Compliance & Technical Advisory Board Meeting

The Compliance and Technical Advisory Board met on Friday, July 18, 2025, with Vice Chair Jason Vazquez presiding and Chairwoman Juanita Sepulveda present. The board considered three cases: a window replacement request at 135 Lowellwood, a roof replacement at 1320 Fulton Avenue, and a fence installation at 530 Lee Street. Votes were taken on each item, and the meeting adjourned after the third case.

Discussion Items

• HDRC Case 2025-165-135 Lowellwood – Window Replacement

  • Applicant Ron Alan requested a certificate of appropriateness to replace 15 windows (12 historic wood, 3 non-historic) with Ply Gem vinyl windows on a 1928 Spanish Revival home in the Monta Vista Historic District. He cited inoperability, missing hardware, single-pane inefficiency, and high costs: $5,800 for vinyl vs. $36,000 for wood replacement and similar cost for restoration. He offered to donate original windows to a reuse center and restore a hidden historic door. Staff recommended denial of the vinyl replacement, instead advising repair of the 12 historic wood windows and replacement of the 3 non-historic windows with wood or an alternative material meeting guidelines. Board members encouraged the applicant to pursue restoration, noting the windows’ repairable condition and the importance of preserving historic fabric. The motion to support staff’s recommendation passed.

• CTAP Case 2025-125 – 1320 Fulton Avenue Roof Replacement

  • Applicant Valerie Baez, a teacher and longtime resident, requested approval to replace the original wood shake roof with asphalt shingles (e.g., GAF Timberline or Grand Sequoia) due to deterioration, critter infiltration, and high costs ($100,000+ for wood shake, $57,000 for synthetic, $21,000–$34,000 for asphalt). Staff recommended replacement with material matching existing scale, color, texture, profile, dimension, and style, noting synthetic options. The board discussed the timeline and appearance of various products. The motion approved staff’s recommendation, allowing any material type presented and discussed during the case to be considered acceptable, with the stipulation that it match the specified attributes. The vote was 7–1.

• CTAP Case 2025-162 – 530 Lee Street Fence Installation

  • Applicant Troy Najar, a homeowner living at 528 Lee Street (two houses on one lot), requested approval to install a six-foot wood privacy gate with a pedestrian gate extending forward from the front wall plane of 530 Lee Street, connecting to the porch column of 528. Staff noted that a privacy fence behind the front wall plane is administratively eligible but the proposed placement was unusual. Board discussion highlighted that a straight six-foot fence behind 530’s front facade could be approved administratively, but the proposed configuration with the pedestrian gate required board approval. The applicant agreed to a four-foot height compromise. The motion approved the fence in the configuration shown (gate extending to porch column) at four feet height. The motion carried 6–1.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes Approval (June 20, 2025): Approved with one abstention (Davis).
• 135 Lowellwood (Windows): Motion to support staff’s recommendation (deny vinyl replacement, repair historic windows, replace non-historic with wood or alternative) carried unanimously (8–0).
• 1320 Fulton Avenue (Roof): Motion to approve staff’s recommendation, allowing any material type presented and discussed (including asphalt shingles matching scale/texture/profile/dimension/style), carried 7–1 (Garcia nay).
• 530 Lee Street (Fence): Motion to approve the front yard fence in the presented configuration (with pedestrian gate) at four feet height carried 6–1 (Sepulveda nay). Flores left before the vote; the board had a quorum.
• For all approved cases, applicants were instructed to work with staff on next steps and permit issuance.