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HomeMy WebLinkAboutASAC Minutes 08-09-1974CITY OF CUPERTINO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA 10300 Torre Avenue, Cupertino Telephone: 252--4505 MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE ARCHITECTUR4I. AND SITE APPROVAL COMMITTEE HELD ON AUGUST 9, 1974 IN THE COUNCIL CHAiALBER, CITY HALL, CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA SALUTE TO THE FLAG The meeting was opened at 8:37 P.M. by Vice -Chairman Koenitzer with the Salute to the Flag. ROLL CALL Members present: Dressler, Weinstein, Vice -Chairman Koenitzer Member absent: Chairman Sallan Staff present: Associate Planner Cowan PUBLIC HEARING Application HC -51,075.40 of Vallco Park, Ltd. requesting approval of site, architecture, grading and conceptual landscaping for tine regional shopping center including Bullock's and J. C. Penney located southerly of and adjacent to Freeway Route 280 at its intersection with Wolfe Road, extending southerly on the westerly side of Wolfe Road from said Freeway on the easterly side of Wolfe Road to Vallco Park Way. (Continued from meeting of August 7, 1974) Mr. Walter Ward, General Manager of Vallco Park, asked the Committee to please direct their attention to the Bullock's area first in case there is not time enough to solve all the problems. Member Dressler said he is not in opposition to the Fashion Hub and likes the idea of having the center in this community. His concern centers around how the stores are going to be tied together; e.g., how he will feel when he enters the Bullock's store on the ground floor and how he will feel on the Penney's site Vice -Chairman Koenitzer said as far as the landscaping and grading are concerned, they are secondary to his main concern of the noise generating from the trucks in relation to the adjacent residential. RC -114 Page 1 HC -114 f MINUTES OF THE AUGUST 9, 1.974 ADJOURNED H -CONTROL MEETING Mr. Thomas Branch, of Welton Becket & Associates, said he was representing the Bullock's store. He stated the northand west elevations will be predominately cedar. 80% of the wall surface is exterior plaster over block. They are using earth tone colors. The southwest elevation, where it intercepts the mall elevation, will be concrete board as a transition. Colors will reflect the colors used in the remainder of the center. The downstairs entry, under the parking lot, will have a glassed In Pcra1 atnr 1Tol-irl- 6noc f -n f-1,o mnin m�1T Mr. Ralph Butterfield, of Wurster, Bernardi acid Emmonds, said there will be elevators at all three main entry points for the handicapped. The lobby formed around the escalators resembles a jewel box. The entire area will have natural light. The fourteen foot high ceiling over the covered parking areas will have suspended acoustical ceilings with recessed lights. Member Weinstein said he does not see where the visitors to the center can walk outdoors. He asked if there is any place to walk other than in the parking lots. Mr. Branch answered that there will be no outside sales at the Bullock's store. Bullock's is providing a restaurant in a sunken exterior court. There is a rambling walkway to the west of Bullock's. Member Weinstein asked how Bullock's relates to the existing Sears store. Mr. Branch said they compliment one another but do not copy one another. The three major stores: Bullock's, Sears and Penneys, are handled some- what differently to avoid. monotony. Member Dressler asked how a customer would leave Bullock's and go to the bus stop. Mr. Butterfield said they would go directly along the ground level crosswalk to the ground level bus stop at the Penney lobby area. He added that there are over 110,000 square feet of mall with planting as well as the outdoor planting. exterior walking system consists of a sidewalk parallel to either side of Wolfe Road. Around the interior road there is a 9' wide bicycle path. Bicycle parking areas will be developed. There will be a pedestrian movement system connected through a trellis structure. This will include benches along the walkways. There will be a greenhouse and a nursery at the northwest end of the property, up near Freeway 280. Member Weinstein posed the question: suppose you want to spend the day shopping at this Center. He was looking for an outdoor spot, with landscaping, benches, and perhaps some water movement. He felt the logical pace tot this would. be in the mall area. r. Painter said that just north of Sears there will be educational courts r the sky -l= gh Se r =- -' === tuber Weinstein said e - would-_-t-ill- like to seesome-outside treatmen-between Bu -leek' s and enneys. MINUTES OF THE AUGUST 9, 1974 ADJOURNED H -CONTROL MEETING Mr. Butterfield said they are going to develop climate controlled outdoor areas. They will have all the elemates of night and day, sunshine and overcast without the rain. Mr. Ward added that because of the climate control of the mall you can not have an opening unless there are glass doors at both ends and you would have to have an alternate route in rainy weathet. Mr. Butterfield said this proposal shows 8.5 acres of a landscaped area. There will be a 36' strip of landscaping along Wolfe Road. Member Weinstein said the climate controlled mall takes away from the naturalness. He wants to see something that gets him outdoors while at the shopping center. Mr. Butterfield cautioned the Committee that the footprint has already been approved by the City Council as to the general concept for the Use Permit. Member Weinstein said he is not so inclined to approve very much of this shopping center until he can see a plan for some natural outdoor environment. He feels that something like the Stanford Bullock's store would tie in better here with the existing Sears store. Mr. Branch answered Vice -Chairman Koenitzer that Bullocks' signs are basically for identification and are not designed to attract attention. They will be installed on the soffit. Member Weinstein said that 3' high letters are more than the Architectural and Site Approval Committee would feel was necessary. He asked why they decided on this type architecture rather than something like the Stanford shopping center building. Mr. Branch said that they believe they have come up with something compatible in style and design for this center. The Stanford store is free standing. It is a steel frame building with exterior concrete block walls. Member Dressler was concerned about the intercepting of the roof line. Bullock's has a wide overhang and the rest of the shopping center does not. Mr. Butterfield demonstrated how it will tie in with the bridge element. Mr. Ward said Vallco Park has acquired the rights to raise the height of the Sears wall. They have no control over the land- scaping or materials of the Sears store. Member Dressler said he would like to see Sears tie in better with the function of the mall or else to see the Shopping Center moved away from Sears. Mr. Butterfield said here is a glassed in area with high canopy. It is a main entrance to the mall and the high ceiling Sears. They are making a volumetric entrance here that is 8' higher than the height of the mall. Member Weinstein said he thought that it was a waste of material. HC -114 Page 3 EIC--114 Page 4 MINUTES OF THE AUGUST 9, 1974 ADJOURNED H -CONTROL MEETING A recess was called at 10:15 P.M. The meeting reconvened at 1030 P.M. Member Weinstein said he was not convinced that the major entrance to the mall at Sears needed to be 8' higher. Mr. Butterfield said this is also an activity area. There will be trees growing inside_ which can't_ be accomplished in the high area. ice airman Koenitzer agreed that this will give some visual relief. Mr. Painter said that in order to ievelop landscaping of any significance it is absolutely essential to have this height inside the building. Kember Weinstein brought up the matter of the tinted glass. He wondered if it will let the light rays in that are necessary for plant growth. Kr. Painter said he will check into this further. the grading plan was discussed next. `4r. Butterfield described the grading plan on the east side of Wolfe Zoad, from Freeway 280 to the Penneys store. Mr. Ward said the Penney's people feel that it is preferable for their customers to enter the store at grade level. Mr. Dressler said he was not convinced that a 5% grade is desirable for the parking lot. The discussion turned to the grading on the west side of Wolfe Road. Immediately north of the Bullock's store there will be a 30" high berm, 15' wide, and landscaped so the cars in the parking lot will be obscured. Mr. Butterfield answered Member Dressler that the parking lot under the mall, between Sears and Bullock's is 17' below the ground level of Sears. There is less than a 1.0% gradient on the ramps going over Wolfe Road. Mr. Heidrik, President of Bullock's, said this Committee has asked some very interesting and appropriate questions. This is the 10th Bullock's store he has been involved with. He said that he has a lot of confidence in Pierre Cabrol, his architect. He believes this design is the most compatible with the residential area. He said he could appreciate this Committee's efforts to try to get something that is not only attractive today but will also be attractive 40 years from now. Moved by Member Dressler, seconded by Member Weinstein to recommend to the City Council approval of that portion of application HC -51,075.40 dealing with the Bullock's department store. This approval is for the architecture of the store and the grading plans west of Wolfe Road. The approved D and Dl. The intent of this motion is to deal with that element of the site plan and to recommend approval of the location of the Bullock's store. This motion is subj t to the standard conditions of the Architectural and Site Approval Committee. MINUTES OF THE AUGUST 9, 1.974 ADJOURNED H -CONTROL MEETING AYES: Members Dressler, Weinstein, Vice -Chairman Koenitzer NOES: None ABSENT: Chairman Sallan Motion carried, 3-0 It was noted that this will be on the City Council's August 19, 1974 Agenda. There followed a discussion on the north wall of Penneys store. Mr. Butterfield asked if Member Dressler still feels that the 5% gradient was too high. He asked if there was concern as to how it would look from the highway. Member Dressler said that the percent of grade is incidental. Some people might have trouble walking so far from the parking lot to the entrance of the store. He questioned whether all our citizens are willing and have the stamina to do this. In regard to the sign, Mr. Branch asked if it is possible when this committee reviews the signs if they could also review the entrances. Vice -Chairman Koenitzer said this was all right. Mr. Heidrik said large signs are not that essential to their business, Vice -Chairman Koenitzer said he does not care for the mounding. If it has to be a 20% change in elevation. He would like to see it tapered rather than squaring it off with retaining walls. Vice -Chairman Koenitzer said he wants the "Dog House" off the Penney's roof. He wants to see the air conditioning out of sight on both stores. He said we. started out with the concept of a two story building with one sunk in the ground and now we have two stories above ground. Member Weinstein agreed with those consents and said he was hopeful that we would get what appears to be a one story building. Mr. Butterfield noted that Penneys has not yet made their presentation. Vice -Chairman Koenitzer told the applicants that this Committee is not interested in a sign that is advertising to the Freeway. The Associate Planner asked the Committee if they were happy with the data presented at the last meeting in regards to the number of parking spaces and sizes of parking spaces. Member Weinstein said he is not convinced the compact cars will always use the smaller spaces. He would like to see some data substantiating the Drachman System.. Vice -Chairman Koenitzer agreed. He said he was also concerned about many of the compact spaces under the buildings. Any additional data on the Drachmae System will be appreciated. HC -114 Page 5 NEW BUSINESS Member Dressier said Otis proposal as to as.. the City Council to review 1`{Gi:thc Roge3:s ' iccl nation a d events leading up to it, then interview Member Rogers before acting on it. Moved by Member Weinstein, Soconded by Member Dressler to continue the public hearing on appllcacion 1? 1-51,0.75.40 to the next re ular meeting. Motion carried, 3--0 ADJOURN lihrc Vice -Chairman Koenitaer adjourned the meeting at 11:45 P.M. APPP.0VED: Chairwoman ,ATTEST: E. )".vder City Clerk