REPORT TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION November 28, 2022 FROM: JENNIFER CLARK, Director Planning and Development Department SUBJECT ..Title HEARING TO CONSIDER AND MAKE FINDINGS on applications P22-00505 and P22-00507 for the General Plan Amendment, Rezone, and Development Permit for a medical clinic located at 49 W Fir Ave. (APNs 303-161-48/49, 50, 51, 52 and 53). STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) take the following actions: 1. REVIEW Cultural Resource Assessment prepared by Peak & Associates pursuant to Sections 15064.5 and 15126.4(b) of the California Environmental Quality Act guidelines 2. RECOMMEND APPROVAL to the Planning Commission for the General Plan Amendment, Rezone and Development Permit for a medical clinic located at 49 W Fir Ave. (APNs 303-161-48/49, 50, 51, 52 and 53). ..Body EXECUTIVE SUMMARY On behalf of the owner, Planned Amendment - Rezone Application No. P22-00507 was filed by Roger Hurtado of Centerline Design, LLC and pertains to 1.23 acres of properties located on West Fir and West Beachwood Avenues between North Sugar Pine and North San Pablo Avenues. The applicant proposes to rezone 6 parcels from RS-5 ((Residential Single-Family, Medium Density) zoning to CG (Commercial General) in order to construct an 11,520 square foot medical clinic across six parcels, as a by right use at this location. A related Development Permit application has been submitted (P22-00505) for the proposed medical clinic. On behalf of the owner, Development Permit Application No. P22-00505 was filed by Roger Hurtado of Centerline Design, LLC and pertains to 1.23 acres of properties located on West Fir and West Beachwood Avenues between North Sugar Pine and North San Pablo Avenues. The applicant proposes to construct an 11,520 square foot medical clinic across six parcels. The properties are currently zoned RS-5 (Residential Single-Family, Medium Density. A related application has been submitted (P22-00507) which proposes to rezone 6 parcels from RS-5 zoning to CG (Commercial General) in order for the proposed medical clinic to be a by right use at this location. Staff recommends approval. BACKGROUND Project Proposal There are two pending applications for entitlement. On behalf of the owner, Planned Amendment - Rezone Application No. P22-00507 was filed by Roger Hurtado of Centerline Design, LLC and pertains to 1.23 acres of properties located on West Fir and West Beachwood Avenues between North Sugar Pine and North San Pablo Avenues. The applicant proposes to rezone 6 parcels from RS-5 ((Residential Single-Family, Medium Density) zoning to CG (Commercial General) in order to construct an 11,520 square foot medical clinic across six parcels, as a by right use at this location. A related Development Permit application has been submitted (P22-00505) for the proposed medical clinic. On behalf of the owner, Development Permit Application No. P22-00505 was filed by Roger Hurtado of Centerline Design, LLC and pertains to 1.23 acres of properties located on West Fir and West Beachwood Avenues between North Sugar Pine and North San Pablo Avenues. The applicant proposes to construct an 11,520 square foot medical clinic across six parcels. The properties are currently zoned RS-5 (Residential Single-Family, Medium Density. A related application has been submitted (P22-00507) which proposes to rezone 6 parcels from RS-5 zoning to CG (Commercial General) in order for the proposed medical clinic to be a by right use at this location. Project Analysis Cultural Resource Assessment for the Valley Health Team Project Area, Pinedale, was prepared by Melinda A. Peak of Peak & Associates, Inc as a part of a larger environmental assessment for the medical clinic project. The Cultural Resource Assessment was conducted pursuant to CEQA. The assessment covers two potential resources for evaluation, 49 W Fir Ave (to be removed) and 66 W Beechwood Ave (adjacent to site to remain). The Assessment concludes that neither meet the thresholds in Public Resource Code Section 5020 et seq. Excerpts of the Assessment are as follows: Description 49 West Fir The property consists of a single-family home and detached garage located on a small, narrow lot. The single-family residence is single story, rectangular shaped with a front gable roof. Small, covered porches are located along the north, east, and south facing fa�ades. The roof is covered with asphalt shingles and the sides are coated with stucco. Windows are modern aluminum and look to be replacements. The detached garage is single story, rectangular shape with a front gable roof covered with asphalt shingles. The sides are coated with stucco. A garage door is located along the north facing fa�ade. Three double sash windows are located along the east and south facing facades. The home was constructed in 1945 according to county building records. Stylistically it fits within the Minimal Traditional Style, popular between 1935-1950 (McAlester 2017:586-595). The frontgabled roof subtype is less common than other subtypes of Minimal Traditional Style homes, but otherwise this residence displays the typical stylistic elements of the style. Resource Evaluation 49 West Fir Under CRHR criterion A, the site must "be associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of California's history and cultural heritage." The residence and detached garage do not appear to be associated with any specific, significant contribution. For a property to be eligible under Criterion B of the CRHR, the features must be associated with persons important in the past. There is no evidence to suggest that this property was ever associated with a significant person in our past. For CRHR Criterion C, the resource must embody "the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region, or method of construction, or represents the work of an important creative individual, or possesses high artistic values." Minimal Traditional Style homes represented the one of the most economical to build residential unit layouts available and was widely advertised as such during the 1930s and 1940s (McAlester 2017:587). The residence at 49 West Fir Avenue is a slightly less typical, but still very common, example of this widely built subtype. For Criterion D, there were no associated archeological deposits observed during the field inspection and recordation and it is unlikely given the degree of ground disturbance surrounding the buildings that a buried, undiscovered deposit would be present. We conclude that this residence and detached garage does not meet the threshold under criteria A - D of the CRHR and is not a historical resource. Description 66 West Beechwood The property has a single-family home with detached garage located on a small narrow lot. The residence is singe story, irregular shape with a hipped roof. The roof is covered with asphalt shingles and the sides are covered with stucco, except for the south facing fa�ade that has partial decorative brick siding. Windows are modern aluminum and look to be replacements. The detached garage is single story with a hipped roof covered with asphalt shingles. The sides are covered with stucco. The home was constructed in 1961 according to county building records. Stylistically it fits within the Minimal Traditional Style, popular between 1935-1950 (McAlester 2017:586-595). The hipped roof subtype is less common than other subtypes of Minimal Traditional Style homes, but otherwise this residence displays the typical stylistic elements of the style. Resource Evaluation 66 West Beechwood Under CRHR criterion A, the site must "be associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of California's history and cultural heritage." The residence and detached garage do not appear to be associated with any specific, significant contribution. For a property to be eligible under Criterion B of the CRHR, the features must be associated with persons important in the past. There is no evidence to suggest that this property was ever associated with a significant person in our past. For CRHR Criterion C, the resource must embody "the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region, or method of construction, or represents the work of an important creative individual, or possesses high artistic values." Minimal Traditional Style homes represented the one of the most economical to build residential unit layouts available and was widely advertised as such during the 1930s and 1940s (McAlester 2017:587). The residence located at 66 West Beechwood Avenue is a slightly less typical, but still very common, example of this widely built subtype. For Criterion D, there were no associated archeological deposits observed during the field inspection and recordation and it is unlikely given the degree of ground disturbance surrounding the buildings that a buried, undiscovered deposit would be present. We conclude that this residence and detached garage does not meet the threshold under criteria A - D of the CRHR and is not a historical resource. Local Historical Context and Modern Setting The history of Pinedale is closely aligned with three important periods. The first period revolved around the Sugar Pine Lumber Mill which operated from the early 1920s to the late 1930s. The next period occurred after the attack on Pearl Harbor which saw the forcible relocation of Japanese Americans to detention and internment camps. This dark period of Fresno's history is marked by a placque at the site of the Pinedale Assembly Center, which is California Registered Historical Landmark No. 934, now known as the Pinedale Assembly Center and Memorial and Remembrance Plaza located at 625 W Alluvial Ave. The third primary historical period began in 1942 when the Pinedale Assembly Center became Camp Pinedale operating as a training center for the Army Air Forces signal technicians; in 1944 Camp Pinedale became the home of the 840th Army Air Forces Specialized Depot. The site of the mill, assembly center, and specialized storage depot was located approximately 1 mile west of Blackstone Ave, or about one half mile west of the project site. Based upon the Cultural Resource Assessment, there is no verified connection between the residences and the historical events which occurred in Pinedale. Additionally, the residences retain little of the location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling or association with the history or persons who contributed to these distinct historical periods. The current setting is shown below as surrounded by primarily commercial structures and parking lots to the east and south, an elementary school to the north and residential uses to the immediate west. The proposed site plan will buffer the existing neighborhood from the traffic entering off Blackstone through both landscaping and structure location. The proposed medical office structure will be located at the intersection of Fir and Sugar Pine surrounded by a dense landscape setback. The parking will be located at the intersection of Beechwood and Sugar Pine surrounded by a dense landscape setback. The western boundary of the site will additionally buffer the neighborhood with a new CMU wall. Notice of Historic Preservation Commission Hearing In accordance with Section 12-1617 of the FMC, the Planning and Development Department mailed Notices of this Commission hearing to surrounding property owners within 2,000 feet. ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS The project has been reviewed by Peak & Associates, Inc. in accordance with sections 15064.5 and 15126.4(b) of the CEQA Guidelines. FRESNO MUNICIPAL CODE FINDINGS The Commission must make one of the following findings. Based upon analysis of the application, the required findings by the Historic Preservation Commission to approve application permit B22-10883 FMC Section 12-1617 (h) are as follows: FINDING 1 can be made because 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. FINDING 2 is not applicable as the action proposed is not a correction of an unsafe or dangerous condition on the property. FINDING 3 cannot be made because there is no evidence that the denial of the application will not result in unreasonable economic hardship to the owner. FINDING 4 is not applicable because the site is not required for a public use which will directly benefit the public health, safety and welfare and will be of more benefit that the Historic Resource. FINDING 5 is not applicable because this is not an application for relocation of an Historic Resource. Staff Recommendation Based upon analysis of the application, staff recommends the Historic Preservation Commission recommend approval to the Planning Commission of Application P22-00505 and P22-00507 for the General Plan Amendment, Rezone and Development Permit for a medical clinic located at 49 W Fir Ave. (APNs 303-161-48/49, 50, 51, 52 and 53). CONCLUSION The appropriateness of the proposed project has been examined with respect to its consistency to the Fresno Municipal Code (FMC) Section 12-1617. The proposed project has been described and analyzed above and by the accompanying environmental assessment. Staff recommends the Historic Preservation Commission recommend approval to the Planning Commission of Application P22-00505 and P22-00507 for the General Plan Amendment, Rezone and Development Permit for a medical clinic located at 49 W Fir Ave. (APNs 303-161-48/49, 50, 51, 52 and 53). Attachments: Exhibit A: Cultural Resource Assessment Exhibit B: Operational Statement P22-00505 Exhibit C: Operational Statement P22-00507 Exhibit D: Site Plan Exhibit E: Demo Site Plan Exhibit F: Landscape Plan Exhibit G: Elevations Exhibit H: Fresno Municipal Code Findings