Is this a viable project, or is this an old design that has been abandoned? Comments please!
P.S. I love the design, but it is not in the restrictive "Lake Oswego Style." Who decides how policies and codes are interpreted and ultimately approved ?
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Myhre Group Architects was responsible for the architectural design, interior design, and planning entitlements for this market-rate condominium community in Lake Oswego, Oregon. The building is four stories in height over a daylit basement parking structure, and is constructed of post-tensioned concrete slab and light-gauge steel framing. The design includes a visitor drop-off area, exterior residential plazas, many LEED elements, and a total of 24 dwelling units. The project contains a total of 57,345 square feet and is located on a 14,000-square-foot site edging the perimeter of Lake Oswego. This ideal location is nestled near the banks of the majestic Willamette River. The estimated total construction cost of the project is $13.6 million.
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Not familiar with this proposal. Perhaps, it never made it to the Application stage via the economic downturn. Possibly, a First Addition Neighborhood (FAN) Board member may have some knowledge for a Pre-Application meeting with neighborhood reps would have occurred. Generally, such meetings occur even before renderings are prepared.
ReplyDeleteI heard that the original project was to be much smaller. I don't think owners are required to let neighborhoods know if their plans change after their initial pre-app meetings, so they could build something very different from what the neighborhood thought. Please correct me if this is incorrect!
DeleteYou are correct, following the Pre App, the Applicant can change any initially discussed plans for the property.
DeleteSuch can catch neighborhoods indeed off-guard. And, it is therefore critical to follow the process and review carefully the actual Application submittal.
You may wish to check with the Planning Department to see if anyone there has recollection of the renderings you found on the web.
Regarding your P.S. query...In regard to a project such as this, initially there would be a Pre-Application meeting where the Applicant would meet with Staff and Neighborhood reps.
ReplyDeleteAs the Application proceeds in the land use realm, generally, Staff provides interpretation to an Applicant; though, some Applicants may challenge/provide an alternative interpretation.
Upon submitting a complete application, the Design Review Commission-composed of appointed citizens some with particular fields of expertise such as architecture, landscape architecture, law, and real estate-"sit" and hear the application at a quasi judicial public hearing. Applying their interpretation of Code, they render a decision as to if the application meets the criteria found in the Code. Their decision stands, unless appealed to the City Council.
Sometimes, Applicants or opponents choose to appeal the City Council decision to the Land Use Board of Appeals.
Thank you for your detailed explanation of how the system works! I appreciate you taking the time. However... It seems to me that the CDCs can be fuzzy at times or can be interpreted differently by different people which results in some rather subjective decision-making on very serious issues. The process is set up so that staff could be accused of favoring one client over another if interpretations of the same code differed wildly.
DeleteYou are welcome.
DeleteSome aspects of the Code-those more related to design issues, often whether something is compatible-do provide for some subjectivity. Such is why it is thought one has the majority of individuals sitting on the DRC who hold professional expertise.
With more than 20 years of civilian experience in land use, in Lake Oswego, I have not found Staff to offer widely different interpretations of the Code.
An interpretation formally offered by Staff is much a collaborative process which generally includes the Planner, Planning Department Manager, Deputy City Attorney, and sometimes the City Manager.