Sacramento Preservation Commission Meeting - April 19, 2017
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Sacramento Preservation Commission Meeting - April 19, 2017
The Sacramento Preservation Commission met on April 19, 2017, at 5:30 PM at New City Hall, 915 I Street. The commission reviewed a consent calendar, received a director's report, heard an ad hoc committee update on infill development, discussed the Powerhouse Alley Lofts project, and considered a nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. All commissioners were present. The meeting adjourned at 8:09 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (March 15, 2017): The commission approved the minutes as amended (Commissioner Whitelam requested a correction to add a line about interest-based stakeholder groups). Motion by Moffett, second by Fuller; passed 7-0.
- Director's Reports: Received and filed. The preservation director provided updates on the O Street project (DGS retained ICF as historic consultant; alternatives narrowed; presentation expected in May), Memorial Auditorium (meeting with theater technical group; presentation after May meeting), 2218 Capital Avenue appeal (withdrawn after agreement), mid-century modern survey (kickoff March 30; iPads purchased; volunteer roster grew from 30 to nearly 60), new commissioner Mark Abrahams (PPE committee recommended; council confirmation expected first week of May), and upcoming events (San Mateo Eichler Home Tour, Sacramento Jazz History Tour, Jane's Walk).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Powerhouse Alley Lofts (Item 4): John Lane expressed concerns about the safety and liability of the 225-year-old valley oak tree, noting fallen limbs during storms. He also praised his son's renovation of an adjacent property at 1815 Q Street.
- Nomination of Mohr & Yoerk Market Building (Item 5): William Burg, from the California Office of Historic Preservation, explained that the nomination is for the front building only (not the alley portion), is part of a historic rehabilitation tax credit project converting upper stories to residential, and that comments received within days could be incorporated before the State Historical Resources Commission meeting on May 10.
Discussion Items
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Ad Hoc Committee Update on Alley-Side Infill Development (Item 3): Commissioner Whitelam presented an oral report. The committee has met and aims to achieve dual objectives: facilitating infill development and maintaining historic district integrity. Three action items: make timely progress with regular reports, provide input to the Downtown Specific Plan (adoption expected December 2017), and formulate historic district development plans per the Planning & Development Code. Commissioner Marshack clarified the committee should be called "Infill,” not restricted to alley-side. Commissioner Valania asked if the committee would also create character statements for districts; Whitelam confirmed it falls under development plans.
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Powerhouse Alley Lofts (Item 4): This is a review and comment item for a proposed subdivision of a vacant 0.18-acre parcel into five parcels, each with a three-story single-family dwelling and attached secondary residential unit, at 1617 18th Street, within the Capitol Avenue Historic District. Staff presented context: the site is near a dog park, auto body shop, office, and a 4-story apartment building. The project meets zoning requirements; the commission's feedback will inform a future site plan and design review. Key issues discussed:
- Tree: A 45-inch valley oak (approx. 225 years old) is proposed for removal. The applicant's arborist rated the tree as poor (overmature, structural defects, life expectancy ~25 years). City Urban Forestry disagrees. The tree is a heritage/protected tree; removal would require mitigation (replacement or in-lieu fee). The commission noted this will be part of the formal site plan review.
- Design: The massing is three stories plus a rooftop deck (roof access not counted as story). Materials include stucco, Resista composite wood siding, polycarbonate garage doors. Balconies have opaque railings. Design is contemporary.
- Context: Commissioners expressed concerns about scale relative to adjacent 1-2 story historic homes. Some felt the project contrasts with the historic district; others noted the eclectic context. Requested street-view sections to understand visual impact.
- Neighbor privacy: A view-line exhibit showed different balcony railing options; opaque railings limit downward views. Commissioners suggested removing third-floor balconies on the south side or adding canopy trees for screening.
- Energy performance: Commissioner Piner noted the awnings on east-west elevations should be designed for shading; rooftop deck steps help but solar access is important with upcoming net-zero codes.
- Alternative unit layout: Several commissioners suggested flipping the design to place the secondary unit on the third floor and the townhouse on lower floors, which could reduce massing and better fit the neighborhood.
- Materials: Commissioner Valania raised concerns about translucent garage doors in the alley contrasting with historic wooden garages across the alley; suggested glazing only at top.
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Nomination of Mohr & Yoerk Market (Ransohoff-May) Building to the National Register of Historic Places (Item 5): The building at 1029 K Street is nominated at the local level of significance under Criteria A (commerce/trade) and C (architecture). Staff found the nomination appropriate but noted missing photo documentation, typographical errors, and no explicit level of significance. Public comment clarified the nomination covers only the front (K Street) building. Commission discussion noted that while some first-floor storefront elements are altered (e.g., awning removed), such changes are common for commercial buildings and do not preclude listing. The building retains character-defining features on upper floors (banding, decorative spandrels).
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Approved 7-0.
- Director's Reports: Received and filed.
- Ad Hoc Committee Update: Received and filed.
- Powerhouse Alley Lofts: Comments received and filed. The project will return for formal site plan and design review. Staff will incorporate commission feedback, including requests for street-view sections, consideration of tree retention, and design refinements.
- Nomination of Mohr & Yoerk Building: Motion by Moffett, seconded by Whitelam, to forward a recommendation of support to the State Office of Historic Preservation, with clarifications: the nomination is at the local level of significance, missing photo documentation should be added, character-defining features (mezzanine and fourth-level banding, decorative window treatments) should be described, and typographical errors (e.g., page 4 of description section) corrected. Commissioner Valania expressed uncertainty about whether the nomination sufficiently demonstrates integrity for Criteria A and C, but the motion passed 7-0.
- Member Comments: Commissioner Whitelam distributed a list of stakeholder groups contacted by the Downtown Specific Plan team. Commissioner Marshack requested a workshop with former Preservation Director Roberta Deering to educate the full commission on legal authority and preservation procedures.
Meeting Transcript
Those who walked in the last few minutes were still waiting for the start to be honest with the company. Evening. The April nineteenth, two thousand and seventeen meeting of the City of Sacramento's Preservation Commission is called to order. Before we start, I'll review the procedures. Copies of the agenda for tonight's meeting are on the kiosk just outside the door. The commission will refer to each item according to the order provided on the agenda, and there are no changes to the agenda tonight. Each item in the public hearing portion of the agenda will begin with a brief presentation by staff, followed by questions of staff from the commission, presentation by the applicant if they choose, followed by questions of the applicant by the commission, and then an opportunity for public comments. We'll also follow that procedure for non-hearing discussion items as well. Speaker forms for members of the public who uh would like to present on a particular item are on the table in the back of the room by the window there. If you would like to speak, please fill out a form. Note the agenda item number on which you would like to speak, and bring it up to the clerk on the left of the dais over here. Members of the audience may also address the commission on items that are not on the agenda, which will be agenda item six. Public comments matters not on the agenda. At this time, we ask you please turn off your cell phones and pagers and any other noise-making devices. Commissioner Moffat. Commissioner Fuller. Commissioner Vellania. Commissioner Piner. Vice Chair Whitlam. Do we have any corrections or edits to the minutes of the March fifteenth twenty seventeen meeting? Commissioner Whitelam. And so I'd like to insert that so that that sentence first sentence would read Commissioner Whiteland requested a list of interest-based interest-based stakeholder groups the city has met with and plans to meet with between now and August. And that's a correction I request. Any other comments on the minutes of the last meeting? All right. Hearing none, um I need a motion to approve the consent items. I move to move. I move to approve the uh consent calendar with the edits noted by Commissioner White. Okay, we have a motion from Commissioner Moffat. I'll second that. Second by Commissioner Fuller. Yes. Okay. All those in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Okay. All right. Um our next item is the director report. Preservation director. Thank you, Chair. Uh so three development projects uh merit some discussion this evening. Uh we continue to have dialogue with the Department of General Services about the O Street project and uh the EIR that will come out of that and the um impacts that uh were uh discuss the potential impacts that were discussed here related to the Hillburn House. Um we should point out to you that DGS has retained a historic preservation consultant. Um that is uh looking at some of the issues and guiding them in their planning and design process related to the EIR. Uh they have retained ICF in that role in that role. Thank you.
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