Pomona College Museum of Art ("PCMA")

Pomona College Museum of Art ("PCMA")

Pomona College requested approval of the site plan, architectural design, and landscaping for the PCMA, a proposed teaching museum to be located on the Pomona College campus. The PCMA is part of the Pomona College 2015 Campus Master Plan, which was approved by the City Council on April 12, 2016. The Claremont Architectural Commission adopted a resolution approving the PCMA, as well as an Architectural and Site Plan Review (File #15-A11) at its Nov. 9, 2016 meeting. The PCMA project site consists of a 1/2 block parcel with a total area of 53,967 sq. ft. The design of the PCMA includes a one-to two-story building surrounding a central courtyard on three sides. The building is a made up of three volumes containing several art galleries, teaching portals, storage units, offices, and a loading dock. Two volumes fronting College Avenue are generally consistent with the existing massing and spaces of other nearby development. The three volumes are connected by a one-story component, the Art Hall, containing galleries, facilities, and a small patio. A sunken center courtyard will be visible from College Ave. and will be lined on three sides by a portico acting as the backdrop tot he courtyard. Adjacent to the courtyard to the south is a one-story, single room, independently operable event space that could be used by community groups. The main lobby at the northwest corner includes an entry plaza and courtyard that is accessed from Bonita Avenue, providing a connection to the Village. A north-south "Art included to provide natural light for the lobby area and an internal staircase. The landscape plan proposes planting 15 new private trees on the site. These trees consist of four new Engleman Oaks, six new Palo Verdes, four new Chitalpas, and one new Eastern Redbud. When added to the five existing trees that will be retained on the site, the net change in the private, on-site tree count is an increase from 19 to 20 trees, which satisfies the tree replacement ratio required in the above described mitigation measures. To address previous Commission comments, the revised tree plan include tree species that have larger canopies (Oaks) and are more climate appropriate (Oaks, Palo Verdes, Chitalpas, and Redbuds). As noted above, the plan will provide an increase in area covered by the tree canopy that will increase over time as the trees mature. The landscape plan also includes the planting of ten new street trees and the removal of two Eucalyptus trees. One of the trees that the plan proposed to remove is considered a heritage tree by the City. As described above, staff does not currently support its removal; however, a final decision on this tree will be made by the Community and Human Services Commission at a later date. The second tree is a small variety Eucalyptus on the northwest corner of Second Street and College Ave. This small tree, which has less than two inch diameter trunk, was planted approx. 2 years ago by City staff, but will never develop the sort of canopy or scale that is needed for such a prominent corner. The landscape plan proposes replacing this tree with a larger specimen Camphor tree, which is the largest species of tree available on the City's current street tree list for College Ave. The shrub, vine, and groundcover plans have been refined with input from Commissioner Perry. The intent was to create a more layered and diverse look that was more reflective of the type of landscaping found in the surrounding Village and campus areas. The planting plan is designed to create an interesting blend of texture and color around the perimeter of the building. The largest on-site tree, a mature Chinese Elm, is proposed to be relocated on site to serve as a focal point of the main courtyard. Based on concerns that the tree may not survive relocation, the project landscape architect has provided a detailed design for the area around the tree, which will feature a large planter that transitions to permeable paved area and also utilizes structural soils to help ensure the health of the tree roots. The Architectural Commission found and determined that all of the impacts of the PCMA project were fully disclosed, analyzed and mitigated, to the extent feasible, in the certified Pomona College 2015 Campus Master Plan Environmental Impact Report. On the basis of the entire record before it, the Architectural Commission found that no subsequent or SEIR was required under Public Resources Code, section 21166 and State CEQA Guidelines, section 15162.

Claremont

Los Angeles