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Brentwood planners debate painted-brick request and whether to set design standards for Maryland Farms
Summary
Planning commissioners reviewed a request to paint the brick exterior of 5301 Maryland Way and spent extensive time debating whether the city needs formal design standards for the Maryland Farms commercial area, directing staff to research options and confer with the city manager and attorney.
The Brentwood Planning Commission considered a minor site-plan request to repaint the exterior of an existing office building at 5301 Maryland Way and launched a broader discussion about citywide design standards for the Maryland Farms commercial area.
Planning staff presented a proposal from CBRE to paint the building primarily white with shades of gray and black accents and said the request otherwise complied with code and staff recommendations. Commissioners questioned whether allowing painted brick without a written standard would change the look of Maryland Farms, drive future requests and expose the city to legal challenges if it later created stricter rules.
The debate centered on two points: whether the planning commission already has legal authority under the city code to approve colors and materials on a case-by-case basis, and whether the city should undertake a formal process to produce enforceable design standards for commercial areas such as Maryland Farms. Staff noted the code grants the planning commission broad discretion to require compatibility with surrounding properties; several commissioners said that discretion is insufficiently specific for long-term guidance.
Commissioners raised practical concerns about maintenance of painted brick and the city’s ability to enforce upkeep over time. Planning staff said property-maintenance standards exist, primarily for residential properties, and said they would check whether those standards could be applied to commercial facades.
Rather than rule on the single request immediately, commissioners asked staff to meet internally with the city manager and city attorney, research how comparable municipalities handle design standards, and return with options for a formal process to create standards appropriate to different commercial zones. Staff agreed to convene those conversations and report back to the commission.
No formal vote on the Maryland Farms design policy was recorded during the discussion; the painting request remained subject to the planning commission’s existing compatibility review.
