TO: Chair and Members of the Design Review Committee
THRU: Hayden Beckman, Planning Manager
FROM: Anna Eichelberger, Planning Technician
1. Subject
title
A request to add a total of 180 square feet to an existing single-family home designated as a non-contributor located in the Old Towne Historic District at 173 N. Waverly Street. (Design Review No. 26-0060).
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2. Summary
body
The applicant proposes adding a total of 180 square feet to an existing single-family home located on a substandard 6,750 square-foot lot at 173 N. Waverly Street. The property is located in the Old Towne Historic District, and it is designated as a non-contributing property.
3. RECOMMENDED ACTION
recommendation
Approve Design Review No. 26-0060.
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4. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Applicant: Kevin Tarbell
Owner: Williams Majorie
Property Location: 173 N. Waverly Street
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: 1,254-square-foot single family residence with a 295-square-foot detached garage
Associated Application: None
Previous DRC Project Review: None
5. project description
This project includes:
• A one-story addition of 129 square feet to the front and 51 square feet to the rear of a single-family home located on a substandard 6,750 square-foot-lot. The project consists of a demolition of an existing bathroom and constuction of a new 129 square-foot walk-in closet and bathroom, and a demolition of an existing exterior wall for a 51 square-foot addition to the rear bedroom.
• The proposed project will renovate the exterior of the residence. The existing plywood sheathing and horizontal wood siding at the west (front) and east (rear) of the property will be replaced. Both the existing structure in these areas and the new additions will be clad with HardiePanel vertical board-and-batten fiber cement siding. The full-height cladding will extend to the underside of the gable roof. Two existing metal clad windows will be replaced with fiberglass sash windows and a new fiberglass sash window is proposed for the north façade of the addition. The project involves the removal/demolition of two aluminum sash windows at the east (rear) façade.
• A portion of the exsiting shed roof on the western (front) façade will be demolished to accommodate a new gable roof form and the roof slope will remain the same as the existing. The new roof is to be finished in common tab style asphalt shingles matching the existing roof. Fascia boards are proposed for the moderate-depth eaves. A portion of the existing shed roof on the east (rear) façade will be demolished and replaced with a new shed roof, barge board and the finish will match the existing residence. The roof slope willl remain the same. The eave rafters are to remain exposed as no fascia board is proposed.
6. EXISTING SITE
The property at 173 N. Waverly Street is a substandard, rectangular, 6,750-square-foot parcel located on the east side of the street between East Maple Avenue and East Chapman Avenue. It contains a one-story, 1,254 square-foot home and a 295 square-foot detached garage constructed of masonry both in the California Ranch style with a rectangular footprint. The existing home is set back approximately 80 feet from the front property line, and the detached garage is set back approximately 45 feet from the front property line located in front of the home. While the front of the home is oriented toward the west (facing North Waverly Street), the entry door faces the north side of the property. The south side of the home has a legal nonconforming side yard setback of 2 feet from the south property line.
The existing home has undergone a series of modifications over time. The dwelling is clad in a variety of materials, including both wide horizontal and vertical wood siding, stucco, rough sawn plywood, and conventional (beveled) wood siding. The form, configuration and exterior finishes of the existing primary bath, where the front addition is proposed, indicate that it was a previous addition to the home. The rough-sawn plywood cladding of the existing bathroom is a distinct departure from the vertical and horizontal wood cladding found throughout the home and is at odds with the California Ranch style of the home. Some of the home’s wooden windows and glazed doors feature thin, horizontal muntins, characteristics of the home’s original era of construction. Other windows, as well as the primary entry door, side light, and bay window are metal-clad and are thus later modifications to the home. A white picket fence encloses the southeast side of the front lawn. The rear and both north and south sides of the property are enclosed with a combination of wood and concrete 6-foot-high block walls.
The home was constructed in 1946 and is a non-contributor to the Old Towne Historic District. The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) status code for the structure is “6Z: Determined ineligible for local listing or designation through local government review process; may warrant special consideration in local planning.”
7. EXISTING AREA CONTEXT
The building is located on the east side of North Waverly Street, between East Maple Avenue and East Chapman Avenue. The property is within the Old Towne Historic District, outside of the Downtown Plaza Core. The surrounding properties on the block consist of single-family residential 6,000 square-foot homes.
8. analysis of the PROJECT
The proposed project includes alternate materials which have been selected for their resemblance of traditional building materials and their common association with the California Ranch style. The fiberglass windows and fiber cement cladding are generally compatible with the scale, design, texture, reflectivity, durability, and color of traditional building materials, commonly used in California Ranch style homes in the Historic District.
The proposed 125-square-foot on the west (front) addition will expand the existing primary bathroom by 9 feet 9 inches and will increase the height from 7 feet 3 inches to 11 feet 3 inches to match the height of the existing home. The existing primary bathroom is visible from the street, and the addition will remain visible. The proposed roof slope, height, and material will match the existing structure, ensuring consistency and compatibility with the overall scale and design of the residence.
The 21% Floor Area Ratio (FAR) proposed is lower than the average FAR of the block (24%), for parcels of similar size. This is an acceptable increase given that the addition is within setback requirements, and the floor area ratio is maintained lower than the range for the average FAR for the block.
The development standards require a minimum 900-square-feet of usable open space for a property in the R1-6 zoning district. A new lot in the R1-6 zoning district would have to be at least 6,000 square feet, where the open space requirement of 900 square feet would be 15% of the lot. Fifteen percent of the 6,750 square-foot lot would be 1,012 square feet. The project proposes 180 square feet which is within the minimum usable open space requirement.
The project meets all zoning code requirements, and Staff recommends that the 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 May 7, 2026, 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. The proposed front addition expands upon a prior addition and clearly demarcates the new work from the original structure. The addition 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. The proposed front addition expands upon a prior addition and clearly demarcates the new work from the original structure. The addition is compatible with the mass, scale, and roof form of the historic building and would not affect the appearance of the Historic District.
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, 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. 26-0060, 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. An encroachment permit from Public Works Department is required if any work during the construction of the addition will obstruct the public right-of-way.
7. 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