PC 102214 - Laserfiche WebLink

Program 7.1: As part of the design review process, encourage the installation of distinctive landscaping, and discourage advertising signage and bright franchise colors at major street entryways to the City. Program 7.2: The City should be particularly sensitive to aesthetic considerations when land -use planning in areas adjacent to City entryways. Program 7.4: Give the Hopyard /1 -580 area a high priority for visual improvement when making land -use and public investment decisions. Policy 16: Discourage franchise and prototype architecture and signage. She stated that she was not around when these were created and requested staff to provide a little bit of history on what drove these policies and what was most important in the thinking for these policies. Mr. Dolan replied that he was not in the meetings when this language was decided upon but that it is a relatively common theme. He stated that at its entrances to the community, the City does not want a lot of visual clutter and land uses whose design is often associated with fast -food restaurants with lots of bright colors and buildings with standardized architecture and big pylon signs that could be seen from as far away as possible. He indicated that when this use was evaluated, although it is a fast -food establishment, staff was able to recommend approval of the project and found it to be consistent with these Community Character Policies because the building is nicely designed, does not have any garish colors, does not have big signage, and has an architectural design that is at least as nice as or nicer than anything else in that shopping center. Commissioner Ritter asked staff what the stacking count for In -N -Out Burger drive -thru is. He stated that it looks like it has about 20 but could be double; it just never seems big enough on a Friday night. Ms. Soo replied that she does not know what the stacking count is. Commission Piper noted that the renderings include a flagpole but that she does not recall reading that in the staff report. Mr. Weinstein replied that a flagpole is proposed on the east side of the project. He added that it is on the site plans as well. THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS OPENED. Deborah Kerr, Consulting Project Manager for Chick- fil -A, San Diego, stated that she has been involved in this project for well over two years. She indicated that she was originally involved in the first site layout, and then the gradual transition of the project into what is before the Commission tonight. She stated that when they first came to the City, they presented a much more traditional, typical layout and design for the site with the drive -thru wrapping around the building. She continued that they met with the Director and Planning staff, and there was a call for something very special and unique PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, October 22, 2014 Page 6 of 30