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Design Review - 2575 2585 S. Winchester Boulevard Campbell CA 052620 (002) - redlinesDESIGN REVIEW PROPOSED S. WINCHESTER BOULEVARD MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 and 2585 South Winchester Boulevard Campbell, CA Prepared for CITY CAMPBELL PLANNING DIVISION 70 N. First Street Campbell, CA 95008 Date: 5/26/20 S. WINCHESTER BLVD. MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW Table of Contents 1.0 Project Description………………………………………………….……..…Page 1 2.0 Site and Building Orientation….…………………………………….….....…Page 3 3.0 Architecture………………………………………………….….….……...…Page 3 4.0 Scale and Massing…………………………….……….…………………..…Page 8 5.0 Neighbor Compatibility……..………………………….………….……..….Page 10 6.0 Parking and Pedestrian Circulation……………………..……….……..……Page 11 7.0 Landscaping……….…………………….…….…………………………..…Page 11 8.0 Fences, Railings, and Privacy…………………………….…….…………….Page 11 9.0 Lighting…………………………………………………..……….…….……Page 12 10.0 Energy Conservation ………………………………..………………………Page 12 11.0 Project Signage………………………………..……………………….….…Page 12 12.0 Recommendations…………………………..……………………...…….…Page 12 Building Massing……..…………………………….…………………..……Page 14 Privacy…………….………………………………..…………………..……Page 16 Commercial Storefront Design………..…………………………….….…...Page 16 Parking and Vehicular Circulation………………………………….….….…Page 18 Conclusion…………………………………………..…………….…………Page 20 S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 1 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW 1.0 Project Description The City of Campbell is predominately a built- out community due to the scarcity of vacant land and the need to grow sensibly within the physical boundaries of the city’s limits, while still maintaining the current quality of life for its population. Mixed-use projects such as this one, are of incredible importance because the provide a variety of housing types so people can work closer to where they live. They can also add vibrancy to otherwise neglected or transitional neighborhoods by introducing both residential and commercial uses to these areas. The design proposed for this mixed-use project seems to have emerged in part as a collaborative effort between the applicant, the applicant’s architect, and the city’s Planning Staff, as well as by applying the recommendations found in the Winchester Boulevard Master Plan along with applicable zoning development standards for C-2 and R-3 uses outlined in the city’s municipal code. The project’s documents for this mixed-use project application (File Number PLN2019- 36etc.) furnished at the time of this review included email correspondence from Stephen Rose, Senior Planner for the City of Campbell in addition to the following material: o Project Drawings prepared by GKW ARCHITECTS, INC., 701 E. McGlincy Lane, Suite 109, Campbell, CA 95008, consisting of 30 drawing sheets in total and dated 4/8/20 Basement Floor Plan First Floor Plan Second Floor Plan S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 2 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW o Project Drawings also prepared by GKW ARCHITECTS, INC., consisting of 62 drawing sheets in total and dated 1/29/20. Included in this set were the Project’s Civil Drawings prepared by L&E ENGINEERING, 598 E. Santa Clara Street #270, San Jose CA 95112, consisting of 12 sheets and dated 9/29/19, along with the Project’s Landscape Drawings prepared by W.JEFFREY HEID, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, 6179 Oneida Drive, San Jose, CA 95123 consisting of 5 drawing sheets and dated 1/1/18. Please note the additional drawings listed above were used only as reference material in connection with this design review, because they do not reflect the many changes made to this project that are now part of this current application under consideration by the Planning Department. The applicant is proposing to combine two adjoining properties (2575 and 2585 South Winchester Boulevard, APN: 305-39-007 and 305- 39-008), which are situated at the corner of S. Winchester Boulevard and Friar Way in Campbell. Both properties have older single-story homes on them that are to be removed to make way for this new four-story mixed-use building. The new building will have three professional rental offices on the street level and 15 small apartments, of which two are to be affordable housing units. Vehicle parking for the residential apartments will be located underground at the basement level and shall be accessed by a driveway located at the north east corner of the site from S. Winchester Boulevard. The parking for the commercial tenants on the street level is proposed to be directly behind building on the Third Floor Plan Fourth Floor Plan Assessor’s Parcel Map S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 3 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW same level and will be accessed from a driveway that connects to Friar Way from the south. In the basement level, a total of 38 vehicle spaces (including two handicap and four tandem spaces) are shown in the drawings. On the street level, a total of 17 spaces (including two handicap spaces) are proposed, with seven of these spaces covered by the footprint of the building above. The tabulations and project data provided by the applicant indicate that the proposed mixed-use project appears to meet most all applicable regulations and development standards required by the city’s municipal code. 2.0 Site and Building Orientation The architect has placed the structure on a rather small corner building site in a north- south position that parallels S. Winchester Boulevard, which borders the site on the eastern property line. The primary elevation of the building looks out towards the east and a busy. The secondary building elevation faces Friar Way to the south, which is the only access route for the residential neighborhood that is located behind the subject project to the west. The site is to be made up of two lots that are to be combined, with each having an existing older single-story home that will be removed to clear the site for this development project. The topography of the site is essentially flat, with no existing mature trees or other significant landscaping found on either property. The applicant is proposing to install all new landscaping to complement the architecture of this new four-story mixed-use project. 3.0 Architecture East Exterior Elevation S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 4 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW Stylistically, the proposed building’s design utilizes a collection of both contemporary and traditional design elements and forms without referencing any particular architectural style. In the project for S. Winchester Boulevard, the architect has placed the vertical walls of the building so that they follow the line of the public right-of-way. Slightly stepping these walls away from this setback line, the architect has created a set of shallow horizontal articulated vertical divisions to the façade, which in turn, creates an almost eclectic rhythm and adding some depth to the building. Beginning at the base of the building, the commercial tenant spaces on the street level are all designed with large open glass and aluminum storefronts, which provide visual transparency, shadow, and depth to this floor level. Each storefront is separated by brick-clad vertical columns that support the building above and are topped with what appears to be a horizontal band of contrasting- colored stucco with a cap of two rows of brick set vertically on end. The floors of the apartments above appear to be separated from one another by their horizontal decks with open railings. Beneath each floor level is placed a horizontal contrasting-colored band of stucco, which runs across the top of the windows and continues around the building’s face on three sides, before they intersect the downward-sloping roof eave that extends from the top ridge line of the fourth-floor roof. The architect is proposing to use narrow metal stucco reveal channel beads (vertically as well as horizontally) to accentuate the fenestration elements. He is also proposing to use horizontal fiber cement siding at various locations to add visual interest to the South Exterior Elevation S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 5 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW project. The building is capped with a standing seam metal gable roof with eave lines that have been set at varying lengths to accommodate both the articulated walls and to add weather protection for the exposed residential decks placed below. With the exception of the two very long and narrow windows that serve each of the internal exit stairways, most of the windows on this façade are interrupted by either their corresponding floor level or by the contrasting-colored horizontal bands of stucco that run above the tops of the windows around the building. The windows proposed seem to be a mix, with some larger rectangular windows having six divided lites and others having no divisions. There appear to be metal awnings attached above some of the windows on this elevation; however, it is unclear from the drawings if these awnings are incorporated elsewhere on the building. From Friar Way, the building façade begins to change both in form and in its massing distribution. The architect has arranged the building into three distinct volumes that progress in height, the lowest being placed closest to the corner of the street and the taller volumes placed behind. Using the 2:1 ratio of lot depth to building height setback as recommended in the Winchester Boulevard Master Plan which recommends placing the building’s mass within the area of an imaginary setback plane (two horizontal dimensions for each vertical dimension) that starts at the shared property line shared by a residential property, and extends upward at this same angle until it reaches the maximum building height allowed—the building mass is distributed quite differently. Instead of viewing one monolithic four-story building façade, any roof line or vertical wall that terminates at or below this imaginary plane create an obvious triangular shape to the building’s façade, the lowest point starting at the top half wall of the deck located on the second-floor level and continuing all the way to the very upper most roof ridge located above the fourth floor. At the base, the solid walls of the commercial end unit extend around the corner of the building towards the west until they end at the entrance approach to the street parking lot beyond. The articulation of the placement of these walls closely follows the new public right-of-way. Between the parking lot entrance and slightly projecting outward from this wall towards the street is the project’s only trash enclosure, which is at a single-story height. The walls to the right of it are shown with brick veneer and have the same upper contrasting colored horizontal stucco band with brick treatment as is proposed for the front of the building. The walls of the trash enclosure are stucco and appear to end just above the second-floor level. They are capped with a decorative cornice that has been placed above the colored band of stucco that runs across the S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 6 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW top of all the commercial tenant’s storefronts at this level. Two outswing doors, which are clearly visible from the Friar Way allow access to the trash enclosure from the parking lot. The roof above appears to be a flat built-up roof system. The walls of the corner residential apartments above the first-floor level are clad in stucco, with similar detailing to that of the front façade; however, at this location the architect has chosen not to place a third gable roof above these apartment units to match the other roofs above. Instead, he has extended the exterior walls of Unit 12 located on the third floor to create the half-height end walls for Unit 15’s deck on the fourth floor. The downward-sloping triangular-shaped wall that transitions from the deck’s half wall at the left is capped with two equally-spaced rake standing seam metal roofs that continue northward until they connect to the sloping roof found on the north face of the building. Supporting the entire building above the commercial tenant’s parking lots are a series of large horizontal stucco-clad beams that are connected to round structural columns that have been placed in the parking lot. These beams span across the parking lot and vehicular entrance until they reach the walls that separate the commercial tenant spaces from the parking lot. A 4-foot-wide wood trellis is proposed to span between each beam’s outrigger above. The building, as viewed from the west, looks nothing like any of the other faces and takes on the appearance of an almost completely different building. Instead of articulated vertical walls and forms, the building’s façade has been broken into a series of horizontal wall and roof planes that step back from one another in an angular West Exterior Elevation S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 7 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW progression corresponding to each of their respective floor levels until they reach the very top ridge line above the fourth-floor level. At the base, the open parking lot and blank stucco-clad walls of the commercial units are clearly visible. The stucco-clad beams and round columns that support the building above the parking lot are also visible from this perspective. Above, on the second floor, a continuous stucco-clad horizontal half-wall forms the outside deck barrier for the apartments. The walls of the various apartments beyond on this floor as well as the next floor above are both capped with a long, uninterrupted horizontal standing seamed metal roof that extends from the south wall at the right until connecting to the downward-sloping gabled roof end on the left, located on the north side of the building. The top these two horizontal roof elements terminates on a continuous horizontal half-wall that encloses the outside deck of the floor above. Like the north façade, the architect is proposing to incorporate horizontal fiber cement siding in some wall locations to add visual interest. The windows and doors all appear to be proposed without divided lites. When viewed from the north, the building again takes on a different appearance. The wall above the first-floor level is continuous and flat without any dimensional relief to give any visual interest. At the base, both the commercial tenant’s parking lot and the underground entrance to the residential basement parking lot are clearly visible. Placed in front and to help in defining the garage parking level for the residential tenants, an open three-sided pergola structure is proposed to give definition to this entry point to the garage below. North Exterior Elevation S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 8 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW The structure appears to be capped with a decorative cornice, which seems to extend along the top of the double row of brick on the front façade until it terminates at the upper-right-side entrance wall to the apartments located on the first floor. All the walls on the first floor in this area are clad in brick veneer, while the walls beyond are all clad in stucco. Below the ridgeline, a triangular-shaped louvered attic vent is placed. As with the front façade of the building, the architect has chosen to incorporate both horizontal contrasting-colored bands of stucco set above the top of the windows, the narrow vertical and horizontal stucco channel bead has been applied to try and add interest to the wall surfaces. The windows on this elevation differ from those placed on the front of the building and appear to be of a different configuration and design type, with the upper two elongated glass openings proportionally twice as large as the openings below. 4.0 Scale and Massing The Winchester Boulevard Master Plan states: “The overall goal of the Master Plan is to establish a vision that guides new development and major renovations to create an attractive boulevard street that adds value to the community as a whole. A key aspect is relating policies for building intensity, height, and site improvements to local site conditions and the adjacent neighborhood context. Ideally, new private development and city-sponsored capital improvements will combine to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment as well, with mixed-use buildings lining the street edge and an improved streetscape that defines Winchester Boulevard as an attractive and memorable public place.” Building Height / Lot Depth Diagram S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 9 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW The applicant’s architect has successfully placed this four-story mixed-use building with all of its design program requirements including the necessary parking on this very small site. He has arranged the mass of the building in a manner that adheres to the recommendations found in the Winchester Boulevard Master Plan, which states: “Buildings in the Master Plan area shall vary in height to achieve an eclectic rhythm, both within and between buildings. This can be achieved by “wedding-caking” – i.e., locating taller building elements along the street frontage – and other design approaches. Wedding-caking shall not preclude taller architectural elements at street corners.” It also states: “A 2:1 ratio of lot depth to building height is recommended”, this recommended lot depth to building height ratio is depicted in the above illustration. Although the bulk of the building’s mass has been placed as recommended 50 feet away from the existing residential property located along the west property line, a portion of the angular void space between the 25-foot maximum height restriction and the imaginary plane beginning at this property line as shown by the diagram, has been filled in with the building’s podium and columns that support the second-floor Neighboring property located at 2565 S. Winchester Boulevard to the north Neighboring property across S. Winchester Boulevard to 745 Camden Avenue to the east Neighboring property across the street at 108 Friar Way to the south S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 10 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW apartments that have been placed above the parking lot. As an unfortunate consequence, this adds more visible bulk to the building when viewed from the sides and no longer provides the visual separation distance between the neighboring residential properties and this mixed-use project, as had been originally envisioned under the Master Plan. 5.0 Neighborhood Compatibility According to Campbell’s zoning map, the current residential uses of these two properties are inconsistent with their zoning, which is shown as P-D Planned Development. The properties to the immediate north of the project’s site along S. Winchester Boulevard are all occupied by single-story commercial buildings. To the east (across S. Winchester Boulevard), the properties are also part of the city’s P-D Planned Development Special Purpose District and are also single story in height. To the south and the west, the properties along Friar Way are all predominantly single-story residences. The proposed project, although appearing to meet all of the general requirements in regard to floor area, height, setbacks, and Neighboring property at 113 Friar Way to the west Above are two similar height development projects located on S. Winchester Boulevard closer to the Historic Downtown, which were included under the Winchester Boulevard Master Plan Guidelines. Pictured at the top is Merrill Gardens, 2115 S. Winchester Boulevard and at the bottom is the mixed-use building located at 2305 S. Winchester Boulevard. S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 11 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW the like, will seem out of place for some time compared with the surrounding building in its immediate area because of its height and mass. This is not to say that it will not eventually fit in, once these commercial properties along S. Winchester Boulevard are fully redeveloped with similar tall four-story mixed-use buildings, however for now, this contrast might appear somewhat jarring. In all fairness, there are other larger four- story building located along Winchester Boulevard; however, they are located closer to the city’s Historic Downtown core and are located on much larger lots. Nonetheless, at this time and in this particular location within the city, any building over two stories in height might appear out of place with its current neighborhood setting. 6.0 Parking and Pedestrian Circulation Designing the parking to accommodate the needs of both the commercial tenants on the first floor and the residential apartments was probably no simple matter, given the limited net square footage of this small building site. Although a very tight fit, the architect never-the-less succeeded in making both fit seamlessly. By separating them both by access from the street and by floor level (one parking lot accessed from Friar Way, the other by the south bound lane of S. Winchester Boulevard), each is logically placed and should meet the day-to-day needs of all of the building’s occupants. 7.0 Landscaping Although a landscape plan had been developed for the previously submittal for this project and none prepared at the time of this design review, this review does not include any comments regarding the project’s landscape design. 8.0 Fences, Railings, and Privacy On Sheet A500 in the Architectural Drawings submitted, the architect is proposing a 7- foot-high wood-constructed fence at both the north and west property lines. It appears to be constructed with vertical wood 4 x 4 treated posts with approximately a 6-foot space between with horizontal 2 x 6 wood slats evenly spaced. It is an attractive design; however, it is not really appropriate for separating the possible glare from vehicle head lights at night or the noise that can be generated from both people and vehicles using the parking lot at any time during the day or evening. Fences that separate residential properties from commercial properties should be solid without open slats and have some acoustical design capability to reduce both light pollution and noise. They should also have dimensional visual interest and not appear S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 12 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW as one monolithic surface between vertical supports or design elements. Staff may wish to have the applicant prepare an acoustical study to determine what type of fence design may be appropriate for these locations. 9.0 Lighting In regard to light and glare, it is important to stress that a project such as this must include outdoor security lighting throughout the site, along walkways, driveways, entrance areas, and on the surface parking lot. The outside lighting should be comparable in brightness to the ambient lighting in the surrounding area. Although a photometric study and lighting plan has previously been prepared for this project, no current or updated plan was submitted at the time of this design review, and therefore, no review of these drawings was included as part of this review. 10.0 Energy Conservation The applicant is proposing to use roof mounted solar voltaic panels to offset the energy costs to maintain the buildings operation. Along with the effort to properly insulate the building envelop to optimize insulation levels between ceilings, walls, and floors, in addition to installing high performance windows and energy efficient appliances, fixtures and mechanical equipment, there could be a significant overall energy savings. However, since the drawings for this project have not been developed at this level of detail and specificity at this time, these and other energy efficiency measures might be further encouraged by Staff so they may be incorporated in the final design documents for this project by the applicant’s architect. 11.0 Project Signage The premise identification numbers shown on Sheet A010 of the Architectural Drawings also depict the concept for the Project’s Monument Sign in addition to the Fascia Signs for the commercial tenants located on the first floor. It is unclear from the drawings as to their size, fabrication or if they are illuminated or not. Since these details for each of the tenant signs will inevitably come later down the road, Staff may wish at this time to request the applicant to provide a more complete and comprehensive building signage program at this time to review, and make sure that there is a consistency in size, type, placement, color, and overall quality of design and fabrication, so this may be approved altogether as part of one design application submittal. 12.0 Recommendations S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 13 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW It is understood that great effort, time, and expense have been expended to get to this point in this project’s design and development. And for the most part, the current design for this application does meet most of the general zoning requirements for its designated zoning district. However, City of Campbell’s Planning Staff still presented a number of concerns that they wanted me to examine, and if there were others that I might see, they requested that I raise them as part of my design review for this project. The initial five items of concern Staff had expressed with the current design under consideration are as follows: 1. Privacy/Massing/Lighting Impacts. Are there any tweaks/changes that might make the building less impactful (with an emphasis on west elevation—where there is an offsite single-family residence)? This includes changes to particular architectural elements and/or adding a certain type of fencing/walls or landscaping as a buffer. 2. Overall Design. Is this the right design for the location? Are there any design element and/or material changes that may help? 3. Noise/Safety/Lighting. Parking area next to residential uses; anything to dampen noise or private greater sense of security (e.g., video cameras or lighting). 4. Viability of Commercial Tenant Spaces. Emphasis on viability (functionality), visibility (sign placement/window size), and modulation. Should there be distinct exterior designs? 5. Garage Design/Access. Is there enough visibility of the entrance to the garage/parking for customers and what visual and added traffic impact would this have on the residential neighbors that live on Friar Way? Is there enough backup and maneuverability for the 90-degree stalls up against a wall, is there any room to help with maneuvering? Building Massing Unfortunately, it is my opinion that most of the issues stem from the current proposed building’s massing, scale, orientation and proximity to adjacent uses, as well as the buildings inconsistent exterior façade design. The Winchester Boulevard Master Plan recommends that a 2:1 ratio of lot depth to building height be used to separate any proposed mixed-use building from its S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 14 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW contiguous residential neighbor. With this “Building Height” and “Setback Envelope”, it also recommends that a 50-foot distance be used to separate the vertical and more massive two-story structure from the smaller-scale residential building found along this same property line. This document also depicts another example that suggested the possibility that portions of the building including a partial underground parking garage may encroach into the maximum 90-foot setback as long as the vertical walls and the floor levels below do not touch this 2:1 sloping imaginary plane (Refer to the below illustration). This example should be used as a guide for the development of much larger properties than the applicant’s, however proposing a hybrid of both examples, one that is for a two-story condition and the other for a larger building site that can support a four-story building easily has resulted in the creation of the current visually awkward structure which may have trouble relating to the anticipated development patterns of this part of the city along S. Winchester Boulevard as envisioned by its Master Plan. It should also be noted that each Building / Lot Depth Diagram illustration suggests maintaining some degree of open space between the portion of the building that projects within this setback and this imaginary 2:1 sloping setback line. In doing so, this “wedding-caking” strategy—distributing the building’s mass in a progression of volumes (taller building elements along the street frontage and shorter building elements closer to the shared property line)—works well to reduce the overall mass and bulk of the building. It also provides the opportunity to have expanded common outdoor spaces and provide additional landscape areas at various floor levels to ensure Building Height / Lot Depth Diagram for Larger Development Projects S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 15 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW better privacy between the occupants of the mixed-use project and its residential neighbors. The following are possible design changes that the applicant may wish to explore. o Consider making revisions to the Project’s current design that would reduce or eliminate the portion of the building (second and third floors) that currently encroaches within the 50-foot setback. If such encroachments are decidedly permitted by Planning Staff, then remove the vertical extended walls which currently fill the two small triangular spaces below this 2:1 sloped plane and between the vertical wall of the second-floor apartment and the horizontal floor of the third floor. Preserve these angular voids to allow natural light and visual space in and around these projections of the building. This will reduce the bulk and mass of the building, and at the same time, opens the possibility for more open roof decks with elevated planters or common outdoor spaces that can be enjoyed by the occupants of the apartments. As a design option, expand the end of the building over the entry and exit ramps to the basement garage in a northward direction and in the space where the trash enclosure is currently located at the south end of the building. This could open up a multitude of possibilities for creating an exterior for the building that is more consistent in character and architectural form, and it could also improve the internal layout of its interior spaces. o Consider designing the lower planters at a depth that could allow the planting of small trees and other landscaping that could help screen the building and add an additional level of privacy between the second-floor apartment occupants in the neighboring residential property to the west. o Consider redesigning the corner apartment so that its walls are stepped back from the primary end wall plane of the building so that its orientation and balconies no longer face in the current westerly orientation but rather in the direction of their respective north or south wall. This design change could help in adding needed wall articulation for these end wall conditions. o Consider pulling back the current overhang of the roof eaves to prevent the building from looking too top-heavy. S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 16 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW o Consider relocating the trash enclosure closer to the handicap parking area along the same wall. Since the nine-foot height of the ceiling above the parking lot will not allow for direct loading of the dumpsters by a garbage truck, the trash containers will need to be rolled to the curbside for pickup anyway. Making this small design change will open up all sorts of design possibilities for this very important façade. It allows the continuation of the commercial storefront to be extended around the corner of the building and, at the same time, reduces the visibility of the trash enclosure doors from Friar Way. Privacy As pointed out earlier above, the current fence design proposed to separate residential properties from this mixed-use project, is inadequate both its acoustical value to reduce noise and its ability to reduce light pollution particularly the glare from car lights from the parking lot. Further design options should be presented to the City, and it is recommended that an acoustical study be prepared to determine the best fence design for these important locations. Lighting Lighting for this project should not produce glare or be at an intensity inappropriate for a residential environment. Good placement of lighting coupled with security monitoring cameras and the incorporation a combination of keyed or electronic smart-card-reading entry systems connected to any reputable private security company should help immensely in creating a safe place for all the building’s occupants and their visitors. Commercial Storefront Design The ceiling height proposed for this project is set at nine-feet and is inconsistent with the Winchester Boulevard Master Plan, which recommends the ground floor interior finished ceiling height be a minimum of 15 feet to accommodate retail operations and provides more visual transparency to this floor level. The actual square footage of each of the three tenant spaces proposed, even if combined, probably won’t be a desirable space or location for most retail businesses, which usually require larger square footage for the storage and display of their merchandise and the necessary pedestrian foot traffic to be successful. However, these small commercial spaces could be desirable for small professional office use, which is the same use that applicant is currently proposing. S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 17 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW One major concern to keep in mind is that although the proposed interior ceiling height between the first and second-floor levels may work for the applicant’s intended use for this building, visually, it may be a jarring contrast when compared with the future taller storefronts and ground floor treatments of the other buildings that are to be constructed immediately next door to this property along S. Winchester Boulevard. This interior ceiling height of 15 feet along the street, establishes a consistent horizontal visual line along the sidewalk that connects each individual building as one continuous Boulevard experience that is intended to promote a more active pedestrian streetscape. In addition, in some ways this project will play a very important role, as it is the first tall four-story building with in the Mixed-Use ʺCivicʺ Boulevard to greet visitors coming from the south along S. Winchester Boulevard; therefore, is it not logical that it too should have some design relationship with the other future mixed-use buildings along the same street? Possible design solutions to explore: o Reconsider increasing the interior height of the commercial tenant spaces to the recommended height of 15-feet outlined in the Winchester Boulevard Master Plan or provide an alternative design solution that might visually changes this inconsistency in the lower floor’s storefront ceiling height. o Consider creating a more interesting primary entry point on the ground floor for the apartments above. Widen the current entry vestibule and consider continuing the use of the same material used for the commercial tenant bay columns to define this entrance. The use of wood horizontal siding at this level lacks a sense of permanence and could be a future maintenance problem. o Consider redesigning the size and alignment of the windows of the apartments on the floors above so that there is some connection with the storefront bays below. In the current design, the spacing of the columns and wall space between are unrelated and appear randomly placed. Simplify and reorganize the storefronts at the street level so that there is a more rational and organized spacing of the supportive columns between each opening. The fenestration elements above, including any projecting elements such as balconies, should all be arranged in a manner such that they establish a visual and rational vertical connection to the storefront openings below. o Consider eliminating the narrow continuous windows that serve the emergency stairs. If windows are used in these areas, they should be proportionally S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 18 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW designed to complement the primary larger windows that are used throughout the project. Make sure these larger windows are visually consistent with one another rather than some having divided lites and others not or otherwise being noticeably different in their assembly configuration. Different and more decorative windows are usually reserved for use as feature windows on a building and are used sparingly. Parking and Vehicular Circulation There are some areas of concern regarding the Project’s onsite parking that may necessitate additional study and possible revisions to the plan. These concerns are as follows: 1. Pedestrian safety along the public sidewalk that runs along S. Winchester Boulevard in the location of the basement level garage entrance and exit ramps. 2. Possible maneuverability issues and back up concerns connected with the basement level 90-degree parking stalls, particularly those that are at each end of the aisle next to the wall. 3. The use of tandem parking stalls. 4. The lack of an accessible route on both sides of the vehicle space to the EV charging station placed in the handicap parking area on the basement level. 5. Visibility of the parking lot and the trash enclosure (if not relocated) from Friar Way. 6. The overall size of the building’s structural columns currently diagrammed within the parking lot. Suggested design change recommendations: o Addressing the first item of concern, there could be visibility issues with the building’s north corner being placed only seven feet from the edge of the public sidewalk. If a driver of a vehicle exiting the garage at a normal speed is distracted by either a car entering the garage from S. Winchester Boulevard, or they are beginning to make the approach by turning onto the roadway in a southbound direction and happen to be looking in the opposite direction to watch for S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 19 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW oncoming vehicles, the driver may not be aware of any pedestrians traveling north bound. As a result, they may not have time to stop before entering the public sidewalk area. A possible solution might be to install a parking garage warning system that will alert the driver before they reach the top of the exit ramp that a pedestrian on the sidewalk above is approaching. o In regard to the second item, the applicant should restrict the size of vehicles permitted to park in the basement parking lot. While the dimensions of each parking stall may not be difficult to safely enter or backup into (straight back and turn) for a standard or compact-sized vehicle, it might be greater challenge for a driver of an SUV or larger vehicle. Particularly, if the structural design for the building requires the support columns to be increased in size. o The third issue may require further discussion with Staff to see if it might be possible to eliminate the two additional stalls because of the apartment size, the low household income level of the expected renter and their actual transportation needs—do they need this parking? Since this Project is within a quarter-mile of a light rail station and the public transit bus line is only a few yards away on S. Winchester Boulevard, it might be a reasonable argument to make. This square footage space could serve a more important function as a separate trash and recycling room for the apartment occupants’ use so they won’t need to share the commercial tenants’ trash enclosure, which seems too small to adequately serve the entire building. o The fourth item may require further discussions with the Building Department to ensure the proposed location of the EV charger unit meets all accessibility requirements. As shown, its current location may be problematic. o The fifth item, may require additional review by both the applicant’s architect and the Project’s landscape architect to fully address these concerns. It appears from the drawings that the only potential landscape area available to screen the parking lot from the street is where a bioretention pond is to be placed. In addition, there may be other issues if any additional shrubbery were placed in this general area that may impair a driver’s sight lines of approaching vehicles when either entering or exiting from this driveway. o Lastly, I recommend that a structural engineer be obtained by the applicant to prepare a structural design analysis of the entire building so that the actual size of each column can be determined. In this way if any adjustments are made to S. WINCHESTER MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT 2575 & 2585 S. WINCHESTER BLVD., CAMPBELL, CA 20 Date 5/26/20 DESIGN REVIEW the reconfiguration of these parking areas, they will be known at this time and not towards the end of the Project’s design phase. Conclusion In making these suggested corrections and revisions to the current design for this four- story mixed-use project under consideration, will not only create a more functional and desirable-looking building that will fit well with the urban fabric that is planned for this part of the city, but will also ultimately create a more successful project for all of the stake-holders.