REPORT TO HISTORICAL AND LANDMARKS COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Public Hearing: Recommendation on the Significant Property Alteration / Architectural Review (PLN25-00443) for the like-for-like replacement of windows for a property on the Historic Resource Inventory Located at 1310 Homestead Road. CEQA Status: Exempt from CEQA per Section 15331 of the CEQA Guidelines (Class 31 - Historical Resource Restoration / Rehabilitation).
Report
File No.: PLN25-00443
Location: 1310 Homestead Road; on the Southern side of Homestead Road; APN#: 269-26-067; zoned R3 Medium Density Residential
Applicant: Guanghong Ou
Owner(s): Giao Nguyen
Request: Significant Property Alteration for the like-for-like replacement of existing windows on a Historic Resources Inventory (HRI) residence.
POINTS FOR CONSIDERATION
• The project site is in a residential neighborhood near downtown Santa Clara, surrounded by numerous Historic Resource Inventory (HRI) and Mills Act contract properties. See Vicinity Map in Attachment 1.
• The site is currently developed with a three-unit multifamily building and will continue to operate as such. A second, non-historic multifamily building is also located on the same parcel at 1340 Homestead Road.
• The project is before the Historical and Landmarks Commission (HLC) in accordance with the Historic Preservation Ordinance (Santa Clara City Code 18.130.050), which requires that any Significant Property Alteration (SPA) project determined to be a major alteration to a HRI property receive a recommendation from the HLC. The project proposes a like-for-like replacement of all 26 existing windows. The new windows are designed to replicate the existing wood, double-hung windows in material, profile, and appearance, thereby preserving the historic character of the building.
• The project is consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards because it preserves the property’s historic character and ensures that the new windows are compatible with the building’s existing architectural features by utilizing historically appropriate materials.
• The proposed project meets the required findings set forth in Santa Clara City Code 18.130.
• There is an active code enforcement case regarding the complete interior renovation of the three units without the required permits. Interior renovations do not require an SPA permit and will be reviewed through the Building Permit process.
• A neighborhood notice was distributed within a 300-foot radius of the subject site for this project review.
FINDINGS SUPPORTING STAFF’S RECOMMEDATION
Granting the Significant Property Alteration approval requires the following findings consistent with City Code Section 18.130.050(D):
1) The alterations shall be designed to the essential character, features, and defining elements that make the Historic Resource Inventory property significant, in that:
• The proposed exterior window replacements are designed to match the existing wood, double-hung windows in material, profile, and appearance, preserving the historic character of the building.
• All work will retain and replicate the original window configurations and trim details, maintaining the building’s overall historic integrity and architectural style.
2) The project proposal shall not have a significant adverse effect on the integrity of the Historic Resource Inventory property, in that:
• The proposed window replacements are wood double-hung which will match the existing historic windows in material, configuration, operation, and appearance. Because the replacement windows replicate the historic design and detailing, the work will not diminish the architectural integrity or character-defining features of the building.
3) The alterations must be compatible with the existing structure or district, in that:
• The replacement windows match the historic wood double-hung type and retain the same appearance, configuration, and traditional detailing as the existing windows.
• The natural wood finish and absence of non-historic exterior trim ensure that the new windows are visually compatible with the structure and surrounding properties within the historic district.
4) The alterations must be consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Treatment Standards, in that:
• The replacement windows are compatible with the property’s historic materials, features, and design, consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards 2 and 6.
• The installation will not remove, obscure, or damage distinctive historic materials, and the work is fully reversible, ensuring preservation of the building’s historic character and integrity.
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
Conditions of approval are proposed for the project and are contained in Attachment 3.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15331 of the CEQA Guidelines (Class 31 - Historical Resource Restoration / Rehabilitation). This exemption consists of projects limited to maintenance, repair, stabilization, rehabilitation, restoration, preservation, conservation, or reconstruction of historical resources in a manner consistent with the Secretary of the Interior Standards.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Historical and Landmarks Commission agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov> or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
A public hearing notice was mailed to 111 property owners / tenants within a 300-foot radius of the project site on November 20, 2025. As of the writing of this report, planning staff has not received public comments for this application.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Recommend that the Historical and Landmarks Commission find that the proposed project located at 1310 Homestead Road will not destroy or have a significant adverse effect on the integrity of the Historic Resource Inventory property and that the proposed construction is compatible with the resource and recommend approval of the Significant Property Alteration / Architectural Review.
Staff
Prepared by: Summer Foss, Assistant Planner, Community Development Department
Reviewed by: Rebecca Bustos, Principal Planner, Community Development Department
Approved by: Lesley Xavier, Planning Manager, Community Development Department
ATTACHMENTS
1. Vicinity Map
2. Conditions of Approval
3. Window Specifications
4. Development Plans