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409 Pearl Street review continued after commissioners request materials board, possible brick in lieu of faux stone
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Summary
A proposed two‑story house at 409 Pearl Street was continued after commissioners and the city architect asked the applicant to submit a physical materials board, confirm egress window types and consider substituting manufactured ledger stone with a more appropriate material for a potential Central San Gabriel planning area.
The Design Review Commission continued consideration of planning case SPR23‑063, a proposal for a two‑story single‑family residence with an attached garage and a detached accessory dwelling unit at 409 Pearl Street, after raising questions about window types, exterior materials and missing physical samples.
Staff described the project as a 2,516‑square‑foot two‑story house with a 1,000‑square‑foot detached ADU and landscape plans including drought‑tolerant shrubs and new boxed trees. The proposed exterior palette listed a smooth stucco finish ("alamo"), stone veneer accents and a medium‑brown concrete tile roof.
Commissioners and the city architect noted the submittal had improved substantially from initial concepts but still lacked necessary chips and samples. City architect Ron emphasized the neighborhood portion around Pearl has been identified in the city's recent historic resources survey as a potential Central San Gabriel planning district; that fact increases scrutiny of new construction and the appropriateness of certain contemporary materials. "Manufactured stone is a wholly modern material… she was discouraging the use of synthetic ledger stone and that either nothing, you know, just stucco or maybe brick would be a more preferable material," Ron summarized his exchange with the city architectural historian.
Other items flagged during the hearing included clarifying the window schedule for fixed vs. operable windows (several bedroom windows must meet egress requirements), selecting a specific garage door color from a manufacturer palette rather than a generic "brown," and providing physical samples of roofing, stucco and pavers. Commissioners also discussed low‑impact development measures such as rain barrels shown on the plans and standard site drainage/sump pump approaches.
On a preliminary voice vote, a motion to approve the item failed. The commission then voted 5‑0 to continue the item to an undetermined date. Staff was directed to have the applicant return with a physical materials board, definitive window/egress information, and to consult with the city architect about replacing the proposed manufactured stone veneer with a material more consistent with the survey guidance (brick or plain stucco were suggested).
