Board approves new two‑story house with pool and cabana at 1920 Las Flores Drive with revised conditions

The Glendale Design Review Board on June 12 approved construction of a new two‑story single‑family residence at 1920 Las Flores Drive (case PDR003957‑2024) with conditions addressing lighting, plant choices and plan-set confirmation.

City staff described the proposal as a demolition of an existing 1,800-square-foot house and construction of a Mediterranean/transitional Spanish‑revival two‑story residence on a 9,680‑square‑foot lot that includes an attached three‑car garage (tandem configuration), a 600‑square‑foot rear covered patio, a swimming pool and a detached cabana. Staff said the applicant submitted a minor amendment the night before the hearing to resolve a zoning parking issue: the originally noticed plan proposed two-car garage parking but the property’s floor‑area threshold required a three‑car garage; the applicant revised the plan to provide a 715‑square‑foot garage and reduced the gross floor area to about 3,623 square feet. Staff determined the amendment did not alter findings for design review and that the project qualified for the state CEQA Class 3 exemption (staff cited a minor‑construction exemption under CEQA Guidelines §15300.3 as applicable).

Staff recommended several conditions before plan check: restudy the north elevation and step back the Second Floor, restudy the covered entry and street‑facing façade to reduce perceived mass, limit street‑facing exterior light fixtures to specified locations (three fixtures on the street façade and two in the rear), include all equipment/enclosures/downspouts/utility connections in submittals, and revise landscape plans so all plant species are classified as low or very low water usage.

Applicant representatives said many of the staff comments had been addressed in revisions submitted in February and in the supplemental plans filed the morning of the hearing. Architect Stephanie Horoche and applicant Mary (Mary Chervecian) described material and detailing changes made after a January staff letter — including additional setback/jog at the northwest corner, reduced entry port height and decorative corbels and trim — to reduce perceived mass and reinforce the Mediterranean character. The applicant proposed planters or pots on low parapet roof areas; the board and applicant discussed long‑term maintenance and drainage requirements for any rooftop planting.

Board members discussed the north elevation articulation, the entry port’s size, roof‑deck planting maintenance, and exterior lighting intensity. Board members generally supported the project’s materials and form, but preferred to simplify and limit façade illumination and to avoid introducing maintenance‑intensive rooftop planting. By consensus the board agreed both to (a) approve the plan set submitted that morning reflecting the three‑car garage and revised square footage and (b) remove two staff restudy conditions (the north elevation restudy and the covered entry restudy) from mandatory requirements. The board kept staff’s lighting, downspout, utility and landscape conditions but reworded the lighting requirement to reduce and control street‑facing illumination (including removing two exterior sconces adjacent to the front entry and recommending shielded fixtures).

Board member Simonian moved to approve the project with the modified conditions and an explicit finding that the plan set submitted June 12 with the three‑car garage (the corrected zoning plan) would be the approved plan set; Board member Welch seconded. The motion passed 4–0 (Halajian, Simonian, Welch, Chair Koskonian voting yes). Staff will require the applicant to submit final cut‑sheets and revised landscape plans (low/very low water use) for staff approval before plan check.