HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008/05/20 - Agenda Packet ACTION AGENDA
DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING
TUESDAY MAY 20, 2008 7:00 P.M.
RANCHPCUCAMONGA CIVIC CENTER
RAINS ROOM
10500 CIVIC CENTER DRIVE
RANCHO CUCAMONGA
Committee Members: Lou Munoz Pam Stewart Corky Nicholson
Alternates: Richard Fletcher Frances Howdyshell Ray Wimberly
CONSENT CALENDAR
NO ITEMS SUBMITTED
PROJECT REVIEW ITEMS
7:00 p.m.
(Donald/Mark) ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP SUBTPM16211 -
GRACE WANG - A residential subdivision of 3 parcels for residential purposes on
1.05 acre of land in the Low Residential District (2-4 dwelling units per acre), located at
the northeast corner of Ivy Lane and Palo Alto Street - APN: 1077-071-07. Related
Files: Development Review DRC2003-01167, Tree Removal Permit DRC2003-00678,
and Preliminary Review DRC2003-00679. Staff has prepared a Mitigated Negative
Declaration of environmental impacts for consideration.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW DRC2003-01167 -
GRACE WANG - The design review of building elevations and detailed site plan for
3 single-family lots on 1.05 acre of land in the Low Residential District (2-4 dwelling units
per acre), located at the northeast corner of Ivy Lane and Palo Alto Street -
APN: 1077-071-07. Related Files: Tentative Parcel Map SUBTPM16211, Tree
Removal Permit DRC2003-00678, and Preliminary Review DRC2003-00679. Staff has
prepared a Mitigated Negative Declaration of environmental impacts for consideration.
7:20 p.m.
(Mike S./Willie) ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW DRC2007-00497 -
HMC ARCHITECTS: A proposal to construct a demonstration building comprised of
offices and display/exhibition areas at the Cucamonga Valley Water District facilities
located in the Industrial Park (IP) District, Subarea 17, at 10440 Ashford Street;
APN: 1077-401-47. The Planning Department Staff has determined that the project is
categorically exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) and the City's CEQA Guidelines. The project qualifies as a Class 32 exemption
under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15332 In-Fill Development Project.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were no public comments.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
DESIGN REVIEW COMMENTS
7:00 p.m. Donald Granger May 20, 2008
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP SUBTPM16211 - GRACE WANG -
A residential subdivision of 3 parcels for residential purposes on 1.05 acre of land in the Low Residential
District (2-4 dwelling units per acre), located at the northeast corner of Ivy Lane and Palo Alto Street -
APN: 1077-071-07. Related Files: Development Review DRC2003-01167, Tree Removal Permit
DRC2003-00678, and Preliminary Review DRC2003-00679. Staff has prepared a Mitigated Negative
Declaration of environmental impacts for consideration.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW DRC2003-01 1 67 - GRACE WANG -
The design review of building elevations and detailed site plan for 3 single-family lots on 1.05 acre of
land in the Low Residential District (2-4 dwelling units per acre), located at the northeast corner of
Ivy Lane and Palo Alto Street - APN: 1077-071-07. Related Files: Tentative Parcel Map
SUBTPM16211, Tree Removal Permit DRC2003-00678, and Preliminary Review DRC2003-00679. Staff
has prepared a Mitigated Negative Declaration of environmental impacts for consideration.
Design Parameters: The 1.05 acre site is located on the north side of Palo Alto Street, across from Dona
Merced Elementary School. The project site is square in shape. Single-family homes are located west,
east, and north of the project site. The project site is undeveloped with no existing structures. A
deteriorated single-family dwelling unit built circa 1960s was demolished approximately 2 years ago.
The applicant is proposing a 3-parcel subdivision with house product. Parcels 1 and 2 will take access
from Ivy Lane, and Parcel 3 will take access from Palo Alto Street. Parcels 1 and 3 are plotted with
two-story product, and Parcel 2 is plotted with a single-story product. All of the existing houses in the
immediate vicinity are single-story product. The proposed parcels range in size from 8,355 square to
11,900 square feet, with an average area of 9,992 square feet. All of the proposed parcels exceed the
Development Code's requirements for minimum parcel area and average area. With the exception of the
1 acre size parcels off Scott Lane and at the unimproved terminus of Ivy Lane, the proposed parcel sizes
also exceed the majority of the existing lot sizes in the surrounding area, which generally range from
7,200 to 9,000 square feet. The project density is 2.86 dwelling units to the acre, well within the
allowable density range for the Low Residential District (2-4 dwelling units per acre).
There are 31 trees from six different species on the project site. All of the trees were evaluated by a
certified arborist for arboreal health and to assess the viability of long-term relocation or preservation.
According to the arborist, 29 trees are not suitable candidates for relocation or preservation. According
to the arborist, only two trees, both Washingtonia Robustas, are viable candidates for relocation and
have a high transplantation survival rate. However, the project applicant is voluntarily opting to preserve
10 Eucalyptus Globulous that are along the north and east property lines. The two Washingtonia
Robustas will be relocated, most likely to one of the front yards.
The applicant held a neighborhood meeting on June 14, 2004, at Dona Merced Elementary School,
located directly opposite the project site on Palo Alto Street. Approximately 12 residents attended the
meeting. All of the residents expressed opposition to the proposed house product being all two-story
homes. The residents indicated that house product should be comparable to the scale and massing of
the houses in the immediate area, pointing out that the all of the houses in the neighborhood are
single-story. Residents further stated that the property should be divided into two parcels, not three, in
order to preserve the lot sizes of the neighborhood. In response to the resident's comments at the
neighborhood meeting, the applicant revised the project to include one single-story plan on Parcel 2.
DRC ACTION AGENDA
SUBTPM16211 AND DRC2003-01 1 67—GRACE WANG
May 20, 2008
Page 2
On April 28, 2008, the applicant held a second neighborhood meeting at Dona Merced Elementary
School. Approximately 15 residents attended the meeting. At the meeting, all residents were strongly
opposed to the 3-parcel subdivision, collectively agreeing and verbalizing that the project site should be
divided into a maximum of two parcels, and that all house product should be single-story in order to
preserve the character of the neighborhood. Residents also indicated that two-story product is
inconsistent with the community, and that two-story houses would negatively impact the privacy of the
existing single-story homeowners.
Staff Comments: The following comments are intended to provide an outline for Committee discussion.
Major Issues: The following broad design issues will be the focus of Committee discussion regarding this
project.
1. As noted above, the applicant is proposing a subdivision of three parcels, ranging in size from
8,355 square feet to 11,900 square feet, with an average area of 9,992 square feet. There are
14 parcels located north (on Ivy Lane) and east (on Scott Lane) of the project site (see Site
Utilization Map) that were created prior the City's 1977 incorporation under the County of San
Bernardino. Prior the City's incorporation, the County's A-1 (Limited Agricultural) zoning standards
governed property development in this area, requiring 1 acre size parcels in the A-1 . zone.
Following incorporation, the City initially adopted the County's zoning map. Based upon staff
research of archived General Plan Lane Use Maps and Zoning Maps of the early 1980s, in 1981,
the City changed the adopted County A-1 land use designation in the City's General Plan and the
zoning in 1983 to its present General Plan Land Use Designation and zoning, Low Residential
(2-4 dwelling units per acre). Accordingly, these remnant parcels are substantially larger than the
7,000 to 9,000 square foot lots in the surrounding area, ranging in size from .33-acre to just over
1 acre. Given the input of the residents at the neighborhood meeting indicating that a maximum of
two parcels would be consistent with the immediate area, the Committee should provide input and
direction regarding the compatibility of the proposed 3-parcel subdivision.
2. The house product consists of two plans that are two stories (Plans A and C), and one plan
(Plan B) that is a single-story. All of the houses in the immediate area are single-story. Given the
opposition to the two-story product at both neighborhood meetings, the Committee should review
the proposed house product and provide input and direction regarding the applicant's proposed
two-story product.
3. The Development Code requires architectural treatment to all elevations (360-degree architecture),
and a recognizable design theme that is harmonious with the surrounding area. In order to meet
this requirement, staff recommends the following:
• Although the house product is labeled Mediterranean, the proposed houses are generic in
design and lack a cohesive design theme that creates visual interest. The house product
should be revised to create visual interest, reflecting 360-degree architecture and a specific
architectural theme.
• In order to create visual interest, all elevations for each of the three floor plans should be
enhanced with additional architectural features and elements that are appropriate to a specific
architectural style.
• The house product should be revised. Provide vertical and horizontal interest, utilizing
projections and recesses. Where possible, changes in the wall and roof planes should be
incorporated.
DRC ACTION AGENDA
SUBTPM16211 AND DRC2003-01167—GRACE WANG
May 20, 2008
Page 3
Secondary Issues: Once all of the major issues have been addressed, and time permitting, the
Committee will discuss the following secondary design issues.
1. The amount of driveway paving on Parcels 1 and 3 should be reduced. Consideration should be
given to tapering the three-car garage driveways down to two-car driveways.
2. The water heater niche and louvered access door on the stacked stone chimney for Plans A and C
should be relocated in order to maintain good design continuity and avoid the abrupt material
change.
Policy Issues: The following items are a matter of Planning Commission policy and should, be
incorporated into the project design without discussion.
1. Decorative perimeter walls shall be provided along the boundaries of the tract and along streets.
2. Perimeter walls shall be at top of slope, with a 2-foot bench.
3. Provide decorative pavement on driveways. Decorative driveways shall have variation throughout
the subdivision.
4. Access gates to rear yards should be constructed of a material more durable than wood.
Acceptable materials include, but are not limited to, wrought iron, and PVC.
Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends that the Design Review Committee review the proposed
subdivision and house product in light of the Major Issues discussed above, and provide additional
comments as needed. Staff further recommends that the house product be redesigned to meet the
360-degree architectural requirement, and that the project be revised and return to the Committee prior
to being scheduled for Planning Commission.
Design Review Committee Action:
Members Present: Stewart, Nicholson
Staff Planner: Donald Granger
The Committee reviewed the proposed subdivision and agreed that a 3-parcel subdivision is appropriate
and compatible with the neighborhood. The Committee indicated that they would consider two-story
product on two of the parcels, provided the architecture is substantially enhanced, and that the second
story is stepped back. The Committee encouraged the applicant to be creative, and consider second
story designs that minimize the amount of square footage on the second floor.
The Committee concurred with staff's recommendation regarding architecture. The Committee directed
the applicant to 1) revise the houses to have 360-degree architectural treatment; 2) revise the elevations
to include additional architectural features and elements that are appropriate to a specific architectural
style and 3) modify the houses to include changes in the wall and roof planes that create visual interest.
The Committee noted that the applicant should avoid box-on-box design, and modify the house product
to have the second story significantly step back from the first story. The Committee also suggested that
applicant downsize the square footages of the houses to be more compatible with the massing of the
existing neighborhood. The Committee also directed the applicant to address both issues outlined in the
Secondary Issues section.
DRC ACTION AGENDA
SUBTPM16211 AND DRC2003-01167.—GRACE WANG
May 20, 2008
Page 4
The Committee requested that the applicant make the revised changes and that the project be revised
and return to Design Review Committee prior to being scheduled for Planning Commission. The
applicant agreed to revise the plans in response to the Committee's comments.
DESIGN REVIEW COMMENTS
7:20 p.m. Mike Smith May 20, 2008
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW DRC2007-00497 - HMC
ARCHITECTS: A proposal to construct a demonstration building comprised of offices and
display/exhibition areas at the Cucamonga Valley Water District facilities located in the Industrial Park
(IP) District, Subarea 17, at 10440 Ashford Street; APN: 1077-401-47. The Planning Department Staff
has determined that the project is categorically exempt from the requirements of the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the City's CEQA Guidelines. The project qualifies as a Class 32
exemption under State CEQA Guidelines Section 15332 In-Fill Development Project.
Planner will give oral presentation and plans will be available at the meeting.
Design Review Committee Action:
Members Present: Stewart, Nicholson
Staff Planner: Mike Smith
The Committee approved the project as submitted.
0
DESIGN REVIEW COMMENTS
May 20, 2008
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Y L •
Corky Nic olson
Assistant lanning Director