The Historic Preservation Review Commission (HPRC) will be discussing a design proposed for a new home on East H Street at Thursday’s meeting.

Applicant Angela Fortain has proposed the construction of a new single family home on a 9,576 square foot parcel located at the corner of East H and Fourth streets. The two-story home would contain 2,410 square feet of livable space as well as a basement, two-car garage and storage room. The proposed address would be 398 East H St.

Ann Welsh, the interim principal planner, wrote in a report that city staff had reviewed four different versions of the design and concluded that the project would not meet the design guidelines that were identified in the Downtown Historic Conservation Plan. Fortain requested a workshop with the HPRC to discuss current plans and gather input for further redesign.

This is not the first time a property has been proposed for this location. In 1979, a building permit application was granted to build an 877 square foot apartment in the basement area under the already existing residence. In 1994, a use permit application was submitted to construct an elementary school for 20 children, but it was withdrawn after being determined that it would not meet construction approval from the Public Works Department because the driveway and parking area would not be paved. In 2000, the City Council passed a resolution to vacate a property in the area. In 2007, the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council approve a Mills Act contract for the neighboring Queen Anne House, which was determined to be a contributing structure to Benicia’s Downtown Historic Overlay District.

In 2015, the current design review application to construct a new residence on the property was filed. The first application was submitted in September of that year, but it was deemed incomplete, as were the second and third submissions in February and November of 2016. Welsh noted that the fourth and current submission has not been fully analyzed by staff, but the redesign with a side-loaded front garage with parking in front and parallel to East H Street presented some problems.

“In this design, the garage interferes with the front facade and any detailing of the front of the house is lost with the intrusion of the garage,” Welsh wrote. “In addition, the garage violates the existing setback pattern since the new home is setback 15 feet further than the Queen Anne cottage. The proposed front garage does not relate well to its neighbors or to the rhythm of the streetscape.”

As a result, Welsh wrote that staff does not support this redesign and recommends that the HPRC consider the materials in the report, staff presentations and public comments. If the project moves forward, it would go before a Commission for a Design Review public hearing and resolution.

In other business, the HPRC will be presenting its 2016 Annual Report and 2017-18 Work program.

The HPRC will meet at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 26 in the City Hall Commission Room, located at 250 East L St. The public is welcome to attend.

Sharing is caring!