Urban Design Commission approves two site projects, forwards SPUD amendment and elects officers

The Urban Design Commission on a unanimous voice vote approved two development applications, recommended a revised Simplified Planned Unit Development (SPUD) for a proposed grocery project to the Planning Commission and elected Tyler Holmes chair and Amy (last name not specified) vice chair.

Commission members approved a proposal for a grab-and-go restaurant at 2416 Northwestern Avenue after staff and applicants discussed whether the building’s west and north facades provide adequate street-facing glazing. Planning staff noted the building “has something somewhat less than 4% amount of glazing” facing the adjacent streets and recommended the applicant revisit the west façade to add more transparency or other street-level articulation. Daniel Douthat, the project architect representing Millhue LLC, said the building is primarily kitchen space and that “the owner believes in feng shui as an organizational principle for the building,” which factors into the decision not to add openings on the west façade. Douthat also told commissioners the project’s budget is “incredibly modest,” and that adding glazing would be difficult financially. Commissioners discussed alternatives including spandrel glass, landscape screening and subtle façade articulation; one commissioner said, “right now, it just looks like ... a box for food,” a concern acknowledged by staff. Despite the discussion, a commissioner moved to approve the application on the basis that it meets the Urban Design Overlay District regulations cited in the staff report; the motion passed.

The commission next approved an addition to an existing auto-repair business at 2328 Northwest 20 Third Street. Staff described several negotiated changes: the proposal preserves the shop’s functional layout while removing an existing driveway, adding a 10-foot landscaped parkway with street trees and shrubbery along NW 20 Third Street, installing a new sidewalk, and providing a pedestrian walkway through the landscape buffer to the building entrance. Because the new building area increased the site’s parking requirement to 10 off-street stalls, the applicant provided four bicycle parking stalls; under the Unified Development Code mechanism noted by staff, every two bicycle stalls reduce one required automobile stall, allowing the applicant to meet a reduced requirement of eight stalls (including one ADA stall). An applicant representative confirmed the team will close one entrance off NW 20 Third and retain access from Cross Avenue. Commissioners found the revisions improved pedestrian comfort and streetscape continuity and voted to approve the application.

On a separate item, the commission recommended approval to the Planning Commission of a SPUD amendment (SPUD 1683) for property at 1229 NW 20 Sixth Street. Staff said a previous SPUD from 2016 limited floor-plate square footage to about 27,500 square feet; the proposed grocery building would exceed that limit at roughly 28,400 square feet and requires an amended SPUD to reconcile setbacks, screening (trash enclosures, transformers) and floor-area limits. Architect Holly Hunt said the grocery “suits this area very well” and noted the amendment will allow the project team to return later with a Certificate of Appropriateness and project design for Urban Design Commission review. The commission voted to recommend the revised SPUD to the Planning Commission.

Other formal actions recorded during the meeting included approval of minutes from the Dec. 18, 2024 meeting and approval of the consent docket. Commissioners also elected Tyler Holmes chair and Amy as vice chair for the commission; staff noted the positions may be revisited if membership changes in the months ahead. The commission’s next scheduled meeting is 2025-03-26.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes (Dec. 18, 2024): approved (vote tally not specified) - Consent docket: approved (vote tally not specified) - UDCA-24-00027 (2416 Northwestern Ave — grab-and-go restaurant): approved (motion found project met Urban Design Overlay regulations as referenced in the staff report; vote tally not specified) - UDCA-24-00038 (2328 NW 20 Third St — auto-repair addition): approved (vote tally not specified) - SPUD amendment recommendation (rezone from SPUD 913 to SPUD 1683 for 1229 NW 20 Sixth St): recommended to Planning Commission (vote tally not specified) - Election of chair and vice chair: Tyler Holmes elected chair; Amy elected vice chair (vote tallies not specified)