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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991/02/07 - Agenda Packet - (2)DATE: TO: FROM: CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA MEMORANDUM February 11, 1991 ACTION COMMENTS Residential/Institutional Design Review Committee Larry McNiel Wendy Vallette Dan Coleman John Melcher {Alternate} Steve Haye,~Associate Planner 1977 SUBJECT: DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING OF FEBRUARY 7, 1991 The following is a description of projects which require review and rating by the Design Review Committee. Please review the attached plans, visit the project sites, and write down your comments using the blank space provided under each project on the attached sheets. After the meeting, the consensus of the Committee's concerns will be typed up as the formal action/recommendation of the Committee and distributed to the Commission and Council. As always, feel free to contact the appropriate project manager (noted in parentheses along the left margin), prior to the meeting date, if you have specific questions related to the scheduled projects. Dinner will be provided between 5:00 - 6:00 p.m., Consent Calendar items will be reviewed between 6:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., with the first design review item being heard at 6:30 p.m. Please notify our department if you will be unable to attend the meeting, or if you will be late, so that the dinner can be properly ordered and the necessary arrangements made. 6:30 - 7:00 (Anna-Lisa) ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND TENTATIVE TRACT 14490 LEWIS HOMES A residential subdivision and Design Review of 26 single family lots on 6.17 acres of land in the Low-Medium Residential District (4-8 dwelling units per acre) of the Terra Vista Planned Community, located at the northeast corner of Terra Vista Parkway and Church Street - APN: 227-151-08 and 25. 7:00 - 8:00 (Steve H.) PLANNING CO~ISSION WORKSHOP CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 90-20 - SYCAMORE VILLAGE 8:00 - 9:30 Otto/Tom FIRE STATIONS NO. 3 AND 4 - Oral Report SH:mlg Attachments cc: Planning Commission/City Council Y DESIGN REVIEW COMMENTS 6:30 - 7:00 Anna-Lisa February 7, 1991 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND TENTATIVE TRACT 14490 LEWIS HOMES - A residential subdivision and Design Review of~26 single family lots on 6.17 acres of land in the Low-Medium Residential District (4-8 dwelling units per acre) of the Terra Vista Planned Community, located at the northeast corner of Terra Vista Parkway and Church Street APN: 227-151-08 and 25. Background: The applicant is proposing a 26 lot subdivision, with lots ranging in size from 5,520 square feet to 9,260 square feet. The average lot size is 6,955 square feet. Three basic plans are proposed with four options for each plan. Site Plan: The project, as it is currently designed, has no access onto Terra Vista Parkway. Staff is concerned that access to the tract will be difficult for future users. Street "B" should be extended to the west to provide access for future residents and increa!ed circulation efficiency of the tract. On October 17, 1990, the Trails Advisory Committee reviewed the project to address the issue of a possible connector trail from the project to the future park, located directly northwest of the site. The Committee made the following recommendations: A 20-foot wide minimum paseo trail should be provided from Terra Vista Parkway to "C" Street just slightly south of the intersection with Willowhill Street. When proposed Tentative Tract 14553 to the north is processed, a paseo connection to the park should be provided on the south tract boundary. Architecture: The intent of the applicant is to continue the "village" character of the Winchester Tract (TT 14316), located directly east. The building massing for all three plans presented is almost identical except for the minor variations in rooflines, and architectural embellishments. The Committee should review the plans to determine whether the massing of the building is appropriate for this area. Oesiqn Review Committee Action: Members Present: Larry McNiel, Wendy Vallette, Dan Coleman Staff Planner: Anna-Lisa Hernandez DESIGN REVIEW COMMENTS TT 14490 - LEWIS HOMES FEBRUARY 7, 1991 Page 2 The Committee reviewed the development plans and recommended that the street circulation be revised as follows: 1. Street "B" (Willowbrook) should be connected to Terra Vista Parkway. No median break is necessary on Terra Vista Parkway. 2. A side-on cul-de-sac should be provided at the east end of Street "B" (adjacent to the north-south collector street). Because the alternative had not been previously reviewed, the Committee directed staff to have the new circulation design evaluated by the City's Traffic Engineer and report back to the Committee. DESIGN REVIEW COMMENTS 7:00 - 8:00 Steve H. February 7, 1991 PLANNING COMMISSION WORKSHOP - CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 90-20 - SYCAMORE VILLAGE - The development of 16.94 acres for a mixed office/commercial master plan, consisting of 11 office/retail buildings totaling 173,450 square feet with Phase 1 development consisting of 6 two-story office/retail buildings totaling 113,450 square feet on 3.21 acres of land in the Special Commercial District of Subarea I of the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan, located on the north side of Foothill Boulevard, between Baker Avenue and Red Hill Country Club Drive - APN: 207-101-13, 17, 24, 25 and 41. Tree Removal application pending. Abstract: The purpose of tonight's workshop is to allow the applicant the continued opportunity to address the major design issues associated with this project. Please refer to the attached action agenda from the November 8, 1990 Design Review Committee meeting. Since the last Design Review Committee meeting, the applicant has worked closely with the City's Traffic Engineering Division to develop an acceptable modified intersection design at the Sycamore Inn and Foothill Boulevard. The intersection design shown on the current site plan has been developed with input from and accepted by the Engineering Division. Therefore, since the driveway design is technically acceptable, all on-site design issues can be discussed in more detail. As with last time, tonight's workshop should focus on the majo~ design issues discussed at the previous Design Review Committee meeting, and any resolutions thereto. Once the major issues are resolved, then the design details of less magnitude can be fine-tuned. Backqround: This project was previously reviewed at a joint Planning Commission/Historic Preservation Commission Workshop on July 19, 1990. At that meeting, the primary topics of discussion were: 1) Preservation of the Red Chief Motel and Cafe, 2} Tree preservation and 3) Preservation of scenic vistas to Red Hill. Following the workshop the Historic Preservation Commission and City Council formally determined that the Red Chief Motel and Cafe shall not be designated as a historic landmark or point of interest. Instead, it was recommended that a designation be given to the entire site or to the entire Bear Gulch Area and historic references be determined later in the review process. Staff Comments: The issues mentioned in the action agenda from the previous meeting of November 8, 1990 should be discussed in further detail, in reference to the revised plans. DESIGN REVIEW CO~f4ENTS 7:00 - 8:30 Steve H. 'November 8, 1990 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 90-20 - ARROYO DE LOS OSOS, Llu. The development of 16.94 acres for a mixed office/con~nercial master plan, consisting of 11 office/retail buildings totaling 173,450 square feet with Phase 1 development consisting of 6 two-story office/retail buildings totaling 113,450 square feet on 3.21 acres of land in the Special Coat~ercial District of Subarea 1 of the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan, located on the north side of Foothill Boulevard, between Baker Avenue and Red Hill Country Club Orive - APN: 207-101-13, 17, 24, 25, and 41. Tree Removal application pending. Background: This project was previously reviewed at a joint Planning Conmnission/Historic Preservation Commission Workshop on July lg, 1990. At that meeting, the primary topics of discussion were: 1) Preservation of the Red Chief Motel and Care, 2) Tree preservation and 3) Preservation of scenic vistas to Red Hill. Since that time, the Historic Preservation Conm~issidn and City Council determined that the Red Chief Motel and Cafe should not be specifically designated as-a historic landmark or point of interest. Instead, it was recoewnended that a designation be given to the entire site or to the entire Bear Gulch Area and historic references be determined later in the review process. Staff Comments: A. Abstract: The applicant's intent is to frame the Sycamore Inn as a "focal point" for the project by utilizing a pedestrian circulation and courtyard system that promotes viewing of the Inn from all directions. Proposed is an Architectural theme that will emulate the Sycamore Inn by using Architectural elements such as horizontal wood siding, native river rock, multiple pitched roofs, overhangs, rafter details, 'and traditional window rhythms. The Red Chief Motel and China Alley Restaurant, which are located directly west of the Sycamore Inn, are proposed for demolition with the current plan. No mix of Architectural styles (i.e., Spanish Revival versus Craftsman) is proposed; again, the idea is to frame the Sycamore Inn as the "Jewel" of the site. All buildings, with the exception of restaurant pads "H" and "K", are proposed to be two-story buildings in excess of 35 feet in height at maximum locations. Parking under Building "G" is proposed with Phase 1 and two-story parking structures over the southeast and northwest parking areas are proposed with Phase 2. DESIGN REVIEW COletENTS CUP 90-20 - ARROYO DE LOS OSOS, LTD. NOVEHBER 8, 1990 Page 2 B. Design Parameters: The site consists of five parcels totaling 16.94 acres. It is within a Special Conmnercial District of the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan, which allows for "uses which promote a special landmark quality or create a special ambience." A limited number of office uses have been identified in this category to promote an interactive office/con~ercial environment. Furthermore, this site falls within the Bear Gulch Activity Center, where the intent is to focus on the existing restaurants and provide similar and/or complimentary uses. Promotion of a village, a Pedestrian oriented atmosphere and Preservation of natural surroundings is paramount to this specific activity center. Currently, the site contains the Sycamore Inn, and China Alley Restaurant, the Red Chief Motel, and 82 mature trees, most of which are Sycamore trees. Since the site is near the con~unity entrX of Foothill Boulevard and Grove Avenue, the imagery the site projects is extremely important as peopl · shape opinions of the City they are entering. The base of Red Hill bisects the site from the northwest to southeast. Natural grades in excess 30 percent exist in areas Proposed for development. · Important Note: Give the broad scope and extreme detail of this project, not all design issues can be smmarized within the typical Design Review comment format. Staff has attempted to focus on the major, "big picture" issues at this time. Once the major issues ~e discussed, then the smaller details can be fine tuned. If time warrants, the mere detail oriented Site Grading Plans: Several buildings are proposed in areas in which the natural slope exceeds 8 percent, which makes the City's Hillside Development Regulations a consideration for development. Furthermore, 8utldlng "G" is plotted in an area where the natural slope exceeds 0 percent, where development would normally be prohibited. ~owever, the Planning Ce~raission has yet to determine the applicability of the Hillside Development Regulations for this project. The Hillside primarily to residential regulations were adopted to pertain s te is probably the only coe~erctal site in ~evelopment; this he current City limits where htllstde development issues should be considered. DESIGN REVIEW COFI4ENTS CUP 90-20 - ARROYO OE LOS OSOS, LTD. NOVEMBER 8, 1990 Page 3 Staff suggests modifications to the proposed grading scheme to further comply with the spirit and intent of the Hillside Development Regulations, as well as to protect views of Red Hill, which the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan recommends the protection and preservation of this natural landform, as follows: a. All buildings in areas where slopes exceed 8 percent should utilize stepped foundations, law level decks, dense landscaping and second-stories that "fit" into the hillside to mitigate the buildings influence within the natural surroundings; b. Two-level parking structures should be hidden and/or softened in areas of public view as much as possible by utilizing any, or a combination of, the following: (1) Plot buildings 'closer to the street and subsequently "cut" the t~o-story parking structures into the hillside, behind the buildings, stepping the upper level back, hence, reducing the amount of grading. This solution would be consistent with the design criteria of the Bear Gulch Activity Center. The promotion of a pedestrian oriented activity center will be created at the street. (2) Treat the parking structure with a cerbination of enhanced articulation and a dense landscape screen. Steep slopes or large berms in front of this structure should not be utilized, for they reduce the pedestrian scale of the project. c. Retaining walls, bin walls, and man made slopes should be ltmited to areas out of publtc view, Please limtt their visibility and Influence through the following methods: (1) Incorporate small structural stem walls into a structure, ~ retaining walls or bin walls exposed to publtc view shall not exceed 4 feet in height and should be softened by terracing, thereby creating usable planter areas between walls. Wall materials should be consistent with the decorative treatments of,proposed buildings, {2) Wherever possible, "bury" walls directty behind structures and provide depressed, narrow light wells to allow for the traditional corridor floor plan inside the structure. DESZGN REVIEW COIqqENTS CUP 90-20 - ARROYO DE LOS OSOS, LTD. NOVEHBER 8, 1990 Page 4 2. The Sycamore Inn's role as a focal point for the project should be further enhanced by: Deleting or revising the rigid, formal parking lot directly in front of the Sycamore Inn. A traffic circle or pedestrian loading/unloading zone with specimen size Sycamore trees may enhance this focal point. Providing enhanced pavement walkways up to the s~ructure and altgning the parking lot drive aisles 'n the direction of the Sycamore Inn. The Phase 2 site plan indicates a two-story parking zcture in the northwest portion of the site, where the h chiest mature Sycamore trees exist. With construction of the parking structure as proposed, severe pruning or removal of these · trees will be necessary. Therefore, the Phase 2 site plan . should be redesigned to preserve the fen healthy Sycamore trees that exist on-site, which are located primarily in this area. Overall, the site plan should incorporate as many healthy mature trees as possible to reduce the apparent enph~ the automobile. This is especially inq~ortant gi van the intended pedestrian orientation of the Bear Gulch Activity Center. Healthy trees 'should not be removed simply because they are in an area where a building or parking 1 ot is plotted; the site plan should be revised to incorporate as many healthy trees as possible into the proposed site design and be sensitive to this natural resource. The use of interlocking pavers should be expanded to all drive entrance and key pedestrian crossings in parking areas. This should enhance or create an aesthetically pleasing pedestrian ctrculattou'lyltem between buildings and parking areas. A1 so, interlocking pavers' should be provided at all drive entrances, extending to the back of all drive throats, to enhance project entries. Parking arms should be destgned so that parallel to moving cars and do not have aisles. pedestrians walk to cross parking If retaining walls are still needed behind the sidewalk after any redesigning of the project, a minimum 6 foot wide planter should be provided between the back of the sidewalk and the retaining wall along Foothill Boulevard, in order to soften the appearance of the wall and potentially "bury" the wall t, the bermed area· DESIGN REVIEW COI~ENTS CUP 90-20 - ARROYO DE LOS OSOS, LTD. NOVEMBER 8, 1990 Page 5 Architecture: Overall, the Architectural concept is in accordance with the goals and objectives of the Foothill Boulevard Specific Plan, specifically the Bear Gulch Activity Center. The architecture utilizes reconmnended Architectural treatments and material s and frames the Sycamore Inn as a "focal point." However, staff suggests that expanses of level roofline should be broken up into shorter elements. By doing this, greater opportunities for providing view corridors to Red Hill will occur, as well as potentially reducing the apparent size of the bull dings. Design Review Committee Action: Members Present: Suzanne Chitiea, Peter Tolstoy, Otto Kroutil Staff Planner: Steve Hayes Given the intent of the meeting which was to focus on the major issues that may be associated with any development on the site, the Design Review Conm~ittee reviewed the project in a "preliminary" manner. The Con~nittee did not take any actions or make any recoenendations at this time. The main topics of discussion were as follows: Tree 1. Preservation/Conservation The Coffmittee recommended that the developer and arborfsts prepare a tree conservation plan that specifically identifies each tree for the purpose of determining the ultimate life span assuming development occurs as proposed. Information such as replacement mathods, tree maintenance and pruning, etc. for further review of the Comaittee should be included. Overall, the Committee stressed the importance of preserving as many key healthy trees as possible and, if needed, to rework buildtrig and parking !ors to accomplish this goal, In turn, the Coavatttee recognized the need for a conservation plan in order to preserve the unique, "museum" atmosphere created by the trees on-site, 2. Orientation of Buildings 'A" through "E" The Coemittee recomaended that the localization of the Sycamore Inn created by the interior courtyard between Buildings "A" through "E" was acceptebl e if the front drive aisle was redestgned to be less rigid and formal (see Coamont No. #3). DESZGN RE'. ii COR4ENTS CUP 90-20 - ARROYO DE LOS OSOS, LTD. NOVEMBER 8, 1990 Page 6 Parking Lot Configuration The Committee recoewaended that a less formal and rigid parking lot be designed for the area in front of the Sycamore Inn and westward to the west drive entrance. The Co,m~ittee strongly expressed the need to keep the informal feeling created by the parking lot on the west side of the Sycamore Inn. Landscape Treatment of Red Hill The question was posed to preserve Red Hill as naturally as possible or to consider developing a landscape scheme that would alter its natural appearance. Introduced species mentioned for possible use included oak trees and many types of drought tolerant, fire resistant groundcovers. At this time, the Co,mitte~ did not make any formal reconmnendation on this issue. This will be discussed further as the project continues through the development review process. Building "G" The Comaittee cmtnented that this building should be designed and plotted to mitigate the negative impacts associated with development in hillside areas by moving Building "G" forward to an area of flatter slope or cut into the hillside. By opting for either of these alternati yes, the need for retaining walls, artiftcally contoured and manufactured slopes, and landscape areas would be reduced and view corridors to Red Hill would be preserved. 6. General Architectural Issues The C~tttee Was generally in favor of the proposed architectural ...,. they stressed th. tWor,.c. of substa.ttal and quality construction for a successful project. The Cmtttee rec~nded that more muted colors be explored that contrast with the Sycamore Inn to insure the Inn will be a unique structure. The level and type of details shown on the south elevation of h Building "G" were more acceptable to the Committee than ot er elevations and directed the applicant to utilize these elements on other buildings.