Loading...
2010-03-03 DRC Final MinutesCITY OF ORANGE DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE MINUTES -FINAL March 3, 2010 Committee Members Present: Bill Cathcart Adrienne Gladson Tim McCormack Craig Wheeler Joe Woollett Committee Members Absent: None Staff in Attendance: Leslie Aranda Roseberry, Planning Manager Chad Ortlieb, Senior Planner Sonal Thakur, Assistant Planner Sandi Dimick, Recording Secretary Administrative Session - 5:00 P.M. Chair Cathcart opened the Administrative Session with a review of the Agenda. Leslie Aranda Roseberry, Planning Manager, stated there were no changes or additions to the Agenda. Committee Member Woollett suggested that they take the two minor projects being presented and not make them into major projects. Committee Member Wheeler stated when the presentation came forward for Item No. 2 that perhaps it could be something that could be approved without discussion. The Committee Members reviewed the minutes and noted corrections and changes. There was no further discussion. Committee Member Gladson made a motion to adjourn the Administrative Session. SECOND: Craig Wheeler AYES: Bill Cathcart, Adrienne Gladson, Tim McCormack, Craig Wheeler, Joe Woollett NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: None MOTION CARRIED. Administrative Session adjourned at 5:20 p.m. City of Orange -Design Review Committee Meeting Minutes for March 3, 2010 Page 2 of 7 Regular Session - 5:30 P.M. ROLL CALL: All Committee Members were present. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: Opportunity for members of the public to address the Design Review Committee on matters not listed on the Agenda. There was none. CONSENT ITEMS: All matters that are announced as Consent Items are considered to be routine by the Design Review Committee and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of said items unless members of the Design Review Committee, staff or the public request specific items to be removed from the Consent Items for separate action ~` (1) APPROVAL OF MINUTES: February 17, 2010 Committee Member McCormack made a motion to approve the minutes from the regular Design Review Committee Meeting of February 17, 2010 with the changes and corrections noted during the Administrative Session. SECOND: Adrienne Gladson AYES: Bill Cathcart, Adrienne Gladson, Tim McCormack, Craig Wheeler, Joe Woollett NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: None City of Orange -Design Review Committee Meeting Minutes for March 3, 2010 Page 3 of 7 AGENDA ITEMS: Continued Items: None New Agenda Items: (2) DRC No. 4258-07 - RODRIGUEZ DUPLEX • A proposal for revised site landscape plans associated with the construction of a second detached dwelling. The revised landscape plans require review pursuant to DRC conditions associated with the dwelling unit approval. • 4224 E. Washington Avenue • Staff Contact: Chad Ortlieb, 714-744-7237, cortlieb(cr~,cityoforange.org • DRC Action: Final Determination Senior Planner, Chad Ortlieb, presented a project overview consistent with the Staff Report. Applicant, Fernie Acevedo, address on file, was available to answer any questions. Public Comment None. Chair Cathcart opened the item for discussion by the Committee. Committee Member McCormack stated he had visited the site and he was having some trouble with the plan. The smart irrigation system and Smart Controller had hundreds of combinations; it was for grass that was in the sun, grass that was in the shade, grass that was in half sun, grass that faced south, grass that faced north, and to get a Smart Controller to do what it was supposed to do the applicant would need to do smart zoning of the landscape. Typically a design as presented would not necessarily be a candidate for a Smart Controller. The landscape was pretty straight forward and he understood what they had done before with the hedges and foundation plantings that were traditional landscape design elements. What he was reviewing currently was that the traditional elements had been taken out and replaced with turf. He had not wanted to be in a situation where he was telling anyone what to do and that was not what the DRC was all about, but he hated to review the project and to know that with so much turf it would need to be mowed, which meant there would be watering and maintenance. He was not stating the applicant could not go with turf, but rather that it needed to be done correctly; with mow strips and those things and the irrigation would need to be zoned. With the mass out there the turf would be almost in total shade and would be tough to get turf to grow in shade, especially when there would be a lot of water coming off of the roof. He had not noticed a drainage system on the property. Committee Member McCormack suggested simplifying the plan. He suggested the applicant attempt to go with a landscape that would not become an economic burden and to simplify. On the driveway the width was typically 8' with a wheel base of a van being at 5' 2" would put the wheel base on the edge of the pavement. He pointed out the area on the plans and stated typically it would be 3' x 2' x 3', which would be good for a compact car but not for a City of Orange -Design Review Committee Meeting Minutes for March 3, 2010 Page 4 of 7 larger car. His thought would be to cut to the chase and to look at landscape products and to complete an efficient landscape irrigation system. Irrigation heads throw at 8', 12' and 15' and the applicant could use those numbers to come up with an efficient irrigation system going head to head with the maximum irrigation system. He reviewed the plans and his suggestions with the applicant and the Committee Members. He suggested reducing the turf and to go from there. He suggested simplifying the plan and they could put in a path and fill it in with shrubs or some low growing plantings. Chair Cathcart stated they could use a 3 ''/2' x 3 ''/z' or 2 '/z' x 2 '/2' shrub. Committee Member McCormack stated something that could handle the shade and to let that grow in and they would not need to fertilize it too much and it would not be a burden on the applicant. With the turf it would get flooded and die and then it would require replacing; or they could plant an English Garden and go crazy with it, but he had not seen that for the site. Chair Cathcart stated he was going to suggest that the applicant not use a Smart Controller and to purchase a Rain Bird or other system and to simplify the plan. Committee Member McCormack stated a Smart Controller would cost $48.00 per year and if the bill was not paid there was an alert sounded at midnight that needed to be turned off. A Smart Controller would cost the applicant more money and the landscape that was being presented was not a good candidate for a Smart Controller. He suggested keeping the plan simple and they could put in a decomposed granite path to connect the areas and to plant shrubs and call it a day. Chair Cathcart asked if the applicant wanted to deal with the fussiness of Hydrangea? Mr. Acevedo stated the plantings were recommendations from his landscape architect. Chair Cathcart suggested that the applicant study up on Hydrangea as that planting was particular about moisture, sun, shade, and the type of chemical fertilizer that was needed. The scale of those drawn on the perimeter were larger than the plants next to the house and it was the same shrub. In the area next to the house he felt the plants might encroach onto the driveway. Hydrangea was a nice plant, just very picky. Committee Member McCormack suggested using Hydrangea in the more protected areas as they would not bloom if they became frozen; if it was constantly frozen in the exposed areas there would never be flowers. He had a tough time growing them and they were fussy. He would go with a more bullet-proof plant that could take more exposure. Chair Cathcart stated most people thought that all Hydrangea changed color with the PH of the soil and that was not the case; the white ones would never change color, and it would be the pink variety that turned to blue, the blue to pink, and that was the combination. Committee Member Wheeler asked if there was a suggestion for a different planting? City of Orange -Design Review Committee Meeting Minutes for March 3, 2010 Page 5 of 7 Chair Cathcart stated no, he would hesitate doing that and he would not want to get into the habit of changing someone's preference. Committee Member Gladson asked if Chair Cathcart felt it would be a good foundation planting? Chair Cathcart stated the one next to the house that might encroach on the driveway should be something else and there were a variety of plants they could use. On the perimeter the Hydrangea would be fine. The flowers would be big and beautiful. Committee Member McCormack stated he recalled from the previous meeting that there were suggestions for the use of trees to tone down an area he pointed to on the plans. There was a very small Canary Island tree that was 15" and it would be quite sometime before it would do anything for the building. He had on his notes that there should be a turnaround in that area and he felt people would just drive over the area and it was currently no wider than a 12" brick. They needed the parking. Committee Member Wheeler asked if they had suggested the use of pervious pavers for that area? Committee Member Gladson stated that was the suggestion from Staff. Committee Member McCormack stated if that area was driven over it was done and he had no other suggestions for that area. Committee Member McCormack made a motion to approve DRC No. 4258-07, Rodriguez Duplex, subject to the conditions contained in the Staff Report and with the additional comments noted during the meeting: 1. Widen the ribbon driveway. 2. To move the Hydrangea to the perimeter of the structure, to the perimeter walls and sheltered areas. 3. Choose a new foundation planting plant and east perimeter driveway planting that would accept full sun. 4. To reduce the turf and to calculate the irrigation heads for full coverage of the turf. And with the following recommendation: 1. Eliminate the use of a Smart Controller. SECOND: Joe Woollett AYES: Bill Cathcart, Adrienne Gladson, Tim McCormack, Craig Wheeler, Joe Woollett NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: None MOTION CARRIED. City of Orange -Design Review Committee Meeting Minutes for March 3, 2010 Page 6 of 7 (3) DRC No. 4466-10 - OC SPORTS GRILL • A proposal to modify an existing sign program. • 450 N. State College Boulevard • Staff Contact: Sonal Thakur, 714-744-7239, sthakur~a cit~oforange.org • DRC Action: Final Determination Committee Member Wheeler suggested that the item could be approved without discussion and subject to the conditions of the Staff Report. Chair Cathcart asked if there was any opposition to that suggestion? There was none. Public Comment None. Chair Cathcart asked the applicant if he had any opposition and were they in concurrence on the conditions contained in the Staff Report? Applicant, Mark Frank, address on file, stated he was fine with that. Committee Member Wheeler made a motion to approve DRC No. 4466-10, OC Sports Grill, subject to the conditions contained in the Staff Report. SECOND: Joe Woollett AYES: Bill Cathcart, Adrienne Gladson, Tim McCormack, Craig Wheeler, Joe Woollett NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: None MOTION CARRIED. City of Orange -Design Review Committee Meeting Minutes for March 3, 2010 Page 7 of 7 ADJOURNMENT: Committee Member McCormack made a motion to adjourn to the next regular scheduled meeting on Wednesday, March 17, 2010. The meeting adjourned at 5:52 p.m. SECOND: Craig Wheeler AYES: Bill Cathcart, Adrienne Gladson, Tim McCormack, Craig Wheeler, Joe Woollett NOES: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: None MOTION CARRIED.