ATTACHMENT 9 DRC DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE SUMMARIES: PRELIMINARY DESIGN REVIEW Page 1 of 8

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1 DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE SUMMARIES: PRELIMINARY DESIGN REVIEW Page 1 of 8 AUGUST 19, 2010 Preliminary Design Review received a favorable recommendation to ZAB with the following conditions and direction for Final Design Review: MOTION (Allen, Williams) VOTE ( ) Olson no. Conditions: Remove every other window on the ground floor of the south elevation. Review a revised, more specific planting plan with the City Forester and Design Review Staff before Final Design Review (FDR) to ensure that the following landscape objectives are being met: o Greater amount of parking lot shade coverage is established within a reasonable amount of time. Add more trees in parking area where possible. o On-site planting plan respects new and existing street trees. o Plant large-scale coniferous trees under the two existing Monterey pines that will eventually make the same evergreen statement that exists now. Existing pine trees should be monitored for safety. o Continue line of sycamores for street trees on Henry where space allows. o Vines on the trellis should screen the cars on the ramp. Building Design Design changes on Shattuck are good. Would like to see this project back sooner rather than later in the FDR process for resolution of the details. Present details regarding rooftop equipment and screening at FDR. Present lighting at FDR. Include details regarding the amount of light through windows. Applicant should clarify for ZAB how late the lights are on. Present vending machine locations at FDR. Show sections through the windows on the south façade at FDR. Consider making the rear half of the addition blank so that there are no privacy issues, or at least make smaller windows. (minority) Colors and Materials Concerned that light stucco color on the exterior is a graffiti target. Will review at FDR. Clearly show areas treated with graffiti coating at FDR. Signage It is confusing to have the Pharmacy signage over the bakery space. All signage to be reviewed at FDR. Landscape Plan Reposition the sycamores on Shattuck for a better relationship with the gingko street trees. In some places, a flowering pear, which is more upright, can be used. Existing trees that are in good condition should be maintained. There appears to be a bare spot in street trees on Shattuck where an existing curb cut has been removed. Look at the possibility of higher plants on Henry to screen headlights. Show how planting plan affects the adjacent neighbor in the southwest corner and what maintenance is required.

2 Concerned with maintenance required for tables and chairs shown Page on Shattuck. 2 of 8 Design benches on Shattuck carefully for sitting, not sleeping. Recommend that landscape maintenance should be a use permit condition. Parking Interior lower garage space should be designed to minimize visual impact to the neighbors, including lighting, wall colors and any screens near or over the openings that may be possible. JULY 15, 2010 Motion for a Favorable Recommendation to ZAB did not pass. Recommendations follow. MOTION (Williams, Woltag) VOTE ( ) Blake no; Goring, McCulloch, Olson absent. Building Design Design changes on Shattuck are good. Although southwest addition design is much improved, adding a window on the lower level would make it look more residential. Would like to see this project back sooner rather than later in the Final Design Review process for resolution of the details. Colors and Materials Concerned that light stucco color on the exterior is a graffiti target. Will review at FDR. Signage It is confusing to have the Pharmacy signage over the bakery space. All signage to be reviewed at FDR. Landscape Plan Recommend that landscape maintenance should be a use permit condition. There appears to be a bare spot in street trees on Shattuck where an existing curb cut has been removed. Concerned with maintenance required for tables and chairs shown on Shattuck. Consider larger planters in case tables become infeasible. Design benches on Shattuck carefully for sitting, not sleeping. Parking Parking lot section should be presented at ZAB. Show whether headlights can be seen over new wall on Henry. Garage ramp extends into the Henry setback it may be better for the neighbors to close the garage entrance directly on Henry (minority). Interior lower garage space should be designed to minimize visual impact to the neighbors, including lighting, wall colors and any screens near or over the openings that may be possible. MAY 20, 2010 Preliminary Design Review was continued with the following recommendations: MOTION (Allen, Olson) VOTE ( ).

3 BUILDING FORM & MASSING, SITE PLAN & PARKING Setback: Page 3 of 8 Consider reorganizing the interior program to pull the building back from the street for a more engaging space on Shattuck. Building Massing: Reduce the scale of the Shattuck frontage; it is too monumental for the small scale uses in the area. Shattuck elevation has improved, but the jutting entryway building forms are still out of scale. South building form that repeats the north corner entry appears unnecessary. Southwest corner should be at a residential scale. Relationship to Surroundings / Neighborhood Pattern: Although the Shattuck frontage has improved, it still does not fit in with North Shattuck s smaller-scaled shops. Southwest corner requires more development; the current proposal is handsome and fits the building, but not the neighborhood. Public Open Spaces / Landscape Concept: Consider having small outdoor sitting spaces above the sidewalk that are accessed from the store but face out towards Shattuck. Schematic Building Design: Look at lowering the concrete planters on the Shattuck elevation; they are too harsh as proposed. Planters on Shattuck are too heroic in a place where they do not need to be. Consider bringing the horizontal pattern on the top of the Shattuck elevation down to the ground. Scale of the garage entry is still oversized. Safeway signage appears to be out of scale and the number of signs unnecessary. Make sure that the mechanical screens are as acoustically absorptive as possible to provide adequate soundproofing for the neighbors. BUILDING DESIGN Window & Door Treatment: Add windows to the second story of the southwest corner for greater transparency and less of a warehouse feel. Building Materials & Colors: Ledgestone material does not fit in with Berkeley. Consider an alternate material. Look at a material other than board-formed concrete on the Henry elevation. Consider incorporating strips of real stone into the board-formed concrete. Graffiti coating has a glossy finish matte finish options would be better. Wood composite material may not be successful near the ground and graffiti coating will not deter graffiti. The addition of more transparent glass is appreciated. LANDSCAPE, OPEN SPACE & CIRCULATION Public/Common Open Space Areas / Plantings: Consider having more vines and vertical planting on the board-formed concrete on the Henry St. elevation to deter graffiti. Consider tall plantings on either side of the garage openings. Consider green screens to put on the wall for vine growth to discourage graffiti.

4 Consider saving the large tree in the northwest area of the parcel Page in the southwest 4 of 8 corner as a visual buffer for neighbors. Mound and low plantings on the corner of Rose and Henry is a nice idea. Consider having a wall edge on the corner of Rose and Henry for pedestrians to sit on. Evolutionary approach to planting is an improvement. Look at Sycamore cultivars that do not have the drip problem. Look again at the species of trees, especially the Podocarpus. Look at cultivars that are more upright. Pittosporum is a good choice. Think about how the space at the south end of Shattuck functions and is utilized. Continue to address water on site and how it will be used. Make a commitment to fix up the soil, such as buying compost. Sidewalk Areas / Streetscape Elements: Rethink the layout of the benches on Shattuck so as to bring vibrancy to the sidewalk space. Match the scale of the plantings to the rest of the street. Consider a more exuberant mix of plantings on Shattuck that will match the wine shop near Vine. Look at having smaller planters that can be changed out seasonally. Higher maintenance planting with vivid colors on Shattuck would be appropriate, given the small area of the planters. Parking: Consider removing the garage entrance on Henry Street to reduce traffic on the residential side and compensate for the loss of setback. Wall on the Henry elevation, as well as other means of soundproofing the parking lot, are critical issues. There is still some confusion about the privacy walls in the parking lot and where they are needed. Consider adding a little more wall to block the headlights. APRIL 15, 2010 Preliminary Design Review was continued with the following recommendations. DRC recommends that the applicant present the proposed rezoning and general plan amendment to the Planning Commission before continuing with the design on the southwest corner: MOTION (Allen, Goring) VOTE ( ) Blake absent. BUILDING FORM & MASSING, SITE PLAN & PARKING Setback: Southeast corner needs to make a transition to the finer scale of the shops to the south. Consider pushing the façade back five feet or so for the addition of public benches, which would make the area easier to use. Southwest corner needs more of a transition from commercial scale to residential. Consider pushing the façade back for a row of trees that can act as a buffer. New loading ramp on the south side still seems unnecessary. Building Massing: South portion of the Shattuck elevation is too bulky. Height drop on the southwest corner is not enough; consider having it look different from the rest of the building where the forms and proportions have a residential feeling.

5 Consider a design that softens the height of the building on the southwest Page 5 corner, of 8 such as a canted or sloped roof. Relationship to Surroundings / Neighborhood Pattern: Issue of replacing trees removed from the southwest corner must be addressed; the existing trees provide a substantial screen for the neighbors. Public Open Spaces / Landscape Concept: Gateway park is nice idea, but look at the security issues, especially at nighttime. Design requires more thought and detail. Consider putting in shrubs that would not encourage sleeping. Safeway is not a gateway to the Downtown; it is a residential neighborhood (minority). Gateway park raises security issues. Site may not be a gateway to Downtown Berkeley, but is a gateway to retail suburban Berkeley. Consider a landscape plan that augments the existing trees rather than removing all of them. Project should be proposing more tree canopy coverage than currently exists. Schematic Building Design: Changes proposed on Shattuck are a great improvement. Look at a narrower design for the garage entrance/exit so that it is less visible from Henry Street. Garage door openings are too big; look at how they could appear smaller, such as the addition of columns that help break down the scale of the opening. Narrow the garage entrances on the west elevation. The angled wall next to the bicycle parking opens up for an unnecessary view to the garage. Mechanical screens on the roof should be an attractive architectural element of the building. Make sure loading dock design accommodates all trucks as necessary. Canted base on Shattuck elevation is not a positive design element. South portion of the Shattuck elevation shouldn t look like an entry. Reduce its scale so that it fits in better with its surroundings. Look closely at the screening for the mechanical equipment. The west side needs to be completely screened and acoustically treated. Take acoustic issues seriously. Think of solutions for quieter gates, and sound barriers for mechanical equipment. Signage should be reviewed in more detail. BUILDING DESIGN Window & Door Treatment: There is concern about the translucent glazing on Shattuck Avenue and at the staff lounge/offices; Consider the use of transparent glass at the street level as much as possible. Consider the use of transparent glass on the Shattuck elevation that could add to the interest for both pedestrians walking by and shoppers inside. Shattuck elevation requires more detail; the street level windows need more scale and should have transparent glazing. Show how the fenestration on the south elevation works with that of the adjacent residential structure. Building Entrances: Applicant to check with Building & Safety as to whether the Shattuck entrance would need to be wheelchair accessible.

6 Building Materials & Colors: Page 6 of 8 Consider the use of board-formed concrete on the Shattuck elevation. Ledge stone material is out of place; DRC would like to see a proposal for a different material, at least on the street elevations. Ledge stone material does not seem very comfortable as a backing material for the benches proposed. Graffiti on the building is a real problem; Consider a protective coating. Look at the long term maintenance of the wood composite panel material; how is graffiti removed? LANDSCAPE, OPEN SPACE & CIRCULATION Public/Common Open Space Areas / Plantings: Consider more vegetation on the west elevation of Henry to prevent the possibility of graffiti. This may also soften the elevation for neighbors. A variety of plants is recommended on the Henry Street elevation. The proposed solid wall of fig vines is not doing enough to break down the scale of building. Consider keeping the Monterey Pine tree on the northwest corner, which is majestic. Look at the long-term viability of the Monterey Pine. Look at the evolutionary process for the trees with long term maintenance. Having diversity in the plant palette is important. Leave as many trees as possible and add in more trees later. Consider relocating the existing trees instead of removing them. Think about putting in mature trees. Consider putting in a field of no-mow grass to create more of a natural looking mound on the northwest corner. Show more landscaping in the southwest corner; this is another opportunity for trees. Creeping figs proposed on Henry Street requires a lot of maintenance. Look more carefully at the plant palette some selections require a lot of water. Fine tune the location of the plants. Sidewalk Areas / Streetscape Elements: There is concern that the trees in front of the new addition on Shattuck are competing with the existing street trees. Fill in the street trees where they are missing for a stronger statement. Reinforce the street trees instead of overpowering them. Have trees extending all along the street. Show the width of the sidewalk on all plans. Parking: At night, cars parked in the west facing parking slots will have headlights facing the neighborhood. Consider introducing planting high enough to hide the headlights. Design of the parking lot has improved, but more shade trees are required. Consider having trees that spread out over cars in the parking lot and having more than one type of tree. Use the largest trees possible for shading, such as sycamores trees. Consider the use of sycamore trees which give a broad feeling that gingko trees do not have. Consider using permeable pavers in walkways for the parking lot, which would work well with the grade and slope of the lot. ZAB ISSUES: Confirm with the Use Permit planner what environmental review process is required. Trash process is unclear.

7 ZAB should review time of garbage pickup and power washing at Page night. 7 of 8 MARCH 18, 2010 Preliminary Design Review was continued with the following recommendations: MOTION (Allen, Williams) VOTE ( ) Olson absent. BUILDING FORM & MASSING, SITE PLAN & PARKING Setback: There should be a bigger landscaped setback on Shattuck, since no entrance. There is concern with the loss of setback on Henry. Look at alternatives which keep some planting strip. Building Massing: Lower southwest corner as much as possible de-commercialize the extension to the southwest. Consider a step back in the Shattuck elevation to get a better relationship between the massing and the landscape. Look at the experiential sequence when moving along Shattuck. Relationship to Surroundings / Neighborhood Pattern: This site is a gateway to Shattuck and the Downtown from the north. Rethink the Shattuck elevation. Shattuck façade is out of scale with the existing small-scale retail context. Look at pushing the mechanical equipment back with a screen so that the building could make a smaller-scaled gesture on Shattuck. Most critical are the Shattuck and Henry edges of the project. Look carefully at fitting these into the neighborhood for any design re-submittals. Design this project as if you lived across the street, or even next door. Southwest corner is too harsh as designed. Ramp appears to be a net loss more negatives than positives. Public Open Spaces / Landscape Concept: Consider pulling the plaza around so that it faces Shattuck. Shattuck plaza could be raised and still contribute to the vitality of the street life. Look at the Shattuck edge as an art opportunity. Parking & Driveways: Recommend moving one of the curb cuts further north and expanding the building s presence on Shattuck. Pedestrian Circulation: Incorporate recommendations from the City s Bike and Pedestrian Planner that were included in the staff report. Schematic Building Design: Consider the location of the hvac equipment carefully, as well as other possible noise impacts. Get mechanical equipment closer to Shattuck to reduce noise to the neighbors. Consider enclosing the loading and trash areas. Further extend the screen for loading and trash, and add sound attenuation to the east side of the screen.

8 BUILDING DESIGN Window & Door Treatment: Page 8 of 8 Clarify the use of the southwest door at staff lounge which hours? for egress only? Building Entrances: Open the Shattuck side up to the street and introduce entries. Building Materials & Colors: Materials and design should be more Berkeley. LANDSCAPE, OPEN SPACE & CIRCULATION Public/Common Open Space Areas / Plantings: There are not enough trees in this project. Shattuck elevation is too closed. It would be better to hide it with trees and landscape if it remains this way. Concrete wall appears to be too brutal for the Henry side of the site. Consider adding trellises and vines to soften it. Curved wall at Henry pedestrian stair also appears to be harsh. Consider setback with a significant landscape buffer. Add more landscape to the walls on Henry and southwest corner to soften. There needs to be more trees on the southwest corner for a buffer to adjacent residential structure. Green-up Henry side of project, as well as the southwest corner. Applicant to check with Public Works C3 requirement is for the building drainage only or the entire site? May need to meet Bay-friendly landscape standards check with Public Works on the City s policy. Sidewalk Areas / Streetscape Elements: Landscaped setback should add to and strengthen the existing streetscape along Shattuck. There appears to be a loss of trees over the whole site. Why are so many trees being removed on Shattuck? Parking: Get rid of the harsh surface parking feel of the existing lot. Add more tree coverage. Work toward the 50% canopy coverage in the guidelines. Consider photovoltaic shade structures in the parking lot for solar power and adding more scale to the flat surface. ZAB ISSUES: DRC did note that the neighbors brought up many operational issues (maintenance, trash, loading) which should be discussed in more detail and better resolved at ZAB. G:\LANDUSE\Projects by Address\Henry\1425\DR \DRC PDR Summaries.doc