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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-02-14 ��--� �'° � � � CITY OF PALM DESERT ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION ' ' MINUTES February 14, 2012 I. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 12:30 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Commissioners Current Meeting Year to Date Present Absent Present Absent Ronald Gregory, Chairman X 3 Chris Van Vliet X 3 John Vuksic X 2 1 Karel Lambell X 3 Pam Touschner X 2 1 Allan Levin X 3 Ken Stendell X 3 Also Present Lauri Aylaian, Director Tony Bagato, Principal Planner Kevin Swartz, Assistant Planner Diane Hollinger, Landscape Specialist Pedro Rodriquez, Senior Code Officer Christina Canales, Assistant Engineer Neal Stephenson, Fire Safety Specialist Janine Judy, Recording Secretary Cancelled meetings: II1. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: January 24, 2012 Action: Commissioner Stendell moved and Commissioner Levin seconded, to approve the January 24, 2012 meeting minutes. Motion carried 6-0-0-1, with Commissioner Touschner absent. V. CASES: ARCHITECTURAL RF''IEW COMMISSION MINUTES '�'" `"� February 14, 2012 A. Final Drawings: 1. CASE NO: MISC 12-42 APPLICANT (AND ADDRESS): ABDUL SALEHI, 10 Andalucia, Irvine, CA 92814 NATURE OF PROJECTlAPPROVAL SOUGHT: Approval of storefront remodei; Best Buy. LOCATION: 72-369 Highway 111 ZONE: P.C.-3 Mr. Bagato presented the project and said this is an approval of a store front remodel for Best Buy. The Commission at a previous meeting approved a preliminary plan that had the wedge design. The applicant has brought in a new updated design of the wedge, which consists of a new metal material, which is similar to what was put on Old Navy. Best Buy is moving away from the old wedge design and will be incorporating this new concept in all stores. They will be removing the existing store front and proposing a new farade that will come up and over and completely remove some of the existing characteristics. There will also be some digital signage that will be reviewed with the signage package. Staff had some concerns when Old Navy applied this material and even though Best Buy has the wedge it didn't fit the overall design. Mr. Bagato thought the old wedge design was more substantial, giving it a little more thickness. Mr. Dwyne Shmel, Best Buy, said the exterior of the Best Buy is being changed from the old wedge as a result of what is happening on the inside of the store. Over the last year, they have looked at ways to make the inside of the store a little more inviting, a little more customer friendly, and a little more competitive with their online competition. If this new design is approved, they will then go back and remodel a lot of their existing stores. They want to have a way to communicate on the outside that something new has happened on the inside. They have had the old wedge for about 18 years and this is the new fresh direction that Best Buy wants to communicate. They feel the new wedge design is fresh and high tech. G:1Planning\Janine Judy\Word FilesVl Minutes\20121120214miadoc Page 2 of 7 �r ARCHITECTURAL RE�N COMMISSION ``�' MINUTES February 14, 2012 Commissioner Vuksic said it would work because it was so different. However, he had some concerns about the execution and said he didn't know how they were marrying this to the existing fa�ade on the left hand side. He can see the parapet peeking out a little bit on the front elevation and it concerned him that it looks like it has been sort of stuck on an existing parapet, which isn't even flat. He mentioned you can see through the perforated material and he wasn't sure how it would look on this building where it will be on top of an existing fa�ade that has an existing parapet and cornice detail. He liked the way they had the eyebrow piece at the bottom, but was concerned with how it interacts with the wall below it. When all those pieces interact and you get to the end he sees this eyebrow sandwiched in there and didn't know how the materials would come together. He suggested the bottom piece be towered slightly so the eyebrow is hovering instead of sitting on top of the lower piece, then change the color of the lower piece. Mr. Shmel didn't disagree with the points made by Commissioner Vuksic and said the return on the end was a concern. When they came before the ARC previously with some of the original wedge presentations, it had more of a stuck on feel and the approved design was having it return. He doesn't disagree that it might look better if it turned the corner and went back and died into the wall much the same way the old wedge does today. Mr. Abdul Salehi, Architect and Mr. Shmel described the blue perforated panel and how far it comes out. Mr. Shmel said some of the original design concepts had the eyebrow canopy turning 90 degrees and going down but it would create sort of an obstruction for pedestrians to possibly bump into, and it would also create another surface that they have to try to repair if it gets vandalized. Mr. Salehi mentioned that the perForation will allow light to go through the storefront and at night when the store is open you will see the light through the perforated panel. Commissioner Vuksic was concerned that it's going to look even more tacked on because it doesn't have a really strong relationship to the glass storefront behind the perforated panels. Mr. Salehi said they don't want to put too much light through that storefront during the day because of the high temperatures during the summertime. It will create a shadow effect and not allow too much sun into the building. Commissioner Vuksic said he understood but said their sun screening method isn't directly related to the existing storefront. Looking at the proportions of what is behind the G:\Planning\Janine Judy\Word FilesW Minutes�2012\120214min.doc Page 3 of 7 ARCHITECTURAL RE�W COMMISSION �" �' MINUTES February 14, 2012 perforated panel and where the light will be coming through is just one section. Mr. Salehi pointed out that they have already pulled their permits and were now in construction and said the storefront is exactly what they have been approved for. Mr. Bagato stated the permit was issued based on the interior work and the only approval for the storefront was for the original wedge. Mr. Salehi said if they don't get this new design approved, they will eventually have to build the original design. He pointed out that they did not change the sides of the storefront or anything from the original approved plans. Commissioner Gregory said he liked it and didn't have a problem with it. However, he understood the concerns raised by Commissioner Vuksic. He said what they are doing has some problems and feels it is somewhat of a cover up. He agreed with Commissioner Vuksic's suggestion that they bring the left side over more so that it has a clean draping of the west side. Commissioner Lambell felt the door is being lost by the color showing through the perforation and also with the light from within. She also said she liked the box better than the wedge and said it is more today looking, but how it will be executed is the question. Commissioner Levin asked if the Best Buy sign was illuminated and Mr. Shmel said it was halo lit; reverse channel letters. Commissioner Touschner said depending on how intense the light is through the mesh that might read as a whole opening. She asked if the opening was in the same plane as the windows up above and Mr. Salehi said they were all on the same� plane. Commissioner Touschner said it might read as one. Overall it looks nice and it's clean and simple. However, she thought the Best Buy sign is shoved too high to the top and didn't think they had enough room at the corner at the highest point. Mr. Shmel asked if he could add 4' to the top of the blue to give it relief or to bump it up at that point. Mr. Salehi said on the old design they had 36'-9" and now they've lowered it to 31'. Going to 35' would give them more of the blue. The purpose is to have it high enough so people can see it. Commissioner Touschner said if they didn't have enough room around something it doesn't look good. Mr. Shmel agreed and said they do need some kind of buffer. Commissioner Touschner said it needs to return on the east side all the way back to the building G:\Planning\Janine Judy\Word FilesW Minutes\2012\120214min.doc Page 4 of 7 � ARCHITECTURAL RE�iIV COMMISSION `� MINUTES February 14, 2012 because it is perceived as an element that is planted onto the building. Commissioners Touschner and Vuksic discussed the details of the brushed aluminum canopy, the eyebrow piece and the color. Commissioner Vuksic said he liked the concept but didn't like the execution and said it needs to have more separation. Mr. Salehi stated they could add more separation. Commissioner Vuksic also suggested a more neutral color for the lower piece instead of repeating the blue and suggested a brownish color on the lower piece. The applicants discussed the brand color and the blue at the pedestrian level. Ms. Lita Frost, Desert Crossing suggesting painting the background behind the mesh piece blue then it would be the same color with a different texture on top. The Commission liked that suggestion. Commissioner Touschner said there are three elements in different planes and none of them are lining up and she was uncomfortable with that. If the eyebrow came across and turned and went down you now have two elements coming together. Commissioner Vuksic said the eyebrow wouldn't be flush on that side either. It would continue on past the blue part and wrap around. Commissioner Gregory said in general there seems to be an acceptance to the storefront, but there are some questions about details. Unfortunately the details provided by the applicants were both from the same angle. He suggested they do a rendering with some of the details as discussed and continue this. Commissioner Lambell continued and Commissioner Stendell seconded. Commissioner Gregory asked if there were any further comments. Mr. Shmel said their job will be to go back to the drawing board and take a look at these suggestions and figure out at what point it goes from floating to awkward and the Commissioners agreed. Commissioner Vuksic said it's really not their desire to design this and if the applicants have a strong design and good answers to what they are proposing then they will back off. Mr. Shmel said they would like to retain as much of the essence as possible and didn't want to break it into too many component pieces. Commissioner Vuksic said to make sure it looks like a sophisticated design. G:\Planning\Janine Judy\Word FilesW Minutes\2012\120214min.doc Page 5 of 7 ARCHITECTURAL RE'�W COMMISSION � ` MINUTES February 14, 2012 ACTION: Commissioner Lambell moved and Commissioner Stendell seconded, to continue Case MISC 12-42 subject to: 1) applicant shall provide details of the east side elevation as it returns to the building; and, 2) make appropriate changes as discussed. Motion carried 7-0. 2. CASE NO: SA 12-59 � APPLICANT (AND ADDRESS): SIGN-A-RAMA, 41-945 Boardwalk, Suite L, Palm Desert, CA 92211 NATURE OF PROJECT/APPROVAL SOUGHT: Approval of awning signage; Bang and Olufsen. LOCATION: 73-470 EI Paseo ZONE: C-1 Mr. Swartz presented the project and stated this is an approval of an awning recover. The Commission reviewed and suggested they bring the canopy all the way to the top to match the two storefronts on each side. ACTION: Commissioner Touschner moved and Commissioner Lambell seconded, to grant approval. Motion carried 6-0-1-0, with Commissioner Vuksic abstaining. B. Preliminary Plans: None C. Miscellaneous Items: None V. ART IN PUBLIC PLACES UPDATE — Commissioner John Vuksic Commissioner Vuksic had nothing to report. G:\Planning\JanineJudy\Word FilesW Minutes\2012\120214min.doc Page 6 of 7 ° ARCHITECTURAL RE�i+�w+�IV COMMISSION `'�►`' MINUTES February 14, 2012 VL COMMENTS Mr. Bagato reported the Landscape Beautification Committee has been � eliminated and staff is amending the Zoning Ordinance to accommodate two new Commissioners on the Architectural Review Commission. Ms. Aylaian said this change will go to the Planning Commission because technically the ARC is constituted under the Zoning Ordinance. It will then go through two readings at the City Council level. The two members will then be appointed by the Council. Commissioner Stendell reported that the Southwest Plaza has not yet been painted as directed by the ARC. Mr. Bagato said the owner has not yet complied with the Commission's request and Code Enforcement will now be handling this. VII. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Stendell moved and Commissioner Lambell seconded to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 7-0. The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m. JANINE JUDY RECORDING SECRETARY G:\Planning\Janine Judy\Word FilesW Minutes\2012\120214min.doc Page 7 of 7 � � 4 z