That's okay.

Here we go.

Calling this meeting to order.

This is the February 18th design review commission meeting.

Welcome.

May we have a roll call, please?

Thank you, Chair.

Commissioner Case.

Here.

Commissioner Riley.

Here.

Vice Chair Basing.

Chair Newsom.

Here.

We do have one empty seat, but we do have a quorum.

Excellent.

Okay, so consent calendar.

Do we have anything on the consent calendar for tonight?

Do we suggest moving anything to consent calendar?

We have nothing on the calendar, nor do we have any recommendations to move anything to the calendar?

Excellent.

Okay.

Now on to three public communications.

This portion of the meetings reserved for common items not on the agenda.

Under the Brown Act, the Commission cannot act on items raised during public communications, but may respond briefly to statements made or questions posed, request clarification, or referred an item to staff.

Do we have any anybody with speaker cards to talk about items not on the agenda?

Hearing none, moving on.

So now's the part where we ask about ex parte communications.

Has anybody on this commission had any ex parte communications with any members of the public?

No.

Excellent.

Nor have I.

So now we're going to go on to the fun stuff.

We're going to open the public hearing.

Item four, public hearing is open.

So we have two projects.

The first one is 1532 Mount Diablo Boulevard.

Does staff have a presentation?

Good.

Hey, good evening.

This item before you tonight is a proposed mixed-use development located at 1532 Mount Diablo Boulevard.

The project is associated with planning application number Y25050.

And I will have a slide prepared.

Okay, the purpose of tonight's study session is for the design review commission to review the proposed project and provide design related input and direction.

This study session is the first step in the review process and is required before the project proceeds to the planning commission for consideration of the design review, conditional use permit, and density bonus entitlement requests.

Okay, to provide site context, the project site is a.41 anchor corner lot located at Mount Diablo Boulevard and commercial lane.

Mount Diablo is a major east-west arterial road and serves as a primary commercial quarter within downtown Walnut Creek.

Commercial Lane is currently a one-way northbound street that transitions into a two-way street north of the project site.

The site is generally flat and is currently developed with a surface parking lot, an unused auto body building, and an outdoor dining platform.

Vehicular access is provided from commercial lane with connections to several nearby public streets, including Mount Diablo, Locust Street, and Cypress Street.

Pedestrian access is available via the public sidewalks along Mount Diablo Boulevard.

Surrounding properties are developed with smaller urban-scale buildings and contain land uses consistent with the city's traditional downtown area and pedestrian retail zone, including high density residential, commercial office, and retail, as well as eating and drinking establishments.

For background regarding the site's entitlement history, in 2020, the planning commission approved a mixed-use development consisting of three buildings ranging from two to four build stories in height.

The project included 42 market rate condominium units and approximately 26,000 square feet of ground floor retail space.

It's important to note that the previously approved project also included the adjacent parcel to the west, not just the subject site for tonight.

The same applicant has since redesigned the proposal to focus solely on 1532 Mount Diablo, resulting in a single mixed-use building.

I'll walk through the details of the revised project on the next slide, but the prior approved design is shown here on the screen for reference.

The applicant is proposing to redevelop the site with an eight-story, 89-foot tall mixed-use building totaling approximately 113,000 square feet.

The project would include 106 rental units, 14 of which are proposed as affordable units.

Residential amenities include a second floor fitness center and a rooftop deck.

The ground floor is proposed with commercial retail space, and the project includes two levels of underground parking dedicated entirely to residential use.

The proposal also incorporates publicly accessible outdoor space, and the rendering shown on the screen provides a visual context of the existing site conditions and the proposed development as viewed from Mount Diablo.

The project was filed pursuant to Housing Crisis Act, also known as SB330, which limits the city's ability to modify or reduce the project so long as it complies with the applicable objective standards with respect to density.

The general plan's specific plan and zoning code does not assign a base density for the site.

However, the previously approved project did establish a base density of 30 units.

Consistent with the state density bonus law requirements when there's no established base density.

The applicant is eligible to prepare a volumetric study to determine the site's maximum base density.

The applicant did prepare a volumetric study and concluded that 60 units could be accommodated and is requesting doubling the previously established density, base density.

And so with the 60 units being proposed as the base density, the applicants also utilizing state density bonus law provisions, including what is including what is commonly referred to as stacking density bonus.

While the city has previously reviewed and approved density bonus applications, this project would be the first to apply stacked bonuses in order to provide two tiers of affordable levels of housing units.

Through this approach, the project increases the unit count from a base of 60 units to a total of 106 units.

A summary table is provided on the screen as a visual reference.

The project includes requests for several concessions and waivers from development standards.

Most notably, the applicant is requesting an increase in building height from the required 50 feet to 89 feet, and that's measured from base to the top of parapet.

The project is also proposing to reduce the sidewalk setback along Mount Diablo Boulevard, which is the required 15 feet, and they're proposing 10 feet 7 inches.

In addition, the ground floor commercial space is proposed at a height of 10 feet and 7 inches in some areas, whereas 18 feet is typically required.

Lastly, the applicant's requesting approval to locate the required off-street passenger loading zone at a distance greater than the standard 50 feet to a residential lobby.

In terms of concessions, the applicant is requesting to reduce the required amount of private open space per unit as well as a reduction in overall parking.

The project proposes a total of 69 parking stalls dedicated to residential use and no on-site parking for the commercial component.

On the screen, there are two design options.

Option A reflects the original design submitted to staff and included in the project plans.

During review, engineering staff identified potential visibility and circulation issues at the rear of the site, specifically vehicles exiting the underground garage and vehicles traveling northbound on the commercial lane could experience a site distance conflict.

I'll highlight that here on the screen.

So cars entering up commercial lane could potentially have conflict with cars exiting out of the parking garage here.

So in a response, staff directed the applicant to explore a design solution to address this potential safety issue.

After the agenda was published, the applicant submitted a revised layout shown here as option B.

This redesign relocates the garage entrance and removes the loading zone from commercial lane to improve circulation and visibility.

So again, the change is sort of flipped and is placed here for the entrance to the parking garage, and then the loading zone has been relocated from commercial lane here at the rear of the site.

In terms of the overall site design, the project proposes ground floor retail space oriented towards Mount Diablo with primary pedestrian access from the public sidewalk, and a hatched area shown on the plans identifies the portion of the commercial space that meets the 18-foot ceiling height requirement, while portion at the back of the commercial space will be requesting the waiver to reduce it to approximately 10 feet.

The publicly accessible outdoor space, which is also access from Mount Diablo and incorporates a courtyard pathway to the leading to the residential lobby is proposed.

So that's accessed from the public sidewalk up the courtyard.

Here's the minimally required outdoor space, which then extends into the residential lobby.

And then additional ground floor elements, including utility rooms and separate trash rooms dedicated to residential and commercial uses are provided on site.

Excuse me.

Okay, the next slide shows the proposed two-level underground garage.

As noted previously, option A reflects the original design, and option B shows the revised layout, while option B improves circulation and site visibility.

It results in a reduction in the total number of parking spaces provided.

This slide illustrates the floor plans on the second floor, floors three through eight, and the roof plan.

Notably residential amenities, including a 945 square foot fitness center, is located on the second floor, as well as an open-air rooftop deck dedicated for residents.

Here's the fitness center located on the second floor.

And then the image here is the rooftop deck.

The project is subject to the city's objective design review standards as outlined in the residential mixed-use review standards and guidelines handbook.

The design was developed to meet the majority of the city's design review standards while also maximizing the allowable unit count under the state density bonus law.

This facade features a combination of medium and light brick finish with window trim and railing in charcoal gray aluminum and steel.

The ground floor storefront includes transparent and colored glass with wooden slats above the storefront windows.

Color materials board is provided on the screen, and the applicant also provided a physical sample board for your reference, which that's the secretary's passing around.

Okay, the slide shows the remaining building elevations.

The design demonstrates compliance with the city's objective design standards, including variation in colors and materials, facade rhythm and pattern, vertical modulation through massing brakes and other articulation elements.

The applicant has provided a table summarizing their response to each develop design review standard, which can be found on the second sheet of the project plans included in the staff report as attachment one.

Okay, the landscaping plan includes trees and shrubs along the street frontage with publicly accessible outdoor space and in a portion of the second floor above the residential lobby, and a corresponding tree and shrub schedules provided on the screen for your reference.

Again, just to clarify, this second floor would be located somewhere above this residential lobby.

Okay, and the landscape plan also includes planted areas on the rooftop deck, providing shaded spaces for residents utilizing the rooftop amenities as well okay the project is categorically exempt from CEQA under section 15332, which covers in fill development.

The project site meets all five of the criteria outlined on this slide.

Additionally, the applicant provided CEQA documentation justifying this exemption, which is included as attachment six in the staff report uh staff is requesting that the design review commission review the project and provide input on design related elements including site layout building architecture colors and materials as well as landscaping okay that concludes staff's presentation for tonight staff is available to answer any question the commission may have in addition the applicant has and their team have prepared a presentation for tonight uh regarding the building design and available to also answer any question from the commission thank you thank you um any questions uh staff presentation I have a question can you please explain to us how the base density was calculated for this project right so what the applicant proposed for the base density um was developing a base project uh which was code compliant with all the standards and guidelines required by the mixed use design standards handbook and with the requirements of the specific plan and uh the zoning requirements so based off that base project uh they developed uh a project which was able to accommodate a maximum capacity of 60 units based on that design and I think the applicant too could speak a little bit more about how the volumetric study was prepared okay but how did how does staff calculate that it's um that it's within the city of Walnut Creek's requirements and zoning and and density the um planning commission and and the for a previous project and I think you saw it on the planning commission established a base density is outlined in this in this specific plan just one um by via conditional use permit of the planning commission and which they did and that and that was uh for this site was 30 units for the acre and that was as prescribed by the specific plan so the city sees that as the base density the applicant has asked has the city and ultimately the planning commission to reestablish a base density of of 60 based on the volumetric study which is also prescribed in the I believe it's in the housing accountability act when no density is established by city code so but isn't isn't that city code?

Yeah isn't that the the previous decision I I think it is but we'll that's up to the planning commission to decide.

Ultimately they're the authority okay that would decide that the applicant doesn't just decide to do rebase it on his own it has to be approved.

Well they they don't decide they they can they can ask they can ask for a a reestablishment and I think that's what they're doing maybe maybe we'll find out when you get the words from the applicant okay any other questions.

Not of staff not from me let's move on to the applicant presentation then.

Please introduce yourself when you have stuff yeah I'm gonna get started so um I'm Doug Powells from Paris Architects and um we have been working on the 1532 project for a while and I'm gonna present the uh progress I think talking to the mic okay um all right I haven't done this in a while last one was like 10 years ago um here we go uh 1532 Mount Diablo project uh Mount Diablo Boulevard is a mixed-use residential project located within the PR residential retail zone in downtown Warner Creek.

The proposed project delivers one hundred six residential units above active ground floor retail, consistent with the intent of the pedestrian retail designation uh you can see here Steven had this on this presentation as well.

Oh yeah.

So Mount Diablo is at the bottom.

I can get there.

Commercial lane is on the side.

It's currently a parking lot.

It's right next to the brick building which has slice house in there.

It's a good opportunity for a new project on this parking lot.

At Great, the project provides approximately 8,000 square feet of retail space along Mount Diablo Boulevard, reinforcing the commercial corridor.

The building has been designed to meet the 18-foot ground floor retail height requirement for the first 45 feet of the retail space.

The residential entry is set back further to provide unobstructed retail at the front and to allow for future for the future 20-foot wide passeous at the southwest side of the property.

So per the specific plan, there is supposed to be a Paseo.

Sorry.

There's supposed to be a 20-foot wide passeo planned right in this area.

We are dedicating 10 foot to this 20-foot wide passeo.

The other 22 feet need to come for the remaining property on the left to us.

Parking is located below ground, which allows the ground floor to maintain active and uninterrupted by garage and entry garage entries along the primary frontage.

The project includes two levels of underground parking, providing roughly 60 residential parking stalls.

Parking and loading access are provided towards the north side of the project at commercial lane.

As Stephen mentioned before, we did move the parking all the way back.

Parking access is now here and all the way on the north side, and right next to the loading dock.

This will help us with access to the garage.

This will actually make a better loading dock.

We were concerned about people not knowing how to drive U-Halls and getting into this tighter loading dock, so this is a better solution.

All the other utility spaces will also be in the back on commercial lane.

Beyond the units themselves, the project integrates meaningful amenities for residents.

The fitness center located on the second floor opens to an outdoor deck, creating an indoor outdoor wellness center.

I'm sorry on the next page.

This is shown right here.

We have amenity space here, fitness center here, and this is the outdoor deck that they can use.

Private balconies provide individual outdoor access, while the rooftop terrace includes a bar, kitchen, and community seating areas.

As you can see, we have some units, some on Mount Diablo Boulevard here, and then some on the side which had private terraces, but our main outdoor space is actually the roof terrace on top, which wraps around the roof, except for some areas dedicated for mechanical units.

But I will get to the roof a little bit later.

Sorry, these are the sections.

I just want to bring these up quickly.

We are up to the fourth floor.

We are a concrete structure, and from the fourth floor up, we are a wood structure.

And this shows the retail space here.

So in the first almost like 50 feet of the retail space, we have over 20 feet in ceiling height, and the back of house here will be around 10 foot ceiling height.

So not at the required 18 feet all the way.

Showing the elevations here.

Architecturally, the project embraces a modern contemporary expression that works well with the character of downtown Warner Creek.

Massing brakes and facade articulation reduce perceived bulk along both Mount Diablo Boulevard and Commercial Lane.

The ground floor provides a finer grain with transparent and semi-transparent elements to provide for pedestrian engagement.

The primary material is brick, selected for its durability, warms, and connection to the sound surrounding developments.

So as you can see on the slide here, this is the retail space here.

We're providing a lot of a lot of storefront systems here.

Even the bricks here on the side are perforated, so there's a lot of engagement into the ground floor into the retail space on this corner, and even going around on commercial lane.

The facade is organized in a disciplined pattern that introduces texture and rhythm to break down the overall scale of the building.

Recesses and materials shifts create depth and shadow, helping the building read as a composition of smaller elements rather than a single volume.

So we choose a brick, a brick facade for the main building.

As you can see here, there is elements of the white brick and elements of the dark brick.

We are trying to uh the window pattern is slightly different on each kind of each block.

We are trying to introduce where you see the railings here.

We are trying to use Juliette balconies.

So these windows can be fully opened.

All the windows are set back between six and eight inches to give the expression of a more punched window opening.

A wood panel that's integrated into the window system, which is also set back from the main brick facade.

So it will also create a shadow line.

The corner elements actually here, this corner element, this corner element, this corner element, they're actually terraces, they're open to uh open to the air, they're not enclosed.

Um, in summary, the project delivers 106 residential units on top of active ground floor, and we believe the um this aligns really well with the housing and downtown goals and will contribute to contribute positively to the downtown Warner Creek.

I do have our um actually let me go through these renderings one more time.

Here you can see the ground floor rendering a little bit better, very transparent, very open, large glass panels.

We have these wooden sleds on top.

This is still the retail space.

We're just trying to add some interest to it.

There is some openings on this side as well of the retail space, and same as when we're going around to commercial lane.

Here you can see all the recesses a little bit better, so the windows and the darker panels are all recessed to create a better shadow line, and to give it a little more three-dimensional facade.

We also have these brakes in here, similar to this.

Um the Warner Creek design standards.

They're also showing up on the other sides to break up the massing of the building.

This is our uh facade material board.

We show currently a light and a dark brick facade right here.

There are several different manufacturers that we can choose from.

They all have the NFBA 285 rating for the fire rating.

Um we have a material board going around here.

Uh, we introduced some warm solid phenolic resin panels, some warm wood panels.

This is really similar to what we used on the rise in Warner Creek.

Um, same with the Juliette balconies, which we also used on the rise, and then we are trying to integrate some more articulate uh brick patterns, either either more transparent patterns or more patterns in general to give the uh the especially the ground floor a little bit more interest.

Um that shows a little bit more in detail the the kind of the the the the ground floor and the retail space.

We also have some some um interlayered glass panels, glass panels here.

They have a woven fabric inside of them um from forms and surfaces, so they in our mind they create a little more interest that interest on the ground floor.

As for the uh the landscape, our landscape architect is in Southern California.

He's not available today, unfortunately.

So I have a little I have a couple of sentences from him uh that he wrote up so the ground floor along Mount Diablo Boulevard features a street features street trees interlocking pavers and a linear paseo that provides strong pedestrian connection and a gracious arrival experience for residents and guests the second floor terrace expands to the adjacent community room with raised planters integrated seating and native climate adapted plantings that supports storm water management and year-round visual interest so the second sorry wrong button yeah the second terrace is here so there's an amenity space right here and which connects to that outdoor spare space in this area um the main jewel of of this building is actually the rooftop the rooftop is designed as a series of distinct outdoor rooms the space accommodates both intermittent gatherings and large events while capturing panoramic views in all directions amenities include shade structures with barbecue outdoor dining areas bar seatings with TV football and table tennis the fireplace lounge and a chase seating all located in different areas we focus on the main area to be here but we have as this shows there is a ping pong table there's a football table right here and there is a more um TV and more private area where you can have more private parties also with a TV um so we have these different settings set up on the rooftop to provide um to provide the building and the residence with um more entertainment in in d in this project um that's it from my side thank you very much for your time thank you um questions anybody have any questions thank you for your presentation um first can you go through how the um fire access works on this property as far as enter exit egress that type of stuff because I believe there was mention that one part of the road was one way of commercial lane correct um that is correct commercial lane is is a is a one-way lane coming from Mount Diablo and going in here we did talk to a fire consultant and and Vatri who is a who is a parking and uh also a truck they they do truck templates they laid out a truck template over the road here and they determined that the the road is wide enough to for for fire apparatus access all the way um does that take into account the dumpsters that the tenants on the other side of commercial lane store in the alley or in commercial lane they should no I'm not aware of that so they should be stored not in the alley that's correct.

Okay.

But I I believe that they currently are by those tenants so uh just having a study to really understand and sign off by the fire department I think would be very important for this as far as access goes um the other question I had regarding that is you said that the offsite passenger loading was farther than it's stated to be for access to the lobby can you show me where that is that is actually incorrect we're asking for a waiver to not provide um passenger loading offside passenger loading oh completely completely because we there is no for us we don't see any viable option to provide this area it's a larger area it needs to be within 50 feet of the of the uh lobby and we don't see any way of of providing this area okay um and then in the renders, can you show the PAOS in those renders?

It seemed that when we were looking at the renders, that public space looks like it's just a shadow to me.

So which one did you mean?

The PAOS, the public space that you have to provide.

It's supposedly by the lobby.

Oh, sorry.

Um that would be we currently only have 10 feet because the other additional 20 10 feet will be on the other property, but this is the outdoor space here, right here.

Okay.

On the plans, there's something else shown there, I believe, but maybe I'm misreading the plans.

Yeah, this is it right here.

So this is our property line in the center, and this is our requirement for the 10-foot wide public space, and then with the additional space from the other property, this will be the 20-foot-wide per seal.

Okay.

Thank you.

I have questions about that publicly accessible open space in the specific plan, and maybe maybe Chip knows.

Is it meant to connect all the way through, or is it meant to kind of terminate in half in this project and half in the future project?

Uh that.

Um there's no requirement for it to go.

To go all the way through.

Okay, okay.

Cause I just was I think maybe in line with my fellow commissioner, I was trying to understand how that's a publicly accessible open space as opposed to just a promenade to the lobby, right?

So I I don't know that it's conveying usability beyond somebody who lives there.

Um and then I think you answered this, but I just wanted to confirm the open space that's above the retail.

Is that accessible?

It was it to the amenity space, or who has access to that?

Uh there's on there's one to the left.

And that's the amenity space.

One to the left, which is the amenity space, right?

Okay.

So this has access to the amenity space, possibly a gym, and then there are smaller terraces right here, and then right shifting over right here.

Yeah.

These would be private terraces only accessible by the units.

Okay, and as I'm guessing there's going to be some kind of control of, you know, not hanging a beach towel over the edge or something.

Okay.

We don't want that either.

Um and then the main the main open space will be on the roof, which will be open to the all the residents.

Right.

Okay.

Um just I don't know, just curious.

Why the why the style change?

Like the architecture had the really interesting kind of slatted wood facade.

And I realize it's a different density, right?

But is did that drive the change in the style to this more kind of blocky Scandinavian look?

Um it's it's also an architecture change.

So the previous project was um submitted by Woods Baggett.

Um, and we were hired to do the state density bonus and get the taller project designed.

And um this is what we came up with.

So my questions.

Hi.

Thank you for your presentation.

So, um, along those lines, um, you're asking for a waiver of the minimum sidewalk setback requirement.

So that you have a narrower sidewalk than the buildings adjacent to you, is that correct?

No, my understanding is from the planning department that there's a requirement for a minimum of 12 foot or 15-foot sidewalk.

It's 50.

But but the planning department itself at in really earlier stage asks us to reduce that in order to align with the adjacent buildings next to us.

That's my understanding.

So that's why it was a uh planning department's suggestion should keep it at 10 feet.

My recollection.

From the previous project?

Yeah.

For the previous project, correct.

Okay.

And we took this over from the previous project and and assumed this would be acceptable for this project as well.

So while we're on the subject of the addition um of the adjacent um retail and restaurant building that's been there for quite a while and has some valued tenants in it or valued occupants in it, uh my question relates to your location of the terrace and the extension of the building closest to that building as opposed to flipping it.

Why is the entrance to your retail space further away from the existing retail and sort of on and on an island by itself when if you flipped that you would have your retail along the same line as the rest of the retail and there would be this pokeout thing that blocks everything that teleferric has relative to view or atmosphere would be on the other side and would create a setback that would alleviate or mitigate some of the impacts that you're going to have on the surrounding I'm sorry are you talking about yes I'm talking about that you're talking about this messing here that massing.

We usually as architects we usually try to try to strengthen the corner so bring a higher or a denser massing element on the corner.

This was one of the reasons and we do feel the the retail is still going all the way through.

So there's retail access the drawers might be shifting but there's retail access all the way along up until the corner.

So this is this retail is really close to the uh the slice house next door.

I understand I understand your massing concept and breaking up the front my question is why isn't it on the other side to try and mitigate some of the damage to the adjacent retail building that uses those upper floors for atmosphere and view for their patrons.

I agree.

Um let's see what were my other so you mentioned that the the first several floors are concrete and the top four floors are wood construction and that meets with fire department requirements they they don't have any problem with that in this in light of um what the commissioner said about the access around the building.

That's correct that's that's a really similar um approach what was done at the uh at the rise.

Okay.

I think that was all my questions for now so basically just to restate what the question that I asked earlier there is a city of Walnut Creek um decision and code relative to this 60 base um density units and that's that's kind of open to negotiation with the planning commission is that correct okay okay thank you.

If I can just throw some light on the density so I think in one of the exhibits was the state density bonus letter and the way the state density bonus law works is I think the base density means the number of units allowed under the zoning ordinance the specific plan or the land use element.

That is how the state law has been written now in in I in none of the the zoning ordinance specific plan or the land use element there's a numerical density a prescriptive numerical density for this particular site.

Now our base study which gets to the 60 units is very close to the volume that was permitted by that was entitled in the previous design which had 42 units.

So in terms so it's the same volume it stays within the 50 feet height 50 feet envelope that was permitted by the city but we have smaller units and smaller units because of couple of reasons.

One is this particular program allows us to have a better financial feasibility so that we can build it.

The second thing is larger units tend to have higher gross rates needed, and you kind of price out a lot of families who can actually now afford to have have basically access some of these 106 units.

So the base units that the base study that we did was again pretty similar in terms of the overall rentable of the square footage as was entitled for the previous design.

It's just smaller units, and then we use the stackable density bonus on top to get 206 units.

Yeah, sorry.

Sorry.

So just to follow up on that and and clarify, if you don't mind.

So the original project that was a two to four story design.

And you've now got an eight-story design.

So the original project was a five story project.

So the base density that you see is still a five-story project that we've provided a base density code compliance project, which is which is there in the planning set.

And then we can use the state laws to use state density bonus to add more units.

So you added more stories, so you're expecting to double your density because you've got more stories.

Yes.

So the state law, the two state laws which allow us what is called stackable density units, you know, stackable density bonus, which we are using on the base study to get 206 units.

Regardless of the base allowed in Walmart Creek.

Got it.

Thank you.

Can I shed some light on it?

So the um, like I said earlier, the the state law allows um uh allows a uh an owner uh to to do a volumetric study based on the development standards on on that property, the setbacks, FAR, that kind of thing.

Um apply a average unit size and voila you you get your base density.

And the way they've up the way the way a line reality has um performed that volumetric study is correct.

Um but the the city would say that the base density was already established through a conditional use permit.

So that's that's the difference.

I have a question.

Um can you explain how you guys intend to manage the the low parking capacity, how that works for the residents.

So this is a TOD site downtown Walnut Creek, the BAT is very close.

So our so what we are seeing more often than before is more households and more families and more renters are willing to actually not bring a car and basically use public transport.

And that is one of the things that we are really motivated to do, which is basically incentivize and kind of encourage our residents to use the public transport and not have a car.

So we feel very confident about kind of having very low uh per unit uh parking count than pre previously.

Okay.

Another question what public transport?

It's not really BART adjacent.

BART is about a mile.

So we have bike park, we have a place to kind of have the bike, and if I'm not wrong, I think there's the city shuttle which runs, which is pretty comp uh, which is uh fairly frequent that kind of goes to to to the BAT.

So and there are I think there are two or three major bus bus stops as well.

So it's not just BART, but I think there are different modes of transportation along with the bike parking that we'll be that we have uh in in the project that hopefully will incentivize and encourage other like residents to to use less car going forward.

Yeah.

Okay.

Um just talking about the setbacks.

So looking at this elevation, so the one that I see on the left there how far away is is that from the property line it's 10 feet 10 feet 10 feet from the property line so I guess theoretically you could put another building just like this 20 feet away from it it would be eight stories and that's that's awfully dense right so okay um fire access cricket brought that up um have you talked to the fire department about this building we did briefly talk to them we are in the we are in the mix of getting of getting uh an appointment with that so we are on the process yeah I mean okay thanks um that that's it for questions um I think next up on the agenda we're done with your presentation then right you thanks um next up would be public comment right okay so um now it's time for public comment I see there's a number of people here you have to turn in a speaker card to to speak regarding this matter and you have two minutes a lot of people here so hold to your two minutes please um let's go ahead do we have any cards I don't no no cards for this huh okay so moving on commissioner comments closing the public closing the the public hearing commissioner comments go ahead anybody I mean I I can if you want go ahead yeah um I think I think you you've heard us all say it uh about this base density bonus thing um essentially asking to to double what what was established before so we as in a project like this a housing project we we have certain guardrails um but I think we have a concern in Walnut Creek that things be of scale and really really we need confirmation from the planning department where the guardrails are in terms of housing because they're the ultimate jurisdiction of authority not us we don't have a juris so you know really from where I sit I I just advise the planning commission to review the base density established base density that was established as part of the previous application and whether that's still valid that'd be my first comment um because this is this eight story building is is very much out of out of character for for this part of town nothing's more than three stories um that's my first comment fire access is something that really has to be worked on here that street commercial as it stands right now is is kind of a fire trap in my opinion there's nothing that this project does in spite of its user impact to improve that I'm an architect I do this stuff for a living that needs to be a 24 foot lane and there needs to be separation between that lane and the building so they can get you know an articulated fire truck to service the building on two sides this building is too deep to be served on one side it's too tall and that's a that's straight up a matter of fire code.

Sidewalk depth I don't know how we can cling to the minimal sidewalk depth from the previous application but then ignore the density bonus in the other so I encourage the planning commission to look at that.

I encourage you know that volumetric study to be looked at as part of it but really it's about that density bonus.

I think the architecture I really I really like the architecture.

I I like the more subdued color palette.

There's there's some nice sophisticated materials.

They're they're not going cheap on the materials.

Uh there's nice articulation and depth.

I think if I could improve it, I mean I I I'd like it to relate that kind of base.

I'd like that to relate more to the buildings around it.

Everything around this is two or three stories.

That element you have is about one and a half stories.

Um I think it could be improved in that way.

Um I think in terms of the ground floor retail waiver, you know, we worked a lot.

I was on this committee where we talked about we did these these designer view standards and I know dropping the the height of the lowest floor is it's gonna be make it very hard to to lease to certain tenants.

The reason that we had that in in the design review standards was so that you could have any kind of tenant including food service.

Ten foot ceiling I've done hundreds of retail spaces.

Ten foot does not work for anything food related um and you it's I think it you shouldn't grant the waiver but also I don't think it should be built whether they get the waiver or not.

Um so that's that's my comments in a nutshell anybody else okay so I um I think if we're gonna do really dense this is the place to do it.

So I'm not that worried about the density I actually like that there's not a ton of parking because I do think we gotta shift our behavior but I also have two cars so I can't practice what I preach but I like that thought.

Um I do want to make sure that the patio area that's shown right now above the retail like is maybe maybe the like wood slats extend higher or something.

I don't know and maybe I'm reacting too much to this rendering but it feels really like exposed and I don't want it to be visible.

I think that the publicly accessible open space I mentioned this in my questions feels like just a walkway to the lobby I wish there could be some more draw there um because I think we've gotten a few of these publicly accessible open spaces that really aren't right and so it doesn't feel like it's adding to that community value.

So there needs to be something there that feels worthwhile and maybe it's I don't know I don't know what it is but something more to make that feel less like an extended lobby space.

The I don't know I'm I'm trying to think how that's going to relate to the other 10 feet on the other side but we just we can't control that.

But there's something else that can happen there and I'm not sure what it is.

I think being mindful of the relationship of the shading and the balconies to the neighbor that what's currently the teleferic restaurant is important.

That's a pretty well used space and I like that that building is visually interesting so I don't want it to negatively impact that adjacency.

And then for me I think it does feel it feels tall and dense and I don't know if the vertical materials in windows are are helping that I wonder if there's some way to reconsider the finishes or massing to not intensify the verticality but actually make it feel like it sits a little more in line with the surrounding buildings kind of like my fellow commissioner mentioned.

I don't have a huge issue with the 10 foot sec.

I like that we're putting in the trees and I like that there's an idea to have a continuation of retail down the street.

So I think that's that's good.

I like that.

Okay.

Um most of what I have to say is already been said but just to reinforce that fire and access and that safety around that building even as it is right now that when you come off locus and you go onto where commercial is it's already um dense there and it can get kind of backed up so that traffic flow really needs to be examined.

I also noticed on the same thing with the uh shadowing on one of the other renders, you could really see how much shadow this caused.

Um I don't know how much power we have to say that it needs to somehow be smaller in that regard, but it would be nice.

It does definitely feel like it's imposing, and even the suggestion that um was made by my fellow commissioner about switching where that outdoor space is, I think would make a difference.

I also feel like the publicly accessible outdoor space um it's a missed opportunity, and planning saying our public outdoor spaces for something that may or may not happen in the future with the adjacent lot is kind of not fulfilling that requirement.

So if that could be looked at, I think that that would be really helpful.

So I again I echo everything everybody said and um reiterated, but I I do want to go back to the concept that we've discussed on other projects, which is a step back.

So the begin the the face of the building starts at a level as as Cliff mentioned that is consistent with the adjacent buildings and the adjacent massing, and then the building when it gets back a little ways goes higher, and I think that would help with some of the comments that you had.

Um and it also helps helps with the comments that we had about um mitigating the impacts on the adjacent building tenants and occupants and their and the patrons that use those businesses.

I'll circle back for a second.

I think we're all kind of saying the same thing.

I think if you go back to the initial the initial uh base density, I think for me base density was established, and if you rift off that and you get this the right size, it allows you more space to step, and it puts buildings in less shade and also allows more space around the building.

I'm all for pushing the envelope.

I've worked for developers.

This is pushing a little too hard for me.

Um Mr.

Secretary, do you want to synopsize that?

Let's round up, see if we can find consensus.

I think with this um what I heard is that uh the issues I've got really have marked are to take take a look at um is it is it which what's the base density here?

Is it is it is it the volumetric base density or does the density that's been established via C UP prevail?

Um a lot of the issues that came up um are really directly tied to density, that would be the be mindful of the shading to the adjacent building.

That would be um reconsider the massing, um it was materials, but mostly the massing and the materials were tied to the size of the building, as I recall.

Um then also um a a step back specific point step back at 35 um 35 feet.

That's also a density issue.

Um so those will just be kind of wrapped up into that comment.

Um there's also the sidewalk width.

I I don't think that it seems as if the sidewalk was maybe a 50-50 split here.

Who who is okay with a 10 foot sidewalk with the sidewalk waiver?

Okay, so not not supported.

Okay.

Um the ceiling waiver.

Support.

And mind you, though that was the back of house portion of the retail space, not where any customers would be.

I don't know if that changes anything.

That's where the kitchen would be.

You can't have a ten foot ceiling in a kitchen.

No room for ducks.

I don't know.

I agree with Cliff.

Phil, sorry.

Where am I?

I don't I agree with Phil.

Um I don't know if I agree with Cliff or not.

Sorry about that.

It's kind of my name spelled backwards.

I'd be like combining everybody's name.

So that sounds as if that's not supported.

No, it's not supported, and I have recent experience with that.

He's just opened a restaurant three months ago.

I have uh the the publicly accessible open space could be better developed.

Um I didn't really hear anything about the size of it.

Just that it's location usefulness.

Like it's programming.

That's what I'm reacting to.

Yeah.

Or even how it interfaces with the street and the front of the building.

Like you just I just don't feel like you'd even really know it was there or somewhere you could go.

It it's also to c tied to the density, right?

So you're pushing as much as you can.

Um it seems as if the um the architecture itself was was somewhat supported.

Yeah, yeah.

It's a track yet for sure.

If if the building remains this big, maybe took a look, take a look at some of the materials.

Um as uh for a change.

I mean, I I think so.

I think the key might be trying to base trying to rebase it vertically to kind of better relate to the adjacent buildings.

If it's this high, maybe look harder at that flipping the that corner mass into the other corner.

Um, I definitely hear what he's saying about it the fact that it's a corner, but car commercial's not really a corner.

It's not really a major street, so it I get it, but I don't get it.

Okay, corner element, all right.

Yeah, corner element.

Maybe dissolve it a little bit, flip it, do something.

Okay, so that the that was the corner element location and the and what it how is effect on the retail entry.

Okay, great.

Okay, I think I've got it wrapped.

Um one, two, three, four, five.

We have the the five issues, the biggest issue being how is base density gonna be considered.

I talked we talked about the fire access, but that's that's something that's not that's something for for the fire department to deal with, right?

So the Contra Costa Fire Protection District has looked at this, they've provided comments.

I'm I don't there I don't I don't Stephen, I don't believe there's any critical.

Okay.

All right.

That's it then.

Okay.

Okay.

All right.

So that's the end of this matter, so we can move on to the next one.

Which is um, the RH restoration hardware.

The staff staff has a presentation.

Gerardo's gonna bring up some material samples.

Uh-huh.

I grabbed the buttons and I didn't get the plans.

Okay.

I do want to see the box, yes, please.

The drawer.

Take this out.

Good evening, Commissioners.

My name is Gerardo Victoria, Assistant Planner Community Development.

The project before you today is the uh restoration hardware commercial development located at 1000 South Main Street.

Just some historical context for you.

This is Walnut Creek's most prominent intersection and commercial property.

Mr.

William Slusher in 1848 built a small cabin between what is now Main Street and Mount Diablo and established a community known as the Corners.

The Corners was later renamed to Walnut Creek in the 1800s.

Commercial properties over the years in the corners intersection include the corners property right here, which is the Tiffany building, the Broadway Point building, which is the party the pottery barn, and the Broadway Plaza development right here.

The RH development is going to be located in this area right here.

So this are the current buildings at the corners intersection.

You have the Neeman Marcus building here that's located here off of South Main Street.

Across the street to the west of this building is the pottery barn building located here.

Across the street on Main Street is the teleferic building located here, and then the Tiffany Building located here.

And as you can see, all of these buildings in this area are multi-story buildings.

So the project calls to merge two lots.

This slot right here is the Chico Building Lot and then the existing Neiman Marcus lot on a 1.14 acre site adjacent to the existing Broadway Plaza development.

The proposal is to construct four commercial buildings totaling approximately 29,000 square feet.

It will include new landscaping, new lighting, new trees, and tree removals.

So these are the two lots located right here existing, and then this is the new lot right here with the RH development.

So the general plan designation is pedestrian retail.

The zoning is plan development PD 2122.

This is the existing site, the Neiman Marcus site right here.

This is the pottery barn right here, and then you got the teleferric building right here and the Tiffany building right here.

It is surrounded by a mix of commercial and eating and drinking establishments.

And this would be the new development right here.

So this is South Main Street, Mount Diablo.

These are the four buildings.

You have a gallery here, a gallery here, a gallery here, the restaurant with the kitchen in the middle right here, with another gallery over here, and right here.

Paver stones and decomposed granite walkways located on the interior of the site right here.

Pedestrian access is accessed through these gates located here where the green arrows are.

And parking is provided in the existing Broadway Plaza garages.

So we are before you tonight for your recommendations to the planning commission at this study session.

It'll be scheduled for the planning commission's consideration at a later date.

So this is a south elevation facing South Main Street.

As you can see here, it's smooth coat stucco right here with cornices at the top of the building.

20 feet in height with fabric awings.

As you can see here, these are the gates that open located here and here, and then there's another gate right here facing right here.

This is the uh the west elevation facing uh Mount Diablo.

So this fence does not open, it's located here, and it's got the same smooth coat stuck in with the cornices and the trees with fabric awnings.

This is the east elevation facing Broadway Plaza.

This fence right here does not open, and it's got the same smooth coat, stucco, cornices, and fabric awnings.

So these are some renderings for the project.

This rendering right here, restoration hardware is facing South Main Street.

This is facing also South Main Street, if you can see the decorative fencing.

Um staff does have some concerns regarding the paver stones and the decomposed granite with uh handicap accessibility.

Um other concerns that staff has are the variation in materials, the variation in colors, the vertical variation in height, and the treatment at corner buildings.

And this is the front facing of the restaurant.

So this is the fence, it's a 10-foot fence that does not open located here, and this is the gate that's also the same height that opens facing South Main Street.

So this is the landscape plan.

They are proposing to eliminate uh 11 trees, 10 of which are street trees.

This maple tree right here has been approved by the city arbiters to be removed.

Over 20 trees line the uh the project located on the interior here, here, and here, and then they have some palm trees facing South Main Street and facing uh Mount Diablo.

They do call out eight fake trees right here in gray that are facing Broadway Plaza.

So staff anticipates using the categorical 1532 infill exemption as outlined in the staff report.

Staff requests the design review commission to review and provide input on the following the site design and appropriateness, the building architecture, the colors and materials, the landscaping, the lighting, and the fencing.

Staff is available for questions.

The applicant, the CEO of RH, Larry Friedman and his team are here.

Uh they also have a presentation.

Thanks.

Any any questions?

For staff?

No.

Did you did you talk about lighting?

I did not.

Okay.

Maybe the applicant could talk about that when they come up.

Okay.

Alright.

Let's move on to the applicant presentation then.

Thank you.

Can I have a clicker?

Yes, I'm going to be able to do that.

Good evening, Commissioners.

My name's Gary Friedman.

I'm the chairman and CEO of RH.

I've been here 26 years.

Uh I actually have history with the corners.

I was the president of Williams Sonoma Incorporated for 14 years.

Then I designed and developed and had built the pottery barn and the Williamsonoma at that intersection.

So I'm back again.

We're going to take you through an agenda that looks like this.

Oh, down goes the next slide.

Thank you.

I'm going to spend a few minutes just talking about who we are.

Uh, give you a few examples of our work, uh, kind of frame the opportunity as we see it on this corner, uh, and then share our plan, which would be a first of its kind RH design compound in Walnut Creek.

So there one doesn't exist anywhere else in the world.

Okay.

So today RH is the leading luxury home brand in North America.

We have sales of approximately $3.5 billion.

When I joined the company 26 years ago, we were a $300 million company losing 40 million a year and on the edge of bankruptcy.

So I invested money to keep it out of bankruptcy.

I had to raise money three times in the first year to stay out of bankruptcy.

Everybody told me it couldn't be done.

We are known for creating the most compelling collection of luxury home furnishings presented in the most inspiring spaces in the world.

This is just one of our spaces.

This is R.H.

Boston.

It's a gallery at the Historic Museum of Natural History that was built in 1860.

We completely reimagined and restored the building.

It was actually only the second building built in the back bay of Boston.

The first building was the church, of course, which makes sense.

We say we're obsessed with great architecture.

We either find it and readapt it or we build it.

Spaces that are reflection of human design, a study of balance, symmetry, and perfect proportions.

Here you can see a drawing of the Vitruvian Man, circuit 1490 by Leonardo da Vinci.

Our philosophies in architecture actually date back all the way to Vitruvius, who is uh known as the first Roman architect uh in the first century B uh uh BC.

Uh we have a copy uh modern copies of that uh uh his book De Architectura, uh, the ten books on architecture in our architecture and design library in RH England, uh, and also in our architecture and design library in RH Paris.

Uh next slide.

We like to say we don't build retail stores, we build inspiring spaces, spaces that blur the lines between residential and retail, uh indoors and outdoors, home and hospitality, spaces that activate all of this fences and spaces that cannot be replicated online.

This is a picture of RH England, the gallery at the historic Aynho Park.

It's a 17th century 73-acre estate with three restaurants, uh, the largest herd of white deer in all of Europe, uh, and our first architecture and design library, which has uh historic volumes from uh not only uh Vitruvius and Da Vinci, but also Palladio, Scamozia and Alberte, some of the foundational architects of all time.

On the next slide, you can see kind of a portion of the rear of the property.

Uh and we spent uh four years restoring and rehabilitating this property.

Next slide.

You can see one of the three uh restaurants is our Logia restaurant.

It's uh we serve pizza and pastas and uh underneath that uh wooden logia.

We also serve around fire pits and fountains all throughout uh that space.

The next slide, I just want to share some of our latest work.

We opened in September RH Paris on the Champs-Lysée, right off the Avenue Montaine.

Uh and uh to play the video, what do I have to do?

Oh okay, great, thank you.

It includes a letter I wrote to the city of Paris.

Uh in at our each first you saw that we have two restaurants actually, one on the uh second level terrace overlooking the garden and uh one on the top two floors, the top floor and the rooftop.

We actually are one uh one of only seven uh companies in the world uh that globally operate uh uh more than twenty uh restaurants at the high end.

We have twenty six restaurants today, and we'll have forty restaurants, uh uh over the well, forty restaurants at the end of two years from now.

So um, we don't license them, we don't know.

We believe brands with more control will become more valuable than brands with less control.

So we don't license anything, partner with anybody, uh, anything we decide to do, we decide to own and operate it.

Uh, because we believe no one will care more than we do.

Uh, take through the next slide here.

Okay.

Uh let me try to frame the opportunity as we see it.

We began with a study of the site.

Uh, the current building, its size massing, and relationship to the curving streets, uh, sidewalks, uh, and converging eight lanes of traffic on this busy but today lifeless corner.

Uh, the current building occupies two hundred and ten feet of frontage on Mount Diablo, the current property and building.

Uh, two hundred and seventy feet on Main Street and two hundred feet facing the mall courtyard.

That's approximately seven hundred and seven hundred uh feet of frontage in total.

Uh and from another perspective, that's almost five hundred feet of street facing retail that is currently windowless, opaque structure with a single entrance on the most important intersection in Walnut Creek from our point of view next slide um we like to frame problems, uh and uh that's how we usually come up with solutions.

We'd say the size of this problem is not small as we see it.

And the opportunity to transform this architectural albatross that lacks any sense of humanity into an inspiring space worthy of this prestigious corners is enormous.

This is an aerial view of what we call the first RH design compound.

We would build the first one here it's a design and hospitality experience consisting of what acts as six independent structures it's actually five independent structures if you count this center restaurant which is a it's connected to that building but it's actually its own structure but it acts as six independent structures connected by beautifully landscaped garden courtyards with heritage olive trees trickling fountains and a dramatic atrium uh restaurant anchoring the project this is another view from Mount Diablo so you can see how it intersects from kind of all sides uh the uh let me go to this next slide the architectural vernacular uh of the design compound reflects the California style uh california contemporary style that is uh simple and timeless I should mention here um what we submitted to you is 20 feet in height we're actually proposing to build 22 feet in height we uh believe it'll have nicer proportions at that level all the way through uh the structures are a combination of Venetian plaster uh with dramatic punched openings with European proportions uh the buildings are enhanced with detailed crown moldings and uh integral awnings here's a view in the evening uh I had that done right after you asked the question no actually if you uh saw our buildings we were known for uh architecturally lighting many of the buildings if you wanted to see some in the Bay Area you can see RH San Francisco with the historic uh Beltaham steel building uh in the dog patch where we are the we're the first uh tenant to sign anything uh in that part of San Francisco we actually announced our project before we knew there was going to be Chase Center uh which is uh two blocks down so um we like to be pioneers we like to do things uh uh from a leadership point of view versus a followership point of view uh the um let me just get to this next slide uh here you can see the view uh from Main Street uh it'll read as kind of three buildings with two um uh garden courtyard entrances they'll actually be uh one two three four five entrances all together uh replacing the one entrance to the to the building uh that is here on this view uh you can see um whoops let me go back this view you is looking from more from the uh advantage point you can see Apple's awning kind of coming out here we're actually holding the building back creating a pretty simple uh progression and promenade of buildings and we're proposing to create some outdoor space almost like a small park with a couple of specimen trees uh we're thinking maybe you put some benches there although we're not sure of any of the homeless issues in Walnut Creek that might uh be a problem but you know it almost acts as a small park a sitting area and a place of refuge this is what the uh interior of the garden courtyards look like uh with decomposed granite uh and uh bluestone pavers uh heritage olive trees you can see the trickling fountains kind of right to the left and right of the olive trees uh that kind of percolate all the way through the space gives you a nice sound uh breaks down the sound of the traffic uh and you can see from every vantage point uh these all look relatively same you will see the uh restaurant in the atrium in the middle here's a view of this at nighttime and you can see uh you know all of our projects are uh beautifully architecturally lit uh in the evenings.

All the buildings are connected.

You can see above the olive trees here, uh, you can see kind of a steel and glass uh uh kind of trellis uh and um that allows for progression between the buildings without getting wet if there is rain or uh inclement uh weather.

Here's another view as you come kind of around the corner.

Uh you can see kind of a peekaboo into the restaurant to the left uh and just how you navigate around here.

Um, uh pretty wide and open pedestrian uh-friendly pathways.

This is a view of uh the same pathway in the evening.

This is the entrance to the restaurant.

Uh we are proposing that there's uh 32 seats of outdoor seating, too.

That's not shown in this plan, or we will be proposing.

It's just the inside.

Uh the the uh this atrium building is uh I think about 85% transparent.

It has large skylights in the top of it.

I don't know if I've got a there it is.

If you look up through that left side, you can see these two big running skylights on the top, as well as uh glass up and down the front.

The interior.

So, in summary, um, let's get to this here.

Uh we like to say there's a big difference between uh buildings and spaces.

Uh most retail stores are a kick windowless boxes that lack any sense of humanity.

Uh they're void of fresh air and natural light.

Plants die in most department stores and in most retail stores, and we we believe that can't be good for humans either.

Uh that's why we don't build retail stores.

We build inspiring spaces that are filled with fresh air and natural light, spaces with garden courtyards, rooftop parks, heritage olive trees, trickling fountains, some with fire pits and fireplaces, but most importantly, spaces that activate all of the sentences, uh senses and spaces that cannot be uh replicated online.

Over the last 20 years, and uh, you know, if you think about the advent of the internet, the vast majority of retailers have shrunken their stores or closed their stores.

Uh we're just the opposite.

We're building the largest specialty stores in the history of the world.

Um we're passionate about the opportunity uh uh here in Walnut Creek and are prepared to make a significant financial investment uh to redefine what we believe is the most important corner uh in Walnut Creek.

So thank you for the consideration.

Oh, I do you want me to stay here to take questions?

Thank you.

Any questions?

I have a question.

Will you explain the the compound?

I mean, I understand the restaurant in the middle, but what are the outlier buildings?

Are they like showrooms or showrooms?

Yeah, all showrooms.

Uh there'll be uh an architecture and design library.

Uh there'll be a um uh interior design offices.

One of the buildings, one of the ends will act as an interior design business.

Uh in inside of our uh single businesses, we have not just the retail business and the restaurant business.

We have uh we're the largest residential interior design firm in the world now uh and so we have a kind of a separate inside, be integrated in the compound, but uh the building on the left side on Mount Diablo will act as uh RH interior design and be signed like that from the outside.

Uh we also uh offer um uh interior architecture services uh and landscape architect uh landscape architecture services.

We also have a trade business that serves the interior design trade.

So we have uh a dedicated team that services interior designers.

We um act as almost a um uh a support team for them.

We do renderings and plans and so on and so forth for their uh uh their businesses.

We also have a contract and hospitality business that services hotels, restaurants, uh, and and so on and so forth.

So there's kind of multiple businesses integrated within a compound as well as the hospitality experience.

Okay.

Um why are some of the trees these preserved ones?

Because there's was uh there's a culvert that runs through the property, and there's a um a basement that was built by um the previous tenant, Neiman Marcus, uh, and that the cost to replace that basement is would be kind of uh project killing, if you will.

So there's no dirt to plant the trees in that so they're they're preserved, they're kind of freeze-dried.

You you wouldn't be able to tell it's not real.

Okay.

Yeah, I can't tell they're not real.

I mean they're real trees, but they're just kind of freeze-dried and preserved, and they'll look like every other tree in the project.

Okay, and then there's three nearby that that are a different species of olive.

Why that too?

I know these are specific.

Yeah, all heritage olive trees.

Okay.

Even even the freeze-dried ones.

And then you mentioned that there may be outdoor seating.

Where would that happen on the site?

Oh, you outdoorning.

Right in front of the um, let me just try to hop back here.

Uh right in front of the restaurant, but I'm gonna here we go.

Go to that slide.

Right here.

So um on each side of that entrance.

Whoops, come on.

Uh there'd be seating there and right across from that, and then in between the next two olive trees there and in front of that, there'd be 32 seatings uh seats right kind of in the front of the restaurant to have indoor outdoor seating.

Okay.

Okay.

Why do we have to take the sycamore trees out on South Main for the project?

That might be a team.

Yeah, they're just really in discord with what we're gonna build.

I mean, we kind of believe that the landscaping ought to be harmonious with the architecture, and there ought to be a singular view of of kind of the project.

Okay, because it looks like we're putting new ones back in.

Some, yeah.

Okay.

Yeah.

Okay, and then I think that may have been it.

Yeah, I have uh actually one more thing.

Um there's the what you called kind of like an area of respite between Apple and the new proposed compound where there's some big trees.

I think a big portion of that is is bioretention, right?

But I do like the idea of it being like more than that.

Is that what you're envisioning?

Like it not just being planting with a couple trees, but like actually celebrating that space.

Any ideas that are popping in your head?

Yeah, I mean, I think because I think that is kind of like a courtyard space that's dead right now because there's nothing in that building, and so it focuses everything in front of Apple, and then they have issues and always have to have all these bollards and stuff.

So it doesn't feel like somewhere you want to hang out.

So I like that you guys have put the building on an angle, and I think it'd be cool if there was like a really big gnarly specimen oak tree or something, and like made that space feel like somewhere you could linger, and it's not just the reflective glass of these like supervisors.

I was gonna ask is that a walnut tree with the logo of walnut tree.

Yeah.

Yeah, so maybe to do a walnut tree.

Yeah.

Celebrate walnuts, yeah.

Right.

Yeah.

But yeah, I think that's what we're thinking.

Some kind of specimen tree, some kind of uh sitting area, an area people can sit in the shade, take a break.

Yeah, from shopping, walking around.

Um, final question.

Sorry.

There's also in the renderings, there's like lanterns and little fountains and potted plants and stuff, and those aren't on the plan, but those are a part of the ultimate build out, like that little the little extra jewel.

Yeah, those those um fountains aren't little, they're okay.

Uh I think they're two thousand-pound solid um carved limestone from France.

Cool.

So they march down and they if you wanted to see them, uh we actually have them at RH Yauntville.

Uh we have a small compound there that's uh connected, and we've got you know some of uh uh those fountains there.

Okay, and is there any fire, any fire pits or any fire elements on the plan?

We we had some and then uh it was but we were advised not to do them or we um here, yeah.

I I was I asked where they were last night.

I was preparing for so um I'm Michael Avalon with the design team at RH.

We um we will anticipate to have some within the merchandise areas, they'll be merchandise uh fire pits.

At one point we had anchored fire pits that were obstructing the circulation.

Yeah.

So we worked with staff to kind of um remove those, but we would still like to provide water, fire, and lighting elements.

Okay, thank you.

So um, okay, so series of questions.

Uh the first is looking at the architecture of the building.

Um your presentation was really about architecture and preserving architecture and um I just would like an explanation on how the proposed design relates to a Northern California vernacular.

Because it's beautiful, but when I look at it, I really see a warm Southern California type of environment.

So just if there could be some how how those relate.

Yeah, I don't know if there I mean uh maybe you could tell me which of the other three corners are a California vernacular because they look like a whole bunch of different things to me.

Uh but I think what what we're trying to do is build something that's that's timeless that's beautifully proportioned, uh, that has a real indoor outdoor feel.

So if you if you think about the um the street facing um all the street facing buildings, those are about 70 percent uh I think transparent, but there's I think it's 70, 30 or 65, 35 between plaster and windows.

Um and uh, you know, I I mean there's all kinds of famous architectural vernaculars in the world, and they all seem to kind of a lot of them are in California.

So if there's a preferred one, we're open to to listen.

Um, I was just asking the question as as it relates to the.

Yeah, I we I think that the that the overall essence of it is the very much an indoor-outdoor experience.

I mean, I don't think anybody's built a compound, a retailer's ever built a interconnected indoor-outdoor compound, you know, anchored by a restaurant, and I think that in and of itself uh reflects a California point of view of very much of an indoor-outdoor uh living.

Uh, kind of made famous by Michael Taylor, who's one of the you know famous uh interior designers.

Uh, some called him a pseudo architect.

I helped design the uh bears to Soleil in the Napa Valley and um we actually just purchased his business uh recently.

But he's called the Godfather of the California look, and so um I can show you guys some swipes at another time or send you well, we can send you some of you know some of the inspiration swipes that were that are all from kind of Northern California.

Cool.

Um I guess so on the relationship to that, um I've you know, I'm from Marin, I'm familiar with your store in Cortamadera.

I uh have been many times to the store in um on Melrose and in Los Angeles.

I'm wondering why an opportunity wasn't taken to have a roof deck, because it seems like that's something that's already happening downtown and would be a really nice addition on that corner to give it a presence.

Uh yeah, I mean I I think that's a possibility.

I think it's also um uh the the current owners of the development uh that we would be leasing from uh weren't interested in uh leasing a part of it.

Um they wanted to lease the whole thing.

Um and uh um, you know, so what we tried to do is say, you know, how do we take uh what was a you know big department store pad and you know how do you create something that's has a lot of humanity uh you know, facing consumers, lots of entrances and exits that likes the transparency, looks beautiful from all angles, whether you're driving this way or that way, that's why Casey had mentioned uh how we pivoted the front uh corner uh by Apple because when you're driving around that corner, you know, you're able to kind of have a focal point coming around that corner.

So um, I mean, if someone wanted to spend the money and build a three-story thing there, you know, and you know, we, you know, but it would, you know, for us it wouldn't work financially to take the entire space, which is to take the entire space is very expensive to take that corner and all the problem.

So what we try to do is say, okay, we can't take a part of it.

What would we do with the whole of it?

Uh and um, you know, so that's the how we came up with this.

But the whole center, the whole center of it will be filled with light, which which is what I love.

The sun is hits every part of it and the um uh when you look at this the the uh path of the sun here and how it comes across and comes down um kind of almost you know over the uh uh the top of Maine, you know, during the summer.

Uh it's gonna kind of wash into that central courtyard garden and the transparent restaurant.

You'll be sitting there looking into garden.

So yeah.

100%.

Yeah.

So that sort of gets to my last question is it's kind of multi part so kind of the intent of those walkthroughs if they're intended is the public if their intention is RH visitors sort of what is the intention um as part of that are you gonna have your outdoor furniture sales there or is it gonna so it's going to be like the yeah we're we're the the largest um uh high end outdoor furniture company in the world so so we design things obviously so it's a it's the outdoor shows outdoor showroom it's outdoor travel it you know let's in light uh and um you know a a place where people can sit down take a load off enjoy a glass of wine or you know and so on that note is it also the primary access to the restaurant is through those the all five five uh all five of the entrances uh from uh the corner of Mount Diablo and Maine uh coming around around Maine and and around that other corner all five of those uh plus the two garden courtyards from that side all converge onto the interior courtyard which where the restaurant is so I guess then the question would be to get to the restaurant people do have to walk over the bluestone pavers.

Is there a way to access the restaurant and not go through that bluestone pavement we have blue stone pavers in probably 40 developments around the world.

You know we don't have any problem from accessibility or other issues.

I mean it's all handicap approved it's uh all accessible so great yeah.

Just in the renders the way that they were laid did not express that the there's there's a I think one and a half inch two inch gap in between but that it's filled with decomposed granite.

So but we've never had one not pass accessibility.

Great.

Yeah thank you thank you.

I have a follow-up question to one of those so the the benches and outdoor furnishings that are displayed in the walkways are those for people like waiting for a table or is it like I've come in with my coffee and I have no intention of going to the restaurant it's like a public space what is the we don't have we don't have an objective of building a loitering space.

Let's just say that it's it is our outdoor furniture it's all for sale.

Someone's waiting for a table so and so forth if people just want to kind of camp out for a long time you know we might kind of say you know this is not like it's not really public space but it's it acts as public space.

Our all of our rooftops that we built act as public space.

Uh you know but every once in a while we've had I mean we've had people on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles show up uh at Thanksgiving with their giant you know foil wrap turkey and laid out Thanksgiving for 20 of their family members we said we'll look we you know happy Thanksgiving but it's like you know it's the day before Thanksgiving it's like that this is not the intent we have here.

We want it to be open we want it to be accessible but we're not like we're not really a public park.

Okay.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Hi.

Hi.

Thank you for your detailed presentation.

Thank you.

Um so I have follow-up questions to all of those questions and a number of notes here um from my reviews.

Uh my my one question is uh specifically about the corner you mentioned and also staff mentioned the predominance of that corner and the historic nature of that corner and um I just I have a question similar to um Crickets which is walnut creek is walnut creek and there are different buildings on the different corners but it's not palm desert and it doesn't the treatment of that corner for me my question is the allowed height there is 35 feet, which would give your your corner building a little more presence and a little less linear blending into everything else that you're doing um is there a possibility that you could take advantage of that 35 feet and give us a little bit more presence on that corner.

I just don't know what I'd do with it.

It would be a fake facade and then look like it's kind of at Discord with the rest of the compound.

So we see the compound as one integrated kind of statement.

If anybody's ever in Los Angeles, we we just bought uh a business and the real estate um uh high-end design showroom called formations in Dennison Lean.

Uh the Dennis and Lean building is actually the inspiration for this building.

It's been there for 30 plus years.

I think it's one of the most beautifully proportioned pieces of real estate, it's 22 feet in height.

Um when you're standing there as a human, it feels impactful when you drive up to it.

I mean it's not going to feel like the Neiman Marcus did, you know.

I you know, I I think I always say to our teams, you have to you know have a balanced perspective, not a singular point of view.

I mean, you can say, hey, we want this height, but in what context?

And um you know, in the context of just having the height, you could say Neiman markets look look good.

You know, and I'd argue Neiman Marcus is a cacophony.

I mean, it's it's mostly opaque walls with no windows.

I mean, on the best corner, and even the little glass thing that's on the corner that um, you know, I don't know if it's an art glass thing or what it is, it's opaque.

There's no door, there's no entrance, and you know, I've lived in the Bay Area my entire lifetime, and I've been over here a lot.

Uh, and no one is walking around in that area on that building, no one's walking in and out.

And if you walk in, you kind of want to walk out because there's no natural light in that space, there's no fresh air in that space.

So, you know, I think the the idea is what what can be done with that space.

I mean, if someone's really big and someone wants to build a big retail store that's 35 feet high, and we we built them bigger than that, um it's not economically viable for us to do that here.

Um might be for someone else, or might be, you know, good for someone to use the current space and punch some holes in it somehow.

Um so you know, what we tried to do is say, you know, what can feel to us like California.

I mean, beautiful heritage olive trees, you know, marching around the site and through the site.

Some palm trees at the focal points uh feels very California, maybe more Southern California.

Um we're building in Palm Desert, it doesn't look like this.

Um we're building right at the at you know, right now.

I mean, I I you know, we can darken the plaster if the light plaster looks a little too light.

Uh but I I I believe it will be the most beautiful and architecturally beautifully proportioned building in all of Walnut Creek.

I mean, series of buildings, you know.

So uh and we've done a lot of you know really great projects.

Some of the have been on this uh planet for almost 200 years uh that have been preserved, and so uh um, but it's all a matter of point of view.

I mean, like, you know, I'd ask, I mean, tell me which building's your favorite one on that corner and why.

I mean, you know, it's it's you know it's the debate.

We're we're we're trying to look at the bigger picture and say, there's a big piece of property on the best corner, Walnut Street, uh, Wellington Creek.

It's had something that had lacked any sense of humanity, uh, any sense of light.

No light went into that corner anywhere.

Uh and you know, what can you do with it?

Uh, you know, what could we do with it that works for our building that maybe works for the community?

Um, but we like to say don't let perfect be the enemy of great, you know, uh, because otherwise things never get started and never get done.

So uh, you know, we think this is massively better than what's there, like not a little better, massively better than what's there.

Doesn't mean you have to agree with us, you know, that's our point of view, and it we believe it'll work for our building.

Um I mean it'll work for our business.

Uh and um, you know, and and I think we're, you know, we're a pretty good bet for Walnut Creek.

We've been doing this for a long time.

I've been here twenty six years, um, and uh we're the best at the world at what we do from a business point of view, and we think we're the best in the world from what we do from an architectural design point of view.

So relative to your discussion about the openness and the compound and the and the fluidity of the access, um, why are there two gates that are locked?

What is the reasoning for the locked gates?

Yeah, I mean it's just a matter of uh um cost to operate.

You know, we we like to be able to greet people when they come into our spaces and uh welcome people and so on and so forth, and the cost to operate every gate or every entrance like full time uh is it's already an investment to uh operate five entrances, you know, so that's the only reason.

And and what what I would say also say on the one side um on the two sides uh the gates that are not open, there's elevation issues and elevation changes, um, would require stairways uh and require ramps and things.

It's it's it's a very expensive site just to get going here because you've got the culvert and you have this drainage issue.

So if you look at what we've done, and you've got a you know, a ramping issue down uh uh Mount Diablo when you're coming from the intersection, so you can see a uh kind of a retaining wall that's growing that's all planted uh with the drainage requirements for the site.

Drainage requirements here are the most complex I've ever encountered in any of the projects I've worked on.

Uh so um that also was a consideration.

Do we need to put an entrance here and another ADA you know entrance and and so on and so forth, uh, and one on the other side where there's a a grade change.

We've we believe those are the least important entrances, uh, because there's not there's not another retailer uh facing this way, you know, and we're right here.

Um the other the thing on the corner, I think it's is it still a PF chanks?

I'm not sure it might might have closed, but going you know, you know, going around the corner, there's entrances on this side, so we just felt the most energy, most activity, the most flow into this project is gonna come uh from the two end corners and uh Main Street where we're gonna propose valley parking and so on and so forth right there, which I believe Newman Marcus also had in that same same space.

So following up on the culvert comments and your um your description of your fountains and the questions about the live trees and not live trees, um we have a number of of other properties in Walnut Creek that have to deal with those drainage and culvert issues, especially in Broadway Plaza that have large scale trees in large planters.

Could you could conceivably do something like that and have live trees in similar basins to your fountain basins and keep it communicated?

It's just gonna look different.

Like you you're I think we have how many olive trees do we have 32 olive trees on the site?

Four forty total heritage olive trees, all planted fully down to the ground in the base, and they're all gonna look magnificent.

And then you know, we wind up, I think what do we have uh eight on that side?

Eight on that side that would be in planters, it it would just create a level of discord and people would go, Well, why'd they do that?

I I guarantee you if you've ever been to R.H.

Johnville, we actually built the restaurant with a glass roof, and I dug down in the ground and I built giant planters inside that building.

And my my idea was to have live olive trees that you dined under, and in the first year they died.

And I had I still have the bases, and we replaced them with you know, freeze-dried olive branches and stuff.

Nobody can tell I can't even tell when I go in there.

Um, but if if you if you know, if you were gonna be in Napa any time soon, you wanted to go to R.

Johnville, if you go into the the main restaurant part, uh those you'll see something like that.

Nobody can tell.

We have inside outside, it's all these olive trees are aligned.

We open the windows, nobody has ever gone.

Oh, these are fake because the whole wood structure and base is an original.

All the all the branches are.

All you've got is, you know, some of the little things with the leaves.

Uh otherwise, it's a hundred percent olive tree.

It's just been preserved.

I guess the concern that we've expressed is removing live trees and replacing them with non-live trees.

Or no live trees over there.

No, in on the street.

Yeah.

Um, so if you could look at that and also look at um some cohesiveness with Walnut Creek, as you mentioned, it's it's not necessarily a palm tree city.

I understand your design and I understand it's classical and I get that.

Um, but maybe just take another look at that before you go to planning commission.

Okay.

We're still in questions.

Anyone have any more questions?

There's there's a lot of lot of explorations there.

Um I'm not gonna make comments now, but I think I will say this.

I looking at the breadth of this, I'm I'm gonna get to a question, but there's a lot of sameness across the frontage.

Is there a way to open up your kit of parts a bit to provide maybe a different feel and cadence along the street, um, at scale with not Broadway Plaza but the rest of Walnut Creek?

Um, I ask you to be a little bit more specific.

Yeah, well, it's I mean, if you look if you look at the uh if you look at the elevation, I mean everything's very low, and the forms that the you know you're using columns that are all the same.

Is there a way to to vary the front edge a bit more?

It all looks it all looks yeah, yeah.

Yeah, okay.

Well that that'll be something I'll talk about in the comments.

Yeah.

That's and I'm not gonna make comments right now because I think if we're done, we're gonna go to public comment, right?

Yeah, I mean thank you very much.

If nobody has anything else, that's the end of your presentation, right?

Yep, okay.

Cool.

Okay, thank you.

Um, thank you.

So uh let's go on to public comment.

Do we have any public comment?

I have not received any cards, but um doesn't mean we don't have any public comment.

Does anybody want to turn in a card and make a public comment?

No, a lot less spectators tonight.

Okay, good.

This will go quickly.

Let's let's go on to commissioner comments.

Does anybody want to begin?

First of all, thank you very much for your educational presentation, and also um I commend you on rescuing older historic buildings.

I did that for a living for a while, and I'm very much appreciative of that.

And that sort of goes back to my comments uh about Walnut Creek being sort of walnut creek and not palm desert.

That was because we do have um a limited number of uh buildings that we can restore and or copy here, but maybe um as the chair stated, you could take a look at varying that a little bit so that it fits in a little better with the surroundings and with the feel and um architecture of Walnut Creek, which is a little more Northern California traditional.

That would be my comment.

Um, so I want to reiterate that where we have the stormwater area, I think it'd be cool to do some kind of fun special specimen tree, something special there.

Um, I feel like there is a lot of talk about like the integrated indoor-outdoor, and I don't totally see that aside from the restaurant.

So I I just would love to see some way that it's like if I weren't shopping for furniture and I weren't looking for interior design, like what's pulling me there in addition to the restaurant, and it just is just my wish list, so bear with me.

But I was like, I don't know, maybe there's like a cafe or something.

Um, in terms of the outdoor spaces and the renderings, I see that there's trellises.

I want to make sure those like have glass or some kind of weatherproof, which you mentioned, but it wasn't obvious to me in the plans because I think it's cool if that has like a year-round opportunity.

All glass great.

Um, I would love the idea of you know, some of the chandeliers or cool light features outside.

So maybe it's like catenary.

I like the idea of fire pits.

I mentioned that.

I don't know if that's a possibility.

I love the fountain.

Um, I see in some of the renderings in the background, there's like vines and stuff on the architecture, but I also don't see that on the plan.

So I think I appreciate that the landscape architecture is like very simple, and I like that, but I also think there might need to be a little bit more garden in your garden, so like something a little softer there, which is why I mentioned maybe like the planters and stuff.

Um, in terms of the architecture, I had a similar gut reaction when I opened it.

I was like, oh, that looks much more like kind of Rodeo Drive than I had expected.

Um, it feels a little more classical than I expected, maybe oversimplified because when I heard it was going to be restoration hardware, and I was very excited about that, by the way.

I pictured kind of the the visual character that I'm seeing in the restaurant, which is more of like the greenhouse vibe, you can kind of see what's happening inside and the buildings that are on the perimeter feel a little more sterile than that to me.

I really like that the glass goes high and it makes a statement, but the the rest feels a little underwhelming, maybe.

So I just and that's just a gut reaction, and I'm not able to give insight architecturally to how to make it different, but I figured I'd mention that opinion so that you know it's there.

Um other than that, I do think it's like really great to have a refreshment of that spot.

It does feel like a dead zone.

I'd love to be able to move through the gates, but it I understand why they're not open.

But having some of that permeability to the space is really cool, and integrating it with the corner with Apple, I think is really cool.

So I'm like, I'm very excited about the project, but just wanted the opportunity to cast my opinions.

So thank you.

Go ahead.

Um, I'd like to echo that I think it's really exciting to have something happening on the space.

I moved right after I moved to this city.

The Neiman Marcus went in and it was so exciting.

Something was gonna be there, and then it quickly went out, and so having it's such a vital, important corner.

I also think that restoration is a great asset, and it is also very well suited to the commercial spirit of Walnut Creek, so it's uh I think a very nice marriage.

Um as far as the access that Commissioner Case was mentioning, uh being someone who uses that space frequently, I understand needing to have just the staffing and having both those gates open, but it might be helpful even if it's just on weekends to have the gate that is facing Apple having that one open because you often many people are gonna be parking over in the larger Broadway Plaza parking lot, and they'll be coming up through maybe past Nordstrom, and so it would just be another nice access to have.

So I understand that that's might not be possible, but it would as far as just the flow of it.

I think that would be nice.

Um that's about it.

I I appreciate it being here.

I think we have sort of a reaction to the facade because of it of its brightness.

I'm in no way saying that the other three corners are beautiful architectural examples.

I think that you showed us a beautiful architectural example, and that was your presentation, and so it's this lead up, and then oh, well, okay, I get it, and it's beautiful, but you know, I think we all want like the bank building.

We don't have it anyway.

Thank you.

There's a lot you guys said that I won't repeat.

I think I agree with a lot of it.

I mean, interesting discussion about the vernacular.

What is a California vernacular?

Is it a mission style?

What is it?

I mean, if you look on all four corners, all the architecture's very different.

And you know, it has its merits and not, but but I think I think that uh, you know, the context, if there is a context here, is uh, I think this is this building will be a great improvement from what Neiman Marcus was, and I think it was great you presented those blind sides and how the permeability of this is is going to be a real big improvement.

That said, I'm actually a fan of some of these projects you mentioned.

Um my son has his his office down there by in uh down down south of the market, right by the Bethlehem Steel building.

My wife said, Did Restoration Hardware build that building?

I go, No, that's the Bethlehem Steel building because I grew up there.

But I mean it's amazing how how you guys embrace architecture and do that.

And I've been been to the Yonville place, and that which this reminds me a lot of this the scale of this is bigger than Yauntville.

And and it's it's a great kit of parts in Yauntville.

It's also there are a lot of great examples, and you've shown a lot of examples, but but I think the word underwhelmed, I don't like to use that, but I'll say I challenge you guys.

I I have no question that the detailing of this thing will be exceptional based on the work that I've seen, and I do study what you do.

Um I think expand your kit apart a bit.

I mean, look at just throwing throwing out one example of something that I've seen, like that Bethlehem steel building.

There's a lot more detail in it, right?

And I'm not I'm very aware that this is a big stretch, it's a big piece of property, and it costs a lot of money to stretch that much program, and I bet the lease is big, but but if if you can articulate things a little better and modulate things so that you you you introduce some different forms along the frontage because the frontage is huge.

I mean the color, the colorway, it's kind of your colorway.

I don't have a problem with that.

I think maybe you could vary the color a little bit in some ways, but but obviously you you want to own that whole frontage, and and I think you should.

Um I just think maybe are there columns or forms or other things that you can introduce that kind of break down the monotony of it because it's just so huge.

I I think um, you know, it is an important corner, it's equally important to the other four corners.

Um, this the height at 22 feet.

I thought it was very interesting tonight that we're presenting on one corner, an eight-story building that's entirely out of scale and is absolutely right up against the property line.

And then here you guys are at 22 feet, and you're actually volunteering to push back and actually make the permeability.

I think you can have a lot of success with the permeability.

I think there's if there's a way you can push that height up somehow.

I don't know how, but and obviously you're not gonna add more program, you're not gonna add a roof deck.

I understand why, but but if it could be raised a little bit more somehow, I think it'd be helpful.

Maybe maybe the middle building could be taller and the other ones on the side could be smaller, just just to get some different modulation because it's such a such a broad area.

You know, you've done a nice job of breaking the block down in cadence, but like maybe maybe breaking it down in height, maybe having some different heights subtly might help.

Um again, we're just we're just tinkering here.

I think um what what else?

I mean, and and you know, the corner expression, expressing the corner is really important.

Maybe maybe it's just the middle building that just pops up a little bit.

I think the pedestrian experience you're creating is is really cool.

Um, I just look at the success, you know, Vila V across the street has something at a smaller scale.

They have this tree, it works very well for them, and and the people in this town really react well to that.

Um, and so I think I think that's that's really great.

Um I think I'm gonna defer to the landscape architects to talk about the landscape architecture.

Uh we did get a comment about the DG.

Obviously, that's part of you have that up in Yauntville.

I've seen it.

Um, you know, can you stabilize the DG?

Can you use less of it?

It might just be good to to look at that because this is different than Yauntville or place like that, because you know, it just there's just gonna be a lot more traffic.

And I I think you're gonna have a really good reaction.

People are gonna come in and sit in those areas, and there's probably gonna be a lot more traffic, and I have a lot of DG at my house, and I know I'll just get pulled out onto the street, so maybe a little bit less, maybe stabilize it.

Um I think that uh the other thing is, you know, the matter of these of the fencing.

So obviously you need to fence off these pedestrian ways after hours.

It's it's a business, you have high value things in there.

Um but the fixed fences, maybe there's an opportunity there where instead of making it just having them blocked off.

Maybe if you recess them a bit, you know, we talked we didn't talk about this tonight, but one of the things we talk about in Walnut Creek is public art.

Maybe since you have these recesses, maybe that's an opportunity to do, to do some kind of a feature there, some sculpture or something that we're always looking for places to put art in Walnut Creek and that those places might be a good spot because it it would if you have that and that's the feat and that's what you're not looking at.

Not a fence, it might just be pulled off a little better.

That's all I had.

Anything else?

I have one more thing.

Um if you're if you're revisiting the cadence down South Main, if there's an opportunity to integrate the existing street trees that are pretty significant that are there, I think that would be that would be good because those are pretty mature trees and it's a nice ambiance for that street.

Can you repeat that?

Try to keep the street trees on South Main.

If there's a way, the sycamore.

The sycamore trees.

Yes, not the liquid amber, the one that's Mount Diablo, the ones on South Main, so across from lens crafters.

Anything else?

Okay, you want to try to capture all that that hour of hour of comment.

Overarching comments are that uh that um um everybody agrees it's it's a prominent corner.

Um and that's uh the the architecture is um not overwhelming but not underwhelming.

There might be a few things to take a look at specifically at the corner, do a corner statement.

I like some of the words chair used.

Um take a look at the monotony by um and modulation and articulation and specifically the horizontal run.

For the long front edges.

Yeah, okay.

Maybe a color.

Who knows?

But take a look at it, maybe suggest um a couple different variations to show to the planning commission and maybe say why or why not these would work.

Yeah, okay.

Um let's see, that's the two of those.

Um the gates, um, the specifically the closed side.

Understand the Mount D one.

There was a comment there to maybe take a look at opening the B the Bar Broadway Plaza side now and then on weekends.

Well, just let it be, let us move through it.

I mean, that was one of the goals of all our downtown specific plans was like permeability.

Let people move through a space.

So I think yeah, I think it's a good connection there.

And that's a main way for people were parking that way.

Right, it's uh it's also customer accessibility because people are coming from those two big parking lots on that side through it's the easiest.

It's the easiest way, yeah.

And so I think there's some consensus there, and there was also a comment to if if that's not possible to look at recessing those a little bit and and maybe looking at um locations for public art, maybe both.

Sure.

Yeah, okay.

Okay.

Um let's see.

Stabilize the DG.

I think that's gonna be an ADA compliance building permit thing, or as site development permit thing.

Building permit thing.

As I as I look at the engineering department over there.

Um let's see, and uh take a look at the street trees on the south on the south main side.

Yes.

Okay, those and those are I think they're learning playing Sycamore.

Yes.

Yeah.

They can be I and I I think I I heard a comment earlier from Public Works that that as far as street trees go, they are towards the end of their useful life as a street tree because they're starting to do damage.

Okay.

So that could be an issue.

Okay.

Um let's see there was other comments about uh take oh the trellises did have glass.

Okay, never mind that was handled.

Um was as far as landscape as landscaping goes there was some comment about the vines should the vines be shown on the landscape plan did they add value?

Yeah.

Okay.

Is there are we especially if the sort of the facades remain simple how they are now it adds depth naturally I think everybody was on board with the uh further development of the stormwater area between Apple store and ORH.

Okay.

And I think that's all I have that's good for me.

I think you got it.

I would say guys for staying in Wallet Creek.

Yeah.

None of us said that twenty six years that's great.

Yes.

We're excited.

Thanks for the comments for it.

Thanks.

So that's that's the end of that.

Commission considerations.

Is there any com any commission considerations uh I have there there are some items coming up for the design review commission uh in the next few um in the next few meetings I I don't have those items with me I thought I did but I do not but um the design review commission will be a little busy uh March fourth you will get your fifth commissioner a new commissioner that was appointed last night and and also extended commissioner case for four more years.

And that is all I've got to go first are you a third termer?

I didn't know that was allowed special exception.

Are we really good to go I'm excited that's great.

Uh no we are we're very yeah we're excited that we're glad you're sticking around um okay good any commission member staff reports or announcements I think we just had them right yeah we're done with that it's clearly my cold benefit of work so many my wife has a cold like that is it's around the