HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-13-2009 HPC Minutes City of Saratoga H ERITAGE P RESERVATION C OMMISSION MINUTES Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 8:30 a.m. Place: Regular Meeting – Please meet in the parking lot in front of the Warner Hutton House at 8:30 a.m. and Staff will provide transportation to the site visit under New Business and return to Warner Hutton House by 9:15 a.m. 1. Routine Organization A. Roll Call PRESENT – Commissioners Koepernik, McCarty, Tai, Vice Chair Marra, and Chair Kellond STAFF – Senior Planner Christopher Riordan, Assistant Planner Cindy McCormick, and Assistant Planner Michael Fossati GUESTS – Mr. Ben Davies and Ms. Ellen Stamos B. Approval of minutes from December 9, 2008 meeting. - Approved C. Posting of Agenda – Pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2, the agenda was posted on January 8, 2009– Senior Planner Christopher Riordan announced this item. D. Oral & Written Communication - Any member of the public may address the Commission about any matter not on the agenda for this meeting for up to three minutes. Commissioners may not comment on the matter but may choose to place the topic on a future agenda. - None E. Oral Communications –Instruction to staff regarding actions on current Oral Communications.- None 2. Old Business A. Discuss National Registry & Saratoga Landmark Plaques - Item Discussed. Chair Kellond said that he would like to do a slideshow of the houses prior to awarding the plaques, thanked Senior Planner Christopher Riordan for volunteering to photograph the homes and asked that he send the completed historic forms to each HPC member, and that the presentation should pull out key points from the form. Commissioner McCarty said that the HPC should be present during the presentation. 3. New Business A. 8:30 a.m. Site Visit – 14103 Saratoga Road (Immanuel Lutheran Church of Saratoga) – Review of a request by T-Mobile for a 75 foot tall “mono-pine” wireless facility and underground equipment vault with an above ground electrical panel. The site is located on a designated Heritage Lane. – Site visit completed. Item discussed. Mr. Davis described the project. Commissioner Marra questioned why the applicant had chosen the location and why it could not be moved away from Saratoga Avenue. Mr. Davies stated that the desired location would provide the best coverage.
Commissioner Marra said that a better visual location for the antenna would be in the grove of trees on the north side of the parking lot. Chair Kellond questioned what other alternative sites had been considered. Mr. Davies replied that alternatives sites are considered but that the choice is made when a willing landlord is found in the area that needs increased coverage. Commissioner Marra asked if other carriers would also use the pole for their own antennas. Senior Planner Chris Riordan said that other carriers could use the pole for their antennas but they would first need to obtain city approval. Commissioner Tai asked about the radiation that could be emitted from the antennas. Mr. Davies said that the FCC has established radiation levels and that the carriers cannot exceed that rate and that the height of the antenna would reduce the effect. Commissioner Koepernik said it was his opinion that the pole would be too close to the Heritage Lane and that it would be a different texture to the surrounding trees and would appear like a imitation Christmas tree and the pole should be moved. Chair Kellond stated that he agreed with Commissioner Koepernik and that he too cannot support the requested location and that it should be relocated to reduce the visual impact as viewed from Saratoga Avenue. Commissioner Koepernik commented on the suggested location on the other side of the parking lot and asked if a taller pole would improve the coverage. Mr. Davies replied that it would. Chair Kellond asked if the antennas were directional. Mr. Davies said that it could be a possibility. Ms. Stamos asked if the applicant could co-locate the antennas somewhere else. Mr. Davies said co-locating was commonly done but those opportunities are elsewhere and that there was a need for coverage in the requested location. Chair Kellond commented that co-locating would be optimal. Commissioner Koepernik that the pole cannot be supported in its suggested location so close to Saratoga Avenue and that he was open to discussing alternative locations for the pole because it would be better if it was moved. Chair Kellond asked if the applicant had explored placing the antennas in the cross of the church. Mr. Davies replied that T-Mobile had considered it but that the cross location would not offer the height that they need for the desired coverage. Commissioner Koepernik said that he did not want to see the pole from the Heritage Lane and said again that he would not support the location. Mr. Davies asked if the HPC would consider a location elsewhere on the site. Chair Kellond said that he agreed with Commissioner Koepernik in that the desired location of the pole cannot be supported but that he would be open to considering alternative locations on the site for the pole. Commissioner Koepernik said that an alternative location would be OK but that he does not want to see the pole from the Heritage Lane or anywhere else on the church site. Commissioner Marra said that the pole would have to be taller if it was moved back on the site. Motion by Chair Kellond and seconded by Commissioner Marra to support Option #2 from the staff report that the applicant revisit a revised location on the property for the pole and that it should be closer to the northwest corner near Sea Graves Way and that it should come back with details such as coverage diagrams and material samples. Motion carried on a 5-0 vote.
B. 8:50 a.m. Site Visit – 13361 Argonne Avenue –Review plans to replace existing stairs and construct a wood handrail. The residence is located on the Heritage Resources Inventory and is commonly known as the Johnson-Kerr House (circa 1900). – Site visit completed. Item discussed. Commissioner Koepernik said that the proposed design of the proposed steps was not correct and that he prefers the “boxiness” of the existing platform and it adds to the character of the house and that he does not support the proposed design. Commissioner Marra said he would support adding a railing to the steps with a reconstructed boxy appearance. Chair Kellond said he would have no problem with the railing. Ms. Stamos said that the steps were being replaced because the existing risers were worn out and that a rail is need for safety, the siding on the new steps would match the house, and that she had done research on the design and platform and that her proposed changes would be consistent with the design of the house. Chair Kellond said he liked the idea of a “wrought iron” rail and that he would like to maintain the box design of the steps. Commissioner McCarty said that she liked the proposed design and that the applicant should be allowed to move forward. Commissioner Tai said that she too would support the proposed design and Commissioner Marra agreed. Motion by Commissioner Marra and seconded by Commissioner McCarty to approve the proposed design of the steps as long as the siding will match. Motion carried on a 3-2 vote. 4. Pending Items A. Update the Heritage Resources Inventory List – Senior Planner Christopher Riordan said that the City Council would be reviewing the issue of hiring a consultant to update the Inventory at the February 21, 2009 Council meeting B. National Register Applications – Item Discussed. Chair Kellond said that the applications for the Museum and McWilliams house had been rejected for lack of information. It was agreed that Commissioner’s Marra and Koepernik would work on the McWilliams House application and that Commissioner McCarty and Joan Gomersall would work on the application for the Museum. 5. Adjournment Adjourn to 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 10, 2009, Warner Hutton House, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue.