To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
Through: David L. Corliss, Town Manager
From: Tara Vargish, PE, Director Development Service
Julie Kirkpatrick, PLA, ASLA, Long Range Project Manager
Title
Design Review Board Membership and Responsibilities
Body
________________________________________________________________________________
Executive Summary
Following discussion at the December 3, 2019 Town Council meeting, Council directed staff to prepare an outline of the composition, powers, and duties of the Design Review Board (DRB) to review and discuss in detail at a study session on January 21, 2020. At the May 19, 2020 Town Council meeting, Council determined that there was no need at that time to further discuss the authority and composition of the Design Review Board. However, on January 19, 2021, Council requested that staff bring a discussion item back to Council as to whether the Design Review Board should have final approval on downtown development projects.
This report provides a summary of the history and decisions that led to previous Council’s adoption of the Downtown Plan of Development (DPD), Downtown Development Authority (DDA), and Downtown Overlay District (DOD), which included formation of the Design Review Board (DRB) and provides questions and recommendations for review and discussion with Council.
Staff Recommendation
Staff reviewed projects approved by DRB and projects that required TIF shareback agreements approved by Council. Staff is seeking feedback from Council on the following recommendations:
• Staff recommends Council act on all major projects and the DRB act as a recommending body to Town Council on major projects. This matches the Planning Commission’s authority as a recommending body on all site plans outside the DOD boundary.
• Staff recommends that major projects be defined as any downtown project that exceeds 10,000 sq. ft. in building area.
This recommendation allows smaller downtown development applications such as site plans, façade improvements, landscape improvements, and signage improvements to be reviewed and acted upon by the DRB, while providing Council with authority to act on any major project in downtown.
Attachments
Attachment A: CRMC 17.42.090, 17.42.100, 17.42.110
Attachment B: CRMC 17.42.070
Attachment C: Design Review Board Bylaws
Attachment D: Design Review Board Actions
Attachment E: Projects with Financial Assistance
Attachment F: CRMC 19.04.053 - Downtown Sign Code