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CHC approves 455‑square‑foot additions at 2053 Primrose Ave; finds project exempt from CEQA
Summary
The Cultural Heritage Commission approved a certificate of appropriateness for additions totaling 455 square feet at a 1924 English‑revival cottage at 2053 Primrose Avenue, finding the project meets Secretary of the Interior standards and exempting the project from CEQA (Guidelines §15301 and §15331). The vote was unanimous.
The South Pasadena Cultural Heritage Commission on April 17 approved a certificate of appropriateness for additions at a 1924 English‑revival cottage at 2053 Primrose Avenue.
Planning staff presented the project as two additions visible from the public right of way: a rear addition of 308 square feet and a smaller side addition of 47 square feet (the staff report and plans list the smaller addition as 47 square feet; the staff presentation described an enclosed side yard totaling the combined area). Together the changes will add 455 square feet of living space to the existing roughly 1,700‑square‑foot residence. The property is a potential contributor to the eligible Oneonta Park Historic District, and the application required a certificate of appropriateness because the proposed work exceeds the 200‑square‑foot threshold for abbreviated review and is visible from the public right of way.
The staff report described design details: the proposed roof pitch and gables will match existing forms, overall building height will not increase, and new stucco and shingles will be used to differentiate new work from historic fabric by material condition and roof articulation rather than a stark stylistic departure. The existing detached garage was converted to a 630‑square‑foot accessory dwelling unit in 2024.
Planning staff recommended that the commission find the project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Guidelines §15301 and §15331 and approve Project 202051‑COA subject to conditions.
Commissioner Dean moved to approve the project, making the required findings and finding the project exempt from CEQA; Chair Lopez seconded. The roll call vote was: Commissioner Dean — yes; Commissioner Aperlo — yes; Vice Chair Severson — yes; Chair Lopez — yes. The motion carried unanimously.
Commissioners commented that the massing and roofline treatment were sensitive to the existing house. Vice Chair Severson praised the project for modernizing the interior while respecting historic character: “I would just applaud you for, homeowner and designer for figuring out how to modernize this property, while meeting a lot of the things that we, typically, look at,” Severson said. Commissioners discussed whether the new stucco should be visually differentiated from the original stucco; staff said differentiation would be expressed through new materials and roof articulation rather than contrasting base stucco.
The decision is final unless an appeal is filed within 15 days, and staff reminded the applicant that no construction may begin during the appeal period.
