Question 1

Our house is in a landmark district. What does that mean?

Accepted Answer

That alterations visible from the street are reviewed against the district's character, and that what is original matters. Pasadena has a substantial number of landmark and historic districts, and a project inside one is judged on how it treats the existing building as much as on what it adds. Accurate existing elevations are the foundation of that submittal.

Question 2

Do you work on Craftsman homes?

Accepted Answer

Frequently. They carry detailing that has to be matched if an addition is going to be approved and look right: rafter tails, brackets, window proportion, shingle coursing. Matching it starts with measuring it, so we scan at a resolution that lets the profiles be drawn rather than approximated, and confirm the key dimensions by hand.

Question 3

What does the hillside overlay add?

Accepted Answer

Height measured from natural grade and limits on how much building can sit on a slope. On the lots above the city this usually constrains the design more than the zoning envelope does, so we capture the terrain before the design work starts.

Question 4

Do you handle downtown commercial and tenant improvements?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Older commercial stock around Colorado Boulevard and Old Pasadena rarely matches its drawings, and in some cases the structure itself is a question worth answering before design. We scan the space and the services first, then the fit-out is laid against reality.

Question 5

Are ADUs straightforward in a historic district?

Accepted Answer

The state rules apply, but where the unit is visible from the street the design will be looked at. Siting it where it reads as subordinate, and detailing it so it sits comfortably with the main house, is usually what makes the difference. We work that out from a measured survey of the property rather than from the assessor's map.

Drafting and Permit Documents in Pasadena

01Our house is in a landmark district. What does that mean?

02Do you work on Craftsman homes?

03What does the hillside overlay add?

04Do you handle downtown commercial and tenant improvements?

05Are ADUs straightforward in a historic district?