240-248 Hamilton Avenue
| Date Submitted: 1/7/2013 | File Number: 13PLN-00006 |
| Project Type: Architectural Review (AR) |
| Address: 240-248 Hamilton Avenue |
Project Status: The project was approved by Council on December 9, 2013 (ARB/Director Decision Appeal Denied).
Project Description: Request by Ken Hayes of Hayes Group Architects on behalf of Forest Casa Real LLC. for Major Architectural Review Board review for the demolition of an existing 7,000 square foot, two–story commercial building and the construction of a four-story, 50 foot, mixed-use building with a new floor area of 15,000 square feet on a site located at 240-248 Hamilton Avenue. Environmental Assessment: an Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration have been prepared. Zone District: Downtown Community Commercial (CD-C)(P)(GF) with Pedestrian Shopping and Ground Floor combining districts.
The project received formal ARB review at the June 6, 2013 ARB public hearing. At the June 6, 2013 ARB hearing, the ARB received the staff report, which included references to context based design criteria, ARB approval findings contained in Palo Alto Municipal Code Section 18.76.020 (d), and the Downtown Urban Design Guidelines, heard from the applicant and reviewed the project plans, and listened to public testimony by the appellant. The ARB’s recommendation included conditions that the following items return for additional ARB review:
1. Provide pedestrian friendly amenities at the ground floor level;
2. More articulation is needed on the back walls, specifically, on the southwest elevation between floors two and four; and
3. Consider incorporating more cedar siding at another location on the building.
On July 18, 2013, three ARB members (one member recused and one absent) conducted the
hearing and listened to public testimony from two speakers. The first speaker expressed concerns about the downtown parking deficit and compliance with the Comprehensive Plan, and his opinion about benefits to developers providing additional parking spaces while also helping the neighborhoods. The second speaker discussed how the intrusion of parking from the downtown area to the neighborhood is very unfair to the residents. She stated that the proposal violates the ARB charter. After careful consideration, the ARB recommended approval of the project, with a condition to return to subcommittee with an improved relationship of tile banding to cedar siding. The Director’s Designee approved the project on July 23, 2013 as recommended by the ARB. The ARB recommendation also included modification to ARB approval findings #4, 13, and 14. The June 6 ARB staff report is available on-line at:
http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=34631
The July 18, 2013 ARB staff report is available on-line at: http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=35150
Per PAMC Ch 18.77.070 any party, including the applicant, may file an appeal of the director’s decision with the planning division. The appeal was filed in a timely manner, within 14 days following the ARB recommendation and Director’s decision, as per code requirement. Appellant Douglas Smith, resident of 345 Forest Avenue (Lanning Chateau) located approximately two blocks east of the project site, was mailed a notice of the of the Director’s Decision on July 23, 2013. On August 5, 2013 the appeal (Attachment B) was filed. The letter of appeal includes 23 co-signers. The appellant’s objection is directly related to three main topics;
1) The aesthetic quality of the approved design and its impact on the surrounding heritage buildings,
2) staff’s analysis of the parking requirement, and the project’s contribution to the parking deficiency downtown, and
3) the review process itself. There are no objections to the Variance request and approval.
The appeal was placed on the consent calendar of the City Council on September 9, 2013. The September 9, 2013 City Manager’s Report is available on-line at:
https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=35726
At the September 9, 2013 City Council meeting the appeal was removed from the consent calendar and set for a new hearing before the City Council on November 12, 2013. The November 12, 2013 City Manager’s Report will be available on November 7, 2013 and available on-line at:
http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/gov/depts/cou/council_agendas.asp
Project Plans
City Contact: Jason Nortz, 650-617-3137, jason.nortz@cityofpaloalto.org
Last Updated
June 17, 2013
