HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-25-2016 CHC Correspondence - Item 2 (Harmon)Meeting Date: April 25, 2016
Item Number: 2
CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMITTEE AGENDA REPORT
SUBJECT: Review of an application requesting the addition of 1214 Mill Street to the City’s
Master List of Historic Resources.
PROJECT ADDRESS: 1214 Mill Street BY: Kyle Van Leeuwen
Planning Technician
FILE NUMBER: HIST-2842-2016 FROM: Brian Leveille, Senior Planner
1.0 SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION
Recommend the City Council add the property to the Master List of Historic Resources.
2.0 SITE DATA
Applicant Lawrence Brooks & Heidi Harmon
Historic Status Contributing Property
Zoning R-2 (Medium-Density Residential)
General Plan Medium Density Residential
Site Area 0.13 Acres (5,850 square feet)
Environmental
Status
Categorical Exemption, Class 3,
Section 15308, Resource Protection,
CEQA Guidelines.
3.0 BACKGROUND
The property owner has submitted an application requesting the Contributing historic residence
at 1214 Mill Street be added to the City’s Master List of Historic Resources. Bertrando &
Bertrando Research Consultants (“Bertrando Report”) prepared a Historic Resource Evaluation
report that recommends adding this house to the Master List of Historic Resources as the Theresa
Torres True House.
4.0 DISCUSSION
4.1 Site Description
HIST-2842-2016
1214 Mill Street
Page 2
The property is located in a Medium-Density Residential (R-2-H) Zone and is within the Mill
Street Historic District. The residence was constructed in 1899 and is on a lot measuring
approximately 5,850 square feet in area. At the rear of the property there are two wooden
buildings. The building in the eastern corner was built as a garage in 1923, and a workshop was
built in the western corner of the lot sometime after 1957. There are many other contributing
properties in the neighborhood including a Master List property at 1266 Mill Street, the Shipsey
House, which is located to the east, at the end of the block, which was classified as a Master List
Resource in 1983.
4.2 Architectural Description
As discussed in the Bertrando report
(Attachment 3), this home is an excellent
example of a Queen Anne Cottage from the
turn of the 20th century. The home exhibits
characteristics of this style including an
asymmetrical frontage with and front facing
gable and octagonal bay window, porch and
medium pitched roof. The detailing to the
house includes ornamental roof cresting, front
facing small dormer, and decorative front
porch brackets.
The residence was recognized in 1983 as a Contributing historical resource. The Mill Street
Historic District was later established in 1987. The house was described in the Historic Resource
Inventory as a highly decorated one-story Queen Anne Cottage with rich detail, a forward facing
gable with square butt shingles, and having a decorated bargeboard (Attachment 4).
5.0 EVALUATION
The Cultural Heritage Committee (CHC), pursuant to the Historic Preservation Ordinance
(SLOMC §14.01.060), will make a recommendation to the City Council for final action. Master
List Resources are the most unique and important resources and properties in terms of age,
architectural or historical significance, rarity, or association with important persons or events in
the City’s past. A resource must be at least 50 years old and exhibit a high level of historical
integrity in order to be eligible for designation as a Master List Resource. The resource must also
satisfy criteria related to architecture, history, or integrity.
The following evaluation highlights the significance criteria. Most notably, this residence is
excellent example of a Queen Anne Cottage from the turn of the twentieth century.
5.1 Architectural Criteria (§14.01.070 A)
Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region, or method of construction, or
represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values.
Figure 1: 1214 Mill Street; Teresa Torres True House
HIST-2842-2016
1214 Mill Street
Page 3
1. Style: Describes the form of a building, such as size, structural shape and detail within that
form (e.g., arrangement of windows and doors, ornamentation, etc.) Building style will be
evaluated as a measure of:
a. The relative purity of a traditional style;
b. Rarity of the existence at any time in the locale; and or current rarity although the
structure reflects a once popular style;
c. Traditional, vernacular and /or eclectic influences that represent a particular social
milieu and period of the community; and/or the uniqueness of hybrid styles and how these
styles are put together.
2. Design: Describes the architectural concept of a structure and the quality of artistic merit
and craftsmanship of the individual parts. Reflects how well a particular style or
combination of styles are expressed through compatibility and detain of elements. Also,
suggests degree to which the designer accurately interpreted and conveyed the style.
Building design will be evaluated as a measure of:
a. Notable attractiveness with aesthetic appeal because of its artistic merit, details, and
craftsmanship […];
b. An expression of interesting details and eclecticism among carpenter-builders, although
the craftsmanship and artistic quality may not be superior.
Staff Analysis: The Queen Anne Cottage style has a number of defining qualities, of which the
proposed home is an excellent example. These include:
Asymmetrical design with a forward facing shingled gable
Raised finish floor
Recessed Porch with spindled columns
Medium pitched roof
Highly ornamental, including using wall surfaces as decorative elements
Round or octagonal rooms/bay windows
The relative purity of this traditional style is connected to these qualities. Some previously
removed elements on the home were replaced and have brought much of the style back to
recognition. Where new construction was needed, it was done in the same style as what existed
on the home and some wood used was specially milled for the rehabilitation.
The Mill Street Historic District encompasses many different architectural styles. Within the
district there are recognized examples of the Queen Anne style, most notably the Righetti House
on the corner of Johnson and Palm. The Queen Anne Cottage style is not as large and spacious as
many of the Queen Anne style examples. This reduced scale is due to the limitations of smaller
HIST-2842-2016
1214 Mill Street
Page 4
rectangular urban lots and working men’s, or women's, budgets. No other Queen Anne Cottage
style homes with this degree of purity are found elsewhere within the Mill Street District, making
the home a rarity within this locale.
The aesthetic appeal of the home is attributed to its rich detail. Notably, the home was featured in
the Fire Department Souvenir of San Luis Obispo in 1904, as an outstanding addition to the town
(Figure 2). In the years leading up to 1980 some of the detailing in this picture was removed.
Recent rehabilitation efforts have brought the appearance of the home back to what is seen in this
picture. This was achieved by the replacement of certain elements including the ridge cresting,
porch brackets and small dormer which can be seen on the home currently.
5.2 Historic Criteria (§14.01.070 B)
Person, Event, Context:
Staff Analysis: The house was built for Teresa Torres True in 1899, who was a local seamstress.
Although her life and occupation alone does not meet the set criteria of a person of outstanding
recognition or contribution, it is of some significance to note her existence in context to the
property. The original granite “hitching post” with iron ring is still in place along the street
frontage of the property. A portion of the original concrete sidewalk at the base of the post also
remains, with the words “TRUE HOUSE 1899” (Figure 3). Making note of this person, their
connection to the property and their role in the community, gives context to this historic aspect
of the property, although the property does not appear to meet the criteria for historical
significance.
Figure 2: 1214 Mill Street as seen in the Fire Department
Souvenir of San Luis Obispo, 1904
HIST-2842-2016
1214 Mill Street
Page 5
5.3 Integrity (§14.01.070 C)
Authenticity of a historical resource’s physical identity evidenced by the survival of
characteristics that existed during the resource’s period of significance.
Staff Analysis: The house is over 100 years old and has been rehabilitated and restored to convey
its historical physical identity. The foundation has been replaced as a part of recent rehabilitation
efforts, but occupies its original site and placement on the property. The home has also retained a
high degree of its historical character and conveys its significance as a rare example of a Queen
Anne Cottage style home. It has recently been returned to its original appearance, which is
evident through the examination of the available pictures taken over time (figures 4-7). The
existence of the original granite hitching post and stamped concrete also adds to the properties
integrity.
Figure 3: Hitching Post with brass ring and stamped concrete at base
HIST-2842-2016
1214 Mill Street
Page 6
Figure 4: Circa 1904
Figure 6: 1983
Figure 5: Circa 1980
Figure 7: 2016
6.0 SUMMARY
Within the Mill Street Historic District, this is the only example of this style of home and
satisfies the criteria in the Historic Preservation Ordinance as a rare example of the Queen Anne
Cottage architectural style; and the property has sufficient integrity to convey its significance.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION
Recommend the City Council add the property to the Master List of Historic Resources.
8.0 ALTERNATIVES
1. Find that the property does not satisfy eligibility criteria for designation as a Master List
Resource and recommend to the City Council that it not be added to the Master List of
Historic Resources.
HIST-2842-2016
1214 Mill Street
Page 7
2. Review and consider the Historic Resource Evaluation and continue the item to provide
additional time for collecting additional information that may be useful in determining
whether the property is eligible for designation as a Master List Resource.
8.0 ATTACHMENTS
1. Draft Resolution
2. Vicinity Map
3. Historic Resource Evaluation, Bertrando & Bertrando Research Consultants, 2016
4. Historic Resource Inventory, 1983
RESOLUTION NO. XXXX-16
A RESOLUTION OF THE SAN LUIS OBISPO CULTURAL HERITAGE COMMITTEE,
RECOMMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL ADD THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1214
MILL STREET TO THE MASTER LIST OF HISTORIC RESOURCES, HIST-2842-2016
WHEREAS, applicant Lawrence Brooks, on March 2, 2016, submitted a complete
application to add his residence to the Mater List of Historic Resources; and
WHEREAS, the Cultural Heritage Committee of the City of San Luis Obispo conducted
a public hearing in the Council Hearing Room of City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo,
California, on April 25, 2016, pursuant to a proceeding instituted under HIST-2842-2016; and
WHEREAS, notices of said public hearing were made at the time and in the manner
required by law; and
WHEREAS, the Cultural Heritage Committee has duly considered all evidence, including
the testimony of the applicant, interested parties, and the evaluation and recommendations by
staff, presented at said hearing.
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Cultural Heritage Committee of the City of San Luis Obispo
as follows:
Section 1. Findings
1. The house is eligible for the Master List of Historic Resources because it is a relatively
pure example of a Queen Anne Cottage that is at least 50 years old, and has retained its
original architectural character.
2. The house is eligible for the Master List of Historic Resources because it is a rare
example of a Queen Anne Cottage within the Mill Street Historic District.
3. The house is eligible for the Master List of Historic Resources because it has an authentic
physical identity which displays characteristics that existed during the home’s period of
significance, such as a forward facing shingled gable, recessed porch with spindled
columns, octagonal bay widow and is highly ornamental.
4. The house is eligible for the Master List of Historic Resources because it satisfies the
style and design architectural criteria and integrity criteria, Section 14.01.070, of the
Historic Preservation Ordinance.
Section 2. Environmental Review. Historic listing is exempt from environmental review
(Section 15308 (Resource Protection)).
Section 3. The Cultural Heritage Committee does hereby recommend the City Council
add the property located at 1214 Mill Street to the Master List of Historic Resources.
On motion by Committee member, , seconded by Committee member, , and on the
following roll call vote:
Resolution No.XXXX-16
1214 Mill Street (HIST-2842-2016)
Page 2
AYES:
NOES:
REFRAIN:
ABSENT:
The foregoing resolution was passed and adopted this 25th day of April, 2016.
_____________________________
Brian Leveille, Secretary
Cultural Heritage Committee