Title
Draft Meeting Minutes - March 6, 2014
Body
DRAFT MEETING MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CITY OF ALAMEDA HISTORICAL ADVISORY BOARD
THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014
1. CONVENE: 7:02 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL: Present: Chair Owens, Vice Chair Rauk, Board Members Lynch and Vella
3. MINUTES: .
3-A. Draft Meeting Minutes for September 5, 2013
Vice Chair Rauk motioned to approve the minutes.
Board member Lynch seconded.
Motioned passed, 4-0
3-B. Draft Meeting Minutes for December 5, 2013- Tabled for quorum
3-C. Draft Meeting Minutes for February 6, 2014 - Tabled for quorum
4. AGENDA CHANGES AND DISCUSSIONS: None
5. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None
6. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS: March 6, 2014, letter from AAPS.
7. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS:
7-A. Certificate of Approval - PLN13-0388 - 1338 Eighth Street - Alexandra Saikley. The applicant requests approval to restore and modify a fire-damaged pre-1942 single-family residence that will result in the removal of more than 30% of the value of the structure. As part of the restoration of the fire-damaged residence, the applicants are proposing an approximately 623 sq. ft. second-story addition. This dwelling is included on the Historical Building Study List. The project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Section 15301 - Existing Facilities
Ms. Michelle Morris, Project Planner, made a presentation to the Board.
Board member Lynch asked about the original owner of the property. Ms. Morris reported the Bassett family originally owned the property.
Chair Owens noted that the staff report stated the current proposal would not change the property significantly, but he thinks it is a significant change. He asked if there were any neighbor comments received. Ms.Morris stated no comments as of this meeting.
Chair Owens commented on the height of the fireplace and elevations being tall. He opened hearing for public comment.
Mr. Dick Rutter commented on this property being a part of the Burbank neighborhood. He is opposed to the new roof pitch stating it doesn't fit with the neighborhood of bungalows. Mr. Rutter stated many old bungalows have a shallow pitch. The front of the building doesn't look like a bungalow any more.
Chair Owens commented on this new design being more Craftsman than bungalow, and he asked the project architect to comment. Ms. Saikley stated their design fits into the community of Alameda in the craftsman style. It is a different roof than before, but still keeping with the architectural style of many Craftsman-style homes in the area.
Board member Lynch commented on liking the door, restoration of the porch, and the interior floor plan.
Ms. Saikley stated the design with the addition is 25 feet tall, and the former height was 17 feet, an increase of only eight feet. She explained the new roof is designed to keep the side walls shorter.
Vice Chair Rauk and Chair Owens both commented on liking the design.
Mr. Allen Tai, Secretary to the Board, explained that staff carefully reviewed the proposed design with other residences in the neighborhood. Staff considered various styles of roofs along 8th Street and supported this design because it was consistent with the Design Review Manual for second story additions.
Vice Chair Rauk motioned to approve the resolution for the certificate of approval. Board member Lynch seconded.
Motioned passed, 3-0.
7-B. Certificate of Approval - PLN13-0357 - 1315 Mound Street - Joseph
Xu for John Jiang - The applicant requests a Certificate of Approval for structural alterations to a Historical Buildings Study List structure that will result in the removal of more than 30% of its value. The primary work consists of raising the building 1'6" to create habitable space in the basement. The applicants also propose reconfiguring the roof of a previous rear addition to create a uniform roofline. Restoration of the building's decorative elements will also take place as part of the project. The project is deemed categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Mr. Allen Tai, Secretary to the Board, gave the staff report.
Chair Owens asked if the applicant could comment on the foundation and what was actually constructed. Ms. Phoebe Hu, realtor, provided translation for Mr. Joseph Xu, the project architect. Mr. Xu stated the foundation is true to the plans. He said instead of excavating, the foundation was raised 18". Chair Owens asked for further detail to be included in the drawings.
Board member Lynch asked about the style of home. Mr. Tai stated that the residence is documented as an Italianate-Stick style construction. There was discussion about the modifications to the front stairs because of the applicant raising the building. Mr. Tai noted that the existing front stairs are not the original stairs as there are documented alterations made by the previous owner.
Board member Vella asked why the siding on the basement level is missing and what the plan is for the replacing the siding. Mr. Tai stated the construction exceeded the scope of the foundation work, which included demolition of the entire basement and removal of the redwood siding. The applicant has agreed to custom mill the detail around the building, and this is noted on the elevation detail.
Chair Owens opened the item to public comment.
Speakers:
Ms. Phoebe Yu, representing the owner, expressed the owner's interest in restoring the home back to its original appearance. The property was is disrepair and uninhabitable state at the time of the owner's purchase.
Mr. Mike VanDine, neighbor, he stated his concern that the City would allow work on the building without permits.
Mr. Jim Smallman, AAPS, offered to assist the owner on the restoration in order to save unnecessary expenses.
Mr. Jerri Schneider, neighbor, expressed concern that the notice for this design review was posted behind studs at the site, and neighbors were not notified.
Mr. Tai explained the standard procedure for noticing. He indicated that the project would be re-noticed if the Board decides to continue the hearing.
Ms. Conchita Berales, neighbor, expressed concerns over the proposed detached garage and that the basement will be made into a separate living unit.
Chair Owens asked about the garage and extra living space issues. Mr. Tai stated parking requirements are triggered when there is 750 sq. ft. of floor area being added. The conversion of the basement therefore requires one additional parking space, which could be accommodated in the existing driveway. He noted that the project does not include conversion of the basement to a second unit and that a Deed Restriction will be required as a condition of project approval limiting the property to a single-family residence.
Mr. Dick Rutter expressed concern over the project not meeting the Golden Mean standard.
Mr. Bill Smith, representing Renewed Hope Housing, asked for the property to be allowed to move forward with the agreement that a secondary unit be placed in the back of the property to provide affordable housing.
Chair Owens recessed the meeting for 5 minutes and then reconvened the meeting.
Ms. Gretchen Osborne, noted there is a 3' open trench in the front that isn't covered and is a hazard for pedestrians.
Chair Owens closed the meeting to public comment. He expressed the difficulty with the decisions of the Board and asked what kind of penalties could be involved to deter future occurrences. Mr. Tai stated the applicant has paid investigative fees of up to $10,000 for work without permits. The ordinance allows the Board to impose up to a five-year stay on new building permits, but staff does not recommend that option. He recommended the Board approve the project with conditions so that restoration work can proceed.
Vice Chair Rauk asked how the construction went this far without permits. Mr. Jiang stated the house was slanted, so he applied for the foundation permit to correct the problem. He stated he was out of the country at the time the work started. Over the phone, his contractor told him it would be cheaper to raise the house, so he approved the contractor to move forward. He had planned to apply for the other permits once he returned from China.
Vice Chair Rauk asked why the contractor did not apply for additional permits to raise the house. Ms. Hu said they were not aware another permit was needed. She expressed an apology to the City for the owner, and admitted they made a big mistake.
Board member Vella asked staff whether there are legal penalties for the contractor. Mr. Tai stated the City would report the complaint to the CA Contractors License Board. Any member of the public can lodge a complaint. He added that City inspectors are aware of this project and would carefully monitor progress on the construction.
Chair Owens stated concerns with how the property stands currently. The debris in the backyard contains original siding that could be reused in the restoration. He asked the applicant to bring an inventory of the siding material back to the Board. Vice Chair Rauk added that she would like the safety issues to be addressed.
Mr. Tai reviewed the concerns of the Board. He reported the debris in the backyard be looked at for siding reuse, ceiling heights be specified on the plans, and having the applicant securing the site. The City will re-notice the hearing.
Board member Lynch moved to continue the item until the next meeting.
Board member Vella seconded. Motioned passed, 4-0
7-C. Monopoly Plaza Presentation - A presentation of a proposal for a Monopoly Plaza at Alameda Point by Amanda Shepard. No action will be taken.
Ms. Amanda Shepard, made a presentation to the Board on Island-opoly.
Board member Lynch asked what the next steps would be.
Ms. Shepard stated working on a kick-start, and finding funding and support.
Mr. Andrew Thomas, City Planner, told the Board Phase Zero will be heard April 14, at the Planning Board.
Chair Owens opened the meeting to public comment.
Speaker, Brian O'Choanis, commented the word island should be incorporated into all titles. There has been a lot of change to this island, and as the small businesses have been squeezed out, Alameda has become less of a destination. He supports the idea of something unique.
Chair Owens closed the item to public comment.
Board member Lynch asked how soon Ms. Shepard would get the chalk to start. Ms. Shepard commented she wasn't sure how long it would take but she is working with others in the community to get the project moving along.
7.D. Historical Advisory Board will receive a presentation on the proposal for the residential adaptive reuse of the Del Monte Warehouse building at 1501 Buena Vista Avenue. No action will be taken at the meeting
Mr. Andrew Thomas, City Planner, made an introduction to the project, and to the Tim Lewis Communities team making the presentation.
Mr. Mike O'Hara introduced his team and provided a brief background on the members of his team.
Ms. Paula Cookmyer, BAR Architects, gave a presentation on the project.
Mr. Christopher VerPlank, historic preservation consultant, addressed the Board and stated working with BAR for the past couple months on this design. He commented on the other historic preservation projects he has worked on previously.
Chair Owens asked about tax credits for historic renovation. Mr. VerPlank stated at this time they were not asking for tax credits. He commented on the removal of materials, and the retention of materials. He reported on how the project would preserve character-defining components of the original building and how they were consistent with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.
Mr. Thomas stated there is a memo forthcoming by Mr. VerPlank, along with a set of project plans containing more detail.
Board member Vella asked about the residential unit numbers and square footage. Ms. Cookmyer reported the total would be 309 units, 40% one-bedroom units, and a range of flats, lofts and townhomes. She stated there will be 346,000 square feet of residential area.
Board member Vella asked about water use, open space and natural lighting. Ms. Cookmyer stated there is a 3D model that was made and that helps them to see how the natural lighting moves through the building.
Chair Owens asked if there are any issues with having the ceiling exposed. Ms. Cookmyer stated they met with the fire experts. There would be a truss in all units as the truss would not be inside the walls. By putting the garage in the center, this would create a new foundation for the truss to sit on.
Vice Chair Rauk asked about the residential amenities. Ms. Cookmyer stated this could be a gym, management office, or laundry room.
Mr. Thomas reported they have tried to set-up a timeline for getting the project moving and approved. He is asking the community to comment, as the economy is good for this kind of project. He commented on the retail part of the building, and the connection to the Bay Trail. The Board will be updated every month for the next three months.
Chair Owens opened the item for public comment.
Speaker:
Mr. Bill Smith, Renewed Hope Housing, stated this project is using the multi-family overlay, and he looks forward to seeing this project happen.
8. BOARD COMMUNICATIONS: Board member Lynch invited the members to her house for lunch with Queen Victoria, which is early this year.
9. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS:
Mr. Tai reported on a follow-up on street names from the previous meeting.
10. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None
11. ADJOURNMENT: Chair Owens called for a motion to adjourn at 9:53 p.m. Vice Chair Rauk moved to adjourn. Seconded by Board member Lynch. Approved 4-0.