CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
June 4, 2024 {{section.number}}b
211 ALAMEDA BOULEVARD: CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR A HISTORIC
ALTERATION PERMIT, INCLUDING AN EXCEPTION TO ZONING REGULATIONS, AND A
DETERMINATION THAT THE PROJECT IS CATEGORICALLY EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT GUIDELINES SECTION 15331 (HAP 2024- 01)
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the project with conditions and adopt a Resolution “Determining that the project is categorically exempt under class 31 of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15331 (historical resource restoration/rehabilitation) and approving a Historic Resource Alteration Permit at 211 Alameda Boulevard”.
BACKGROUND:
On November 16, 2016, the Historic Resource Commission adopted Resolution HR 41-16 designating the property at 211 Alameda Boulevard as a Historic Resource. A Mills Act Agreement was recorded for the property in 2018.
This Historic Resource Alteration Permit application was submitted by the property owners, Brian and Kelly Gilhooly, with project architect Dorian Lytle, Flagg Coastal Homes.
The Coronado Municipal Code requires that alterations to historic resources be reviewed by the Historic Resource Commission and determined to meet the findings for approval in Chapter 84.20, which includes consistency with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. The Municipal Code also requires that any Historic Resource Alteration Permit seeking to utilize existing building setbacks and building heights or exceed floor area ratio or lot coverage standards requires final approval by the City Council. The applicant for this project is requesting an exception to zoning regulations related to side yard setbacks, and these are discussed in more detail in the Analysis section of the report.
The Historic Resource Commission reviewed the project at a noticed public hearing on April 17, 2024, and determined that the project meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and findings for approval, and with a vote of 3-0-1-1 (Clements absent, Robyn disqualified) recommends that City Council approve the project and the associated zoning exception requests (resolution and minutes attached).
ANALYSIS:
The Coronado Municipal Code requires that specific findings shall be made in order to approve any alteration to a designated Historic Resource, including consistency with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. The property owner also has a Mills Act Agreement, so the project must also comply with the City’s Alteration Guidelines for Mills Act Properties.
The proposed project, which is fully described in the application and plans submitted by the applicant on March 12, 2024, includes: a 572 square foot second floor addition to the existing 1,957 square foot two-story dwelling, which will increase the size of the dwelling to 2,529 square feet, an increase in size of 29.2%. The existing first floor is not proposed to be enlarged; rather, addition will be at the second-floor level creating a covered patio area at the rear and converting 115 square feet of the first-floor roof to a covered balcony. No work is proposed for the garage or accessory structure.
The proposed project does not include any work to the front of the dwelling, other than replacing three existing wood windows with new all wood windows matching the existing. Construction of the project as proposed will include demolition of existing stucco at the rear of the dwelling along with existing balcony columns in the location where the second floor will be constructed. On the second floor, two non-original windows and a non-original door will be removed, along with stucco and an existing balcony where the second-floor addition will be constructed.
The design of the new addition is intended to be compatible with the style of the original dwelling but differentiated through the use of modern materials and subtly different details. The stucco finish of the new addition will be a smooth stucco finish, to differentiate it from the deep rough trowelled finish of the historic portion of the dwelling. The historic house has a flat roof with a parapet, and the new addition is proposed to have a sloped barrel tile roof. Windows and doors in the area of addition are proposed to be aluminum clad. Due to the location of the addition at the rear, these aluminum windows will not be visible from the street right-of-way. Staff has noted in the attached resolution that all methods of differentiation must be shown and/or noted on the plans.
The addition increases the size of the original dwelling by 29.2%, and its placement, behind the existing second floor on the back side of the original dwelling, is appropriate as it keeps the primary elevation, as well as much of the two adjacent secondary elevations, intact. The applicant has provided renderings that show the appearance of the property with the addition completed.
The City’s Mills Act Alteration Guidelines note that additions should be subordinate in bulk, scale, and mass to the historic building, and that roof forms should be subordinate to the roof of the historic building. In this case, the historic building has a flat roof with a parapet. To differentiate from the flat roof, the applicant has proposed a sloped barrel tile roof. Since a sloped roof results in a taller roof form, it is not subordinate to the historic flat roof. However, the addition appears subordinate to the original dwelling from the public right of way according to the rendering, showing the massing of the addition placed behind the existing two-story parapet roof, and the size of the new addition smaller in square footage than the existing house.
The Historic Resource Commission recommends, with the conditions recommended by staff, that the project is consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and the City’s Alteration Guidelines for Mills Act Properties due to the preservation of the appearance of the dwelling as viewed from the Alameda Boulevard street frontage, placement of the addition at the rear of the dwelling, and use of subtle but effective differentiation in the areas of new construction.
Zoning Exception Requests
The Historic Preservation Ordinance provides benefits for historically designated properties, including exceptions to zoning code regulations. CMC 84.10.090 states that: an owner of a historic resource in a Residential Zone is eligible to apply for a historic resource alteration permit to utilize existing building setbacks and building heights when an alteration is proposed to a designated historic resource. Granting an exception to zoning standards is a policy decision, and the City Council should consider consistency with the Coronado Municipal Code, the impact of the exception request on the neighborhood, as well as the impact of the exception request on the Historic Resource.
The applicant is requesting one exception to zoning standards, which is identified on the project plans and described as follows:
86.10.060 – Side Yard Required
The required side yard setback for the property is 5’-0”. The existing historic house is sited 4’-4” from the north side property line. The applicant is requesting to utilize this existing setback to construct a covered deck over a one-story area adjacent to the new second floor addition, with a roof support post encroaching approximately 8” into the setback area.
The City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance requires that in order to be approved any proposed modification to a designated Historic Resource shall require specific findings. As conditioned for approval, the project meets these findings for approval of a Historic Alteration Permit and the Historic Resource Commission recommends approval of the project and associated zoning exception requests as stated in the attached resolution.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None
ALTERNATIVE:
The City Council may deny the project or add, remove, or modify any proposed conditions of approval.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT:
CEQA Cat Ex Class 31, Historical Resource
PUBLIC NOTICE:
A public notice was published in the newspaper and notices were mailed to all property owners within 300 feet of the boundaries of the project.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 2024-41
2. HRC Resolution 4-24
3. Application
4. April 17, 2024 HRC Minutes
5. Declaration of Publishing and Public Notice
Submitted By: Community Development Department / Tricia Olsen