, reception and storage. A separate parcel would be developed as a parking lot for a
yet to be determined use.
Site Plan: The site is a vacant property with not existing landscaping. Access to the site would be via
two separate driveways accessing onto E. Francisco Boulevard. A separate access point for a
northerly parcel would be from Castro Avenue. The plans propose new landscaping around the
perimeter of the site and building. The structure itself is proposed along the southern portion of the site
and is perpendicular to the street and freeway. The applicant proposes 194 parking spaces. An
adjacent parcel to the northeast would be developed with additional parking for a currently undefined
use. Total parking including both sites would be approximately 248 parking spaces.
Architecture: The structure is of a contemporary architectural style, comprised primarily of aluminum,
wood panels, and white plaster. The primary architectural features are the glass staircases, along the
west elevation, and the structure stepping in and out while changing materials.
Landscaping: The project proposes a significant amount of landscaping, primarily around the
perimeter of the site, the perimeter of the building, and the parking lot. The landscaping is composed of
16,175 sq. ft of landscaping (10.7%), whereas the code requires 15% of the site to be landscaped. The
landscaping is made up of a variety of trees (18 Alamo Cottonwoods, 28 Brisbane Boxes, 17 Lombardy
- - --Poplars, 7-Bloodgood-London- Plane Trees-, 6 -Magyar -Gingko, 6 -Golden -Rain -Trees, -52 -Arroyo- - - ---- --
Willows), shrubs (Green Smoke trees, and Little 011ie Dwarf Olives), perennials (Tawhiwhis and Green
Smoke Trees), and grasses (Deer Grass and Feather Reed Grass). The northern section of the parking
lot does not comply with the landscaping requirement, as there's no finger island planters in the parking
lot.
Lighting: A lighting plan has not been submitted as part of this review.
Grading/Drainage: Grading and drainage plans have not been submitted as part of this review.
ANALYSIS
General Plan 2020 Consistency:
The property is located within the General Commercial (GC) Land Use Designation. The following
General Plan policies are relevant to the project's design and site planning:
• Land Use Policy LU -20 (Hotels, Motels and Inns) establishes that hotel uses are appropriate,
with a use permit, in most commercial, multifamily and industrial zoning districts and may qualify
for a height bonus if the City finds that the hotel will be a significant community benefit and that
the design is acceptable and consistent with City design policies and guidelines.
• Land Use Policy LU -12 (Building Heights) and LU -13 (Height Bonuses) establishes a maximum
height of 54 -foot height for hotels and establishes that hotel/motel uses may be eligible for an
additional 12 -foot height bonus.
Zoning Ordinance Consistency:
The following development and performance standards are applicable to the project. As noted in the
development summary table, the project proposes to comply with the GC district development
standards except in those case specifically noted below:
Height
Hotels have a four (4) story 54 -foot height limit. A one-story 12 -foot height bonus may be approved as
part of a design review permit by the Planning Commission if it finds that the hotel will provide a
significant community benefit, and the design is consistent with this title. The project currently complies
with the height limit but does not comply with the story restriction, as it is requesting a hotel with five (5)
stories.
Landscaping
The project is required to provide a minimum landscaped are of 15% (22,555.8 square feet) of the lot,
but currently proposes only 10.7% (16,185 square feet). The project will need to comply with this
requirement for the formal submittal.
Parking
The project proposes to comply with the parking requirement for the hotel use, which requires one (1)
space per sleeping room plus one (1) space for manager plus one (1) space for every two (2)
employees. The project proposes 184 rooms, one (1) manager and eighteen (18) employees. Thus, the
required parking is 194 parking spaces (184 rooms spaces, one (1) manager space, and nine (9)
employee spaces), which the project complies with.
4
It's currently unclear as to the purpose/proposed use of the adjoining lot. However, should it be used for
storage of for sale vehicles, it would be required to provide one (1) employee/customer parking space
for every 2,000 square feet of lot area. More information will be required as part of the formal
application.
San Rafael Design Guidelines:
The San Rafael Design Guidelines serve as a guide for evaluating development. The project is a non-
residential project. The following criteria are applicable to the project:
Parking Lots
• A logical sequence of entry and arrival as part of the site's design should be provided.
• Where possible, design entrances from the street to direct views towards the building
entry.
• Where possible, parking should be located to the rear or side of a building in order to
reduce the visual impact of parking areas.
• Parking should be distributed to provide easy access to building entrances.
• Auto and pedestrian entrances into the development should be easy to find. For example,
special entry treatments, such as colored concrete, special planting and signage should be
located at the entries to the site.
Landscaping:
• Landscaped areas should be planned as integral parts of the development and to create a
strongly landscaped character for the site.
• Trees should be planted in a variety of locations, such as along the side property lines,
clustered in planting areas, or distributed throughout the parking lot, consistent with the zoning
ordinance.
• Pedestrian areas should be made visually attractive with special planting and flowering trees.
Pedestrian Circulation
• Consider pedestrian orientation when designing building entries, windows, signage and doors.
• Include a well-defined pedestrian walkway between the street and building entries.
• Clearly define pedestrian movement through the parking lot. For example, provide changes in
pavement or separate landscaped walkways.
• Special design elements should be included, such as bollards, pots, benches, trash cans,
unique paving, tree grates, tree guards and pedestrian lighting to add visual richness to areas
designed for pedestrian access.
Building Form
• Where appropriate, locate the building, or a substantial portion of the building along the
front yard setback or street edge to create spatial enclosure in relation to the street.
• Consider the pedestrian experience when designing the ground floor of buildings.
• A continuity of design, materials, color, form and architectural details is encouraged for all
portions of a building and between all the buildings on the site.
Entryways
• A defined sense of entry with pedestrian orientation should be provided.
• Building entrances should be defined with architectural elements such as roof form changes,
awnings or other architectural elements.
Materials and Colors
0 Exterior materials should minimize reflectivity.
• Use color to provide appropriate accents on a building.
Staff seeks the Boards guidance regarding the following:
• Site Plan - Whether the proposed site plan demonstrates efficient use of the site and
appropriate placement of the building; whether the structure should be oriented along the street
edge to create a spatial enclosure in relation to the street; whether the project provides an
appropriate sense of pedestrian and vehicular entry to the site and pedestrian entry to the
building; whether there is opportunity for redesign of the site plan to locate parking along the
rear of the building, to reduce its visibility from the street.
Architecture - Whether the contemporary design is appropriate for this location; whether
additional articulation or design elements would be appropriate to comply with the City's non-
residential design guidelines; whether the architecture provides appropriate human scale and
whether the additional story appropriately contributes to the design of the building within the
established neighborhood; whether the glass staircase facing highway 101 is appropriate given
its potential for reflectivity
• Materials and Colors - Whether the colors and materials are appropriate.
• Landscaping - Whether the proposed plant species are appropriate and provide adequate tree
canopy for this site.
• San Rafael Design Guidelines — Whether the project adequately meets the San Rafael Design
Guidelines.
NEIGHBORHOOD CORRESPONDENCE
Notice was sent to property owners and occupants within 300 feet of the site within 15 days of the
Board meeting. Notice was also posted on the site a minimum of 15 days prior to the meeting. No
inquiries have been received as of the preparation of this staff report.
CONCLUSION
As mentioned above, the applicant has submitted a Conceptual Design Review application seeking
input from the Board regarding architectural design approach, site design, and adequacy of the
proposed landscaping. With the Board's recommendation, the applicant will be able to submit formal
applications for Environmental and Design Review, which will come back to the Board for a formal
recommendation to be forwarded to the Planning Commission for final decision on the application.
EXHIBITS
1. Vicinity Map
2. Reduced Project Plans
Full-sized plans have been provided to the DRB members only.
cc: Steve Allen: 1501 Mariposa Street, Suite 328, San Francisco, CA 94107
Marin Hospitality Inc.: 5262 Diamond Heights Blvd. #31364 San Francisco, CA 94131
0
Exhibit 1: Vicinity map