Item 7 - Staff Report and Attachments 1 - 4
PREPARED BY: SEAN MULLIN, AICP
Associate Planner
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6874
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
HISTORIC PRESERVATION
COMMITTEE REPORT
MEETING DATE: 05/27/2020
ITEM NO: 7
DATE: May 21, 2020
TO: Historic Preservation Committee
FROM: Joel Paulson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Consider a Request to Remove a Pre-1941 Property from the Historic
Resources Inventory for Property Zoned R-1:8 Located at 32 Walnut Avenue.
APN 510-41-013. Property Owners/Applicants: Manish Belsare and Rekha
Thakur. Project Planner: Sean Mullin.
RECOMMENDATION:
Consider a request to remove a pre-1941 property from the Historic Resources Inventory for
property zoned R-1:8 located at 32 Walnut Avenue.
PROPERTY DETAILS:
1. Date primary structure was built: 1900 per County Assessor’s Database
2. Town of Los Gatos Historic Status Code: +, historic and intact, worthy of special note
3. Does property have an LHP Overlay? No
4. Is structure in a historic district? No
5. If yes, is it a contributor? N/A
6. Findings required? Yes
7. Considerations required? No
DISCUSSION:
The applicant is requesting approval to remove the pre-1941 residence from the Historic
Resources Inventory and has provided a Letter of Justification, property research, permit
history, an Historical Evaluation and Assessment, and a Structural Condition Report from an
engineer (Attachments 1 through 4). The applicant requests that the residence be removed
from the Historic Resources Inventory due to its lack of historic significance and the poor
condition of the structure
PAGE 2 OF 2
SUBJECT: 32 Walnut Avenue
May 21, 2020
N:\DEV\HISTORIC PRESERVATION\HPC Sheets\2020\05-27-20\Item 7 - 32 Walnut Avenue\Walnut Avenue, 32 - 05-27-20.docx
CONCLUSION:
The applicant’s Letter of Justification (Attachment 1) outlines reasons for the request to remove
the structure from the Historic Resources Inventory, including research and poor structural
condition. Additionally, the applicant has provided an Historical Evaluation and Assessment
concluding that the integrity of the residence has been lost through multiple additions and
modifications (Attachment 3). Should the Committee find that the structure has no historic
significance or architectural merit, the structure would be removed from the Historic Resources
Inventory and any proposed work would not return to the Committee.
A. Findings - related to a request for a determination that a pre-1941 primary structure has no
historic significance or architectural merit.
In evaluating a request for a determination of historic significance or architectural merit,
the Historic Preservation Committee shall consider the following:
1. The structure is not associated with 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; or
5. The integrity has been compromised such that the structure no longer has the
potential to convey significance.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Letter of Justification
2. Research
3. Historical Evaluation and Assessment
4. Structural Condition Report
ATTACHMENT 1
ATTACHMENT 2
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1475 SOUTH BASCOM, SUITE 208, CAMPBELL, CA 95008 • TELEPHONE (408) 871-1071 • FAX (408) 871-1071
May 19, 2020
A HISTORIC EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT
Subject Site: 32 Walnut Avenue
Los Gatos, CA
It is my understanding that the Applicant and Owners desire to demolish the structures on the
site and construct a new residence and detached garage that meets their modest objectives for
living on the site for the subsequent 30 years. The following is a supplemental assessment and
evaluation of the current condition for the existing residence based upon my observations and
over 30 years as a professional licensed architect.
CEQA and the Guidelines for Implementing CEQA (State CEQA Guidelines, Section 15064.5) give
direction and guidance for evaluating a project’s potential adverse impacts to the environment
and the preparation of Initial Studies, Categorical Exemptions, Negative Declarations, and
Environmental Impact Reports. It is my understanding that the Town of Los Gatos is legally
responsible and accountable for determining the environmental impact of any land use proposal
it approves. Cultural resources are aspects of the environment that require identification and
assessment for potential significance under CEQA (14 CCR 15064.5 and PRC 21084.1).
There are five classes of cultural resources defined by the State Office of Historic Preservation
(OHP). These are: Building, Structure, Object, Site and Historic District. The objective and scope
of this report focuses solely upon the existing residence or the “building” which is defined as a
structure created principally to shelter or assist in carrying out any form of human activity. A
“building” may also be used to refer to a historically and functionally related unit, such as a
courthouse and jail or a house and barn.
HISTORIC ARCHITECTUAL FIELD SURVEY
On May 16, 2020, Metro Design Group’s Principal Architect, Tom Sloan AIA, completed a field
survey of the Property that includes an existing residence circa. 1895, and the associated
landscape within a 0.2-acre parcel located at 32 Walnut Avenue, Santa Clara County, California.
The following is the analysis and results of that field survey.
The circa 1895 house is designed in a Victorian (Folk) architectural style. The single-story wood
framed house consists of a simple, low pitched hipped roof form with an intersecting front gable
and covered entry porch with low-pitched shed roof supported by simple square posts. The
front facing gable is coplanar with the wall below and is faced with scalloped singles. A small
leaded glass window is placed within the gable.
ATTACHMENT 3
West Elevation (Primary Façade)
It is important to note that along with visual evidence of several additions to the rear of the
home as well as other alterations to window and door locations, it is clear to me that the entire
street facing façade is not original and has been modified using new building materials. These
materials and elements that have been replaced include horizontal wood siding, shingle siding,
corner trim, water table, windows, Window casing and sill, Gutters, Fascia board, Porch
Decking, Porch Ceiling and the porch light fixtures. As such, it is not clear what the original
detailing of the residence was like. (Figure 1).
Figure 1. West elevation, facing east.
The West Elevation and adjacent portions of the residence are currently constructed with
Wooden Gutters and Fascia Board. The replacement of the gutters is not completed and
transitions to a prefabricated vinyl gutter as illustrated in Figure 3 & 4 below:
Figure 2. Front Porch Figure 3. Gutter at Primary Elevation
There are several additions to the original structure over the building’s lifetime. It is possible
that this residence was constructed with a porch on the back of the residence that later became
enclosed (Figure 4. Below) Note the addition of a window dividing the primary addition and the
secondary addition on the rear portion of the residence.
Figure 4.
The photos below (Figure 5 & 6) illustrates evidence of the recent removal and replacement of
a window. Replacing the original window locations and styles with a new wall and wood siding.
Figure 5. Figure 6.
Evidence of multiple additions can be seen thoughout and on all sides the residence. The
architectural detailing throughout the residence is inconsistant. The phot below illustrates the
layering on remodeling and additions to the building. Note the porch roof suructure being
constructed over the smaller window. The installation of a new modern window within a older
window location. The original plaster interior has been replace with Drywall boards with a skip-
troweled finish.
CALIFORNIA REGISTER OF HISTORICAL RESOURCES
It is not clear at this time if this particular site has been nominated to the CRHR by local
governments, private organizations, or citizens. However, in order to qualify for listing in the
CRHR, a property must possess significance under one of the four criteria (Event, Person,
Construction/Architectural or Information Potential) and also have historic integrity. The process
of determining integrity consists of evaluating seven variables or aspects that include location,
design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. According to California’s Office
of Historic Preservation, the criteria for evaluation for eligibility for listing in the California
Register are based upon National Register criteria and include seven characteristics are defined
as follows:
Location is the place where the historic property was constructed. This site is currently
not located within any designated historic district or neighborhood, however because the
existing residence remains in its original location where it was constructed the residence
retains integrity of location.
Design is the combination of elements that create the form, plans, space, structure and
style of the property. Due to the extent to which this building has been modified,
removing most of the original building materials of the primary façade and replacing
them with new materials; newer building additions that either remove or encapsulate
the entire east façade and the reconstruction of the original door and window openings,
including the installation of new siding and trim elements that are constructed without
regard to craftsmanship. (see Figure 4) It is clear that this building does not meet the
criteria required to ascertain this building as distinctive characteristics of a type, period,
or method of construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high
artistic values.
Setting addresses the physical environment of the historic property inclusive of the
landscape and spatial relationships of the building(s). Much of the surrounding
neighborhood, with varying styles of homes constructed between 1880 and ca. 1930,
has remained relatively unchanged.
Materials refer to the physical elements that were combined or deposited during a
particular period of time and in a particular pattern of configuration to form the historic
property. It is important to note that along with visual evidence of several additions to
the rear of the home as well as other alterations to window and door locations, it is clear
to me that the entire street facing façade is not original and has been modified using
new building materials. These materials and elements that have been replaced include
horizontal wood siding, shingle siding, corner trim, water table, windows, Window casing
and sill, Gutters, Fascia board, Porch Decking, Porch Ceiling and the porch light fixtures.
As such, it is not clear what the original detailing of the residence was like. (Figure 1)
Workmanship is the physical evidence of the crafts of a particular culture or people
during any given period in history. Due to the abundance of modifications to the
original facades the original craftsmanship of the building is not currently present.
Feeling is the property’s expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular
period of time. Notwithstanding the overgrown tree(s) that obstruct the street presence
of this building, the neighborhood seems to maintain its original character and density of
homes.
Association is the direct link between an important historic event or person and a
historic property. Research by the current owners has not uncovered any information
that directly links the building(s) to any significant events and not does this building
convey to the average observer that this building has any direct association to any
historic event or person.
CONCLUSION
In terms of evaluating the residence located at 32 Walnut Avenue solely upon the construction
and architectural criteria, it is clear that the residence retains integrity of location, setting and
feeling, however, it does not retain either design, materials, workmanship or association. Due to
these factors, the building does not appear to be eligible for the CRHR. It is not the purview of
this report to determine eligibility of this building by evaluation the other 3 criteria. CEQA
guidelines provide that a project that alters the physical characteristics of a historical resource
that convey its historical significance can be considered to materially impair the resource’s
significance.
ATTACHMENT 4
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