Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

and join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, let the record show that all members of the planning commission are in attendance this evening except for Commissioner Dylan who's out of the country. Next order of business is item B, minutes, approval of the minutes of the regular planning commission meeting of April 14th, 2026. Can I get a motion to approve? I'll make a motion.

Commissioner Agular Commissioner Fitz seconds. All those in favor say I or raise your hand. I

I. Anybody opposed? Okay. Motion carries. Four eyes, one absent. Okay, that brings us to item C, written communications. Do we have any written communications this evening? There are no written communications this evening. Thank you. Brings us to item D, oral communications. Giving anybody in our audience the opportunity to address the commission on any matter that is not on the agenda this evening. Do we have anybody? Okay. Seeing not, we will close oral communications. Brings us to item E, which is public hearings. And we do have one item under public hearings this evening. Item E1. This is a request to consider a sign 2024-019. This is a master sign program to update the current master sign program for the Pacific Research Center. This is an existing research and design campus and it's located at 733-2799 Gateway Boulevard. Uh I'm not going to read all the APNs on this item uh this this evening. The subject site is zoned currently BTP which is Business Technology Park. It has a general plan designation of special industrial and I know there is a staff report this evening.

Yes. Good evening chairman and commissioners. My name is Ivonne Huin, assistant planner. Tonight's project includes a new master sign program at the Pacific Research Center located at 7333 through 799 Gateway Boulevard. The requested entitlement includes a master sign program which I will explain in greater detail detail throughout my presentation. The applicant is Amanda Swope of Biomemed Realy. For tonight's agenda, I will provide an overview of the project, discuss the proposed master sign program, then I will go over the California Envir Environmental Quality Act SQL exemption, staff recommendation, and lastly answering any questions for this current project. The applicant is Amanda Swope. The project site is located at 7333 through 799 Gateway Boulevard. The property owner is Biomemed Realy Pacific Research Center LP. The applicant is proposing a new master sign program to update and modernize the existing signage program at the Pacific Research Center. The subject site is zoned BTP business and technology park and has a general plan designation of special industrial. The subject site consists of three parcels with a combined lot size of approximately 81.9 acres. The site currently consists of 10 built existing buildings used for advanced technology research and development and manufacturing uses along with associated heartscaping and landscaping. The subject site is founded by Gateway Boulevard, Jarvis Avenue, Thorton Avenue, and Highway 84. To provide a little more insight on the history of this uh site, the planning

commission had approved a master sign program for the Pacific Research Center under resolution number 1709 in 2008. The program included a total of 28 signs consisting of freeway frontage and monument signs as well as building identification and directional signage which both included illuminated and non-illuminated elements. The approved signage included deviations from certain signage standards in NMC chapter 17.25 which will be discussed later on in the presentation. Um, the signage program was designed to be consistent with the Sun Micros Systems campus signage in place at that time. And here are some examples of the signs that were approved in the 2008 sign program under resolution number 1709 just to give you an idea of the signage that current currently exists at the site. For the project presented tonight, the requested entitlement includes a master sign programs with deviations from the NMC chapter 17.25. Pursuant to NMC section 17.25.110E, 25.110E. The planning commission is the review authority for this application and may approve or conditionally approve the master sign program based on the findings required by NMC section 17.25.110F. The proposed master sign program would replace the existing sign program approved by the planning commission in 2008 and update the site's signage with a more cohesive and contemporary design. The project includes a total of 121 signs consisting of a roof sign,

freestanding signs, a freeway or oriented monument sign, corner monument signs, wall signs, building identification signs, and directional signs. Sign heights range from 1 foot to 36 feet and the signage standards in NMC chapter 17.25 applied to a majority of the proposed signs in included in the project. Here in table one below summarizes all of the proposed signage that are requesting deviations to the city's um current standards. The table includes the sign type, a comparison of the existing and proposed conditions, and a description of each requested deviation. The sign types that you see here on the table are actually existing. Um, signs not included in table one are compliant with the applicable signage standards or are exempt from those standards. As shown in table one, the sign types that you see here in the table are actually existing and do not or and did deviate from the code. So while the proposed signs request deviations in allowed sign type, height and size and some even increase sign height, contrast, and visibility. The program gener generally reduces individual signs compared to the existing signage. Um, I know that there's a lot of information on this table, but I have to move on with the presentation, but I'd be happy to come back to this at the end of my presentation.

Nice. Here's some renderings of the proposed signage, including some that are exempt from this code. Yeah.

Overall, the proposed signage maintains a coordinated system appropriate for the scale and layout of the campus. Improvements are focused on enhancing visibility at key entry points along major frontages and within the interior of the site while also incorporating updated branding elements such as color and topography. The project also proposes to establish tenant signage guidelines that were not included in the 2008 propo approval, allowing up to 20 tenant identification wall signs and 10 freestanding building identification signs for future tenants. The images on this slideshow show an example location of a tenant wall sign and a rendering of the freestanding building sign available for future tenants. Through these two types of signs, um the project proposes and would enforce tenant signage guidelines that establish design parameters related to sign size, placement, materials, and mounting. The guidelines for these um sign types include some deviations from the city's standards as detailed in table one to accommodate tenant visibility within the campus setting. All future tenant signage will be subject to separate city review and approval through the sign permit process. And ultimately these guidelines are intended to promote um coordinated signage, improve way finding and tenant visibility and support the long-term economic viability of the site for future businesses and visitors. The project is categorically exempt from SQA pursuant to the mentioned SQA guidelines in the staff report and on this slide. Um, with that said, the staff recommends the planning commission to approve the

Pacific Research Center Master Sign Program based on the findings provided in the draft resolution. And that concludes my presentation. I am happy to answer any questions. The applicant is also here via Zoom and um representative from the design team is also here in person to answer questions too. Thank you. Thank you. Very comprehensive report. Thank you very much. Okay, before we open the public hearing, I'm going to ask my colleagues on the commission, does anybody have any questions regarding the presentation? Commissioner Bokeasich,

thank you. It was really nice. I love the signs on the buildings to help people find where they're going to go and stuff like that. Those looked really nice. My question is on the freeway monument that's 36 foot high. Where exactly would that one be? I didn't see it on that layout one. And is it illuminated or not?

Oh, actually maybe I'll defer to the design team to answer that question. Oh gosh. Hello. I'm Howard Curtis with the GNU Group. I'm designer. This is my colleague Dixon Kaiser. Um, glad to be here this evening. Uh, with respect to your question about the freeway sign, it is going in the exact same location as the existing freeway sign that's there now. Um, the sign, I believe, is non-illuminated. Uh, so um it's the only thing that's deviating is the is the 6T extra height. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Curtis, anybody else have any questions? Okay. At this point, I'm going to go ahead and open up the public hearing and allow anyone in the audience who wishes to speak on this item to do so. And as is our tradition, we ask that the applicant um start. So, we know we have the applicant. Uh that's Miss Swopee and she's via Zoom. Is that correct? Uh Miss Swope is not available. Well, she was one of the managers on the property. I'm My name is Julie Krauss. I'm the senior director for Biomed and I also have Tracy Sharp who is her replacement the senior property manager.

Great. Thank you very much. Okay. Um the first question I have to ask is have you read the resolution and do you agree to all of the conditions? Yes. Right answer. Thank you. Okay. Is there any uh questions for the applicant or the applicant's representative? And is there any presentation that the applicant would like to be would like to make? I mean, it's pretty comprehensive. Nope. She did a great job. Yeah. Okay. I have a question. Commissioner Aguular, go ahead.

Thank you. Um, tenant visibility is obviously very important to support the the marketability of the site and to assist with tenant demand. How's occupancy at the at the buildings today? We're currently at 74%. Okay. And about obviously his and this is more curiosity historically, how does that compare? I imagine signage is is going to help here tremendously off the 84 freeway in promoting the businesses in place. How does that 74% compared to historically here at the site or the property?

I've been involved with the asset for just coming up on 3 years. Um I think over the last 3 years if I recall correctly when I joined the team we were in the high 80s. We did have a move out. We've also recently just had a smaller lease that came in. Mhm. But we are seeing uh we are seeing improvement. We're seeing leasing picking up. So, wonderful. Stand by for updates. Wonderful. Okay. Thank you.

Okay. Any other questions? Okay. Do we have um anybody else in our audience that wishes to speak on this item? Okay. Seeing not, I'm going ahead and close the public hearing and I'm going to bring it back to my colleagues on the commission for any additional questions or comments. Commissioner Fitz.

Yes, I have a couple of comments. I think that this area of town, the Gateway Center, is one of the best areas in our entire town. When I take people coming from out of the area to show what Newark is like, I'd like to come off of Thornton Avenue and drive right into the Pacific Research Center. I happened to be around when the Sun Micro Systems campus came in. What a tremendous project that has been and what the amount of high quality jobs and energy that's created and and quality architecture too. And of course, we've got the W suite which is now the loft. So that part of town, I wish we could duplicate that someplace else in town, but if you're ever wanting to come to Newark and take a tour, I'll start with that place to go in there. I I'm in favor of this uh motion completely.

Thank you very much. Thank you. I too support it as well. I think um the new signage is is overdue. Um it gives it a nice crisp contemporary look. Um I've driven through that center before. Anything that helps direct you to specific businesses, I think is a good thing. Um anything that advertises the center and the businesses that are there is good. It's good for the city of Newark, not to mention good for the property owners as well. So, I'm going to support this as well. Anybody else have any comments or questions from the commission? Okay. At this point, then I will entertain a motion to approve the resolution, which would approve the master sign program as presented by staff.

I will enthusiastically say yes on that to approve the motion. Okay. Commissioner Fitz, do I have a second? Yes, I have a second. Commissioner Bogasich. Okay, I'll bring it back. All those in favor say I or raise your hand. I Anybody opposed. Okay, motion passes. Four eyes and one absent. Congratulations. Good luck and thank you. Thank you. Before you move on, we'd like to extend an invite. Come by and we'll show you all the upgrades we've made. Perfect. Outstanding. Thank you.

All right. Well, that concludes our public hearings this evening. That brings us to item F, which is staff reports. We have no agenda staff reports this evening. Brings us to item G, which is commission matters. First thing is G1. It's a report on any city council actions. Uh Mr. Interiano, do we have any report this evening on any city council actions? uh only one item that is a uh minor hum minor use permit that was approved by the director which is being called up for review uh to the city council on um May 20 28th um and that is regarding a special event for RV sales. So we'll report back on the decision on that project. Okay, thank you very much. All right, that concludes commission matters and that brings us to item H, which is planning commission comments. So, we'll start with uh our senior planning commissioner, Mr. Fipps.

I have nothing this evening, sir. Okay. Commissioner Aguular, nothing this evening. Commissioner Bogusich, I just wanted to say it was really nice to see that a lot of the restaurants in Newark were very, very busy on Mother's Day. It was nice to see. Outstanding. And I have nothing further to add other than we're going to be ajourned. Excellent.