3A Public Hearing 2008 0707 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City of San Leandro Community Development Department Planning Services Division Staff Report DATE: May 15, 2008 TO: Board of Zoning Adjustments FROM: Elmer Penaranda, Planner II ~D SUBJECT: Matter of PLN2008-00003; Revised and Re-noticed after continuing the matter from the April 17, 2008 Board of Zoning Adjustments meeting; Site Plan Review, Conditional Use Permit, and Parking Exception; to construct aone-story 1,300 square foot additional dwelling unit at the rear of the existing single-family home at 78 Williams Street (previously proposed addition was two-story with 1,342 square feet). The addition would create a duplex. The proposed roof height of the addition would be an average of 14 feet (previous design averaged approximately 19 feet, six inches tall). The proposed duplex would include a minimum of three uncovered parking spaces, including one space in tandem. Site Plan Review is required as this proposal creates a new dwelling unit. A Conditional Use Permit is required as the lot is 40 feet wide where 50 feet is the minimum lot width in the DA-3 Downtown Area District and as two-family residences are also conditionally permitted in the DA District. A Parking Exception is required as the two-family dwelling in the DA District requires two of the three parking spaces to be covered spaces. Assessor's Parcel Number 77-549-11; D and S. Christian (applicant and property owner); DA-3 Downtown Area 3 District. SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION The application was reviewed by the Board of Zoning Adjustments at the March 6, 2008 and April 17, 2008 meetings. The staff report and minutes for those meetings are attached. At both meetings the Board received opposing testimony from adjacent neighbors regarding the size and height of the proposed addition. The two-story design would have obstructed sunlight to the adjacent properties. In addition, as only four of the seven Board members were at that meeting, the Board felt that it would be helpful to have the full Board for this project's discussion and consideration. Thus, the Board continued the matter to its meeting on May 15, 2008. After the April 17th Board meeting, City staff and the applicant met to discuss the comments received from the neighbors and the Board. Although there was no direction to revise the project the applicant and staff discussed an alternative to revise the plans to a single-story design to address the adamant concerns by the neighbors about the two-story design. Thus, the applicant revised the plans to reduce the size (i.e., height and bulk) of the proposed dwelling in an effort to address the adjacent neighbors concerns. The floor area of the addition and the total height of the addition have been reduced further.