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Item 5 - 125 WheelerHPC 5-11-16 Item 5 N:\DEV\HISTORIC PRESERVATION\HPC Sheets\2016\Wheeler 125 5-11-16.docx TOWN OF LOS GATOS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 110 E. Main Street, Los Gatos, CA 95032 Phone: (408) 354-6874 Fax: (408) 354-7593 HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE PROJECT DATA SHEET Project Data 125 Wheeler Avenue Requesting approval to remove a pre-1941 property from the Historic Resources Inventory for property zoned R-1:8. APN 532-36-065. PROPERTY OWNER: Jeffery Avilla APPLICANT: Tony Jeans PROJECT PLANNER: Marni Moseley FINAL ACTION BY THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE PROPERTY DETAIL Date structure was built: 1915 Town of Los Gatos Historic Status Code: None Does property have an LHP Overlay? NO Is structure in a historic district? NO If yes, what district? If yes, is it a contributor? Findings required? YES Considerations required? NO See back page of this document for findings and considerations. Comments: The applicant is requesting removal of the subject property from the Historic Resource Inventory. The applicant has completed the library research and the materials are attached. Cc: Tony Jeans, P.O. Box 1518, Los Gatos, CA 95031 Jeffrey Avilla, 125 Wheeler Avenue, Los Gatos, CA 95030 Required Findings X As required by Section 29.10.09030(e)(2) of the Town Code for the demolition of a single family residence (Preservation of historically or architecturally significant buildings) and the Secretary of Interior Standards of any historic structure. 1. The building is not associated with any events that have made a significant contribution to the Town. 2. No significant persons are associated with the site. 3. There are no distinctive characteristics of type, period or method of construction or representation of work of a master. 4. The structure does not yield information to Town history. 5. Structural integrity of the building. Required Considerations Sec. 29.80.290. Standards for review. In evaluating applications, the deciding body shall consider the architectural style, design, arrangement, texture, materials and color, and any other pertinent factors. Applications shall not be granted unless: 1 On landmark sites, the proposed work will neither adversely affect the exterior architectural characteristics or other features of the landmark (and, where specified in the designating ordinance for a publicly owned landmark, its major interior architectural features) nor adversely affect the character of historical, architectural or aesthetic interest or value of the landmark and its site. 2 In historic districts, the proposed work will neither adversely affect the exterior architectural characteristics or other features of the property which is the subject of the application, nor adversely affect its relationship, in terms of harmony and appropriateness, with its surroundings, including neighboring structures, nor adversely affect the character, or the historical, architectural or aesthetic interest or value of the district. 3 For pre-1941 structures, the proposed work will neither adversely affect the exterior architectural characteristics or other features of the property which is the subject of the application. Town Policy That the work proposed is compatible with the neighborhood. T .H.I .S . DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT Town of Los Gatos 110 East Main St, Los Gatos CA 95030 Attn : Historic Committee P.O.Box 1518, Los Gatos, CA 95031 Tel : 408 .354.1863 Fa x: 408.354.1823 April 18th , 2016 125 Wheeler Ave -Request to Remove from Historic Register Dear Committee Members In an upcoming Architecture and Site application we will be asking to demolish a pre- 1941 building and build a new residence with an attached 2-car garage. We have researched both the history of the home and its owners and do not believe that there is any significant historic justification for attempting to salvage it. A Licensed Structural Engineer visited the property and determined that the existing home is in poor condition from a structural standpoint and that it cannot be added on to in a remodel/addition. Any attempt to renovate it would be unrealistic and in any event constitute a technical demolition . His report is attached. The original house was built in 1915 . The +/-1928 Sanborn Map shows it as a single story home with a shingle roof and a full width front porch and a rear overhang. In the 1945 update it had not changed , so the elimination of the front porch , the addition of the second story at the rear and the addition of aluminum windows are all recent. It has no noteworthy architectural features and does not show up in the Anne Bloomfield study of Architectural Homes. At the Los Gatos Library, I consulted with Historic Records analysts Betty Chase and Lyn Dougherty who helped me research the home's ownership . We looked at a variety of historic files and tax records for the early years and used the Polk directories from 1934 onwards. Early owners were A R Gustafson and B C Thompson , followed by M G Anderson from the mid 1930's to mid 40's. The Rode family came next with WE Rode , followed by F lorence Rode living there until the late 1950's. Norman Peterson followed in the early 1960's and finally Ronald Schute taking the home through to 1970. We then consulted the "Residents by Street Address" and "Families of Los Gatos" files plus "Legendary Locals of Los Gatos" by Peggy Conway Bergtold & Stephanie Ross Matthews. This Historic publication considers personages from the inception of the Town until the mid 1960's. There were no matches. A follow-on publication entitled "Images of Los Gatos" looked at the 1960's onwards and again there were no matches. I hope that this information will help you make the necessary findings for this Request. Yours truly , Tony Jeans Front Elevation -Front Porch no longer there. 125 WHEELER Later Addition Plywood Siding -Poor Quality 125 WHEELER No Foundation-Structurally Unsound RC Consulting Engineers , In c. St ructural A nal ysis & Desig n 7007 Realm D rive #8-3 S an Jose , CA 951 19 Date: January 22 , 2016 To : Town of Los Gatos Community Development Department Building Division 110 E . Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 Re : Structural Evaluation 125 Wheeler Ave Los Gatos , CA 95030 (Project#16-1 06) To Whom It May Concern , tel 408-22 9-8155 fa x 4 08-229-8157 e -ma il: rce ngr@ ao l.co m Per Mr. Tony Jeans request, on January 21 , 2016, we performed a cursory review of the structural framing elements of the house per the address as shown above. We were requested to evaluate its present condition and to develop an opinion as to the practicality of utilizing the existing structure framing in a building renovation and upgrade to current 'Code conformance . FINDINGS: The subject building is a two story wood framed , single fami ly residence located on a flat lot. The finish materials consist mainly of stucco exterior walls and a sloped composition shingle roof for the house and garage occurs at the bottom level. The house building consist of wood wall const ruction , with the roof and floor framing is 2x roof rafters at 24" on-center and wood ra ised floor. The house consists of one-story structure in the front and atta che d two stories in the rear of the property . The one story portion of the b u ilding appears to be the original house and the two story to be an addition that was constructed at a later date . However, the one story portion has no perimeter footing and the first floor framing was approximately less than 12 inches from grade . The house observation revealed deficiencies as follows : 1. The back second sto ry dec k and stai rs is dete rio rated. The flo or plan king and stair treads requires to be replaced. 'l of 3 Janua ry 22 , 20 16 Stru ct ural Evaluation 125 Wh eeler Ave Los Gatos , CA 95030 (Proj ec t# 16-1 0 9) 2. The exterior mudsi l l is le s s than 6 " from exterior g rade and 6" is the minimum requirement from past codes. Th e exterio r pad requires to be re-graded to meet the 6" requirement. 3 . The front portion of the building has no perimeter foundation. No significant lateral shear transfer from the exterior wall to the g round occ urs . New footings below exter ior walls are required to accommodate the shear walls . 4. The front wall line of the house has no significant lateral bracing elements . An engineered shear wall system will be required by adding engineered shear walls (i .e . Hardy Panels or Simpson strong-walls). The footings below will so be retrofitted to accommodate the shear walls. The foundation appears to be conventiona l spread footings . No significant settlement observed for house. However, it is expected that for optimum performance of the foundation , it should be completely replaced or retrofitted - perhaps with a pier and grade beam foundation system . CONCLUSIONS: The current structural condition of the building is judged to be not particularly dangerous under normal loading conditions , is seriously deficient compared to current standards and Codes. The lack of a recogn ized lateral bracing system coupled with subsiding foundations in some areas, are likely to allow significant movement and distress during future seismic events . Based on the discussion above , it is concluded that to renovate an d upgrade this building to current Code conformance and to a qual ity consistent with buildings in the area , reconstruction of the foundation and la te ral bracing systems as well as framing improvements would be required . Other non-structura l upgrades would also need to be addressed . In our opinion, it does not seem reasonable that the existing building be salvaged or utilized in the property imp rovements curren tly being considered. 2 or3 January 22 , 2016 Structural Evaluation 125 Wheeler Ave Los Gatos , CA 95030 (Project# 16-1 09 ) LIM ITATIONS : The information and opinions contained herein are based upon the limited investigation described at the beginning of this report . No warranties are expressed or implied regarding the existence of other unknown conditions not specifically addressed. Our work is in accordance with generally accepted engineering standards and is not intended to be relied upon or transferred to individuals other than the addressee . Should information or conditions become known which differ from the discussion herein, they may alter the opinions or conclusions of the undersigned . If you have any questions , or if we may be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to call. Sincerely, RC Consulting Engineers, Inc. Romeo C . Cabalar, P.E . Principal Consulting Engineer 3 of3