Santa Rosa Cultural Heritage Board Regular Meeting - May 3, 2023

The Cultural Heritage Board held a regular meeting on May 3, 2023, at 4:33 PM, adjourning at 6:05 PM. Chair Brian Meuser presided. A quorum was present (5 members; Bonnie Boren absent, one vacancy). The meeting included approval of prior minutes, introduction of new members, election of a Vice Chair, a staff report, and a scheduled presentation on The Cannery at Railroad Square project. No formal actions were taken on the presentation.

Consent Calendar

• None.

Public Comments & Testimony

• None during the public comment period (agenda item 3). Public comments on the scheduled presentation were taken during that item (see below).

Board Business

• Member Introductions: New members Patrick Carney and Heidi Klyn introduced themselves, along with incumbents Cappie Garrett, Laura Fennell, and Chair Meuser. Each shared their background and interest in historic preservation.
• Vice Chair Election: Chair Meuser nominated Board Member Cappie Garrett for Vice Chair; Board Member Carney seconded. The motion carried unanimously (5 yes, 1 absent, 1 vacancy). Garrett will serve as Vice Chair, providing a chair from a different historic district to reduce recusal conflicts.

Department Reports

• Staff Liaison Susie Murray (Senior Planner) introduced herself and provided an update. Chair Meuser requested that two items be added to a future agenda: (1) a discussion of work done without permits in preservation districts, focusing on detached single-family residences, and (2) an update on Fremont Park. Murray agreed to pursue both.

Discussion Items

• Item 8.1 – Applicant Presentation: The Cannery at Railroad Square
  • The project, approved via Senate Bill 35 (streamlined ministerial process) in August 2020, is now under construction on the 3 West Third Street parcel. It will provide 129 affordable housing units (128 affordable family units + 1 staff unit), with 32 units set aside for formerly homeless households. Rents target households earning 30%–80% of area median income. Total project cost is $95 million, with significant state and local subsidies.
  • The design team (Michelle Gervais, Don Lesty from John Stewart Company, and architect Mimi Sullivan) presented plans to preserve the historic brick walls facing Third Street and the new A Street, including restoring the metal canopy and loading docks. The new six-story building is set back 12–15 feet from the historic walls, uses materials (board-and-batten siding, cement plaster, metal balconies) that contrast with and do not compete with the brickwork. A public promenade connects Fourth Street to Santa Rosa Creek, with landscaping referencing the site’s cannery history.
  • Public Comments: Two members of the public spoke:
    • Leanne Wentz (representing the Saturday Afternoon Club History Section) expressed strong support for resurrecting the historic water tower, questioning its distance from the current building and separation between phases. She asked for specific dimensions.
    • Carole Quandt asked about the building’s setback from the creek trail, the height and material of the fencing, and how new occupants would access the creek trail.
  • Board Member Positions:
    • Vice Chair Garrett strongly emphasized that the water tower must be preserved and restored, calling it a “focal point” for Railroad Square. She also expressed concern that open balconies could become messy, resembling “tenements.”
    • Board Member Fennell praised the design for creating separation between the historic walls and the new structure, and urged the water tower be included close to the original vision. She echoed balcony concerns.
    • Board Member Klein supported the water tower’s retention and questioned the dark color of the new building, preferring a softer tone. She also raised balcony concerns.
    • Board Member Carney asked about temporary connectivity from Fourth Street to the promenade; the team noted this depends on other property owners.
    • Chair Meuser commended the team for preserving the walls despite not being required to go through CHB review, and asked that the water tower be protected and funded. He noted the water tower is “a big deal” in terms of funding and engineering.
  • Applicant/Staff Responses: Project representatives confirmed that the water tower is tied to the future Plant 5 parcel (a separate project with no current plans) and that its restoration is not funded within this project. The setback from the creek trail varies (approx. 30–48 feet from the building to property line). Fencing will be 5–6-foot black powder-coated metal mesh. The building management (John Stewart Company) will enforce house rules to address balcony clutter.

Key Outcomes

• Vice Chair Election: Cappie Garrett was elected Vice Chair by unanimous vote (5 yes, 1 absent, 1 vacancy).
• Future Agenda Items: Chair Meuser directed staff to add discussions on unpermitted work in preservation districts and a Fremont Park update to the next agenda.
• No Action Taken on Cannery Presentation: The presentation was informational only; no formal vote or approval occurred. The project is already entitled and under construction (scheduled completion February 2025, occupancy by August 2025).