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HARB STAFF REPORT
MAY 2, 2013
Project: ST. JOSEPHS MODULAR - (PLN2013-00175)
Proposal: To consider a historical architectural review to demolish a Quonset hut and
install a 2,160 square foot modular building and minor site improvements to
be used for a kindergarten classroom.
Recommendation: Approve, based on findings and subject to conditions
Location: 43222 Mission Boulevard in the Mission San Jose Planning Area
APN 513-0401-020-09
(See aerial photo next page)
Area: 2,160 square foot proposed building on a 2.55-acre lot
People: Janice Cooper, Applicant
Erin Steele, Agent of Applicant
Roman Catholic Welfare Corporation of Oakland, Property Owner
Spencer Shafsky, Staff Planner (510) 494-44452; [email protected]
Environmental Review: This project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines Section 15303, New Construction or
Conversion of Small Structures.
General Plan: Commercial-Town Center, Residential-Hillside
Zoning: Planned District P-2001-34 (HOD)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The applicant is requesting approval of demolition of a 1940’s era Quonset hut that was moved to and
rebuilt on the site in ca. 1957, and replace it with a 2,160 square foot modular building to be used as a
kindergarten classroom. Associated site improvements, including ADA parking and an improved access
road, are also part of the scope of proposed work. The use of the site as an education facility is to be
considered as a subsequent Zoning Administrator Permit per the requirements of the existing Planned
District. Staff recommends that the Historical Architectural Review Board approve the project based on
the compatibility of the proposed project with its surroundings. (Informational 1)
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Figure 1: Aerial Photo (2006) of Project Site and Surrounding Area.
SURROUNDING LAND USES:
North: Vacant future St. Joseph’s Church site, Single Family Residential, R-1-20 (HOD) (H-I)
South: Parking lot and garden of the Dominican Sisters, Planned District P-2001-34 (HOD)
East: Various properties owned by the Dominican Sisters, Planned District P-2001-034(HOD)
West: St. Joseph School, Mission Boulevard and various Commercial Buildings, Community
Commercial (C-C)
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BACKGROUND AND PREVIOUS ACTIONS:
The project site is located in the Historic Overlay District of Mission San Jose and is within Planned
District P-2001-00034 (HOD), which also contains the Dominican Sisters Mission San Jose, Queen of
the Holy Rosary College and surrounding single-family residential developments. The proposed location
is on a partially developed site adjacent to St. Joseph’s School. The site contains a large storage shed
built in the 1960’s and several outbuildings used as storage. There are also two parish buildings used as
offices on the site that date to sometime in the mid 1930’s. Surrounding the site is property owned by the
Dominican Sisters that contain historic gardens, olive trees, and buildings. Mission San Jose is adjacent
to the site along Mission Boulevard, and the Dominican Sister’s College is also near the site. Access to
the site is from St. Josephs Terrace, which is a private road lined with protected olive trees and palm
trees.
The metal Quonset hut style building, which is proposed to be removed, was originally built and used
during WWII, and was likely moved to the site in the late 1950’s/early 1960’s as a storage shed.
Improvements, including adding a bathroom and insulation, were made inside the hut, which allowed a
portion of it to be used as an office and sleeping quarters. Several exterior modifications have been
added to the building over the years, including replacement of the original end walls and the addition of
a storage shed to one end. (See Informational Item 1)
PROCEDURE FOR TONIGHT’S HEARING
At tonight’s hearing, the Board is charged with completing one primary task:
1. Consider Historical Architectural Review per Section 18.135.080 of the Fremont Municipal Code for
the demolition of the Quonset hut and the installation of a 2,160 square foot modular building and
site improvements for use as a kindergarten classroom.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
The applicant is requesting Historical Architecture Review approval to remove an existing WWII era
Quonset hut, currently used as a storage facility, and install a 2,160 square foot modular building to be
used for a kindergarten classroom. The other existing storage shed immediately adjacent to the proposed
modular building is proposed to be repainted and repaired to continue to be used for storage. The access
drive off St. Joseph Terrace is proposed to be repaved where needed and one ADA parking space will be
striped for the new modular building. All existing trees adjacent to and on the site are going to be
retained. Circulation through the site will be along a one-way drive off St. Joseph Terrace that will loop
through the site to the front of the modular building and continue out to St. Joseph Terrace. The
proposed site work involves partially repaving the existing area where required, however no additional
areas will be paved. Any proposed paving will be done to repair or replace paving that already exists.
The proposed modular building is a flat roofed structure with siding painted in Benjamin Moore HC-3
(Greenmount Silk) with the trim color painted in Benjamin Moore 2004-30 (Raspberry Pudding). An
ADA access ramp will be constructed on the front of the building and decorative shrubs and trees will be
planted along the exterior.
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PROJECT ANALYSIS:
General Plan Conformance:
The existing General Plan land use designation for the project site is 58.5 % Commercial - Town Center
and 41.5% Residential - Hillside. The following General Plan Goals, Objectives and Policies are
applicable to the proposed project:
GOAL 4-6: Historic Preservation and Cultural Resources
Policy 4-6.1: Protection of Historic Resources:
Identify, preserve, protect and maintain buildings, structures, objects, sites and districts which are
reminders of past eras, events, and persons important in local, state or national history.
Implementation 4-6.1.A: Demolition, Alteration or Relocation of Historical Resources:
Evaluate all applications for demolition, alteration or relocation of buildings, structures or objects
constructed prior to 1955 to determine if there is sufficient significance and integrity to merit
classification as a potential Fremont Register Resource or formal designation as a Fremont Register
Resource.
Analysis: The applicant applied for the HARB review for the removal of the Quonset hut. Urban
Programmers prepared a Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) primary record Form 523A and
determined that the Quonset hut was not eligible for the National Register or the California Register of
Historic Resources because it is not associated with individuals or events of significant historical
importance and the hut’s architecture and materials have been altered so as to not display historic
integrity.
Policy 4-6.5: Design Compatibility:
Preserve the architectural continuity and design integrity of historic districts and other areas of strong
architectural character. New development within such areas does not need to replicate prevailing
architectural styles exactly but should be complimentary in form, height, and bulk.
Analysis: The proposed structure is a low-profile flat roofed building that is set behind the existing
buildings on the site as well as set back from the access road off St. Josephs Terrace. It will not detract
from the architectural integrity of the surrounding buildings and is compatible with St. Joseph school
immediately adjacent to it.
Historic Assessment:
The building proposed for demolition was evaluated for historical significance per the requirements of
the City’s Historic Resources Ordinance. The applicant obtained the services of Urban Programmers to
work with a qualified historian to assess the subject building’s historical significance. The scope of
work was prepared by the City and the final assessment has been reviewed and accepted by the City.
(See Informational Item 1) A summary of the building description and findings are below.
The building is a Quonset Hut style warehouse with two shed additions. It is located on the north end of
the property facing St. Joseph Terrace, set behind the buildings on the site. The building was likely
moved to the site in the late 1950’s/early 1960’s. The subject building is generally rectangular in plan,
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approximately 50 feet long and 20 feet wide, and sitting on a raised concrete perimeter foundation. The
north and south vertical elevations are clad in non-original varied horizontal shiplap siding. There are
two entrances to the building: one located on the north elevation, and another on the south end of the
east elevation. The north entry consists of a non-original double rolling door on a metal track. The east
entry consists of a non-original solid three panel wood door with a shed roof. There is a non-original
fixed three pane wood window above the sliding door on the north façade, a pair of non-original single
pane double hung wood windows with dog ears on the south façade, and a non-original aluminum slider
window on the south façade. Two lean-to shed additions on the south and east facades consist of double
two-by-four wood posts, wood beam framing, and wood shed roofs. The south façade addition is clad in
plywood on its south and east facades. (See Informational Item 1)
In order to qualify for a listing in the California Register of Historical Resources (CRHR), the Quonset
would have to qualify under one of the following criterions:
1. It is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of local or
regional history, or to the cultural heritage of California, the United States, or the city;
2. It is associated with the lives of persons important to local, California, or national history;
3. It embodies the distinctive characteristics of a style, type, period, or method of construction, or is a
valuable example of the use of indigenous materials or craftsmanship; or it is representative of the
notable work of a builder, designer, or architect.
Based on the analysis of the historian, it was determined that the Quonset hut did not qualify for any of
the above criterion as discussed on pages 9-11 of the Information #1. While Quonsets have an important
association with World War II, this building does not have association related to those events nor does it
have an association to surrounding historic resources in its current setting. Quonsets are a distinctive
building type associated with an important period, World War II, but in this instance the modifications
to the building have compromised its historic integrity. Staff concurs with this analysis and determined
that the structure is not a potential historic resource per Section 18.175.150 of the Fremont Municipal
Code.
Zoning Regulations:
The property is part of Planned District P-2001-34 (HOD) and is within the Hillside Combining District.
This Planned District requires all new development to be subject to review and approval by the
Historical Architectural Review Board (HARB) and further requires that all commercial and institutional
projects are subject to the Design Guidelines and Regulations- Mission San Jose Overlay District. The
subject site is on Area 1 of the Planned District which allows educational facilities for kindergarten
through 8th
grade.
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Design Analysis:
Design Review:
The subject site is within the Mission San Jose Historical Overlay District (HOD) and has several
historical properties surrounding it. Directly on the proposed site are two houses, which date to
sometime in the 1930’s, and while they have not been evaluated for historical significance, the
architecture is of a style that is of interest and environmentally contextual to the area. St. Joseph Terrace
contains many olive trees maintained by the Dominican Sisters and the trees are preserved as historic
resources of the surrounding area. Mission San Jose, fronting Mission Boulevard, is to the southwest of
the project site and Dominican Sisters property is to the rear and side of the site.
Although the project does not alter an historic resource, it is within the Historic Overlay District overall
and must be found to be compatible with the architecture and character of the surrounding area. The site
is outside of the commercial core area of the Mission San Jose Design Guidelines and in this instance
the guidelines are not directly applicable to the proposed project. Demolition of the structure is
approvable based on its location on the property and the fact that the building has no historic association
with the surrounding historic overlay district and identified resources. The proposed one-story modular
building will be painted in neutral colors and will be set back from Mission Boulevard, behind the
existing buildings on the site, so as to not be highly visible from the street. There will not be any trees
removed as part of the project and the historical nature of the surrounding area will not be significantly
impacted by the project.
Open Space/Landscaping:
The project will not impact any existing trees or landscaping. The applicant proposes to plant new trees
and shrubs along the perimeter of the modular building, which are compatible with the olive trees in the
area. The existing olive trees will be wrapped with tree protection fencing to protect them during
construction. Conditions of approval will require site inspection of fencing and protection measures to
ensure no impacts to existing olive trees.
Circulation:
The project site has access from St. Joseph Terrace. Vehicles will enter on a one-way drive to the north
west of the proposed building under the line of olive trees, travel around the rear of the storage building
and to the front of the modular building for drop-off. Vehicles will then continue between the two homes
on the site to exit to St. Joseph Terrace and back to Mission Boulevard. Employee and parent parking
are provided on the main campus adjacent to the school. One ADA access parking stall will be installed
to the north of the modular building.
Grading & Drainage:
There is no grading proposed for the project and the proposed modular building will not affect the
existing storm water drainage for the site.
Environmental Review:
This project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under
CEQA Guideline 15303 because it is new construction and will be designed in manner compatible with
the surrounding historical properties. Due to the subject part of the site not being an historic resource,
there is no exception to the Categorical Exemption of 15303 requiring more extensive environmental
review.
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PUBLIC NOTICE AND COMMENT:
Public hearing notification is applicable. A total of 40 notices were mailed to owners and occupants of
property within 300 feet of the site. The notices to owners and occupants were mailed on April 19, 2013
A Public Hearing Notice was published by The Argus on April 20, 2013.
ENCLOSURES:
Exhibits:
Exhibit "A" Site Plan, Floor Plan, Elevations
Exhibit "B" Findings of Approval
Informational Items:
Informational 1 Historic Assessment of Quonset Hut
Informational 2 Color Board
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Hold public hearing.
2. Find that the project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines Section 15303, New Construction or Conversion of Small
Structures.
3. Find that the project is in conformance with the relevant provisions contained in the City’s
General Plan as enumerated within the staff report.
4. Make a Finding for Historical Architectural Approval for the proposed demolition of the
Quonset hut and the installation of the 2,160 square foot modular building and associated site
improvements.
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Existing Zoning
Shaded Area represents the Project Site
Existing General Plan