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PLN15-0030 - 615 Haight Avenue - Applicant: Stefan Menzi on behalf of Joseph and Melanie Snell. - CONTINUED FROM OCTOBER 26, 2015. A request for Design Review approval for a two-story addition to be located at the rear of the existing structure. The proposed addition will be twenty-six feet and six inches (26’6”) tall and meet all required setbacks. This project is categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, Section 15301(e) - Existing Facilities - additions to existing structures provided that the addition will not result in an increase of more than 10,000 square feet.
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BACKGROUND
On June 29, 2015, the Community Development Department approved Design Review application PLN15-0030 to allow the raising of an existing one-story single family residence at 615 Haight Avenue three feet to facilitate conversion of an existing crawlspace into additional living space in the home. The approval was subsequently appealed by the neighbor at 617 Haight Avenue over concerns related to increasing the height of the house along a legal non-conforming side yard setback.
On September 14, 2015, the Planning Board held a de novo public hearing on the design review application at which time the staff report, all project materials and public comments were considered. The Planning Board then directed staff, the applicant and the appellant to work together to address shade concerns, including exploring lowering the building another six inches.
DISCUSSION
After the September 14, 2015 hearing, staff offered to facilitate a meeting between the applicant and appellant, but both parties expressed an interest in working together without staff involvement. The appellants also hired their own architect to evaluate the project plans.
On September 23, 2015, the applicant presented the appellant with a revised proposal that is six inches lower than the proposal approved by staff and reviewed by the Planning Board. The revised proposal would raise the house only 2’6”, resulting in a maximum building height of 20’6”, where the height limit in the R-4 district is 35 feet. The applicants also offered to install a new skylight on the appellant’s house or pay the appellant $5,000 to carry out similar improvements of their choice (Exhibit 2).
On October 7, 2015, staff was informed that the offer was rejected by the appellant. Instead, the appellant asked the applicants to explore a single-story rear addition with no change to the existing building height. The applicant began to study the potential for an addition at the rear of the property that was built outside of the required side yard setback.
Revised Project Design
On October 14, 2015, the applicant presented staff with drawings for a two-story addition at the rear. The existing structure would not be raised, and a two-story addition would be located at the rear of the existing structure and set back five feet (5’) from the side property line. This two-story addition will add 904 square feet of habitable space, which will increase the total habitable space of the structure to 2,064 square feet. This new proposal meets all of the development regulations of the R-4 zoning district as depicted in Table 1.
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Table 1: Zoning Compliance |
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Standard Regulations: |
Proposed: |
Compliance: |
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Maximum Building Height |
35 ft. |
26 ft. 6 in. |
Complies |
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Maximum Building Coverage |
50% |
31% |
Complies |
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Minimum Front Yard Setback |
12 ft. 7 in. (average front yard setback of adjacent properties) |
No Change |
Complies |
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Minimum Rear Yard Setback |
20 ft. |
37 ft. |
Complies |
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Minimum Side Yard Setback (East) |
5 ft. |
5 ft. (Addition) |
Complies |
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Minimum Side Yard Setback (West) |
5 ft. |
11 ft. 6in. |
Complies |
The original application approved raising a portion of the house that was encroaching into the required five foot (5’) side yard setback. Per Alameda Municipal Code (AMC) Sections 30-5.7(k) & (l), additions that are built along the plane of the existing encroaching elevation are permitted as long as the project does not have an adverse impact on the neighboring property, referred to as a “k & l finding.” This current proposal locates the addition outside of the required five foot (5’) side yard setback, therefore a “k & l finding” is not required. The proposed design includes a two foot (2’) bay window projection into the side yard setback, which is permitted by AMC Section 30-5.7(d). The rear addition is also intended to maintain the height of the existing structure in order to avoid the shade and view blockage concerns raised by the appellant.
The proposed redesign is consistent with the City’s Guide to Residential Design. As proposed, the two-story addition located at the rear of the house would have minimal impact on the front elevation as perceived from the street. This option preserves the bulk of the existing structure and the addition is set back far enough such that its two-story volume would not compete with the existing front elevation. Furthermore, the addition will maintain the same siding materials as the existing structure, with horizontal wood siding on the bottom five feet (5’) of the addition, and wood shingles on the remaining exterior. All new windows will be single-hung or casement wood windows with wood trim to match the existing windows. Along the left (west) elevation the second floor will feature a 50-square-foot balcony, set back six feet (6’) from the side property line, and will have a twelve foot (12’) clearance from grade. Given these features of the redesign, staff can make the findings for Design Review approval.
In conclusion, the applicant has demonstrated a good faith effort to address the concerns of the appellant. The project scope was drastically changed from raising the house to a rear addition, and the revised project complies with all zoning requirements without any waivers or special considerations. Therefore, staff is recommending approval of the project as revised.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Property owners and residents within 300 feet of the project’s boundaries were notified of this public hearing and given the opportunity to review and comment. Project materials are also posted on the City website.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This project has been determined to be Categorically Exempt pursuant to Section 15301 of the CEQA Guidelines, which allows minor alterations of existing private structures involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that which exists. This exemption allows additions to existing structures provided that the addition will not result in an increase of more than 10,000 square feet if the project is in an area where all public services and facilities are available to allow for maximum development permissible in the General Plan and the area in which the project is located is not environmentally sensitive.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve Design Review application no. PLN15-0030 with the revised design for a two-story rear addition as shown in Exhibit 1.
Respectfully submitted,
David Sablan
Planner I
Exhibits:
1. Plans
2. Correspondence after 9/14/2015 Planning Board Hearing.
3. Draft Resolution