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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-24-15 DRB MinutesThis meeting is open to all members of the public. If you have a disability that requires assistance, please contact ADA Coordinator, James Goehrung, at 582-3200 (voice) or 582-2301/582-2432 (TDD). Page 1 of 3 AGENDA DESIGN REVIEW BOARD CITY COMMISSION ROOM, CITY HALL, 121 NORTH ROUSE AVENUE WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2015 5:30 P.M. ITEM 1. 05:33:21 PM CALL TO ORDER Board Member - Bill Rea: Absent Board Member - Scott Bechtle: Absent Board Member - Melvin Howe: Present Board Chair - Mike Pentecost: Present Board Member - Lori Garden: Present Board Member - Walter Banziger: Present Board Member - Mark Hufstetler: Absent Board Member – Lessa Racow - Present ITEM 2. 05:33:38 PM PUBLIC COMMENT – No Public Comment ITEM 3. 05:33:38 PM PROJECT REVIEW 1. Ridge Athletic Club Planned Unit Development Major Modification Concept Plan Review 15256 (Krueger) 4181 Fallon Street A Planned Unit Development concept plan review for the proposed modification and expansion of the Ridge Planned Unit Development to add 2.7 acres to the project and modify the approved site layout. The Design Review Board is requested to provide comments and informal recommendations on the proposed modification to assist the applicant with the preparation of a formal application. 05:33:58 PM Brian Krueger does a presentation on the project, starting with a description of the property and it’s current development status. 05:38:32 PM Discusses the changes to the property that the applicant is trying to make, and that it is a Major Modification. 05:40:36 PM Brian addresses that there are some areas of the project, which are not meeting design guidelines, but that the staff is generally supportive of the project. He then goes on to detail the areas of concern that are present, which can be adjusted. 05:46:58 PM Applicant presentation by Nathan Hawthridge. Thought Brian did a good job on the presentation he just has some questions for the board. He wants to know how the board would feel about more of an outdoor green space in place of additional buildings – the façade is already becoming too long on the particular stretch they would be looking to replace. 05:50:08 PM Board member Walter Banziger begins the questions for the staff and applicant. He questions if elimination of the parking lot happened, would there still be enough parking. Brian states that the parking spots would not necessarily need to be replaced. The buildings would be able to share the parking spots. This meeting is open to all members of the public. If you have a disability that requires assistance, please contact ADA Coordinator, James Goehrung, at 582-3200 (voice) or 582-2301/582-2432 (TDD). Page 2 of 3 05:52:20 PM Board Chair Mike Pentacost begins with his questions for the staff and applicant. He questions Lot 7 – which was supposed to be a building, but they are now suggesting removing the commercial building to fulfill the open space requirement. Brian states that there are options. They still have to meet the performance points for the PUD, but the City has more options than just open space available in the code today than when they originally started this project. 05:54:02 PM No Questions from Lessa Racow. 05:54:08 PM No Questions from Melvin Howe 05:54:09 PM No Questions from Lori Garden 05:54:13 PM Commissioner Mel expressed concerns about the green space they are proposing in the middle of the parking lot – whether it will actually be utilized or if it will just be grass in the middle of a parking lot. Brian states that it will be roughly 90x90 ft. He also states that it’s not required for the greens pace to be utilized. It could be used as a garden, storm water, etc. He says that he doesn’t think that it will necessarily be used, but that it could contain public art or just be well gardened. It may not necessarily be used the way that the piece of land further to the north will be. 05:56:11 PM Chris Mel asked if Brian was suggesting or requiring that they update their guidelines. He had suggested in his staff report that they need to meet more current standards. Brian replies that some are suggestions and others are code. Some they will make a strong recommendation to change, others they will have to change. 05:57:38 PM Commissioner Chris Mel asked about storm water drainage and Brian Kreuger responds with how he assume it will run off. Commissioner Mel also addresses if they will be able to address storm water and fit it in their plan, especially once they consider the parking lot coverage. Nathan responds that they have not addressed it yet, but Brian has already said that they will need to add it to the plans. Brian added that they can add the storm water drainage in their open space assuming it’s well landscaped. 06:00:39 PM Commissioner Mel expresses concerns about pedestrian and bicycle paths. Brian explains that they should separate the two parking areas and include a sidewalk in that space to fit design guidelines. They continued to discuss pedestrian access among the various buildings. 06:03:11 PM Commissioner Mel addresses the current illegal parking issues instead of using the parking lots that are further away. By adding to the facility, the applicant will use up some of that space and possibly increase parking issues. Brian responds that perhaps adding a stronger connection will encourage people to park where they’re supposed to. He also feels that it’s up to the private owners to police that parking lot and encourage proper parking. 06:06:28 PM Mike Pentecost asked if there was anything the staff was specifically looking for. Brian Krueger said that there was not. 06:07:20 PM Melvin Howe confirmed that the new PUD be held to the updated guidelines, not the previous guidelines. 06:08:25 PM Lessa Racow commented on a spelling error and that they need to swap out Ash trees as the city is no longer allowing them. She feels that Lot 7 would be pointless open space – and would be better with a building there. She also feels that filling in the current open space in the middle of the parking lot would be beneficial as it is largely unused. By removing that green area, you could create more connectivity, but she also agrees that there needs to be a strong pedestrian connection among the buildings. She doesn’t feel that the open space in front of the new office buildings also seems largely unnecessary. Perhaps if there was a need to meet parking requirements, they could reduce the size of that green area and still have a nicely landscaped area and parking. As for the proposed basketball court – she felt that it would be better served in the rear of the building where there is more privacy, instead of on the street. There are ways they could address the façade issues. 06:13:05 PM Lori Garden began her comments for the staff and applicant. She supports the relocation of the green space in the parking lot. She thinks the north lot would be used more if it were plowed. This meeting is open to all members of the public. If you have a disability that requires assistance, please contact ADA Coordinator, James Goehrung, at 582-3200 (voice) or 582-2301/582-2432 (TDD). Page 3 of 3 06:14:59 PM Walter Banzinger begins his comments: In general he supports the staff’s recommendations. He agrees with removing the parking in the front of the building and using it as green space, open space, saving it for future development, whatever they see fit. He agrees with the landscaping and pedestrian access recommendations from the staff. Narrowing the large open space in the middle of the parking lot is also a good idea. He supports more undeveloped landscaping, than paving things. With regards to Lot 7, he wouldn’t make it parking, but might be better as a building or landscaping. 06:19:36 PM Mike Pentecost presented a question about whether there is a preference to spread the green spaces out or to cluster them together. Brian Krueger replies that there are benefits to both. Previously there was a drive for green space and people were just putting in turf. He said there are now more options with hardscape, etc so they don’t necessarily have to cluster them into one large green area. 06:22:13 PM Mike Pentecost said that he likes the direction of the project and getting rid of the green space in the middle of the parking lot which currently doesn’t get used much. He also presented some concerns about fire safety – getting a fire engine in through the access. He feels that Lot 7 should be a building, not greens pace. He also agrees with staff that the applicant could create a better pedestrian walk way through the parking lot and create better connectivity with the northern parts of the lot. 06:25:49 PM Close of discussion on Item 3. 06:26:08 PM Discussion/FYI Begins 06:26:21 PM Commissioner Mel informed the board that the commission approved the budget for FY 2016, which included an additional Planner – and while it will not affect the board’s workload, it will help in the planning office. Commissioner Mel also informed the board that the budget approved an update to the UDC, which the Planning Department will be responsible for – and there will be plenty of time for the community to comment. 06:28:00 PM Commissioner Mel informed them that on July 13th they will be meeting as a commission to discuss Code Enforcement. He advised the Board Members to submit comments to him prior to then to be addressed. In addition, there will be a change to advisory boards – they want to address the effectiveness of the boards. He opened it up to the board members to comment on ways they felt their board could be changed. 06:29:47 PM Lessa Racow commented that projects that went most smoothly and had the best results were those that come in for a preliminary review. She wanted to know if it was possible to require the preliminary review. 06:30:18 PM Brian Krueger responded that he is aware that it works more smoothly and they are addressing the process and requesting that it become required for larger projects to do the preliminary review. There’s a balance though, of not presenting too many informal reviews that are unnecessary. Commissioner Mel suggested the City offers incentives – reduction in fees – if you go through the informal review process. 06:34:50 PM Mike Pentecost suggested an informal meeting to discuss what is going on at Planning. 06:36:06 PM Brian agrees that it would nice to be able to meet – especially as Public Works projects are starting to get moving with storm water, etc. 06:39:42 PM The board members let Commissioner Mel know that they appreciate his support on the board. ITEM 4. 06:40:18 PM ADJOURNMENT This meeting is open to all members of the public. If you have a disability that requires assistance, please contact ADA Coordinator, James Goehrung, at 582-3200 (voice) or 582-3203 (TDD).