Preservation Commission Meeting December 19, 2018: Hyatt House Hotel and Interim Principles Update
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Preservation Commission Meeting – December 19, 2018
The Preservation Commission met on Wednesday, December 19, 2018, at 5:33 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chamber. The meeting was called to order with all commissioners present (Commissioner Moffett arrived at 5:45 p.m.). The main agenda items included approval of the consent calendar, a public hearing on the adaptive reuse of the Eastern Star Building as a Hyatt House Hotel, an update on the Interim Principles for Infill Development, and the Director’s Report. The meeting adjourned at 7:36 p.m.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (November 7, 2018): Motion by Commissioner Valania, seconded by Commissioner Miller. Approved 5:0:1 (Commissioner Moffett absent).
- 2019 Preservation Commission Meeting Calendar: Motion by Commissioner Miller, seconded by Commissioner Bowns. Approved 5:0:1 (Commissioner Moffett absent).
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were made on matters not on the agenda.
Discussion Items
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Item 4: PB18‑028 Hyatt House Hotel (Eastern Star Building Rehabilitation/Adaptive Reuse) – A public hearing was held to consider site plan and design review for converting the historic Eastern Star Building (2719 K Street) into an 82,700 sq. ft. extended‑stay hotel with a three‑story rooftop addition. The project required deviations from maximum height and floor area ratio. Staff presented an analysis concluding the project is consistent with 9 of the 10 Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation, but not Standard 1 (minimal change to defining characteristics). The applicant emphasized community benefits, including reuse of a vacant historic building, public accessibility to the lobby, and providing accommodations for nearby Sutter Medical Center families. Public speakers included:
- Ryan Loofbarrow (Sutter Health) – expressed support for the hotel as a needed resource for patient families.
- Ty Hudson (Unite Here Local 49) – opposed the project, arguing it fails to meet Secretary of the Interior Standards and lacks adequate environmental review; claimed no evidence of infeasibility of alternative uses.
- Emily Baime Michaels (Midtown Association) – supported the project for economic and community benefits.
- Mike Testa (Visit Sacramento) – supported the hotel to grow convention business.
- Eric Crane (Downtown Sacramento Partnership) – supported the project for tourism and tax revenue.
- Robert Chase (Chase Consulting, also Preservation Sacramento board member) – supported the adaptive reuse, citing successful precedents.
- Josh Pane – urged support after previous meetings.
- Wendy Nelson (Market One Builders) – voiced support for maintaining historic fabric.
Commissioner Miller recused himself due to his firm’s involvement with the project. Commissioner Whitelam noted design improvements from earlier versions but questioned vinyl windows. Commissioner Moffett suggested HABS Level II documentation for lost interior spaces. Commissioner Valania expressed concerns about the CEQA exemption and the adequacy of the Historic Structures Report, particularly regarding the social history significance of the auditorium and meeting rooms. Commissioner Bowns acknowledged design improvements but remained uneasy about the addition’s massing.
Key Outcomes:
- Motion by Commissioner Whitelam, seconded by Commissioner Moffett, to approve staff’s recommendation with additional conditions. The conditions included:
- HABS Level II documentation of spaces to be altered or lost, with copies retained locally (e.g., Center for Sacramento History).
- Amend Condition 6 to explicitly include the grand staircase, original auditorium level, and adjacent meeting rooms as character‑defining features to be retained.
- Window materials must be reviewed and approved by staff for visual coordination with historic windows, especially on the front and within 30 feet of the front on east/west elevations.
- Any structural alterations to character‑defining lobby, staircase, or meeting room spaces must be reviewed by staff to ensure minimal visual impact and restoration of original appearance.
- Additional social history documentation and investigation of the 1936 fire damage and repair history.
- The motion passed 5:1:0 (Commissioner Valania dissented; Commissioner Miller abstained).
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Item 5: Update on Implementation of Interim Principles for Infill Development and Historic District Plan Preservation Design Standards – Staff (Carson Anderson and Bruce Monighan) reported that the Historic District Plan (HDP) design standards are being developed faster than anticipated. They recommended not pursuing formal adoption of the Interim Principles as a separate ordinance, because the permanent HDP design standards will be ready for public review by late January/early February 2019 and for enactment by April 2019. The Interim Principles have already informed consultant work and will be incorporated into the final standards. Commissioners expressed support for the direction but asked for adequate public review time (at least 60 days) for the design standards. The item was for review and comment; no formal action was taken.
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Item 6: Director’s Report – Carson Anderson reported on new board appointments (William E. Carter to Preservation Commission, four appointments to Sacramento Heritage Board), new planning staff hires, the Mills Act program (5–6 applications received), Historic Places Grant Program (13–15 applications), and the passing of preservationist William J. Murtagh. The report was received and filed.
Key Outcomes
- Approved minutes of November 7, 2018, and 2019 meeting calendar (both consent items).
- Approved the Hyatt House Hotel adaptive reuse with additional conditions and documentation requirements (vote 5‑1‑0, one abstention).
- Received and filed the Director’s Report.
- Commission noted the updated timeline for Historic District Plan design standards and expressed expectations for robust public engagement.
Note: The meeting was originally scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. but began at 5:33 p.m. due to late arrival of Commissioner Moffett. The user-provided timestamp (2018-12-19 13:15:00+00:00) appears to be an error; the actual meeting time was 5:33 p.m. PST.
Meeting Transcript
Nice to see so many people. Yes, right. Okay. Before we start, I'll start with procedures. Copies of the agenda for tonight's meeting are in the kiosk outside the door. The commission will refer to each item according to the order provided on the agenda. And there is a chance that we may take a couple of things, one or two things out of order, but we're holding off. So we may need to move item six up a little bit. Speaker forms for members of the public are on the table at the back of the room. If you'd like to speak on a particular item, please fill out the form. Note the agenda item number on which you would like to speak and bring it up to the clerk to the left of the dais. You'll be called to speak at the appropriate time. And there's normally a three-minute limit to public comments. Members of the audience may also address the commission on items that are not on the agenda, which is our agenda item number three. Public comments, matters not on the agenda. At this time, I'd ask that you please turn off all noise-making devices such as cell phones or pagers or anything else like that, or turn it turn it to silent mode, and we'll proceed with our agenda. Roll call, please. Commissioner Bones. Commissioner Miller. Commissioner Moffitt. Commissioner Volania. Commissioner Whitelum. Here. And Chair Marshak. Here. Quorum attained. Thank you. Our first item on the calendar is our consent calendar, and there's two things within the consent calendar. First of all, approval of the minutes of the November 7th meeting. And second, our uh calendar, proposed calendar for 2019. Are there any commissioners that would like to separate these items to for discussion individually? Like to do the calendar separate. Okay, then we'll handle them one at a time. So item one, approval of minutes of the November 7th, uh 2018 meeting of the Preservation Commission. Are there any comments or questions about those minutes from the Commissioners? Corrections, potential additions. Okay, not seeing any. Uh do I have a motion on approval. Commissioner Velania. I move that we approve the minutes from the November 7th meeting. Thank you. Um Commissioner Miller. Second the motion. Thank you. We have a motion and a second to approve the minutes of the November meeting of the Commission. Um please. Commissioner Bones. Commissioner Commissioner Miller. Yes. Commissioner Volania.
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