Elmwood proposal approved after denial, debate

Elmwood Motel owner, Mahesh Patel's request to the Auburn Planning Commission to make façade changes and apply new exterior paint to the building was rejected and approved in the same night.After an initial denial to Patel's request by a 6-2 vote, with commissioners Ray Merz and Dorene Kidd voting yes, the Planning Commission voted a second time to approve the request, again by a 6-2 vote. This time, commissioners Mark Smith and Lisa Worthington voted to deny the request.Patel requested the commission approve his proposal to paint the outside of the building a tan color and replace the brick along the planter boxes with accommodating stucco.City staff urged the commission to approve the request, with the condition Patel have the entire building repainted, including the rear - which was not including in his request. "There is no doubt this building has a history and it is very sensitive," said Wilfred Wong, community development director. "But the applicant could have chosen not be here before you tonight and could have chosen to paint the building the same color and keep the existing brick - he came here in kind."Commissioner Merz was disappointed in the board's initial decision."I think it is a terrible thing we have just done by not approving this," Merz said. "To not make this better when we have the ability to do so is forfeiting the public's trust in us."But some members of the planning commission didn't think the changes addressed on the request were enough. Commissioners Liz Briggs and Nicholas Kosla wanted to see additional changes made to the building."I think the paint is just a temporary fix," Briggs said. "Paint will not improve what needs to be improved - it needs major work."Kosla added that because upgrades were going to be made to the wall, he wanted to see upgrades made to the railing along the second floor of the building as well. "I see a nexus between walls and fences," he said. "And that railing is essentially a fence, it keeps things from going in and out."Mike Shah, who spoke on behalf of Patel at the meeting, said no changes were planned for the railing because there was nothing wrong with it.Shah added that Patel has been more than willing to work with the city to make the necessary changes to the building and that he ultimately wants something that looks good and looks good for the city.Discussion about the issue continued for nearly half an hour after the first vote."The applicant can now go back and repaint the building the same color and put back up the bricks," Wong said. "There are a lot of things staff would like to see happen, but what is before you is the exterior paint and addition of stucco in place of the bricks." After discussing the possibility of deferring the decision back to staff, Wong recommended the board reconsider its initial vote.City staff inspected the building located on High Street off Elm Avenue in Auburn Oct. 4 and declared the structure a "substandard building" based on the Uniform Housing Code, a "nuisance" according to section 95 of the Auburn Municipal Code and a violation of the Health and Safety Code.A letter was sent to Patel addressing the code issues and required him to make specific changes within 90 days.According to the letter, some of the items requiring change included repairing the inadequate sanitation and hazardous plumbing, structural hazards such as defective or deteriorated flooring or supports, faulty weather protection including damaged fascia boards and inadequate fire construction. The swimming pool was also required to be infilled with an appropriate material or brought into compliance with current codes and approved by the Placer County Health Department.Patel has since made some repairs to the building and has demolished and filled in the pool.According the city's letter to Patel, he has until Jan. 19, 2007 to make all the required changes. Failure to do so, officials say, will result in an abatement and/or citation for up to $500 per day.The Journal's Jenna Nielsen can be reached at jennan@goldcountrymedia.com.