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place to sit and have a morning cup of coffee. If built according to the present design, our yard and <br />Family Room would not receive any direct sunlight until at least 10 or 11 am. We would effectively <br />have a shaded canyon 19 feet deep on one side, 18 feet wide and 9 feet deep on the remaining <br />side; the sunlight available to the Patio, planting and home interior will be dramatically less. The <br />ventilation and air patterns in the yard are also likely to be adversely impacted. The privacy of our <br />vnrd snare and the Familv Room will also be compromised by the placement of this addition. The <br />windows of the addition at both levels are in alignment with the sliding glass door of the Family <br />Room. The items listed above are not minimized impacts, an intent stated by the City Standards. <br />Up to Tuesday March 22"d, when the story poles ware placed, we had no idea that this addition was <br />planned even though the owners were strongly counseled by the City Planning Staff to seek neighbor <br />feedback. I feel there are several better design opportunities available to the applicants. I have been a <br />Registered Architect in California since 1974 and have participated in numerous projects of a similar <br />nature. There are ways to design this addition without creating the adverse impact to the City and to our <br />home. <br />1. The addition could be partially or wholly "second storied" onto the existing home. This would allow a <br />better integration of the new added space to the existing character of the home; also it would relieve <br />our yard space from becoming a deep dark hole. <br />2. This property has a 53' deep rear yard available for use. A one story addition, of equal interior <br />square footage, could be placed within standard setbacks and well under the Floor Area Ratio of <br />50% and still with an ample back yard area. There is no need to make a 2 -story addition to <br />accomplish the same goal. <br />Pursuant to Section 580 (H) (1), the Zoning Enforcement Official can enforce the standards with the <br />intent that: "the addition should be consistent with the existing residence...... or the existing residence <br />should be remodeled concurrently with construction of the proposed addition in order to achieve the <br />desired consistency." I feel that in this review, the applicants should be informed that the present design <br />has too much negative impact on San Leandro and their neighbors. A redesign by the applicant is <br />appropriate. <br />I can provide numerous photographs of remodels where the owner and designer have taken the <br />responsibility seriously to prevent the project from standing out as a "tacked on box". The City Zoning <br />Ordinances are created for the benefit of all residents of San Leandro. This situation is exactly what the <br />ordinances are intended to prevent, an insensitive design disrespectful of the local residents and the <br />character of City of San Leandro. There are too many bad examples from the past; we do not need <br />more in the future. The application of the existing ordinances, in a direct way, is appropriate to prevent <br />more mistakes. <br />Si cerely, <br />Lz <br />Harry Meta as <br />Louise Metaxas <br />900 Dowling Blvd. <br />San Leandro, CA 94577 <br />(510) 632-9112 <br />Page 2 of 2 <br />