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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-10-2009 HPC Minutes City of Saratoga H ERITAGE P RESERVATION C OMMISSION MINUTES Date: Tuesday, March 10, 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 9:00 a.m. 1. Routine Organization A. Roll Call PRESENT – Commissioners Conrado, Gomersall, Kellond, Koepernik, Tai, Vice Chair McCarty, and Chair Marra STAFF – Senior Planner Christopher Riordan, Assistant Planner Michael Fossati, Assistant Planner Cynthia McCormick GUESTS – Mr. Salim Sagarchi, Mr. Den Smith, Ms. Lynn Barringer B. Approval of minutes from February 10, 2009 meeting - Approved C. Posting of Agenda – Pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2, the agenda was posted on March 5, 2009 – Sen ior 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 Marra described the status of the presentation he was preparing and how it would be presented at the April 15, 2009 City Council meeting. 3. New Business A. 8:30 a.m. Site Visit – 14310 Saratoga Avenue – Review of a request by Alain Barringer to add a second story addition to an existing one story single family home. The home is not included on the Heritage Resources Inventory. However, HPC review is required because the house is located on a designated Heritage Lane. – Site visit completed. Item discussed. Lynn Barringer stated that she was the mother of the homeowner. She said that their intent was to increase the size of the existing house and that the owner did not currently live in Saratoga but was looking forward to living in Saratoga. Assistant Planner Cynthia McCormick stated that the project included the removal of three trees: one was dying, one had been damaged by a beetle infestation, and was had been damaged by improper pruning techniques and that all three trees had been recommended for removal by the City Arborist. Commissioner Conrado stated that he had no problem with the addition and that he believed that it looked good. Commissioner Kellond said that he liked the site plan and the design of the addition and agreed that the three trees should be removed but felt that the mass of the second floor could be reduced and that the color palette could be reconsidered. Commissioner McCarty said that she like the proposed colors and questioned why they should be changed. Ms. Barringer said that the colors as depicted on the photo copy were not accurate because they were shown as to bright and that the intent was to use earthtone colors to match the color of the roof and to break up the mass of the home. Commissioner Kellond said that colors sometimes can be used to break up mass but that it would be a more elegant solution to redesign the addition to break up the actual mass of the second story. Mr. Smith said that the mass was a result of the floor plan that the owner preferred. Assistant Planner McCormick said that the second story was setback further than the first story. Commissioner Koepernik said that he could support the project and would accept the removal of the three trees. Ms. Barringer said that the owner was intending to keep the pillars on the gates. Commissioner Tai asked if the existing gate was to remain. Commissioner Conrado said that he would prefer if the fence was be made of wood and would not suggest a fence be made of wrought iron. Ms. Barringer said that the fence would remain the same. Commissioner’s Gomersall and McCarty said that they could support the project as proposed. Motion by Commissioner McCarty and seconded by Commission Conrado to approve the project as depicted on the development plans. Motion carried on a 7-0 vote. B. 13991 Saratoga Avenue (Meason House) – Review of a request by Salim Sagarchi for a new fence and entry gates. The property is located on the Heritage Resources Inventory and is commonly known as the Meason House. The site is located on a designated Heritage Lane. –Item discussed. Assistant Planner Fosatti said that the applicant was proposing two different designs for the fences which would either be a flagstone fence or a picket fence. Commissioner Kellond asked about the alignment of the proposed fences. Mr. Sargarchi replied that the fence would be in the same location as the existing fence. Commissioner Koepernik said that there was a need for two fences with each having a different style and that the historic home should have a wood picket fence and that the pillars on the rock fence were too tall. Mr. Sargarchi said that the rock pillars could be reduced in size to four feet since the idea was to save some of the work that had already been done. Chair Marra said that he liked the idea of different fences and that he liked the idea of the wood picket fence for the historic house and that he could support the rock wall for the historic house as long as the pillars were reduced in height. Commissioner Kellond responded that the same rock fence should not be used and that wrought iron would be a better choice for the fence but the rock pillars could be used as long as they were reduced in height. Commissioner Gomersall said that she preferred the complete stone look. Commission Conrado said that he would be OK with either fence design for the historic home. Motion by Commissioner Kopernik and seconded by Commissioner Kellond that the existing rock fence at 13991 Saratoga Avenue be removed and replaced with a wood picket fence and that fence at 14005 Saratoga Avenue be made of stucco or stone and that the pillars should be reduced to be the same height as the wall not including their caps. Motion carried on a 7-0 vote. C. Discussion of term realignments for City of Saratoga Commissions. - Item Discussed. Senior Planner Chris Riordan described how the future terms of the HPC and other Commissions would be staggered so that never more than two terms would expire simultaneously. 4. Pending Items A. Update the Heritage Resources Inventory List. – Item Discussed. Senior Planner Chris Riordan announced that the RFP had been sent out to consultants to update the Heritage Resources Inventory List. B. National Register Applications – Not Discussed 5. Adjournment Adjourn to 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 14 , 2009, Magnolia Room, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue.