9 | Corpus

SEC. 9. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS FOR ALTERATIONS, ADDITIONS AND NEW CONSTRUCTION.

Excluding the exceptions defined in this Appendix.1 any exterior change to a contributory or non-contributory building or new construction within the Chula-Abbey Early Residential District shall require a Certificate of Appropriateness, pursuant to the provisions of Article 10, when such work requires a City permit. The following standards shall guide the approval of exterior alterations, additions, and new construction. (a) Character of the district. New construction shall complement and support the historic character of the district. Proposals for exterior alterations that result in greater conformity with the character of the district and are based on physical or documented evidence are encouraged. (b) Historic Materials. Exterior alterations or new construction shall not destroy historic materials.1 features and spatial relationships that characterize the property. Repair and retention of historic windows is encouraged. (c) Compatibility. New construction shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment. Additions shall be reviewed for compatibility with the historic building and the District, while infill construction shall be reviewed for compatibility with the overall District. Neither should imitate nor replicate existing features. Additions should not physically or visually dominate existing buildings in the District. Infill construction should reflect the character of the District, including the prevailing heights of contributing buildings without creating a false sense of history. The following standards shall guide the approval of additions and new construction: Additions. Horizontal and vertical additions on contributing and non-contributing buildings, as well as addition of new features such as garages or window openings in visible elevations of contributing buildings, shall be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Proposed additions should be located in an inconspicuous location and not result in a radical change to the form or character of the historic building or surrounding District. Due to their diminutive scale and the setbacks of many of the contributory buildings along the narrow alleys and side streets in the District, vertical additions to the contributory buildings facing Chula Lane and Abbey Street are generally discouraged unless it is can be demonstrated that the addition does not impair the form or character-defining features of the building, and that it is not visible from the surrounding public rights-of-way within the District. As part of the Planning Department review process, the project sponsor shall conduct and submit an analysis that illustrates the relative visibility of a proposed vertical addition from within the District. As part of this analysis, sightline cross-sections and perspective drawings illustrating the proportionality and scale, as well as the visible extent of the addition from prescribed locations should be submitted. The Planning Department will evaluate these proposals for compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards (as set forth in Section 1006.6 of the Planning Code), and, may, at their discretion, refer to the Site Design/Architecture standards of the Preservation Design Standards (adopted by Historic Preservation Commission). New Construction. Where the District provides an opportunity for new construction through existing vacant parcels or by replacing non-contributing buildings, a sensitive design is of critical importance. The new construction shall respect the general size, shape, and scale of the character-defining features associated with the district and its relationship to the character- defining features of the immediate neighbors and the district. Contributory buildings within the District should be utilized and referenced for design context. For new construction, contemporary design that respects the District’s existing character-defining features without replicating historic designs is encouraged. The Planning Department will evaluate these proposals for compatibility with the character of the historic district as described in the designating ordinance, as set forth in Section 1006.6 of the Planning Code, and, when applicable, the Citywide Design Standards. The following standards shall guide the approval of exterior alterations and new construction: 1. Style. New construction shall be compatible with the character-defining features of the district, yet is contemporary in design. 2. Scale and Proportion. New construction shall be compatible with the massing, size, and scale of the adjacent contributing buildings within the district. 3. Setbacks. New construction shall conform to existing setback patterns found in adjacent buildings and within the district. 4. Roofline. Gabled, cross-gabled, or hipped roof forms or flat roofs with projecting cornices are common within the district and new construction shall reference the massing and form of adjacent buildings. 5. Dormers and Additions. The enlargement or construction of dormers, penthouses and horizontal or vertical additions shall be designed in a manner that requires minimal change to the character-defining features of the subject building and the district in terms of materials, fenestration, cladding, massing and ornamentation. 6. Garages. The insertion of a garage shall minimize the physical and visual impacts on the character-defining features of the existing building and front yard setting. The design of garages and garage doors shall be unobtrusive and simple. Painted roll-up doors with panels and minimal glazing are encouraged. 7. Driveways and Front Yard Setbacks. The addition of new driveways shall minimize the removal of landscaping and include permeable paving materials in order to minimize disruption to front yard setbacks and the character-defining features of the subject building and the district. 8. Details. Architectural details on new construction shall be contemporary, yet compatible with the character-defining features found on the contributing buildings within the district. (Added by Ord. 14-26, File No. 251100, App. 2/13/2026, Eff. 3/16/2026) CODIFICATION NOTE 1. So in Ord. 14-26.

SEC. 10. SIGNIFICANCE OF INDIVIDUAL BUILDINGS TO THE DISTRICT.

Each building within the Chula-Abbey Early Residential District is assigned to either of the following categories. Contributory. This category identified buildings that date from the District’s period of significance and retain integrity. These structures are of the highest importance in maintaining the character of the District. The maximum suspension period allowable under Article 10 shall be imposed on applications for demolition of Contributory buildings. The following buildings are deemed Contributory to the Chula-Abbey Early Residential District: APN From St. # To St. # Street Name Date Built APN From St. # To St. # Street Name Date Built 3579 034 17th St 3579 033 17th St 3579 039-042 17th St 3579 031 17th St 3579 030 17th St 3579 028 17th St 3579 043-045 17th St 3579 035-036 17th St 3579 046-048 17th St 3566 039 17th St 3566 038 17th St 3566 035 17th St 3566 033 17th St 3566 079-080 17th St 3566 030 17th St 3566 071-073 17th St 3566 011 17th St 3566 016 Abbey Street 3566 026 (081-083) Abbey Street 3566 028 Abbey 3566 029 30a 30b Abbey 3566 015 Abbey Street 3566 027 Abbey Street 3566 014 Abbey Street 3566 030A Abbey Street 3566 049 Chula Lane 3566 048 Chula Lane 3566 047 Chula Lane 3566 045 Chula Lane 3566 044 Chula Lane 3566 003 Dolores 3566 004 Dolores 3566 007 (077-078) Dolores