HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 4a. 466 Dana St. (ARCH-0329-2022) Construction of 20 Low to Very Low Income Affordable Homes and Rehabilitation of the Ristoric Rosa Butrón Adobe1
REVIEW OF A PROJECT PROPOSING CONSTRUCTION OF 20 LOW TO VERY
LOW INCOME AFFORDABLE HOMES AND REHABILITATION OF THE HISTORIC
ROSA BUTRON ADOBE
ARCH-0329-2022 (466 Dana Street)
Waterman Village
Applicant: Smart Share Housing Solutions
Representative: Dana Hunter, Hunter Smith Architecture
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Review the proposed project in terms of its consistency with the
Community Design Guidelines and applicable City standards and
provide recommendations to the Planning Commission.
ARC Focus of Review
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Project Location
Location: 466 Dana Street
General Plan Land Use Designation:
Medium-High Density Residential
Zoning Designation: Medium-High
Density Residential with Downtown Historic
District Overlay (R-3-H)
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Project Description
The proposed project includes:
The construction of 20 very-low to low-
income affordable homes ranging in size
from 220 to 264 square feet;
A request for a concession pursuant to
State Density Bonus law for a reduction of
parking requirements for vehicle and
bicycle parking spaces;
The rehabilitation of the Master List Historic
Rosa Butron Adobe; and
Removal of 12 trees with a 1:1
compensatory planting plan.
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Project Design
Architecture: The historic adobe is
representative of Nineteenth Century California
architecture. The new residential units utilize
contemporary architecture.
Design details (Adobe): Broad, steeply pitched
hipped roof with open eaves, prominent front
setback from the street, and symmetrical front
façade.
Design details (New units): Shed roofs,
extended overhangs, and clustered orientation
around the adobe.
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Project Design
Materials and Color (Adobe):
White clapboard siding, grey roll
roofing to be replaced with wood
shingles.
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Project Design
Materials and Color
(New units): White
hardi-plank siding, dark
gray standing seam
metal roofs, dark gray
windows and trim.
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Project Elevations
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Project Elevations
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Project Elevations
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Project Elevations
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Project Landscape and Site Plan
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Design Discussion
•The project is seeking a concession under state density bonus law to reduce
the amount of required vehicle and bicycle parking spaces from:
•29 required vehicle spaces, 4 vehicle spaces to be provided.
•45 required bicycle spaces, 26 bicycle spaces to be provided.
•Apart from these requests, the project is consistent with relevant
development standards of the Zoning Regulations.
•The project was evaluated for consistency with the CDG and the City’s
Historic Preservation Guidelines. Overall, the proposed project appears to
be generally consistent with the CDG and the project was found by the CHC
to be consistent with the Historic Preservation Guidelines.
•Staff have identified four discussion items for the ARC related to the
project’s consistency with the CDG.
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Discussion Item #1 – Site Design
CDG Chapter 2, Section 2.1 – Site Design
CDG 2.1 (A) Fit the site. Each project should be designed with careful consideration of
site character and constraints, and minimize changes to natural features, rather than
altering a site to accommodate a stock building plan. Existing topography should be
preserved where possible and excessive cuts or fills should be avoided.
•The project is in the 100-year flood zone, with Stenner Creek to the north.
•The existing adobe is centered on the site with a prominent front setback from the
street that was determined to be a character-defining feature of the adobe.
•The ARC should discuss the compatibility of the front and creek setback constraints,
as well as the location of the adobe, with the proposed site layout.
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Project Landscape and Site Plan
20’-0”
CREEK
SETBACK
40’-0”
FRONT
SETBACK
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Discussion Item #2 – Building Design
CDG Chapter 2, Section 2.2 – Building Design
CDG 2.2 (F) Coordinate the new with the old. When new construction is proposed on a
site with existing structures that are to be retained, the new work should be designed to
coordinate with old structures that have architectural and/or historic value.
•The new construction units are designed to complement the adobe in scale.
•Given the 3-foot raised foundation, the roof heights of the new units are higher than the
adobe roof heights by up to 3 feet.
•The height of the adobe is 15 feet 4 inches above grade, whereas height of the tallest
housing unit is 18 feet 10 inches above grade.
•The ARC should discuss the compatibility of the new residential unit design and scale
with the existing adobe.
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Project Elevations and Section
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Discussion Item #3 – Infill Development
CDG Chapter 5, Section 5.3 – Infill Development
CDG 5.3 (A) Infill development should: Be compatible in scale, siting, detailing, and
overall character with adjacent buildings and those in the immediate neighborhood...
Continue existing neighborhood patterns. For example, patterns such as front porches
and entries facing the street, finished floor height, and garages located at the rear of lots.
•The new residential units will be much smaller than the typical single-family and multi-
family structures in the neighborhood.
•The smaller unit sizes allow greater flexibility given the sensitive site and achieve a
similar density to the surrounding neighborhood with minimal site disturbance.
•The ARC should discuss the scale of the residential units and compatibility with the
neighborhood’s existing scale and patterns.
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Proposed Street Elevation
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Neighboring Property Elevations
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Discussion Item #4 – Multi-Family and
Clustered Housing Design
CDG Chapter 5, Section 5.4 – Multi-Family and Clustered Housing Design
CDG 5.4 (A) Site planning for a multi-family or clustered housing project should create a
pleasant, comfortable, safe, and distinct place for residents, without the project "turning
its back" on the surrounding neighborhood.
•The CDG states that multi-family developments should be clustered together and have
entrances facing the street. The adobe and new units have a deep setback from the
Dana Street sidewalk, as this is considered a character-defining feature of the adobe.
All unit entrances face the proposed raised walkway, allowing direct access to each
unit.
•The ARC should discuss whether the proposed site layout and orientation towards the
street are compatible with the guidelines.
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Project Landscape and Site Plan
PEDESTRIAN
ENTRANCE
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Proposed Street Elevation
PEDESTRIAN
ENTRANCE
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Proposed Site Perspective
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ARC Actions
Recommend approval of the project. An action recommending approval of the
application based on consistency with the Community Design Guidelines will be
forwarded to the Planning Commission for final action. This action may include
recommendations for conditions to address consistency with the Community Design
Guidelines or other City Standards.
Recommend denial of the project. An action recommending denial of the application
should include findings that cite the basis for denial and should reference inconsistency
with the General Plan, Community Design Guidelines, Zoning Regulations or other policy
documents.
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CHC Recommendation
Recommend to the Planning Commission that the proposed project is consistent
with the City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance with the following recommendations:
1.Evaluate the period of significance in the Historic Resources Report for the
potential the historic period of significance extends to 1989.
2.Evaluate the potential that the site is believed to have been the original
location of Mission San Luis Obispo from 1775 to 1788.
3.Include requirements for construction staff training for the possibility that burial
sites and artifacts may be encountered from the Mission era.
4.Include historical signage that reflects all periods of significance and the
cultural narrative of the site.
Creating Housing Solutions by Connecting
People and Homes
Since 2017
Thanks to our
local, mostly
volunteer team
& more than
200 project
donors!
Thank you!
Benefits for the community:
●Enhanced community & socialization
●Preserve majority of on-site trees
●Open up adobe for public access &
shed light on the unique history held
within
●A beautiful, centrally located place for
San Luis Obispo residents of limited
means who want to live simply, in
community, and car-free near
downtown
●Sustainability showplace & education
center
Helps SLO City Meet Its Goals:
●100% below market rate housing; walkable
infill homes; historic structure
rehabilitation;
●Transforms a long vacant boarded up
attractive nuisance into a community asset;
●All electric, high efficient homes
●Neighborhood park
Waterman Village Checks Multiple Boxes
Project Description
■Site plan/elevations
■Density: below base, no bonus
■Home types/sizes
■What it IS & IS NOT
■Addressing Site constraints
■Design Guidelines project
application
Site Plans & Elevations
Site Plans & Elevations: Raised Pathway
Connection & Community
Site Plans & Elevations: Rooflines
Density: Dana St. R-3 Multi-family Neighborhood
Density: Dana St. R-3 Multi-family Neighborhood
OddFellows Hall
Density: Dana St. Meeting Hall
Cottage Homes: Types/sizes
Type of housing
Permanent not
transitional; fully contained
cooking, bathing & living;
standard City utility hook-
ups
Permanent foundations
Demo cottage interior
representation of home
layout only
●13 cottages of 226 to roughly 600
square feet;
●7 duplexes and 6 single cottage homes
●2 homes fully ADA accessible
●Compatible & complement adobe
●=Total footprint 4600 square feet
Cottage Homes: Types/sizes
Rosa Butron de Canet Adobe Rehab: Current Status
What Waterman Village Is & Is Not: Permanent vs. Temporary
What is Waterman Village?
●20 permanent, below-market rate homes, built
on foundations, each with full bathing, kitchen
and laundry facilities
●A group of efficient small homes (220-260
square feet) and a neighborhood park around
a restored historic adobe that serves as a
gathering center for residents (14 attached and
6 detached)
●A cultural heritage center that models
sustainable living practices, encourages
community interactions through walking and
bicycling, and provides residents and the
community a calm, shaded neighborhood park.
●The all-electric, high efficiency homes and the
adobe with city utilities, along with solar
generating capacity to meet or exceed
California codes.
What Waterman Village is NOT:
●Temporary homeless shelter
●Social services hub
●A no barrier community where anyone can
live; background checks & qualifications
for residency required
●Off-grid cabins without adequate utility
infrastructure
●Unsupervised–management offices & on-
site resident manager
Addressing Site Opportunities & Constraints
Design Incorporation:
●Homes above floodplain; 20 ft. riparian
setback
●Majority of trees maintained & minimally
invasive helical coil foundation
●Adobe rehabilitation
●Front setbacks >40 ft; side 6 ft.
●Shared side driveway & out of easement
●Meets terms of donation to City
●4 neighborhood meetings: incorporated
neighbor requests
Site Opportunities & Constraints:
●Creek Floodplain & Stenner Creek
setbacks
●Abundant Tree Canopy
●Historic Resource: Rosa Butron de Canet
Adobe
●Front and side setbacks & easements
●Shared side driveway
●Terms of donation to City
●Neighbor input
Community Design Guidelines
Purpose: distinct, attractive places
appreciated by residents and visitors
Not to discourage architectural
innovation while honoring &
protecting historic resources
Encourage excellence, creativity and
innovation
Application in Design:
●Mix of high efficiency attractive homes;
variation in frontage, size, placement and
height of homes, stepping back
●Creative response to site constraints esp.
need for prominence of central adobe
●Low impact helical coil foundation & cottage
cluster placement allow preservation of
majority of site trees & maintaining front of
parcel open & unobstructed to preserve
street views of adobe and site trees
Right Project, Right Density, Right Place, Right Time
Photo/graphic WHAT?
Consistent with City’s Community Design Guidelines
Site Constraints: Tree Preservation
Optional-Density
What Waterman Village Is & Is Not: Who will live there?
Deed Restrictions & Terms of Donation
3 Terms of Donation
1.Adobe: “Adobe & 2 adjoining wings
“that make up the old house… be
maintained by the city for park or
recreational purposes”
2.Trees: “maintained by the city for
park or recreational purposes”
3.Project name,Black’s partner
Mildred Waterman: “Mildred
Waterman’s name be included in
any name that the city gives to this
park area”
Residents of Waterman Village: Changing Demographics
Changes: Inclusivity
Density & Downtown R-3 zone: Broad Angle:
Comparative Development
21 luxury homes on 101 on Ontario Rd. –this
entire project fits into the footprint of one of
those home pads–impacts analysis and question
of how we want to grow–separate presentation?-
-Ashley?
Property Values & the Myth of Declining Property Values
National Association of Realtors:
https://www.nar.realtor/effects-of-low-income-
housing-on-property-values
Parking and Walkability
https://dot.ca.gov/-/media/dot-
media/programs/research-innovation-system-
information/documents/final-reports/ca18-2465-
finalreport-a11y.pdf
Costs of car ownership
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/22/your-money/car-ownership-
costs-increase.html
Garden & Edible Landscape
Historic Garden Theory: Papp; speculative
Period of Significance Issue
Report contract negotiated by former project
partners, Peace Project, for their own purposes
Report mysteriously submitted to City months
after contract terminated for non-response and
failure to perform; report contains substantial
project inaccuracies & was publicly distributed,
spreading false and misleading information
Draft Edible Landscape Plan
Rosa Butron de Adobe Rehab: Future Status
What do you know?“...the encounters with the different people I
met over and over through the day took some
getting used to…I was shy at first.Once I had
met,greeted,and questioned the,I tried to
ignore them the second time I saw one of
them.But there was not great traffic on the
downtown streets,and I could not look away.
Soon I learned,and was greeting each of
them in the afternoon with my question,
‘What do you know?’
even if I had asked it in the morning.”
“Adobe buildings
of an earlier time
were now
scorned for brick
and plaster”
Profile of the Daily Telegraph: A story of San Luis Obispo 1921-23
Mary Gail Black
Rosa Butron de Canet Adobe Rehab
Haggard Original Plan
Art center photo scan here:
Rosa Burton de Canet Adobe
Team member qualifications
Profile of the
Daily Telegraph
A story of San Luis Obispo
1921-23
Mary Gail Black
“The oil boom was short lived and
the preachers of progress went on
to other intimation of the town’s
future. And we, like the TRIB of
today, wrote about them. The
extravagant claims we made for the
future San Luis Obispo County
would be regarded as pure hype in
the 1980’s; yet, at the time, in a
general consensus, the press was
taken in by its own stories.”
Black meets lifelong friend Waterman 1921