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HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.2 Recog Outstnding Dev~ CITY OF DUBLIN AGENDA STATEMENT ~ ~~~~~~ CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: May 11, 1992 5UBJECT: Report on Program for Recognition of Outstanding Development ~~ REPORT PREPARED BY: Carol R. Cirelli, Associate Planner EXHIBITS ATTACHED: Attachment 1: Outstanding Design Awards Study RECOMMENDATION: q'~~ O~ Provide direction to Staff issue by issue. Y ~ FINANCIAL STATEMENT: The cost of the program would depend on direction from the City Council on items to be included. The outlined program would cost approximately $500-$800 in materials, and require approximately 100-200 Staff hours. DESCRTPTION: Staff has prepared this report to meet one of the City Council's medium priority goals. Staff has contacted a variety of cities in the region (14 cities), including the three Tri-Valley cities of Pleasanton, San Ramon and Livermore, to determine whether these cities implement an outstanding design awards program. Staff found three cities with outstanding design awards programs: 1) Concord; 2) Fairfield; 3) Cotati. The results of this research are summarized in the attached study (see Attachment 1). The City of Dublin can adopt an Outstanding Design Awards Program by establishing a design awards committee, design award categories, award types and administrative procedures (i.e., nomination process, program winner selection process, etc.). The intent of the program could be to improve the quality of development in the City, to recognize those who have made special effort to achieve outstanding design, and to encourage others to create a more attractive environment. ISSUE 1 Proqram Establishment: Should the City Council establish an Outstanding Desiqn Awards Program? Staff recommends the City Council accept the report and not establi'sh a program at this time due to the current fiscal situation and the number of adopted high priority planning goals. However, if the City Council dec.ides to establish an Outstanding Design Awards Program as a high priority goal, 5taff requests that the City Council provide Staff direction on the following issues. -----------~--+------------------------------------------------------------ ITEM NO. O~~ COPIES T0: Senior Planner [ccsrawa] Project Planner ~n ~ ~ Agenda/Application File • ~ ISSUE 2 Desiqn Review Board: Should the City establish a Design Review Board to implement an Outstandinq Desiqn Awards Program? 1. All the cities surveyed with award programs have Design Review Boards. In most cases, at least one member of the Design Review Board is appointed as a member of the awards program nominating or review committee. The City of Dublin does not have a Design Review Board. 2. For Staff level project approvals (Site Development Review), Planning Staff reviews the design of proposed projects. Staff decisions are appealable to the Planning Commission. 3. For Planning Commission level project approvals (combined Conditional Use Permit and Site Development Review), the Planning Commission reviews the design of proposed projects. Planning Commission decisions are appealable to the City Council. 4. For City Council level project approvals (combined Planned Development (PD) Rezoning, Site Development Review, Conditional Use Permit), the City Council reviews the design of proposed projects. City Council decisions are final. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: While not absolutely required, Staff would recommend the formation of a Design Awards Committee for the purpose of selecting award program winners. ISSUE 3 Desiqn Guidelines: Should the City have adopted Site Development Review Guidelines before im lementinq an Outstandinq Desiqn Awards Proqram? All the cities surveyed with award programs have Design Guidelines. The City of Dublin is currently in the process of adopting Site Development Review Guidelines, which is intended to aid the development community and the City in processing development projects. This document will serve as a guide to establishing overall project design criteria relative to site planning, architecture, landscape design, signage and lighting. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Adopt the Site Development Review Guidelines before implementing the Outstanding Design Awards Program. - 2 -d~~ \J ISSUE 4 ~ Proqram Frequency: How frequently should the program take place? The program frequency of other cities range from annual to biennial, and one city administers the program less frequently, and in a sporadic manner. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Because implementing and administering an Outstanding Design Awards Program could involve much time and effort, the program should initially be impl.emented every two years. This time frame would simplify the administrative process and maximize the number of nominations per category. After completion and review of the initial program, the City Council could adjust the frequency as needed. ISSUE 5 Type of Awards: What type of awards would be appropriate? Other cities distribute certificates, plaques, pictures and letters from mayors or design review committees. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: A framed certificate, including colored photograph of the development project should be sufficient, accompanied by a letter from the Mayor. ISSUE 6 Proqram Structure: How should the proqram be structured? Staff recommends the following program structure: Desiqn Awards Committee Five (5) Committee member selection - appointed by the City Council Committee members - 1 City Council member, 1 Planning Commissioner, 1 Planning Staff inember and 2 residents (with a design background preferred), or 1 resident and 1 business/chamber of commerce representative. Desian Awards Nomination and Selection Process Any member of the public, City Council member, Planning Commission member or City Staff inember may nominate development projects for awards. Development projects eligible far awards would be new construction and remodel projects that have been completed since the City incorporated in February of 1982. _3°~`( . • All nominations must be made on official nomination forms, which would include a section for describing the reasons for nominating the development. Each nomination must include 35mm colored slides of the development for presentation purposes. Colored prints and negatives would also be desirable. All materials must be received by an established closing date. ^~ I(Y' Only one development project would be selectedlthe winner in each category. If the Design Awards Committee decides that there are no development projects worth recommending for an award under a particular category, the Committee would not have to recommend one. A development project could only receive one award. Design award categories: 1. Commercial project 2. Industrial project 3. Public Institutional project 4. Single Family Residential project 5. Multi-Family Residential project 6. 5pecial Design Award (not falling listed above) into any one category Some factors to take into consideration while evaluating the nominations might include: architectural design, landscape design, site planning design, energy conservation, building restoration/preservation, public space desiqn/use, etc. The Design Awards Committee Planning Staff inember would coordinate the Committee meetings. A Chairperson (other than the Planning Staff member) would be appointed by the Committee. The Committee would meet for orientation and discussion of criteria for evaluating nominations, and to recommend category winners. The Committee would recommend a winning development project by individual category and the person(s) it determined was most responsible for the development project's outstanding design. The Committee Chairperson would make a slide presentation of the top three nominations per category, including the Committee's recommended winners, at a regular City Council meeting. In the presentation, the Chairperson would explain the reasons for recommending the winners. The City Council would select the winners at this first meeting and awards would be presented at a subsequent regular City Council meeting. An Outstanding Design Awards Program would take approximately three to four months to process. The program would cost approximately $500- $800 in materials (forms, envelopes, postage, advertising, frames, certificates, photographs) and require approximately 100-200 hours of Staff processing time. - 4 ~'~ ~[ ~o~ ~ O~STANDING DESIGN AWARDS ST~ A Design Awards Program would be intended to improve the design quality of development in the City of Dublin by recognizing outstanding works of site planning, architecture, landscape architecture and environmental design. The Program would honor individuals, firms or agencies who have made a special effort to achieve good design. Serving as an incentive, the Program could encourage others to create a more attractive environment that benefits the community. CITY SURVEY CONCORD Proqram adopted b~ ordinancelresolution: no Design Review Board: yes (called: Design Review Board) Design Guidelines: yes Frequency of Awards Program: sporadic (1981, 1989} Type of Awards: certificates Program Structure: Design Awards Committee comprised of: 2 Cit~r Councilmembers, 1 Planning Commissioner, 1 Design Review Board member. Planning staff nominates projects and also solicits nominations from the public. Committee meets for a total of 4 hours to select Program winners from each design award category. Design Award categories: 1. Overall Design Excellence 2. Small Institutional Project 3. Site Design 4. Office Project 5. Downtown Commercial Project 6. Landscaping 7. Neighborhood Commercial Project 8. Historic Preservation and Restoration 9. Expansion and Conversion of a House into an Office 10. Achievement in a Public Facility 11. Achievement in a Business Park 12. Building Elevation at a City Gateway 13. Integration of Sculpture and Landscape 14. Special Feature (i.e., trash enclosure) Planning staff produced a Design Awards booklet, prepared 44 award certificates and coordinated the City Council awards presentation. Planner stated that administering the program took a lot of time and effort and for this reason, the program frequency was sporadic. ~ " • r a n-~~- FAIRFIELD Program adopted by ordinance/resolution: no Design Review Board: yes (called: Architectural Approval Committee) Design Guidelines: yes Frequency of Awards Program: biennial The program is implemented every two years in order to: 1) create a prestigious awards program, 2) maximize the number of nominations per category, 3) minimize the eligibility requirements, and 4) simplify the award process and related administration. Type of Awards: plaques Pro ram Structure: Design Awards Jury is comprised of 5 members with 2 alternates. Recommended membership: 1. An invited architect, urban designer or architectural designer, preferably from a college or university, appointed by the Architectural Approval Committee (AAC). 2. A member of the AAC, appointed by the AAC. 3. One person and an alternate educated and trained in landscape design, appointed by the Planning Commission. 4. Two persons and an alternate educated and trained in the visual arts, appointed by the City Council. The jury is appointed 30 days prior to the closing date for nominations. Projects eligible for awards are commercial, industrial, public, institutional and multi-family residential (3 or more dwelling units), and those which have received occupancy permits between January 1 of even numbered years and December 31 of the following year. Design Award categories 1. Landscape Design 2. Graphic Design 3. Architectural Design 4. Site Planning Design: Multi-Facility Project 5. Energy Conservation 6. Building Restoration/Preservation 7. Commendations for special features in remodeling or new construction 8. Other: Special Recognition Awards (suggested for those projects outstand.ing in all categories) 2 /desaward . ?j ~`'~ . Nominations are s~icited from the general p~ic, the Architectural Approval Committee and organized groups within the city. All nominations must be made on official nomination forms and they must be received by the official closing date. The nomination period is open for three weeks. The Design Awards Jury selects the winners from each design award category. The City of Fairfield implements the design awards program during an approximate 4 month period (from the time eligible projects are identified, located and chosen for awards, to the time awards are presented at a city council meeting). The planner stated that formerly implementing the design awards program on a yearly basis proved to be too much work and very time- consuming, which resulted in a lower quality program. COTATI The City of Cotati implements a beautification awards program rather than a design awards program. Residences, businesses and industrial complexes that are well-maintained and/or improved are given awards annually and recognized for improving the beauty of Cotati. Cotati's program emphasizes property maintenance. Proqram adopted by ordinance/resolution: no Design Review Board: yes (called: Design Review Committee) Desiqn Guidelines: yes Frequency of Awards Program: annually Type of Awards: Outstanding Achievement Award - large color picture of their award-winning home or business, and letter of congratulations from Mayor. , Meritorious Achievement - letter of congratulations from Mayor. ~ Honorable Mentions - letter from Design Review Committee stating home or business was nominated and considered. Program Structure: The Design Review Committee serves as the lead agency and recommends beautification awards to the city council. The chairperson of the Beautification Awards Program Recommending Committee serves on the Design Review Committee. The Beautification Awards Program Recommending Committee is comprised of: 2 members of the Design Review Committee, 2 members of the Planning Commission, the City Council liaison to the Planning Commission, 2 members of the Cotati Chamber of Commerce, the president of the Cotati Chamber of Commerce, the Planning Director of Cotati and the Building 3 /desaward r L.~ ~ 1~ l ~ Inspector of Cotati. ~e City Manager may appoin other city staff ' members to serve, but the number of voting staff cannot exceed four. The appointment to the Recommending Committee is done on an annual basis with terms not exceeding one year, or one awards program, whichever comes first. "Classes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. of Eligibility" include: Single Family detached - Single Family detached - or larger) Mobile Home single unit Multi-Family - apartment, Business - Commercial Business - Industrial R-1, R-2 zoning (small lot) R-R or A-R zoning (.5 acre site duplex, condominium, townhouse Most Improved Project - Residential Most Improved Project - Non-Residential Public Building Special Award (for those categories/items not covered by any of the above classes of eligibility) Types of Items Evaluated: 1. maintenance of landscaping 2. screening of undesirable areas from public view 3. physical appearance of building (i.e., painting) 4. maintenance of home or building 5. pride of ownership The Recommending Committee nominates projects and the Committee also accepts nominations from the public. Planning staff provides the Recommending Committee members a map of the City of Cotati, including nomination forms and rating sheets. Each member of the Recommending Committee is required to tour the City not less than two times annually. The Recommending Committee chooses the winners from each "class of eligibility." '~~, All nominations from the Recommending Committee are submitted to the Cotati Planning Department. The Planning Department takes~pictures of all nominations, categorizes the nominations and organizes a luncheon for presentation of slides to the Recommending Committee. A former planner with the City of Cotati recommended that the Recommending Committee take pictures of the nominations instead of the planning staff so that planning staff could categorize the nominations more efficiently. The Design Review Recommending Committee Awards are presented at Committee reviews the and forwards this lis a formal City Council 4 winner list by the t to the City Council. meeting. /desaward