DS 24203, 24216, 24217 (Faia): Consideration of a Track One Design Study Referral, DS 24203, 24216, 24217 (Faia), for alterations to an existing 2,235-square-foot, two-story single-family residence, including changing windows and doors, replacing fencing, installing a Carmel stone veneer, constructing a new entry staircase and retaining walls in the right-of-way, and site coverage improvements located on the Northeast corner of Torres Street and 2nd Avenue in the Single-Family Residential (R-1) District. APN: 010-101-021-000, 010-101-020-000 & 010-101-012-000.

The project involves site improvements and alterations to the existing 2,235-square-foot two-story single-family residence on three 4,000-square-foot parcels (one 12,000-square-foot building site).  The project proposes new permanent encroachments in the right-of-way in association with the Design Study.  On August 26, 2024, the property was determined to be ineligible for the Carmel Historic Inventory.  No trees on the property or right-of-way are proposed to be removed. 

Adopt a Resolution (Attachment 1) approving a Track One Design Study Referral with conditions for alterations to an existing 2,235-square-foot two-story single-family residence including; changing windows and doors, replacing fencing, installing a Carmel stone veneer, constructing a new entry staircase and retaining walls in the right-of-way, and site coverage improvements located on the Northeast corner of Torres Street and 2nd Avenue in the Single-Family Residential (R-1) District. APN: 010-101-021, 010-101-020, & 010-101-012.

The residence was designed by Ted Fehring and constructed in 1951 by the Lunts Brother, contractors from Salinas.  Neither the Lunts Brother nor Ted Fehring are currently listed in Carmel’s Historic Context Statement.  On August 24, 2024, the property was reviewed for historic significance.  It was determined to be ineligible for the Carmel Historic Inventory due to a lack of association with important events, people, builders, designers, or architects in the Historic Context Statement and the loss of integrity due to alterations.  The property is comprised of three 4,000-square-foot lots at the Northeast corner of Torres Street and 2nd Avenue.  The two parcels on 2nd Avenue (010-101-021, 010-101-020) reoriented in 2005 as part of a Lot Line Adjustment (LA 05-01).  The three parcels make up one building site with the setbacks of a resubdivided corner lot. 

In 2013, BP# 13-151R was issued for interior remodeling, new doors, removal of the brick surrounding the front entry and chimney, and site improvements.  The site improvements included removing brick planters and the installation of timber railroad ties to replace the front staircase.  Carmel stone was approved to be installed around the front entry and on the chimney, but was never installed. 

The applicant proposes to replace the existing windows and doors, and install new doors in place of windows on the South and East sides of the property.  The project also includes,

• installation of new fencing on the South, and West sides of the property,
• a new standing seam metal roof,  
• new concrete landings at the new doors,  
• a new gate in the fencing at the Southern property line, and  
• installation of Carmel stone around the front entry and the chimney, consistent with the 2013 approval. 

As part of the design study, the applicant is also proposing a permanent encroachment to construct a new concrete staircase from the driveway to the front door and new retaining walls that are partially located in the right-of-way.

The following is an analysis of the project's consistency with the Residential Design Guidelines.

Stonework: Residential Design Guideline 9.9 encourages simple stonework that looks traditional in character. Residential Design Guideline 9.10 encourages stonework to appear structural and authentic. Residential Design Guideline 9.10 discourages the use of gratuitous or purely decorative appearing stonework.

Staff Response:  New Carmel stone around the front entry and the chimney is proposed.  The Carmel Stone was previously approved as part of a previous permit in 2013.  The proposed stonework is uncoursed and roughly squared in keeping with the Residential Design Guidelines Appendix A.  Condition of Approval #19 requires the applicant to clearly identify in the construction drawings the masonry pattern for all stonework. Stone facades shall be installed in a broken course/random or similar masonry pattern. Setting the stones vertically on their face in a cobweb pattern shall not be permitted. All stonework shall be wrapped around building corners and terminated at an inside corner or a logical stopping point that provides a finished appearance. Termination of stonework shall be subject to review and approval by the Community Planning & Building Director or their designee.

Windows and Doors: Residential Design Guideline 9.11 states that materials other that authentic, unclad wood are appropriate only when it can be demonstrated that the proposed material is more appropriate to the architecture. 

Staff Response:  New aluminum doors and windows are proposed to replace existing wood and steel windows and doors.  The new windows and doors are proposed to be Quartz Edgeline Aluminum Windows in the “champagne light range” color.  The Historic Context Statement includes aluminum windows as appropriate for Ranch architecture, but aluminum windows are not preferred in the Design Guidelines unless they are determined to be more appropriate to the architecture than wood or wood-clad.  Special Condition of Approval #41 requires the applicant to submit revised plans with wood or wood-clad windows.  The Planning Commission has approved aluminum windows previously and can strike Condition of Approval #41 from the resolution if they deem aluminum more appropriate than wood or wood-clad windows.      

Roofing:  Residential Design Guideline 9.8 states that Metal, plastic, and glass roofs are inappropriate in all neighborhoods.

Staff Response:  The applicant is proposing to replace the existing wood shake roof with a vertical standing seam metal roof.  The new roof is proposed to be a Sheffield metals Champagne Metallic cool IR roof.  Most of the surrounding homes in the neighborhood have wood shake or composite shingle roofs.  There are several roofs in the neighborhood with gravel ballast or metal roofs.  The proposed vertical standing seam metal roof could add more diversity in roofing material to the neighborhood.  The Planning Commission has approved metal roofs with a matte finish and a low SRI in the past.  Special Condition of Approval #38 requires the applicant to submit an alternative material for the roofing.  The applicant can propose a vertical standing seam metal roof that has an SRI below 25 or a different approvable roof material. 

Fencing/Gate:  Residential Design Guideline 11.1 encourages blending the landscaping from the right-of-way with landscaping on private property and using landscaping if privacy is desired.  Guideline 11.3 encourages fences and walls be kept low and have open, transparent qualities.

Staff response: A new 6-foot high double-sided horizontal wood fence with a one-foot horizontal wood “trellis-like” addition to the top is proposed within the front yard setback on the south property line along 2^nd Avenue, replacing existing 6-foot tall vertical wood board and batten fencing.  Staff informed the applicant that the existing, nonconforming fence can be repaired or replaced in kind per CMC 17.10.030.E.2.  A 6-foot tall and 10-foot 5-inch wide gate is proposed for the middle of the new fencing.  Carmel Municipal Code (CMC) Table 17.10-G: Maximum Track One Fence and Wall Heights states that fences shall not be taller than 4-feet in the front yard setback.  A foot note from Table 17.10-G states that, “These limits shall not be altered through Design Review by the Planning Commission.”   The proposed fencing does not comply with the Carmel Municipal Code or Residential Design Guidelines.  Special Condition of Approval #39 requires the applicant to submit revised plans with new fencing for the property that allows for an open feel, filtered light views into the yard, and complies with CMC 17.10.030.E.1 (fences in the front setback shall be below 4 feet, not alterable by the Planning Commission).

A new 6-foot high double-sided horizontal wood fence with a one-foot horizontal wood “trellis-like” addition to the top is proposed outside of the front yard setback on the south property line along parcel 010101020 and 010101021 on 2^nd Avenue, replacing existing 6-foot tall vertical wood board and batten fencing.  A 6-foot tall and 9-foot 7-inch wide gate is proposed to be constructed along the new fence at the Southeast corner of parcel 010101020.  A 4-foot tall double-sided horizontal wood fence and gate are proposed at the same location in the front setback to act as a trash enclosure that can be accessed from the street and from parcel 010101020.  CMC 17.10.030.E.1, Table 17.10-B: Setback Exceptions in R-1 District states that trash enclosures are not allowed in the front yard setback.  The proposed fencing does not comply with the Carmel Municipal Code or Residential Design Guidelines.  Special Condition of Approval #39 requires the applicant to submit revised plans with new fencing for the property that allows for an open feel, filtered light views into the yard, and complies with CMC 17.10.030.E.1 (fences in the front setback shall be below 4 feet, not alterable by the Planning Commission).

A new 4-foot high double-sided horizontal wood fence is being proposed at the west property lines along parcel 010101021 on Torres Street.  A new 6-foot high double-sided horizontal wood fence with a one-foot horizontal wood “trellis-like” addition to the top is proposed outside of the side yard setback on the west property line along parcel 010101012 on Torres Street.  The proposed fencing does not comply with the Residential Design Guidelines.  Special Condition of Approval #39 requires the applicant to submit revised plans with new fencing for the property that allows for an open feel, filtered light views into the yard, and complies with CMC 17.10.030.E.1 (fences in the front setback shall be below 4 feet, not alterable by the Planning Commission).

Site Coverage: CMC Section 17.10.030.C (Site Coverage) limits impermeable site coverage to 22% of the base floor area allowed for the site. On a 4,000-square-foot lot, the allowed base floor area is 1,800 square feet, and the amount of site coverage permitted is 396 square feet. Impermeable materials include asphalt, concrete, mortared brick and stone, decomposed granite, unspaced decking and balconies at any level, garden walls, solariums, bridges, sheds not counted as floor areas, ponds, hot tubs, and swimming pools.

If at least 50 percent of the property's site coverage is made of permeable or semi-permeable materials, an additional amount of site coverage of up to four percent of the site area, 160 square feet, may be allowed for use in a single driveway of up to nine feet in width. Permeable and semi-permeable materials include gravel, spaced decking and exterior stairs, sand-set bricks or pavers, garden walkways of small paving stones, and arbors.

Sites not in compliance with site coverage limits shall not be authorized to increase site coverage (CMC 17.10.030.C.2). Site coverage that was lawfully established but not in compliance with current zoning regulations may be maintained in its current state, however, shall be considered non-conforming. If a non-conforming element is removed, or substantially altered, it shall not be permitted to be rebuilt or re-established in the same location or elsewhere on the site (CMC 17.36.040.E).

For example: if a property has non-conforming site coverage and a patio is removed, new site coverage (such as a new deck, for example) could not be added to the property unless the remaining coverage for the site were brought into compliance with the site coverage limits.

Staff Response: The existing site coverage across all three parcels is 1849 square feet. The applicant proposes to maintain a total of 1849 square feet of site coverage with over half being semi-permeable. Semi-permeable materials include a new permeable paver driveway, existing gravel, and existing spaced decking.  The applicant is proposing to replace the existing asphalt driveway with permeable pavers and remove gravel on parcel 010101020 to accommodate the new concrete landings and front staircase.    The project, as currently proposed, does not meet the requirements for site coverage.  The new concrete landings required under the California Building Code for the new doors adds new site coverage elements to the property which is already nonconforming. Special Condition of Approval #40 requires the applicant to submit revised plans with updated site coverage that is compliant with CMC 17.10.030.C.1-2.

Right-of-Way Character: The applicant is proposing to replace the existing driveway with permeable pavers on the subject site and in the public right-of-way. New 36” retaining walls are proposed on either side of the driveway on the private property and extending into the right-of-way.  Concrete stairs and landings are proposed on the West side of the property in the right-of-way.    Special Condition of Approval #40 requires the applicant to obtain a permanent encroachment permit prior to the issuance of a building permit. 

Staff recommends the project be found categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), State CEQA guidelines, and local environmental regulations, pursuant to Section 15301 (Class 1) – Existing Facilities. Class 1 exemptions include minor alterations to private structures involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use.  The existing use is a single-family residence on a 12,000-square-foot building site. The project involves the alterations to an existing 2235-square foot two-story single-family residence including; changing windows and doors, replacing fencing, installing a Carmel stone veneer, constructing a new entry staircase and retaining walls in the right-of-way, and site coverage improvements.  The project will not change or expand the existing use of the property as a single-family residence.

The project is also categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15303 (Class) 3 – New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures. Class 3 consists of construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures; and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure.  The number of structures described in this section are the maximum allowable on any legal parcel.  The addition of new fencing, landings, and staircases to the existing single-family dwelling will not exceed the maximum allowable structures on a legal parcel.