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Board approves floor‑plan swap, portal redesign for 913½ Acequia Madre
Summary
The board approved a modification to a previously permitted renovation at 913½ Acequia Madre that swaps a garage and kitchen location, replaces a parapetted portal with a sloped metal‑roof portal and preserves previously designated primary facades; staff said no additional square footage was proposed.
The Historic Districts Review Board on Aug. 26 approved changes to a previously permitted renovation at 913½ Acequia Madre that swap the garage and kitchen locations and change a rear portal from a parapetted design to a sloped, corrugated metal roof. Staff said the proposal preserves the building's north and northeast primary facades and does not increase the approved roofed square footage.
Paul, a preservation staff member, summarized the project and told the board the house—built in 1940 and listed as contributing—retains its original core at the north and northeast facades. He said the current proposal moves the kitchen into the previously approved portal area and converts the prior kitchen/garage layout so that the street‑facing garage becomes operable. "The applicant is not proposing changing any of the roof square footage," Paul said; any additional square footage would have necessitated a separate PCR application, he added.
Applicant Richard Martinez, sworn in for testimony, told the board the changes preserve the approved footprint and that the portal redesign—a Galvalume corrugated metal sloped roof in a barn‑red color—will increase usable covered outdoor space. He said the change was intended to improve the portal's function while maintaining the character of the building's publicly visible facades. Martinez said two chimneys will remain and that the exterior finishes would follow the submitted materials list.
Public commenter Richard Andrew and others expressed support for the renovation and for reusing an approved plan that had permitted work and an issued permit in 2024. Stephanie Benonato asked questions about visibility of the south facade and roof color; the applicant said the south elevation is partially visible from an adjacent lane and that the porch area is primarily private.
Member Aguilar Medrano moved to approve the application as submitted. The board voted unanimously to approve the change. Staff will note the approved modification on the project's file and continue standard permit processing under the previously granted approvals.
Staff cited compliance with Section 14‑5.2.d (general design standards) and the downtown/East Side standards in recommending approval.
