DS 20-339 (Takizawa): Consideration of a Concept Design Study for the construction of a 177 square-foot single-story addition to an existing 1,328 square-foot single-story dwelling and a 210 square-foot detached garage located on Casanova Street, 4 southeast of 9th Ave in the Single-Family Residential (R-1) Zoning District.

The applicant is requesting acceptance of a Concept Design Study to construct a 177 square-foot single-story addition at the rear of an existing 1,328 square-foot single-story historical residence and a 210 square-foot detached garage at the front of the residence. The project includes an interior remodel and an additional bathroom. The detached garage would provide covered parking for the owner as there is currently only a parking pad on-site. The Historic Resources Board reviewed the project on April 19, 2021 and is supportive of the design, with certain conditions. No trees are proposed to be removed and the project meets all required development standards (i.e. floor area, height, setbacks). The project is located on Casanova Street, 4 southeast of 9^th Ave in the Single-Family Residential (R-1) Zoning District.

Staff recommends that the Planning Commission adopt a resolution (Attachment 1) approving the Concept Design Study to construct a 177 square-foot single-story addition to an existing 1,328 square-foot single-story residence and a 210 square-foot detached garage located on Casanova Street, 4 southeast of 9^th Ave in the Single-Family Residential (R-1) Zoning District.

The 4,000 square-foot project site contains a 1,144-square-foot residence and 172 square-foot attached garage. The garage is no longer used for parking, as it has been converted to a laundry room and storage. The existing cottage is a circa 1906, one-story Bungalow known as the ‘Artie Bowen House.’ The property is a local historical resource for its architectural significance as the first home constructed by Arthur ‘Artie’ Bowen, one of Carmel’s early carpenters/builders who worked in construction in Carmel from 1906-1955. Mr. Kent Seavey evaluated the property for historical significance on August 8, 2002 (refer to Attachment 2).

The applicant is proposing a 177 square-foot, single-story addition at the rear of the residence and an interior remodel to reconfigure the living space, add a second bathroom, and convert the laundry/storage room to a den. The project also includes a new 210 square-foot detached garage at the front of the residence.

The Historic Resources Board reviewed the project on April 19, 2021. The Board issued a determination of consistency with the secretary’s standards for the treatment of historic properties (Attachment 3) finding the modifications consistent and appropriate with guiding historic preservation principles and practices, subject to the following conditions:

1.     Cottage Window. The Cottage Window on the front elevation, south side of the front door, shall be retained in its entirety.

2.     Bay Window. The Bay Window on the front elevation, north side of the front door, shall retain the size, shape, and manner of the existing opening. The window may be replaced with wood-frame casement windows.

3.     North Elevation Window. The north elevation window within the 1906 portion of the cottage shall retain the size, shape, and manner of the existing opening. The window may be replaced with wood-frame casement windows.

4.     Shingle Siding. The shingle siding on the 1906 portion of the cottage shall be preserved and protected. Damaged shingles shall be repaired and preserved. If the damage is beyond repair, it shall be documented with photographic evidence and submitted to the Community Planning & Building Department along with an in-kind replacement shingle for review and approval. In-kind replacement of shingles shall not be carried out before approval by the Department.

5.     Character-Defining Features. All character-defining features identified in the April 9, 2021 Addendum to Phase Two Report for the Artie Bowen House prepared by qualified professional Margaret Clovis shall be protected and preserved.

The draft resolution (Attachment 1) for concept acceptance includes these conditions.

Forest Character: Residential Design Guidelines 1.1 through 1.4 encourages preserving significant trees and minimizing impacts on established trees, protecting the root systems of all preserved trees; and, maintaining a forested image.

Staff Response: The applicant is not proposing to remove any trees. The City Forester will conduct a tree evaluation and provide tree planting and tree protection measures before final details review. The applicant will incorporate this information into the project plans for final approval by the Planning Commission. With the application of conditions of approval, the project meets the objectives of forest character.

Privacy and Views: Residential Design Guidelines 5.1 through 5.3 encourages designs that preserve reasonable privacy for adjacent properties and maintain view opportunities to natural features.

Staff Response: Staff did not identify any potential privacy or view impacts.

Parking and Access: Residential Design Guidelines 6.1 through 6.7 encourages subordinate parking facilities that do not dominate the design of the house or site; minimizing the amount of paved surface for a driveway; positioning garages to maximize open space, views, and privacy; and, minimizing visual impacts.

Staff Response: The attached garage was added to the original 1906 cottage in 1935. It is unknown when the garage was converted to a storage/laundry room. Required parking is provided on the existing driveway and is located outside of the front setback. The attached garage does not meet the current code to satisfy . The existing garage space is approximately 9’-4” wide and 18’-3” deep for a total of 173 square feet. Required parking must be at least 10’ x 20’ for a total of 200 square feet. The applicant is proposing to construct a new detached garage that meets these requirements. The new garage would be located at the front 15’ setback and would encroach into the minimum 3’ side setback by 1’-4”.

Carmel Municipal Code Section 17.10.030.A.1 (Detached Garages and Carports), subsection b allows detached garages to encroach into an interior side yard setback subject to the following:

1.      Structure height does not exceed 15’.

Staff Response: Due to the westward slope of the lot, the front elevation of the detached garage would be 11’ at the tallest point. The project meets this requirement.

2.      Construction of the garage would not impact significant or moderately significant trees.

Staff Response: As stated above, the City Forester is scheduled to conduct a tree evaluation which will be complete before the final details review. Based on general observations, staff does not anticipate that the garage would impact any significant or moderately significant trees.

3.      The location and design of the garage comply with applicable design guidelines.

Residential Design Guideline 6.1 states, parking facilities should not dominate the design of the house or site.

Residential Design Guideline 6.2 states, parking facilities that maintain or enhance variety along the street edge are encouraged.

Residential Design Guideline 6.3 states, minimize the amount of paved surface area of a driveway.

Residential Design Guideline 6.5 states, position a garage to maximize opportunities for open space, views, and privacy.

Residential Design Guideline 6.6 states, locate a garage to minimize its visual impacts.

Staff Response: The detached garage is proposed on an existing paved surface that serves as a driveway and parking pad for the cottage. The garage would be setback 15’ from the front property line maximizing the amount of open space immediately adjacent to the public way. The garage would be 1’-8” from the side lot line, which maximizes views of the historic cottage from the public way and maintains the informal landscape setting created by the original siting of the house back on the lot. The 11’ height of the garage is 4’ lower than what the municipal code allows ensuring the new structure remains subordinate to the cottage. The front-facing wood shake gable roof maintains a 6:12 pitch to match the roof pitch of the cottage. Vertical siding differentiates the garage from the cottage distinguishing the old from the new. A stone water table draws from the low stone retaining wall surrounding the front yard of the property. The applicant will provide additional details on colors, materials, and finishes at the final details review. The detached garage complies with applicable design guidelines. 

Mass and Bulk: Residential Design Guidelines 7.1 through 7.7 encourages a building’s mass to relate to the context of other homes nearby; minimize the building mass as seen from the public way or adjacent properties, and relate to a human scale in its basic forms.