Task force to assess design review

Barbara Diamond

The time has come once again to scrutinize the city’s design-review

process.

“I’ve been in city government for 10 years and every couple of

years we take a look at design review,” said Councilwoman Elizabeth

Pearson. “Each time, it has gotten better, but as long as it is

subjective, it’s going to be difficult.”

The City Council voted 4-0, Councilwoman Toni Iseman was absent,

to create a five-member task force to review the process -- hopefully

to make it more peaceful. The task force will include one Design

Review Board member, one planning commissioner, who also has served

on the board, and three members at large, chosen by the council.

Goals of the task force will be specified at the one council

meeting in August. Task-force members will be selected at the same

time.

The task force was proposed by Mayor Cheryl Kinsman.

“At least two-thirds of the people who come to Mondays with the

Mayor are concerned about the [design-review] process,” Kinsman said.

“It leaves neighbors not speaking to neighbors -- even wanting to

move out of the neighborhood although their project has been

approved. The negative energy needs to be brought under control. It

needs to be more peaceful, more compatible.”

Kinsman cited comments about the process made by John Tilton,

former zoning administrator who left city employment after he was

passed over for the job of director of the Community Development

Department.

In a published interview, Tilton was reported saying that the

negative energy at the weekly board meetings wasn’t healthy for him

as an individual or the community as a whole.

“It’s great to control development, but something about the

[Design Review Board] process and the enabling of neighborhood

disputes creates so much negative energy,” Tilton was quoted as

saying. “I don’t know what the solution is. But I think it has to be

considered in the future before it worsens. “

Tilton’s comments incensed some of the board members but confirmed

the opinions of some community members.

“I disagree with the [Design Review Board] chairman’s statement

that the process works,” said resident Christopher Toy, who

volunteered to be on the task force.

Attorney Gene Gratz, who frequently represents clients at board

meetings and in appeals to the City Council, also said he would be

happy to serve on the task force.

“I am not sure it needs to be fixed,” Gratz said. “But something

needs to be addressed to make the process more overt than covert.”

Engineer Fuji Fujiwara’s cogent comments had council members

taking notes and active community members in the audience asking who

he was and walking over to introduce themselves.

“The board is doing a good job, but you should look at the mission

of the board, “ Fujiwara said. “It needs to work smarter, not harder.

[Design Review], the Planning Commission and the engineering

department need to be integrated.”

Kinsman’s recommendation was to select a task force -- composed of

one member from the Design Review Board, one from the Planning

Commission, one from the Heritage Committee, two representatives from

the Architectural Guild and five members from the public, one each

appointed by a council member -- and let them consider how to make

the process more constructive and less divisive.

Too big, said Councilman Steve Dicterow, and too loosely directed.

He recommended setting specific council goals and reducing the

membership to five.

The Heritage Committee and the guild were aced out, but Design

Review Board gets two bites of the apple, since the Planning

Commission will be asked to select one of its three members who

previously served on the board.

Anyone interested in serving on the task force should contact the

City Clerk’s office in City Hall, 505 Forest Ave, or call (949)

497-0705.