Historic Resources Board - August 28, 2025

Board recommends rehabilitation at 1950 Cowper Street

The Historic Resources Board voted 5-0 to find a proposed rehabilitation of the Category 1 historic resource at 1950 Cowper Street compliant with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The board approved the submitted plans and recommended the project to the Director of Planning and Development Services.

The 1932 Spanish Colonial Revival property has a period of significance extending through construction of a garden house in 1942. The plans include removing non-original skylights, repairing clay-tile roofing, making restoration-oriented door and wall changes, and removing the exterior walls of a non-historic garage to create an open, pavilion-like space.

Board members asked whether the altered garage would remain distinguishable from the historic structure and how required parking would be accommodated. Staff and the applicant said the open configuration and retained 1970s structural elements would distinguish the garage alteration while maintaining clay-tile-roof continuity. Staff said the existing parking court would remain, with parking-stall locations to be clarified in the building-permit plans.

Board takes no action on basement-rights preservation incentive

The board discussed but took no formal action on a concept that would offer expanded below-grade development rights to owners who list qualifying Category 1 and Category 2 residential properties on the historic register. Board members Geddes Ulinskas and Christian Pease presented the concept, which could allow some development rights to be transferred to other residential properties. Ulinskas argued that residential historic resources should have incentives comparable to those available to qualifying downtown commercial historic buildings.

A case study at 440 Melville compared a 1,346-square-foot basement under current code with a 5,230-square-foot basement under the proposed incentive and identified 3,800 square feet of potential transferable development rights. The presentation described the current historic-listing incentive as 250 square feet.

Staff said the concept would require a zoning-code change. The discussion also identified possible specific-plan amendments, hydrology and groundwater issues, floodplain management and FEMA limits on new basements as matters requiring review. Chair Alisa Eagleston-Cieslewicz said interest in additional preservation incentives had been raised with the mayor and vice mayor, but Council interest and capacity remained unclear. Advancing a city-sponsored change would require Council direction, staff capacity and further analysis.

Primary sources

Watch the meeting on YouTube · Read the official meeting packet