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sArr 1osE ca 95109 MEMORANDUM
DATE: April 18, 2017
TO: City of Cupertino Community Development Department
10300 Torre Avenue
Cupertino, CA 95014
(via email)
RE: Seven Springs Ranch, 11801 Dorothy Anne Way, Cupertino,CA
Planning Review of Non-Contributing Structures - Historic Mediation Project
Director's Minor Modification Review
FROM: Leslie A.G. Dill, Historic Architect
INTRODUCTION
This memorandum is intended to provide historic preservation design review for the two non-
contributing building designs submitted as part of the Seven Springs Ranch Historic Mediation
Project.The following analysis provides feedback about the current designs' compatibility with the
significance and integrity of the property, a listed California Register Historic District.The intent of
this memo is to provide information to Staff at the City of Cupertino for the Director's Minor
Modification Review,a planning entitlement in the development process for the property.
The 01/20/17 drawing set is titled Seven Springs Ranch Historic Mitigation Project. It was
prepared by Wanmei Properties Inc.for the owner,Chang Long Realty Development LLC.The plan
set was forwarded electronically to Archives&Architecture by the City of Cupertino for review.
Within the current drawing set are eight sheets that represent work at two non-contributing
buildings at the historic property and their effect on the site plan. Four sheets (A-0.1 through A-
0.4) present remodeling and alteration work at the Ranch Office,an existing building from the early
1980s,which was recently altered. It is toward the eastern side of the property.Two sheets (A-R.1
and A-R.2) represent the construction of a new building,now referred to as the New Shed, near the
north property line,northwest of the historic Bubb Barn.The cover sheet and site plan (Sheets A-
0.0 and A-0.1) illustrate the property as a whole and general notes for the larger project.
The Ranch Office was originally built around 1981-82.The office was originally designed in the
Third Bay Region Tradition by Claude Stoller under the ownership of Dorothy Lyddon. It is
considered a non-contributing building because it was less than 50 years of age and outside the
period of significance established during the historical and architectural evaluation of the property.
The New Shed was built in the last three or four years by the current owners. It was not previously
evaluated for historic significance because it was not yet constructed. It would,therefore,be
considered a non-contributing building to the historic property. It was first analyzed during the
October 2015 status update of the property.
408.297?G84 OFFICE
408228.0762 FAX
www.archivesandarchitecture.com
The plan set includes a site plan that indicates the current property-wide planning proposal—the
building layout is essentially unchanged from its current configuration.The designation of the
property is an Historic District, so the overall use of the property,including the density and design
of the other buildings (non-contributors) on the site,is a critical element of the review. Eighteen
historic and non-historic buildings, structures,and sites were identified during the October, 2015,
status update.Two buildings (the non-contributors that were altered or added without previous
review) are addressed in this memorandum.
EXECUTTVE SUMMARY:
The site plan and building plans indicates that the altered and new non-contributing buildings will
not have an adverse impact on the property as a whole,and the property will retain its historic and
architectural integrity; therefore,the two proposed building designs are consistent with the
Standards, and the altered Ranch Office and the New Shed will not represent an adverse impact
under CEQA.
ANALYSIS:
Ranch Office
Description from the October 2015 report:
Major alterations to the overall form,materials,and detailing of the Office building were
noted during the site visit in 2015.The Office continues to include some original elements;
however,the footprint, roof,windows, doors,and other elements have been altered since
2010.The building is comprised of a hipped roof with a new,central gabled section,vertical
board-and-batten siding that has been continued onto a new south addition,the
replacement of some original metal casement windows with sliders and the reuse of some
steel casement windows into the new addition,and the installation of new entrances at the
north and south,along with the related foundations and eave alterations that come from the
new construction.
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2015 View of Noncontributing Office Building 2015 View of Noncontributing Office Building
South Elevation-from the southeast North Elevation-from the northwest
Central gable is an alteration;projecting wing Central gable is an alteration;entrance has been
has been enlar ed and altered altered
A R C H 1 V E S & A R C H 1 T E C T U R E
Recommendations/Conclusions from the October 2015 report:
As the Office is not considered a contributor to the historic or architectural setting of Seven
Springs Ranch,the alterations of the building and its immediate setting,by definition, can
have no significant impact on the Office structure itself.
Project Approach from October 2015 report:
Identified as a non-contributor to the historical significance of the property,the Office was
constructed in its current location prior to the establishment of the National Register
eligibility of the Seven Springs Ranch. Even with the significant changes noted to the
building design and modifications to its size,the Office remains in its original location with
some similarities in footprint,and the building is visually sheltered by vegetation from,and
physically separate from,the historic contributing buildings,structures,and sites of the
property.The current altered design would,therefore,suggest no direct impact on the
significance of the whole property after 2010. Because the property is listed as an historic
district,it is appropriate to consider the alterations and addition to this non-contributing
building as alterations to the property,to be evaluated by the Secretary of the Interior's
Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties-Rehabilitation.
Standards Analysis of the 2017 plans:
There is no change in the overall analysis from the 2015 report with regard to direct
impacts on a non-contributing structure. Regarding the impact of the work on the property
as a whole,additional analysis,according to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards-
Rehabilitation, is as follows:
It is understood that the intent of the current design is to alter the interiors of the current
building,returning its use from an unpermitted residence to a non-residential office use.
The current project alterations will cause no effective change in use of the property
(Standard 1).
No historic footprint of the original contributing buildings,structures, or sites is proposed
for removal in this project;the forms and footprints of the historic buildings and the
primary setting will be preserved.The spatial separation of the Office from the other
buildings will be preserved (Standard 2).
There are no proposed elements that might be mistaken for original features or that could
be considered as copied from other properties (Standard 3).
No existing changes to the property have been identified as having acquired historic
significance with regard to this building(Standard 4).
Because the proposed altered building and its addition are detached from the other historic
features on the property,the features and finishes that characterize the original property
are shown as preserved (Standard 5).
Deteriorated features that characterize the historic property are not affected by this work
(Standard 6).
Within this proposed scope of work,no chemical or physical treatments are proposed for
historic features (Standard 7).
Archeological resources are not evaluated in this review (Standard 8).
The proposed alterations and addition at the Office is clearly differentiated from the design
of the historic buildings in style and detailing.The office design remains reasonably
A R C H 1 V E S & A R C H 1 T E C T U R E
compatible with the historic property and its contributing buildings in size (it is not larger
in footprint or height than other buildings on the property),scale (the siding and roofing
are comprised of repetitive elements that are compatible),and proportion (the amount of
glass with respect to the amount of wall space represent traditional residential
proportions).The materials of the altered building: painted wood siding and trim,and
residential-scale glass windows,are also specifically appropriate to the setting. (Standard 9)
The proposed design would preserve the essential form and integrity of the historic
property.The critical character-defining features of the buildings and setting would be
unimpaired in this project(Standardl0).
Ranch Office Conclusions:
The altered building design and its new addition meets the Standards;therefore,the impact
of the alterations and addition are mitigated to a less-than-significant impact on the
property/historic district under CEQA.
The cumulative impact is discussed further below.
New Shed
Description from the October 2015 report,edited to correct ordinal directions and to reflect the
proposed current name of building,previously called"New Residence" and now referred to as"New
Shed":
New Shed- Non-Contributing Building,
The New Shed is a detached one-story[building] in the neo-modern style. It is set against a
backdrop of trees near the northern property line,to the northwest of the historic barn. It
has a low-slope shed roof with deep eaves and expanses of glass at the front south fa�ade
and [west] side,including a trapezoidal transom over the front entry,a triangular transom
above a window unit, and a square bay window facing south.The [shed] foundation is set
into the slope of the grade,and the front door is at grade.
The New Shed is accessed by an expanded (but previously established) gravel driveway that
continues up the hillside to the site of the former Equestrian Barn.
(Added to the description: The New Shed is directly across the gravel driveway from the
recent rear addition of the Bubb Barn. It is visible from the barn.)
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2015 View of New Shed South Fa�ade-from the 2015 View of New Shed Southwest Entry Corner
southeast - from the southwest
A R C H 1 V E S & A R C H 1 T E C T U R E
Recommendations from the October 2015 report:
It is recommended that this house be considered as part of a comprehensive review for
compatibility with the Standards,and the environmental declaration be withheld until the
entire project is understood to preserve the overall integrity of the site.
Project Approach:
It is understood that the intent of the current design is to alter the interiors of the current
building,changing its use from a residence to a storage building/accessory structure.
Regarding the extent of the alterations and the new building's impact, Because the property
is listed as an historic district,it is appropriate to consider the addition of this non-
contributing building as an alteration to the property,to be evaluated by the Secretary of the
Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties-Rehabilitation (Standards).
Standards Analysis of the 2017 plans:
There is no change since 2015 in the overall importance of analyzing the impacts of a non-
contributing structure on the larger historic district.That analysis,according to the
Secretary of the Interior's Standards-Rehabilitation, is as follows:
It is understood that the intent of the current proposal is to alter the interiors of the current
building, changing its use from an unpermitted residence to a non-residential storage use.
The use of the building as an accessory structure is appropriate within the context of the
large property with scattered rural and residential outbuildings. One can consider that this
building is a functional replacement for the non-contributing equestrian shed structures
that were demolished farther up the hillside,at the top of the driveway,to the west of the
subject building. (Standard 1).
No historic footprint of the original contributing buildings, structures, or sites is proposed
for removal for this project; the forms and footprints of the historic buildings and the
primary setting will be preserved.The spatial separation of the New Shed from the other
buildings is generally preserved (Standard 2).
There are no proposed elements that might be mistaken for original features or that could
be considered as copied from other properties (Standard 3).
No existing changes to the property have been identified as having acquired historic
significance with regard to this building(Standard 4).
Because the proposed building is detached from the other historic features on the property,
the features and finishes that characterize the original property are shown as preserved
(Standard 5).
Deteriorated features that characterize the historic property are not affected by this work
(Standard 6).
Within this proposed scope of work,no chemical or physical treatments are proposed for
historic features (Standard 7).
Archeological resources are not evaluated in this review (Standard 8).
The New Shed design is clearly differentiated from the design of the historic buildings and
structures in style and detailing.The low-slope roof forms,and the modernist use of glazing
and deep overhangs is outside the historic vocabulary of the property. It will be similar in
style and materials to the Ranch Office,creating a new,residential-scale vocabulary within
A R C H 1 V E S & A R C H 1 T E C T U R E
the property. Meanwhile,the New Shed remains reasonably compatible with the historic
property and its contributing buildings in size (it is not larger in footprint or height than
other buildings on the property),scale (the siding and roofing are comprised of repetitive
elements that are compatible),and proportion (the amount of glass with respect to the
amount of wall space represent traditional residential proportions).The materials of the
new building: painted wood siding and trim,and residential-scale glass windows,are also
specifically appropriate to the setting.The location of the building is outside the main
circulation zone,and the moderate size of the building and its low profile provide a
compatible visual appearance. (Standard 9)
The proposed design would preserve the essential form and integrity of the historic
property.The critical character-defining features of the buildings and setting would be
unimpaired in this project(Standardl0).
New Shed Conclusions:
The New Shed design and its proposed use meets the Standards; therefore,the impact of the
alterations and addition are mitigated to a less-than-significant impact on the
property/historic district under CEQA.
The cumulative impact on the property is discussed further below.
Cumulative Effects-Site Plan
Description summary of the Property from the National Register Nomination,as summarized in the
October 2015 Report:
Seven Springs Ranch is located at the edge of the greater Santa Clara Valley in the foothills
of the Santa Cruz Mountains,within the western boundary of the City of Cupertino,
California.The 37.01-acre parcel which constitutes Seven Springs Ranch in the twenty-first
century consists predominantly of open space; some of it designed as picturesque gardens,
some of it remaining as wooded ravines and roads,and the majority of it encompassing
hillside open space comprising vanishing orchards.
Seven Springs Ranch today encompasses many acres of buildings and grounds that
represent a continuum of significant and supporting design elements from the mid-
nineteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries.Although the majority of the associated
agricultural lands have been developed for residential use and a few central buildings on
the site have been lost,the ranch continues to embody significant associations with the
historical development of California agricultural properties,as well as associations with
historic personages and architects who are regionally and nationally significant.These
associations are illustrated by the various residences, outbuildings,and landscape elements,
which together preserve the feelings and associations of a Northern California agricultural
estate ranch.
Design elements that are related specifically to this uniquely Western setting include the
close relationship between the indoor and outdoor spaces of the residences,the form and
materials of the early barn,the use of Spanish Colonial Revival and Mission-style motifs for
the main house and guest cottage,the adobe house surrounded by its Third Bay Tradition
styled outbuildings,the idealized and picturesque garden landscapes with their specimen
trees,terracing and water elements,and the practical and composed clustering of the
buildings within the greater site.
The buildings are generally located in three closely related clusters while a few buildings
are located individually on outer reaches of the current site.When the property was more
A R C H 1 V E S & A R C H 1 T E C T U R E
extensive,the larger area,situated more in the lowlands than the foothills,was used
primarily for agricultural purposes.At that time,there were agricultural buildings and
worker residences located on access roads within the related cultivated lands.The original
address of the house was on Cupertino's Stelling Road, and the driveway was aligned with
the most direct route to the railroad right-of-way that passes nearby.
Relevant Recommendations from the October 2015 report:
It is recommended that the owner be required to submit an as-is drawing set of the existing
conditions and a revised design that reflects the following recommendations,with the
intent of rehabilitation of the house to embody its period of significance and use within the
larger historic Seven Springs Ranch property. It is recommended that the entirety of the
documented and revised proposed design be reviewed for compatibility with the Standards
prior to issuance of permits.
(Note: There are other recommendations, specific to the review of the contributing
structures and omitted here.)
Project Approach- Historic Integrity:
As analyzed above,the addition of and the alteration of the non-contributing structures can
be considered compatible with the Standards. In addition to the compatibility of this
proposed development on the historic property,the historic integrity of the entire resource
must also be considered.
According to the National Park Service,"Integrity is the ability of a property to convey its
significance".The California Office of Historic Preservation defines integrity as "...the
authenticity of a historical resource's physical identity evidenced by the survival of
characteristics that existed during the resource's period of significance." After a project,the
resource must retain its integrity to remain eligible for historic status.
Integrity Analysis of the 2017 plans:
The integrity statement from the 2010 National Register Nomination would be unchanged
by the construction of the New Shed and the alteration of the Ranch Office:
The property maintains adequate historic integrity as per the National Register's seven
aspects of integrity.The open space and buildings maintain their original locations and
proximities within the ranch property now annexed into the City of Cupertino.Although
some of the original ranch property has been sold and developed,the buildings are still
surrounded by a largely historic agricultural setting in the rural foothills of Santa Clara
Valley.Each contributing building and landscaped element retains its appropriate scale and
associated feeling to illustrate its associations with to local ranching in Northern California,
including the early American Bubb agricultural era,the Radford experimental ranch era,
and the Stauffer family's estate ranching contributions.The barn has been altered slightly
over time to include a paneled corner office and an addition made from another ranch
building; however,its flared form,timber framing,and other original materials and
craftsmanship represent mid-nineteenth-century design and agricultural associations
embodied by historic barn design.The Radford water tower,garage, Gardener's Cottage,
and gardens have each been altered with some minor changes. For example,the Water
Tower has been stuccoed,the garage has had one garage door filled in,and specimen trees
have been added to the garden; however,each building and localized setting illustrates its
residential scale, original materials,form, and workmanship [emphasis added].The design of
each element embodies Radford's ideals as understood through his various early-twentieth-
century publications.The bungalow style and interaction of the roads and gardens retain
A R C H 1 V E S & A R C H 1 T E C T U R E
their integrity as an overlay of the Radford era.The main house and series of primarily
residential outbuildings built by the Stauffer/Lyddon families also retain their design
integrity with the architectural history of these significant designs.The main house has had
almost no alterations except for the landscaping of the rear courtyard;the guesthouse has
also suffered almost no alteration over time.Their Spanish Colonial Revival design,
craftsmanship, and materials are intact.The Adobe has been altered with compatible sliding
wood doors,but its materials,form,and detailing are also intact at a high level of integrity
to its original design.The Manager's House from the Stauffer era has had its windows
modified; however,it has retained sufficient integrity to remain a contributing structure to
the district. Seven Springs Ranch as a whole retains its special feeling in the long-time
history of the Western Santa Clara Valley and represents a variety of long-time associations
through its preserved forms,locations, detailing,materials,workmanship,and design.
Integrity Conclusions:
The modern vocabulary of the two non-contributing buildings is differentiated from the
remainder of the historic buildings,structures, and sites,but their use would remain as
supporting structures to the rest of the property,and their residential scale, materials,and
forms are subordinate to the historic buildings on the property.The property would
continue to embody an authentic representation of its historic significance.
REPORT CONCLUSION:
The design,use,and construction of the New Shed,and the design,use, alteration,and addition to
the Ranch Office, meet the Standards,and the property will retain its authentic feelings and
associations with its historic significance;therefore,the impact of the two non-contributing
buildings within the historic district are mitigated to a less-than-significant impact under CEQA.
A R C H 1 V E S & A R C H 1 T E C T U R E