DESIGN REVIEW BOARD

MINUTES OF MEETING

JANUARY 11, 2006

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Alan Seymour, Ken Kraus, Pete Griffin, Roger Yoder, and Paula Bodey.  John Cunningham and Don Bergwall

 

OTHERS PRESENT:   Steve Kelly (Bear Creek Capital), Justin Jehn (K4 Architecture) and Clerk Barb McCoy

 

The meeting was called to order at 6:30 pm. 

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 

 

The minutes from the meeting of August 10, 2005, were approved as presented.

 

ADMINISTRATION COMMENTS:

 

Barb McCoy reported that it appears the Casto Shopping Center and McDonald’s are getting active again.   Engineering drawings have been submitted and are being reviewed by City staff. 

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

New Retail Shopping Center (Best Buy) – north of Home Depot on Coleman’s Crossing Blvd. – filed by Bear Creek Capital, LLC

 

Steve Kelly representing Bear Creek Capital stated this project will be located between the existing detention pond and Home Depot on Coleman’s Crossing Blvd.  He stated the reason they have not started on the shopping center to the north of Wal-Mart yet is they don’t start until they can achieve 50% lease rate; they are currently at a 42%.   They are also currently discussing this center with Office Max and talking to furniture and sporting goods stores for the other units.  They are currently working with City Engineer on detailed site plans.

 

Discussion held concerning a driveway access between this lot and Home Depot lot.  Mr. Kelly stated this is a possibility but they do not know Home Depot’s position. This would be a natural overlap but Home Depot would have to agree.  Members agreed this is critical; however because it would be retroactive, cannot force them if City cannot prove safety issues, etc.  Mr. Kraus stated the board should go on record to encourage Home Depot to agree with this for traffic safety.  Mr. Kelly agreed timing may be good to discuss.

 

Mr. Kelly stated that the architectural design for this building is actually Best Buy’s prototype and their design.

 

Mr. Griffin stated he looked at Springfield’s store and it is the same store front, same windows, etc.  Looks good instead of blue part going into air.  Mr. Kelly stated the blue “sail” is Best Buy’s  trademark.  Mr. Griffin stated he feels it is not necessary.   Mr. Kelly stated he has a letter of intent for Best Buy.  This is a smaller size store and this design is paramount to this project.  Not sure how receptive they will be; feel it will be a hurdle to our tenant to change the blue design in a major way.  Discussion held concerning the absence of brick.  Discussion held concerning Best Buy being a “billboard”.  Mr. Griffin stated this is identical to the one in Springfield.  Should be able to make the Best Buy more prudent to soften the angular look of the building.  Mr. Seymour suggested taking the entire Best Buy theme and lowering it to within the building outline.

 

Mr. Griffin stated it is important to be consistent in how new commercial buildings look as you come into our City.  This building does not meet the ordinance.  Mr. Seymour stated the blue band is too wide; it should be reduced in size and be a different color to compliment the other part of the building.

 

Mr. Jehn stated they have kept many similar features of their first shopping center with this project with the addition of Best Buy’s design.  The design goes with existing theme of area. There is brick with split face CMU with band of smooth face CMU.

 

Mr. Seymour reviewed the checklist.  Landscape plan has not been submitted.  Mr. Kelly explained that between Home Depot and this site will be landscaping per the Landscape Ordinance.  There will actually be about 20’ from pavement to pavement with grassy area and trees.

 

Fencing is not required on this project.

 

Storm water retention will be regional detention – storm water to be directed underground to catch basin.

 

Mr. Cunningham stated the back of building towards US 33 will need shielding.  Too much of the building will be highly visible.  Mr. Kelly stated there is 15’ green area that can have trees.

 

Mr. Kelly stated the billboard signs that are owned by Lamar Signs will be removed when the lease is terminated at the end of their contract. When that happens, he grassy access road will be abandoned.

 

Mr. Griffin stated he feels mounding is required along US 33.  Mr. Yoder stated URE will not allow mounding over utility easement.  Mrs. McCoy stated many trees will be required based on the square footage of the paved area.  Shade Tree Commission may suggest the trees be in groups to help buffer the rear of the building.

 

Mr. Yoder stated they need to make the back look more like the front of the building because of visibility to freeway.  It was noted the parapet walls would not prevent mechanicals from being seen.  Mr. Kelly stated the back needs broken up with different material and have a higher parapet.  A suggestion was made to use side elevation wrapping around the back.  Mr. Cunningham noted Chapter 114.10(4) (B) states all facades of a building which are visible from adjoining properties and/or public streets should contribute to the pleasing scale features of the building and encourage community integration by featuring characteristics similar to the front facade. It was agreed by the Board that the mechanical equipment needs concealed.

 

Discussion held concerning placement of the handicap parking spaces.  Mr. Kelly stated the law requires 2% and they have exceeded that amount.  The Board agreed more spaces were needed and the location of the spaces are not conducive to wheelchair use and people unable to walk a long distance.  Mr. Kelly stated they tried to place them in a group together so people can easily cross over to the sidewalk.  Mr. Griffin stated perhaps moving the ones in front of Best Buy to the front of Office Max.  Mr. Kelly stated he would keep 3 in the locations they are now and place two additional spaces in front of Office Max.

 

Mr. Bergwall stated there is very little brick and very little split faced block – basically painted smooth block (CMU).  There is a lot of painted block and the only place for brick is on vertical columns.

 

Mr. Jehn stated that on the front is brick and the red color is to be painted to match the brick.  The color schemes is to match brick to bring colors together.

 

Discussion on natural color being used on the band and the building not meeting 40% premium material requirement.

 

Mr. Kelly stated more brick can be used with stained split face block. It was suggested the lower band of Best Buy unit should be split face block to match rest of building.  Blue should be lighter color.

 

Mr. Bergwall stated can’t recall approving smooth face finish on Wall Mart, Home Depot, etc., and may be starting a new low benchmark.

 

Mr. Kelly agreed using split face, brick and EIFS above the band would be more appropriate.

 

Summing up so far for the front of building – the blue band should be complimentary color.  Best Buy should look like the other 3 units.  Best Buy “sail” should be smaller and/or incorporated into the architectural design of the building.  More brick should be used.

 

The side elevations of the building were reviewed.  The code calls for 3% break which would be 5’ and not 8”.  It was noted the breaks are 40” in width and extends out 8”.  Suggested removing blue in middle and bringing columns all the way up.

 

Mr. Kelly stated the issue of dumpsters have not been addressed.  They may be contained or if dumpsters are desired they will use like-material (split face block).

 

Mr. Kelly stated the lighting will be down lit.  They will use lights on the building in the rear instead of light poles.  Mr. Seymour commented that Home Depot’s lights on the building look like flood lights and distract from the building.

 

Mr. Kelly stated they will be at grade loading docks for all the units with the exception of Best Buy.

 

Mr. Kelly stated they will meet with Best Buy after receiving the minutes from this meeting and requested a special meeting.  Mr. Kraus made the motion to table this agenda item until a special meeting on January 23, 2006, at 6:30 p.m.  Question put, stood:

 

Mr. Bergwall Yes  Mr. Cunningham Yes  Mr. Kraus Yes  Mrs. Bodey Yes  Mr. Yoder Yes  Mr. Griffin Yes  Mr. Seymour Yes

 

SUMMARY BULLETS:

 

·                                            Traffic connection to Home Depot Lot is desired

·                                            Handicapped spaces as proposed by Mr. Kelly were acceptable

·                                            Foliage buffer between building and freeway may help conceal parts of the building rear

·                                            Best Buy Sign and logo desired to be within the building outline

·                                            Architecture style of Best Buy to more closely match with the non-Best Buy sections…      Ie: Lower wainscot could be split face, brick between split face and band, EIFS above band

·                                            Make the blue band narrower and change the color to compliment the other building colors.

·                                            Non Best Buy sections – the columns that appear brick and the space between the columns that are the color of brick could be brick per Mr. Kelly.

·                                            Conceal mechanical equipment

·                                            Dumpster enclosure to be of split face block if and when they are needed.

·                                            Carrying side elevation material, style and colors around the back was desired because of freeway visibility. 

·                                            40” x 8” columns to break the 100+ wall length was generally accepted by the board.

·                                            Down lights planned for building front. 

 

COMMENTS OF INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS:

 

Mr. Kraus asked that the Planning Commission consider reviewing lot splits to change to needing Planning Commission approval if more than 20 acres.

 

ADJOURNMENT:

 

Mr. Seymour adjourned the meeting at 9:05 p.m.