Cultural Heritage Committee Action Update

March 23, 2009                       Monday                                5:30p.m.

ROLL CALL:      Committee Members Katy Davis, Lynne Landwehr, Dean Miller, Vacant Position, Acting Vice-Chair Chuck Crotser, and Acting Chair John Fowler 

ABSENT:            Committee Member Barbara Breska 

STAFF:                Senior Planners Jeff Hook and Pam Ricci, Deputy Director Kim Murry, and Recording Secretary Janet Miller 

PUBLIC COMMENT:  Uta Birkmayer provided testimony regarding the need to incorporate an area’s history into the design of the buildings as well as the service and retail establishments in a community.  

David Brodie provided comments that history is comprised of more than just buildings – it’s also people and events. 

MINUTES:  The minutes of February 23, 2009, were approved as amended.   

PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS: 

1.    955 Morro Street, 840, 842, 844, 848, 868, 870, & 886 Monterey Street, 847, 861, 863, & 877 Palm Street, and 984 & 986 Chorro Street.  ARC 69-05; Conceptual review of revised design for the Chinatown Project; C-D-H zone; SLO Chinatown, LLC, applicants.  (Pam Ricci) 

Staff provided an overview of the revised plans submitted for conceptual review and the direction provided by General Plan policies, Community Design and Historic Preservation Guidelines.  The staff recommendation included direction to the applicant to clarify the restoration or reconstruction efforts associated with the Blackstone Hotel and Sauer Bakery buildings, and to incorporate design revisions to the hotel project to support its location in and compatibility with the historic Chinatown District.   

Mark Rawson, project architect, and Chris Harrelson, hospitality consultant, provided testimony regarding the intent of the project revisions and the proposed hotel’s design response to the Chinatown Historic District.   

CHC members clarified a few points and then the hearing was opened to the public. 

Seven members of the public provided testimony that was generally supportive of the revised development concept for the property.  Several expressed concerns regarding how the two historic buildings would be redeveloped, but supported concept of retaining the buildings and returning the design to a more historic period. Several specific design alterations were offered.  

The public hearing was closed. 

The CHC members followed up with questions of proposed height of the buildings, the accessibility of the ovens to be preserved, the time period to which the buildings would be restored, and whether the project involved reconstruction or restoration. 

After further discussion, on a motion by Acting Vice-Chair Crotser, seconded by Committee Member Davis, the CHC voted 5:0 to support the staff recommendation with the addition of the following wording to condition #1 (dealing with the treatment of the historic buildings on the corner of Chorro and Monterey): 

“Clarify the architectural response in terms of the Secretary of the Interior Standards.” 

COMMUNICATIONS:

a.   Agenda Forecast – Staff provided a brief preview of upcoming agenda items, including the swearing in of new Committee members and election of officers on April 27^th. 

b.   Committee - The Committee discussed the upcoming Mayor’s Advisory Body lunch on April 9^th.  Katy Davis volunteered to attend on behalf of the Committee.

Information regarding the 34^th Annual Preservation Conference held in Palm Springs on April 16-19^th was distributed. 

ADJOURNMENT   The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m.