REPORT TO HISTORICAL AND LANDMARKS COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Consideration of a Significant Property Alteration Permit for a 1,207 Square Foot Addition to a Historic Residence and a Variance to Eliminate the Requirement for a Two-Car Garage at 1277 Jackson Street
Report
BACKGROUND
The 3,813 square-foot subject property is located on the southeast corner of Jackson Street and Harrison Street and includes a 1,207 square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom one-story residence that is estimated to be constructed in 1889 in the Queen Anne Cottage architectural style. There is no existing garage or covered parking on-site. The subject property is listed as a historic resource on the City’s Historic Resource Inventory (HRI).
The project is before the Historical and Landmarks Commission (HLC) for a recommendation to the Planning Commission for the proposed Major Significant Property Alteration Permit to add habitable square footage to the basement of the existing two-bedroom, two-bathroom main residence resulting in a four-bedroom, one-office, and three-bathroom single-family residence. The applicant has also applied for a Variance to eliminate the Zoning Code requirement for covered parking on-site. The City’s Zoning Code requires two covered parking spaces for single-family residences. The project site does not currently provide any covered parking and is considered legal nonconforming. The City’s standard practice is to require that a nonconforming single-family residence be brought into conformance with the parking requirement when there is an addition of 500 square feet or more. The applicant is requesting a Variance from this requirement and is not proposing any covered parking on site.
DISCUSSION
The applicant is proposing to excavate the basement to add habitable square footage to the historic main residence. To accomplish this, the historic residence would be lifted from the existing foundation while the basement is excavated approximately two feet and the new foundation is installed. The final first floor elevation would remain the same as the original with no changes proposed to the existing front façade. The exterior changes include the addition of windows beneath the first story to provide light and egress for the basement. The architectural features of the Queen Anne Cottage will be retained as no distinctive features will be removed. A Secretary of the Interior’s Standards Review was prepared by Urban Programmers and is included as Attachment 3.
As the proposed project includes a 1,207 square foot addition, two covered parking spaces are required. There is no existing parking on-site. In addition, there is an in-ground pool and hot tub at the rear of the lot that limits where covered parking could be located. The required minimum lot width in the R1-6L zone is 60 feet and the subject property is a substandard 50 feet. The substandard 50-foot width of the lot and the existing layout of the home would require a significant demolition of the existing structure to accommodate the required dimension for a covered parking space of 20 feet by 20 width. The applicant provided a Statement of Justification for the proposed Variance, included as Attachment 2.
Conclusion
Staff finds that the proposed modifications to the main house adhere to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation in that the exterior alterations will not destroy historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The proposed scope and Secretary of the Interior’s Standards review indicate that the proposed alterations would be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale, proportion, and massing to the protect the integrity of the property and its environment.
Staff is supportive of the Variance as this is a substandard lot that is 50 feet in width and the existing house configuration would not be able to accommodate a two-car garage. The proposed Variance would allow the property owner to reasonably use the property without incurring the substantial burden of reconstructing the house to accommodate a two-car garage.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The proposed project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 - Existing Facilities, in that the project is limited to an addition to a historic single-family residence.
PUBLIC CONTACT
On November 22, 2023, a notice of public hearing of this item was posted in three conspicuous locations within 300 feet of the project site and mailed to property owners within 300 feet of the project site. At the time of preparation of this report, the Planning Division has not received any public comments.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff recommends the Historical and Landmarks Commission recommend approval of the Significant Property Alteration (SPA) Permit to the Planning Commission for the proposed alterations to the main historic resource.
Staff recommends the Historical and Landmarks Commission recommend approval of the Variance to eliminate the requirement for a two-car garage with the addition of 1,207 square feet to the existing residence.
Staff
Prepared by: Tiffany Vien, Associate Planner
Reviewed by: Rebecca Bustos, Principal Planner
Approved by: Lesley Xavier, Planning Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Development Plans
2. Variance Statement of Justification
3. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards Review