The San Antonio Historic Review Commission on Oct. 15 approved a certificate of appropriateness for changes to a residence at 615 East Evergreen that included a two‑foot reduction to the front porch and a rear addition, subject to multiple staff stipulations.

The applicant, Wendy Pennell Tale, said she recently bought the house and needs the porch adjustment to allow vehicle access to the rear and possible future parking. She told commissioners she planned to preserve existing historic fabric and to reuse removed window materials to repair other windows.

Why it matters: Neighbors and the Toby Hill neighborhood association provided written support, noting the porch reduction would create a functional driveway while the owner retained the historic character. Commissioners balanced the property owner’s need for vehicle access with the district’s historic guidelines.

Commission action and conditions: Staff recommended approval of the rear addition with conditions and recommended against the front‑porch reduction absent findings (staff recommended denial on a narrow ground), but the commission approved the front‑porch modification and the rear addition with stipulations after discussion. Conditions ordered by the commission included: (1) use of a metal roof with the specified galvanized finish, (2) preservation or reuse of historic chimney and window elements where indicated, (3) submission of final window specifications showing traditional vertical‑proportion windows for staff review, and (4) an administrative recommendation that the applicant explore centering the porch column on the new porch width where structurally feasible.

Commissioners noted there was a prior similar approval in 2021 for a porch reduction on the property and that staff would send the certificate and findings to the applicant by mail within 10 days. The motion passed unanimously in the recorded roll call (yes votes by commissioners recorded in the packet).