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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDRB 2023-06-06 MinutesDesign Review Board Regular Meeting Tuesday, June 6, 2023 7:00 P.M. MINUTES Participate In-Person: San Rafael City Council Chambers 1400 Fifth Avenue, San Rafael, CA 94901 Or Participate Virtually: Watch on Webinar: https://tinyurl.com/drb-2023 Telephone: 1 (669) 444-9171 Meeting ID: 885 6816 1418 This meeting will be held in-person. The public may attend in-person or participate virtually using Zoom. How to participate in the meeting virtually: · Submit public comment in writing before 4:00 p.m. the day of the meeting to PlanningPublicComment@cityofsanrafael.org · 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 press *9 to raise your hand, and *6 to unmute yourself, then provide verbal public comment. If you experience technical difficulties during the meeting, please contact PlanningPublicComment@cityofsanrafael.org CALL TO ORDER Chair Kovalsky called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Chair Kovalsky then invited Staff & Senior Planner Jeff Ballantine to call roll. RECORDING OF MEMBERS PRESENT AND ABSENT Present: Chair Sharon Kovalsky Vice Chair Jeff Kent Board Member Michael Alexin Board Member Sarah Rege Board Member Stewart Summers Alternate Board Member Donald Blayney Absent: None Also Present: Jeff Ballantine, Staff, Senior Planner & DRB Secretary PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF MEETING PROCEDURES Chair Kovalsky invited Staff & Senior Planner, Jeff Ballantine, to inform the public that members they can provide public comment either in person in the Council Chambers, by telephone or via zoom with 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 Kovalsky reviewed the procedures for the meeting. URGENT ORAL/EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC Chair Kovalsky called for any comments from the public on items NOT on the agenda. There were no public comments. CONSENT CALENDAR Chair Kovalsky 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 April 18, 2023 Member Kent moved and Member Summers seconded to approve the Minutes as submitted. AYES: Members: Alexin, Kent, Kovalsky, Rege, Summers NOES: Members: None ABSENT: Members: None ABSTAIN: Members: None Motion passes. ACTION CALENDAR Chair Kovalsky introduced the Action Calendar and invited staff to present the Staff Report. 2.513 Francisco Blvd. E. – Lexus Dealership Expansion A Request for Zoning Administrator recommendation for an Environmental and Design Review Permit for a proposal to renovate and expand the existing Lexus automobile dealership and repair center from approximately 19,400 square feet to 34,000 square feet. APN 179-221-03; General Commercial Zoning District (GC); Permit # ED23-018, PLAN22-069 Project Planner: Renee Nickenig (renee.nickenig@cityofsanrafael.org) Recommended Action – Review and provide input on items discussed in staff report Assistant Planner, Renee Nickenig, provided a staff presentation on the project. Applicant Team gave a presentation on the project. Applicant Team and Staff responded to questions from the Board Members. Chair Kovalsky asked for public comments. No public comment was provided. Board Members provided comments. Member Alexin moves, Member Summers seconds motion to recommend Planning Commission approval of this Environmental and Design Review Permit with the following recommended conditions of approval: •Identify the existing plants to be removed or retained on the submitted landscape plan. •Consider not planting native species near the front of the property and entrances due to maintenance and plant lifecycle concerns. •Consider additional plantings and/or varying heights and sizes of plantings to create a softer buffer between the property and the public right-of-way. •Consider reducing the lighting intensity to between 3,000 – 4,000 kelvins at all areas of the property. AYES: Members: Alexin, Kent, Kovalsky, Rege, Summers NOES: Members: None ABSENT: Members: None ABSTAIN: Members: None Motion passes. DIRECTOR’S REPORT Jeff Ballantine provided updates regarding the appointment of Senior Planner, Monica Ly, as the new DRB Secretary and the targeting of scheduling the Northgate Town Square project for one of the July DRB meetings.. BOARD COMMUNICATION No Board Communication was provided. ADJOURNMENT Chair Kovalsky adjourned the meeting at 7:45 p.m. _________________________________ JEFF BALLANTINE, Senior Planner