TO: Chair and Members of the Design Review Committee
THRU: Chad Ortlieb, Principal Planner
FROM: Angelo Huang, Assistant Planner
1. Subject
title
A request to add 307 square feet to a single-family home in the Old Towne Historic District located at 623 E. Washington Avenue. (Design Review No. 25-0007).
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2. Summary
body
The applicant proposes replacing a non-contributing patio cover and adding a total of 307 square feet to an existing single-family home located at 623 E. Washington Avenue. The property is located in the Old Towne Historic District, and it is designated as a contributing property.
3. RECOMMENDED ACTION
recommendation
Approval of Design Review No. 25-0007 by the Design Review Committee.
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4. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Applicant: Rick Fox
Owner: Michael Doting
Property Location: 623 E. Washington Avenue
General Plan Designation: Low Density Residential 2-6 du/ac (LDR)
Zoning Classification: Single Family Residential 6,000 square feet (R-1-6)
Existing Development: 1,538-square-foot single family residence with a detached garage
Associated Application: None
Previous DRC Project Review: None
5. project description
This project includes:
• First floor addition of 217 square feet behind a single-family home. The addition accomodates a bedroom, but no new bedrooms will result.
• Reconfiguration of the half story above and converting 90 square feet of attic space to conditioned area. The reconfiguration remains within the exisitng footprint of the home.
• Demolish and reconstruct a new patio cover with a raised deck
• Remodel of the interior first floor and relocation of the stairs to the half story above.
6. EXISTING SITE
The site is developed a 1,538-square-foot Craftsman style bungalow home and 390-square-foot detached garage. The home features a side facing gable roof with exposed rafters and a front facing dormer gable. The exterior materials consists of three-inch clapboard wood siding and asphalt shingle roofing. The home was constructed circa 1915 and is a contributor to the Old Towne Historic District.
7. EXISTING AREA CONTEXT
The building is located on the 600 block of East Washington Avenue between Shaffer and Harwood Street and outside of the Downtown Plaza Core. The surrounding properties on the block consist of single-family homes. The block consists of several contributing properties and the average Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of the block is 29.90 percent.
8. analysis of the PROJECT
The addition matches the style, color, and materials of the home. The addition is proposed at the rear of the home and is not street visible. The addition provide points of demarcation by having an inset from the original home as well as a five-inch exposed siding compared to the historic three-inch siding. The total height of the addition is subordinate to the original home and the proposed patio is not attached to the historic structure. The project meets all zoning code requirements as specified in the development standards table on the project plans.
The 29.9 percent FAR proposed equals the average FAR of the block. Hence, the addition is an acceptable increase in square feet given that it occurs at the rear of the property.
Staff recommends that the Design Review Committee (DRC) approve the proposal.
9. ADVISORY BOARD RECOMMENDATION
None.
10. PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice was provided to owners and tenants within 300 feet of the project on or before June 5, 2025, and the site was posted with a notice on or before that date.
11. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The proposed project is categorically exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per State CEQA Guidelines 15303 (Class 3 - New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures) because the project consists of a small addition to an existing single-family home. There is no environmental public review required for a Categorical Exemption.
12. STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND REQUIRED FINDINGS
Based on the following Findings and statements in support of such Findings, staff recommends the DRC make a final determination on the proposed project with recommended conditions (Orange Municipal Code 17.10.070.G).
1. In the Old Towne Historic District, the proposed work conforms to the prescriptive standards and design criteria referenced and/or recommended by the DRC or other reviewing body for the project.
The proposed project is in conformance with the Historic Preservation Design Standards (HPDS), which are the prescriptive design criteria for projects within the Old Towne Historic District. The proposed rear addition is subordinate to the existing building and is not visible from the street. It is compatible with the mass, scale, and roof form of the historic building and would not affect the appearance of the Historic District.
2. In any National Register Historic District, the proposed work complies with the Secretary of the Interior’s standards and guidelines.
The project is in conformance with the HPDS. Projects found to be in conformance with the HPDS are generally considered to be in conformance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
3. The project design upholds community aesthetics through the use of an internally consistent, integrated design theme and is consistent with all adopted specific plans, applicable design standards, and their required findings.
The project upholds community aesthetics through an internally consistent and integrated design theme. The proposed project is in conformance with the Historic Preservation Design Standards (HPDS), which are the prescriptive design criteria for projects within the Old Towne Historic District. The proposed rear addition is subordinate to the existing building and is not visible from the street. It is compatible with the mass, scale, and roof form of the historic building and would not affect the appearance of the Historic District. The inset and proposed siding creates clear distinction between the addition and the original home. The 29.9 percent FAR proposed equals the average FAR of the block. Hence, the addition is an acceptable square-foot increase given that the addition occurs at the rear of the property.
13. CONDITIONS
The approval of this project is subject to the following conditions:
1. This project is approved as a precise plan. All work shall conform in substance and be maintained in general conformance with the plans (date stamped approved June 18, 2025, and in the project case file), including modifications required by the conditions of approval, and as recommended for approval by the Design Review Committee. After the application has been approved, if changes are proposed regarding the location or alteration of any use or structure, a changed plan may be submitted to the Community Development Director for approval. If the Community Development Director determines that the proposed change complies with the provisions and the spirit and intent of the approval action, and that the action would have been the same for the changed plan as for the approved plan, the Community Development Director may approve the changed plan without requiring a new public meeting. If the Community Development Director determines that any proposed change is substantial, he may refer the plans to the Design Review Committee for subsequent review and determination.
2. The applicant agrees, as a condition of City’s approval of Design Review No. 25-0007, to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless, at applicant’s expense, the City, its officers, agents, and employees (“City”) from and against any claim, action or proceeding brought against the City, including, but not limited to, any claim, action or proceeding commenced within the time period provided in Government Code Section 66499.37 to attack, review, set aside, void or annul the City’s approval, to challenge the determination made by the City under the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) or to challenge the reasonableness, legality or validity of any condition attached hereto. City shall promptly notify applicant of any such claim, action or proceeding to which the City receives notice and to cooperate fully with the applicant in the defense thereof. Applicant shall reimburse the City for any and all costs and expenses, including, but not limited to, court costs and attorney’s fees that the City may be required to pay, including any expenses ordered by a court or expenses incurred through the Office of the City Attorney in connection with said claim, action or proceeding. City may, in its sole discretion, participate in the defense of any claim, action or proceeding but such participation shall not relieve applicant of the obligations of this condition. In the event the applicant is required to defend City in connection with such claim, action or proceeding, City shall have the right to approve counsel to so defend the City, approve all significant decisions concerning the manner in which the defense is conducted and approve any all settlements, which approval(s) shall not be unreasonably withheld. The obligations set forth herein remain in full force and effect throughout all stages of litigation including any and all appeals of any lower court judgment rendered in the proceeding. Further, applicant agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the City for all costs and expenses incurred in enforcing this provision.
3. The applicant shall comply with all federal, state, and local laws, including all City regulations. Violation of any of those laws in connection with the use may be cause for revocation of this permit.
4. The final approved conditions of approval shall be reprinted on the first or second page of the construction documents when submitting to the Building Division for the plan check process.
5. Construction permits shall be obtained for all future construction work, as required by the City of Orange, Building Division. Failure to obtain the required building permits will be cause for revocation of this permit.
6. If not utilized, project approval expires 24 months from the approval date. Extensions of time may be granted in accordance with OMC Section 17.08.060
14. ATTACHMENTS
• Attachment 1 - Vicinity Map
• Attachment 2 - DPR Form
• Attachment 3 - Project Plans