Planning panel approves historic-design changes for 3148 Sacramento Street with clarified visibility conditions

The Placerville Planning Commission approved a historic design review on May 19 for a 1940s single-family residence at 3148 Sacramento Street, allowing replacement of three deteriorated windows and exterior siding with conditions clarifying which elevations must retain a horizontal lap appearance.

Planning staff presented HDR 26-02 and recommended approval with conditions that Hardie Plank horizontal lap siding be installed on street-visible elevations and board-and-batten limited to non-visible elevations. Staff said proposed awning-style crank windows would be installed within the existing openings and that the project is categorically exempt from CEQA. "The proposed siding treatment preserves the horizontal lap appearance on street-visible elevations, maintaining compatibility with the surrounding historic district," staff told the commission.

Commissioners focused on which sides of the house are visible from Highway 49 after inconsistencies in the attachments showing compass orientations. One commissioner asked staff to clarify cardinal points and recommended that conditions reference "sides visible from Highway 49." The commission also asked that the staff replace the phrase "like for like" with "compatible substitute" in the Secretary of the Interior standards language to reflect that modern materials (James Hardie fiber cement) would be used where appropriate for improved fire resistance and durability.

The applicant, identified at the hearing as Alyssa Volker, said the exterior appearance will remain essentially the same and described the proposed gray-green paint and double-pane divided-light windows that will retain the same grid pattern. "It'll look exactly the same," the applicant said when asked whether the visual character would be preserved.

After amending conditions to (1) replace "like for like" with "compatible substitute," and (2) add a specific condition requiring horizontal lap siding on elevations visible from Highway 49, the commission approved HDR 26-02 by a 2–1 vote (one abstention). The action is subject to a 10-day appeal period to the City Council.

The approval includes a requirement that board widths for horizontal lap siding remain approximately equal to the existing appearance and that proposed awning-style windows be installed within existing openings as shown in the submitted plans. Staff will prepare the final conditions and the notice of approval for the applicant.

The applicant may proceed after the appeal period; the commission noted that clarifying the record about which elevations are visible from Highway 49 was the principal change made in the amended approval.