##VIDEO ID:BrWKoXl6sBo## if you are here to present on an item today and have a presentation please go to the podium to ensure that your presentation has been received what please take your seats the meeting is about about to begin remember to speak into the microphone as this meeting is being recorded for public record please stand by we are going on air in 5 4 3 2 1 good morning and welcome to the December 10th meeting of the design review board of the city of Miami Beach um we are waiting for one more board member to arrive and uh another board member is out sick um so we are going to begin today we have a short agenda so we should get through the items pretty quickly rilio do you w to start sure I will start off with taking attendance um and I will note for the record that Mr Sheldon is absent um and Miss Meyer is on her way uh she should be here uh within the next 10 to 15 minut so uh we currently have uh four members present so we have a um and then I guess city attorney's updates sure uh no updates um so I'm just going to do the introduction and tell those folks that are want to attend virtually how to do so and remind everyone of the notice uh regarding lobbyist registration so again good morning all today's meeting of the design review board has been scheduled in a hybrid format with a quorum of the board physically present in the commission Chambers at Miami Beach City Hall and applicants staff members of the public appearing either in person or virtually via the zoom platform webinar those wishing to participate uh in today's meeting via Zoom may dial 8884757 499 which is a toll-free number and enter the webinar ID which is 82273 941 924 or log into the Zoom app and enter the webinar ID which again is 822 7394 41924 any individual wishing to speak on an item must click the raise hand icon if they are using the Zoom app or dial star9 if they are participating by phone before I swear in those that are testifying today that are physically present in Chambers I'm going to read into the record the city's notice regarding lobbyist registration if you are appearing on behalf of a business or Corporation or another person you will need to register as a lobbyist with the clerk's office if you haven't registered yet you should register before you speak to the board you do not have to register as a lobbyist if you are speaking only on your behalf and not any other party or if you are testifying as an expert witness providing only scientific technical or other specialized information or testimony in this public meeting or if you are appearing as a representative of a neighborhood association without any compensation or reimbursement for your appearance to express support of or opposition to any item expert Witnesses and repres representatives of neighborhood associations shall prior to appearing disclose in writing to the city clerk their name address and the principal on whose behalf they are communicating if you are an architect attorney or an employee representing an applicant or an objector you must register as a lobbyist these rules apply whether you are appearing in favor of or against an item or encouraging or arguing against its passage defeat modification or continuance bless you uh for those that are going to be testifying today at this time if you could please stand so I can swear you in okay uh please raise your right hand do you swear or affirm that the testimony that you'll be giving in this proceeding is the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth okay and for those members uh for those uh presenters or members of the public appearing virtually I'll sway you in one at a time so with that I'll turn it back to you U madam chair thank you very much we are now going to uh approve the minutes on the past meeting I make a motion I make a motion that we approve the minutes second motion a second all those in favor I motion passes thank you I see there are requests for continuances yes we have two two requests for continu es the first is drb 24-10 38 that's 1265 North biscane Point Road um the applicant requests that the item be continued to the January 16th meeting can someone make a motion I'll make a motion to continue thank you I'll second that motion by Mr dender for a second by Miss Leen um all those in favor I I I passes okay and then the next uh item that's being requested to be continued is drb 24-104 that's 1500 Bay Road uh and the applicant again is also requesting that it be continued to January 16th make a motion second motion by Mr dender for second by m Bui all those in favor I I motion passes okay let's now move on to our previously continued applications starting with drb 24131 4701 North Meridian up21 here good morning uh before we start I just need to ask if any uh board member has any um exp party Communications that um they've received no okay thank you and before that this application has been filed requesting design review approval for the installation of Windows to enclose an exter an existing covered exterior Courtyard at the penthouse level of the building okay so this is um this is the existing Penthouse residential unit that's located on the west side of the top floor of the Ritz Carlton residence this is the former Miami Heart Institute Building that was converted into a residential building um the the the unit is currently divided into two interior sections and there's a covered um exterior Courtyard uh that's existing that the applicant wishes to improve the utilization of that area the the applicant has indicated that there are wind tunnels and that the area is not very comfortable uh to be in so the applicant is simply proposing to enclose that space they're going to be using similar Windows systems as are used for in the rest of the building so it shouldn't have any sort of a negative visual impact um and that's that's basically the proposal um and staff um does recommend that the application be approved subject to the conditions in the attached order thank you very much feel free to bring in your presentation yeah um I don't know if we have the presentation um Can the presentation be located uploaded for this item we were supposed to be on the last one that's what I think we got switched oh they brought it oh because it was continued from last month and not reuploaded again while we wait for the presentation I just a quick question do you all did you all have a letter from your um Association president of the Ritz Carlton Residences um approving or recommending this change yes I believe so yes I have the floor plans here I don't know if we want to wait for the presentation I mean I could just show it if that's okay or we want to wait yeah I wonder to we also have the architectural plans that can be loaded or is that too long it should be able to be load that um I mean I could I could start if you want um so uh I'm going to show it here I don't know if this is M so basically as roel was saying the penthouse at the BR colon ph21 is divided into two areas this is the kitchen area and this is what the living room and the and the main um uh areas are so this right now is currently covered when it first was designed I in my opinion it was badly designed because you have this exterior Courtyard which it's beautiful but at the same time it poses a lot of challenges for the client um this is the penthouse there a lot of wind there's a lot of draft so it's very uncomfortable to be in here one creates a wind tunnel it's always windy uh two is let's say you're in the back in the in your room and you want to go to the kitchen you have to go from a interior to an exterior space the reason for the glazing is not to enclose it and this to be a living area it's just for the wind tunnel effect not to happen and to be to use this exterior area comfortably uh now every time you're we're adding or we're doing something to the exterior of the building we come into to if it's going to affect the exterior of the building uh we made a couple of we walked around we from from street level to three blocks two blocks away we make all studies what happens is that the this actual the building is stepped so because of the stepping you you don't see it as much and the way it's going to be done is actually going to follow the same pattern as the existing faade the same glazing is going to match um for the existing facade so I show you it did it did bring something up is this okay yeah so as you can see this is the unit um penous units 2021 um so we took all these aerial shots for your um Street Vantage points to see if if you were to see the actual um glazing and it's this is the the actual floor plan that I was showing you um the scope of work is just uh glazing that fold that's basically it um I'm going to show you this is from Google Earth the the one on the left is the one without the glazing the open Tunnel the and then the one on the right is with the added storefront which is basically follows the same pattern it's the same glazing that's the only scope of working here so wait can you point out those two look really oh I see on the right side okay not by the red arrow okay thank you and this one right here is currently open oh I see and I'm going to show you we had some pictures here of the actual I'm sorry I'm going fast but it's not in this one right here it looks like that's the only unit on the floor that has this yes yes the only one it's I mean it's it's nice but it's just it's very uncomfortable to be up there with all the winds and all the draft so right now where you have The Black Arrow uh where you pointed to before when our chair uh asked the previous question that currently is opened as reflected on the left side of the of the screen and what you're saying is to put in the glazing that would be um similar and if not the same as what is seen in other floors as well as to the right or to the left of the uh area yes and I'm just curious I saw this last month and it seemed very straightforward and simple why did you guys continue it oh I I think we ran at of time is that the no like I think um there was some somebody had an some I think when I spoke to my client it's very straightforward um I I believe he was working out something with the actual building itself uh getting the letter of approval so that's why we we just wanted the building itself to know that we're doing this so nothing changed from the last presentation it's the same one and it's it's very simple so you know I was here the old presentation the whole time so very Ro Helio the city has received a letter from the association president saying that they are agreement I don't I do not have a copy of that letter do you all have a copy we we should get you a copy yes yeah I believe we have it okay um uh I think it's important to have that letter in hand um for any kind of action taken by this board um because this building is owned by a group of people not just one single person um as we require for other projects that are in a condominium for example or that are even single family homes we always in that case we just like to see that neighbors are in agreement I think the project is what you're trying to do is simple it makes sense but I don't live there and so I I cannot speak for the other residents that do own can I make a comment oh you know what let me just as a point of order are you done with your presentation yes I'm done okay um I think before we discuss I should ask if there is any members the public wishing to speak can I can I be added as a presenter so I can see if the hands are raised thank you uh we have no hands raised okay great I'm going to close the public portion and uh open it up for the board to continue discussion shaa oh I was just going to say I agree about the letter but my understanding is that's a requirement to receive a building permit so we could just you know say that it if we get get to the point where we want to approve and require that they will have to have that before they get a building permit that's correct yeah okay um any other comments do you know if they spoke to the the neighbors yet or they did I well we so we've been doing this actually we've we've been on this process for about almost a year for a long time because they did the this is such a uh and I do a lot of HOA I review a lot of plans for HOA but so this is such a small work that they did submit for building permit right they got the letter and then when they was when it was going through the building permits they said you got to go for this project you got to go through uh design review board so we've already done the building permit that some of it has already been approved but they say wait a minute because you're adding something it has to be approved now by the design review something that's visible from the street correct yeah uh no matter how small no matter how small so we were surprised but we went ahead and we did everything we had to do and we're here so yeah so but we will get the letter I'm surprised that's something we need to do even if we right um I mean I I think it it seems like a sort of natural addition I'm supportive of you checked all the boxes supportive of the proposal and understand the reasoning so I don't know if anybody else has any other comments or there any different I you know I defer to you I I don't know that the building department will require the letter for the permit it did not requir it of me when I was doing something in in a unit we have in another condo but it that was some time ago so it may have changed so uh I just mention that it didn't change yeah I I don't know how often but we can I personally feel this is very straightforward it makes a lot of sense um but that it' be contingent on that letter being on file from the association president um or the vice president I know her name is uh witkoff Mrs witkoff and I can't remember the president's name it's Lauren yeah David CR I'm sorry David I know both of them okay can you speak to that do they have to get a building permit before or I certainly as the building department legal adviser uh back when about three building officials ago that requirement was taken out of the building process and the intake reviewed but now it's been reinstated by ANS algado mher kept it and the current Vince sea still has it so yes as part of the initial intake um the um Building Department intake will review for all the documents and one of them will need to be the condo association approval so it will fail that so I guess from what from what I understand from the presenter when they started their review process with that building permit application it got flagged by planning so it failed that review cycle so that they can come to drb so once the cycle reopens if there are any additional comments um then they'll need to be addressed before the permit's actually issued great thank you very much um nobody has any other comment do you want to make a motion forward I make a motion that we approve the application for 4701 North Meridian Avenue Penthouse 21 second okay we have a motion in a second all those in favor I I I any opposed motion passes congratul than very much have a great day thank you okay and now we're moving on to item number five drb 24143 1015 Still Water Drive this application is requesting modifications to a previously approved design review approval for the construction of a new two-story residence with an under story and a variance for the height of the home specifically the applicant is requesting additional height as is permissible for the Land Development regulations okay so this is um an item that was heard last month uh the board continued it to this month because there were concerns over um the construction that was uh being undertaken I believe some residents had some concerns that the setbacks were being uh encroached into uh since then the applicant has provided and has built survey and some photos of the construction site um they do substantiate that the home is being built pursuant to the setbacks uh they did show some photos of some wooden structures that are being used as part of the construction process that are intended to be removed so that may be where the where the concern stemmed from um but once those structures are removed after the construction is completed the home will be following those those setback lines um so with that um staff recommends that the application be approved uh subject to the conditions in the attached draft order thank you very much before we begin just any uh disclosures of Any X party Communications none then okay I'll set the clock in 10 minutes thank you thank you thank you roio good morning members of the board I am Denise prel from the architecture team here with me is the rest of the design team we have ownership the general contractor uh to respond any questions you might have um we are as roel explained we are discussing 1015 Still Water um just as a summary of what we discussed in our last hearing um this is this H page shows exactly what we are requesting on the left hand side you will see a section of the building that we have approve we had approved in the previous drb that was held on November 2022 at that time with that code in effect we were allowed for a maximum height of 25 ft in this occasion we are requesting for an addition of 20 in to the building height which is in compliance with the current code for RS4 properties with under stories that would bring the building height to 26 Fe 8 in and those additional 20 Ines would be located specifically in the under story ceiling elevation uh per um within code requirements we felt that the space currently as it was approved was really constrained and we were concerned also with the space for the installations and for everything that goes within the plenum area so we are rising just the minimum requirement to fall within uh Code Compliance in at the time of our previous presentation we got some calls from the neighbors with some concerns of the construction progress and how everything was uh follow uh flowing along and we didn't have all the information at that time however we did uh take all the side pictures we prepared an elevation certificate a survey everything that was requested from from your end and from The Neighbors in order to clearly depict the situation and presented here today and we're going to show that uh right away so this is the survey that was prepared showing the progress of the construction site in the survey you can see that all the front of the property has been cleared we do have some formwork towards the back of the property uh that's a formwork for the first floor lab and the reason why we have that formwork is because we have a constrained narrow lot and the general contractor needed to clear up the space for to have a proper staging area and to have the poor of the approved slab per permit and he had all the rebar and all the material and formed the the back area of the first floor slab the intent was never to pour anything before we got a approval from the drb and everything has been worked per the approved plans for the Shoring and the formwork and Engineering Shoring plans were prepared and submitted to the city for permits the process has been completely transparent and again following what was approved but we needed to have some clearance in the front of the property for uh staging and construction purposes here you will see a zoomed in uh area of that formwork um we are showing in red the outline of the first floor slab as the approved plans we know we had some concerns in regards of encroachment and we took these pictures from the top view so you can clearly see how the slab is being formed within the area of the approved plans and we do have some plywood extensions that are there tempor temporarily for purposes of circulation and storing material only those uh areas do not have any formwork or reir that will be poured and will be removed after uh hopefully the PO can be performed um also we prepare the elevation certificate since the slab has not been poor yet the surveyor was able to mark the top of the formboard the top of the form board is now at 15 point 75 and if you see in our section on the left hand side that matches exactly the location of the bottom of the slab that we were proposing so again H this was in order to prepare and to be able to have the construction flowing while we were waiting for the approval of the drb in the next slides I will show you some additional pictures so we can clearly see H everything in the job site we have some pictures of the front of the property with the formwork shown towards the back and here we have views from the top we understand that if you see it from the bottom it might be misleading because it's hard to locate where are the outlines of the actual slab and the temporary plywood extensions but hopefully these photographs help clearly depict those extensions that are temporary here you will see some storing of blocks and construction materials in those temporary extensions we think that might have triggered the concern from the neighbors and we completely understand so we want to clarify the situation for everyone here are more uh additional pictures showing also the the neighbor's house here you can see on the left hand side how these plywood extensions are being used for storing the construction materials and more angles on the one on the right hand side you can see how it would be um a concern looking at it from the bottom if you don't have the understanding of releasing the top view and how the slab is going to be further to the interior and there are no real encroachments in the actual uh formwork so hopefully this information serves to clarify and we can address we understand our neighbors concerns we have been trying to address all their comments and we can we have been fully transparent in the process and we can facilitate any additional information we are eager to get a response because it's in the critical time of construction and we appreciate your help thank you very much that conclude your presentation yeah thank you are there any members of the public wishing to speak we have a secret with a hand raised can you hear me yes okay and um so sir before you before you start sorry to interrupt I need to swear you in sir okay so uh do you swear or affirm that the testimony that you'll be giving in the proceeding is the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth yes okay and I'm going to set the clock for two minutes for you to address the board okay thank you um so in the November 5th uh 2024 meeting uh Miss Meyer who was not here or it doesn't seem to be here now um stated that if the developer had already built the tying or or the formwork of the first floor structure based on the height that had not yet been approved she would not be inclined to approve the variance because that indicated the builders had a disregard for the process further she felt um that a penny of penalty of some sort in that case should be assessed if if that were the case um also the board member I don't know all the names but um I saw it was uh the um female board member with the scarf I think she's a Latin um also said I reviewed the YouTube video of November 5th meeting sorry um and um she said that if the uh if the builders were not uh building per the approved plans the project needed to be stopped that any approval would be reversed and that the project would be red tagged um and I believe that the chairperson uh Sarah Nelson also um expressed concern with regards to the project uh not being built further proof plans um as the photos in the presentation from the architect clearly show what I said that the Builder had already installed the rebar for the tie beams of the first floor and the slab for the Terrace at the height that had not yet been approved or was permitted was true um according to the board members testimony in the November 5th 2024 meeting uh the proposed variant should not be approved the Builder should be penalized and the project should be red tagged or stopped uh the staff recommendation uh to uh approve the the motion or the the proposal never takes us into account um in addition to a disregard for the process um the general contractor also provided a sworn statement affidavit um that was not dated um which states that due to logistical limitations on the site it was necessary to form the first floor slab and relocate the rebar to that location as it was interfering with the garage slap or at the front of the property um I think that you know either the contractor doesn't care about perjuring himself um because you know any affidavit in Florida needs to be sworn under oath um under penalty of perjury to be valid or he wants the board to believe that uh they paid for the labor to um form the the tiing um and the slab for the the terrorist um rather than going ahead and moving the rebar to the back of the property which is not photographed Pro probably on purpose um that has you know clear space for the rebar to to be re relocated think no reasonable person could come to the conclusion that this contractor did not move uh forward with the first floor uh project at this height um that was not permitted because they presume that this approval would be rubber stance okay um hence the Builder I shown I'm sorry but you you've run out of time are you C can you wrap it up or you've said what you you've said you've made your main points no I'll make so that's not the main point the main point is that the surveyor who is the subcontractor of the uh Builder doesn't provide um the dimensions from the side um property line to the actual tying um uh under the Terrace or or there so it there's not information in the survey sufficient for the board to make a determination or to ver verify that the the building is being built you know per per the plants um and you this this Terrace being 16 ft and and being um right next to to the property um sort of going past the the side setback which I don't understand how it is that the board provided approval for uh an encroachment of the side setback when there was no notice provided to either um neighbor uh of this this proposal the the October uh 2022 uh proposal for a variance was for the height of the building not for uh encroachment into the side setback um and I request that you know due to the the the Builder's conduct and the lack of notice and you know the harm that it creates to the the adjacent property that this uh side setback uh variance be rescinded and that uh the board require for a some sort of a screen wall uh to be put on that Terrace so that the wherever the residence is in the future for the spec build you know can view the bay but doesn't have a a balcony that that is 3 feet from my property 16 ft up in the air which overlooks the the pool area completely depriving me of any privacy um in my backyard okay thank you I had more to say but I'll leave it at that thank you so much for your thoughts we will definitely look into the matter uh are there any other people no other hands are raised okay I'm now going to close the public portion um and open it up to the board for discussion rilio can you maybe provide us maybe you can start out with some guidance um between there seems to be a big discrepancy between what the applicant is saying versus what the the neighbor is saying and is it even possible to go back to a An approved project that was approved in 2022 and make any changes or I mean once it's approved it's approved I I think the the the changes it's approved it's approved if there's something that's incorrect that'll be that'll be caught at the time of inspection what we saw in the survey shows that there are setbacks of 10 feet 10.54 feet uh 11.52 feet on one side side set that's right side setbacks if if I can clarify it it adds to the point so H the site setbacks are seven and a half as per requirement right so at the time of the November 2022 board we didn't have any variances or any variation request on the side setbacks because we are complying with a 30% H ex overhang and it's just an a concrete eyebrow and it doesn't pass the 30% so we didn't have to request any variance on that end the only thing that we requested was for the additional foot for the under story so what just to be clear that that the design is with in the requirements that there was no no no because it's within that 30% allow what's Allowed by right exactly okay thank you yes you are allowed certain elements that are allowed to encroach into a required yard so those are architectural projections eyebrows things of that nature are allowed to go further into a setback which is probably one of the reasons why it was approved to begin with because it did follow all the regulations okay and then what about the the survey I mean does it um the survey shows the encroachment um it shows the side setbacks I mean what I'm what I'm reading it it's hard to read I mean we we did the outline uh for that purpose because we didn't want to have this confusion we would be glad to present like we can meet with staff and actually do the overlay with our CAD files and the survey because we have no problem in showing that we are really not doing any encroachment over that 30% I'm 100% sure uh so I we really thought honestly that what what was misleading was those temporary plywood extensions and we thought okay this might be a real concern but not the 30% uh slab Edge that we are we're we are fully compliant and we can do a follow-up meeting without a problem and and overlay it if roio wants to see it roio how about the um rebar that the neighbor is re uh re um mentioning on the Terrace is that a concern is that within the boundaries of where it needs to be taking into account the setbacks from from what I see the the survey shows the edge the construction Edge so that appears to be mostly within within the um within the setback right now it's hard it's it's got a lot of wood it's got it's difficult to tell you the exact measurement just by by going out there to the site and seeing it um so it looks like it's it's going to be compliant once all the construction works are are removed um so I I I don't have any major concerns with it now um once it's done our inspectors go out there and if if they they determine that it's not complying with the with the required setbacks they're going to have to fix it or else we're not going to sign off on their certificate of occupancy that would be part of the structural inspection when it is called for and if it doesn't comply apply then they either remove it or come back and seeking after the fact variance with three times the fees mhm and I'm assuming too that as part of the file there will be this record of make sure to check this there were some nebor concerns okay can I respond to yeah so this is shaa meer I am here and I did make uh comments last month and I don't remember them verbatim but I was actually thinking about those comments where you were presenting and and first I want to say that I I do appreciate the very thorough reapplication and the time to resubmit you know we have to sit up here and take you at face value as a professional and that you're being you know honest and straightforward and so that's how I'm taking the information and I know how difficult it is at this time in the process to sort of create documents like this um to me it it seems thorough I do remember saying that you know if the the beams were already poured or you know if things were already constructed at a level and you weren't sort of being honest with us that things were in place that would be frustrating right from what we're seeing today I don't see evidence of that and I mean again I don't I personally don't think it's our role to understand you know a chronological timeline of every step like we have to again take you at face value uh your you know professional word with you're saying so I just want to say that I I know it it is um a challenge you know and many sites have 5 foot sidey yard setbacks and you can encroach you know 50% or 3 feet or you know whatever and that gets really close and then you know buildings are tall but that's that's sort of a result uh resultant condition of living in an an urban environment so thank you the minutes from our last meet meeting reflect that uh the board requested that the applicant provide as built survey um and that the item be continued for those surveys to be provided which you have provided and presented to the planning uh Department um so that being the case for me you've complied and it shows that you are within the required setbacks um sides back and front and complying with uh the building plant that were permitted then again if something happens during construction going forward and it does not comply with your permitted plans then action will be taken by the city and by the owner contractor I'm ready to make a motion I don't know if the rest of the members have comments no I mean we we hit on the concerns of the the neighbor right that was what you spoke to is the yeah inconsistency the yeah so go for it okay so I make a motion that we approve the variance for the height of the home at 10:15 Still Water Drive it's it's technically not a variance it would be um a waiver okay we have a motion to approve by Miss B do we have a second I second second by Miss Meer um all those in favor I I any opposed no motion passes thank you so much thank you have a good day thank you great uh moving on to item number six uh drb 24151 310 South coconut Lane this application is requesting design review approval for a two story residence with an under story including one or more waivers to replace an existing residence okay so this is uh the last of the continued items um the item was continued last month I believe we ran out out of time on this one um there may have been some preliminary discussion on the proposal um so the um the applicant so I I I guess I'll give the whole presentation um so so this is a a single family home located at 310 South coconut Lane it is an understory home um the the design of the home uh includes is of a contemporary style and it has this half cylindrical volume on the front elevation that is clad with Limestone um and accented with some Landscaping um staff did have some concerns with the mass of the front Limestone uh CL um elevation and we did recommend that those openings be increased in size to reduce the mass of the structure um and and uh and reduce the the imposing nature of that structure um since the last meeting the applicant did submit an update um um um a few weeks ago and uh complied with those concerns um so the applicant did reduce the height of the building uh from 20 of the home from 28t 6 Ines to 28 in to 28 feet uh that was a recommendation that we had um that's consistent with um what's what uh a code Amendment that's moving forward for the RS4 District um and then the applicant also reduce the volumes of the beams on the front Limestone clad elevation to reduce the mass of the structure uh so that it makes it less imposing uh in nature it's more open uh greater visibility um and staff is supportive of the of the changes that were made um the applicant is also requesting um a waiver uh for the open space requirement on two story side elevations that exceed 60 ft in length um they um the the elevation is 68t 4 in they are exceeding that by 9 ft 2 1/2 in um the elevation does have um um areas that are opening and Landscaping um um and it does have that open space but it does have a beam that encroaches into that open space so therefore it technically does not comply uh with the code requirement but it does comply with the intent it does provide movement on that facade you don't have a flat uh continuous facade so so it does comply with the intent of that open space requirement so staff is supportive of the waiver um and with that staff recommends that the application be approved uh subject to the conditions in the attached draft order thank you very much okay and before we begin um just my ex party question any disclosures no okay thank you I'll set the clock in 10 minutes sir good morning Jose Sanchez practice architecture I would uh expand on what just mentioned but briefly if we may the owner would like to speak to the board he's here Mr Pier dtin if that's possible well good morning uh everybody good morning to the city uh Team of the city of Mii Beach and good morning to the board members just a quick words because I don't want to take too much valuable time away from the architect that I think is very talented I bought this property more than 25 years ago and and I've been I think saving every penny for the day in which I will have the pleasure and the honor to be sitting here to present what if God willing will be another 25 years in this location uh I have asked the architect to uh be creative taking into consideration the environment but at the same time respect respect strictly the rules and the regulations so they could approve I have also reached out to all my neighbors which I know quite well because I used to be the president for five years of the star pal and IIs someon Association they all in favor and when you look at the project plan that I'm going to let the architect talk in details and what the house is I think everybody in the in the in the community is delighted because it's going to be a great Improvement for the community so I want to thank you for your time and for for this opportunity thank you and I'll go directly into uh the comments uh if the presentation could be uplo loaded please okay this is uh just to refresh the location on the west end of uh Palm I'm facing uh downtown Miami and this is uh the front uh facade uh with uh the materials we could come back to to this if there are questions and this uh volumetric uh views uh from from the top uh were requested previously to understand the volumes of the of the house and here uh you can see on the um bottom uh left that's uh where we were asking for a waiver without there was a decorative beam tying together the both volumes both volumes that are at right at the setback that was actually removed when we uh we had time to review the plants and it was removed we considered it was not absolutely necessary so that's not a w requested now um on the bottom right you can see the main uh card and the uh geometry of the um of the project with basically one primary volume modified and the rest is orthogonal geometry so we think it's um a response to the owner's brief to create a project with character and personality but not with a multiplicity of Cur of curves or or anything that's excessive um here on the next one you could see the the volumes but seen at ey level and you could see uh on the on the bottom left the the volumes that are at the first floor level are only 30 I think it's um 30 feet in length the volume that's closest to the to the water side it's right on the left on the second floor and then on the on the on the front everything is recessed so it's there only 30 feet right at the setback of the second level I mean understanding it's for an under story house and there are some projections which is the um um a wall and a a semicircular stair projecting into the setback but in reality you could do by code 60 ft of twostory wall with articulation of course but we think that this uh setbacks have uh even um more impacting effect on the articulation or or on the perception of the massing of the of the volumes for for the neighbors and uh on the uh other side on the North side it's basically a 45 ft uh length of twostory wall and then there's like one or one and a half story entry volume but uh again in comparison with 60 feet of length for two stories we think that uh we have um done a concerted effort to create enough articulation within the constraints it's a narrow lot 60 ft in width and could could not create four uh front facades so to speak uh that's the entrance volume with with the semicircular wall uh which will have uh Planters and and hanging vegetation there some of the views of uh what the owners will experience basically in the entry Courtyard um ac across the under story and you could see uh the Miami Skyline at the end and it's um on top a view towards the entry and the and the courtyard and a view of the the rear pool and these are the uh openings in the curv linear wall you know our first comment during the um submittal process the the one on top is the first one that we submit and then at the bottom is the second one I think if we should not be adding too many openings because it just kind of dilutes the idea of the of the solidity of the volume so I think that I would I would even have probably less but I think that should comply and uh these are the technical plans uh indicating the waiver removal I mean the the fact that the waiver is not required right and that's basically that concludes the presentation we'll be happy to answer any questions thank you very much are there any members of the public wishing to speak I see no hands raised okay great I'm closing the public portion opening this up to the board for discussion who would like to to begin okay um congratulations Pier um and thank you I think the improvements you made it's such a vast difference from the openings um it looks so much more inviting and less fortress-like now the opening of the stairs and the larger openings in the wall just great changes it's not that huge but it really makes a big difference so thank you can you show us on your uh plans that um you had up on the screen earlier where the two variances are that you are requesting or waivers and again I uh did what was just said it is a beautiful plan and much improvement thank you here in the site plan uh you can see at the bottom um the there was a beam on the South Side connecting they have both volumes the one on the west and the one on the east it was just a decorative beam so it looks as if it's one element uh but we felt that it was not necessary and that was uh remov along with an eyebrow so there are no waivers requested there it'll be more open so at this point there are no waivers being requested the approval for the underst stor correct yes that's one and then the second one it's here on the top um we have a circular um plane that and the the pole was um right into the into that plane if you can see it on the top because just it's the Aesthetics because it it looks good the the curve on the water but then uh the the pool could not pass the 5 foot uh requirement for green area under the house so we just reduce the size of the of the pool I mean it would have looked better the other way but there there is no mechanism in the code to request this waiver we were told so that's it will be like that with a planter so we reduce the size of the of the pool or the pond is in that area yes thank you sure sh do you have any comments on the design or um yeah I was just uh trying to make sure I understood everything I I do want to say congrats it's it's good to see something that has movement that is thought thoughtful um it seems to be responsive to the spaces you know that you and your client are trying to curate um I was just reviewing the landscape plan and you know my only suggestion as you as you move forward is when you have a site like this and you know so much of the house is about looking out you know across the water and and to the city but you have such an opportunity to really create you know engage the landscape and bring it in and and you do have a landscape Plan and there's some thought in there but I think it could be integrated so much more into the spaces of the house that you're creating or the spaces um that you're going to be uh just just occupying at at the different levels really um but I I appreciate you know sort of the breath of fresh air with the uh the different approach to the design and I agree the openings in the the otherwise large monolithic you know curved wall uh I think you know provide opportunity for some of that landscape my other comment which is not particular to you but but again you know this is one of the most prestigious sites in the city you know you you're adding a lot to the community and this island is and and I there are uite there is uite um I I don't understand exactly what the louvers over the windows are made out of I'm assuming just steel but so much of it is still just painted stucco and especially when we look at the North elevation um I just you know as a as a city and a culture I feel like we could Embrace materiality so much more so that's just my uh my plea to you guys thank you yes the Landscaping perhaps perhaps we have to look into it into with more detail but the idea is that it's it's kind of grown going into the wall and and uh it's very integrated and and it feels very tropical so we we will work on that and the material for the lures uh I think perhaps it's not specified but it should be uh aluminum with u wood simulation nowadays you can get a very good quality product and can uh withand the test of time and weathering um La um I mean I'm not going to say anything different but I mean I was just comparing against the the November presentation and the the changes while settle really do I think help and thank you for I think the one of the comments I had last time was to just see some other perspectives from the curved angle and that was helpful too to understand from that so thank you for for including those as well um I also uh thank you for being thoughtful about the improvements and I think it's always a good move if you can avoid a waiver or a variance to do it so that just made things a little bit easier um I also really like it there's so many very boxy home designs that we see and it's really nice when you know an architect is able to incorporate a curve in a way to offset that boxiness my comment sort of piggybacks a little bit on one of Shauna's comments about um sort of intentionality and the overall composition and I think that um there certainly when I saw the first version I was very concerned with that initial curving screen um and I think that you've lightened it up a little bit but my concern with it really was more and I want to bring up a picture that that shows that doesn't have the Landscaping but just sort of shows maybe if you could bring up slide 23 okay the presentation what what is it uh 23 is it uh one of 3D volumes no it's oh three volumes yes yeah that that sort of shows it um my concern with the the punchouts is you know I I think what I would love to see and I think again it just takes a little bit of tweaking I want to feel like that initial structure um or screen that there's a rhythm to it right now it has a feel where it's almost like these volumes are just punched out almost arbitrarily and I think that it is an interesting design feature I I should also say too you know I went and I looked at the site and it doesn't really show it very well in in the photos and the translation but this is a very compact streetcape there's no there's no sidewalks on either side the road can barely hold you know two cars passing um and the properties are very very close to one another so this building is definitely going to have a presence um which you know it's going to have um but because of that I really want so where is with maybe a property that was deeper if the this curved structure at the very front wouldn't have so much of an impact but in this context it really will and so I want to make sure that it is done with that it contributes to the Rhythm and of the overall structure that all the parts are integrated in a harmonious way um and again I think it just takes a little bit of maybe aligning you know some of the squares with one another I don't know if there was any intention you know I think it was it was helpful I like how you opened up the area next to the or around the stairwell and also that window adjacent to it you made it bigger and I think that was nice but I think there still needs to a little bit of finessing for the front screening so it doesn't seem like you know you're just throwing some you're just throwing an opening to have an opening and that you're putting in some green to have some green and that's what it that's how it goes back to Shauna's comment about integrating the landscape that you have all of these really interesting details and ideas and it would be nice if it it expressed a bit more cohesion throughout you know again like with the with the louvers as well it they they just seem to be applied um as opposed to integrated and it's a little bit hard to see in your drawings but it seems like there's also a pattern with the louvers on that on the the front elevation it's a little bit hard to I guess oh yeah you can see it a little bit better there but I'm assuming on the renderings you don't see it as much because of the shading and it's very dark those were just those were just the recommendations that I had and then let me ask you a question too again with the front screening there are ones that are completely open and there are just ones that are recessed was that just a gesture to open it up or to create a little bit more Rhythm uh okay yes I I agree the pattern of the openings I see some symmetry that shouldn't happen there it should have been more random I I can work on that uh of course uh the um openings that are closed is because we have program behind so you just recess a layer to put a planter but it could not it could not be completely open that's that's the garage and storage so it's a a combination the the volume starts at 47 fet from the street so I it's it is really tight I understand that but we look at that and try to set it as far behind as possible and you will see several Heights and planes so with within the the condition that that we found I think we we Tred to address that because it is very tight um well and I I think that you do you know there's a lot of opening there is a certain I mean clearly you're playing with volumes and lightness and and I get it I understand I think that it's it's challenging because this property it's a little bit not all you know not a lot of properties are like this and so you know mushed up so close to the street so I I I think you're pretty far along and and just want to help you know finessa to be even more impressive you know an impressive structure that I know you want to create this one no yeah no the other one yeah exactly yes um well you yeah there when you see it within the with the Landscaping you know it looks a little different you know when it's just the the volumes but in but in reality it will have um lots of plants it will have lots of plants but yes we're we're uh we can work with the patterns you know both of the um let me ask you before you work on those patterns let me just make sure I understand are you referring Sarah to the I guess it's the East and the West sides the sides of the home no I'm referring to the pattern that he put in in this Curve screen where the cutouts the squares and the rectangles just feel a little bit arbitrary as opposed to intentional and there's not a clear Rhythm as you go across the screen this is going to be one of the dominant features on the street and it just needs a little bit of what is behind those openings or those windows on the upper level there's a a Terrace for for two bedrooms or study and on the lower level and there is uh storage and garage um on the left side is basically uh like a c area which is the access to the garage but the the the intention was to do them random and because since it's going to have plans we we we wanted to make it more like nature more more random uh but perhaps it needs to be TW that's understandable and yeah I think it's I think it's because the forms are so G strictly geometric you know it doesn't really reference nature it's it's just it's you know if you did want to do something you know more natural for that then make the forms feel more organic but right now they're very they're very geometric so I think it's working your ideas are working against each other yes that's right I I meant to say probably tropical because there's this um depth you're going to see the the shading um and and with the plants um but I would not I think the intention should not be to provide regular openings in my opinion it should be random is that that contrast between so if you were there's a number one I believe above the rectangular window next to the Terrace uhhuh is that one of the items you're referring to Sarah and then the two lower openings that are appear to be no I'm talking about where there's a four and a one that's the site I'm talking about I'm not talking about the area where there's a stair the other the one is the rectangular opening or window um and then the other one is which one yeah it's that section you know what maybe could you bring up if there's another drawing that just shows on on 28 that shows it without the trees and that might be an easier way to look and that's also a head-on view I guess you can see it there even is this number 28 28 is the contextual the contextual um is it in my present I think it's in the full package right oh wait there you just pass okay okay go back go back one more no one more go back sorry go back yeah it's after it's before the topographic survey this one that's the side those are the sides oh then maybe maybe I'm looking at no I feel like this was just from the side that oh that that I mean I have it blown up on my screen so I can see it better but it's that pattern in the screening that I think if it had it it doesn't necessarily have a relationship with any of the the other volumes or you know it's it's a matter of moving things a little bit to the left or a little bit to the right um you know small tweaks but you see that's the main that's what you're going to see it's also high so you know it should be well yeah in this drawing it's very abstract it's I I guess for comparison it's a requirement but there they may be a different uh depth from from you and with plets some of these houses cannot even see them but it does do a good job of showing the lines and and sort of the business and how many different lines that we're going to be seeing and their relationships yes I'm just without the landscaping though and I think once you add the Landscaping you won't be they will not be as visible oh oh right there I was trying to uh find the and I just want to make sure I understand the exact openings you're referring to and I guess they're to the best way for me to refer to them they're to the right of the Terrace opening that the round Terrace opening is that what you scen it's the round screening yeah yeah this is the this is the neighborhood some of the houses are really under story houses and they're not set back at 47 ft you know like the one on top right and top left so I think I mean the the house is high but it will probably be less imposing than some of the neighbor yeah personally I you know we all have different tastes and and and designs in our heads but I don't have a problem with it not being um organized in in their pattern um I like how it looks and I I think even with the Landscaping it'll maybe be less pronounced you know to address more of the concern that you well there's also a good design principle where you create a structure that's welld designed and the Landscaping is just the extra as opposed to designing with Landscaping is the major feature because plants die people want different and they change them and they're sometimes not as tall as others but even without the Landscaping I find it to be okay well these aren't major design changes I mean these are these are small tweaks this is not going to delay this project extensively you know quickly I I appreciate your comments obviously we all want to work something that's that's iconic also for the community but I I don't like comparison but when you compare like you know for instance a house on 300 Palm Avenue which is the one right behind and what we have trying to do I kind of like the look and I know we spent almost one year together with the architect because the idea was to create some of an art form so that's why I think what you are saying to you is that it doesn't flow in it was kind of almost intentional you know what I'm saying so that it's kind of an abstract form and yet because of the landscape it's integrated and and U of course we will take into consideration what you're saying but when you look the neighbors around I think what we are we are bringing to the community something uh I love it I love it because I think it's it's just so different it's like there's a there's an inspiration behind it so I don't know how we go from there but but we certainly want to take into consideration what you are saying at the same time would like to move forward yeah no I I mean I I think that we're more in agreement than you know you realize but in because too we want to create beautiful landmarks and structures that make our whole Community proud so and and I want to be able to have you as the creative you know realize the vision that you've had and you the owner be very proud of this beautiful building that you've created and given to the community and and you know if there's just a few little things here and there that really will take it to the next level those are that that's my suggestions let me there was another question that I had too in those recesses on the lowest area it what material are you using there was a there ones there were some that were Brown you know what yeah and is that same the aluminum from the the louvers the the lower volume it's all Stone and goes right inside into the house and the the upper volumes it's it's lers it's all I guess you know maybe it could be the drawings oh you know what I wonder if it's it's just coming in the renderings it looks like there's something textured but all of the they're all open there are some walls in the front elevation like on the left side that it's it's supposed to be a proa panels wood panels um oh wood panels yeah it's so between the wood panels in the same color as the lers and it's similar to the bronze of the aluminum windows it's supposed to be all in the same okay that was my that was I just wanted to make sure that they that it wasn't going to be a another material or element that it was just going to be the same so you basically have the stucco the oolite and the dark aluminum leavers that will look like wood it's it's it looks kind of dark in the render it looks like wood but it will not fade away and and it's going to be the same color as the same color yes so the the outer frame is the the contrasting container and then everything inside is in a darker color is there do you have a better image of that or no U let me check well this is like a partial no I don't think we have another one in color like that I guess on the materials board I think there's a yeah that yeah that's that's that that that was what I was looking and that's why so it's going to cuz in in this rendering it looks like it's a different shape than the louvers but it could just be the shading from the rendering uh yes I think everything is in in shade there and it looks darker in this lighting is yes because the the sun is in the front yeah my comment would just be there's so many different things happening on that view to try to you know reduce it to be similar again to add to the cohesion of the whole um just just to make it the same color not to add something in addition but you know blending okay I I totally understand and you know about also the opening so we will try to improve that this introducing this geometry in a tight uh site it's it's challenging and um but and there are limitations but we will do our best well and I like the concept too of having this open Terrace at the front of the house with this interesting architecture screen like you know I get it it's nice also bring like the community feeling yeah when you see all of the different houses and that's what I had ask oh can you get on the microphone it's inviting sorry about that that's what I had asked uh the architect and that's why I selected him because I look at a lot of Architects some of them very well known but I feel that in box it's box so it's not a community feeling it's not like you belong it's just like you are within your own sphere and that's why I like the the the the entrance because architecture Wise It's like a piece of art in my opinion I'm saying it's like wow and at the same time there's that warm feeling into its a Terrace where the there's people that going to communicate I always say hello to my neighbors and always when I say hello to my neighbors I realize that they they don't have a place to say hello like the you know you used to have in in Europe where there's a courtyard so that's what the feeling too you know so it's not just I am by myself I'm belong with a community that's the the the feel we tried to get have you shown the design to the neighbor to the east yes I've I've I've talked to the neighbor to the east she was in Europe for a few months and then I I talked to her and we couldn't get physically together but uh but she as far as I'm understanding she's in favor I talk also to all my other neighbors and uh they all love it they they all for it because I don't know if you have the picture of where I currently live it's like I was saying it's a very different so so yeah I I think they they all for it okay any other comments or thoughts recommendations you want to make a motion I make a motion to approve can I add the friendly Amendment for the okay do you want to put it in your words or okay I mean I could do that I could say to um work with the staff to refine the front screening structure so that it has a rhythm and is integrated with the design of the entire facade did I leave anything out and did you want to also add the stuff about the landscaping or I think yeah as a friendly um Amendment just as you're reviewing sort of openings uh you could also review you know the landscape and see if there's ways to focus or integrate the landscape more with the interior spaces sorry I there's one comment that relates to this that I forgot to mention in the rear you also have a punch out with some green and I was going to say that doesn't seem I think it would be more successful just without the punch out that it would just again you know the rear is very minimal mhm and and and I want to and I think having that do do you know what I'm talking about yes it it it interrupts that the it's very clean okay so can that would be the only can we see that screen that you were referring to uh on the left at the bottom you can see there were some opening me there not not too many because we have P equipment behind but right uh oh maybe there's a better view just oh no that yeah that one showed that one showed um this one yeah yeah that has it and that with that column there with the one that you SE what is behind that screen uh behind there's just the garden and P equipment on on okay on a platform I think you can see it there yeah in the bottom oh I see see it was to tie to the front you any yeah I think it ties it in with the front um design I yeah I well there was another one right there okay whatever I think it's unnecessary but you know I'm not gonna it's not the hill I'm going to die on uh I make a motion to approve with uh two friendly amendments one where you review the land landcape and integrate um the the spaces of the landscape to the interior spaces um where possible and then uh looking at I think the curved elements where there's the apertures and defining that Rhythm and language that ties it to the rest of the house uh tell me if I'm getting this wrong but it's it's not about if it is random I think it per the comments earlier there's so much of the house that's not random so just like what is the language of the entire house and making those curved elements um tied together do we have a second second one clarification so you are withdrawing the the request for the waiver for the uh correct for the open space so another amendment would be to remove the waiver from the yeah and it's just approval of an underst store do you want me to say oh sorry do you want me to say that that we approve the removal or approve with the removal of the requested waiver yes okay okay we have a motion do we have a second yeah my second second okay ER all those in favor I I I any opposed motion passes okay thank you thanks very much thank you very much congratulations okay moving on to our new applications uh drb 23975 2344 North Bay Road this application has been filed requesting design riew approval to allow for the construction of a two-story Edition and a second floor Edition to an existing two-story home including one or more waivers and a variance to reduce the required side setback okay so this is uh in addition to an existing home the home was constructed in 2000 uh in a in a Mediterranean um Mediterranean style uh the applicant uh in the plan submitted the applicant showed two additions um the first of those additions um was cited along the central portion of the front facade of the residents however the applicant has indicated that they are no longer seeking to do that addition um so that is being removed from the application um so that leaves another uh addition that is on the um on the edge of the property on the on the U South elevation of the property and uh they are proposing a uh uh a second story addition to an existing one story extension that happens at the front of the of the of the home um the the extension would re ire a waiver um sorry would require a variance um to remove to reduce the interior sidey yard setback the interior sidey yards have been increased since the home was originally constructed uh so the applicant is proposing to follow the existing uh constructed uh setback lines for this twostory Edition um so the the uh current required setback is 15 ft the applicant is requesting uh that the addition be constructed at 7 feet 5 inches from this from the from the property line um the staff is supportive of the variance um given that it was constructed under a prior code it is a practical difficulty um and and following that line does make sense with the architecture of the home um the applicant is also requesting a waiver of the open space requirement uh for two story volumes that exceed UH 60 ft um so this this uh this this volume would exceed that that distance staff uh is supportive of the waiver the home is there um the there's there's no way to add that open space at this point however staff does feel that uh that the applicant can improve the the uh the conditions of that that expanse uh using various architectural elements um staff suggest that it could be um either recess planes or wall planes niches or other architectural details maybe false windows or maybe even some score lines something to break up that facade it is there it's hard to work with it um but maybe somehow that could be improved a little bit uh because it does create a a condition where you have a long expans of a blank wall on on that elevation um but again it is there so it's it's it's tough to work with um with that staff recommends that the uh that the variants be approved and that the waiver be approved uh subject to the conditions in the attached draft order thank you very much and Matt before we start two things one any ex party uh Communications uh to be disclosed at this time NOP no and then Matt I think some of your folks came in late and need to be sworn in so those that haven't previously uh been sworn in please raise your right hand do you swear or affirm that the testimony you'll be giving in this proceeding is the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth okay thank you and I'll set the clock at 10 minutes when you do your presentation can you just point out to the variance of in the waiver that Ro Helio was mentioning that is part of your application thank you we do good morning Matt amster with the L burkow Rell Fernandez Larin and tapenz offices at 200 South biscan Boulevard in Miami here today representing 2344 uh irrevocable trust um from the trust we have uh Fred Carlton sitting in the front row um with me the design architect Jose Lobo his assistant Rodolfo Lea and my colleague uh Robert Alvarez uh we're here today uh these owners have been here uh in this house for 20 years and all they're looking to do to meet the growing needs is a very minor modest addition at the southeast Corner um it uh this is only on the second floor it is following the existing building line uh and we're not adding to the footprint of the home uh in fact um I think quite beautifully integrating we're completing the Home Design uh as it faces the front facade um if you call up our presentation please thank you uh there's a home as roel mentioned just on the left is the the area that we're adding that minor addition on the second floor um there had been but it's basically for illustrative Pur purposes only the uh another Edition at the front of the house the recessed portion in the courtyard that's not being um carried forward at this time so we're only here today for uh this uh the front left portion at the second floor um we'll get in wait so is that on there the one that you're not doing yeah just the the timing of uh you'll see we have a a picture showing the front so you'll see it's basically mimicking the same design as is there today but we're not moving forward with that front two-story Edition that is not subject to any waiver or variance at all uh all the so the only purpose for the application is for this second floor Edition which is the top left there you can see uh the window above the door that's really the only you'll see this in more images we'll make it clear but just wanted to focus that that's really all that the scope of this application for today uh next slide just to give you uh the lay of the land uh uh and in fact best to look at the one on the right side um the applicant personally went door to door to speak to all the neighbors you have a handout of four letters of support this is from the home on the right um of our property which is the South neighbor the one that immediately abuts where this addition is being placed and then the three homes across the street again those are the other ones that would uh be able to view this minor addition uh all of them are supportive uh of our both application and our waver and variance uh next slide just some current images uh to help you out on on the left side in the middle that's the front facade as it is today and you can see uh this small one story Edition that we're going to put a uh a minor addition on top and that's really the scope of our application I'm going to turn it over to Jose H good morning members of the board my name is Jose Lobo from so design studio for 108 Southeast 8th Avenue for laudale I wanted to talk to you about uh the nature of well not the nature but the elements of Med of a Spanish Mediterranean uh architecture that um that signify this home um one is the the tower which makes the arrival of the home then we have uh Courtyards which are which are very prominent in this type of architecture uh we have a front am manity in in this home and then um we we not uh we notice how that embrac the front enclosure and then uh we are respectful of of the asymmetry that makes this type of architecture and uh also uh we looked at the multiple volumes and and their different heights and um that's how that's how we propos the height of this element uh on the that you see on the on the bottom picture it's um it's on the on the left side and um what we're doing is we're we're basically just completing this front court that uh that makes makes up the home and um and by um and you can kind of see the a symmetry of the openings uh we have placed openings on in the front the sides of the of the Second Story Volume and um uh wrapping the corner just sort of like going into that very Lush u space that makes up the uh the space the setb between the two homes here's uh some uh some more technical uh drawings of uh of the addition here you can see how uh the house on the or the existing house uh seems incomplete at this time and now with the Second Story addition it would uh just just make a hole also uh notice that uh the front Court uh how we're embracing that a different different level roofs and here's um your request U we're seeing the this is the the variance request for the interior setback at the time of uh that the house was built the setback was 7 and A2 ft and um and now there's a 15 foot setback required but um but but we all know that if we do that addition on the second floor it would be just awkward and then uh for the waiver request we uh we we do have the 60 foot um code requirement but um but as as you can see this would be the the space that we would um we would have to consider removing which is at this point is is is it's one of the U essential parts of the house then um here we can see uh the South elevation in uh top is the existing and as all the landscape that you see there is existing and on the South Side you see the propos in which we uh we we see the uh the addition and um and the um fenestration of the with the two windows those we're carrying some of the BS that are coming around from the front before you move on this also is a good reflection of the varying Heights of the building um our addition is lower than the portion just to the left of it and uh roughly the same height as the further back further to the left um but in the center you see a second portion the home was originally built with a tower that's much further recessed that is not at the side elevation at all it's very far back uh so um varying height elements here uh to help you know break up the massing with this addition and then here in this um in this slide we can see the the existing landscape that that exists between the two homes and um yeah there's made up of of trees and palm trees and and shrubs and is really um it's really just a space a corridor between the two homes that uh doesn't really affect any uh the addition of the house will not affect uh very much the um the views or existing spaces on the south property yeah it serves as a existing buffer for all these years already you know between the these two neighbors both uh our property owner and the neighbors Landscaping are again extensively the buffer that's already in place to help uh screen this Edition since it already screens the home itself and here's a rendering of uh of how the first rendering that we showed you in which we're showing the addition yeah so just to um in summary we're here requesting this modest uh addition that you know we're following the existing building lines uh this is something that again owners should be encouraged to um build additions where they can to their homes to make their proper use make that addition be um compatible and harmonious with the existing home which I think this actually helps complete I think it's a better design with this rather than the current uh ex existing condition um we agree with all of staff's uh comments including we can um provide some additional element on the addition on the south um and we'll work with staff to make sure that that is complied with so with that we uh request approval of both the variant in the waiver and the design and we're here for any questions thank you very much are there any members of the public wishing to speak I see no hands are raised okay great I'm now closing the public portion and opening it up to the um board for for comments or questions so to clarify I think we both had the question what's not what you're what's included in the presentation but what you're not planning on doing is the is expanding the width of I guess the center section of the house corre that's what although it's on it's it's included in the application you're just not going to move forward with doing it right okay and just to be clear we provided a Revis set to staff that makes it clear with a note that the twostory front ele um addition is for illustrative purposes only so when because it's it's a ref when you approve an application there's a reference to the plans so and those carry forward into building permit for review so I just wanted to make that item to be on those plans that you are would hopefully approve today that those uh are essentially only for this second floor Edition at the southeast corner and not for the center two-story Edition okay although that's that that was actually going to be one of my questions but that it that it's okay that it's not exactly what you're doing and that okay did that answer your question about what was okay any comments I I guess I just want to understand sort of since you talked holistically about you know the Mediterranean um architecture and the components of it and you want us to address this as a holistic project there are plans though to reconfigure at the center of the building and do that addition or it's just been separated out or that the re the larger reconfiguration is not going to happen can you step up to the microphone Fred Carlton 2344 North Bay Road um I thought about it and I just wanted to take a look at it so I asked them to draw it but it's so low on the totem pole that uh it's just not something I'm going to consider doing at this time so can I ask is this current addition that you are doing is that 451 square feet addition okay correct yeah I'll just say I mean I I understand coming to us with just that 450t addition and saying you know we're carrying the line forward within the language of the existing structure that makes total sense I have no issues with that I don't want this to come back and bite me but if there is sort of this larger reconfiguration of the project plan then I would H feel slightly differently because I would say well you know the you know we're we're allowing the variants to not have you know a relief in the elevation and so if there's larger changes happening I would say well you could make the style and the architecture um of the current house you know match that but if that's not the goal then I I have no issues you know it structurally um spatially formally it makes sense just to continue that second floor out even though that that's not the current you know codes but I assume that if someday in the future you decide to build out that front it would take them over the unit size and the lot coverage and they would have to come back to us as a board but that's not what's presented before us nor the wish of the owner so I agree with the previous comment the existing requests for a variance um and waiver are within um reason and the addition is very nice thank you congratulations yeah I mean I'll agree with that um if this could just be taken into consideration um I just noticed that like all of the Second Story uh windows or not windows but doors have like that balcony railing and I realize this is like a closet or something so there's not really an opportunity to do a balcony but um maybe like a Juliet sort of like just the clad the iron work around the window may may benefit from a continuous yeah from some balance there um not necessarily need need that but I just think that that could be a nice touch to add um but no otherwise I think this looks nice and I think this helps the design of the house overall thank you yeah I agree I think it's a very sensitive addition I agree with Matt about I'd like to encourage people to use what they have and then improve upon it um and I like seeing how you know longtime residents are able to adapt to you know what they have so I'm in support of this it's very nice and I think you did a good job you know sticking to the original design theme it doesn't really bother me at all this because it's so deep on the side with the the solidity of the extension um so I'm in support of the project thank can I ask one more question or were you going to say something I I'm just we don't see a second floor plan um you know well the second floor plan that was submitted is based on the reconfiguration with the other addition so is there a second floor plan that we understand like you know yes it was shown in the rec the whole reconfiguration as a closet and a bathroom but I don't is there a second floor plan I can it's it's so it's glossed Andress okay all right thank you I make a motion to approve uh with do we need to to stipulate in the in the motion that it doesn't include that the Second Story or be specific that it just includes the second floor Edition not you know to to you know what I'm saying that it includes one thing but not the other because the the application that we're seeing is for both sections yes we do need to update the um that the plans are consistent with those that were provided uh in the subsequent update that are dated uh let me get the date here here 1013 2024 sorry updated on oh no say dated uh that it that the um applicant shall build substantial in accordance with the plans uh dated October 13 2024 as opposed to those dated October 10th and in our um design review board um memorandum that you prepared it under variance review shaa and um waiver um review it tells you exactly the two things that are being requested at this time and that we would be approving or voting on you want me to read it okay a variance um so the project is um a motion to approve the project um for 2344 North Bay Road which includes aarian to reduce the 7t 7t minimum required interior yard setback of 15 feet in order to constru construct a second story Edition on the inter ior South yard at 7 and 1/2 ft from the side property line and a uh variance um to include um the interior side setback variance for a second story addition towards the front of the home so that it can continue with the same setback as the existing home where the addition is being added to so that clear as mud now yes so just the the only changes would be that updating it so that the plans reflect those the revised plan submitted on October 13th um and then we will we will revise the order because the order does mention um the construction of a two-story Edition and a second floor Edition uh we will revise it to strike out the two-story addition portion and just leave it to mention a second floor addition to an existing two-story home do we have to vote on the variant separately from the approval or uh yes okay yeah actually you you can combine the two if everybody's comfortable with both it's a variance and a waiver yes yeah if I may just for clarity I know you're referencing an October 13th set of plans M I know it was in November that we submitted them maybe the date on the plans says October 13th so I just want to yes it's the date on the plan says October 13th so when our staff opens it up I I just want to make sure that when they look at the date on the plans that they're they're uniform so I I know it was submitted later maybe maybe maybe for the record we can say that they're submitted on November 22nd sure good idea there's a subm to staff for clarification that we can ensure that the October 13th are the right set of plans this is the set of plans that says the twostory uh addition in the middle right it is illustrative only and and one more thing I think to clarify and make this easier in the title right the subject of our request it's page one of the draft resolution you could just cross off right do a striketh through of the two-story addition yep that's exact yeah that's exactly what and so it was emailed on November I have November 22nd November 22nd or yes November 22nd okay that makes sense let me double check that's what I re so the motion was sorry November 20th no sorry so the motion was to approve the project as presented in today's meeting um with a waiver in a variance to add a second story addition to the South front of the home including um following the same side yard setback that exists in the current home okay we have a motion did we have a second I'll second all those in favor any opposed okay the variance passes thank you thank you much that was with the design as well everything all at once perfect thank you all very much okay moving on to excuse me our final application uh for today drb 24 10471 1974 Mars drive this application is requ design review approval for a new five story multif family building with a with one or more waivers to replace an existing residence okay the applicants here okay um okay so this uh this subject site is located on Normandy Isle on an interior parcel uh the applicant is proposing to construct a four-story 12 unit residential multi family building with ground floor parking and a shared rooftop amenity um the project proposes 12 one bedroom units that are approximately 800 ft in area the ground floor has 11 parking spaces an entrance foyer with an elevator two sets of stairs and an enclosed trash room um each floor has uh each of the residential floors has three units that are organized around a corridor that run along the west side of the building and a centrally located opening um the lot is a standard lot it's about 9,99 Square ft um the building is of a contemporary style that has a Morpheus shaped stucco grids um um that project beyond the building's walls and frame the balconies in a curve of linear fashion um staff uh is supportive of the design um however the one the one recommendation that staff does have is for the ground floor uh staff does recommend that there be screening along the garage levels to make sure that lights don't impact neighboring properties um um as Vehicles move around and they Park and all and such um so since it is an interior lot um and so with that staff recommend that the application be approved subject to the conditions in the attached draft order um there are no waivers or variances for this proposal and before we proceed uh any ex party Communications no seeing none and has everyone on your team been swor in yes you all been spawn in early yeah just the three of us you have been you didn't come in late we were late we were late you were late yeah please please raise your right hand do you swear or affirm that the testimony you'll be giving in this proceeding is the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth yes thank you sorry and I'll set the clock at 10 minutes and thank you you got it uh well we are presenting today uh sandbox um as mentioned it is located on Marcel Drive um it's um a fivestory building it has 12 apartment units and 11 parking spaces um the well General location is 1 1974 um maral Drive the Sony it's RM f um F1 uh the flood zone um it's at 8 ft and the loot cover the lot area it's 9,99 Square ft can you put the presentation please I okay okay um up like this so there there's the the location of the property um well the idea for this design comes from the the Beautiful Textures that we get from the sand at the beach and the idea is to incorporate that in in the shape that we see in the building um with um natural colors as we were um checking on the previous projects trying to work with light colors and and more connected to what we have and the the the character of the city um we wanted to play with that sun texture and shapes um that's why we created this organic form and we play with it through the entire um exterior of the building what you see there is a a um a hand sketch with the main idea the the original idea where you can um play with the organic shapes but but in the same time H prepare the units with like rectangular shapes that it's more functional for for the uh owners um that's why we have um this um Proposal with three apartments in each level so we have in the ground floor only the parking and the the access to the apartments um in the the next levels they have the same typical layout with three units one bedroom one bathroom each uh with a an average of 800 square fet each um and the context help us to work with the entire facade with the four facades because uh we already have multifamilies buil around so I don't think that they're going to change in in the short term and and what we have also is in the back it's a building that all the the parking area it's open so we kind of have pretty much like a good uh opening around our building so we we thought it was good to to uh get involved in the four facets of the building that's the front view um basically uh we try to put those organic and and curved uh lines vertically and horizontally trying to uh play with a white stco uh sunand color rough stco to kind of imitate the sunand texture and uh the all the window framings and the the the case of the stairs making it in a brown metal what's it aluminum aluminum and yeah but what's the name of the cner the dark is in the light dark or hustle nut hustle nut hustle nut bronze color Metal Frames that will give a little dark color for for all the framings uh but not that uh dark it's kind of like intermedium H we have a open corridors that's part of uh complying with all the requirements the the F and all that uh we like the idea of having a cross ventilation through the building and we create this Central um Garden vertical garden once again it's not meaning to be uh like dense the rear view the rear view the the the side view um where you can see all the corridor and this mesh that is in a central patio that will be with orchids and all this uh local plants that can uh help with the with the sustainability of the of of the building so like the corridors are open the rain happens that uh helps to contain the rain not going all splashing the corridors at the same time it helps the plants to grow there then the tropical plants and uh it creates creat some more fresh um environment go to the sample miss another one another one those are like well the finishes uh and well the the the brand of the mesh that's the ROP top um well in in the in the ground floor basically it's all parking that's uh what can be F fit there uh we have a reduction of one parking space but we get to maintain the the the on street parking we can we can uh accommodate everything to have the the new driveway and and and maintain the the on street parking that we have there in this moment and uh well this is a typical uh floor plan for for the units they are all like all the levels are the same and as I mentioned before they are very much U squared to fit like a functional space for for the people and we created um balconies like um more like patio like uh with a nice area for having some extra green Planters um yeah and and the access to a roof is minimum it's more for maintenance than anything else and well here is like a sketch of the intention of the Cross ventilation and and having all these situation where the the with that mesh and creating this fresh air coming through the building especially for summer and the and the the incident of the natural line right this is the company that's a part of the the flyer of the of the provider of that uh type of mesh it's for reference and yeah that's that's it that's it that's the end of the presentation thank you very much are there any other members of the public wishing to speak there are no hands raised okay great I'm now going to close the public portion open this up uh to the board for discussion um I should say it's nice to see you guys again you're very busy in North Beach thank you um I can I can start um if you don't I there's so many things about this project there's so many ideas that you have that I really really like um and I I like the sort of organic um The Atrium the flowy um nature of it I think it's it's it's a it's a really nice concept uh one of the things that when I was reviewing the presentation the other day um can you put it on I think it's page six it has your your sketch the one before it yeah that one so one of the things I'm always doing when I'm looking at these projects is saying I love talking to the architect and understanding what their idea was and their vision and then making sure that what their Vision was is then got realized in that way um and so one of the things I really love this sketch that you did and it it just it is these very beautiful flowing lines I can see the direct references and then but then when I looked at the actual design um the shapes that you have that you ended up translating it into resembled less the sort of long flowy lines of the sand and more and if you want to go to the the I think it's page 11 more almost like funnels they were the sketch the original concept is very horizontal and flowy and it seems like in Translation you ended up with these forms that are very vertical and a little bit more rigid and I would and it it it's standing in contrast to the general flowy lines that extend around the perimeters that you know distinguish the different floor levels so that that would be my sort of General General oing overarching suggestion to really explore that original like push that concept because that was really interesting and I think it's going to make a distinctive statement integrate that more as a whole um I know that you're concerned about like the viewing corridors and everything which again like this there's this is a beautiful location whoever lives here is going to have a fantastic view I I actually agree um we simplify the shape more like thinking in the construction process and to make sure that they they they can actually uh apply the idea and and make it like and and not creating weird and even things you know I'm not I'm not sure how how it going to be construct like if if the contractor will have the capability of doing all like too much um different shapes that's why we were simp simp find the curves trying to continue with the idea because I love that to make it like super organic but I I'm not sure if you can pull it off if yeah because is this made out of concrete or what is there will be a concrete yes and can't you form I mean maybe I'm concrete into yeah I'm not sure depends I mean that's it you know I I think that it's it's sort of conf it's not it's not as successful as I want it to be in this shape if it's not going to be this maybe it's also because it seems like right now you have these funnel shapes competing with the the grills at the corner which I understand is is is covering the stairwell but it's and then you have with the the F the lines of of the the glazing there's just a there's just a lot of of things that are conflicting here you know maybe even if the if the glazing followed the curvature of the line but the glazing is straight you know what I'm saying like there's there's some tweaks that are that I I want I want this idea to be realized and there are some things that you're presenting that are sort of counteracting that um that's why we play horizontally and vertically kind of like flat to make it more easy under the construction process that's why the the slab has the curves already horizontally right and and vertically with with all those uh shapes right I also I mean there is that which I think is a major design concern I didn't notice this the first time but I'm noticing it now do you have the bicycle racks as the decorative element that that lines that you see in the front next to the pedestrian entrance it's required I have to say I I I think that that's a big mistake I mean I think that that's inviting people to steal bicycles people love stealing bicycles in Mii Beach and I wouldn't put that I mean if I live there it wasn't required though um and they required to put those um yeah but I mean can you put it on the inside not it's I mean do you have to display bicycles on the outside of I think it was traff traffic there there's a requirement that short-term bicycle parking be located towards the towards the front and be be accessible but could you put it on the other side of the wall or like I think they have it there too so it may be how many spaces are required it may be a space constraint because I believe they are supposed to be for the public not for the people in the building it's primarily for short term would be for visitors coming essentially same as visitor parking um let me look at this precise requirement there is bicycle parking right on the back side of that wall on the other side M it's just confusing to me because I think again it like interrupts this design following your question I'm sure that the home I would think that the homeowners that are parking their bike are going to park it on the inside and only when the inside is totally full will they use the outside and the outside is really u a requirement for public use from traffic from traffic department it's the requirement is that they be located in a highly visible location near the main entrance to the use so it it doesn't need to be facing the street but it but it should be towards the front of the building right so the ones on the other side of the wall are fine yeah could you just add more on the I guess that's what I'm saying I mean you're only going to put four bicycles there I would guess that well I don't I don't know your exact restraints but on another project we're dealing with this different municipality but they want a 2T by 6ot area and a 6ot access in front of it like there's a lot of space dedicated to bicycle parking so I would guess that the as compact as your first floor plan is they probably don't have it even to put it on the back side of the wall then they can't have the other parking racks that they have there so I see what you're saying but I would guess it's a space constraint I think it's a I actually think it's awesome that you Incorporated it like that I would with Sarah though you have a good point and I would say make sure that there's the ability for people to use those really thick chains and be able to work in whatever system you have so that would be nice at one point I lived in a small apartment in Normandy Isle and I had my like locked outside and it it it it did not survive so that's that's you know that that's my only I understand the concept and the idea but it it it also is just awkward to have the front facade of your building you know a main decorative element before bicycles and who knows if they're going to sit and get rusted and be aand you know who knows and also what do those rails look like when there's no bicycles on it you know are the these beautiful architectural metal features or are they just industrial looking rails I'm I'm going to sort of counter contradict your comment but like I love the grittiness of it like to me the way this is you still have parking it's still off street but it's open air you guys have really you know reduced the footprint that is cooled you know and really taking advantage of the climate and to me like I can't remember the address of a project reviewed a few months ago where you know they even had like the roundabout kind of in the driveway and everything was really pushed back and it was clear that they didn't want to engage the urban public so I mean I I've had bikes stolen to uh Boston people love to do that but uh it's also just sort of like the willingness or the grittiness of the city so I would love to see you know more of that I don't want to cut you off Sarah I I also just want to compliment the the approach to the design can I ask a question or do you want to keep commenting your no I mean I I I I don't I just think that it's you know it's the same reason yeah I don't know why you would want to take this beautiful elegant building that's inspired by the sand dunes and put something gritty on the front of it we cannot H put it on the setback right like like in the side setback to create some area for those bikes because we really have like like no more space to play with uh and the side setback like on the grass to create one um the rack I don't think the rack itself would be encroaching just it's not an allowable yard encroachment so if you have a few inches to give on your side setback you could incorporate no it's requesting for for encroachment how many how many bicycle racks do they how many how much bicycle storage they're required for short-term rental four per building or one per 10 units so this is 12 so so uh four perit four they would need four short-term and then the long-term requirement is one per unit so they would need 10 long-term spaces so that's 14 sorry 12 12 long-term spaces so that's 16 total 16 required bicycle spaces if you put the um the screen back that was on before there's a space to the right of the building um um well no the one you were on the first one the first one yeah the one you were on there um adjacent to the staircase there is there an area there where you can put a bike rack they are the remaining bikes are there they are there okay yeah on the outside on the outside of it not on the not behind few in the wall like on the other side of the wall and on the floor and then facing the side yard they have um circulation cuz your trash is actually coming across there so we're super tight yes yeah so I I go back I think that those residents that are there that have a bike are first going to go into the covered area and and so leaving the uncovered front area uh for Last Choice you know so it may not get used why we choose that lineal uh racks because in the mean not there it's more aesthetic that standard one smart smart do you have um better than just popping a bike rack in the front of that wall do you have a v um a picture that shows what that would look like without the bike no the peration the family is from the manufacturer on page 22 of the presentation where your guys just have your exploded axe on and you have the ground floor um you don't have any bite you're wanting to see just what the four vertical lines look like Sarah was saying what does it look like without the bike um the racks in the front facing the front of if you go to page 22 yeah no uh go back to your exploded a yeah zoom in there I mean it's a bit abstract as a drawing but you can see where the the other side it will be under the stairs they just wanted to see what the racks look like without a bike in it like she number 11 um page 11 May give a better view of what the front bike racks would look like when empty there's bikes on that is that page 11 this is 11 yeah page 11 we didn't see the the page number I'm sorry oh it's a front view rendering it's very similar to what you what we were just looking at it's a picture of H there oh there there there you just passed it right there okay there was one right after that was maybe closer there that yeah I was also looking at the the floor plan for the garage you know and and seeing if there's enough room to put it on the other side of that wall I mean there was a lot of just sort of the inside of the wall as opposed to the outside of the wall you know the we already have there like we have in the front and inside that same wall and a few more in the like of the regular bike bricks in like the ones that are in the floor right and that according to the plan the the the freestanding one holds 10 yes mhm and then so there's five on the outside and then five on the inside yes so that's 20 no we have five inside five outside that will be 10 plus four on the floor five in the floor five in the floor depends how long five so we have 15 in total the floor the the curvy floor one only holds five yeah yes yeah I mean I I I I don't know I I think it's a mistake to put it there and I understand the constraints we we can like try to paint it with the same sunand color that we're doing with the the rough sto behind that like to to kind of camouflage the mean let me ask you a question Ria what else have you been seeing that people do or is this a new requirement and we haven't really been seeing I I think people have more or less been incorporating it into bike rooms in the interior um when they when they come in for programing they all seem to fit them into a into a bicycle room in the interior of the building I've never seen one on the facade like this so and they put a bicycle room on the first in the parking in the parking area that fits the the amount of bikes and you don't want to give up the parking spaces that yeah we can't and other thing is that there was an update on the code so now we have a wider setback that restricts even more the the surface to work with I would say of these under story buildings that we've been getting recently this is probably the largest one um that I can think of and so therefore has the highest bicycle parking requirement and I think that's why they're having the the difficulty that they're having they they tend to be in smaller Lots uh maybe 6,000 square feet or 7,000 sare feet instead of this one that's about 9,000 square feet yeah I don't know but my concern too is that this is going to come up again I mean I just don't want a nice apartment building looking like an inter modal Hub okay I think we we can uh find another wall like the in the rear in the rear staircase we have like and the only only four have to be in a prominent location near near that's visible so the rest of them can be located anywhere so and when you say so the ones on the inside of the wall that wouldn't be considered visible like it has to be actually visible from the street I don't think it has to be visible from the street um visible um let me read the term again highly visible location near the main entrance to the use so near the stairs uh where somebody who's coming into the building near the elevator that that would be highly V visible to the to the uh entrance of the use so it doesn't need to be visible from the street again because I don't want to encourage people to go onto the property to steal the bicc you know I mean that's that's yeah that creates a situation that creates a situation so it would be somewhere where a guest who's coming to visit can find the location of the bike rack easily right usually it's sort of on sidewalk a sale or something like that we can probably uh use uh one of the the walls in the like in the in the trash area mhm probably we can fit a few there okay we still have the ones inside like the wall and mhm it's not as good use the space but maybe if there's racks that lay the bike flat against the wall like I said it it doesn't use the space as well as the ones that you have I don't know any anyway okay I think well I think that we can fix fix that something okay sorry shaa did you have other comments yeah I was interested in sorry now I have to go back to render can you just go to one of your renderings of the building yeah that uh go well this the one after so when I was first looking at the renderings I thought perhaps it was a sort of a that's the rear this is fine both either one of those will work I was look I thought that there maybe was sort of um a thickness in the the floor plate where the stucco steps or you know but is it just a light I can't tell from the rendering so maybe if you go to the other one CU it looks here it look like that line that you see like well the idea is to um to have the LED strip light to um re highlight the shape during night so it is just the light it's not like a a a step or a thickness no it's it's just like the the light it's basically to to keep showing the the the form and the the yeah I understand the move I think it's a good move but I I don't think the light is going to read like this I mean at night it will but I don't think in the day we're going to um perceive that sort of light you know like in a rendering it's easy to show it as a as a line but so I I guess I was hoping that it was actually I I think this goes back to one of Sarah's earlier comments about reinforce in some of that organic form that it was actually sort of you were carving away you know at a thickness we can add some some sort of uh void to incorporate the light and during the day you can see that the shade of that voice what no she yeah she did some kind of relief or a a channel you'd see kind of a shadow yeah I think yeah just go back to the rendering that's right next to this yeah so here I just like again and I I like the move I think the idea that the building is curving and moving and addressing the street is the side you guys have these but we're never going to perceive it like this so if there if it is a shadow line or reveal or something to to reinforce that line I I think that would work you know with the light if it's also a light yeah that's that's that's easy to to um if you could go forward I think two slides um to the side view maybe one more um yeah this or um so yeah like everyone's been saying I I really appreciate the the curvature of the building and um I'm kind of seeing like a honeycombes feature to it um where I feel like it's needed still is with this Elevator Shaft on the left it's becomes this very very angular box which I realize needs to be a right angle but which was I think Sarah's first comment um was maybe continuing that brown um the cladding or whatever you're using to cover like maybe maybe considering bringing that out so that it like step tears and you incorporate some curvature that masks that like vertically to see that the cvy shape yeah I feel like we we just see that honeycomb sand shape on the front and then the curvature of the building but then we have this kind of Stark Elevator Shaft on the side and maybe nobody's really seeing that but it just stuck out to me in some of the the renderings um maybe just bringing that brown forward and it doesn't have to cover it entirely but um I thought it could benefit from that um my only other comment and maybe this is a Coster space restriction is um with the element of sand kind of think about water so I feel like this could benefit from some sort of water feature whether that's where the bicycle racks were which I don't I don't mind where they're at now but or maybe at the front some sort of like uh water flow could could be a nice addition too but overall I think it's a great design thank you on this wall yeah maybe by where the address um is on the front of the building yeah that that Wall's a little be feble I'm not sure but um the wall to the left in the main entrance of the building um there yeah opposite of to The Bike Rack Laura can I ask you a clarifying question can you guys go to your isometric view where we can see the front and the side together yeah that's that's that's a good one yeah are when you say bringing the uh Brown around are you talking about the horizontal louvers that sort of encase the stairs are you talking about when you because you mentioned honeycomb too so the sort of the organic shapes that are going from floor to floor that sort of feel carry that Dune forward are you talking about that wrapping around the side um I mean I was initially talking about the brown but or the the first thing you mentioned the horizontal line work but I mean either I think could benefit from there because it does seem like those those um stco pieces that are curved are only on the front so maybe it would work to continue them around on that side um I just think something to maybe play with the natural form on that side is needed um just on the general the floor plan yeah just because we have such a linear line there I was going to say too you almost the rest of it is so beautiful and and sexy and so many curves and this is almost like a boring more plain thing and I I agree I didn't I didn't know what to articulate um in the Elevator Shaft didn't particularly bother me but the rest of it just has such contrast um with the shapes and the light and everything else and that that just kind of seems a little blander I mean maybe it's the light though as well because it's kind of shaded um but I think this is a tough crowd I think honestly it's really a beautiful design and it's so much more interesting and um yeah I'm really happy to see it I agree I'd love to see more of the um like Sarah said at the beginning um but I I know your constraints um architecturally and I'd rather see a rendering that's real instead of things get watered down in the actual construction I hate when that happens so thanks for being honest about that thank you can you um go to back to the rear view I think it's slide it's one of the renderings the rear viw rendering because what I want to do is be able to give you some suggestions of where you can highlight the organic forms and in the curve lineer and I think here this shows really if you look what's happening if you look at the glazing and and you have these cinear forms that that I think really make the building stand out and that we're really enjoying and then you have this very rigid geometric right angle your glazing you know if if if the window frames were curved as well and I think that's also the issue too with the um the screening again it's like you have these curvan forms and then they're interrupted in a way by these very rigid you know 90° angled yeah I think that we can play with the with the the the curvy like the funnel that you mentioned to make it more uneven and different in like playful and incorporate those in the rear facade some some also on the sides and I believe that that will change a lot already yeah well and to sort of piggy back on what um what Laura was saying and and with the with the well even just like the idea of flow you know and whether it's sand or wind or water that these lines just sort of flow um whereas now they're they start off flowing and then they get interrupted and then they start and so I love I love it I don't have any issue the is going to curse me forever but yeah no I mean we we've seen you know how what you've done very recently so yeah and I think that that's why excited um yeah we can work on that yeah I I commend you I think it's a very pretty design thank you um from all four sides it's not keeping um just giving an invitation or pretty architecture in the front um but but it's nice and it appears to be a nice environment once you're in the building and you come out into those Terraces um I think um Laura's suggestion of some water feature in the front if possible um and uh maybe the um angles um towards the one side there um where there was just a a plain wall uh but otherwise I think it's a very pretty design and um I commend you that you didn't come to us with a white box you know which could have probably been a lot cheaper to build a lot faster to build um so thank you like I appreciate that you noticed how come you decided not to do these the forms I they look to me like you know the Triangular things on the other facades or like on the back you only did it on the front at the beginning we were thinking like to create uh fixed Planters on those H balconies like in the rear facade for example to make it those curve and plain with the with the glass railing and the the concrete or stco shape um I think that we can actually work on that that that was an idea that I had at the beginning and it may help with all these uh uneven organic shap and shaa I mean to address her concerns about not being able ble to make the shapes more like the original sketch did you have any expert thoughts on that well if I understood the I mean some the first steps like the sand dunes I understood those for you know those shell structures that you know single story structures are much easier to construct when you get to a multi level like this I think that's why it went vertical um and I would just assume that the vertical organic elements that are applied at the facade are only on the front due to cost but um so I I I think our advice is to see if and where you can add more of that language to the rear especially like if some of those shapes were applied at the rear here it would get rid of I think your concerns about the um you know boxy window frames you know and then a a long whatever that elevation was the long elevation with the elevator so let me see want to go back to the sketches um like it's a very bad sketch but anyway the the first one on the left uh bottom left uh that was the idea to to with those um with those shapes to to play more with more movement than what we have right now I think that we can keep working on that and as I said then we will fight with the contractor to get our result yeah that would be awes even any tweaking you could do that's such a beautiful design thank you and you can work with stop on that I don't think you need to they would not need to come back to this board so can sorry can I make a a motion to approve with friendly um now amendments yeah the friendly amendments and to to work with staff uh the one was to look at at the organic you know curves that you have on the front facade and see how they could be proliferated along the rear inside um facade that help to blend the vertical shaft of the elevator and the um sort of vertical lines of the window frames I'll let you uh add the other friendly Amendment if you want well what was there any consensus on the bicycles the bicycle rack yes we we can we can remove the ones in the front relocated them and and add a water feature Pro probably in the same wall yeah I mean I'd be okay with the language of you looking you know at the bicycle racks and if it's possible then yes yeah I yeah I would say that yeah because I mean again we realize that this is there are new restrictions and but yeah if you could explore and see if a water feature would make sense or moving the bicycle racks um you know it seems to me that that we all agreed that you know sort of the musts would be exploring ways to really make less 90° angles and more of the organic flowy lines um and then explore other ways for for the other things does that seem appropriate yeah and and even and again as an Explorer you know you might want to reduce the height of I guess it's the pediment along the top like I don't know um just I don't want to give you too many restrictions that may be because of the elevator the one on the top you're refering you don't fall over yeah okay the is that enough Direction yeah I I understand perfectly Rao do you feel like we we gave your staff enough Direction on how to I'm comfortable comfortable with the proliferation of organic shapes on the sides and rear facades um and in particular to screen the Elevator Shaft uh in order to minimize 90° angles yeah and to look at the the glazing and the the what do you call it the screening should look at the screening I can't tell from your picture is the screening curved or is it okay I screening appears to be curved to me so okay sorry that was hard to um and then explore um adding a water feature to the front facade um do we want a firm removal of the bicycle parking from the front facade or or is that more of an Explorer I wouldn't I wouldn't go for that I I I personally I don't it doesn't bother me to have the bike wreck there if they can find Space inside where they can accommodate the bikes that they need to comply with code then fine cuz they're better inside they're protected but otherwise I don't think we can make it a requirement we don't know if there're space from what they're saying my my only concern if if traffic needs to review it again and get a like they would want to make sure the racks are there I don't think they're going to be concerned with the yeah let's be realistic about bike racks though they're going to either be slammed in front of a building the ugly bike racks that you buy wherever or people time them to PS and other things so you know I think I think we should reward some creativity and see if this work it's a disaster you'll come up with something else but I think it's kind of a neat concept and attached to the law yeah no I think listen I think I I commend you for trying something different and I think we should let him go forward and see how it works out then not a must but no a recommendation to to explore and and adding additional organic moves throughout the building it it can get to a point in my my my thinking that it gets to be too much and so you don't want too little you don't want too much but somewhere in the middle I think maybe you can add a little bit here and there but I wouldn't go overboard because then it really is I in my opinion detract from the um architecture that you brought the design that you brought it's very pretty thank you what El you also made a comment about the the lighting for the review yeah I I think if they can explore um a relief or a reveal at the lighting yeah that's so to explore the bike rack the organic flow the lighting the water feature possibility of location was there any other okay I think those would and explore with them go with staff for your recommendation can you elaborate on the lighting and the let's see it was the linear light at the at the edge of the floor plate they're showing a linear light okay and so we're saying can that have a reveal or some sort of a Channel or something like yeah a channel so that it's a shadow so that we're not depending on seeing the light I got it okay to screen the actual light fixture itself well Define the curve more to define the curve more so that because I think to enhance the curve that's there if if the light were not if we're not perceiving the light then there's a shadow line or something yeah my God thank you okay did I technically make that motion I'll second that motion motion second okay all those in favor any opposed no motion passes thank you congratulations thank you happy holidays to you all thank you you too thank you okay is that um just one announcement for next year's calendar I believe everybody should have received um meeting invites for next year's meetings and if not we will make sure you receive some invites and a calendar um the meetings will be at a different time of the of the month they will be on Thursdays and I believe it's the second Thursday of the month the reason for that is because the planning board will be moving to be the first of the four land use board meetings of the month because the code does require in many situations uh that projects be considered by the planning board prior to be cons being considered by the design review board or the historic preservation board um so this is in an effort to facilitate uh and streamline procedures for applicants uh so that they can get their project approved within the same month because right now what happens is they have to go to the planning board at the end of the month and they can't go to the design review board until the following month um so Ro not all projects go to planning and then to drb just some of them some of the projects it's it's if they have a conditional use which typically are the larger projects or the proposed use that's impactful of some sort um for on this agenda there weren't any single no projects on this agenda had to go to the to the planning board uh but on occasion it happens and it and it slows them down so so it's an effort to streamline so the new meetings are now going to be the second Thursday of every month is that it's the second Thursday Thursday in most cases it's the second Thursday there's a few situations where we have a holiday or something and it and it has to be moved around okay uh but generally it's the second Thursday of the month okay um so we'll send out if you haven't received a calendar or an Outlook invite we will'll send those out um so then the next meeting is on the 16th of January 16th of January okay good well thank you very much I hope everybody has a happy holiday thank you happy holidays we have lunch by the way in the back uh for everybody so thank you very much for me was