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Home My WebLink AboutDRB 2017-01-18 #36 Community Development Department SAN F L MEMORANDUM THE CITY WITH A MISSION DATE: January 12, 2017 TO: Chair Kent and Design Review Board Members FROM: Steve Stafford, Interim Senior Planner SUBJECT: [ED12-060; UP12-029; LLA12-003] Review of Final Details - Outdoor Community Space Amenities 2nd and B Streets Housing Development Project 815 B St. (Formerly 609 B St., and 1212 and 1214 2"d St.) APNS: 011-256-12, -14, -15 and -32 Background and Description On August 5, 2014, the Design Review Board (Board) recommended approval of the proposed site and building design for the 815 B St. project, subject to the following: ® Eliminate the support column underneath the ground -floor canopy project at the corner of B and 2nd Street; ® Eliminate all upper -floor encroachments (i.e., bay windows, balconies, and eaves) over the sidewalk Right -of -Way (ROW) while maintain the articulating projections by having the entire exterior wall plane setback a minimum of 2' from the property line; ® Extend the frieze detailing, located above the 3rd floors and below the parapet eave, to wrap-around both the 2nd and B Street frontages. The design of the frieze element should be less wide though expressive in detail; ® Provide a cornice cap on the parapet above the 3 d and 4th floors; and Details on the site landscaping and amenities for the outdoor community spaces or "Terrace Deck" areas, located on the 2nd and 4th floors, shall return for final review by the Board. On May 10, 2016, the Planning Commission conditionally approved the 41 -unit, mixed-use project (Environmental and Design Review Permit No. ED12-060, Use Permit No. UP12-0290 and a Lot Line Adjustment No. LLA12-003), subject to the following: ® Final review of building fagade projections which encroach over the sidewalk ROW by the Planning Commission, as required by Mitigation Measure Aesthetics AES -1 of the adopted EIR for the project; a The environmental sustainability features of the project shall be better identified and illustrated; and ® The final recipient of the one-time $25,000 charitable contribution offer, made by the applicant as part of their public benefit package, shall be reviewed and approved. On August 2, 2016, the approved project returned to the Board for final review of landscaping and outdoor amenity details. At that meeting, the Board provided the following recommendations: ® Provide "more meaningful" outdoor amenities, such as BBQs, kitchens or wet bars, for both the outdoor community spaces on the 2nd and 4th floors; Corrin,unity Development Department SAN RAFAEL MEMORANDUM THE CITY WITH A MISSION ® Supports the movable patio furniture in both the 2nd and 4t" floor outdoor community spaces; ® Supports the landscape plant palette; ® Replace the faux plantings in the landscape pots in both outdoor common areas with live plantings; Explore the feasibility of adding a new raised landscape planter adjacent to the 4t" floor outdoor community space, similar to the 2nd floor outdoor community space; and ® Provide elevations when the project returns for re -review to confirm the Boards prior recommendations have been incorporated into the final building design. On December 13, 2016, the approved project returned to the Planning Commission for final review of building fagade projections which encroach over the sidewalk, as required by Mitigation Measure Aesthetics AES -1 of the adopted EIR for the project. At that meeting, the Planning Commission supported (4-3 vote) the fagade changes to comply with the mitigation measure and reduce the project's impacts on the `historic context' of the immediate vicinity to a less -than -significant level, and also direct the public benefit donation offer to the Marin History Museum. Discussion Terrace Deck Amenities The project has been approved with two (2) "Terrace Deck" areas, located on the 2nd and 4t" floors, totaling 2,265 sq. ft. of common `community' space: 888 sq. ft. ""Terrace Deck" area located on the 2nd floor/podium-level, along the northern interior property boundary, adjacent to one of the two infiltration raised landscape planters; and A 1,377 sq. ft. ""Terrace Deck" area located on the 4rd floor level roof deck along the B Street frontage. The project proposes to surface the 2nd floor "Deck Terrace" with concrete paving with sandblasted finish and color to match the color palette approved with the project. Moveable, steel and teak wood furniture (48" -diameter circular table/umbrella/chair sets and 48" -long benches) are again proposed, though no other "more meaningful" amenities are proposed, such as such a BBQ, kitchen or wet bar. The project proposes to surface the 4t" floor "Terrace Deck" with sustainable-wood/Teak-like floor planks with moveable, steel and teak wood furniture (same 48" -diameter circular table/umbrella/chair sets and 48" -long benches). The 4t" floor "Terrace Deck" additional proposes an "Outdoor Serving Counter" with a stainless-steel sink and faucet, under -counter refrigerator, under -cabinet storage and "stubbed for gas line connection". The 2nd floor "Terrace Deck" is located immediately adjacent to 1,195 sq. ft. landscape biofiltration planter and does not propose additional plantings in landscape pots. In the absence of a similar biofiltration planter, the 4t" floor "Terrace Deck" proposes individual plantings in landscape pots along the perimeter of the outdoor community space. These individual plantings are proposed to be evergreen perennial plantings (Lomandra longifolia I\lyalla Mat Rush in 1- Community Development Department ® SAN RAFAEL MEMORANDUM THE CITY WITH A MISSION gallon container size) in 24" -square GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete) landscape planters. Facade Changes At their August 2, 2016 review of the final landscaping and outdoor amenity details, the Board also requested to review the building elevation to confirm that their previously recommended fagade changes had been adequately incorporated in the building design. The most recent approved elevations for the project are included for the Board's review. The frieze detailing, located above the 3rd floors and below the parapet eave, has been extended to wrap-around both the 2nd and B Street frontages. Additionally, a cornice cap is now provided on the parapet above the 3`d and 4th floors. The support column underneath the ground -floor canopy at the corner of 2nd and B Street has not been eliminated from the final building design, as recommended by the Board. Also, all upper -floor encroachments (i.e., bay windows, private decks, and eaves) over the sidewalk ROW have not been eliminated. Instead, these building projections have been increased to encroach further over the sidewalk ROW. The basis for the Board's original comment on the building projections was due to the general lack of support by the Public Works Department for any private building projections encroaching over the sidewalk ROW. Since the Board's August 5, 2014 recommended approval of the project, the Public Works Department now supports allowing building projections to encroach over the sidewalk ROW with a revocable licensing agreement or an alternative process acceptable to the Public Works Department. In addition, on December 13, 2016, the approved project returned to the Planning Commission for final review changes to the building fagade, as required by Mitigation Measure Aesthetics AES -1 of the adopted EIR for the project. These facade changes were required to reduce the project's impacts on the 'historic context' of the immediate vicinity to a !ess-than-significant level. They included both extensive building projections over the sidewalk ROW (i.e., upper -floor bay windows, private decks and eaves; ground -floor canopies) and a new entrance to the ground -floor commercial space at the corner of 2nd and B Street with a decorative support column underneath the ground -floor canopy. They were proposed by the applicant after review and support by Planning staff and consultation with the City's architectural historian for the project (Diana Painter of Painter Preservation & Planning). The Planning Commission ultimately supported (4-3 vote) the facade changes to comply with the mitigation measure and reduce the project's impacts on the `historic context' of the immediate vicinity to a less -than -significant level. It's important to note that the split vote by the Planning Commission was the reflective of a difference in opinion on who should be the most appropriate recipient of the one-time $25,000 public benefit donation offer by the applicant and not whether the proposed fagade changes were appropriate. Staff Comments After close review of the video from the August 2, 2016 Board meeting, Planning staff believes the Board clearly intended that their recommendation for "more meaningful" outdoor amenities, should apply to both the 2nd and 4th floor "Terrace Deck" areas and not just on the 4th floor "Terrace Deck". After reviewing the prior meeting again, staff also believes it was the Board's recommendation that these "Outdoor Serving Counter" on both the 2nd and 4th floor "Terrace Decks" include the installation of a gas grill or BBQ. The Board hoped these well-equipped outdoor kitchens would discourage individual units from having propane -gas grills or BBQs on their private decks. Staff recommends the Board continue to require an "Outdoor Serving Counter" for the 2nd floor "Terrace Deck" area, similar to what is proposed for the 4th floor Community Development Department SAN RAFAEL MEMORANDUM THE CITY WITH A MISSION "Terrace Deck" area, and these common outdoor amenities include the installation of a grill or BBC. The City's Fire Prevention Bureau has reviewed these most recent details on the "Outdoor Serving Counter" amenity and approves the gas line connection rather than a propane tank gas delivery system. . Planning staff requests the Board's review of the proposed new container plantings along the perimeter of the 4th floor "Terrace Deck". The proposed use of Lomandra longifolia Nyalla Mat Rush for the landscape pots was not included in the plant palette that the Board supported at their August 2, 2016 review of the final project details. Lomandra longifolia Nyalla Mat Rush is a new plant species to the approved planting palette for the project. The applicant submitted a cover letter with the most recent project details indicating they studied the possibility of providing an expansive landscape planter adjacent to the 4th floor "Terrace Deck", similar to that which,is proposed on the 2nd floor, and determined it would present an unacceptable risk to water proofing or water intrusion issues to the residential units below. Many of the fapade changes recommended by the Board have been incorporated into the final design, while others have not. This is not at the insistence of the applicant but, rather, due to the requirements of Mitigation Measure AES -1 of the adopted EIR on the project and approved by the Planning Commission. Enc,- Select Revised Landscape Plan Sheets with Outdoor Amenity Details and Elevations