city of glendale planning department design review staff report context

CITY OF GLENDALE PLANNING DEPARTMENT
DESIGN REVIEW STAFF REPORT
MEETIN G DATE : July 16, 2009
TO : Design Review Board 2
PREPARED BY: Milca L. Toledo, Planner
CASE NUMBER: 2-PDR 2009-039-A
ADDRESS: 1500 Remah Vista Drive
APPLICANT: Todd B. Spiegel , AlA
OWNER: Claudia P. Velasco
PROJECT SUMMARY: To construct a 736 square-foot second story addition to an existing 1,718
square-foot one story single-family residence with an attached 512 square-foot two car garage.
EXISTING PROPERTY: The existing property is developed with a one-story single-family
residence and a detached 512 square-foot two-car garage built in 1954. The lot has a quarter-moon
irregular shape and is approximately 12,019 square-feet in area. It is located at the intersection of
Remah Vista Drive and Melwood Drive. The topography consists of uphill sloping terrain. However, the
footprint of the house is situated on a relatively flat area. The existing two car garage is accessed from
Remah Vista Drive. There is an oak tree located within 20 feet of the site on the adjacent property. The
applicant will be required to obtain mitigation measures from the City's Urban Forester to protect the
tree .
CEOA STATUS: The project is exempt from environmental review.
RECOMMENDATION: Approve with one condition.
ACTIVE/PENDING BUILDING PERMITS: None
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project proposes to construct a 736 square-foot addition. The addition involves adding 30 square
feet of closet space on the first floor and a new 706 square-foot partial second story with a 91 squarefoot
balcony. The proposed colors and materials on the addition will match the house as closely as
possible.
CONTEXT
GENERAL PLAN: Land Use Element: Low Density Residential. The project complies with the Land
Use Element of the General Plan.
ZONE: R1 R (Restricted Residential) Zone, Floor Area Ratio District II
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS: According to the City's Historic Preservation Planner, the
property would not be considered a historic resource under CEQA and does not appear to be eligible for
listings on the federal, state, or local register of historic resources. However, the applicant is proposing
to maintain the existing materials on the house and match the new as closely as possible in order to
preserve the original character of the house.

July 16, 2009
2-PDR2009-039-A
1500 Remah Vista Drive
There is one protected tree located 20 feet from the subject site on the adjacent property. The location of
the tree in relation to the proposed project will be reviewed by the City's Urba n Forester for any potential
im pacts. Mitigation measures may be provided in order to ensure protection of the oak tree during
construction.
NEIGHBORING ZONES AND USES:
Zoning Existing Uses
North R1R-11 Single Family Dwelling
South R1R-11 Single Family Dwelling
East R1R-11 Vacant
West R1R-11 Single Family Dwelling
Project Site R1R-1I Single Fam ily Dwelling
DESIGN GUIDELINE REVIEW AND STAFF ANALYSIS
Single-Family Neighborhood Analysis and Neighborhood Guidelines: The property is located in the
Rossmoyne neighborhood, which is a "Woodlands" neighborhood . This neighborhood is characterized
by large homes and varied front yard setback distances. Predominantly Spanish Colonial Revival and
Colonial Revival Homes (Federal) epitomize this neighborhood. However, the immediate street block
consists of a variety of architectural infl uences including Spanish, Ranch , Tudor, etc. These homes
exhibit many recurring features in their site plans. Also, homes in this neighborhood tend to be large in
size, 1 to 2 stories, and range from 1,400 square feet - 2,500 square feet. Most of the houses in the
neighborhood were built between the 1920's and 1960's. Many homes in the hillside neighborhoods are
described to be large by the Single-Family Neighborhood Analysis and the Guidelines, but most of the
lots are difficult to develop due to the sloping topography.
Hillside Design Guidelines encourage designs that reduce the visual prom inence of bu ildings so that
the natural character of the hillside is still apparent. Reducing mass and bulk, introducing variations of
plane, and orienting the upper stories and the roof pitch to follow the hillside slope are goals that the
Guidelines recommend when designing a hillside home. Retaining walls should be designed at a
minimum height, with earth-toned decorative materials and screened with landscaping.
Landscape Design Guidelines for Hillside Development recommends the use of drought tolerant
plants, preservation of large specimen trees, and vegetation that is easily maintained along the sloped
portion of the lot. They recommend an "ornamental palette" for the remainder of the site. The goal of
the naturalizing plant palette is to create a slope in which the ecological elements of a native hillside are
realized . Drought and fire resistant palettes help reduce both erosion and fire danger as well as
enhance the visual quality of the new developments, giving them a more natural appearance.
COMPARISON OF NEIGHBORHOOD AND PROPOSAL:
Average of Properties Range of Properties
within 300 linear feet within 300 linear feet of Subject Property Proposal
of subject property subject property
Lot size 16919 sq. ft. 6,141 sq. It - 48,362 sq. It 12,019 sq. ft.
Front setback 23 feet 5' to 45' 21 feet to the balcony
House size 2,566 sq. ft. 1,528 sq. ft. - 6,034 sq. ft. 2,454
Floor Area Ratio 0.20 0.12- 0.25 0.20
Number of stories 1 and 2 stories 1 and 2 stories 2
2

SITE PLANNING
July 16, 2009
2-PDR2009-039-A
1500 Remah Vista Drive
The subject property is located at the intersection of Remah Vista Drive and Melwood Drive. The
topography consists of uphill sloping terrain, however, the house is situated on a relatively flat area. The
area surrounding the home consists of heavy, lush vegetation. The site planning will not change as a
result of the project. The existing build ing foot print will remain an L-shape design. The applicant
proposes to add 30 square feet of closet space on the first floor and a new 706 square-foot second story
addition with a 90 square-foot balcony. The total floor area of the single-family home combined with the
proposed addition will be 2,454 square-feet. The existing attached garage and dri veway will be
maintained with access from Remah Vista Drive. The house will maintain the existing 40-foot setback on
the first floor. The first floor addition will be located on the north (rear) and west side of the house. The
second floor addition will be situated towards the westerly portion of the house.
Lot Coverage: The lot includes a single-family house and garage.
Landscaping: No changes are being proposed to the existing landscape conditions. The
proposed landscaping is 54 percent, which complies with the minimum 40 percent Zoning requ irement.
As previously mentioned, the site includes lush vegetation throughout.
Parking (including driveways): The existing two-car attached garage and brick driveway will
be maintained.
Site Walls: New walls are not being proposed. There is an existing stone retaining wall along
the exterior perimeter of the house, which will remain. Trash location is located and screened next to the
garage on the north side. Also, there is mechanical equipment screened in the same area and on the
west side of the house. No new walls are being proposed.
The existing site plan condition is consistent with the proposal and is, therefore, consistent with the
general neighborhood pattern.
MASS AND SCALE
The existing Contemporary Ranch residence is 1,748 square-feet built on a single level with an attached
2-car garage. The house has a low profile, low lying roof, and a wide, horizontal fagade . The overall
building height will increase due to the construction of the second floor addition. This partial second floor
addition is proposed to be stepped back along the east and west side of the first story. The site
topography and the location of the second floor addition benefit the mass in that it significantly reduces
potential building visibility from the street. Further, the neighboring property to the north is located at a
higher elevation compared to the subject property.
Reducing the apparent mass and scale of the building is accomplished in other ways. The design of the
building, location of the additions, and proper use of materials, minimizes any potential of an
overwhelming bu ilding mass out of scale with the surrounding neighborhood . The applicant has made
an effort to incorporate various materials, details, and fenestration in order to reduce the mass of the
building and maintain its original horizontal appearance. Further, the scale of the house will not
significantly change. Therefore, the overall appearance of the building is in keeping with the general
neighborhood context as it relates to mass and scale.
Building Height: The overall building height will be 20'4" with the new second story addition. While a
portion of the building's mass will increase , overall , the house will essentially maintain its low profile
appearance, which is consistent with the existing conditions. The maximum height permitted in this zone
is 35 feet, provided the roof pitch is at least 3:12.
Setbacks: The existing front setback is approximately 21 '-6" from the property line along Melwood Drive
and 28 feet along Remah Vista Drive. The existing minimum setback of 5 feet will remain on the north
side of the garage . The minimum front setback for the Rl R zone is 15'-0" and the minimum interior
setback is 5'-0" for single-family structures with a height of 20'-0" to 30'-0".
Floor Area Ratio : The existing house is 1,718 square feet with a FAR of 0.15. The proposed house will
be 2,454 square feet with an FAR of 0.20. Houses located in the vicinity of the subject property range
from 1,604 square feet to 6,034 square feet in size with an FAR range from 0.12 to 0.25.
3

July 16, 2009
2-PDR2009-039-A
1500 Remah Vista Drive
The overall mass of the building will change as a result of the new second floor addition. However, the
overall scale of the building will not significantly change. The addition is modest in size and will
adequately fit the existing site and floor plan conditions. The existing front setback on the first floor will
be maintained and the height of the building will result in a relatively minor expansion of 20-'4". As
previously indicated, a partial second floor will be added. Because it is stepped back from the ground
floor at the east and west elevations, the second floor addition it is not out of context with the existing
house and the general neighborhood. Overall, the mass and scale of the project appear to relate well to
the surrounding neighborhood.
BUILDING DESIGN AND DETAILING
Architectural Style: The neighborhood is comprised of single-family homes constructed in a variety of
styles. The existing one-story. Contemporary Ranch home will maintain its architectural style even
though a second floor will be added . The applicant is propos ing to match the existing colors, materials,
and fenestration as closely as possible. Some of the materials currently on the house include rock roof,
wood fascia , strip stone, a combination of wood and aluminum windows, wood siding, and smooth
stucco. The new materials for the addition will include cement board siding (e.g., Hardi Board) painted
to match the existing wood siding, smooth steel trowelled stucco finish , ledges tone strip cultured stone
by Coronado, wood fascia painted tan to match existing, and wood windows. The proposed materials
appear to match well with existing and integrates with the design of the house. For example, the
proposed stone is utilized on the new chimney while thoughtfully accenting the fayade on the first floor
addition. The variety of materials incorporated onto the house accent various elements of the building
and is well distributed so as to not overwhelm the fayades. The property is located within a high-fire
zone. Therefore, all proposed material shall comply with Fire Prevention regulations.
As previously indicated, the existing fenestration includes a mixture of wood, aluminum , and what appear
to be steel windows presented in a variety of sizes . For example, the windows on the south side are
clear, floor to ceiling windows and slidi ng glass doors. The remaining windows are fixed , casement, and
slider. While the applicant has noted that the majority of the windows are wood, some windows do not
have a true wood appearance. Therefore, the new wood windows should match the existing wood
windows in order to preserve the existing character of the house. A condition will be added to ensure
that al l new wood windows match the existing character of the existing house.
Textures: The building will be fin ished with smooth, steel trowelled stucco, strip stone, Hardi Board and
cement siding. Other materials to be utilized will include wood windows and roof rock . The proposed
materials complement the existing Contemporary Ranch style of the home and correspond with the
immediate neighborhood. The combination of materials, textures, and architectural details provide
richness to the overall appearance of the building.
Quality of Materials: The selected materials appear to be of high quality, which add to the overall
appearance of the building and enhance the cha racter of the existing neighborhood.
Overall the project has incorporated design elements that are prevalent on the existing house and within
the immediate neighborhood. The house is well designed, preserving the existing Contemporary Ranch
architecture . The selected materials, textures, and architectural details appear to be harmonious with
the existing materials on the house and the immediate neighborhood.
RECOMMENDATIONSI DRAFT RECORD OF DECISION :
Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the proposed project with one condition. The
proposed addition appears to be consistent with the Design Guideline's intent for site planning, mass
and scale, and design. The Planning Department recommends final project approval with the following
consideration:
Consideration:
1. The new windows on the addition shall match the existing material and design of the wood
windows on the house.
4

July 16, 2009
2-PDR2009-039-A
1500 Remah Vista Drive
Site Planning: The existing site plan condition is consistent with the proposal and is, therefore,
consistent with the general neighborhood pattern.
Mass and Scale: The overall mass of the building will change as a result of the new second
floor addition. However, the overall scale of the building will not significantly change. The
addition is modest in size and will adequately fit the existing site and floor plan conditions. The
existing front setback on the first floor will be maintained and the height of the building will result
in a relatively minor expansion of 20- '4". As previously indicated, a partial second floor will be
added. Because it is stepped back from the ground floor at the east and west elevations, the
second floor addition it is not out of context with the existing house and the general
neighborhood. Overall, the mass and scale of the project appear to relate well to the surrounding
neighborhood.
Building Design and Details: Overall the project has incorporated design elements that are
prevalent on the existing house and within the immediate neighborhood. The house is well
designed, preserving the existing Contemporary Ranch architecture. The selected materials,
textures, and architectural details appear to be harmonious with the existing materials on the
house and the immediate neighborhood.
ATTACHMENTS :
1 . Location Map
2. Reduced Plans
3. Neighborhood Survey
5