Title
PLN17-0484 - 1123 Versailles Avenue Call for Review - Applicant: Shirley Xie. A public hearing to consider a Design Review to construct a two-story addition at the rear of an existing split level single family home. The addition will add approximately 1,572 square feet to an existing 974 square foot residence. The property is listed on the City of Alameda’s Historic Building Study List with a “B” designation. The project is located within the R-1 (One-Family Residence) Zoning District.
Body
To: Honorable President and
Members of the Planning Board
From: David Sablan
Planner II
Date: April 23, 2018
Re: PLN17-0484 - 1123 Versailles Avenue Call for Review - Applicant: Shirley Xie. A public hearing to consider a Design Review to construct a two-story addition at the rear of an existing split-level single family home. The addition will add approximately 1,572 square feet to an existing 974-square foot residence. The property is listed on the City of Alameda’s Historic Building Study List with a “B” designation. The project is located within the R-1 (One-Family Residence) Zoning District.
BACKGROUND
On March 19, 2018, the City of Alameda Community Development Department approved a design review application to construct a two-story 1,572-square foot addition to an existing 974-square foot home, resulting in a 2,546-square foot single family home. The approved plans are included as Exhibit 1.
On March 26, 2018, Planning Board member Sandy Sullivan called the decision for review after hearing public testimony from the project’s neighbors. The neighbors’ concerns with the project were the overall size of the addition, lack of off-street parking on the property, and potential shade and privacy impacts from a two-story addition.
A call for review requires that the Planning Board hold a noticed public hearing to review the Department’s decision to approve the project. Upon consideration of the materials, drawings, and public testimony, the Planning Board may vote to: 1) amend the Department’s approval of the application, 2) deny the application, or 3) uphold the Department’s decision to approve the application. Public comments received on the project are attached as Exhibit 2.
DISCUSSION
Design Review Proposal: As proposed by the applicant, the two-story addition will be located at the rear of the existing structure, which is a split-level structure with a single floor at the front and two stories at the rear. The approved design includes several measures to reduce the overall height and minimize the massing of the addition; including utilizing a slab-on-grade foundation, incorporating a low-pitched, hipped roof, and lowering the floor to ceiling height of the second floor to eight feet one inch (8’1”). The Department’s approval of the proposal includes a condition requiring that the lower floor of the addition also be reduced to a maximum ceiling height of eight feet one inch (8’1”), which will lower the overall building height of the addition to twenty-one feet (21’) at its highest point. The addition proposes cedar shingle siding on the lower portion of the building and stucco siding on the upper portion of the building to match the existing materials on the home.
Design Review Findings: The Department was able to make the necessary findings to approve the project, which are:
The project is consistent with the General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, and the City of Alameda Design Review Manual.
The project meets or exceeds all objective development standards within the R-1 Zoning District, and does not require any special exceptions or waivers (See Table 1). The project, as conditioned, incorporates guidelines from the City’s Guide to Residential Design in order to minimize the impacts a two-story addition may have on the streetscape and adjacent neighbors. These include utilization of a slab-on-grade foundation and a low roof pitch.
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Table 1: Project Complies with R-1 Development Standards. |
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Requirement: |
Proposed: |
Compliance: |
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Maximum Building Height |
30 ft. |
21 ft.* |
Complies |
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Front Yard Setback |
20 ft. |
No Change |
Complies |
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Minimum Side Yard Setback (Left) |
5 ft. |
6 ft. |
Complies |
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Minimum Side Yard Setback (Right) |
5 ft. |
5 ft. |
Complies |
|
Minimum Rear Yard Setback |
20 ft. |
28 ft. 9 in. |
Complies |
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Maximum Lot Coverage |
40% |
39.2% |
Complies |
*Originally proposed to be 22 ft., as conditioned the overall height will be reduced to 21 ft.
The project design is appropriate for the site, is compatible with adjacent or neighboring buildings or surroundings, and promotes harmonious transitions in scale and character in areas between different designated land uses.
The project is consistent with the Guide to Residential Design as it minimizes the verticality of the addition and, as conditioned, minimizes potential loss of the neighbor’s privacy. The proposed addition has been set at the rear of the structure to preserve the single story character of the residence at the street level. The overall height has been reduced to minimize impacts on the front elevation by utilizing slab-on-grade foundation and incorporating a low pitch roof. The addition is four feet three inches taller than the existing two-story structure. A condition of approval requires all side-facing second floor windows be clerestory windows, which are windows positioned above the eye-level that let in air and light but do not allow direct views to adjacent property. New single-hung windows on the rear elevation will satisfy emergency egress as required by the Building Code. Locating the addition at the rear of the house and utilizing guidelines from the Guide to Residential Design to reduce height will preserve the single story appearance of the residence as viewed along the street. The design has been modified and conditioned to have as minimal shade and privacy impacts on neighboring properties as possible for a two-story addition, which is permitted by right within the R-1 Zoning District.
The project is visually compatible with the surrounding development, and design elements have been incorporated to ensure the compatibility of the structure with the character and uses of adjacent development.
The proposed addition is designed to match the existing house and it will utilize the same materials which are also compatible with the design elements found on residential buildings in the neighborhood. The existing cedar shingles, waterline and stucco siding will continue, uninterrupted, through the addition.
Planning Board Considerations
If the Planning Board is unable to make one or more of the above findings that were made by the Department, the Planning Board may amend the Department’s approval of the application or deny the application. When considering the Department’s findings and conclusions, the Planning Board must also consider the merits of the arguments submitted in writing to date and submitted at the public hearing. In letters to staff and in public comment to the Planning Board at the Board’s March 23, 2018 meeting, neighbors raised several concerns about the potential for the project to impact the neighborhood.
The first issue raised by the opponents of the project is a concern about the overall size of the addition and the amount of floor area being added to the existing home. The speaker at the Planning Board meeting felt the addition is too big for the neighborhood. As discussed above, the project meets all the development standards of the R-1 Zoning District. These standards apply to all properties within all R-1 neighborhoods. From staff’s perspective, if the neighbors believes that the R-1 Zoning allows too much development, and if the Planning Board agrees, then the Planning Board could consider changing R-1 Zoning standards throughout the City to limit the amount of development permitted in R-1 Zones.
Another issue raised was the lack of off-street parking on the property. Currently the site does not have off street parking that meets the City’s requirements; however, the zoning code does not require that the applicant provide parking a condition of adding living space. Furthermore, the original driveway for the property was built across the shared property line with the property to southwest. The portion of the driveway entirely on the subject property does not meet the minimum width requirements for a driveway, and there is no recorded easement that allows legal access across the neighbor’s property.
Concerns were also raised over potential for loss of privacy due to second floor windows located along side elevations. After discussing these privacy concerns with neighbors, staff conditioned the project to require clerestory windows for all new second floor windows on side elevations. Clerestory windows are located above eye level, this would allow for light and ventilation and restrict direct views into neighboring properties
PUBLIC NOTICE
Property owners and residents within 300 feet of the project’s boundaries were notified of the public hearing and given the opportunity to review and comment on the proposal. As discussed in this staff report, staff received correspondence from neighboring property owners during the previous public notice period for this project.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(c) - Existing Facilities.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Planning Board uphold the Community Development Department’s approval of design review, along with the previously approved conditions, to build a two-story addition at 1123 Versailles Avenue. The draft resolution is attached as Exhibit 3.
Respectfully submitted,
David Sablan
Exhibits:
1. Plans
2. Correspondence from Neighbors
3. Draft Resolution