September 18th, 1985E- 4115A
SUMMARY MINUTES OF THE .ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING
COi'!m I SS I ON AND THE ARCHITECTURAL AND SITE. APPROVAL COMMITTEE
(ASAC) OF THE CITY OF CURERT I NO FOR SEPTEMBER 18, 1985 n MEETING
HELD IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM OF CITY HALL, CURERT I NO, CALIFORNIA.
The meet. ng was called 'to order at, i. 10 - PM by Chairman Miller.
The ASAC was; joined by the Chai r-man and members of the Planning
Commi ssi on g which body also convened formal session.,
ROLL CALL (ASAC)o
'resent o Committee Members Chapman,, Mann,, Jackson, Chairman.
Miller
Absent.- Vice -Chairperson Nobel
ROLL CALL (PLANN I B C COMM.).-,
Present o . Commissioners MacKenzie, Adams Sorensen, Chai r marn
Ca audy
Absent- Commissioner Stab®
Staff Present-.-R. Cowan, Planning Director
So Ri asoc8ci q Asst. Planning'- Director
M o Cau.nghey n Associ ate Planner
ITEM 1 p PRESENTATION BY SEDWAV /COOK ASSOCIATES REGARDING
PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF DES I Gird REVIEW o
Planning Director explained that the -objective o
this meeting is to gain.a letter- under-standi ng o+ .the
general pr-i nci pa es of physi cal design reviews and thus -
increase the effectiveness o al. g participants inthe
review process in meeting the ci ty,'s development goals.
Toward. thvat end , , therefore., `foam Cook, Principalin the
firm of Sedway/Cook Associates, has been invited to make
a presentation illustrating rthese concepts and their-
relevance to the unique circumstances ofthe community e
Mr. n Cook; n s arll ready acc��nai nted .-,with Cupertino through
has firm s participation an the Monta Vistas Design
Guidelinesstud'.
Mr. Cook began his is, remarks with an overview. of the
design nevi ew � process. He noted that case -specific
design review is most e•fe' ict t ve when pr•eceeded by ' a
wel I -def i ned and predi ctab,lle definition. of community
design values. 1. The ASAC and Planning Commission should
be concerned with shaping and articulating physical
desi gn policy as much or more than with cr•g ti clue of
individual prr-oje' ctsa
MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 18, 1985
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Design analysis begins with the identification of major
concerns to the community and the "driving forces" which
influence the resulting form and substance of a
development proposal: street views, major gateway
features, hillside and watercourse views and historic
structures are representative of these influential
elements.
Mr. Cook then presented a case study concerning Downtown
Portland, Oregon. The objective of the study was control
of building height and bulk so as to preserve view
corridors to the City's waterfront park and landmark
highway bridge. By identifying a 33 degree optimum
viewing angle landward from the waterfront, a terraced
building height allowance formula was derived.
Discussion followed regarding the detailed design
control methodologies used in preparing the Portland
study. Planning Commission and ASAC members expressed
concern regarding the adequacy of Cupertino's existing
development controls to address the implications of
height, bulk and material composition associated with
more intensive urban -scale projects. Mr. Cook cited the
newly -adopted Downtown Plan for the City of San
Francisco, the provisions of which militate against
certain architectural styles such as the post-modern and
"Cubist" formats. I While agreeing with the plan's
objective of encouraging greater visual interest in
building form and materials, he cautioned against
incorporating excessive constraints in design policy
documents when the result may be to disrupt the creative
process.
Mr. Cook then presented a second case example of a
design controls approach developed for the City of
Honolulu. In that context, he noted that a community
can be classified into three geographically -defined
categories, each of which demands different levels of
intervention in the Design Review process:
a) Stable Areas: requiring minimal intervention
because land uses and physical characteristics tend
to retain undisturbed levels of visual quality.
b) Enhancement Areas: characterized by generally
stable patterns of density, use and character, but
subject to some degree of blighting influences,
such as high traffic levels. Greater intervention
is justified here, provided that appropriate
objectives are defined.
MINUTES OF SEFTEi" BER 18, 1985
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c) Opportunity Areas. affected bar the , greatest degree
of. change, and which would benefit most from
precisely def i ned.:desn gn parameters in advance of
incremental development.
As a general pr inciple, , therefore9 he stated that inhere
change i s ❑ccuri ng or is -anticipated to occur, the
community must clearly articulate its corucerns .pr-i or to
defining, solutions; where no_ signi+icant change is
taking place or expected., emphasize maintenance _ of
physical resources and ex i st i.ng visual charc.ter. o
%n response to a question from-ASAC member Chapman Mr.
Cook'noted that while he is not completely familiar with
Cupertino ° s regulatory structure.. self-administering
guidelines are most likely to attain the community's
phys cal design objectives. A discretionary system is,
1 es e-ff ect i ve and may even prove counterproductive.
This observation engendered. debate between Mr.. Cools an
Mr o Maul Sedway, also a Principal i n the Sedway/Coo
-firms regarding the organization of the public review
function. Planning Commission Chari Haan Cl Audy noted
that . controversiasl projects are su.abject,, t® early review
by the Commission and ASAC both, and that this 'approach
has been effective in limiting the, scope of . r'evi`ew to
those matters most worthy ofconcern. Mr. Coolyagreed
With this, approach and suggested that a variation
thereof be ,considered for all, projects of major scale.
that is, to all ova . a -sketch hood; review o+ ;the project
before the Board., using: only concept; drawi.ngso ' By so
doing, the designer is spared the expense of refined
presentation drawings At the earl y -review stage' and the
City ' s boards are relieved from, : the sense off obl i gat i ors
that _ a< finished submittal sometimes creates'.
In response to questions from both the ASAC and
Commi ssi oo, Mr. Sedway cautioned against. i nspeci f i c-
cri t i ci sm , of design submittals. °°'Compait,i bi b i ty;°° maly in
+act prove less important,than the project°s •function-
ruelationships9 such as to surrounding bu:ailt foe-mso
"Harmony" is an indistinct,: term, unless `. r elates. :;to -
matters of color, texture and materials. S}:eci •f i c
i
cr i ti clue should be based on def i ni the in f ormAti on .. .
rather than specul at i on o Mr. Cook explained, several'
techni glues which can . beused to help".vi soil i ze
development proposal within its physical context. These
techniques include photomontage - and scab. e ' model video
'
tapes prepared by the U.0 Berkeley Si mul aiti on. Laboratory
Shading and. 'Solar orientation diagrams.. can .be useful
also to guage the .impact of a proposal on, nearby public
Ask
spaces.
Ira summary, Messrs. Cook and Sedway ..'suggested the
'
1
f of 1 owi nub questions as pIrecederut to p ubl i'c pol i car
;, ..
i
MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 18, 1985
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development on matters of design control: Does the area
in question merit Design Review? Are the City's
objectives articulated and predictable? What are the
aspects of the given area that are most highly valued,
and are these values realistic?
After discussion with staff, the ASAC and Commission
agreed to follow-up this discussion of principles with a
field tour of certain sub -areas in Cupertino to assess
the effectiveness of various regulatory documents and
area -wide Specific Plans now in place relative to actual
field results. These areas will include Vallco Park, N.
De Anza Blvd. and Monta Vista. The field tour will take
.place on October 9th, beginning at 5:00 PM at City Hall.
OTHER BUSINESS
Director Cowan asked the Planning Commission to consider
a possible zoning ordinance revision to provide more
effective control over the loaction of restaurants in
close proximity to residential zones. It was noted that
the Commission will be asked to consider such a case at
their next meeting in which a former convenience grocery
store on Bubb Road is proposed for conversion to a
restaurant use. Following brief discussion, the
Commission adopteda resolution authorizing staff tto
schedule a public hearing to consider amendments to the
General Commercial zoning ordinance.
The adjourned regular meeting was then adjourned to the next
regular Monday evening meetings of the ASAC, beginning at 6:30 PM
and Planning Commission, beginning at 7:00 PM, respectively, on
September 23, 1985.
ATTEST: .x APPROVED:
/s/Dorothy Cornelius
-----------------------------
City Clerk
/s/Martin Mann
Chairperson