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Home My WebLink About04 MORNING LAVENDER COMMENDATIONITEM #4 AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: FEBRUARY 25, 2020 TO: PLANNING COMMISSION FROM: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT SUBJECT: COMMENDATION NOMINATION 330 EL CAMINO REAL RECOMMENDATION That the Planning Commission approve the nomination of 330 EI Camino Real to the City's Commendation Program and forward the commendation to the City Council for recognition. Kelly Building 1971 330 EI Camino Real Morning Lavender February 25, 2020 Page 2 BACKGROUND AND DISCUSION The City's Commendation Program recognizes an Old Town property of outstanding merit as often as every calendar quarter. The program is available to all buildings, historic or of newer construction. The Planning Commission, reviews the information presented and approves or denies the nomination. Properties commended to date include: 355 West Second Street, 320 West Third Street, 520 West Main Street, 160 South Pacific Street, 335 South C Street, 340 West Main Street, 200 South A Street, 310 South Pasadena Avenue, 705 West Main Street (or 350 South Myrtle Avenue), 525 West Main Street, 410 Pacific Street, 138 North B Street, and 195 EI Camino Real. The most recent nomination of 355- 365 EI Camino Real (Swinging Door Saloon/American Grub) was approved in September, 2019). When the Planning Commission approves a commendation, the property is recognized at a City Council meeting. Additionally, the Community Development Department acknowledes the commended property with a decorative "Outstanding Property" sign that can be displayed on the property for the quarter in which the commendation is awarded and a bronze plaque that can be permanently displayed on the building is presented to the property owner. For a historic property, the plaque bears the construction date, up to two (2) lines of text, and the words "Tustin Historic Register'. For a more recently constructed building, the plaque bears the construction date, up to two lines of text, and the words "Old Town Tustin". The plaques Historic Building Plaque on display are clearly differentiated by the shape of the plaque at the Tustin Garage Building on and the text. Historic building plaques are oval in El Camino Real161' street shape; recently constructed building plaques are rectangular in shape. --q The purpose of the voluntary program is to recognize Old Town Tustin's outstanding buildings, educate the public, increase public interest in historic properties and Old Town Tustin, and to promote community pride. The bronze plaques may be mounted on the building or set on metal stakes. The Preservation Conservancy or the Tustin Area Historical Society may nominate a property for a displai at thtorice Building Plaque on display at the EI Camino Cafe at commendation; or the recommendation may be made 195 EI Camino Real by anyone. This recommendation is a City- Morning Lavender February 25, 2020 Page 3 initiated nomination to recognize the successful remodel of the building at 330 EI Camino Real. The Community Development Department is nominating the property at 330 EI Camino Real, currently occupied by Morning Lavender, a retail store/tea shop and cafe with outdoor seating, for a commendation and addition to the Tustin Historic Register Plaque Program. Kellv Buildina. 330 EI Camino Real The single -story building at 330 EI Camino Real, where Thomas and Mary Kelly established the business of Kelly's Cards and Gifts and a hobby shop from 1972 to 2015, received its Certificate of Occupancy on January 28, 1972. The building became vacant in 2015. As constructed in 1971-72, the L-shaped building facade included beige bricks, an orange Spanish tile parapet roof and large Spanish wrought -iron lanterns that hung in front of the wood -framed arch glass windows at the front entry. The interior side elevation also had beige bricks, rectangular glass windows and a flat roof upon which roof top mechanical equipment was exposed. 330 EI Camino Real (2015) Before Remodel In addition to running the business, Mrs. Kelly was associated with the Tustin Area U.S. Bicentennial Foundation which organized the local celebration of the nation's 2001h anniversary in 1976, and served as Chairperson of the "Wishing Well to Everyone Memorial Fund" campaign which raised funds for a Wishing Well Memorial in commemoration of the bicentennial. The wishing well was constructed at the corner of Centennial Way and Main Street, and was reconstructed in place in the 1990s, due to damage caused by high winds. Mr. Kelly served as Chairperson for the 1978 Morning Lavender February 25, 2020 Page 4 "Discover Old Town Tustin Days" sponsored by local merchants, and was an active member of the Tustin business community. In 2017, a proposal to remodel the interior floor area and exterior facade for a retail store with a tea shop and cafe, and an outdoor restaurant seating area was approved. The exterior changes included the following: • Replace existing front arched windows, front entry doors and side windows facing the alleyway with wider, rectangular wood -framed windows and front entry; • Removal of the Spanish tile parapet roof and replace with a stone cap and block molding along the top perimeter of the building; • Addition of block veneers added to the front facade for articulation; • Paint the existing exterior brick veneer white; • Install new awning with brass signage at front facade; • Convert five (5) existing parking spaces in the rear of the lot to create an open courtyard with outdoor dining; • Install new landscaping in existing planter areas along alleyway and new planting areas along the front facade and within the courtyard area. Conceptual Elevation Morning Lavender February 25, 2020 Page 5 The Community Development Department issued final occupancy for the retail space and cafe with outdoor seating on December 7, 2017. 330 EI Camino Real (2017) After Remodel The completed alterations comply with the Cultural Resources District Commercial Design Guidelines in that: • Parking requirements are adequately provided. • Outdoor seating is encouraged for restaurants; the outdoor courtyard is designed to be inviting and provides customers with a semi-public area that encourages activity. • Landscaping is attractively designed in planters with drought tolerant plant materials. • Light -colored brick paving is consistent with the character of the structure. • Outdoor furniture and furnishings are visually attractive, durable, and complement the building. The 2017 remodel also contributes to the City's vision and design goals for Old Town Tustin as described in the Downtown Commercial Core Specific Plan (DCCSP). Some of the design goals in the DCCSP that the property contributes to are as follows: Morning Lavender February 25, 2020 Page 6 • Active commercial uses and building entries are located along the primary street. • Attractive and active pedestrian street scenes, commercial buildings feature prominent windows adjacent to sidewalks. • Buildings face the street and sited adjacent to the sidewalk to promote pedestrian orientation and an active street edge. • Buildings designed to feature pedestrian scaled architectural details and entries. • The exterior seating area adds activity and vibrancy to Old Town Tustin. Commendation Program The program guidelines require nominations to be provided to the Tustin Preservation Conservancy and the Tustin Area Historical Society to identify the proper name and date of construction. The proposal has been forwarded to the Tustin Preservation Conservancy (TPC) and the Tustin Area Historical Society (TAHS). Based on the input from TPC and TARS, and the long-standing owners of the property, staff is recommending "Kelly Building - 1972" as the appropriate naming of the building and text for the plaque. This property is being nominated for a commendation because it represents an outstanding remodel of an Old Town building, complies with the Cultural Resources District Commercial Design Guidelines, and furthers the goals of the DCCSP. Staff recommends the Planning Commission forward the nomination to the City Council with a recommendation of support for the commendation. If approved, the property owner would be awarded a decorative sign to be displayed at the property until the end of the quarter, a City -paid non -historic building plaque, and the property will be recognized at a City Council meeting. Elaine Dove, AICP, RLA Senior Planner Ju ma Willkorn Assistant Director of Community Development Elizabeth A. Binsack Director of Community Development ti, ',r .� \`` 11 �,*