REPORT TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION October 27, 2025 FROM: JENNIFER K. CLARK, AICP, Director Planning and Development Department BY: ASHLEY ATKINSON, AICP, Assistant Director Planning and Development Department SUBJECT ..Title Hearing to Consider and make findings on Building Application B25-11291 for a re-roof permit for: 1. Wild Home (HP #229) located at 567 E Clinton Ave (APN 44331422) ..Body EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Wild Home located at 567 E Clinton Ave. in the Tower District is HP #229. Application B25-11291 seeks a permit to replace the wood roof shingles with a contemporary dimensional asphalt shingle in dark gray. This project represents a substantial alteration to the resource and is subject to review by the Commission pursuant to FMC Section 12-1617. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) take one of the following actions: 1. ADOPT a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Sections 15331/Class 31 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines 2. APPROVE: Application B25-11291 to replace the wood shingle roof at the Wild Home (HP #229) located at 567 E Clinton Ave (APN 44331422) with the following condition: a. The replacement roof will use a compatible substitute material that conveys the same appearance of the existing wood shakes Or: 2. DENY: Application B25-11291 to replace the wood shingle roof at the Wild Home (HP #229) located at 567 E Clinton Ave (APN 44331422). BACKGROUND The Wild home, architecturally important as an outstanding example of the English Tudor style of architecture in Fresno, was built in 1929 for Mount K. and Doris Wild. Mr. Wild was one of the few attorneys in the San Joaquin Valley with a Doctor of Law degree, and founded Fresno's oldest continuing law firm, today known as Wild, Carter & Tipton. Both Mr. Wild and his wife were actively involved in Fresno civic organizations, including the presidency of the Fresno County Bar Association. Builder Taylor-Wheeler was founded by Orville R. Taylor and Dennis Wheeler in 1927, making this one of the company's early completed works. Based in Fresno, the company produced some of the finest homes in the Central San Joaquin Valley. Although not trained as an architect, Taylor designed most of the homes the company built until the mid-1930s. Wheeler managed the business and supervised construction. After World War II, Taylor and Wheeler diversified, becoming major commercial builders. Mr. Wild was the attorney for Taylor-Wheeler and Mrs. Wild worked closely with the firm on the design of the home and personally oversaw its construction, ensuring a high level of quality. Mrs. Wild had designed several homes in the Fresno area and on the Central Coast, unusual for a woman at the time. The design and craftsmanship is completed at a very high level, the work of a master builder. This two-story detached single family residence is of a basic rectangular plan of frame construction with brick veneer on the majority of the exterior vertical surfaces. The exterior brick covers is laid in a running bond pattern, and is a combination of clinker with dark grout and tooled joints and common brick with light grout. The two brick finishes are stepped together throughout the facade in a rather random pattern. The upper wall areas are a combination of half-timbered and modeled plaster panels. The gable end areas are horizontal lapped wood siding finished with a dark stain. The roof is a steeply sloped side gable with a large cross gable and two shed dormers. The roofs are covered in a heavy shake shingles in a staggered pattern. Additional shingled roofs cover porches, a bay window, and the independent three-car garage structure. Project Analysis Building permit application B25-11291 was submitted on September 5, 2025, and proposes to remove the wood shingle roof on both the house and garage and replace it with a contemporary dimensional asphalt shingle, specifically CertainTeed's Presidential Shake Solaris in Shadow Gray (see Image 1 below). The existing cedar shake shingles were reported by the applicant to have been installed on top of the original roof, which was also constructed of cedar shingles (see Image 2 below). No roofing permit records are available for this address, but a 1988 press photo indicates a similar roof to the one existing today, with wood shingles laid in an irregular staggered pattern (Exhibit F). Image 1 (Source: certainteed.com) - Picture located in Exhibit G Image 2 (Source: Staff Photo, October 2024) - Picture located in Exhibit G After initial review of the permit application, staff notified the applicant that it could not be approved unless the roof was replaced in-kind (like for like) and provided several examples of composite products that mimic the appearance of wood shake and would constitute an acceptable replacement from a visual perspective, while providing improved durability and fire protection over the original wood material. The applicant responded that due to the cost of such products and their performance in high temperatures, the property owner would prefer to move forward with the requested dimensional asphalt shingle. Because the Wild Home is an individually listed historic resource on the Local Register of Historic Resources, any proposed project with a scope of work which proposes substantial alterations to the resource is subject to review by the Commission pursuant to FMC Section 12-1617. Wood shake roofs are not prohibited by code outside of fire-prone areas. However, wood shake roofs are not Class A fire-rated and in today's insurance market, many insurers require Class A fire-rated roofing systems before they will issue or reissue a policy. The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring & Reconstructing Historic Buildings (Exhibit E) provides that "If the missing feature is character defining or if it is critical to the survival of the building (e.g., a roof), it should be replaced to match the historic feature based on physical or historic documentation of its form and detailing. As with repair, the preferred option is always replacement of the entire feature in kind (i.e., with the same material, such as wood for wood). However, when this is not feasible, a compatible substitute material that can reproduce the overall appearance of the historic material may be considered" (page 77-78). The guidelines also provide that compliance with life-safety codes should be achieved "in such a manner that the historic building's character-defining exterior features, interior spaces, features, and finishes, and features of the site and setting are preserved or impacted as little as possible" and that "necessary alterations will be compatible with the historic character of the building" (page 150). The guidelines for the rehabilitation of wood shingles include the following (page 90) and recommends that "if using wood is not feasible, then a compatible substitute material may be considered," but that a material that "does not convey the same appearance of the surviving components of the wood feature" is not recommended. Table located in Exhibit G The proposed material is of a greater thickness than standard asphalt shingles, contains slight color variations, and is laid in a staggered pattern similar to the existing wood roof. However, it does not fully mimic the appearance of wood shake. Additional photos are in the product brochure (Exhibit D). Additionally, the selected Shadow Gray color does not match the brown color of the existing wood shingles. The selected product is also available in brown (see Image 3 below), which would convey a more similar appearance to the existing wood roof than the applicant's proposed gray color. Image 3 (Source: certainteed.com) - Picture located in Exhibit G ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS The project is consistent with a Class 31 finding of exemption. FRESNO MUNICIPAL CODE FINDINGS In order to approve the application or approve it with modifications, the Commission must make one of the following findings: (1) The proposed work is found to be consistent with the purposes of this article and the Secretary of the Interior's Standards, not detrimental to the special historical, architectural or aesthetic interest or value of the Historic Resource; or This finding cannot be made as the proposed work is not consistent with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and is detrimental to the special historical, architectural or aesthetic interest or value of the Historic Resource. (2) The action proposed is necessary to correct an unsafe or dangerous condition on the property; or This finding can be made, as the proposed work is necessary to address the increased fire risk posed by the existing wood shingles and a new wood roof would not be permitted. (3) Denial of the application will result in unreasonable economic hardship to the owner. In order to approve the application, the Commission must find facts and circumstances, not of the applicant's own making, which establish that there are no feasible measures that can be taken that will enable the property owner to make a reasonable economic beneficial use of the property or derive a reasonable economic return from the property in its current form; or This finding cannot be made because there is no evidence that the denial of the application will result in unreasonable economic hardship to the owner. (4) The site is required for a public use which will directly benefit the public health, safety and welfare and will be of more benefit to the public than the Historic Resource. This finding cannot be made because the site is not required for a public use. CONCLUSION The appropriateness of the proposed project has been examined with respect to its consistency with FMC Section 12-1617. The proposed project has been analyzed and staff recommends that the Commission take one of the following actions: 1. ADOPT a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Sections 15331/Class 31 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines 2. APPROVE: Application B25-11291 to replace the wood shingle roof at the Wild Home (HP #229) located at 567 E Clinton Ave (APN 44331422) with the following condition: a. The replacement roof will use a compatible substitute material that conveys the same appearance of the existing wood shakes Or: 2. DENY: Application B25-11291 to replace the wood shingle roof at the Wild Home (HP #229) located at 567 E Clinton Ave (APN 44331422). Attachments: Exhibit A - DPR Form Exhibit B - HP #229 Resolution Exhibit C - Public Hearing Notice & Noticing Map Exhibit D - CertainTeed Presidential Shake Product Brochure Exhibit E - Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties Exhibit F - Photos of HP #229 Exhibit G - Supporting Pictures