COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

 

PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT

 
 

DATE:

April 20, 2009

BOARD MEETING DATE:

April 28, 2009

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

10 days, within 300 ft.

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

 

FROM:

Lisa Grote, Community Development Director

 

SUBJECT:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Consideration of a Coastside Design Review Permit, pursuant to Sections 6565.4 (Coastal) and 6328.5 of the County Zoning Regulations as they existed in 1999, to construct a new 2,982 sq. ft. single-family residence and 400 sq. ft. detached garage on a 5,000 sq. ft. parcel located on Second Street, in the unincorporated Montara area of the County. (Appeal from decision of the Planning Commission denying the Design Review). This project is not appealable to the California Coastal Commission.

 
 

RECOMMENDATION

Approve the applicant’s revised plans submitted to the Planning Department on April 16, 2009, as directed by the Board of Supervisors at its March 31, 2009 hearing thereby approving the Design Review Permit, County File Number PLN 1999-00215, by making the findings and adopting the conditions of approval as listed in Attachment A.

 

VISION ALIGNMENT

Commitment: Partnerships, “Effective and Collaborative Government.”

Goal: Number 20, “Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or immediate gain.”

 

The revised plans further Goal 20 because they now bring the project into compliance with Design Review standards which require consideration of a project’s future impact on the surrounding neighborhood character.

 
 
 

BACKGROUND

Proposal: The applicant is proposing to construct a new 2,982 sq. ft. single-family residence and a 400 sq. ft. detached garage and the removal of three trees on a 5,000 sq. ft. parcel.

 

The Planning Director approved the subject project’s Design Review Permit in October 2000.

 

Planning Commission Action: On April 21, 2004, the Planning Commission voted 3-1 (Commissioner Kennedy had recently resigned and had not yet been replaced) to uphold the appeal and deny the decision of the Planning Director to approve the project.

 

Prior Board of Supervisors Action: On February 8, 2005, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to deny the appeal and uphold the decision of the Planning Commission to deny this project.

 

DISCUSSION

The Board of Supervisors reheard this item at its March 31, 2009 hearing, based on direction from the San Mateo County Superior Court, and after considering staff recommendations, the applicant’s presentation and public comment continued the item to its April 28, 2009 hearing. The Board of Supervisors continued the item to allow the applicant an opportunity to submit revised plans in accordance with the suggested design revisions discussed in the “Alternative” section of the March 31, 2009 staff report. Subsequently, the applicant submitted revised plans on April 16, 2009, which incorporate essentially all of the recommended design changes. The revisions include a stepped design that provides obvious breaks at each floor, redesigned decks and greater front setbacks as well as architectural details that reduce the mass and bulk of the proposed house. The revisions result in a project that now complies with the 1999 Design Review standards that require: (1) structures to be designed and situated so as to retain and blend with the natural vegetation and landforms of the site and to ensure adequate space for light and air to itself and adjacent properties; and (2) structures to be designed so that they are appropriate to the use of the property and are in harmony with the shape, size and scale of adjacent buildings in the community.

 

FISCAL IMPACT

No fiscal impact.