Window Replacement Challenges in San Jose's Historic Inventory

[Felix Shi]

Hello,

I'm seeking guidance for a house project in San Jose, located in a city conservation area with historic inventory. The challenge arises as the city permits only true divided lite windows, leading to a cost of $40k for 4 custom-built wood arch windows to replace rotted ones facing the street. However, I've observed other houses in the area without original windows, some even rebuilt with new windows using a single-family permit. I'm puzzled by the apparent discrepancy in regulations. I also see a neighbor got code enforcement investigation from city inspector and applied a sfh- historic administrative to rectify their windows.

Can applying for a single-family permit offer a workaround from historic planning for window replacement? Any insights or experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.