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Home My WebLink AboutDRB 2022-05-17 Minutes Design Review Board Regular Meeting Tuesday, May 17, 2022, 7:00 P.M. AGENDA Virtual Meeting Watch on Webinar: https://tinyurl.com/drb-2022-05-17 Telephone: 1 (669) 900 6833 Meeting ID: 880 1015 0251# One Tap Mobile: US: + 16699006833,,88010150251# CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) ADVISORY NOTICE In response to Assembly Bill 361, the City of San Rafael is offering teleconference without complying with the procedural requirements of Government Code section 54953(b)(3). This meeting will be held virtually using Zoom. How to participate in the meeting: • Submit public comments in writing. Correspondence received by 10:00 p.m. Tuesday the week before the meeting will be provided with the agenda materials provided to the Board. Correspondence received after this deadline will be conveyed to the Board as a supplement. Send correspondence to the project planner or to PlanningPublicComment@cityofsanrafael.org; or send in writing to Planning Division, CDD; 1400 5th Ave. 3rd Fl.; San Rafael, CA 94901. • Join the Zoom webinar and use the 'raise hand' feature to provide verbal public comment. • Dial-in to Zoom's telephone number using the meeting ID and provide verbal public comment. Any member of the public who needs accommodations should contact the City Clerk (email city.clerk@cityofsanrafael.org or phone at 415-485-3066) who will use their best efforts to provide reasonable accommodations to provide as much accessibility as possible while also maintaining public safety in accordance with the City procedure for resolving reasonable accommodation requests. CALL TO ORDER Chair Rege called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Chair Rege then invited Staff & Senior Planner Jeff Ballantine to call roll. RECORDING OF MEMBERS PRESENT AND ABSENT Present: Chair Sarah Rege Vice Chair Sharon Kovalsky Board Member Jeff Kent Board Member Larry Paul Absent: Board Member Stewart Summers Also Present: Jeff Ballantine, Staff, Senior Planner & DRB Secretary Tricia Stevens, Contract Planner PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF MEETING PROCEDURES Chair Rege invited Staff & Senior Planner, Jeff Ballantine, who informed the public that members of the public can provide public comment by telephone and via zoom and the raise hand feature. Written comments submitted prior to the meeting time would be read aloud into the record during the public comment portion of each item. Chair Rege reviewed the procedures for the meeting. URGENT ORAL/EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC Chair Rege called for any comments from the public on items NOT on the agenda. There were no public comments. CONSENT CALENDAR Chair Rege invited public comment on the Consent Calendar. There was no comment on the Consent Calendar. 1. Approval of the Design Review Board Meeting Minutes of March 22, 2022 Member Kent moved and Member Paul seconded to approve the Minutes as submitted. AYES: Members: Chair Rege, Vice Chair Kovalsky, Kent, & Paul NOES: Members: None ABSENT: Members: Summers ABSTAIN: Members: None Motion carried 4-0 Yes. ACTION CALENDAR Chair Rege introduced the Action Calendar and invited staff to present the Staff Report. 2. Northgate Town Square Project. Requests for a Rezone to the Planned Development (PD) zone, a Use Permit, an Environmental and Design Review Permit, and a Tentative Map to allow the comprehensive redevelopment of the existing mall at 5800 Northgate Drive into a new, phased mixed-use development with approximately 225,000 square feet of retail and 1,441 residential units on a 44.76-acre site. APNs: 175-060-12, -40, - 59, -61, -66 & -67; General Commercial (GC) District; MeloneGeier Partners, owner/applicant; PLAN21-039, ZC21-001, UP21-007, ED21-024, TS21-002, IS21-002 & DA21-001 Project Planner: Tricia Stevens, Contract Planner tricia.stevens@cityofsanrafael.org Tricia Stevens, Contract Planner, presented the Staff Report on the project. Applicant Team gave a presentation on the project. Applicant Team and Staff responded to questions from the Board Members. Chair Rege asked for public comments. Public Comment received about traffic, building heights, residential density, amount of open space, affordable housing need, sustainable design, water conservation measures, impacts to local school capacity, and pedestrian and bicycle circulation. Board Members provided comments. Member Paul moved, Vice Chair Kovalsky seconded recommendation that the applicant address the following comments and return to the Design Review Board for consideration. 1. Massing: a. Seven-story apartment buildings appear out of scale for the site and the project is too dense in the south/middle portion of the site. Concern about pedestrian scale and a canyon effect. Consider spreading out density over the entire site (particularly to the north) and providing building stepbacks for upper floors. b. Existing parking garage could be better utilized. Consider densifying this area with residential development or a taller parking garage. 2. Town Square: a. Consider replacing the parking area to the west of the Town Square with open space or other active use. b. Relocate the dog park to more of a periphery location to minimize noise impacts of the dogs. c. Town Square should be more of a functional active park with amenities for all ages, including a tot lot, a playground for older children, and restroom facilities. 3. Architecture: a. Architecture is not cohesive throughout the project. DRB questions the use of red brick. b. Affordable housing design is not of similar quality as other residential uses with regards to setbacks in façade, variations in roof height, and overall quality of design and materials. Also, consider providing balconies since at grade open space is not provided. c. Need more information and detail on rooftop activities. 4. Circulation: a. Consider providing multi-modal paths around the entire site and stronger pedestrian pathways throughout the site. b. Consider providing a transit hub within the site 5. Additional Submittal Materials a. Applicant to prepare lighting plans for DRB consideration. b. Applicant to prepare fencing plans for DRB consideration. Board Members discussed motion. AYES: Members: Chair Rege, Vice Chair Kovalsky, Kent, & Paul NOES: Members: None ABSENT: Members: Summers ABSTAIN: Members: None Motion carried 4-0 Yes. INFORMATIONAL ITEM 3. Streamlined Review for Certain Residential Projects. Senior Planner, Jeff Ballantine, provided a summary of the recently adopted Streamlined Review process for residential development projects with three to ten units. DIRECTOR’S REPORT Staff did not provide any updates. BOARD COMMUNICATION Member Paul requested a status update on the 24 hour fitness project ADJOURNMENT Chair Rege adjourned the meeting at 10:47 p.m. _________________________________ JEFF BALLANTINE, Senior Planner APPROVED THIS _____DAY OF____________, 2022 _____________________________________ SARAH REGE, DRB Chair