From valerie at vanngroup.com Wed Sep 29 13:11:35 2004 From: valerie at vanngroup.com (Valerie Vann) Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2004 13:11:35 -0700 Subject: [OldNorth] Historic Resource Committee meeting 9-27 Message-ID: <415B16F7.16828C91@vanngroup.com> In addition to the Bowers Addition Sidewalk Landmark/Merit Resource designation proposal that I presented to the HRC at the meeting Monday evening (Sept. 27), I also delivered a brief letter calling to the HRC's attention that a visit to the construction site of the Old Davis City Hall last week revealed that the Hall's Cornerstone was unprotected from accidental damage during construction. (PDF attached) Also on the agenda was the Old East 437 J St. project in which the developer proposes a PD of 4 dwelling on 2 lots, one a relocated and rehabilitated traditional house, plus 3 new houses. This development has been the subject of controversy and multiple meetings between the developer, nearby residents and the City, primarily about its mass and height, density, parking, loss of traditional open space & sight lines; in short all our "infill" concerns. It was not the HRC's purview to address some of these issues directly, but to assess impact on nearby Landmark properties, the overall "fit" of the project with the character of the neighborhood, and compliance with the Guidelines. The latter were addressed extensively. The developer had made some changes in setback of 2nd stories since the special meeting last month with the City Council Infill sub-committee. Still, adjacent residents reiterated concern with the height, density, etc., and some of the HRC had similar problems. HRC members and public both seemed to have some difficulty interpreting the effect of the design changes on the overall mass and space impact of the buildings, as well as the overall streetscape issues, a common problem when only 2 dimensional elevation drawings are available. I later suggested to the developer that he might try a simple "block" model of the units on a site plan to get the effect across better. While there will always be someone who can't "get it" even from a 3D model, in this case it might be worth the added expense to help everybody get a better idea of the spatial relationships. The developer also reported that the rehab of the existing house, which is not held to have any particular historic value (and is architecturally undistinguished to say the least), would push the sale price into the $600K range. The rehab involves moving the house, constructing a full basement to avoid a 2nd story, new foundation (the old is just on piers), and a full interior new construction. Although I rarely find myself on the same page as a developer, and am with the OE neighbors on the mass/density issues, my own feeling - which I expressed at the meeting - is that it is unfortunate (wrong war, wrong time) that so much emphasis was placed on preserving this particular structure at such expense and trouble and inevitably undistinguished result, when a better, more compatible project could have resulted from letting it go. The project will be before the Planning Commission shortly, hopefully ON'ers will turn out to support OE's concerns. Valerie Vann valerie at vanngroup.com -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: CityHallCornerstone.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 50333 bytes Desc: not available URL: From winterety at sbcglobal.net Wed Sep 29 09:09:11 2004 From: winterety at sbcglobal.net (sheryl lynn gerety) Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2004 09:09:11 -0700 Subject: [OldNorth] Fwd: Special Parking District in the Old North Davis Neighborhood Message-ID: Begin forwarded message: > From: "Roxanne Namazi" > Date: September 29, 2004 8:46:14 AM PDT > To: > Subject: Fwd: Special Parking District in the Old North Davis > Neighborhood > > > >>>> Roxanne Namazi 9/29/2004 8:42:21 AM >>> > Hi All, > > Attached are copies of my staff report and the agenda for the October 7 > Safety Advisory Commission meeting. Please feel free to share the > information with the residents. A letter was also mailed to all > residents regarding this recommendation yesterday. > > Thanks, Roxanne -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 961 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: SACAGN04.OCT.doc Type: application/msword Size: 41472 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: sacsr384.rn.doc Type: application/msword Size: 46080 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- > Bruce Winterhalder -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 92 bytes Desc: not available URL: