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HDRC approves alterations at 303 Cedar Street with stipulations; raised steel planters removed
Summary
The commission approved a certificate of appropriateness for work at 303 Cedar Street including demolition of a rear addition, construction of a 956-square-foot accessory structure, decorative ironwork, a 140-square-foot rear patio and landscaping — with stipulations and removal of proposed raised steel planters.
The Historic and Design Review Commission on May 21, 2025, approved a certificate of appropriateness for exterior work at 303 Cedar Street in the King William district, subject to staff stipulations and with the applicant removing a proposed raised steel planter detail from the front yard design.
Staff described the request as: removal of an existing rear structure and construction of an approximately 956-square-foot rear accessory structure with a two-car garage, studio and porch; installation of decorative iron guardrails on the front porch, stairs and ramp; a steel fence and operable vehicular gate set behind the front façade; a roughly 140-square-foot rear patio covering proposed ramps; and landscaping including river rock, decomposed granite, raised beds and a brick walkway.
Staff recommended approval with multiple stipulations: salvage and reuse of existing materials (including wood siding and a punched-tin sconce) where feasible; submission of final drawings and material specifications (siding details, standing-seam roof installation, column details, door and garage door manufacturer specs); and compliance with setback standards. The architect, Cameron Smith, told the commission he had met with the King William Association’s Architectural Advisory Committee, that the applicant would not proceed with the raised steel plate planters and that the committee concurred with staff recommendations apart from the raised planters.
A recorded motion approved the applicant’s requests for items 1, 3, 4 and 5 with staff stipulations and explicitly excluded the raised metal plate terrace in the front yard. The roll call recorded the action as unanimous approval. The recorded votes were: Mammon — Aye; Savino — Aye; Velasquez — Aye; Mazuka — Aye; Kivada (Guivada) — Aye; Group — Aye; Cervantes — Yes; Holland — Aye; Fetzer — Aye.
In public materials, the King William Association’s Architectural Advisory Committee urged that raised front-yard planters are not a historic feature on the block and could trap moisture against a wood foundation, citing prior HDRC denials of similar planters on nearby properties. The applicant responded that the owner would engage a landscape architect to create drought-resistant planting and texture without the raised steel planters.
Staff will require the applicant to submit final construction documents and product details for review before a certificate of appropriateness is issued. The commission recorded its approval with the stated stipulations; the applicant and staff will proceed with the documentation required for building permits and the certificate of appropriateness.
