05-02-2007 DRC MinutesCITY OF ORANGE
DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE
FINAL MINUTES
2 May 2007
Committee Members Present: Jon Califf
Donnie DeWees
Craig Wheeler
Joe Woollett
Staff in Attendance: Leslie Aranda Roseberry, Planning Manager
Robert Garcia, Associate Planner
Sonal Thakur, Assistant Planner
Sharon Penttila, Recording Secretary
Committee Member Absent: Bill Cathcart
Administrative Session - 5:00 P.M.
The Committee met for an administrative session beginning at 5:00 p.m. The meeting adjourned
at approximately 6:36 p.m.
Regular Session - 5:30 P.M.
City of Orange -Design Review Committee
Meeting Minutes for 2 May 2007
Page 2
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Opportunity for members of the public to address the Design Review Committee on
matters not listed on the Agenda.
No public attendees addressed the Design Review Committee on matters not listed on the
Agenda.
REVIEW OF MINUTES: Apri14, 2007
Committee Member Woollett made a motion to approve the minutes of the April 4, 2007
meeting with revisions as noted.
SECOND: Craig Wheeler
AYES: Jon Califf, Donnie DeWees, Craig Wheeler, Joe Woollett
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Bill Cathcart
MOTION CARRIED.
REVIEW OF MINUTES: April 16, 2007
Committee Member Woollett made a motion to approve the minutes of the April 16, 2007
meeting.
SECOND: Craig Wheeler
AYES: Jon Califf, Donnie DeWees, Craig Wheeler, Joe Woollett
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Bill Cathcart
MOTION CARRIED.
CONSENT ITEMS:
All matters that are announced as Consent Items are considered to be routine by the
Design Review Committee and will be enacted on 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.
2. DRC No. 4208-07 - EARTHLINK WI-FI FACILITY
A proposal to install and operate a new wireless telecommunications facility on a SCE
tower.
West of East Queens Drive
Staff Contact: Robert Garcia, (714) 744-7231, rgarcia@cityoforange.org
DRC Action: Recommendation to Planning Commission
City of Orange -Design Review Committee
Meeting Minutes for 2 May 2007
Page 3
Committee Member DeWees made a motion to approve the following item by consent, subject to
the recommendations in the Staff Report and Community Services Department landscape plan
check comments with an additional condition requesting the enclosure of the mechanical
equipment be vinyl coated security fencing with smaller mesh.
SECOND: Jon Califf
AYES: Jon Califf, Donnie DeWees, Craig Wheeler, Joe Woollett
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Bill Cathcart
MOTION CARRIED.
City of Orange -Design Review Committee
Meeting Minutes for 2 May 2007
Page 4
1. DRC No. 4149-06 - RONEY TWO-STORY ADDITION
A proposal to construct a new second story on an existing single-family residence.
735 North Russell Drive
Staff Contact: Sonal Thakur, (714) 744-7239, sthakur@cityoforange.org
DRC Action: Preliminary Review
Sonal Thakur, Assistant Planner, provided a project overview consistent with the Staff Report.
She explained the existing FAR of the subject residence is .35 and the proposed second story
would reach the maximum FAR of .6. Ms. Thakur commented that staff was concerned with the
project having too much mass and too much height which would overwhelm the single-story
neighborhood. One of the recommendations to alleviate this problem was to eliminate some of
the bathrooms on the second floor and make some of the rooms larger with increased height.
Alan Roney, owner of the home, explained they have owned the house since 1976. They are
very concerned with the value of the neighborhood and he was glad that there is a Design
Review Committee to watch how things are built in the neighborhood. This upgrade is
something they have been planning for years so it's more livable. They did read the Design
Review Guidelines and the Infill Residential Guidelines. He felt they comply with all the
guidelines except with the height of the home which will be higher than others in the
neighborhood. This is the sixth house in the track to add a second story. They have discussed
this with their neighbors and the consensus was they had no concerns. Mr. Roney had the
neighbors put in writing the fact that they were not opposed to the second story but encouraged
and welcomed the remodel. Regarding the two bathrooms upstairs, one would be shared by the
two younger children and the oldest would have her own. Mr. Roney explained there are
medical reasons restrooms are needed in very convenient parts of the home and they do have
such a medical condition in the house. They have inset all the second floor walls except at the
backyard.
Genie Roney explained they have complied with the request to widen the garage by a foot even
though it will be an extra expense.
Dean Elliott, designer, mentioned under the guidance of staff they requested an Administrative
Adjustment in January. He said the applicants were willing to go through the expense and effort
to make this home change the complexion of two-story development in the neighborhood.
The Public Hearing was opened.
Carol Stout the neighbor who would be most affected by the project, said everything the
Roney's have done over the years has been impeccably done. She couldn't see anyway the
project would affect her.
Committee Member Califf noticed they were proposing to raise the plate height on the ground
floor, which would require reframing on the ground floor. He asked how they planned on raising
from an 8 foot to a 9-foot plate. Mr. Elliott explained that the engineer recommended that he
City of Orange -Design Review Committee
Meeting Minutes for 2 May 2007
Page 5
design a post and beam structure that would set on top so the existing plate would fasten to the
beam on top and then the floor would go on top in order to affect very little change to the
downstairs.
Committee Member Califf mentioned that this was a very good example of why there are the
infill residential guidelines and why second-story additions now have to come before the DRC.
They have been trying to encourage people when they increase the mass that they make sure it is
pushed back. Personally he felt it's not necessary to set the sides back in a foot. He was inclined
to see the front of the second story further back. He wondered what was going on with the
fireplace. He thought it would look better if it came down and it was wider so it looked like a
traditional fireplace. His main concern was the overall height and the desire to see it set back
further, diminishing the mass of it from the street. He did not have a concern with the
bathrooms.
Mr. Roney explained that all the windows would be solar, dual paned, tinted glass vinyl windows
for the whole house.
Committee Member DeWees was only slightly concerned with the mass of the building but more
so with the height of it. He suggested keeping an 8-foot plate which would decrease it by two
feet. He questioned why there was a 5 and 12 pitch on the slope of the roof. Mr. Elliott said that
some of the homes on the street are 5 and 12 and it would best blend with the neighborhood.
Committee Member DeWees stated he would pull it down to 4 and 12. His other suggestion was
to relocate a closet. He would like to see on the plans specific information on the plate height
and materials when they come back. He questioned the use of the bay windows.
Committee Member Califf stated that he doesn't always agree with the recommendations to step
the sides of the house in one foot as has been provided to applicant in the past.
Committee Member Woollett stated it was stretching it by putting in a huge second floor on the
home in this neighborhood. He didn't feel there was a need fora 9-foot plate on the first floor
with a 9-foot on the second floor. He felt by approving this project it would invite other second
stories in the neighborhood. He would mitigate it by using 8-foot plates, sloping ceilings on the
second floor, and a 3 and 12 pitch. He stated this was why the ordinance had been put in place.
Committee Member DeWees said the DRC had to consider the cumulative effect to the
neighborhood. If everyone used 9-foot plates this would result in changing the character of the
neighborhood over the years.
Chair Wheeler shared the sentiment of the other Committee Members. He was not opposed to a
second floor but the second floor needed to be pushed back, the plate on the second floor needed
to be brought down to 8 feet and he would compromise on the 9-foot plate downstairs especially
if the roof pitch was brought down. Another big problem he saw on the project was the parking.
The two-car garage was undersized. He'd like to see at least a full 20' x 20' garage so at least
two people can park in it. He would also like to see more off-street parking and asked that when
they come back would they dimension the drawings a bit more to ensure the areas are correct.
He wanted Ms. Thakur to determine whether the FAR should include the second floor volume.
City of Orange -Design Review Committee
Meeting Minutes for 2 May 2007
Page 6
To recap Chair Wheeler's suggestions:
Improve parking
Lower the roof pitch
Lower the second story plate
Push the front back as far as possible
Possibly going to higher windows on the second floor to increase privacy
Mr. Elliott could see a common denominator concerning the roof pitch, the upstairs plate line
and the idea that the front could be pushed back and the sides could be widened. He wanted to
know if the sides should come out flush and the Committee indicated they preferred that both
sides be flush.
Chair Wheeler wanted more detail on the garage and entry doors in the front. Committee
Member DeWees questioned the railing on the deck. Mr. Elliott felt the railing unified the look.
Committee Member Woollett stated that it was a great idea for the applicants to come to them at
this stage of development.
Ms. Roney was concerned with the parking situation since they can't even push the trashcans
through now. Chair Wheeler was asking them to at least look at getting better parking with
creative solutions with at least a full garage for two cars.
Mr. Elliott asked how they would feel about a 9-foot plate height only in the back on the second
floor. Committee Member Califf felt that was the place to do it. Mr. Elliott didn't feel the 3 and
12 pitch on the ceilings would look very good. Chair Wheeler suggested using tray ceilings.
Committee Member Woollett made a motion to continue DRC No. 4149-06.
SECOND: Donnie DeWees
AYES: Jon Califf, Donnie DeWees, Craig Wheeler, Joe Woollett
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Bill Cathcart
MOTION CARRIED.
City of Orange -Design Review Committee
Meeting Minutes for 2 May 2007
Page 7
3. DRC No. 4218-07 - MCKHANN RESIDENCE
A proposal to construct a new second story deck that may potentially have privacy issues
with the adjoining neighbors.
2911 East Lake Hill Drive
Staff Contact: Sonal Thakur, (714) 744-7239, sthakur@cityoforange.org
DRC Action: Final Determination
Sonal Thakur, Assistant Planner, provided a project overview consistent with the Staff Report.
She mentioned the existing pool had been removed and would be replaced with a new one.
There is a 13-foot separation between the existing homes. Staff had concern with the privacy of
the home on the left.
Lane Curtis, architect, explained they are trying to add an upper level deck and the only issue
may be one of privacy.
There were no public comments.
Committee Member Woollett had no problem with the project. Committee Member DeWees
mentioned there was almost twenty feet from where people would be gathering and the windows
on the adjacent home.
Committee Member Califf mentioned that additional landscaping would be the friendly thing to
do.
Chair Wheeler's only concern was the fact that the style of the rear balcony was so different
from the front of the house.
Committee Member Califf wanted to add a condition to encourage additional planting along the
wall.
Committee Member DeWees made a motion to approve DRC No. 4218-07 subject to the
conditions in the staff report and a provision that they consider a landscape buffer to the adjacent
residence.
SECOND: Craig Wheeler
AYES: Jon Califf, Donnie DeWees, Craig Wheeler, Joe Woollett
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Bill Cathcart
MOTION CARRIED.
City of Orange -Design Review Committee
Meeting Minutes for 2 May 2007
Page 8
Committee Member Woollett made a motion to adjourn to the next regular meeting on
Wednesday, May 16, 2007.
SECOND: Jon Califf
AYES: Jon Califf, Donnie DeWees, Craig Wheeler, Joe Woollett
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Bill Cathcart
MOTION CARRIED.