Board approves alterations at 258 Granada Road with conditions to preserve Mission Revival character

The Historic Preservation Board on Oct. 28 approved alterations to a contributing Mission Revival residence at 258 Granada Road, including modest revisions to the main house and conversion of a rear garage to a pool cabana. Staff recommended approval after resolving floor‑area calculations and the board added design conditions to preserve the property’s historic character.

Staff said both the primary structure and the accessory structure are contributing resources constructed in 1925 and identified in the district surveys. The applicant proposed modest fenestration changes on the main house, a 62‑square‑foot second‑story enclosed balcony (initially omitted from the applicant’s square‑footage math), and a conversion of the rear garage into a pool cabana with improved landscaping and screened mechanicals.

Staff noted an initial calculation error: if the 62‑square‑foot enclosure is included, the applicant’s proposed total would be 3,266 square feet, above the base allowance of 3,204 square feet. Staff identified a special‑exception FAR bonus in section 94‑85(e) that grants an additional 4 percent for accessory structures meeting setback and separation requirements; applying that bonus raises the allowable total to about 3,375 square feet, accommodating the proposal.

Staff recommended approval with seven conditions to protect historic character, including clear glazing on south and west facades and preservation of an existing fanlight. During discussion, several board members expressed concern that a plate‑glass enclosure could appear visually incongruous—"fishbowl‑like," in one member’s words—and encouraged a design that reads as an infilled porch. The applicant agreed to revise details.

The board’s approval included staff’s conditions and two changes the board added: the southwest porch enclosure must read like an infilled porch with a solid sill and muntined windows to match Mission Revival proportions, and a second‑floor northeast bedroom window shall be moved 6 inches south to improve corner proportions. The board made the motion based on the testimony, application materials, and the staff report and approved the COA unanimously.

The approval requires final construction details and materials to match the conditions adopted by the board and staff’s standard review process under the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.