La Jolla house misses historic designation by one vote – San Diego Union-Tribune

The San Diego Historical Resources Board went back and forth as to whether to designate a property in La Jolla as historic, with the final decision coming down to just one vote.

A request to designate a house at 637 Arenas St. was brought forward recently by the owner, but San Diego city staff members concluded it did not meet any of the HRB’s criteria for designation and recommended against it.

Board members debated whether to ratify that recommendation Oct. 24.

The two-story, Colonial Revival-style single-family home was built in 1928. Other buildings on the site include a rear detached garage.

The city staff report cited modifications to the garage and frontage in the past few decades as reasons the house doesn’t qualify for historic designation.

“Since its construction … the property has been modified as follows: a rear addition, which included a bathroom, laundry room and bay window, was constructed in 1983,” according to the report. “In 2019, the rear garage was converted to a workshop and storage space. Between 2019 and 2022, the homeowners completed additional work which did not require a permit, including alterations to the front portico involving the removal of a set of columns, changing the front portico steps from concrete to brick and adding wrought-iron railings. In addition, the brick chimney was painted white during this time.”

John Hyche of Urbana Preservation and Planning, representing the owner, said the house “embodies the distinctive characteristics of the Colonial Revival style,” despite the alterations. He called it a “rare example” of such works in La Jolla.

Hyche argued that the modifications to the property did not “significantly reduce the property’s historic integrity” and were differentiated from the original house yet compatible with its design. Hyche said the changes even could be reversed.

He further argued that the city staff report did not include all the features that would show the house’s consistency with the Colonial Revival style.

During board deliberations, member Courtney Coyle, a La Jolla resident, said that “just because a property … has a few potentially atypical elements, that should not disqualify it” from designation. The modifications “could be dealt with” should the project be designated, Coyle added.

However, others argued that because the modifications were to the frontage, the impact is noticeable to the public.

There also was some discussion of restoring some of the more historically consistent features and having the applicant return for additional review, or making restoration of those features a condition of approval.

Coyle contended the property should be designated under Criterion C (indicating the property embodies distinctive characteristics of a style, type, period or method of construction or is a valuable example of the use of natural materials or craftsmanship) because of the features that have been retained. The designation would exclude the rear laundry area that was added outside the period of significance.

Though board members favored the motion on a 5-4 vote, HRB designations require at least six votes, so the request ultimately failed.

The San Diego Historical Resources Board meets monthly. To learn more, visit sandiego.gov/development-services and click on “Public hearings, meetings and notices.” ♦