HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem #2 - 1355 Palm St. (ARCH-0214-2019)CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMITTEE REPORT
FROM: Brian Leveille, Senior Planner BY: Walter Oetzell, Assistant Planner
PROJECT ADDRESS: 1355 Palm St. FILE NUMBER: ARCH-0214-2019
APPLICANT: Dorothy Martin; represented by Thomas Martin, Architect
For more information contact Walter Oetzell, Assistant Planner: 781-7593 (woetzell@slocity.org)
1.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND SETTING
The applicant proposes construction of a two-
bedroom dwelling behind an existing single-
family dwelling 1355 Palm Street, about 550 feet
west of Pepper Street. The property was included
in the City’s Inventory Historic Resources as a
Contributing Property with the completion of the
first Historic Resources Survey in 1983 and is
within the Mill Street Historic District.
Zoning, Surrounding Uses, Historic Designation:
The site is located in a Medium-High Density
Residential (R-3) and a Historical Preservation (H)
Overlay Zone, in an area characterized by
single-family dwellings, with commercial uses
along Monterey Street, south of the property.
2.0 EXISTING CONDITIONS
County Assessor records 1 indicate that the
existing dwelling was built in 1900. It is a
modestly-sized cottage, presenting a single-
story to the Palm Street frontage, with a front-
facing gable decorated with fish-scale shingles,
over an entry porch, and sided with various
forms of wood siding: lap, channel, and shingle
(see Figure 2). The site slopes down, away from
the Palm Street frontage, such that the
dwelling is two stories in height, as viewed
from the rear (see Figure 3, next page).
1 County of San Luis Obispo Assessor’s Office, Property Information Search [Online].
www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/Assessor/Services/Property-Information-Search.aspx
Meeting Date: June 24, 2019
Item Number: 2
Item No. 1
Figure 1: Subject Property
Figure 2: Existing Dwelling
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3.0 FOCUS OF REVIEW
New construction on historically listed properties and in historic districts is subject to review by
the Cultural Heritage Committee (Historic Preservation Ordinance § 14.01.030 (C)). The
Committee will make a recommendation to the Community Development Director as to the
consistency of the proposed work with applicable historical preservation policies and standards,
and may recommend conditions of project approval as appropriate.
4.0 PROPOSED NEW CONSTRUCTION
As depicted in project plans (see Attachment 1), the new dwelling provides 1,366 square feet of
living area on two floors, above two garages providing parking for both dwellings on the site.
Siding and trim material, fenestration, and roof form and material echo and complement that of
the existing dwelling.The ground-floor garage level will be sided in a board-and-batten pattern,
and the remainder of the new dwelling will be sided in horizontally-oriented HardiePlank siding
embellished with a decorative “Hardipanel” grid in roof gable ends. Windows are a double-hung
form with “Harditrim”, and the roof is sheathed in composition shingle.
Siting the new dwelling at the rear of the site entirely preserves the public view of the primary
dwelling from Palm Street, and places the new building largely out of view from the street. The
new dwelling rises to the full 35-foot height permitted in the R-3 Zone, but its height is consistent
Figure 3: Views showing site slope and rear view of existing dwelling
Figure 4: Depiction of relative height and massing, as seen from Monterey Street (without fencing)
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with that of the primary dwelling and with adjacent structures in the vicinity because of the slope
of the site. Expanded Elevation Drawings (Sheet 4 of plans, Attachment 1; and Figure 4 above)
depict the scale and massing of the new structure in relation to the adjacent structures within
the Mill Street Historic District, as seen from Monterey Street (depicted without fencing).
5.0 DISCUSSION ITEMS
Guidance is provided mainly in the City’s Historic Preservation Program Guidelines and the
Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.2 Selected
applicable guidelines, standards, and recommendations from these documents are outlined
below. Historic Preservation Program Guidelines for the Mill Street Historic District are provided
as Attachment 2 for reference.
5.1 Historic Preservation Program Guidelines
Section Subject Note
§ 3.2.1 Construction in Historic Districts:
Architecturally compatible
development (scale, massing, rhythm,
signature elements, materials, siting,
setbacks, etc.)
Floor area, size, and proportion comparable to
primary dwelling; height and massing
consistent with surrounding structures
§ 3.2.2 Architectural compatibility (not sharply
contrast with, block views of, visually
detract from, historic architectural
character of historic structures or
historic district
Placement at rear of lot, behind primary
dwelling; use of compatible siding, trim,
roofing material; compatible roof forms and
fenestration
§ 5.2.4 Mill Street Historic District –
Architectural Character
New structure recessed into rear yard; entry
and façade of primary dwelling unaltered;
gable roof form, traditional fenestration,
decorated roof gable; painted wood material
and trim.
Discussion: The new dwelling is of a scale comparable to the primary dwelling and surrounding
structures. Its design could be determined to be compatible with the architectural character of
the primary dwelling and Mill Street Historic District in terms of scale, form, massing, and
rhythm, as encouraged by Historic Preservation Program Guidelines § 3.2.1.
2 Kay D. Weeks and Anne E. Grimmer. The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic
Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring & Reconstructing Historic Buildings.
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service; Technical Preservation Services, 2017
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5.2 Secretary of the Interior’s Standards (Rehabilitation)
Standard 9: New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will not destroy historic
materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The new work will be
differentiated from the old and will be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and
proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment.
Recommended Not Recommended
Additions for a New Use
Designing adjacent new construction that is
compatibile with the historic character of the site
and setting and preserves the historic relationship
between buildings and the landscape.
Introducing new construction on the building site
which is visually incompatible in terms of size,
scale, design, material, or color, which destroys
historic relationships on the site, or which
damages or destroyes important landscape
features.
Introducing new construction into historic
districts which is visually incompatible or that
destroys historic relationships within the setting,
or which damages or destroys important
landscape features.
Discussion: The proposed dwelling could be considered to be visually compatible in size, scale,
design, and material. The primary dwelling remains unaffected and unobstructed from public
view on Palm Street.
6.0 ACTION ALTERNATIVES
1.Continue review to another date with direction to staff and applicant.
2.Recommend that the Community Development Director find the project inconsistent
with historical preservation policies, citing specific areas of inconsistency.
7.0 ATTACHMENTS
1.Project Plans
2.Mill Street Historic District (HPPG § 5.2.4)
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ATTACHMENT 1Packet Page 8
GRADING LEGENDGENERAL LEGENDSTORM DRAIN LEGEND:GRADING KEY NOTES:GRADING GENERAL NOTES:C2.0GRADING &DRAINAGE005'10'5'SCALE: 1" = MARTIN RESIDENCE1355 PALM STREET SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA 93401MARTIN FAMILYATTACHMENT 1Packet Page 9
Elevation StationElevation StationVEGETATED SWALE2ROCK COBBLE ENERGY DISSPATOR3RIGID CONCRETE PAVEMENT SECTION DETAIL1SLOTTED CURB41' WIDE CONCRETE BAND5GARAGEPLAN VIEWAASECTION A-AC3.0SECTIONS &DETAILSMARTIN RESIDENCE1355 PALM STREET SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA 93401MARTIN FAMILYATTACHMENT 1Packet Page 10
ATTACHMENT 1Packet Page 11
ATTACHMENT 1Packet Page 12
ATTACHMENT 1Packet Page 13
ATTACHMENT 1Packet Page 14
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5.2.4 Mill Street Historic District
Setting
Established in 1987, the Mill Street Historic District is a residential neighborhood bounded by
Pepper and Toro Streets on the east and west, and Peach and Palm Streets on the north and south.
The Mill Street District is part of one subdivision, The Town of San Luis Obispo, recorded in
1878, although the area informally has been referred to as Fremont Heights. For its land area,
Mill Street Historic District has the highest concentration of historic structures of the City’s five
Historic districts. It is a relatively small district, with an area of 20 acres or 0.03125 square
miles, and as of January of 2010 had 84 listed historic properties.
The Mill Street district was developed at the turn of the 20th century, with the majority of the
existing buildings dating from the 1900s to 1920s, the district’s primary period of historical and
architectural significance. The district was developed on high ground with originally very wide
(100 ft) lots in response to both the seasonal flooding and fires that plagued early development in
San Luis Obispo. A few of these wide lots remain in the 1300 block of both Mill Street and Palm
Street, but the majority of them were later re-subdivided into 50-60 foot wide lots.
Site Features and Characteristics
Common site features and characteristics include:
A.Trees spaced at regular intervals along
the street (especially on Mill Street)
B.Distinctive Camphor Trees lining both
sides of Mill Street between Johnson and
Pepper, a key entry corridor for the
district
C.Consistent street yard setbacks of 20 feet
or more
D.Coach barns (garages) recessed into rear
yard
E.Finish floors raised 2-3 above finish
grade
F.Front entries oriented toward street, with
prominent walk, stairs and entry porches.
G.Front building facades oriented parallel
to street
Architectural Character
Developed during a population boom in San Luis Obispo circa 1900s-1920s, the district’s
residential architectural styles reflect the prosperity of its residents. While older and more
elaborate residences are located on the 1300 block of both Palm and Mill Streets, the majority of
1344 Mill Street, South Elevation
ATTACHMENT 2
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historic homes were more modest residences. The close proximity to the court house meant that
Mill Street was home to many county employees, including county assessors, attorneys, and
county clerks. The Mill Street District encompasses many different architectural styles, including
revival styles popular at the turn of the twentieth century. These styles include Neo-classic Row
House, Victorian (with elements of Gothic Revival, Queen Anne, Stick and Eastern Shingle),
Tudor Revival, Mission Revival, and Craftsman Bungalow, with many homes borrowing
architectural details from more than one style. Most buildings in this district were built by local
builders, including E.D. Bray and James Maino and were influenced by architectural pattern
books of the time period.
Predominant architectural features include:
A.One- and occasionally two-story
houses
B.Mostly gable and hip roof types
C.Traditional fenestration, such as
double-hung, wood sash windows,
ornamental front doors, wood screen
doors
D.Ornamental roof features, including
prominent fascias, bargeboards,
prominent pediments or cornices
E.Painted wood or stucco surface
material, including siding and molding
Individually Contributing Elements in the Mill Street District
Not all historic resources in the Mill Street
Historic District were built during the
district’s period of significance. Those
buildings date from the late 1800s, generally
do not exhibit the signature architectural
elements described above, but do contribute
to the historic character of San Luis Obispo
in their own right based on age, architectural
style or historical association. By virtue of
their significance, these resources also merit
preservation.
For example, the Buckley House at 777
Johnson Avenue is a converted carriage
house built in the 1880s and is significant for
its design, specifically the board and batten siding, of which there very few examples are left in
the City. The Shipsey House at 1266 Mill Street, a National Register property, is an example of
Eastern Stick and significant for both its architectural style and its association with William
1264 and 1270 Palm Street, South Elevation
777 Johnson Avenue, East Elevation
ATTACHMENT 2
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Shipsey, attorney and mayor of San Luis Obispo from 1898 to1901.
Non-Contributing Elements in the Mill Street District
Non -contributing buildings are those that both do not meet the criteria outlined above and have
not achieved historical significance. Most of the post—1950 contemporary buildings in the
district fall into this latter category.
Non-contributing architectural styles, materials or site features include:
A.Aluminum sliding windows
B.Rectilinear, “boxy” shape
C.Metal or other contemporary material
siding, or “faux” architectural
materials or features.
D.Unarticulated wall surfaces
E.Non-recessed or offset street entries to
buildings
1243 Mill Street, North Elevation
ATTACHMENT 2
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***
1262 Mill Street; 1261 Mill Street; 1143, 1137 and 1127 Peach Street;
Righetti House, 1314 Palm Street
ATTACHMENT 2
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