UPTOWN PLANNERS

Uptown Community Planning Group

SPECIAL MEETING

February 16, 2011

LOCATION

St Paul’s Cathedral “Great Hall”

2750 Fifth Avenue

Present: Jim Mellos, Jennifer Pesqueira, Michael Seidel, John Lamb, Roy Dahl, Tony Winney, Leo Wilson, Ernie Bonn, Gary Bonner, Janet O’Dea, Ken Tablang, Beth Jaworski, Neil Ferrier, Rhett Butler, Kim Adler

Absent: Don Liddell, Bob Grinchuk

Approximately 88people were in attendance.

  1. Board Meeting: Parliamentary Items:

Meeting called to order at 6:05 p.m.

Approval of Rules of Agenda/Rules of Order

A motion to approve the agenda was passed by a voice vote.

Non-Agenda Public Comment

None

Representatives of Elected Officials

None

  1. Potential Action Items – Special Orders of Business:

PLAZA DE PANAMA CIRCULATION & PARKING STRUCTURE PROJECT BALBOA PARK MASTER PLAN AMENDMENT, CENTRAL MESA PRECISE PLAN AMENDMENT,SDP; REVIEW/ COMMENTSON DRAFT EIR– Balboa Park – Site Development Permit (SDP) to implement the Balboa Park Plaza de Panama Project. Notice of Draft EIR issued on January 23, 2012; comments are due by March 8, 2012.

Project goals include rehabilitation of the Plaza de Panama consistent with the original vision of a ceremonial plaza and gathering space by eliminating vehicle traffic from Plaza de Panama, El Prado, Plaza de Panama and the Esplanade. Project elements include:

1.Plaza de Panama: Eliminate automobile traffic from the Plaza de Panama and adjacent promenades and remove parking from the Plaza.
2. El Prado and Plaza de Panama: Allow pedestrian use of El Prado and Plaza de California by re-routing traffic to the bypass bridge.

3.Bypass Road and Bridge: Construction of a new two-way bypass road starting at the east end of the Cabrillo Bridge and continuing through the eucalyptus grove around the southwest corner of the Museum of Man to the Alcazar Parking Lot.

4. Alcazar Parking Lot and Walkway: Redesign the Alcazar Parking Lot to provide additional accessible parking as well as passenger drop-off, museum loading, and valet.

5.Esplanade & Pan American Road: Reclaim both the Esplanade and Pan American Road for pedestrian access by rerouting vehicle traffic west of Pan American Road.

6.Parking Structure and Roof-top Park: Construct a new parking structure with a roof-top park and garden at the location of an existing Organ Pavilion surface parking lot. The new three level underground structure that is 265,242 square-feet in size, and will have 785 parking spaces. The new rooftop park would consist of 97,000 square-feet.

The project was introduced by Gerry Braun, the Director of Special Projects for the Mayor’s Office; Mark Johnson, architect for the project, and Gordon Kovtun, of KCM Group, made the presentation on behalf of the applicant, the Plaza de Panama Committee. It was announced that Vicki Estrada is now a landscape consultant for the project.

Public Comment was made by Jay Shoemaker, Council of Design Professionals; John Wilson, Timken Museum; David Cohen, Hillcrest; Ian Epley, architect; Tom Fox, Bankers Hill/Park West;Allen Hazard, Mission Hills; Sharon Gehl, Mission Hills; Bonnie Rush, Hillcrest; Doug Scott, Bankers Hill, Jeffrey Kirsch, Balboa Park Cultural Partnership; Saul Sherrer, University Heights; Mike Singleton, Mission Hills; Rich Gorin, Hillcrest; Dan Piper, Bankers Hill/Park West; John Russ, Hillcrest; Bruce Leidenberger, Bankers Hill/Park West; Ann Garwood, Hillcrest; Alyssa Wolven, Park West/ Bankers Hill; Ron Sayer; Elsa Olesen, Mission Hills, David Winkesky(?). Absent board member Bob Grinchuk sent an E-mail in support of the project, and Don Liddell one opposing the closure of the Cabrillo Bridge.

During board comment; O’Dea recommended the board conduct further review of the draft EIR and submit comments.

Motion by Butler, seconded by Mellosstating: “Having reviewed the draft EIR for the project, Uptown Planners supports the Plaza de Panama project as proposed by Dr. Irwin Jacob and the Plaza de Panama Committee; Motion passed 9-5-1; voting in favor were Butler, Mellos, Pesqueira, Dahl, Winney, Tablang, Jaworski, Bonner, Seidel; voting against were O’Dea, Adler, Lamb, Ferrier, Bonn. Non-voting chair Wilson abstained.

4041 IBIS STREET (“SPRINT NEXTEL MISSION HILLS NUP”) – Process Two – Mission Hills – Neighborhood Use Permit application for a Wireless Communications Facility (WCF) consisting of antennas on an existing building with a residential use in a commercial zone.

Applicant’s representative made a presentation; there was no public or board comment.

Motion by Seidel, second by Butler, to approved as presented; passed 14-0-1; voting in favor Jim Mellos, Jennifer Pesqueira, Michael Seidel, John Lamb, Roy Dahl, Tony Winney, Leo Wilson, Ernie Bonn, Gary Bonner, Ken Tablang, Beth Jaworski, Neil Ferrier, Rhett Butler, Kim Adler; non-voting chair Wilson abstained.

III. INFORMATION ITEM:

  1. 2900 SIXTH AVENUE (“PALM STREET PROJECT”)– Bankers Hill/Park West – Proposal to construct two 150-feet high rise buildings on the block bordered by Sixth Avenue & Fifth Avenue; and Palm Street & Spruce Street. The building on Sixth Avenue will be a 13-story height and consisting of 145 residential units; the Fifth Avenue building will be 14-story mix of commercial and retail units. There will be 330 parking spaces located in two floors of underground parking; the historic Hazard House will remain onsite; project will be built to Gold LEED standards.

An informational presentation was made by Joseph Wong, architect, and Richard Ledford, on behalf of the applicant, Larry Cushman. Applicant indicated the project conformed to the applicable zoning and land-use regulations, and is within the 150-foot height limitation. The project proposed moving the historically designated Hazzard House from the corner of Sixth Avenue and Palm Street, north to the corner of Sixth Avenue and Quince Street. A Site Development Permit would be required to relocation the historic resource.

Renditions were presented to Uptown Planners for review; applicant was unsure if the IHO would apply; however, the project would be discretionary and therefore reviewed by Uptown Planners. Presentations hadbeen made in January 2012 to the Bankers Hill/Park West/Five Points Community Development Corporation, and the Bankers Hill/Park West Community Association; where it received mostly favorable comments.

During public comment, Ian Epley criticized the architectural style, stating it was crowded and had too many different features. During board comment, board members Butler and Wilson indicated they were favorable to the project’s architectural features.

IV. Adjournment:

Motion to adjourn passed by voice vote at approximately 8:00 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Leo Wilson, Acting Secretary

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