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Home My WebLink About2014-03-11 ; ' "rrr�' �rr� ' ��•�� CITY OF PALM DESERT � � ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMISSION ' MINUTES ' March 11, 2014 ' 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 ' Chris Van Vliet, Chair X 5 '' Karel Lambell, Vice Chair X 4 1 ' Paul Clark X 5 ' Gene Colombini X 5 ' Allan Levin X 5 Michael McAuliffe X 5 Jim Mclntosh X 5 John Vuksic X 5 ' Also Present Lauri Aylaian, Director, Community Development Tony Bagato, Principal Planner ' Kevin Swartz, Assistant Planner Pedro Rodriguez, Code Compliance Supervisor Janine Judy, Recording Secretary ' III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ' None ' IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: February 25, 2014 Action: ' Commissioner Levin moved to approve the February 25, 2014 meeting minutes. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Vuksic and carried by an 8-0 vote, with Clark, Colombini, Lambell, Levin, McAuliffe, Mclntosh, Van '' Vliet and Vuksic voting YES. A�2CHITECTURAL RE�W COMMISSION � ` I�INUTES March 11, 2014 �, CASES: A. Final Drawings: 1. CASE NO: MISC 13-206 APPLICANT AND ADDRESS: AUTO ZONE DEVELOPMENT CORP. Attn: Mitch Bramlitt, 123 South Front Street, Memphis, TN 38102 NATURE OF PROJECT/APPROVAL SOUGHT: Approval of construction drawings; Auto Zone. LOCATION: 34-860 Monterey Avenue ZONE: P.C. (3) Mr. Kevin Swartz, Assistant Planner, said back in November 2013 the Commission approved the Auto Zone building in the Desert Gateway Shopping Center and today the Commission will review the final construction plans. He reminded the Commission of their recommended changes; 1) mechanical unit height shall be lower than parapet height; 2) punch detail in architecture shall be recessed 12"; 3) roof access from enclosure shall remain concealed and not cut into cornice detail; 4) north parapet element shall return back 2/3 of the width of the element; and 5) preliminary approval of landscape design. The Commission reviewed the construction plans and made a motion for approval with conditions. ACTION: Commissioner Vuksic moved to approve subject to the roof-mounted equipment being screened and verified by staff. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Mclntosh and carried by an 8-0 vote, with Clark, Colombini, Lambell, Levin, McAuliffe, Mclntosh, Van Vliet, and Vuksic voting YES. G\''annin5\JanineJudy�,4RC\1Minutes�2014\140311min.docx Page 2 of 6 ,. ' ARCHITECTURAL RE4�1 COMMISSION � ' MINUTES March 11, 2014 ' 2. CASE NO: SA 13-246 APPLICANT (AND ADDRESS): WEA PALM DESERT LP, c/o Westfield LLC, 11601 Wilshire Bivd., Suite 1100, Los Angeles, CA 90025 NATURE OF PROJECT/APPROVAL SOUGHT: Preliminary approval of an amendment to the approved sign program; Westfield Palm Desert. ', LOCATION: 72-840 Highway 111 ' ZONE: P.C. (3) S.P. Mr. Kevin Swartz, Assistant Planner, said this was a request for a ' modification to the sign program for the south building at Westfield Mall. When the sign program was first approved, they showed Stuft ' Pizza and a deli. Now they have a tenant in the deli space called , Bobby Maos and the applicant is requesting an amendment to ' increase the signage square footage for both restaurants; Stuft ' Pizza and Bobby Maos. The original sign program for the deli ' space was 66 square feet and they would like to increase it to 107 ' square feet. Stuft Pizza was shown as 71 square feet and they would like to increase it to 105 square feet. He presented a rendering of the elevation with the increase signage for each restaurant and recommended approval. ' Commissioner Vuksic said the signs look extremely stylized and the mass of the letters don't look out of place. Commissioner Levin ' asked how they were illuminated. MR. JOSH KIMMEL, ' representative for Westfield, stated the letters would be halo-lit. ' ACTION: Commissioner Lambell moved to approve the amendment to the approved , sign program for larger signs for Stuft Pizza and Bobby Maos. Motion was ', seconded by Commissioner Levin and carried by an 8-0 vote, with Clark, Colombini, Lambell, Levin, McAuliffe, Mclntosh, Van Vliet, and Vuksic ' voting YES. ' G:\Planning\JanineJudyWRC\1Minutes\2014\140311min.docx Page 3 of 6 A�RCHITECTURAL RE'�W COMMISSION � � I��INUTES March 11, 2014 B. Preliminary Plans: c;�mmissioner Vuksic recused himself from this case but remained in the conference rc,om as the representative for the project. 1. CASE NO: PP 14-25 APPLICANT AND ADDRESS: PREST-VUKSIC ARCHITECTS, 44-530 San Pablo Avenue #200, Palm Desert, CA 92260 NATURE OF PROJECT/APPROVAL SOUGHT: Preliminary approval of construction for a new four-story, 108-room hotel: FairField Inn & Suites Hotel. LOCATION: 36-400 Technology Drive ZONE: PCD Mr. Kevin Swartz, Assistant Planner, said the applicant is requesting approval of a precise plan of design to allow the construction of a new four-story 108-room Fairfield Inn and Suites Marriott Hotel, including, an outdoor pool, meeting room, exercise room, and gift shop. He reminded the Commission that in 2008 the City Council approved a four-story Holiday Inn on this same site. He presented the site plan and pointed out the location for the hotel; in between the DMV and Starbucks. The site will also have a future 6,300 square-foot restaurant pad and the architecture for this building would come back to this Commission at a later date when they secure a restaurant. The hotel exceeds the height limit of the zone, but it has been designed in context to the grade change and adjacent uses. He described the landscape for the project and said the plans have received preliminary approval from the City's Landscape Specialist. The total height of the building to the top of the tower goes to 56' so they are asking for a height exception which will move forward to Planning Commission and ultimately City Council. Commissioner Clark asked for the height for this zone without the exception and Mr. Swartz said it was 35'. Commissioner Levin asked about the elevation from Gerald Ford Drive to the finished floor. MR. JOHN VUKSIC, architect, said on the north-end of the G\'Ianninc:lJanineJudyb4RC\1Minutes\2014\140311min.docx Page 4 of 6 � ARCHITECTURAL RE4�IV COMMISSION � MINUTES March 11, 2014 hotel the street is about 27' above the bottom finished floor and on the south-end of the hotel it is about 23' above the finished floor. MR. VUKSIC introduced MR. CODY SMALL, the developer, and , MR. JOHN GREENWOOD, the project manager from PREST- WKSIC Architects and then described the plans and presented a prospective for the project. Commissioner Clark mentioned that the hotel entry faces west and ', wanted to know how they were addressing the wind protection for the entry and suggested additional protection. MR. VUKSIC said ' that was a good point and said they will see what they can do. ' Commissioner Colombini said they could put in some artistic ' features on the outside to break the wind in certain locations. Commissioner Levin asked if sign approval was part of the approval. MR. VUKSIC said they will return with a sign package at ' a later date. They just wanted to show the Commission that it was ' considered in the architecture. ' Commissioner McAuliffe complimented the applicant on the design ' and had a few suggestions. He said abandoning two to four spaces at the main entrance would allow more room at the entry since it is ' hard to navigate into those spots when you first enter the parking ' lot. He liked the massing and the spandrel glass on the front ' elevation and suggested architectural lighting at night. MR. VUKSIC ' said they can strategically place lights in between the windows to ' avoid having them shine into the windows. Commissioner McAuliffe referred to the spandrel glass near the air conditioning units at each of the rooms and asked if the grill will carry below the spandrel ' glass of the center element. MR. VUKSIC said in addition to having a strong mullion pattern the grill will continue all the way across with ' a horizontal pattern. Commissioner McAuliffe said the window color selection will be really important and should have a harmonious ' feel. MR. VUKSIC said they will make the glass blend. In closing, ' Commissioner McAuliffe said when they come back with the signage they need to take a look at the color value of the "Marriott" ' sign because the strong color gets lost on that elevation. ' G:\Planning\JanineJudyWRC\1Minutes\2014N40311min.docx Page 5 of 6 A.�CHITECTURAL RE�W COMMISSION �„r � I�IINUTES March 11, 2014 ACTION: Commissioner Colombini moved to grant preliminary approval of design and landscape as presented subject to: 1) consider abandoning four parking spaces at both entrances to create more room; 2) consider lighting at night on the glass front elevation overhang; 3) restudy window glass to make it all blend; 4) restudy color value on signage elevation; and 5) restudy the entry floor plan to include high wind protection. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Lambell and carried by a 7-0-1 vote, with Clark, Colombini, Lambell, Levin, McAuliffe, Mclntosh, and Van Vliet voting YES and Vuksic abstaining. C. Miscellaneous Items: None WI. ART IN PUBLIC PLACES UPDATE March meeting not held as of this date. WI1. COMMENTS The Commission discussed the Union Bank and the Larkspur Hotel. WIII. ADJOURNMENT Upon a motion by Commissioner Lambell, second by Commissioner Levin, and an 8-0 vote, with Clark, Colombini, Lambell, Levin, McAuliffe, Mclntosh, Van Vliet and Vuksic voting YES, the Architectural Review Commission meeting was adjourned at 1:20 p.m. �_� �. T�'�;�NY BAGATO, RINCIPAL PLANNER ��'E=CRETARY � � ' _l.. i'� I E J U !� ORDING SECRETARY G d lanning�JanineJudyWRC\1Minutes\2014N40311min.docx Page 6 of 6