TO: ARCHITECTURAL AND PRESERVATION COMMISSION
FROM: BRAD JOHNSON, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
DATE: DECEMBER 10, 2025
SUBJECT:
Title
ARCHITECTURAL AND SITE PLAN REVIEW #25-A08, REVIEW OF PROPOSED ADDITION AND EXTERIOR REMODEL, NEW COVERED PORCH, NEW HARDSCAPE AND LANDSCAPE OF THE EXISTING REGISTER-LISTED SINGLE-STORY RESIDENCE LOCATED AT 319 WEST SIXTH STREET. APPLICANTS - SHAWN HUBLER AND ROBERT MAGNUSON
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SUMMARY
The applicant is requesting Architectural and Site Plan Review approval for a single-story addition, exterior remodel, new covered porch, and new hardscape and landscape to the existing 846 square foot, register-listed, single-story, single-family residence, located at 319 West Sixth Street in the HC 7,500 zoning district. The proposal includes a proposed addition and exterior remodel of the residence, including new siding, roof extension, new covered front porch consistent with the Craftsman bungalow architectural style. The site plan, floor plan, elevations, and color and material sheet for this proposal can be found in Attachment B. The home was originally constructed in 1911 and is listed on the City’s Register of Structures of Historic and Architectural Merit (Claremont Register) as part of the grouping of homes located on Sixth Street between Harvard Avenue and Indian Hill Boulevard. Historic documents for the property can be found in Attachment C.
Staff finds that the proposed remodel will significantly improve the relationship that the residence has with the street and the neighborhood it is located in. As detailed in the Draft Resolution (Attachment A), staff also finds that the proposed project meets the General Review Criteria set forth in Claremont Municipal Code Section 16.300.060 and, upon approval of a Minor Exception Permit reviewed at staff level, the project will be in compliance with applicable development standards. Additionally, because the proposed remodel involves changes to the front façade of a property currently listed on the Claremont Register, approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness by the Architectural and Preservation Commission is required. Staff finds that the proposal meets all criteria listed in CMC Section 16.302.160 for the reasons stated in the draft approval resolution.
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 #25-A08, FOR A PROPOSED ADDITION AND EXTERIOR REMODEL, NEW COVERED PORCH, NEW HARDSCAPE AND LANDSCAPING OF THE EXISTING REGISTER-LISTED SINGLE-STORY RESIDENCE LOCATED AT 319 WEST SIXTH STREET. APPLICANTS - SHAWN HUBLER AND ROBERT MAGNUSON; and
B. Find this item is exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
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ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDATION
In addition to staff’s 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 January 14, 2026, 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 and investment potentials 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 Historic Claremont (HC 7,500) zoning district, which is the oldest residential area in the City. The history of the neighborhood is evident in the large number of historically significant structures built between the turn of the century to the 1940s that are still maintained as single-family residences. The homes vary in size and show quality of workmanship and character not often found in current times. The subject home is built on a 2,925-square-foot lot located on the north side of West Sixth Street, between Harvard Avenue and Indian Hill Boulevard.
The subject property is listed by street address only within the Claremont Historic Register as part of a neighborhood grouping that consists of the entire street of Sixth Street, between Harvard Avenue and Indian Hill Boulevard. The single-family residential part of Sixth Street is a short, three-block street that runs between Berkeley Avenue to the west, ending at Pilgrim Place, and Harvard Avenue to the east, bordering the Claremont Colleges. The Register Listing notes that the short stretch of Sixth Street from Harvard Avenue to Indian Hill Boulevard displays a concentration of the characteristic features of central Claremont. The street is mostly residential, with a mixture of houses from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, with a few homes from a later date. The homes range in size from large two-story residences to small bungalows and present a pleasing variety of architectural styles. Further, the Claremont United Church of Christ, which is a historic church closely involved in the foundation of the community, occupies half a block on the south side of Sixth Street between Harvard Avenue and Yale Avenue.
Built originally in 1911 and at only 846 square feet, the existing residence is a Craftsman bungalow located on one of the smallest lots in the City. It features a gabled roof, wood siding, wooden doors, ribbon windows, a deck, and a porch stoop on the street facing façade. Its interior consists of two bedrooms, two bathrooms, one kitchen, and a living room. Historic documents suggest that this house was probably the original garage for 311 West Sixth Street, which would explain the small house and lot size. A separate application for constructing an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) by converting the existing one-car garage has also been submitted and is being reviewed by the Planning Division. Per state law, ADU permits must be reviewed ministerially by staff and not by the Commission.
Project Description
The proposed project includes the following components:
• Demolition of the existing 117-square-foot deck
• An 84-square-foot single-story addition
• Re-use of an existing door, windows, and exterior lights
• Construct a new 91-square-foot-covered porch along the front elevation by extending the existing roof gable and enclosing the porch area with a four-foot-high river rock wall, and construct two new porch support columns consistent with the Craftsman bungalow architectural style
• Construct an approximately nine-foot-high arbor in the front yard
• Construct three-foot-high river rock garden walls, decorative pilasters, and a pedestrian gate, as well as construct hardscape for walkways in the front yard
• Exterior materials include board-and-batten siding and asphalt composition shingles to match the existing structure
The Planning Division has also received an application (File #25-MEP03) to permit a 17% increase in the permitted lot coverage within the HC 7,500 zoning district, and an application (File #25-ADUP35). If this permit is approved by staff as described below, the proposed project will meet all of the development standards of the HC 7,500 as set forth in Section A of the draft resolution (Attachment A). The project plans are included as Attachment B and include colors and materials.
Minor Exception Permit
Concurrent with this design review by the Architectural and Preservation Commission, the applicant is pursuing a Minor Exception Permit (MEP) to increase the lot coverage of the property by 17%. The reason behind the request is that the subject parcel is substantially smaller than most parcels in the Historic Claremont (HC) zone. While the minimum lot size in the HC zone is 7,500 square feet, the subject lot is only 2,925 square feet. Therefore, the existing house, at 846 square feet, is also substantially smaller than most single-family homes in the City. To make the house more livable, the applicants are proposing an 84-square-foot addition to the living room, as well as a new 91-square-foot covered porch along the front elevation.
The excess lot coverage roughly amounts to the square feet necessary for the living room addition and the covered front porch, which is in keeping with the overall neighborhood character, as roughly half of the homes on the street also have seating or outdoor seating areas in their respective front yards. Furthermore, the proposed living room addition will bring the house closer to the street, and the proposed covered porch will provide enhanced connectivity between the street and the house while adding space to facilitate outdoor living. Staff believe all necessary findings for the granting of an MEP can be made and intend to approve the MEP once the Architectural and Preservation Commission has made a decision on the design of the building.
Certificate of Appropriateness
Pursuant to CMC Section 16.302.130, the Architectural and Preservation Commission must also approve a Certificate of Appropriateness for the project, as it includes substantial modifications to a Resource listed in the Claremont Register.
Staff finds that the proposal meets all criteria listed in CMC Section 16.302.160 for the reasons stated in the draft approval resolution. The property is important for its bungalow size and location on a historic portion of Sixth Street as opposed to its particular architectural style, historic integrity, or historic significance. The proposed project will maintain the home’s diminutive size while improving its connection to the street and providing a pleasant and inviting porch and outdoor space that will make the home more similar to surrounding properties. Historic features, including existing doors and windows, are being preserved and reused in the new addition. The project will not create a significant adverse impact to the character-defining features, historic character, and aesthetic interest and value of the property. As such, staff recommends the Architectural and Preservation Commission approve the Certificate of Appropriateness as described in the draft resolution.
Basis for Recommendation
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 proposed project’s exterior design details will strengthen period-appropriate Craftsman styling to the home by introducing a covered porch with river rock support columns along the front elevation of the house. It will also improve the property’s relationship with the street and enhance the ability of the residence to contribute to the character of the surrounding neighborhood. The addition of the front covered porch is consistent with the neighborhood in that the immediate neighbor across the street also has a front porch in a similar orientation.
Additionally, roughly half of the homes on the street also have seating or outdoor seating areas in their front yards. The proposed remodel to the residence is designed appropriately by incorporating quality details, materials, and colors that are generally consistent with the styling and scale of adjacent residences. As such, staff recommends that the Architectural and Preservation Commission approve the proposed design with the applicable conditions of approval.
CEQA REVIEW
This proposal is categorically exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Section 15301(e), in that the project consists of renovations to an existing structure. While the home is historic, having been built originally in 1911, and is listed on The Register of Structures of Historic and Architectural Merit of the City of Claremont, the exception pertaining to historic resources does not apply in this case, as the proposed work would not result in a substantial adverse change to the historic nature of the residence. The exterior renovation is designed to complement existing architectural features and would notably improve the ability of the structure to contribute to the historic character of the neighborhood. Therefore, no further environmental review is necessary.
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
The agenda and staff report for this item have been posted on the City website and distributed to interested parties. If you desire a paper copy, please contact Melissa Sanabria at msanabria@claremontca.gov.
As a courtesy, notice of this meeting was mailed to properties adjacent to the subject property on November 26, 2025. Copies of this staff report have been sent to the applicant and other interested parties.
Submitted by: Reviewed by:
Brad Johnson Christopher Veirs
Community Development Director City Planner
Prepared by:
Catherine Lin, AICP
Senior Planner
Attachments:
A - Draft Resolution
B - Project Plans
C - Historic Documents