TO: ARCHITECTURAL AND PRESERVATION COMMISSION
FROM: BRAD JOHNSON, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
DATE: July 10, 2024
SUBJECT:
Title
ARCHITECTURAL AND SITE PLAN REVIEW #22-A09, REVIEW OF PROPOSED 1,160 SQUARE-FOOT FIRST- AND SECOND-STORY ADDITIONS, AND REMODEL OF THE EXISTING SINGLE-STORY RESIDENCE LOCATED AT 253 EAST GREEN STREET - APPLICANT: ERIC HURLEY, PROPERTY OWNER
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SUMMARY
The applicant is requesting Architectural and Site Plan Review approval for the proposed first- and second-story additions to the existing 891-square-foot, single-story, single-family residence located at 253 East Green Street in the RS 8,000 zoning district. The proposal includes a 536-square-foot ground-floor addition to the west side of the one-story home and a 624-square-foot addition above a portion of the ground-floor addition. The proposal also includes the conversion of the existing 303-square-foot detached garage to a new accessory dwelling unit that would be attached to the proposed ground floor addition. The applicant has also proposed an exterior remodel of the entire residence, including new paint, roofing, exterior lighting fixtures, and windows consistent with the existing home’s post-war ranch/bungalow architectural style.
The proposed additions would result in a total floor area of 2,130 square feet, which is below the maximum allowable floor area of 3,125 square feet allowed in the RS 8,000 zone. The home was originally constructed in 1949 and is not listed on the City’s Register of Structures of Historic and Architectural Merit (Register) or otherwise considered to be a historic structure. While staff has some concerns regarding the overall massing of the second-story addition, staff finds that the proposed project is consistent with the applicable development standards and that it meets the General Review Criteria set forth in Claremont Municipal Code Section 16.300.060, while allowing the applicant to meet the stated goals of the project to add more living area to the small home while also preserving the private backyard for recreation and play for his family.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommended Action
Staff recommends the Architectural and Preservation Commission:
A. Adopt A RESOLUTION OF THE ARCHITECTURAL AND PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA APPROVING ARCHITECTURAL and site plan REVIEW #22-A09, for FIRST- AND SECOND-STORY ADDITIONS TO THE EXISTING SINGLE-STORY RESIDENCE LOCATED AT 253 EAST GREEN STREET. APPLICANT AND HOMEOWNER - ERIC HURLEY; and
B. Find that this item is exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
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Alternatives to the Recommendation
In addition to the recommendation, there are the following alternatives:
A. Continue the item for additional information.
B. Approve the project with additional or revised Conditions of Approval.
C. Express intent to deny the proposal, specifically identifying the review criteria of Section 16.300.060.A of the Municipal Code that cannot be met, and continue the item to July 24, 2024, for adoption of a denial resolution as all of the necessary findings cannot be met.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Costs associated with the review of this application have been borne by the applicant.
ANALYSIS
Background
The Claremont Municipal Code (CMC) calls for all new construction, exterior modifications, and site changes for properties be subject to architectural review either by the Architectural and Preservation Commission or by Planning Division staff in order to protect and enhance the livability of the City and ensure that changes to the built environment enhance, rather than detract from, the character and sense of place of Claremont’s unique neighborhoods.
The subject property is located in the RS 8,000 zoning district, an RS Single-Family Residential District (RS). The intent of the RS zoning district is to provide for individual homes on separate lots at various minimum lot sizes to provide for a range of yard and lot sizes, which are based on location, density, and topographical considerations. The subject property is a 7,500-square-foot lot located on the north side of Green Street, backing directly to College Park and the Claremont Pooch Dog Park.
The existing residence is an 891-square-foot single-story home built in 1949 with a floorplan consisting of two bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as a detached garage. The bungalow home features a post-war ranch and bungalow architectural styling highlighted by a low-pitched gabled roof with exposed rafter tails, a front porch with wood columns, and wood board and batten siding along the front façade. Located on the property are two mature California Coast Live oak trees, one in the backyard and one large tree in the front yard near the front property line.
The subject site is located in the Oakmont neighborhood, one of the earliest large-scale suburban developments in Claremont. It is characterized by a relatively low-scale development form, dominated by modest single-story ranch and bungalow-style homes. Starting in the 1990s, a number of second-story additions began being proposed and approved, including a few in the near vicinity of the subject property such as 180 South College, 150 South College, 130 South College, 156 East Green, and 283 East Green. Excluding the size of the garage, the sizes of these two-story homes range from 1,300 square feet to 2,617 square feet. In general, however, the average home size on Green Street and nearby Kirkwood Avenue is approximately 1,300 square feet.
The proposed scope of the addition/remodel is complex and has been carefully considered by the applicant and designer, Ana Aguilar. The design is intended to address a range of space, design aesthetic, and lifestyle needs of the Applicant and his family. The proposed project seeks to accomplish the following goals:
- Add square footage to the main residence to accommodate family needs,
- Preserve flat portion of the backyard for recreation,
- Make better use of the long, underutilized driveway,
- Take advantage of the garage’s existing non-conforming setback to preserve the backyard play area, and
- Create a new accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on the property.
To meet these goals, Mr. Hurley seeks to add substantial square footage to the undersized home to accommodate the family of four while still preserving the remaining flat portion of the backyard that the family uses for active recreation and play. The existing residence has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living room. The expansion of the home will allow for the creation of a master suite, a larger family and living room, a home office, and a workshop. Additionally, new openings at the rear of the home and a new trellis patio would lend the home an indoor-outdoor feel it currently lacks. Overall, the proposed additions would expand the utility of the home for the family and their needs.
Additionally, while the remaining portion of the yard, consisting of sloped, uneven surfaces, is available for uses such as dining or gardening, it is not ideal for safe, active recreation. It is for this reason that the remaining roughly 750 square foot flat, open space available is highly valued by Mr. Hurley and his family for physical and outdoor activities. This value is further reflected in the proposed project as Mr. Hurley seeks to incorporate more opportunities for the interaction of the outdoor and indoor spaces of the home through the use of windows and the balcony on the proposed second story to open up the space and bring in more natural light.
In order to both maintain valuable usable rear yard area and add over 1,100-square feet of new livable area, Mr. Hurley proposes constructing the addition in the area currently occupied by the driveway on the west side of the home, which extends over 60-feet from the Green Street property line to the existing detached garage northwest of the existing home. Per the applicant, the long driveway makes parking in the existing garage impractical, rendering the driveway underutilized space. Constructing the proposed addition in the area occupied by the driveway also allows Mr. Hurley to connect the home and the detached garage via the addition, add square footage over the top of the garage, and create one unified structure. The proposed project will maintain the portion of the narrow driveway that is located in the front setback area in order to provide at least two off-street parking spaces. Because the proposal includes converting the existing garage into an ADU, the garage’s covered parking spaces are not required to be replaced elsewhere on site.
Project Description
The proposed project includes the following components:
1. First Floor Addition - Construction of a 536-square foot addition along the western side of the residence that extends to meet the existing detached garage, located approximately six feet to the north of the home. The proposed addition includes a new bedroom, replacing an existing bedroom being demolished to create the new family and living room, a workshop, and a mudroom. While the addition would connect to the converted garage, there would be no interior access to the fully independent secondary living unit. Connecting the addition to the existing detached garage, which has a non-conforming side setback of 2’-7” from the western property, allows the applicant to construct the first floor addition five-feet away from the western property line, in lieu of the otherwise required eight feet. Per CMC Section 16.130.020.I, first floor additions to legal nonconforming buildings may be constructed with the same non-conforming setback as that established by the existing building, or five feet, whichever is greater.
Apart from the bedroom window, sized as needed for egress, the only other west facing window is raised above eye level to mitigate potential privacy impacts. There is also a sliding glass door on the western elevation near the front of the first floor addition. The addition is just over 14-feet wide and is set back seven feet from southwestern corner of the existing home that is closest to Green Street. An eight-foot wide two-panel wood bifold door with glass panels would face Green Street providing access to the workshop.
2. Second-Floor Addition - Construction of a 624 square foot addition to create a new second story located over the ground floor addition and converted garage. The proposed second floor addition includes a new master bedroom, walk-in closet, vanity, and office loft. The second-story addition is set back eight-feet away from the western property, three additional feet beyond the ground floor addition. CMC Section 16.130.020.I requires that all second-floor additions meet required setbacks. The second story addition also features a 34-square foot balcony with wooden guard rail on the east side of the addition, accessible from the master bedroom at the rear of the proposed addition. All west-facing windows are either raised above eye level (Clerestory windows) or are located in transitional spaces such as the stairwell to avoid privacy concerns for neighboring properties while still allowing for light to come through the residence.
3. Garage Conversion - Conversion of a portion of the existing 364-square foot detached garage to an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) attached to the first floor addition of the main residence. The new ADU will match the residence including windows, siding, eaves, rafters, roof, gable vents, and corbels. This project is being processed under a separate accessory dwelling unit permit, #22-ADUP16. State law and the CMC require that ADU’s are reviewed in a ministerial review process based on objective development and design standards. The proposed ADU meets the requirements of CMC Chapter 16.333 - Accessory Dwelling Units.
4. Exterior Remodel - Reroof to asphalt shingles in autumn brown with painted rafter tails painted to match. Finishing changes include new wood door stain, new tan-colored vinyl windows (Milgard V250 Style Line Series) with wood trim, and repainted stucco, posts, fascia, and board and batten siding.
In total, the existing home and proposed additions would result in a total floor area of 2,130 square feet, with the now-attached ADU providing an additional 303-square feet of livable area. Taken together, the overall project unifies the two existing detached structures on the property by constructing a two-story addition in the area currently occupied by the driveway. The resultant structure has an L-shaped building footprint. The addition is stepped back from the front of the house with the first floor of the addition set seven feet behind the existing building. The second story of the addition is set an additional four feet to the north, minimizing the perceived mass of the two-story addition when viewed from the street. The addition is designed to be consistent with the existing home, which will also be remodeled in developing the project, in order to blend the addition with the low-slung bungalow to the greatest extent possible. The addition’s roof features the same slope and gabled design as that of the primary residence, including its exposed rafter tails and decorative gable vent detail. The addition’s main ridge runs north-south, perpendicular to that of the existing home.
The proposed project meets all of the development standards of the RS 8,000 zone as set forth in the draft resolution (Attachment A). The project plans are included as Attachment B and include a detailed color and materials sheet.
Basis for Recommendation
From the initial proposal to the current proposal, staff has worked with Mr. Hurley in an iterative process towards a final proposal that both accomplishes Mr. Hurley’s goals and satisfies the CMC’s design review criteria to result in a project that contributes to Green Street’s character and ambiance. Mr. Hurley and his designer have responded to initial City comments centered around reducing the second story’s perceived mass by setting it back from the existing home’s façade and better integrating its design with the existing residence. After two years of review and design iterations, the current proposal represents Mr. Hurley’s good faith effort to take into account staff’s feedback to make substantial changes to arrive at the current proposed project.
Staff finds that the proposal satisfies all of the architectural design review criteria listed in CMC Section 16.300.060.A for the reasons stated in the draft approval resolution. The project proposes additions and exterior design details that will maintain the character of the home and contribute to the character of the surrounding neighborhood. The large, mature Coast Live Oak tree located in the property’s front yard acts to significantly conceal the massing of the proposed second story and was taken into account in the design of the project. Additional measures, such as setting the first and second-story portions of the addition back from the front of the house, as well as setting the second-story addition eight feet away from the western property line, further mitigate the appearance of excessive mass. Additionally, nearly all windows along the western façade are clerestory or are located in transitional areas to account for privacy considerations. As such, staff recommends that the Architectural and Preservation Commission approve the proposed design.
CEQA REVIEW
The proposal is categorically exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Section 15301(e), in that the project consists of an addition to an existing structure that will not result in an increase of more than 10,000 square feet in an area where all public services and facilities are available to allow for maximum development permissible in the General Plan and one that is not environmentally sensitive. Therefore, no further environmental review is necessary.
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
This item has been noticed through the regular agenda notification process. Copies of the submitted plans are being held at the Public Counter at City Hall for review.
As a courtesy, notice of this meeting was mailed to properties adjacent to the subject property on July 27, 2024. A copy of this report has been sent to the applicant and homeowner, Eric Hurley, and project designer Ana Aguilar.
Submitted by: Prepared by:
Brad Johnson Nikola Hlady
Community Development Director Senior Planner
Reviewed by: Jordan Goose
Assistant Planner
Christopher Veirs
Principal Planner
Attachments:
A - Draft Resolution
B - Site Plan, Floor Plans, Elevations, & Materials Sheet