TO: ARCHITECTURAL AND PRESERVATION COMMISSION
FROM: BRAD JOHNSON, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
DATE: SEPTEMBER 10, 2025
SUBJECT:
Title
ARCHITECTURAL AND SITE PLAN REVIEW #24-A06, REVIEW OF EXTERIOR REMODEL TO AN EXISTING COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN THE CLAREMONT VILLAGE LOCATED AT 212 NORTH YALE AVENUE – APPLICANT – DARLENE MARTINEZ
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SUMMARY
The applicant, Darlene Martinez, who owns the property, is requesting approval for Architectural and Site Plan Review #24-A06 for an exterior remodel to the existing 2,195 square foot, single-story commercial building, located at 212 North Yale Avenue in the Claremont Village (CV) zoning district. The proposal includes a proposed exterior remodel of the commercial building, including new paint, siding, exterior lighting fixtures, and windows consistent with the existing architectural style, which can be found in Attachment B. The existing commercial building was built in 1925 and while identified as a contributing building in the Village Design Plan, it is not listed on the City’s Register of Structures of Historic and Architectural Merit (Register).
Staff finds the proposed exterior remodel to be consistent with the Claremont Municipal Code (CMC), General Plan, and Village Design Plan, and that all the required architectural and site plan review criteria can be made.
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 #24-A06, FOR THE RENOVATION OF THE EXTERIOR FACADES OF THE EXISTING COMMERCIAL BUILDING LOCATED AT 212 NORTH YALE AVENUE APPLICANT - DARLENE MARTINEZ; 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 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 an intent to deny the proposal in its entirety, specifically identifying the findings of Section 16.300.060.A of the Claremont Municipal Code that cannot be met, and continue the item to September 24, 2025, for adoption of a denial resolution.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Costs associated with the review of this application have been borne by the applicant.
ANALYSIS
Background
The project site is a rectangular property of approximately 4,855 square feet located near the northeast corner of Yale Avenue and West 2nd Street. The property is located in the Claremont Village Overlay (CVO) zoning district, which is intended to encourage a complementary mix of small-scale retail stores, commercial services, restaurants, offices, and civic uses within a small-town, pedestrian-oriented district. The property has a corresponding General Plan designation of Claremont Village. Located in the heart of the Village, adjacent uses include The Verbal Building (Pizza N Such to the south) and the Folk Music Center to the north. Additional surrounding uses across Yale Avenue include Starbucks, the Claremont Chamber of Commerce and 42nd Street Bagel. The site is developed with a well-maintained 2,195-square-foot white stucco building, originally built in 1925.
Like many of the buildings on this block of Yale Avenue (between Bonita and Second), this building has been remodeled over time and has lost most, if not all, of its original architectural features. The original storefront of the building was modified with stucco panels and green ceramic tile on the three structural piers sometime in the 1950s or 1960s. The remodel removed all the original windows and covered the original façade materials, which were brick or glazed brick façade. In 1991, another remodel was completed which retained the existing green tile but removed the stucco panels. The remodeled façade incorporated elements used in the historic design, such as transom windows, awnings, a recessed entry door, and a two-bay façade. The existing building reflects the changes made in this 1991 remodel. Lastly, though not listed in the City’s Register of Sites of Historic or Architectural Merit, the building is still identified as a contributing building in the Architectural Quality Map of the Village Design Plan.
Earlier this year, the applicant applied for, and was granted approval of, a more ambitious remodel that included the addition of second floor residential use. The second floor proposal is no longer being pursued by the applicant. The applicant has also submitted a separate application for signage at this property, which is being reviewed at the staff level based on the City’s sign code review responsibilities for non-illuminated, building-mounted signs.
Project Description
The proposed project consists of an exterior remodel to the Yale Avenue storefront façade of an existing commercial building located within the Claremont Village (CV) District. The scope of work includes the following:
• Installation of new brown fabric awnings positioned above the transom windows along the western storefront façade.
• Replacement of the existing stucco and green tile siding with Nero Brown brick rustico tile siding laid in a horizontal pattern. This is a high quality ceramic tile with a flat finish and mottled color blend.
• Restoration of a secondary entryway on the western façade, including the installation of new aluminum-framed transom windows and black-framed glass entry doors. Current wood frames are painted green and white in color.
The subject property is located within Area I of the Claremont Village Design Plan (VDP), identified as the Central Commercial Core. The Design Plan recommends that first floors maintain the established pattern of storefront display windows, a feature incorporated into this remodel. The proposal restores an existing recessed doorway that had been modified into a window and removes green ceramic tile that was added in a recent remodel and replaces it with an attractive, high-quality tile. The property is further classified as a Building Type I, characterized by a prominent parapet wall and an integrated permanent canopy that create a traditional commercial storefront. These defining elements are reflected in and carried forward through the proposed design. Overall, the remodel includes a simple design with a limited number of materials that harmonize well with adjacent buildings and are consistent with the design objectives and guidelines set forth in the Village Design Plan.
The project is limited to surface material façade improvements only. No building additions, expansions, or modifications to the roofline, massing, or site layout are proposed. Signage for the storefront is not part of this application and will be reviewed separately under a staff-level sign permit.
The proposed improvements are designed to enhance the architectural character of the building while maintaining consistency with the pedestrian-oriented storefronts of the Claremont Village. The chosen materials and color palette are durable, high-quality, and compatible with surrounding structures, ensuring that the remodel contributes positively to the visual cohesion of the district.
The project also complies with all applicable development standards of the Claremont Village (CV) zoning district as outlined in Section A of the Draft Resolution (Attachment A). Detailed project plans, including color and material samples, are provided in Attachment B.
Parking
The subject property currently has seven parking spaces, which is the correct number of spaces required for the use however, the stalls are substandard in size. Pursuant to Government Code Section 65863.2(a), a “public agency shall not impose or enforce any minimum automobile parking requirement on a residential, commercial, or other development project if the project is located within one-half mile of public transit.” 212 North Yale Avenue is located 0.2 miles from the Claremont Depot with bus and train services. For this reason, minimum parking requirements cannot be enforced as a requirement for the proposed exterior remodel. Nonetheless, following a tenant improvement proposal through the Building Division, the property will maintain five standard stalls and one new ADA standard stall on site. Though parking onsite continues to be substandard, additional parking cannot be required.
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 all of the reasons stated in the draft approval resolution. The proposed project exterior design details will bring defined and period-appropriate styling to the home while using contemporary materials and finishes. It will also improve the property’s relationship with the street and enhance the ability of the building to contribute to the character of the surrounding Claremont Village. The proposed remodel is designed appropriately by incorporating quality details, materials, and colors that are generally consistent with the styling and scale of adjacent buildings in the Village. As such, the staff recommends that the Architectural and Preservation Commission approve the proposed design, subject to the conditions of approval contained in the draft resolution.
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. Though not explicitly listed on the Claremont Register of Structures of Historic or Architectural Merit, the building is identified as a contributing building in the Village Design Plan and therefore the proposed remodel has been designed to be closely consistent with the original structure’s architecture, which has been significantly altered over the years, and as such, will not cause a substantial adverse change in the building’s significance in the context of the Village. 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 Claremont Village. Therefore, no further environmental review is necessary.
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
This agenda and staff report for this item has been posted on the City website and distributed to interested parties. If you desire a paper copy, please contact Pearl Juarez at pjuarez@claremontca.gov.
As a courtesy, notice of this meeting was mailed to properties adjacent to the subject property on August 28, 2025. A copy of this report has been sent to the applicant and other interested parties.
Submitted by: Prepared by:
Brad Johnson Jordan Goose
Community Development Director Assistant Planner
Reviewed by:
Christopher Veirs
Principal Planner
Attachments:
A – Draft Resolution
B – Proposed Plan Set