REPORT TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
December 27, 2021
FROM: MIKE SANCHEZ, Assistant Director, Planning & Development
BY: Alicia C. Gonzales, Historic Preservation Specialist
Planning and Development Department
SUBJECT
Title
HEARING TO CONSIDER AND MAKE FINDINGS ON APPLICATION B21-15503 for an addition of a prefabricated auxiliary building/garage to The Wolfe Residence (contributing resource to the Porter Tract Historic District) located at 1035 East Yale Avenue, pursuant to FMC12-1606(a)(2) and 12-1618(h)(1).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Commission take the following actions:
1. APPROVE Application B21-15503 for the construction of an 18’ X 20’ square foot prefabricated auxiliary building/garage to the property located at 1035 East Yale Avenue pursuant to Fresno Municipal Code (FMC) Sections 12-1606, 12-1617 and 12-1618. The following conditions should be applied:
a. Staff will be allowed to photograph before, during and upon completion of the project and
b. Any changes to the approved project will be submitted to the Historic Preservation Specialist prior to the commencement of any related work.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The proposed construction will include an 18’ X 20’ square foot prefabricated auxiliary building/garage in the northern corner of the rear yard. The proposed building/garage consist of a roll-up canister door, horizontal wood lap siding and charcoal premium shingles on a pitched roof (Attachment F & G). At the Historic Preservation Commission Meeting of July 26, 2021, the Commission made the following recommendation on this application:
• Obtain encroachment approval
• Ensure that the building/garage compliments the character defining features of the historic home
• Generally, the structure as proposed should have minimal impact given its location. Furthermore, the Commission noted the applicants desire to rebuild the historic pergola in the future under a different permit would be a design concept which would further obscure the building/garage from view and increase the historic integrity of the building.
BACKGROUND
Porter Tract Historic District
The Wolfe Residence is one of forty-five contributing properties which makes up the Porter Tract Historic District (Attachment E) which was designated to the Local Register of Historic Resources by the City Council in April 2001 per Resolution 2001-117 (Attachment B). The Porter Tract Historic District is recognized for its architectural designs which vary from Prairie Box, Spanish Revival, Neoclassical, Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Italian Renaissance, and Craftsman.
The Wolfe Residence
The Wolfe Residence was constructed in 1918 by the first owners George A. Wolfe and his wife Johanna. The Wolfe Residence is a 1,276 square foot two story home and is an example of Prairie Box architecture in the Porter Tract. Character-defining features include the buildings rectangular shape, cross gabled composition roof over the second story, asymmetric low hipped roof, with vine covered pillars, beveled glass windows on the first story and symmetrical windows on the second story (Attachment C). George A. Wolfe is known for his success in real-estate and insurance. A transplant from Cleveland, Ohio, Wolfe was manager of the Operating Department of the California Associated Raisin Company and later was promoted to head of their Insurance Department. He partnered to create the Griffin-Wolfe agency, a Ford automobile and Fordson Tractor authorized dealer which grew to be one of the largest general insurance companies in Central California. The Wolfe family sold the home in 1920 and since then the Wolfe Residence has had various owners over the years.
Project Proposal
Staff received the initial project proposal on November 11, 2020. The project was sent to Supervising Planner, Philip Siegrist who staffs the Tower District Design Review Committee for review on December 30, 2020; he determined the project fell more significantly under the HPC and therefore would defer to their purview (Attachment I). The Applicant submitted a request for a rear encroachment on June 15, 2021, Application No. 21TEMP-019861. The rear yard encroachment was conditionally approved with an Easement Encroachment from Public works.
On June 28, 2021, the Commission, reviewed and supplied comments on the project as it may affect a contributor of a historic district. The Commission considered the size, scale, location, design, setbacks, and the overall style of the proposed building/garage. The proposed building is a Tuff Shed structure and the Commission emphasized that the building/garage should focus on the details and character defining features to best compliment the historic home.
Standards
Upon review of Application B21-15503 for the addition of prefabricated auxiliary building/garage to the Wolfe Residence, Staff finds that the project, as proposed, appears to be in accordance with applicable standards 2, 9 and 10 of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation:
Standard 2:
The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided.
Staff finds that the historic character of the property will be retained and preserved. No removal of any historic materials or alterations of features will be altered. The proposed addition of the prefabricated auxiliary building/garage will alter the rear-yard space; however, it is set back 11.5 feet from the rear face of the house and 109.01 feet from East Yale Avenue.
Standard 9:
New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment.
The proposed project is a detached auxiliary building/garage which is off set from the main house. Its 18’ X 20’ square foot which includes a roll- up canaster door, horizontal wood lap siding painted a cool clay, trim a ground coffee brown, and a charcoal gabled roof. The architectural features of the proposed project compliment the character defining feature of the contributing property.
Standard 10:
New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.
The proposed project offers a complimentary, aesthetically interesting, and functional addition to the existing property. The detached auxiliary building is differentiated from the old and does not detract from the overall historic character of the property. If any proposed exterior alterations or additions were removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property would be unimpaired.
Duties and Powers of the Commission
The City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance is located at Chapter 12, Article 16 of the Fresno Municipal Code.
Section 12-1606 outlines the duties and powers of the Commission. Section 1606 (a) (2) specifically refers to the duties entailing review of alterations to historic resources:
The regulation of exterior alterations visible from a public right-of-way including demolition, relocation and new construction, and interior alterations which would affect the significance of Historic Resources or Historic Districts
Section 12-1618 outlines the Historic District Permit review process.
Section 12-1618 (c) provides that:
Any application or proposal which proposes the substantial alteration of any property within any Historic District shall also be referred to the Director of the Development Department for environmental review. No hearing shall be held by the Commission for applications or proposals to demolish, grade, remove or substantially alter a property within any Historic District until such application or proposal has undergone environmental review in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
Section 12-1618 (g)(1) provides that:
After consideration of the final environmental document, all evidence and testimony, the Commission shall have the authority to approve, deny or approve with modifications, any application or proposal.
Section 12-1618 (h) provides that:
No application shall be approved or approved with modifications unless the Commission makes the following findings:
(1)For a Contributor to any Historic District, the proposed work is found to be consistent with the general purposes of this article and the Secretary of the Interior's Standards, not detrimental to the special historical, architectural, or aesthetic interest or value of the Contributor or the respective Historic District in general and consistent with the District's adopted design standards.
The proposed project consists of an 18’ x 20’ prefabricated auxiliary building/garage addition located in north-west portion of the rear yard. Details include a roll- up canaster door, horizontal wood lap siding painted a cool clay, trim a ground coffee brown, and a charcoal gabled roof. These details capture the aesthetic interest and are consistent with the character of the existing contributing property. Staff recommends that, in accordance with FMC 12-1618(h)(1), the Commission find that the plans are consistent with the purpose of the City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance and the Secretary of Interior’s Standard’s because the character of the property will be retained and preserved with the new construction not destroying historic materials that characterize the property because the new construction will be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.
CONCLUSIONS
Staff recommends that the Commission approve the construction of an 18’ X 20’ square foot prefabricated auxiliary building/garage to the property located at 1035 East Yale Avenue (APN 44408414).
Attachments:
Attachment A: Plot Plan
Attachment B: Resolution 2001-117
Attachment C: Historic Inventory of 1035 East Yale Avenue
Attachment D: Site Map
Attachment E: Map of Porter Tract Historic District
Attachment F: Tuff Shed Builders Helper Rendering [2021]
Attachment G: Elevations & Plans [09/24/2021]
Attachment H: Operational Statement for B21-15503 [2021]
Attachment I: Tower District Designed Guidelines [page 33-34]