Meeting colors

OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Santa Rosa Cultural Heritage Board Regular Meeting - November 3, 2021

Planning Commission — Wednesday, November 3, 2021

BodySanta Rosa, California

SessionPlanning Commission

DateWednesday, November 3, 2021

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:17:39

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:12

Can you hear me now?

0:14

Yes, we can hear you.

0:15

And we do have a quorum, so we are ready to start when you are.

0:19

Okay, I'm just uh may get board members.

0:27

If you can please turn your cameras on and we'll start with chair music.

0:48

I'm not sure why every time I do Zoom, it just seems like a new experience.

0:55

But I guess I don't do it quite enough.

0:58

So let me uh just just give me two seconds here.

1:28

Okay, I think I'm ready to go.

1:32

We have a quorum, Mike.

1:36

Yes, please do.

1:39

Okay, thank you.

1:41

Okay, well, we'll call the um uh November, Wednesday, November 3rd uh Cultural Heritage Board City Santa Rosa meeting uh to order.

1:54

Uh we'll start out with uh our statement that the percent to the government section code section five four nine five three e and the recommendations of the health officer of the Sonoma County Planning Commission members will be participating in this meeting via Zoom webinar.

2:15

Members of the public can participate in the meeting virtually by visiting www.zoom dot us forward slash join or phone dialing eight eight eight four seven five four four nine nine with meeting ID nine seven three six zero two eight six zero two five.

2:43

Additional information related to the meeting participation is available at uh city of Santa Rosa.org forward slash cultural heritage board or chb.

2:56

The meeting will also be live streamed at Santa Rosa Legistar.com forward slash calendar.

3:05

Click on the in progress link to view.

3:08

The meeting can also be viewed on Comcast Channel 28 and at WWA YouTube.com, City of Santa Rosa.

3:22

Okay.

3:24

Um our second item business will be approval of the June 16th.

3:31

Chair Miser, if I can hold you off, we gotta do a roll call first.

3:34

Oh, okay.

3:35

Let's do a roll call.

3:37

Thank you, Chair Measer.

3:38

Let the record reflect that all commission all board members are present, except a vice chair fennel and board member Wong.

3:47

Okay, thank you.

3:50

Um I'm moving on to approval of minutes.

3:53

Uh the G we're gonna have uh two draft minutes to approve of the June 16th 2021 draft minutes.

4:02

Um does anybody have any additions or changes to those minutes?

4:09

Seeing no hands, move on to the August 4th, 2021 draft minutes.

4:15

Any additions or changes to those minutes?

4:21

Okay.

4:22

Um with that then, um, we'll move that the uh the minutes are approved.

4:32

This time we're gonna move to uh item three, public comment.

4:37

So I'm going to open um for public comment for any item not included in this meeting's agenda.

4:47

If you wish to make a comment via Zoom, please select the raise hand button.

4:52

If you are dialing in via telephone, please dial star nine to raise your hand.

4:58

Each speaker has three minutes.

5:00

The countdown timer will appear for the convenience of the speaker and the viewers.

5:05

Please make sure to unmute yourself when you are invited to do so.

5:09

Your microphone will be muted at the end of the countdown.

5:14

Do we have any members of the public who would like to make public comment?

5:21

Thank you, Chair Measer.

5:22

No one's raising their hand at this time.

5:25

Okay.

5:29

Okay, so at this time I'd like to close then the public comment period.

5:37

Okay, moving on to uh to board business.

5:44

Um I'll read our statement of purpose.

5:48

The Cultural Heritage Board shall consider the following matters, standards and guidelines and criteria to the extent applicable in determining whether to grant or deny a permit.

5:59

Whether the proposed change is consistent or incompatible with the architectural period of the building, whether proposed change is compatible with any adjacent or nearby landmark structures or preservation district structures, whether the textures, materials, filstrations, decorative features, and details proposed are consistent with the period and or are compatible with adjacent structures.

6:26

Whether the proposed changes destroys or adversely affects an important architectural feature or features, the Secretary of the Interior standards for rehabilitation and guidelines for rehabilitating historic buildings.

6:40

Such other matters, criteria, and standards as may be adopted by the resolution of the Cultural Heritage Board.

6:54

So I believe this is our time also to ask if any board members would like to report any activities or anything at this time.

7:14

Okay, we're moving right along.

7:20

Um item 4.3.

7:24

Other items or other business.

7:27

I don't believe that we have any.

7:34

We do not.

7:35

Okay, then uh moving on to then department reports.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Historic Preservation███████████████████████████████████████39%

Procedural████████████████████████24%

Planning And Zoning███████████11%

Public Hearing██████6%

Cultural Heritage██████6%

Affordable Housing█████5%

Public Engagement███3%

Public Comment███3%

Community Engagement██2%

Summary of Proceedings

Santa Rosa Cultural Heritage Board Regular Meeting - November 3, 2021

This virtual meeting of the Santa Rosa Cultural Heritage Board (CHB) was held on November 3, 2021, at 4:30 PM via Zoom. The main agenda item was a public hearing for the Avenue 320 Apartments project, a 37-unit multifamily development at 320 College Avenue within the St. Rose Preservation District. The board unanimously approved a landmark alteration permit for the project after presentations from staff, the applicant team, and public comments. The meeting also included approval of previous minutes, board reports, and department updates.

Consent Calendar

Approval of Minutes: The board unanimously approved the draft minutes from June 16, 2021, and August 4, 2021.

Public Comments & Testimony

Denise Hill (neighborhood representative) expressed strong support for the final project design, commending the applicant for engaging with the community and redesigning to fit the neighborhood character. She called the process a "win-win" and urged the board to approve the project.
Greg Parker (resident of B Street, St. Rose Historic District) noted initial opposition to earlier designs but praised the revised project, stating it is "beautiful" and that the applicant "listened to us." He also suggested that future projects in historic districts should incorporate neighborhood input earlier to avoid multiple redesigns.
Roy Loison (resident of the St. Rose Historic District) supported the project and highlighted the efforts of Denise Hill in preserving the district's history. He commended the applicant for sensitivity to the neighborhood and expressed hope that similar engagement would become standard.

Discussion Items

Public Hearing – Avenue 320 Apartments (DR19-045): The board heard a staff presentation from Senior Planner Susie Murray, who outlined the project: two multifamily structures (37 market-rate rental units), conversion of an existing commercial building at 320 College Avenue into residential units, and construction of a new building fronting Lincoln Street. The project includes 36 parking spaces (unbundled), landscaping, and improvements to street frontages. The site is in the St. Rose Preservation District, and staff concluded that the project meets all required findings under the Cultural Heritage Board criteria and the Secretary of the Interior Standards. The applicant team, led by Nick Abbott, presented the design evolution, noting that earlier schemes (Art Deco/Art Moderne) were rejected by the Design Review Board and neighbors; the current Spanish Colonial Revival-inspired design (influenced by Irving Gill) emerged from community input. Architect Randy Figuredo described the design elements, including a three-story building stepping down to two stories along Lincoln Street, hip roofs, stucco, accent tiles, and arched entries. Historic architect Mark Perry confirmed the design is compatible with the historic district and commended its sensitivity. Board members asked questions and expressed appreciation for the collaborative process.
Board Business: The board read the statement of purpose, received member reports (none), and conducted ex parte disclosures (several members had met with the applicant or visited the site). No abstentions were declared.

Key Outcomes

Motion and Vote: Board Member Garrett moved to approve Resolution No. CHB-2021-01, approving a landmark alteration permit for the Avenue 320 Apartments project. Board Member Bourne seconded. The motion passed unanimously (5-0), with Board Members Garrett, Bourne, Pratz Ellis, Vice Chair Fennel, and Chair Muser voting in favor.
Next Steps: The project will proceed to building permit stage, with conditions including unbundled parking, street tree preservation, and landscape improvements as outlined in the resolution.

Meeting Transcript

Can you hear me now? Yes, we can hear you. And we do have a quorum, so we are ready to start when you are. Okay, I'm just uh may get board members. If you can please turn your cameras on and we'll start with chair music. I'm not sure why every time I do Zoom, it just seems like a new experience. But I guess I don't do it quite enough. So let me uh just just give me two seconds here. Okay, I think I'm ready to go. We have a quorum, Mike. Yes, please do. Okay, thank you. Okay, well, we'll call the um uh November, Wednesday, November 3rd uh Cultural Heritage Board City Santa Rosa meeting uh to order. Uh we'll start out with uh our statement that the percent to the government section code section five four nine five three e and the recommendations of the health officer of the Sonoma County Planning Commission members will be participating in this meeting via Zoom webinar. Members of the public can participate in the meeting virtually by visiting www.zoom dot us forward slash join or phone dialing eight eight eight four seven five four four nine nine with meeting ID nine seven three six zero two eight six zero two five. Additional information related to the meeting participation is available at uh city of Santa Rosa.org forward slash cultural heritage board or chb. The meeting will also be live streamed at Santa Rosa Legistar.com forward slash calendar. Click on the in progress link to view. The meeting can also be viewed on Comcast Channel 28 and at WWA YouTube.com, City of Santa Rosa. Okay. Um our second item business will be approval of the June 16th. Chair Miser, if I can hold you off, we gotta do a roll call first. Oh, okay. Let's do a roll call. Thank you, Chair Measer. Let the record reflect that all commission all board members are present, except a vice chair fennel and board member Wong. Okay, thank you. Um I'm moving on to approval of minutes. Uh the G we're gonna have uh two draft minutes to approve of the June 16th 2021 draft minutes. Um does anybody have any additions or changes to those minutes? Seeing no hands, move on to the August 4th, 2021 draft minutes. Any additions or changes to those minutes? Okay. Um with that then, um, we'll move that the uh the minutes are approved. This time we're gonna move to uh item three, public comment. So I'm going to open um for public comment for any item not included in this meeting's agenda. If you wish to make a comment via Zoom, please select the raise hand button. If you are dialing in via telephone, please dial star nine to raise your hand. Each speaker has three minutes. The countdown timer will appear for the convenience of the speaker and the viewers. Please make sure to unmute yourself when you are invited to do so. Your microphone will be muted at the end of the countdown. Do we have any members of the public who would like to make public comment? Thank you, Chair Measer. No one's raising their hand at this time. Okay. Okay, so at this time I'd like to close then the public comment period. Okay, moving on to uh to board business. Um I'll read our statement of purpose. The Cultural Heritage Board shall consider the following matters, standards and guidelines and criteria to the extent applicable in determining whether to grant or deny a permit.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI

TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com