Historic commission approves addition at 945 Mount Carmel with required landscape plan

The El Paso Historic Landmark Commission on an expiring approval date voted to grant a certificate of appropriateness for a rear addition at 945 Mount Carmel Avenue, subject to submission of a landscape plan for administrative review prior to issuance of building permits.

Staff told the commission the property is a non-contributing residence in the Salata Historic District (R-4-H, built 1942) and that the proposed addition was larger than the original house when the project first appeared before the commission. The applicant redesigned the project to lower the roofline — now proposing a flat roof — and added windows on the façade facing Mount Carmel Avenue, but staff said the fenestration pattern remained inconsistent with the building’s existing window alignment and recommended reducing the addition’s scale and improving window placement.

Commissioners expressed continuing concern about the addition’s massing and relationship to the original house. “It does look still a bit overpowering,” the chair said during the discussion. Commissioners and staff explored alternatives including running the addition parallel to the existing structure and using setbacks or landscaping to reduce visual impact.

An applicant representative acknowledged the redesign and, according to staff, agreed to the changes made so far. After discussion, a commissioner moved to approve the plans as presented with the condition that a landscape plan be provided to staff prior to permitting; the motion was seconded and approved with no recorded opposition. As one commissioner put it, “A landscape plan has to be provided prior to issuing a permit.”

Next steps: the applicant must submit the landscape plan for administrative approval and obtain any required building permits. Because the approval was acted on at the meeting noted to be the final date before expiration, staff said the owner could withdraw and return with a different design if they choose.